PHILIPSBURG--Former Health and Labour Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus has signed on with the United St. Maarten Party (US Party) as a candidate for the September 26 Parliamentary Elections. She contested the 2014 elections with United People’s (UP) party, and the 2010 polls with the Democratic Party (DP).
Buncamper-Molanus was one of the first persons to serve in the capacity of minister after St. Maarten attained the status of country in October 10, 2010. Her time in office, as a minister of the Democratic Party (DP), was short-lived. She resigned on December 23, 2010, amidst a scandal about the selling of a parcel of government long-lease land by her and her husband.
Her resignation in light of the scandal was called for vehemently by the then opposition National Alliance (NA) of which now US Party leader Member Frans Richardson was deputy leader. He quit that party in 2011.
In the press release announcing Buncamper-Molanus’ candidacy, Richardson said: “I will not stand as judge, jury and executioner over anyone who is dealing with issues in their personal lives. We know her capabilities and value her presence as part of the team. There were more than 200 people who believed in Maria last election. Her ideas were fresh and forward-looking, and she will bring this to the party as well.”
A criminal court case resulted from the land sale and, more than five years later, on April 7 this year, the Court of First Instance found the couple guilty of forgery of official documents in connection with the land deal, and sentenced them to suspended prison terms of 12 months, on three years’ probation, with 240 hours of community service. The Prosecutor’s Office has appealed the sentence handed down to the couple.
The investigation and legal proceedings were dogging Buncamper-Molanus in 2014, when she joined UP to contest the election that year. She fell short of becoming one of UP’s seven MPs by one vote, losing out to now MP Johan “Janchi” Leonard. A similar situation between the two occurred in one island council election in the 1990s, when both were on the DP slate. Leonard, again, got the seat. Leonard, coincidentally, is not seeking re-election in the September elections.
While the land scandal has become somewhat attached to Buncamper-Molanus, she has had many achievements having served as an MP in the Netherlands Antilles Parliament and as Island Councilwoman and Commissioner of the Island Territory of St. Maarten. She is also very active in the community as a member of service clubs and social organisations.
Buncamper-Molanus said in the same statement she wasn’t planning to run in 2016, but the US Party’s focus “to put people first … appealed” to her. “It is fair to say that once you've been bitten by the political bug, politics is in your blood … I am getting back in the race, because I still have a lot of energy and believe that the knowledge and experience I have can still be put to good use in government, in particular in the Parliament.”
The US Party, she said, for some time now has expressed appreciation and recognition for her contributions in public office. “My opinion is valued … We have discussed the issues and have found common ground, and I feel comfortable and excited going into the September 26 elections”
Of Buncamper-Molanus, Richardson said his party has no issue in giving persons, who have served St. Maarten, the opportunity to do so again “despite personal setbacks.” He had expressed similar sentiment when the party announced the candidacy of independent MP Silvio Matser, who has appealed the conviction on tax fraud, and is facing charges of vote-buying in the 2014 elections, and former MP Romain Laville, who is facing gun possession charges.
