PHILIPSBURG--United Peoples party (UP) Member of Parliament (MP) Omar Ottley and Francisco Lacroes, are voicing their deep concern regarding the current state of Parliament, which they claim is functioning more like a protective agency to specific Ministers, rather than a legislative body dedicated to serving the people of St Maarten.
The MPs highlighted what they referred to as the alarming trend of urgent meeting requests from the opposition being overlooked by the president of parliament. One such case is the urgent public meeting request submitted on February 28, to discuss the ongoing process for budget 2025.
“Despite the established rules that urgent meeting requests be granted within 48 hours, as of today, we have not received no official correspondence on this meeting request and are still left in the dark regarding the proper way forward to handle Budget 2025,” MPs stated. “The significance of this budget is evident, especially with regard to crucial issues such as civil servants’ indexation, funding for police, roadworks, and the generators for GEBE amid recent power outages.”
Additionally, the UP has called for a public meeting with the Minister of Public Health to be present in Parliament to address the status of mental health services. The MPs requested the meeting on March 4, 2025, and that request has also not been honoured. “Many key aspects of the Ministry of Public Health appear dormant under the current Minister’s leadership, and clear challenges with the St. Maarten Medical Center SMMC seem not to have the Minister or this Government’s interest, and Parliament must address these concerns in the public interest,” MP Ottley emphasised.
In general, it appears that MPs from the opposition are concerned about certain ministries’ functioning but face deliberate obstacles when raising essential questions. The UP urges the President of Parliament to prioritise these requests and restore transparency and accountability in government operations.
“This situation undermines Parliament’s core function as the highest representative body of the people of St Maarten”, stated MP Lacroes. “By blocking attempts to convene meetings and preventing Members of Parliament from holding Ministers accountable, the President of Parliament is eroding public trust in our democratic institutions,” stated MP Ottley
