Dear Editor,
If there’s one thing that is consistent about our beautiful island it is that we are good and God-fearing people. “Pray for those in authority and there will be peace in the land.”
St. Maarten is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands since October 10, 2010. Our new constitutional status is mirrored to a great extent to the governmental system in Holland. It is governed by the rules of law, with the separation of powers, Parliament, Government, the Judiciary.
St. Maarten and its people are currently once again faced with snap elections to be held on November 24 upcoming. This decree, was signed by our Governor, the Honorable Drs. Eugene Holiday on September 23. The Governor represents the King.
Nomination Day is set for October 2, 2019. This date was set by the Electoral Council and publicized late afternoon September 25, 2019. The PPA party did not and has yet to receive an official letter from the Electoral Council informing us of the decision of the date of nomination. This decision is undemocratic and leaves little room to complete the preparatory work to contest elections within a reasonable time as prescribed by electoral law procedure.
Additionally, the decree of the Electoral Council excludes the participation of new parties to contest the snap elections. This decision is undemocratic.
New parties should be allowed to register, get their 1 per cent supportive votes to qualify and, if successful, participate in the snap elections. We support and applaud the establishment of new political parties. The people have a choice. They always did.
Further; regarding the matter of ship-jumping, the following: the Kingdom Government stated clearly in 2016 that St. Maarten government’s law proposal to change our constitution to forbid ship-jumping is unconstitutional.
How do we proceed from here? My humble suggestion: affected and aspiring political parties together with the many concerned citizens who voiced their concerns and disgust regarding the current political situation, hire a lawyer and start a court injunction soonest. This court injunction must be aimed at halting the current biased and unfair electoral process, and request the Electoral Council to allow the normal electoral process to take its course.
Finally: There are many opinions on all sides of this issue. Those who are for elections, those who are against, those who advocate Dutch intervention, those who don’t vote and who continue to say they will not vote. The expression of all these sentiments and opinions is precisely because our constitution allows and protects us to express our opinions without fear or repercussions.
Whether most of us agree or not, fact is that there was a new majority support of nine (9) in Parliament that would support a new government. Let this new government postpone the current date as was done several times before.
Let me conclude with the following:
We are looking forward for common sense to prevail.
The many issues facing our nation are still at our doorsteps. The sooner we move forward and get clarity regarding the current electoral process, a process that we are desirous of participating in for the next elections, the faster we can refocus our attention and deal with the serious issues facing our nation. Issues including finalizing the airport renovations, reducing/eliminating GEBE fuel clause, reducing the overall high cost of living, having more disposable income, instead of disposing of people’s income.
As the great late Sam Cooke sang: “A change has got to come.”
We have a bright future ahead, in spite of it all, this too shall pass.
People have to realize that they are the ones who can make the difference.
For St. Maarten the question is: will our people wake up stand up, stop complaining, and vote for that change when that time has come.
Thank you. God bless St. Maarten and its people.
Gracita Arrindell
Party leader,
People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA)
