Dear Editor,
There is an undeniable truth that the dismantling of the Antilles was a terrible mistake. The evidence of this disastrous consequence is the constant recycling of incompetence, pettiness, malice and monotonous dialogues. Regrettably, the people have gained very little from this constitutional change, which confirmed that the task group had limited foresight, when this new status (10-10-10) was constructed.
Due to this lack of prevision, this painful dilemma has led to the invention of this unrefined culture that exists in The People’s House – a culture that has been developed to weaken the legislative branch of government, mainly to serve the needs of unscrupulous MPs [Members of Parliament – Ed.] – a culture that is being created to control the minds of ministers, and to remodel the executive branch, for total exploitation.
Gone are the days when the population was eager to hear what our Island Council Members and Commissioners had to say – intellectuals, who could have debated and defended the issues at hand, because they felt a sense of accountability to the people – advanced thinkers, who knew that they were the regulators with the authority to hold the government liable for any mishandling of the people’s business.
Now that this high-level thinking has disappeared, it’s every man for himself, with the exception of a measly few. Parliament has become a lounge, where most MPs act as if they are waiting for a friend to have a drink, crack some jokes, and get drunk if they so desire. When I watch the parliamentary meetings in Holland, the MPs are so alert, and they debate with maturity, knowledge, interest, and a sense of purpose.
Here on St. Maarten, it’s plain to see that the MPs are there just for the money. They are not ready to work, nor are they willing to learn. So, they live on their phones as if they are preparing on the spot and are anxiously waiting for their friends and supporters to send them the questions and answers. This is why their level of deliberations penetrates no further than the surface.
This mentality has left them so blindfolded that their only mission is to destabilize the ruling coalition, at all cost. They can’t even find consensus among individual parties, when it comes to being an honest MP. Currently, there is a “dutty” game that is playing out in parliament, where MP Ludmila de Weever has voted against her party leader twice, in favour of MP Ardwell Irion and MP Daryl York.
Imagine, MP De Weever prides herself to be the one who is keeping PFP relevant, yet she backstabbed MP Melissa Gumbs on two occasions last week, so that Irion and York to be chair of the Finance and VROMI committees, respectively. In my article of September 23, 2024, I called MP De Weever an imposter, but this action is worse than a fake. MP Ludmila de Weever is a traitor, who has committed high treason.
After this move, I could never repeat that MP De Weever is a politician that I like a lot. I have lost every ounce of respect that I had for her. Wi Voice, this is your beloved queen, who could do no wrong, and some of you are afraid to call her out, because you all still have to meet them up the road. Definitely, the truth always finds its way out. Now it is clear what their private meeting was about.
As mentioned in my article on September 23, 2024, this is Ludmila’s last successful run, because if she thinks that the grass is greener on NA than PFP, she is sadly mistaken. Does MP Ludmila de Weever believe that these renegades on NA will welcome her just so? No! They have already measured her disloyalty, and for them, she is just a pawn in their political chess game. She needs to ask Kevin Maingrette about the price that he paid for salvaging his name.
People, this is the level of conspiracy that dishonest politicians will stoop to, and the “dutty” game that they play, when they cannot get their way.
Joslyn Morton
