Philipsburg: --- All five members of the new executive council were elected without hindrance on Tuesday. William Marlin received seven out of the nine votes that were casted, while the two members of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot Williams and Roy Marlin voted blank. Leroy De Weever and Maria Buncamper Molanus did not attend the meeting since they are both off island.Sarah Wescot Williams made sure she voted blank for all of the in coming commissioners, however, in the election of Theo Heyliger Island Councilman Roy Marlin abstained from voting, out of the eight votes cast Heyliger also received seven votes in favor just like the other members of the National Alliance.
The only commissioner elect who was not able to take his seat on the executive benches on Monday was Xavier Blackman whose credentials have to be checked before he can officially take the oath. The chairman of the Island Council has called a special island council meeting for Tuesday where that procedure would take place.
Monday's Island Council meeting received a full house mostly members of the National Alliance and Theo Heyliger came out in numbers to support the incoming government.
Prior to the electing the commissioners, the island council members were each given 30 minutes to speak. The domestic rules that were set by the chairman of the island council were contested by the leader of the National Alliance and now leader of government William Marlin.
The first speaker Patrick Illidge first thanked God for making the occasion happen which he said was the right time and moment. Illidge wished the incoming executive council wisdom and understanding since the road ahead will not be easy. He called on his colleagues to take and make well researched decisions mostly keeping the people of St. Maarten in mind. Illidge said this is not the time for them to engage nor indulge in confrontational behaviour nor hostility nor is it the time for revenge. He said this the time for healing and coming together for the greater good of St. Maarten.
Illidge reminded the people they have heard their cries in the wilderness and they have come to their rescue. He asked the people to give them the time to sought out and put things in its proper prospective.
Island Councilman Rudolph Samuel said it is a fact that the Democratic Party is the one that won the 2007 Island Council elections. He said another fact is the leader of the National Alliance made more than one contact with the leader of the Democratic Party asking that they form a National Government. He said they were interested in forming a government that would benefit the people of the island. He said the DP leader turned down every initiative that they took saying she had a government in place. Samuel said it was only when Laveist pulled his support from the Democratic Party is when their phone began ringing. He said NA felt that the DP was up for game play when she said the NA and the people of St. Maarten would be up for a long hot summer. Samuel said the NA did not have the intention to give the people a long hot summer and that is why they tried another strategy which resulted in the formation of the present and new government. The island councilman said the National Alliance gave the outgoing government their full support in the constitutional process and now they are looking forward for that same type of support from the Democratic Party the Opposition in the Island Council.
Councilman Roy Marlin gave an overview of his accomplishments during his ten years in office. In his presentation he reminded the new executive council that they needed to continue on the same path for the constitutional changes. He said there are still things that he would have liked to see happen.
Marlin said they left 61 million guilders in government coffers. However, Councilman Frans Richardson did not miss Marlin when he said talking about the amount of money in the coffers is one thing and it sounded good but Marlin should have also mentioned how much debt the island government has with the contractors and other creditors. He also called on commissioner elect Xavier Blackman to reveal that information when he checks the finances of government.
Marlin said all the government owned companies are in a healthy financial situation that also has rules and regulations on co-operate governance. He said the DP government is also leaving behind two projects which are the improvement plan for the tax office and the administrational strengthening program which has to be carried out.
Marlin also spoke of the monies that will soon be transferred to the island government for tourism marketing. Marlin warned that the new executive council should pursue these marketing mainly in South America since the US Market will not improve due to the world economic crisis.
He also reminded the new government about the improvement projects for GEBE which has to be completed. He said government has to focus on increasing the water supply storage for the island since there is only a day and half water reserve in place.
Dishing out hard words was leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot Williams to her former members namely Theo Heyliger and Laveist she said people are predictable when it comes to maintaining power.
Wescot Williams also laid out the events of the negotiations that took place between her and the National Alliance leader. She reminded the people of statements made by the NA against Laveist and Heyliger when they were not able to form a government in November last year. Wescot Williams also reminded the people of some the events during the SPA government and the NA and DP.
She then moved on to the events that happened in May 2009 when Laveist withdrew his support. She spoke of the meeting she had with Marlin while driving around the island and who is to be blamed for the lack of forming a government. She said she wants to know when the men on St. Maarten are going to show they have backbone.
The DP leader then read out emails that were sent to her by Marlin and asked if the island council members forgot the oath they took when they were elected the island council. She said the island council seat is not to be traded or bargained with instead it is a sacred seat.
The DP leader reminded the DP members that the people are the ones that voted them in office and if they are on the wrong slate then Crapo would smoke their pipes in the next election. She admitted her party had some good shake ups but they also bounced back better than before. In closing her lengthy statement she said the NA commissioners can now change the things they do not like in the constitution. She said they now have to deliver since talking for them is now over. She cautioned that the new government should not expect a honeymoon since a marriage of convenience does not deserve any honeymoon. Wescot Williams said the nearly 50% of DP members has now joined the NA the same members who were criticized by them. She also said she is leaving some $99,000 for the purpose of the campaigning en-route to country status.
Commissioner William Marlin did not miss Wescot Williams in his address he said the DP leader failed to mention the emails she sent to him telling him that joining with the NA would not benefit the DP whom she said is looking to be reelected for the 4th term. The email was read out by Marlin as he said that in any story there are the two sides and the truth. He also reminded Wescot Williams she made in politics for her own interest.
Marlin reminded the DP leader and Roy Marlin of the things they met in office in 1991. He mentioned the amount of land space that was left for housing but was not touched until commissioner Heyliger took over ROB portfolio. The new leader of government said that he did quite a bit for education that had to be completed when he left the office of government, but none of it was done. He also promised to meet with educators to rectify some of the pressing problems they are encountering.
Marlin praised Heyliger for the amount of work he performed on the road network while this was not touched by Roy Marlin who held the ROB portfolio for eight years.
Commissioner Frans Richardson had to move away from his prepared speech since most faces dropped when the former leader of government spoke.
Richardson said people expect them to hit the road running when they take up office. He said he intends to display political maturity and to be involved in public debate. He said he would provide the people with information since that is what he is used to. Present to witness the speech was the mother of Richardson who could not hold back her emotions and tears.
Richardson said there is a lot of animosities in the people even those that are still firing their venom. He asked when was the last time several issues regarding education were corrected. Richardson said the time has come for the DP government to check with the people instead of beating their chest like Tarzan saying what they have done. He promised to work with the environmentalist to further preserve the island for the future generation. He said everyone so far has been to the different radio stations telling their side of their stories but the real story and the truth will come out one day.
As word to Island Councilman Louie Laviest he said God will be with him as he goes through his legal battle. Richardson promised to further discuss with Laveist.
Richardson then lambasted the DP members for not defending Laveist when he posed questions to them on his legal problems. He said not one of the DP executive council did stood up to say anything on his behalf. As for Heyliger he said the people should be giving jack his jacket. "If it was not for you Theo the Democratic Party would not have been shinning" As for Roy Marlin he should have used some of the monies he claim to have in the bank to patch the roads and build some houses. Richardson said if it was not Heyliger the island would not have looked the way it looked. Richardson also called on the civil servants to give them a chance so that they can prove themselves. He said the civil servants who are driving force and not the politicians and they needed to be given credit.
He openly promised to listen to the civil service and department heads as they work together to move the island forward. Richardson also promised to make his mother proud since he is her only son. He said already people are labeling them as women haters when they all come from a mother.
Commissioner Theo Heyliger in his speech said after 14 years of being part of the Democratic Party it took the National Alliance to commend him for his contributions to the island. Heyliger whose mother was also present received his personal recognition as she normally does not attend political events. He said his mother sometimes gets very emotional.
Heyliger said he enjoyed the time he worked with the DP, he also said that he knows that they are going to be a forceful opposition. Heyliger made it clear to Roy Marlin that it is okay even though he did not vote for him. Heyliger then proceeded to thank several members of the Democratic Party. He promised the people that the work will continue and the people would soon see the true St. Maarten colors coming out in the days ahead.
