Aline Choisy President of the United Saint Martin Movement said St. Martin is now having its fifth president in less than two years. In counting those presidents Choisy said L.C Fleming was elected as the first president, Marthe Ogoundele Tessi was acting president for one month pending the election of Gumbs on August 8th. Now with the news of the invalidation Daniel Gibbs is now acting president in interim which made him the fourth and the fifth president will be elected in another month. She said if Gibbs is made the acting president then the other election can also be annulled if taken up in the State Council. Choisy who was obviously angry at the situation said St. Martin is worst off than Haiti when it comes to presidential seats.
Choisy said she was forced to turn her head to the other side while on the Dutch side Saturday morning since several persons from that side of the island was questioning the situation taking place on French side. Many persons she said could not understand the type of politics that are being played out on the French side. She said those in Paris and other places are now laughing at the elected persons here on St. Martin since the island is like a "drunken boat". Choisy said St. Martin should be an example to islands like Martinique and other islands that are looking to take up the status of 74 but with this negative achievement no one can take the island and its leaders seriously.
Noreen Brooks also expressed her wishes to have a general election she said it is time for them to go back the drawing board and start over for the island's sake. Brooks said the people need to make the demand to have proper representation. She said the population need to come out in full force and do what is necessary to save the island from future disaster. Brooks also asked where are the technicians who are being paid huge salaries are; she said she would like know what type of advice they are giving the UPP who calls themselves the majority.
Youth Radio also read out the press release sent out by ousted president Frantz Gumbs who said he is no longer president. In that release Gumbs said Gibbs will be acting in interim. In commenting on the release Brooks said that the decision to make Gibbs the interim could be cause for invalidation. "If the State Council found it fit to annul the election of Frantz Gumbs then those behind him have to also go she said if one is thinking logically. Brooks said she fully agreed with the synopsis given by the lawyer who represented Ogoundele Tessi.
Another caller also expressed the same views of Attorney at Law Felix Rhodes who said the administration is back to stage one after Fleming was sanctioned. The caller said if the August 8th election was annulled then the person who sat as interim prior to Gumbs being elected should be the interim.
One caller considered the situation as a shame and the present government would no longer be credible. The caller said St. Martin was not ready for the article 74 since the people were not properly trained. The caller even feels that the island should take a reverse and go back to the commune status which he believes would be in the interest of St. Martin and its people. However, the guest on the show said she does not agree that St. Martin is not ready. She said the civil servants working at the COM were not given a chance to show their competences. Brooks said the employees are not given the necessary trainings.