Philipsburg: --- Leader of Government William Marlin has condemned the actions of the Democratic Party Faction who chose to walk out of the island council meeting on Thursday. Marlin described the actions of the DP faction as that of a group of spoil brats meaning that if they were not able to accomplish something, no one else can. He said when the DP was in charge of the constitutional change the National Alliance was a loyal member of team St. Maarten.
The leader of the National Alliance Faction said they did any and everything in order to support St. Maarten with its constitutional change. He said Thursday’s island council meeting was to deal with the code of conduct on cooperate governance which is part of the agreement with the Netherlands. Marlin said the reason this is part of the agreement is due to occurrences with the Democratic Party, He reminded of the blatant conflict of interest regarding former commissioner Maria Buncamper Molanus who found herself with the Sky is Limit Foundation President and her husband on the Telem Board including the $25,000 donation which is still on the minds of the Dutch Politicians including the State Secretary of Kingdom Relations.
Marlin said that incident including others was why the Dutch insisted in having this in the agreement prior to St. Maarten gaining its country status.
Regarding the walk out he said was because the meeting had to be adjourned at least three times, Marlin said if his faction had done that in the past then they would have been walking out of practically every meeting of the Island Council because of constant adjournments on several occasions without notifications.
The island leader said the actions of the Democratic Party on Thursday had nothing to do with respect instead if the executive council is not ready the meeting can be adjourned for as long as three weeks.
Marlin further explained that what took place on Thursday was that procedures were not properly followed because the chairman of the island council had to make sure the councilors vote and if there were not sufficient votes casted then he would declare the vote null and void for a lack of quorum.
Marlin said there are times when councilors would hurriedly go back to their places to vote because on several occasions they probably left their seat to go the bathroom, on the porch or even sit in the public tribune. He said the fact councilman Roy Marlin called for “hoofdelijstemming” individual voting and walk out does not constitute a lack of quorum. He said it is remarkable that the chairman of the island council did not allow the voting to take place and he also refused to adjourn the meeting claiming it was not possible.
Marlin said has nothing to do with the lack of respect instead its the Democratic Party he said is trying their best to obstruct the process of constitutional change because they know that based on the agreements the code of conduct on cooperate governance had to be implemented by August 1.
The leader of the National Alliance Leader said Thursday was indeed a sad day for St. Maarten and the Democratic Party has declared war on the people on St. Maarten with their constitutional change. He said during elections there would people who would be putting up huge bill boards with “country above self” but the display of the Democratic Party clearly shows that it is the Democratic Party above country because the code of conduct on cooperate governance does not belong to the National Alliance/ Theo Heyliger or any politician instead in the interest of St. Maarten achieving what the people voted for nine years ago which is to become country.
