Philipsburg:--Two members of the Democratic Party yesterday condemned the conduct of leader of Government William Marlin during Monday’s Island Council meeting. Island Councilman Roy Marlin at a press conference held on Tuesday at the Faction Office said each of the island council members were duly elected by different people in the community, based on that Marlin said each member of the council should do the best they can in representing the island. But “shut up and go home” statements made by the leader of government William Marlin during Monday’s Island Council several times is no conduct for members of the island council.
Marlin said he wants to point out to the leader of the National Alliance that all members of the Democratic Party Faction were duly elected just as him and the other members of the Island Council. Marlin said he wants to remind the NA leader that the 2007 election was won by the Democratic Party with more seats and votes than the National Alliance. Marlin said that the NA leader should realize that his political party never won an election on St. Maarten and the only reason his party is in government is because of the political system which is by virtue of a coo. Marlin said that the leader of government needs to temper his anger when speaking in the legislative hall. His expression to the Democratic Party ‘shut up and go home” to put in mildly not parliamentary language. “Island Council members should at all times exercise proper decorum and conduct when speaking in the island council. We should be examples to the whole community, people are listening on radio, television and the internet, including those in the public tribune”. Marlin said. He continued by saying that they would always have political differences but this should not become insulting and degrading and downright rude. He said the island council is not the place for such behavior.
Marlin said the leader of the National Alliance and leader of government can behave in such a way when he is playing dominoes under the tree, something they all do.
The island councilman said the leader of government and National Alliance had a display, which is consistent of a dictatorial tendency by telling members of the island council to shut up when they are trying to make a particular point. Marlin said island council members should strive to be an example for the youths who would then emulate their leaders. Marlin said the conduct on Monday is no conduct he would want for the younger generation to emulate.
Also condemning the words and action of Marlin is leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot Williams. Wescot Williams said she is disappointed and amazed at the level Marlin sunk to during Monday’s Island Council meeting. She said such a display is a total disrespect for the people’s representatives as well as to the office he holds. Wescot Williams said the people were told that the National Alliance, Heyliger, and Laviest government was a new beginning and indeed, with Monday’s action it is indeed that new beginning. The DP leader said the question now remains how much more lowly this kind of behavior would get. Wescot Williams said that Marlin has to realize that he has been conniving and coercing to get into government, which he has achieved. However, the people is expecting a level of dignity to be displayed by his team. She considered Marlin’s behavior on Monday to be that of ignorance and lack of respect. She warned that the Democratic Party and its members would not be wished away and neither would they be intimidated. She urged Marlin to do some introspection on how he carries the role of leader of government. Wescot Williams said that in a meeting just after the formation of the new coalition government Marlin had warned her that he was now going to be taking off his gloves because according to Marlin she had thrown the first punch at him. She said what is manifesting today “shut up and go home”, tells the DP what Marlin had meant back then. She said Councilman George Pantophlet would not be able to pin the lying from his government on the press since they were caught lying about the retraction of the labour policy. She asked to what length the coalition government would go to silence the opposition.
