PHILIPSBURG:---- Leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot Williams told members of the media at the Democratic Party bi-monthly press conference on Friday that calling for early elections is unconstitutional and that members of the current cabinet that got a motion of no confidence from the majority in parliament should have tendered their resignation already. Wescot Williams said that twice she was faced with the same situation when she was the Prime Minister of the country, in 2012 and 2013 and on both occasions she stood her ground by refusing to call for early elections even though the majority in the Council of Ministers wanted that.
The former Prime Minister and now Member of Parliament said that article 59 can only be invoked if there is some sort of disarray in Parliament and there is no majority. “On both occasions there was a majority in place and I could not invoke article 59.” Wescot Williams further explained that the motion passed on Wednesday is very clear because the reasons for the motion has been clearly outlined in the motion. Further to that she said that the new coalition already dispatched a letter to the Governor informing him of the motion and the majority in parliament consisting of eight members. Wescot Williams made clear that Ministers are not elected officials, she said the 15 members of parliament are the ones that were elected at the polls and they are the people’s representatives. Wescot Williams said the Gumbs cabinet did not show respect to Parliament and when they were called to Parliament to provide answers to the house they did not so instead they endured Parliament and when the speaking time was over they left and went back to business as usual. Another concern Wescot Williams raised was the lack of openness in government, the lack of dialogue with the social partners. She said that the Democratic Party has some issues that are high on their agenda, one being health care and the St. Maarten Medical Center, Electoral Reform, Climate Change, Independence, and to begin dialogue with the social partners and create a form of openness. The latter she said is very critical. The Leader of the Democratic Party further explained that the current coalition already decided that they will use the governing program they worked on in 2014 to form the basis of this government. “There might be some tweaking needed and some projects may have to be dropped because of the lack of funds but we will not be going back to the drawing board to prepare a new governing program because three political parties that is part of the new coalition worked on that governing program.”
As for early elections Wescot Williams said it will definitely not solve the problems the Prime Minister said it will solve, she said one of the things St. Maarten has to work on is election reform, something she has been championing for years now. Wescot Williams said that even if there is early election on December 8th no one could guarantee a stable government even if one political party is elected.
Wescot Williams further explained that what transpired on Wednesday should not be something new or unexpected because it has been months now that it was rumored on the island that something has been going on with the three members of the former coalition who are now part of the current coalition. She said that she was in not involved in the very beginning but when contacted she joined the group that had seven members to form a government since there could have been three separate groups and no majority in parliament which would have indeed created a problem for St. Maarten.
Ever since the motion was passed on Wednesday Members of Parliament especially the chairman and two vice chairpersons are not showing up to parliament and all meetings of parliament had to be cancelled. Wescot Williams said that very soon the new coalition partners will meet and they will appoint a new chair and vice chair in order to continue the people’s business. Asked if that could be done even though they have not gotten a response from the governor Wescot Williams said there is a new majority in parliament and they could definitely appoint the chair and vice chair in order to continue the work of parliament.
Wescot Williams also admitted on Friday that she will be assuming the positon of chairperson of parliament when she was asked. She said that the way things are at this moment she will be assuming that role and her intention is to get her colleagues in parliament to understand the role of parliament and to get the parliament of St. Maarten to function the way it should.
Wescot Williams also confirmed that the person that will become the next Minister of VSA is someone that is within the Democratic Party, she said that person was already contacted but she preferred not to release the name due to the screening process that has to take place.
