PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prime Minister of St. Maarten Sarah Wescot Williams announced on Wednesday during the Council of Ministers' weekly press briefing that she responded to the chairlady of Parliament regarding the letter sent to her by Member of Parliament Frans Richardson who requested information from her about the motion that was adopted by Parliament regarding the Government Administration Building on Pond Island. Wescot Williams said she informed the chairlady of Parliament that no individual MP could act as the body of Parliament to request information while she also included a complete update (status) on what has been taking place with the Government Administration Building.
The Prime Minister said she received a second letter on Tuesday, this time asking her about the motion on the Election Reform. Wescot Williams there too an MP is taking it upon himself to instruct Government to execute a motion of Parliament. She said as to the content of the motion, she is working on two aspects of Electoral Reform. The first being Electoral Reform and the other being Campaign Reform. Wescot Williams said the motion that was passed in Parliament during the budget debate fits more in the aspect of campaign reform.
Wescot Williams said that this matter is a matter of priority for her but she would need the cooperation of the various fractions of Parliament to modify the electoral law.
Wescot Williams said she intends to respond to the chairlady within short and sometime soon she should have a "position paper". She said when this position paper is available then the political parties in Parliament could come together and discuss the Electoral Reform and the proposals she would be putting forward so that when this matter is tabled she would have an idea as to what the political parties and factions in parliament are thinking about this subject because it is in these areas she would need the support from all fractions of parliament. She said she has an idea as to where Parliament wants to go and she also has her own idea on the entire issue of electoral reform.
The Prime Minister also indicated that she received a response from the three entities that have to establish the electoral council, these bodies are the Council of Advice, the General Audit Chamber, and the Joint Court of Justice. Wescot Williams said these three institutions also put forward the candidates that they want on the council which would have to be established by national decree.
