PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson brought some clarity on Wednesday regarding the election campaign rules (code of conduct) he implemented for the 2014 Parliamentary Elections. He said he has been accused of using kid's gloves in maintaining the rules.
Minister Richardson reminded reporters of the April 18th, 2013 motion that was passed unanimously in Parliament. This motion he said was a call on government to ensure everything is in place to ensure there is a free, fair and balanced electoral system. Therefore government must amend the current electoral laws with respect to voters, political parties, candidates and agents or supporters before the upcoming elections. This he said is to protect the integrity and democratic system on St. Maarten.
Minister Richardson agreed that the process to establish and or amend the electoral laws started late because the SWW-3 cabinet took office in June 2013. However, he did invite all political parties in parliament in order for them to get a consensus on establishing the code of conduct for the 2014 electoral campaign. Richardson said he did not expect a full consensus across the board when he initiated the process but what he got could not lead anywhere. "While I did not expect a full consensus across the board I should have gotten some agreement in view of the motion passed on April 18th, 2013 by Members of Parliament. This did not materialize, topics that were tabled were rejected based on legal challenges in view of the constitution of the country, freedom of expression as well as legal interpretations of the law on public manifestations. Other legal minds believe the police law (APK) allows for some restrictions be it within restricted terms." The Minister of Justice said in the end he decided to approach the matter by taking into consideration the law on public manifestations, the general police ordinance (APK), and his expectations based on the motion that was adopted on April 18th, 2013.
The Minister felt that those persons who accused him of interfering with the freedom of expression as stated in the constitution is exaggerated and absurd. He asked how securing the safe navigation around the round-a-bout could be seen as a breach while everyone can see that the island is fully pasted with signs and billboards from political parties without the interference of the police. He also made clear that he does not believe that giving the electorate 48 hours prior to Election Day to reflect as unacceptable.
The Minister of Justice told SMN News after the Council of Ministers weekly press briefing when he was asked to further elaborate on exactly what took place when he decided to draft the code of conduct for the 2014 Parliamentary Elections that he did not want to identify the parties who did and did not participate but even those that made suggestions it differed so much from each other and they never got to the stage where they could breach the differences. Minister Richardson said he did have a conversation with the leader of the United Peoples Party Theodore Heyliger who agreed that he needed to put a code of conduct in place for the 2014 Parliamentary Elections, however, the devil is in the details when these things are being drafted.
The Minister said that he believes that what affected the process is the late start given the fact that several of the political parties had already started to make preparations. One example he gave is that the size of billboards could not be changed because the political parties had already ordered their materials and had there been drastic changes then they would have been hurt financially, Minister Richardson said that he understood that very well because he knew that the procedure started late.
When asked if the UP leader was aware of these changes when they were working on bringing home country status in 2010, Minister Richardson said the two do not have anything with each other. He said that laws had to be put in place.
He further explained that as soon as the campaign opened he had to mediate between two political parties and with that too he had to use wisdom because of the late start this year. In the future he said better guidelines will be put in place because of the motion that was passed in April 2013.
