~ 11 political parties registered for a 15-seat parliament. ~
PHILIPSBURG: --- Entering politics and wanting to represent a nation is no longer about being qualified and or knowing the laws of the land but in fact, it’s a way of getting rich for doing nothing for the $10,000.00 monthly salary and other perks. Parliament is the only place where one can sit and scroll on their phones when they attend meetings just to give a quorum.
By October 9th, 2019, 11 political parties registered to contest the January 2020 Parliamentary Elections, they are:
1. National Alliance (NA)
2. United St. Maarten Peoples Party (USP)
3. Democratic Party (DP)
4. United Peoples Party (UPP)
5. St. Maarten Christian Party (SMCP)
6. Party for Progress (PFP)
7. St. Maarten Action Movement (SAM)
8. Concordia Political Alliance (CPA)
9. St. Maarten Development Movement (SDM)
10. Peoples Progressive Party (PPA)
11. United Democrats (UD)
Election Day is slated for January 9th, 2020 while the new parliament is scheduled to sit on February 10th. Those that managed to earn their votes or buy votes will be sworn into Parliament on February 10th. That is if this unconstitutional election takes place because based on the dates the decision to dissolve parliament based on the LB is October 3rd while the dissolution of parliament is February 10th exactly 4 months and months and 7 days while the constitution says this must happen within 3 months. It is left to be seen which of the political parties will call out Governor Eugene Holiday on this unconstitutional election.
Political Parties that are registered or those that will eventually postulate by the time they are finished negotiating what is in it for them, then those lists must be ready and submitted by November 21st, 2019.
Based on the above list of political parties the recycled politicians from the Democratic Party (DP) branched off and formed their own political parties simply because they could not get along. Bear in mind from the DP, the UPP was born, then the UD, for the upcoming election you have two more births the SAM and the PFP all these politicians at one point or another was part of the DP. One might say the PFP leader or members were not part of the DP but those that know these individuals will know from which household they came, civil servants that served Ministers that were either elected or appointed by the DP are also part of this list. The only conclusion one can come to is that they saw or know of the perks and wealth that comes from being a politician.
How many politicians or political parties can say they have worked for the salaries and perks they receive when elected? How many laws have they worked on and passed? One of the few Members of Parliament that can boast during this election campaign will be Rolando Brison who clearly showed that he did his homework by researching while taking the bold move to bring laws to Parliament. While Brison is not able to do these things by himself, his supporters are from one camp the National Alliance that gave birth to the USP.
After a good analysis, it is clear the recycled politicians that were in office for the past 22 months want to make sure they hold on to power by securing 8 seats separately then coming together to form the next coalition government. However, voters do have a responsibility since they are the ones that have to decide who will be earning the $10,000.00 monthly and who really, they will entrust with the development and recovery of this country called St. Maarten. It is time for the voters to reject the nickels and dimes offered to them during the election campaign because many of them are still without roofs and jobs while the politicians they elected still have their salaries, perks, and pensions. Many of them don’t hear or see the politicians that chased them down during the campaigns after being elected simply because those politicians do not owe them and their families anything after purchasing their votes.
Over the past months people have been complaining about several issues, the dump is one of them, SZV and its carefree spending and witch-hunting, PJIAE and its stagnated status.
Politicians that managed to hold office ensure they get enough land in their names and the names of their children, contracts are awarded to families and friends while the real people that sought their education cannot find an affordable job.
St. Maarten is now on the map not because the Tourist Bureau did a great job by marketing the island but simply because the TBO grabs politicians for things they have been accused of. It is high time for voters to take the bull by the horns and send home those politicians that have enriched themselves over the years through the people's piggy bank.
