PHILIPSBURG:--- The board of the United St. Maarten (US) party on Sunday said the NA/UP coalition has successfully managed to confuse the entire population about its position regarding the UN petition as well as that regarding the Caribbean Reform Entity known as COHO.
The US board pointed out that the coalition has yet to clearly explain to the people what its long-term plan is after the results of this petition is announced, no matter which side of the fence it falls. Worse yet, the US board said, there is obviously a very clear split about COHO between the Prime Minister and the coalition MPs.
“The governing coalition is clearly sitting on opposite sides of the discussion and the people of St. Maarten are worse off for it. There is no sense of true leadership in the country because it appears as if the coalition members each are running their own domain,” the USP board said.
It continued: “The Prime Minister is moving full speed ahead with the country package, speeding towards the establishment of the COHO. Much in the country package will require legislative amendments. The COHO legislation as well as the country budget has yet to be presented. The Prime Minister is dodging and evading questions about the petition. In the meantime, individual MPs are each saying different things when it comes to the petition and the COHO. Where are we going?” The US board asked.
It added that along with presenting a petition, the initiators should have by now presented a plan to the country on what it can expect and what the people should prepare for. The board dubbed the governing style of the current coalition as “visionless” with “no care for the people.”
“If the petition concludes that the COHO tramples on our autonomy and against certain laws and conventions, how will the Prime Minister proceed? Because she seems set on pushing the COHO through based on her letters to State Secretary Knops. If the petition threatens liquidity support, what is plan B of the coalition?
“It is unacceptable and irresponsible of the governing coalition to not have any of these answers when asked. Already it seems like nobody vetted the petition, including the Prime Minister who admitted she didn’t read it. The people of St. Maarten deserve better than this kind of “might is right” leadership. The coalition seems to rely on the numbers it has for its majority and not care about the people,” the USP board said.
