Philipsburg:--- Several dignitaries and other invited guests attended the ecumenical service at the New Testament Baptist Church early Sunday morning as they began to herald in the dawn of Country St. Maarten. Immediately after the church service the dignitaries were transported to the Bel Air community center where the new parliament was established.
Listen to the audio of the event:
The 15 members of parliament took their seats as the meeting opened chaired by Dr. Lloyd Richardson before the chair person of parliament was elected in the person of Drs. Gracita Arrindell. Arrindell received nine of the 15 votes that were cast by secret ballot , while five of members of the first parliament voted blank and one person voted for Dr. Lloyd Richardson.
Immediately after, the appointed Governor of country St. Maarten Drs. Eugene Holiday was escorted in where he presented his acceptance and oath taking to the St. Maarten's parliament. Governor Holiday in his address to St. Maarten's parliament spoke of the long journey and the amount of work it took before St. Maarten was able to attain its country status and reforming the Kingdom. Governor Holiday said the road to attaining country status was not smooth but the island and its people made it to their destination which was to become a separate country within the Kingdom, while the challenges ahead for the new country are immense. Governor Holiday said the task ahead for the country's elected representative is great since they would have to build institutions for the functioning of parliamentary democracy, the council of advice, the general audit chamber and ombudsman and others from the ground up. Country St. Maarten would have to improve its financial management and its judicial chain.
These institutions he said are intended to safeguard the basic rights of the people as it is imbedded in the constitution of country St. Maarten. Governor Holiday said that building these institutions will not be easy especially since it has to be done during an unfavorable global economic and financial environment. Governor Holiday also spoke of the joint cooperation between the two sides of the island. Working together and strengthening cooperation between the Dutch and French side was also shared by Minister of Justice of the Netherlands Ernest Hirch Ballin and Prime Minister of Country St. Maarten Sarah Wescott Williams.
Governor Holiday gave credit to his mother, his late father, siblings and his wife Marie Louise who gave him the strength and inspiration to be where he is today. Most of all he thanked the government of St. Maarten and the Queen her Majesty Beatrix for the confidence she placed in him for being her representative for Country St. Maarten.
The historic parliamentary meeting continued with the oath taking for the Prime Minister designate Sarah Wescot Williams the appointed Ministers, council of advice, audit chamber members and the Acting Lt. Governor Reynold Groeneveldt.
Those appointed to the Ministers cabinet are as follows:-
- Prime Minister – Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams, who will hold the portfolio of general affairs.
- Deputy Prime Minister Theodore Heyliger, whose portfolios are the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment & Infrastructure,
- Minister Roland Duncan, Ministry of Justice.
- Minister Hiro Shigimoto, has the Ministry of Finance
- Minister Franklyn Meyers, Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunications.
- Minister Rhoda Arrindell, Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth & Sports Affairs
- Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus, Ministry of Health Care, Social Development & Labor
The appointed Members for the council of advice are:-
- Mrs. Mavis Brooks-Salmon, Chairlady
- Mr. Dennis Richardson
- Mr. Gaston Bell
- Mr. Jan Beaujon
- Mr. Miguel Alexander
- Mr. Mathias Voges
Appointed Members to the General Audit Chamber:-
- Mr. Roland Tuitt, Chairman
- Mr. Ronald Halman
- Mr. Alphons Gumbs
- Mr. Daniel Hassel, substitute member
- Mr. Mark Kortenoever, substitute member
Appointed Ombudsman
- Drs. Nilda Arduin-Lynch
At the end of the parliamentary meetings St. Maarten's governor Eugene Holiday inspected the guards of honor before leaving to the Cyrus Wathey Square where they saluted the uniform parade that marched through Front Street in honor of St. Maarten becoming country.
The dignitaries then left by bus to the Great Bay Hotel where they had lunch to finalize the day's ceremony.
While country St. Maarten has been featured as the people's business and it is the people who would benefit from the status change it was clear that the people of St. Maarten was not involved in this historic proceedings. It was expected that a large crowd of people from around the island would have gathered at the various locations to witness the installing of the first parliament, and the appointment of the ministers cabinet but that was far from what took place.
Those that attended the ceremony were persons who were related to those that were appointed to the various ministries of councils.
A huge tent that was placed across the Government Administration building some days now and was supposed to be used for the ceremonies on Saturday and Sunday was left unused. SMN News had learnt that that swearing in ceremony was supposed to take place under the tent since the parliament building was not ready for these ceremonies. It is also understood that the change of venues for the swearing in was because of the inclement weather.
Below are the photographs taken throughout the proceedings on Sunday.
