PHILIPSBURG:--- The National Alliance expresses our concern regarding the recent ad hoc decision made by Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina and the Minister of Justice. This decision, taken without prior consultation with relevant authorities, effectively cancels all public events, meetings, gatherings, and even election day activities at polling stations. Such a decision without proper dialogue raises lots of concerns for our faction.
Our primary concern is the apparent attempt to instill fear among the people of Sint Maarten. If there are legitimate reasons for such drastic measures, all 15 Members of Parliament must be included in a thorough discussion to understand the necessity of this decision. Unfortunately, this did not happen. There was no consultation with members of parliament, party leaders, the KPSM, the public prosecutor, or Sint Maarten's VDSM. This lack of communication and transparency is unacceptable.
As representatives of the National Alliance Faction, we are calling for an urgent parliamentary meeting to address and discuss this decision. Depriving the public of their right to make informed decisions through political rallies and gatherings where party manifestos and visions are shared is fundamentally unfair. This abrupt halt to public discourse undermines the democratic process.
Moreover, we seek clarity on the duration of this ban on public events. Is this restriction only until August 20th? Will normalcy return afterward, and will this measure effectively address the concerns of violence and threats toward politicians? These are questions that demand immediate answers.
We cannot ignore the possibility that this decision might be politically motivated. The National Alliance Party had already announced its schedule of public meetings, intending to inform the populace about our plans and the progress left in the pipeline by the National Alliance Government. Suddenly awakening to this news raises serious concerns about the safety and transparency of our country’s political environment.
The Prime Minister claimed in a National Address about the tragic event that took place last week that there is no evidence that the attack was politically motivated, yet he has taken drastic measures to cancel public political meetings without consulting or informing all party leaders.
If there is a national security threat, the public deserves to know.
