~Some Politicians and Political Parties forgot their campaign promises.~
PHILIPSBURG:--- Fourteen Members of Parliament gathered in a public meeting on Tuesday to debate the draft amendment to the 2024 budget.
The meeting called on Tuesday was rushed because the Minister of Finance told Parliament that St. Maarten needed to meet certain deadlines in order to access funds from the Netherlands.
During the budget debate, Member of Parliament Omar Ottley almost lost his cool when he realized that he was not getting answers to the questions he posed to Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina regarding his cabinet staff.
Ottley asked the Prime Minister to divulge the names, functions and salaries of his cabinet staff to which the Prime Minister did not comply. Those very questions were asked during the Central Committee meeting when the draft amendment was debated and while the Prime Minister promised to provide the answers in writing, he did not.
On Tuesday, the Prime Minister gave some information regarding his cabinet staff but refused to divulge the names and salaries of these persons, sighting the right to privacy. However, before the second round of the meeting, Mercelina dispatched an email to the griffier and chairlady of parliament, providing the answers to Ottley’s questions in writing.
The Prime Minister did say he did not have any outside law firm working as a consultant in his cabinet. He made clear that all cabinet staff members are on labor contracts.
While three of the four motions presented on Tuesday, including the draft amendments to the budget, were passed unanimously, the motion presented by Member of Parliament Omar Ottley created a storm in a teapot by some Members of Parliament.
Ottley’s motion concerned bringing much-needed financial relief to the people of St. Maarten, especially for those with outstanding bills at N.V GEBE who are not able to meet NV GEBE's demands on paying their bills or face disconnection.
Chairlady of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams deemed the motion unrealistic and voted against, especially point two, which offered a 50% write-off on the outstanding bills.
However, MP Grisha Heyliger Marten, also from the Democratic Party, who made clear that some things in the motion do not seem realistic while there are several points on the motion she could work with, voted in favor of the motion. MP Viren Kotai also voted against the motion.
Tuesday night’s vote on the motion saw a split in political party alignment. Two Members of Parliament, Sjamira Roseburg and Richinel Brug (URSM), voted in favor of the Ottley motion.
What was clear Tuesday night is that most Members of Parliament saw the need to provide relief to the people of St. Maarten who elected them to office. Instead of playing party politics, they answered the call and voted in favor of the motion.
What is left to be seen is whether the motion, which is just a wish from Members of Parliament, will be placed in a drawer or whether the government will ensure that GEBE provides relief to its consumers and also stops its illegal activities by removing the TOT that is placed within the fuel clause on the bills of NV GEBE.
Wescot-Williams stated that while the motion seems appealing or popular, it would not effectively serve its intended purpose and lacks realistic planning.
The MP and Leader of the Democratic Party who promised relief for the GEBE crisis voted against the motion along with DP MP Viren Kotai, also voting against the motion was Prime Minister and MP Dr. Luc Mercelina. Mercelina on several occasions promised relief but when it came to putting his money where his mouth he failed.
Almost all politicians in St. Maarten who contested the August 19th, 2024, Parliamentary Elections promised relief to the people of St. Maarten, but on Tuesday night, three of the 14 MPs rejected the motion, which was just a wish from Members of Parliament.
The leader of the SAM, Franklin Meyers, who voted in favor, reminded Parliament that just two weeks ago, he was in Parliament supporting a $90 million bailout for a private company, Ennia. He said then he considered the 3,084 policyholders, and today, he is voting for the people of St. Maarten, who need relief from the GEBE crisis.
