PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament and Leader of the United People’s Party (UPP), Honorable Omar Ottley, is expressing concern over the obvious disconnection within the current Government. First, we saw the obvious issues made public between the Minister of TEATT and the Minister of Finance during the Soul Beach saga, in which the Minister of Finance removed herself from the position of Acting Minister of TEATT. Now the public is witnessing the ministers of the United Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM), one of the largest parties within the current coalition government go at each other with the Minister of VSA siding with his Subject Specialist/Chief of Staff.
“The people of St. Maarten expect leadership and maturity from those entrusted with governing this country,” MP Ottley stated. “A government that is divided against itself cannot effectively lead a country forward. What we are witnessing is an internal dispute being played out publicly, undermining public confidence and diverting attention away from the real issues affecting our people.”
Recent events involving the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor (VSA) have raised serious questions about URSM's internal governance, communication, and decision-making. MP Ottley emphasized that while disagreements can arise in any political organization, they must be addressed responsibly, internally, and in accordance with proper institutional procedures.
Of particular concern is the reported tension over oversight and control of an approximately USD 8 million trust fund project to construct a new mental health facility, a project of critical national importance.
“Mental health care is not a political chess piece,” Ottley stressed. “Any perception that personal ambition or internal party struggles are taking precedence over the welfare of vulnerable citizens is deeply troubling. This project must remain focused on transparency, accountability, and delivering essential services to the people who need them most.”
MP Ottley called on the public to pay keen attention to their leaders of government. It is plain to see that the coalition was not built on a shared vision but rather with the specific goal of keeping members of the previous government out. Today, the country is suffering from a lack of economic stimulation, a crime crisis, and past due budgets that hinder the government from paying our justice workers legally. “The people of St. Maarten deserve clear leadership, and a government that prioritizes solutions over spectacle,” Ottley concluded.