SXMElections.com

Dear Editor,

Once again we are blowing our own horn claiming to have reached a win-win agreement for the establishment of the dispute arrangement. As most people know, including the Dutch, we are easy to please and after all the grand-standing only want to be able to go back home and white wash a sell out as an achievement.

The euphoria experienced today seems a lot like what we saw after the signing of their now infamous “ Separate Status just like Aruba” only for the ugly truth to be shown later that it was nothing but a vehicle set up to let the Dutch easily impose what they wish on our people and country. But we won’t dwell on that much for now for the jury is still out on the agreement and we will be better able to assess it when it starts to function.

While in the Netherlands another agreement was reached between the Minister of Justice and the “Kingdom Government” on the establishing of the Integrity Chamber. From what we read it would appear that the parliament was up in arms or simply not pleased with this agreement. That is to say those that made their voices heard so MPs W. Marlin, F. Richardson and S. Wescott Williams. MP T. Heiliger, the leader of the largest party and the coalition made no statement here or there, so what he thinks is anybody’s guess.

Now let’s be real clear no minister has a right to sign anything on behalf of government without the approval or consent of that government. Having PM Gumbs and Min. Richardson counted among my few friends I am almost willing to wager my life that they didn’t take such a decision without consulting with the political power houses. However, I believe parliament should take a time-out and listen to their narrative and re-evaluate their actual functioning.

In fact it would seem that what they say and what they do is quite divergent and in no way resemble each other. In the past few months since all the hoopla about the “Integrity Chamber” meetings were called postpone for lack of a quorum, recalled after an unexplained long delay and hardly any of the coalition members could find themselves in the proposal from government. The meeting was again postponed with the only agreement being to avoid the AMvRB or Higher Supervision at all cost.

In the meantime the Band plays on and the executive is called to caucus and dialogue on the matter and ultimately take a position. At the risk of being repetitive, I don’t think a minister has the authority or right to tie parliament’s hands or as they put it sideline them.

Let’s stop trying to be cowboys talking tough making incendiary statements for the amusement of our backers. If you give clear and unambiguous direction and somewhere along the way show an inkling of leadership we would know where you are leading us to and so would your minister.

I don’t agree that integrity can be legislated nor do I believe it can be imposed on a people by an outside power. Moreover history has proven that agreements with the Dutch are always tilted towards their politicians and parliament for whom we never voted. Be that as it may, the minister acted in my humble opinion wrongly even though in good fate and with the best of intensions.

You on the other hand, parliament, and the leader of government, gave no direction, showed absolutely no leadership or maturity since this integrity debacle started. In so doing you hung the minister out to dry with few to no viable options. You have literally few options; replace the minister as was the intention now for some time or dissolve pearliest and go back to the people. Your actions or lack thereof placed the minister in the proverbial dilemma of being between a rock and a hard place. Maybe now you would understand the frustration of the people working for you and the general public with your political gamesmanship sloth.

Elton Jones