Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
Sarah: Coalition ‘suddenly lost interest’ in Integrity Chamber
PHILIPSBURG--It appears, said Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams, that the Marcel Gumbs Cabinet and by extension the governing coalition have "suddenly lost interest" in the establishment of an integrity chamber for the country.
"It is revealing that suddenly the urgency is no longer there for our own 'thing,'" the MP said.
She has drawn this conclusion from the response of Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs to her inquiry Thursday about the timeframe for the tabling of the draft national law to establish the integrity chamber in Parliament.
Gumbs, in an immediate response on Thursday to Parliament President Dr Read more
Lake calling for MPs to ‘get on board’ with integrity chamber
PHILIPSBURG--"Get on-board" to approve the "home-grown" draft ordinance to establish an integrity chamber for St. Maarten "after certain changes are made." This was the call issued by United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake to his "fellow colleagues" in Parliament.
He said in a press statement if the ordinance is left hanging ".. Read more
Sarah: Bringing ordinance in line with civil code can be done ‘rather quickly’
PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams says bringing the National Ordinance in line with the Civil Code to increase the legal drinking age from 16 to 18 can be done "rather quickly."
Independent MP Cornelius de Weever suggested that the legal age for cigarettes should also be addressed and not just that of alcohol.
The MPs were speaking during a session of Parliament's Permanent Committee of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs (CECYSA) on Thursday Read more
MPs still have reservations about Integrity Chamber
~ Meyers: Independence only choice ~
PHILIPSBURG--Several Members of Parliament (MPs) made it crystal clear on Monday that if the proposed Integrity Chamber stagnates the growth of the country and hampers St. Maarteners from prospering, the law to establish the chamber will not receive their support.
Chief among those speaking out about the draft law was coalition member MP Franklin Meyers (United People's (UP) party) Read more
Voting Bureau petitioned court twice to allow inmates to vote
~ Says it's up to MPs to amend laws ~
PHILIPSBURG--The Central Voting Bureau petitioned the court twice prior to the August 29, 2014, parliamentary election to legally allow inmates who were registered to vote in another district to cast their ballot at the polling station at the prison and to allow a prison official to vouch for the identity of inmates who did not have identification cards.
The issues at the polling station at the prison were amongst several electoral concerns broached during a meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on Wednesday.
Central Voting Bureau Chairman Jason Rogers told Members of Parliament (MPs) that it was up to them to change the legislation to rectify this issue in future elections.
Rogers said "a number" of inmates initially had not been allowed to vote because, although they were in possession of their voting cards, they were assigned to vote in another district Read more