Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
PHILIPSBURG--The United People's (UP) party does not support the call of coalition partner United St. Maarten Party (USP) for Justice Minister Dennis Richardson's resignation.
UP's stance is said to have been communicated to USP leader Member of Parliament Frans Richardson in a coalition meeting on Monday and was followed on Thursday evening with an official letter signed by UP fraction leader MP Franklin Meyers.
USP was informed that UP could not support the removal of the Justice Minister because this would only create turmoil for government and possibly have far-reaching consequences for the country.
St. Maarten needs a stable government now more than ever to work continuously for the betterment of the country and people, according to UP.
UP views USP's request for the minister to resign as "a unilateral decision" that was "without prior consultation of the entire coalition."
USP issued its call to the Justice Minister to resign "effective immediately" in a letter delivered to him on June 12. This minister is still in office and has not reacted personally to the request.
The letter, titled "Your Position as USP Minister" and signed by the USP leader, cited that the request came as a result of the minister not having advised the party leader or board about his intention to sign a protocol with the Dutch Kingdom Government. That protocol had to do with the establishment of an Integrity Chamber for the country as well as boosting the country's Justice system.
The USP has "other points of view" about the establishment of the Integrity Chamber.
The Justice Minister, by signing the protocol without prior consultation with USP, has "effectively side-lined/blindsided the party and stifled the democratic principle of participation and consultation," the letter said. It further noted that the democratic principle is "also a founding principle" of USP.
Whether USP will pull its support from the UP-led coalition based on UP's non-support of its resignation call remains to be seen.
The coalition has the support of 10 MPs with USP's one parliamentary seat. If USP pulls its support the coalition still will have a simple majority of eight parliamentary seats plus a ninth one.
UP has seven parliamentary seats while independent MPs Cornelius de Weever and Leona Marlin-Romeo each hold one seat. De Weever joined UP to form the coalition in September 2014 and Marlin-Romeo signed on in October 2014.
USP became a coalition member in January and received responsibility for the Justice portfolio. The Justice Minister was already in his post when USP joined the coalition and there was said to be an agreement with UP that he would remain for at least a year.
