Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
HARBOUR VIEW--A new Government can be formed in St. Maarten based on the new majority in Parliament.
This is the position of Governor Eugene Holiday, conveyed in a press release on Monday, after having concluded his consultations with parties on the recent political developments.
Holiday said that, having reviewed the correspondence received and following completion of the consultations regarding the current political developments, he had informed parties that “there is no basis not to form a new Government based on the new majority in Parliament.â€
Holiday said members of the Gumbs cabinet had not yet made their positions available. He issued an appeal “to all stakeholders to do all that is necessary to maintain and protect the integrity of our constitutional democracy and to foster actions in keeping with our Constitution based on the rule of law.â€
Holiday said he had received a letter from Members of Parliament (MPs) Frans Richardson, Silvio Matser and Maurice Lake on September 30 informing him that they had withdrawn their support from the United People’s (UP) party-led coalition government. He was informed on the same day just after noon that Parliament had passed a motion of no-confidence against the current Cabinet of Ministers.
Holiday said that according to article 33, second paragraph, of the Constitution of St. Maarten, if a Minister no longer has the confidence of Parliament, he shall make his position available. “It is noted that thus far the ministers have not made their positions available to the Governor,†the release said
Holiday also received a separate letter signed by the four members of the National Alliance fraction in Parliament, the Democratic Party ((DP)) fraction, the United St. Maarten Party (USP) fraction and MPs Matser and Lake signalling their willingness to form the next Government of St. Maarten. The letter included an attached Governing Accord, signed by the eight MPs forming the new majority coalition.
He said that following the motion of no confidence, the Council of Ministers had invoked article 59 of the Constitution and submitted to the Governor a national decree to dissolve Parliament and call for new elections.
Considering these political developments and the importance of an orderly political and constitutional process for the country, the Governor held consultations with Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, the leaders of all political parties represented in Parliament, the independent MPs, Chairman of Parliament Dr. Lloyd Richardson and the Vice-Chairperson of the Advisory Council between September 30 and October 5.
