Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
PHILIPSBURG--Members of Parliament (MPs) will discuss the financial outlook of St. Maarten in an urgent plenary session today, Monday, April 25, at 11:00am.Finance Minister Richard Gibson will be present for the public plenary session. MPs will discuss the short, medium and long term financial outlook of St. Maarten.Independent MP Frans Richardson; National Alliance (NA) MP George Pantophlet and Democratic Party ((DP)) MP Sarah Wescot-Williams requested the meeting.The MPs who requested the meeting had said earlier that there is much public discussion regarding the international rating of St. Maarten, public and private investments, the fiscal policies and intentions, etc. The MPs said they could have asked the Minister the questions they have and as members of the Coalition of Eight, they have queried these issues.“However, we believe that as Members of Parliament, it is also our duty to allow the people of St. Maarten to hear for themselves what members of government have to say regarding matters that affect our people.“Furthermore, our people are entitled to hear their representatives debate these issues in a mature and informed way,†the coalition MPs had said. “We also want the minister to be clear about some ideas he has floated with respect to taxes and changes to our tax system. The members of the coalitions wish to make it clear that there are many proposals for changes to our tax system and while there seems to be a general consensus that we must change our tax system or at least some taxes which are currently part of this system, this exercise is surely not one this government and its coalition partners intend to rush into without due consideration and consultation.â€
