Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has confirmed that financial supervision will stay in place until next year's evaluation of the consensus kingdom laws has been completed (see related article). With a new government to be installed on October 10, some might say that is a reassuring thought.
Moreover, the 2015 budget is in the final phases of preparation and must be balanced if it is to receive the required approval of the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT. The incoming NA/DP/US Party coalition has every right to set new policy and make changes to the final draft or even come with supplementary budgets later on, but the figures in terms of income and expenses will have to add up.
What happens after the summer of 2015 remains to be seen, but there are already those who wouldn't mind keeping CFT a bit longer, as it provides at least some safeguard against financial mismanagement to which the former Netherlands Antilles was no stranger. The local political establishment has a few more months to convince first the people, but particularly the other kingdom partners, including the Netherlands, that it is ready to take over this control responsibility, for which the earlier-discussed establishment of a so-called "Budget Chamber" would seem a crucial ingredient
Friday's handling of the 2014 budget amendments by the Central Committee of Parliament is certainly a step in the right direction, especially because it formalises the bond loans St. Maarten is allowed to take out for the first time since achieving country status for important capital investments like acquiring Emilio Wilson Estate (EWE) and the buyout of the new Administration Building. On the other hand, that it took so long to have the meeting is regrettable and even led to comments by CFT.
In addition, yesterday's session showed there is a majority in the legislature that wants to exclude the purchase of the Vorst family land in Cay Hill, because they don't agree with the deal made by – now caretaker – Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment VROMI Maurice Lake (UP) and how he did it. The matter is still in court and although government may yet be forced to comply, in any case the NA and DP fractions don't want to allow the transaction before that legal battle is over.
This probably means an adjustment will have to be made yet again to the budget of a year that is almost over. Hopefully, it won't lead to any further delay, so that the Marlin cabinet can take office with the final version of the 2014 budget in place to concentrate on the governing term ahead.
