Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
PHILIPBSURG--The Democratic Party ((DP)) fraction comprises two Members of Parliament (MPs): Sarah Wescot-Williams and Cornelius de Weever, with De Weever serving as the party's fraction leader in Parliament. Wescot-Williams made this clear when she held her first press conference as chairperson of Parliament on Monday. "The (DP) fraction is in one piece."
Speaking out for the first time about the move to join the United People's (UP) party-led coalition, Wescot-Williams said she signed the "Declaration of Consent" with formateur UP leader Theo Heyliger as leader of the (DP) and not as an individual.
The decision to join the coalition was "not easily arrived at," Wescot-Williams said, citing that some people see the move as "a conspiracy at work." This is far from the truth as the move was discussed with the (DP) board, she said.
The (DP) membership generally accepted the move to join the coalition, while some were not in favour of it, but "respected" the leadership's decision.
The declaration was signed with the broad lines of adhering to the recommendations of the integrity reports, operational audits for all government-owned companies and the appointment of ministers collectively, among other areas. The details of the declaration are to be further worked out in a governing programme, which is already in the making.
She said the decision to take this direction was discussed with her party board, though not everyone was in favour of it. A meeting with the party's general membership was held after the declaration was signed on October 9.
So far, the (DP) leader said she has only received one resignation letter from a party member over the decision to join the coalition, though she had received various messages from others stating their take on the move. "Once the dust settles, we will look at the party and the way forward."
Wescot-Williams hopes the impasse with the instruction from the Kingdom Council of Ministers to Governor Eugene Holiday for an additional screening of minister candidates will be resolved soon, paving the way for the new Council of Ministers to take office.
As was said in Parliament, Wescot-Williams said her party is not against the screening of ministers as the country has regulation for this. The resistance to the instruction is based on the Dutch government getting involved in "a completely autonomous matter."
