Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
~ 'It will stifle economic growth' ~
PHILIPSBURG--Businessman Michael Ferrier is looking forward to an explanation from Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs on how the counterpart policy will be applied in St. Maarten.
"I look forward to him [Gumbs – Ed.] explaining and mapping out in layman's terms (for transparency's sake) how, amongst other things, the counterpart policy (the so-called reason for former (DP) Parliamentarian Cornelius de Weever's treason) will be applied so that indeed it will strengthen sustainable economic growth," Ferrier said in an open letter to government.
Ferrier said he had been "pleased to read" in the print media that Gumbs had declared that the island's economy would be a priority in 2015.
The former Democratic Party ((DP)) President and candidate on the party's slate for the August 29, 2014, elections said that from a businessman's point of view, if companies/enterprises would be forced to hire two persons to fill one position, when no suitable, qualified, motivated local person could be found and an employment permit for a foreigner had to be requested, it would stifle economic growth rather than help it.
"But I stand to be corrected if my understanding of the now infamous counterpart policy is faulty," Ferrier said.
In commenting on the new cabinet members, Ferrier said he had "no doubt" that Gumbs would be "a good" Prime Minister. He said Justice Minister Dennis Richardson and Finance Minister Martin Hassink had "earned their stripes" as professionals in the past year.
Education and Culture Minister Rita Bourne-Gumbs, he noted, is "one of the more pleasant persons I know and professionally she seems competent, with her heart in the right place for the task she has accepted."
He said new Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunications Claret Connor had been "one of the only beacons of HOPE on the greedy list and so I am very happy he has accepted to head this extremely crucial Ministry, where understanding what it takes to successfully merge the needs of the private sector (driver of the economy) with those of government is so crucial.
"I am confident that Minister Connor, the son of the late great Clarence Connor, will do the right thing for St. Maarten."
