Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten could possibly see a referendum on independence before the current Parliamentary term ends in 2018. At least this is the HOPE of staunch independence advocates such as activists Jose Lake Jr., Leo Friday Sr., Elton Jones and Drs. Rhoda Arrindell.
This HOPE was expressed by representatives of Independence for St. Martin Foundation to the press at the WIFOL building on Thursday, as they promoted their conference themed "The Last Colonies in the Caribbean." The conference starts today, Friday, in Philipsburg Community and Cultural Centre at 8:00pm. It continues at 9:00am on tomorrow, Saturday, at University of St. Martin (USM).
Foundation president Lake Jr. said the independence movement has seen "a great increase in interest." The necessity to lobby Parliament to further the discussion and movement has become more apparent. He, like his fellow representatives, believes the time is ripe for a referendum on the independence question.
His timeline for going to the polls it in the next two to three years, or at the least before the parliamentary terms ends. "Our goal is a united independent St. Maarten."
The 2000 referendum that led to the ultimate break-up of the non-independent country the Netherlands Antilles saw voters cast the second highest number of ballots for the choice of independence. Lake, Friday Sr. and the other representatives are confidence the proponents for independence has grown in the past 15 years.
Foundation board member Leo Friday Sr. noted that the 1994 referendum saw five per cent of the voters opt for independence. In 2000, when the independence movement did not push the option vigorously voters still showed significant support, he noted.
Asked if they are certain people, aside from their direct circle, really want independence or they just like the idea of it, but will ultimately be reluctant to part ways with the benefits of being Dutch, Friday Sr. said the passport stance is "a scare tactic" used for many years. It is also a tactic without "much teeth" as visas can easily be obtained or exemptions can be negotiated. He questioned whether it would not be more powerful to have a St. Maarten passport.
All representatives agreed that the key is education about "achieving independence in a responsible way," what it means for St. Maarten and the path to be followed to achieve it.
Arrindell, former Education Minister and foundation secretary, said the independence movement is attracting a number of young people. To encourage this and ensure their voices are heard, the foundation has created a youth committee whose job it will be to continue the movement.
Convincing Members of Parliament (MPs) about the road to independence should "not be difficult," said Lake Jr. He pointed out that a number of MPs have publicly stated they have voted for independence in the past referenda. Among those in favour of independence is the highest vote-getter of the past several elections United People's (UP) party leader Theo Heyliger.
A referendum on St. Maarten about independence will likely get "an overwhelming majority" unlike the outcome in St. Eustatius earlier this year, said Lake Jr.
Key presenter for the conference is International Advisor on Governance Dr. Carlyle Corbin, a Barbados native based in St. Thomas. He told the press the time has "long passed" to have a regional dialogue on independence for the last remaining colonies in the Caribbean Sea. The framework for moving forward has been outlined and enshrined in United Nations charters, but it is up to the people involved to push forward with independence.
Corbin said it is the moral and legal obligation, via the signed UN charters on independence for colonies, of mother countries to prepare and provide a stable footing for their colonies to become independent.
Corbin commended conference organisers for bringing more awareness to the topic and looks forward to a broad-based discussion on the scope of the non-independent islands in the Caribbean. That discussion will include likeminded people from other Caribbean islands visiting specifically for the conference and St. Maarten people passionate about the topic.
Union leader Theophilus Thompson and former commissioner Elton Jones are members of the conference organising committee.
The both days of the conference are opened to the public.
