Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
PHILIPSBURG--"Untrue and baseless" is how United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake described rampant "rumours" in the community about him being "involved in a plot to throw down government and send home the Cabinet of Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs."
Since Friday, there has been persistent talk that spun into blogs about Lake breaking with this party over differences. The MP, who is off island on family business, issued a press statement on Sunday afternoon debunking the rumours.
He wanted to make it "very clear" that he did not have any discussions about a change in government with anyone. "Any issue that I have with my party, I discuss internally and try to seek solutions there. I won't go and throw down government to put the country in jeopardy just like that. My allegiance lay with the United People's Party, the people of this country, and the coalition."
Lake said he is for the development of St. Maarten's people and the country. "That is my primary focus, economic development, job creation and building homes for our people, and continuing to raise the quality of life."
"We need the finalization of the two additional ministers to the cabinet. The execution of the governing programme also needs to move forward, because the people want to see things happening. I was elected to work in the interests of the small man, and I intend to fulfil that obligation," he said.
Pointing to the government changes in the past that occurred around Carnival time, Lake said, "I know its Carnival time, and the Carnival fever is getting hotter ... This is basically the start of fictional stories. Probably in the weeks to come you will hear more, which is unfortunate."
Lake reminded the community that no one is authorized to speak on his behalf other than himself. "If I have something to say, I will say it directly to the person. I do not know where this rumour started, or who started it, but it's the figment of somebody's imagination."
The use of social media and fake names "to write all kinds of untruths" was decried by Lake. Troublemakers use this method "to create hysteria amongst the population, which is very unfortunate and irresponsible."
Further, such rumour-mongering "creates uneasiness amongst the populace" and "is not good for our investment climate. Investors won't be interested in investing in a country that gives the perception of political instability," said Lake.
Based on Lake's statement and indications from other quarters, the ten-seat UP-led coalition appears to still be intact, in spite of persistent talk since last week about one or more members breaking away due to differences with UP leader Theo Heyliger.
Even if Lake had opted to leave the coalition, the UP-led coalition would still have a majority in Parliament with nine seats. It would take at least three MPs to break with the coalition to cause the government to fall and leave the Marcel Gumbs Cabinet without majority support in Parliament.
There has been talk of another UP parliamentarian wanting to break with UP. This is MP Silvio Matser.
Talks about Matser wanting to leave UP are not new. There were indications earlier this year of talks about breaking the coalition and forming a new government with opposition National Alliance (NA), Democratic Party and United St. Maarten Party (USP).
Matser is also off-island.
On January 14, UP leader MP Theo Heyliger had publically stated that Matser was being courted by NA officials to leave the coalition, while that party's board made a fervent call for Matser to resign immediately from Parliament.
The call for Matser's resignation came after his sentencing earlier in January by the Court of First Instance last week to 24 months, 18 of which were suspended, on three years' probation and 240 hours of community service, for tax evasion. Matser has appealed his sentence.
Following those "talks" in January, Heyliger brokered inclusion of USP leader MP Frans Richardson into the coalition, strengthening it to 10 seats. That inclusion makes the coalition more difficult to break, as three MPs must withdraw their support for the government to collapse.
