Motorists who were stuck in traffic even more than usual on Friday afternoon will be glad to know it was for a good cause. Prisoners were being taken to the airport to be flown to the Netherlands (see related story).
Anyone questioning whether all the fuss with blocked road and detours for quite some time was really needed should think again. The transport of detainees, certainly in large numbers, is a serious matter that entails considerable risks and therefore requires very strict security measures and precautions.
The other big news is that snap elections will be held on January 8, according to the outgoing William Marlin Cabinet’s National Decree to dissolve Parliament per January 31, after the new UP/DP/Brownbill coalition had passed a motion of no confidence against six of the seven ministers. With Nomination Day to submit candidates already on November 13, parties wishing to be on the ballot, but also the Electoral Council and relevant civil services will have just one week to get their affairs in order.
Of course, the interim Government to be appointed in the meantime could try to postpone the date for going back to the polls, as was already done in the recent past. Apart from holding a campaign during the Christmas season, the current post-Hurricane Irma dire social circumstances could be a valid argument to do so.
On the other hand, constantly bending the rules creates undesirable situations. For starters, in a parliamentary democracy, public administrators who lose majority support from the elected representatives must in principle step down and not also send home Parliament, unless there is a crisis impeding the legislature from installing a next Government.
This has changed since 2012 with the former Schotte Cabinet in Curaçao. Reversing that trend would be difficult if not impossible due to the precedents set, but perhaps it’s time to at least stick to the terms set out in the law for these cases.
Another reason to go ahead and quickly have elections may be Dutch State Secretary of Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops’ statement in today’s paper saying the political uncertainty in St. Maarten will probably delay recovery assistance from the Netherlands. As the now-caretaker Council of Ministers has already agreed to the conditions set for such and their initial refusal to do so was the main motive for a new majority to take over in the first place, that seems a bit unfair.
Meanwhile, the people of St. Maarten continue to suffer. Many remain roof-, home- and/or jobless, with others being added – practically on a daily basis – as local funds dry up due to the virtual collapse of the tourism economy.
Shouldn’t it be more about them?
