The ongoing row between Minister of Public Heath, Social Development and Labour VSA Richinel Brug and Prime Minister Luc Mercelina (General Affairs) appears to have reached a boiling point. The latter is likely to prevail, as he also leads United Resilient St. Maarten (URSM), which both represent.
The party’s board has asked Brug to resign and a Parliament meeting on lack of confidence in the VSA minister scheduled for Wednesday was only averted because two of three MPs who requested such were absent with notice. The expectation is that it will be reconvened soon and result in a so-called motion of no-confidence.
Even if one of the URSM/DP/PFP/SAM coalition members fails to support such, there would still be a majority with eight of 15 seats. One can also not exclude the possibility that one or more opposition members might vote in favour.
Once adopted, Brug will have little choice but to step down. He alone is not in a position to dissolve the legislature and call early elections as former governments which lost majority backing did, including the Mercelina I Cabinet.
It’s important to remember that Brug earned his seat in the most recent election and succeeded current MP Veronica Jansen-Webster as VSA minister in the Mercelina II Cabinet because he got more votes. She was nevertheless right in asking whether Brug can still work with the prime minister during a separate meeting on integrity matters at the ministry, in which he accused Mercelina of hijacking his advice, as well as bullying and trying to blackmail him.
There were some serious allegations of unlawful acts and Brug had supposedly warned the prime minister he would involve the Integrity Chamber, the Ombudsman and the Temporary Work Organisation (TWO). However, no mention was made of filing a complaint with the Prosecutor’s Office.
When a lack of confidence occurs between for example between employers and personnel, the Labour Committee and/or Court of Justice usually determine a reasonable settlement. But things work differently in politics than they do in the private sector.
The only safeguard elected representatives have is to hang on to their parliamentary seat. Brug gave up his to become a minister and although one hopes they do so and work in government on behalf of their voters to serve the people, the executive branch offers no job security.
