Developments surrounding Curaçao Finance Minister Javier Silvania (see related story) illustrate the delicate nature of politics. While popular with many for a critical and outspoken style, his sometimes rather blunt handling of sensitive matters and aggressive behaviour towards those involved, in particular civil servants, has put his position in question.
The most recent example is a leaked audio recording of his verbal confrontation with Tax Receiver Alfonso Trona. However, that regards just one of many similar incidents where people he dealt with felt insulted or even intimidated.
Parliament is set to debate the latest issue this Friday with both officials involved as well as Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas (General Affairs). Silvania’s supporters have called for a peaceful protest that day on Wilhelminaplein in Punda near the legislature.
The meeting requested by opposition members was called by Parliament President Fergilio Brownbill of MFK, the same party as that of Pisas and Silvania, which currently enjoys an absolute legislative majority with 13 of 21 seats, enabling it to govern the country without the need for any coalition partner. Public sector labour unions have already called for measures against the Finance Minister.
But MFK is faced with a major dilemma. Silvania got more than 18,000 votes in the election earlier this year, close to 44% of the ruling party’s total. He did so at number two on the candidate list headed by Pisas.
The now biggest vote-getter immediately afterwards stated that he had no desire to challenge the leadership of Pisas but asked to keep the Health, Environment and Nature GMN portfolio he took over on an interim basis in the former MFK-led government. Nursing union CBV publicly backed him in this.
Political observers have pointed out that once another candidate gets more votes than the party leader, the writing is usually on the wall. They argue that the biggest vote-getter should by definition take over the party leadership, to maintain maximum democratic legitimacy for that role.
In St. Maarten too there have been and continue to be cases of other persons on the list getting more votes than party leaders. This even led to the formation of new parties in the past, but certainly not always.
It seems like a tricky proposition, because voter sympathy can be a fleeting sentiment. Ultimately, true leadership should be of greater significance than a popularity contest.
