The approval of Governor Eugene Holiday’s reappointment (see Saturday paper) sends a much needed message of stability following six years of considerable political upheaval since country status was obtained per 10-10-10. Governors obviously carry no political authority, but do have an impact on the public image the state portrays.
Moreover, they play an important role in the process to appoint and dismiss governments. In doing so Holiday has experienced his share of issues with, for example, the Kingdom Council of Ministers regarding the screening of candidate ministers.
He also had to deal with two occasions of so-called “Mexican standoffs” when new coalitions were established in Parliament, but the cabinet or a part thereof having lost majority support initially refused to step down. In the latter case this even led to the recently-held early election, two rather than four years after the previous one.
So to say that until now St. Maarten’s only governor had an easy first term would be incorrect. Nevertheless, he managed to manoeuvre through these and other difficulties by seeking compromise and balancing all interests involved.
His functioning was apparently to the satisfaction of the current NA/USP/DP/Matser/Lake coalition which backed his re-nomination. They did so despite of the fact that he had – at the insistence of the then-outgoing UP-led Government – basically forced them to accept an interim cabinet for only a limited time that turned out to be nine months, pending snap elections.
The latter shows that while everyone did not agree with his decisions, Holiday’s actions were generally considered reasonable and fair under the circumstances. It’s no wonder Dutch Home Affairs and Minister of Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk was “delighted” with the reappointment, as are no doubt most of the people of St. Maarten.
