Dear Editor,
The United St. Maarten Party (US Party) has been focused on St. Maarten’s recovery from the day after Hurricane Irma. Most of this “get to work right away” attitude is reflected in the actions of dynamic US Party Ministers after the storm. We address the Democratic Party as the catalyst behind more instability in St. Maarten because, well, they are. For posterity the facts have to be put on record.
The US Party want the people to understand that the Government of St. Maarten (in which DP had a Minister) from the very beginning, in fact immediately after Hurricane Irma acknowledged the need for assistance and emphatically stated that the assistance should be accompanied by the necessary checks and balances from and by the Netherlands. The PM said something to the effect of “send your man with the authority to take the decisions and sign the checks,” don’t give us any money.
Contrary to the fake claims of the DP, whose MPs painted a picture of gold falling from the sky once conditions to get aid from Holland is agreed to, our people must understand that not one euro will reach the pockets of the people St. Maarten. Not one euro will reach the businesses of St. Maarten. The government of St. Maarten will not receive one cent, as has been the case with the emergency aid and just as was the case after Hurricane Luis. This is not how it works, despite the new majority of 8 making you feel like everyone will be able to line up and get money in their hand.
Yes, we expect conditions to be attached to receiving aid or assistance, but let’s set the record straight. These conditions are associated with the funds being spent efficiently and effectively. Insuring the assistance reaches those who need it. We also expect that there will be a cost because not even the sun goes up for free. Conditions attached to the aid is normal and expected. What is not expected, however, is that matters that are NOT associated with that aid are used to force the people to accept them because we are desperate. That behavior is not at all becoming of a partner in the Kingdom.
So while people are cleaning and trying to save what is left after the devastation of the hurricanes, while government is working to clean up the streets, and so on, while teachers and parents are trying to get their schools in order, insurance companies assessing the damage, GEBE trying to put on the lights and water, TelEm, UTS, etc. working on reconnecting us with each other and the world, a very small group of elected officials led by the conniving of the DP and its leader, were preparing to take down the government. In fact, the very same reason that brought us to the poles in 2016 and which all parties condemned is the same tool used to UNNECESSARILY cause the current political crisis. These are the efforts made by the Democratic Party led to MP Brownbill jumping ship.
Then there was the claim that there was an impasse to obtaining aid. Let’s put that to the test: Work-group NRP was established by government within the first 2 weeks of Hurricane Irma ravaging St. Maarten. The assignment was to assess the damage and losses and make a plan for recovery. An Interim report was published in the last week of October 2017. The World Bank made it possible for ECLAC to carry out a damage and loss assessment in St. Maarten. Because of similar evaluations taking place on other islands in the region, ECLAC visited St. Maarten during the last week of October to gather information and the results are expected at the end of November. After the assessments are done a proper plan for recovery and rebuilding can be made and we will know what and how much assistance we will need. And mind you, as we outline in our first letter, details of the conditions imposed by the Dutch were already worked out.
So, what is the cause of the crisis? Where was the impasse? According the new majority of 8, NOTHING was done. Was it really because the PM did not communicate? Is that why the DP manipulated the country and people’s emotions? The US Party expressed willingness to form a broad-based government, let’s establish that. The US Party’s ministers worked diligently on its portfolios TEATT [Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunication – Ed.] and Justice. The group of 8 wanted us all to accept the proposals of the Dutch Government regarding the Integrity Chamber and border control as is.
Our efforts thus far have resulted in both documents (border control and Integrity Chamber) being improved in favor of St. Maarten. Our draft Integrity Chamber Law no longer includes the violations of the rights of the people of St. Maarten. Our draft Integrity Chamber Law no longer includes the authority to the Integrity Chamber which would allow it to circumvent the courts to question and arrest the citizens of St. Maarten. So now the authority for criminal investigation is where it should rightfully be with the prosecution in court, not at a chamber outside of court.
Then considering the border control: Our Minister of Justice has negotiated a mutual regulation which would allow for the necessary border control, but work within the hierarchy of our justice system, just as has been the case with the police support from Curaçao, Aruba and Holland. It is therefore extremely unfortunate that this political crisis has caused us to go backwards rather than forward. So are we here in this political crisis because of the PM or the DP?
To quote leader of the Democratic Party of 2016: “The ship captain decides where he or she is headed to. If there is no demand for the ship jumper, there will be no ship jumping. Ship jumpers are usually courted.” Which means recruited. We now know which captain of which ship recruited who.
We have just started.
The board of the United St. Maarten Party
