Dear Editor,
Following the devastation by Irma, our Kingdom partners Aruba, Curaçao and the Netherlands and many others have lent so-called emergency aid and support. Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Affairs Ronald Plasterk stated the following in a Facebook post addressed to the people of Sint Maarten: “We will stand behind you, we will work together and we’ll make sure that you can pick your life back up again.” Similar sentiments were by the way also voiced by Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
Unfortunately, until today the government of Sint Maarten has not yet formally requested our Kingdom partners to provide further aid so we can pick up our lives in a more structural way again.
I do not understand the motives of the government not to request aid that was offered and neither do some of my colleagues. For that reason, MP Sarah Wescot-Williams filed a motion that orders government to request aid. The motion has also the support of MPs Tamara Leonard, Clarence Connor and myself.
Once our government requests aid, discussions can start about the conditions under which aid may be provided.
On one side of the spectrum is the position that aid only is acceptable if it is given unconditionally. This position in the second term of the debate is supported by MPs Franklin Meyers, Silvio Matser, Frans Richardson, Hyacinth Richardson and George Pantophlet. I hold this position to be unrealistic and everybody that ever went to a bank for a loan knows that money only comes under strict conditions.
On the other side of the spectrum, one has to accept any condition in order to get aid. I understand that that position does not feel too comfortable, since it might affect the autonomy of the country and its institutions.
During the first term in a debate in parliament, MP Meyers drew a line: “if the conditions would affect our way of life, we must be prepared not to accept the help that is offered.” Unfortunately, there was no discussion about what “our way of life” would be.
For me that would include transparency, integrity and accountability and if my colleague would concur, I think in the first term he held this fair position (in the second term he changed to the unrealistic position that aid needs to be given unconditionally). However, as long as no aid is requested, its conditions will remain unclear, although Minister Plasterk made clear there will be no blank check.
I would like to state that the government not only has a moral and human obligation to request aid, but also a legal one. And that legal one is the following: All ministers have sworn the following (section 41 constitution of Sint Maarten): “I swear (promise) allegiance to the King and the Charter of the Kingdom, that I shall always help to uphold the Constitution of Sint Maarten and that I shall champion the interests of Sint Maarten to the best of my ability.”
This oath, just like the ones that parliamentarians give (section 56 Constitution of Sint Maarten) includes allegiance to the Charter of the Kingdom. That Charter holds two sections that are relevant for these extraordinary times. Section 36 states: “The Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten lend assistance and support to each other,” while section 41 (1) states: “The Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten independently safeguard their own interests.”
When we look around, we must conclude that Sint Maarten at the moment cannot independently safeguard its own interests. Of course, water and electricity are back and schools are open, but overall every sane person will agree that we need help for the reconstruction.
That implies, on the basis of the aforementioned article of the Kingdom Charter, that the other countries in the Kingdom must be able to lend assistance and support.
In my view, the sworn allegiance to the Charter of the Kingdom implies one has at least to ask for assistance and support. Conditions can be discussed later.
That there is a moral and human obligation to do so as well makes the current inaction by government even more incomprehensible and may lead to higher supervision.
I therefore call upon government to agree with the motion and immediately ask the Netherlands, Aruba and Curaçao to lend assistance and support.
Perry Geerlings
Member of Parliament,
Democratic Party
