Dear Editor,
Recent comments made by Prime Minister William Marlin should be of great concern to all who care about Democracy in the freedom to show their colours and to express themselves anytime and anywhere. The Prime Minister’s “War on Democracy” continues as he plans on using Electoral Reform to erase some of the rights of St. Maarten voters and their freedom to express their political affiliation when walking into the polling station to vote.
Wearing a political T-shirt should not disrupt the rights of a voter from exercising his/her democratic choice to vote on Election Day. Failure to show proper identification, failure to present a voting card, or gross misconduct should be the only reasons that could prevent a St. Maarten voter from casting his/her vote. The idea that it is illegal to wear a party-shirt is absolutely outrageous, and is another direct attempt to bring an end to Democracy and everyone’s right to freely show who they support.
Yes, we need Electoral Reform, but let’s face facts, wearing political T-shirts on Election Day is not the problem. The problem is politicians like the Prime Minister, who brought home a terribly written Constitution and now wants the privilege to continue destroying the little good that we have left.
Having high hopes that the public will fail to remember just who came from the Netherlands, made a major speech as leader of Government at the Administration Building and made sure to remind everyone as to who was actually responsible for bringing home 10/10/10 during the 2010 Elections sure indicates a sense of insecurity. If the voters had only known what was coming and the mess that had been brought home from the Netherlands, the election results that year would have been much different and not favourable for the then winning party.
Despite all the different political views on Sint Maarten, we have never seen an act of violence in connection with the diversity of political views, a blessing that we should be thankful for. What reason is there to prevent people from casting their vote if they decide to wear a certain political T-shirt? Sir, you are looking for a problem where it does not exist.
By Election Day, the majority of voters have already made up their minds, whether or not they are going to the polls and vote for the party and candidate they support. If by that time you, Mr. Prime Minister, feel insecure on the votes you will receive at the polls, and somehow feel threatened by a voter wearing a political T-shirt, then you have managed a bad campaign and probably an even worse government.
The world has had its share of regimes run by the likes of Saddam Hussein and Idi Amin, where expressing yourself freely would have gotten you jailed, punished, or even executed. We may have a lot of problems on St. Maarten, but let’s not follow the white line that our Prime Minister wants to lead us down to, where wearing a political T-shirt when going to vote is an illegal act.
Let us instead head up the road where it is illegal for a Member of Parliament, convicted by the court to be involved in the country’s decision-making process, while at the same time collecting a massive pay check paid for by law abiding citizens.
Knowledge has failed, it is time we seek wisdom and make things right.
Armand Meda
