Dear Editor,
One of the most used buzz words in this campaign is the word “Stability”. Even those parties that have been in power since 10-10-10, and whose members wreaked instability in parliament and in government are now advocating the S-word. With these old parties having a track record of ship jumping, changing parliaments and breaking governments, can the electorate really expect them to offer the much-needed stability and change that Sint Maarten deserves? Our country needs to be able to move forward in every sector of society, but instability has crippled Sint Maarten’s development and progress.
Instability has led to no decisions concerning our landfill or the dump. Instability is the cause for the delay in the reconstruction of Sint Maarten post Hurricane Irma. Rebooting the economy and the further development of the country are dependent on a stable government.
Unfortunately, the existing political parties have not been able to offer stability. We have had every possible combination of coalitions, but these have all been short-lived. Putting the older parties in parliament again would be an act of insanity, which, according to world-renowned scientist Albert Einstein, is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. Voting for the same old parties and the same old politicians will once again bring the same old result: namely, instability in government. There is, however, an alternative political party. The SMCP is a new and viable party that does not have a political history of ship jumpers, government-breaking and instability.
Realizing the importance of stability in government, SMCP will make this its number one priority when elected. In the event the voters give SMCP a majority, 8 seats or more, then you can be assured that SMCP will bring the needed stability in parliament and government. But should SMCP get elected as a minority party, then we will allow the larger parties to form a coalition. Let it be known that SMCP has no problem functioning as an opposition party, because a good functioning opposition in parliament is also extremely important.
If SMCP is called to be a coalition partner, then conditions will be set which SMCP believes will help to guarantee a strong parliament and a stable government. In the first place, SMCP will not be pressured into signing a coalition agreement hours after the election results are made known. Secondly, SMCP will insist that the governor follows existing protocols already in place, such as appointing an Informateur and a Formateur. The Governor should charge the Informateur to explore the possibility of a national parliamentary coalition in which the MPs from all elected political parties are represented.
If the MPs agree to a national parliamentary coalition, then the next step for the Governor would be to appoint a Formateur, who will consult with all the elected parties and their MPs to prepare a national governing program. In addition, these MPs will select the Prime Minister from amongst themselves, and together they will select qualified, capable and experienced ministers, ideally not from their political lists, to execute the national governing program.
In the event the Informateur does not succeed in forming a national parliamentary coalition then he/she will try to achieve a consensus from among the elected political parties that have the best chance of forming a durable parliamentary coalition. The Informateur would look, for example, at the history, philosophy, principles, internal working procedures and protocols of the various parties. This would enable him/her to observe compatibilities between parties, as well as explore any non-negotiable issues parties may have. Discussions concerning the formation of a coalition should take place in a neutral place, like e.g. the Parliament Building, and all the elected MPs must be consulted.
After the Informateur submits his/her report, the Governor in turn will appoint a Formateur who will work with the coalition parties to prepare the governing program, select the Prime Minister and choose qualified, capable and experienced ministers, ideally not from the political lists, who also can withstand any screening. Ministers are selected jointly by the MPs to reduce the risk of a particular faction or a particular MP laying claim to a minister and saying “that’s my Minister”. SMCP will also ensure that the selected Ministers are aware of the governing program and what is required of them prior to their taking office. SMCP will insist that the governing program is presented to parliament and debated in order to give the people insight into what the government plans to do during the upcoming governing period.
To ensure stability in parliament all of SMCP’s candidates have signed a pledge, included in our Manifesto, not to defect during this parliamentary term. The stability offered by SMCP will result in a strong and steady government, which will enable Sint Maarten to move forward again. Stability will enable government to take decisions to get the reconstruction going, the economy growing and the dump dwindling. Sint Maarten, vote for stability! Vote SMCP!
Wycliffe Smith
Leader of the Sint Maarten Christian Party
Dear Editor,
When Dr. Martin Luther King said, "The time is always right to do right", I was a teenager and that saying made an impression on me. When I told my father this, he asked me:
“What is the difference between that and what I have been trying to instil in you? He had me repeat what he always said to me “Always do the right thing."
I believe the right thing for the voters of Sint Maarten to do next week Monday is to make sure that none of those people in government, who have been in there so long and especially since 10-10-'10, do not return to the government.
No matter how they might sound campaigning, no matter what they promise (which by the way comes out your own pockets) make sure that none of them get back in office. Simple as that. Go and vote for a young candidate.
I like the SMCP. The people of Sint Maarten should take a look at the stand that the youth of the USA are taking. They are saying enough is enough and will be demonstrating against the current gun laws, which are enabling crazy people and teenagers access to weapons of mass destruction, because the government of the USA is not doing anything against this, even though the number of mass killings in the schools is increasing.
I believe that it is high time for the voters of Sint Maarten do the same and get rid of all those in government who have been there for years, having the people of Sint Maarten going backwards instead of progressing.
Out with the old and in with the new. The time is right to do right.
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
Permit me first to ask. Did Cuthbert Bannis come to the island yesterday? The Dutch would use the term “pas komen kijken.” It is those kind of interference which cause status quo. I would like to know if Cuthbert Bannis (CB for short) has any idea why, when and how that dump come about.
Whether I am a fan of Emmanuel or not, his meddling was as a Minister of VROMI. CB should ask MP Th. Heyliger the history (the ins and outs) of what they named Pond island and then CB will know when to meddle and when not to.
CB should not get carried away because one time I agreed with something that he wrote.
Now this. Because of what I did, my father whom I constantly praise for keeping me grounded, pointed out to me that the saying “it’s not what you do, is how you do it” did not count for me. What counted for me was “what you do, depends on who you are.” So what I did or how I did it did not make a difference. If who you are determines that you should not do it then that is what it should be. Don’t do it. It worked for me.
People are not ready to be fair. Simple everyday example. Using the cell phone while driving is forbidden by law. The majority of drivers do it. Some take pleasure in taking up a relaxed position in the car while driving and being on the phone. Not to talk about the thousands who constantly text while driving, but if the police does it, everybody sees it and comments about it.
Over the years I have had conversations with a lot of politicians and I always got the feeling that it is about using people, so I never showed whether I was encouraged or not. But those who are honest will remember that I always stressed on being fair to the people who afford them the opportunity to govern and be put in a position to go forward in strides.
Election is around the corner and the arrest of Frans Richardson will be the topic of the day way into March. I have been advocating out with the old and in with the new. Knowing that that possibility is looming over the heads of several of the old politicians and people in government and that is exactly one of the reasons. Being in that clique for too long causes complacency with all ensuing consequences.
I’ve mentioned that “ik zal je nog eens krijgen” en “laat ze maar rotsooinen” is a vital tool and instrumental in tightening the noose around our political leaders’ necks, but I have also heard that “Russell think he know everything.” I do not know everything, but what I do know is that Marlin was ousted, Theo is a constant target, Frans was arrested and Sarah was not left out of any one of the seven governments.
A young lady asked me if any of the ship-jumpers ever ended up in the National Alliance. I refused to answer and told her that that is for her account, because all I would like to see is that new politicians are voted in to office and the old ones rejected. I hope the RST and those other boys do not read me wrong because I did not write arrested but rejected.
If we follow what is happening and if we put two and two together there are two conclusions which we can come to. Guilty by association and one always comes out smelling like a rose and to add to that the DP cannot say “not me” because they are always there.
When we sum it all up, all that is left now is to check and see which party was never in government and cannot be blamed for corruption. The SMCP. Like I mentioned before their Manifesto looks promising, they have young people who I would like to see in government for instance Chacho Peterson and I would like for the party to get at least four seats. One of the best ways to guarantee that is too simple – do not vote for those partys which have been in government for years.
It is almost six months since Irma and they are more interested in the people keeping them in government than they taking care of the needs, yes the needs of those same devastated people who put them there to take care of the people’s business. If you the people put them back there they will laugh at you because although they did not take care of you you still put them back. Out with all of them and in with the new. Enough is enough,
Did not anybody ask them “Why do the sixty to eighty thousand people on a sixteen square mile island with a four billion dollar economy, have to be treated like beggars?
But I have another question. What does Holland while dealing with our foreign affairs answer the world, when asked why are they treating their overseas territories in that way? Do you believe that a responsible answer could be “We laten ze maar rotsooien.”
Russell A. Simmons
Dear Editor,
We, the workers of Royal Palm Resort and Flamingo Resort, are asking Emil Lee to please intervene into what is going on. Presently, the Resort is calling team members to sign letters to be dismissed. They are even requesting team members to come in on a Saturday to sign dismissal letters.
The Labour Office has told them the process starts on 15th February until 29th March 2018, but Mervin is going against the C.L.A. and doing what he wants, even having some members confused with his lies, such as telling them they are losing their notice pay. He is on a rampage to feed the team members with lies.
Come on, where is Emil Lee? Where is the Labour Office? Where is the Government? We need something to be done. These things have to stop. Mervin seems to be very happy with taking bread from the mouths of 205 workers. Mervin said he is a man of God, but his actions contradict his words.
Someone please do something we need help!
Individual in solidarity with the team members
Name withheld at author's request.
Dear Editor,
This dump fire was not easy, even caused many schools on the Island to be closed.
As long as no one is brought to justice and found guilty of the dump fire the weight will remain on Christophe Emanuel.
And l quote: It's a God bless Theo was not the former minister of (Vromi). It was Christophe Emmanuel when all the smoke invaded the Capital of St Maarten.
Oh my God, if Theo was the former minister of (Vromi) Christophe will be all over the Island blaming and accusing Theo and will join Frans, William, blaming accusing Theo. But the turn in favor of Theo.
Theo not the one to blame. Theo is blessed and creative. He is our Nelson Mandela. He can get back St. Maarten back to business easier than NA PARTY.
Cuthbert Bannis
