Philipsburg, St. Maarten – St. Maarten was not surprised at all when the UP party told their coalition partner the US party of MP Frans Richardson to take a hike but Dennis stays. The US party should have drawn their conclusion from the statement made by the honorable Prime Minister that Minister Richardson isn’t going anywhere. According to the Prime Minister if Minister Richardson goes, then the entire cabinet is going and the Prime Minister would then have no choice but to dissolve the parliament of St. Maarten. It is one or two things either the US party didn’t get it that they were added to the coalition as an unnecessary spare wheel and as the old folks say more is more. Or as they have mentioned when they joined the coalition in order to help your people you must be in government.
In my opinion the US party was approached to join the coalition to keep some of the other power hungry members intact and the coalition succeeded. Over and over the UP leader has been able to outsmart even some of the experienced leaders such as the DP leader and now it is US party turn to be humiliated. But the people of St. Maarten will expect them to outline in the public meeting on Monday to debate the Integrity Chamber what they have accomplished for the people in the period of time that they are part of the government. The people also expect them to shed some more light on the security contract at the harbour; the one hundred million dollar St. Maarten Quarter Dev. project to begin within short at the harbour; the relocation of the Ministry of Justice to the building on the entrance of the St. Johns Ranch and any other inside information that they acquired on the Rainforest Adventures for supporting the government. But most of all they must inform the general public how all these projects are going to benefit the ordinary people of St. Maarten. Remember this also has to do with Integrity, the buzz word in St. Maarten today.
It is a crying shame that after nine months in government the people continues to feel hopeless with no indication that things will ever get better during this UP lead government.
Let’s look at the various scenarios that can take place during the meeting to be held this Monday, June 22, 2015.
The government will make a presentation to the parliament of St. Maarten about the Integrity Chamber, the protocol that was signed by the Minister of Justice with the support of the UP party and the changes to the law to put this integrity chamber into practice.
There will be a lot of talk by the members of parliament mostly without any type of substance and those supporting the government will fall in line including the US party. I foresee the US party making a fail attempt to rip into the Justice Minister but they will remain within the coalition. Nobody will be going home and the changes to the law will be approved by the parliament of St. Maarten and at the end of the day the Integrity Chamber will be installed.
What does this mean for the ordinary people of St. Maarten? Absolutely nothing, the people will continue to suffer because of the high cost of living; unemployment especially amongst young people between the ages of 18 to 30 years is at an all-time high; no changes to the short term contracts; our education system is in shambles; our health system is none existence and our economy remains stagnant.
After the meeting of parliament, the members will continue collecting their high salaries and they go back to doing what they do best, doing nothing but enriching themselves at the same time.
St. Maarten we need a fresh start with different leaders and a different government make-up.
