PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — On Monday, October 12, a group of concerned citizens launched an online poll to find out how the people of Sint Maarten feel about the possibility of new elections under the banner, “Should there be new Elections in December 2015?”
“With political uncertainty dominating the daily lives of the people of Sint Maarten, it is important that we ‘feel the pulse’ of the populace by soliciting some answers from the good voters of our beautiful country.”
The poll attracted the target sample 200 respondents in one day, mostly from “sharing” on Facebook. Reputable online survey site www.surveymonkey.com was used to gather the information.
***Editor’s Note***: This is not a scientific Poll
The five questions posted were:
- 1. Should the people of SXM go back to the polls in December 2015 in a snap election for Parliament?
- 2. Should the new majority of 8 led by the National Alliance form the new government?
- 3. Should the electoral reform be the first order of business for any new government?
- 4. Will you vote if snap elections are called for December 2015?
- 5. (What is your) Gender/Age.
On question 1:
- 57.29% – Yes
- 34.67% – No
- 8.04% – Other (please see comments on following pages with charts)
On question 2:
- 60.71% – No
- 36.22% – Yes
- 5.61% – Other (please see comments on following pages with charts)
On question 3
- 86.53% – Yes
- 9.84% – No
- 3.63% – Other (please see comments on following pages with charts)
On question 4
- 61.03% – Yes
- 38.97% – No
On question 5: (Age and gender figures can be seen in the charts on the following pages)
Responses to the “Other” option for question 1
- First parliament should create a new law let the people vote twice one for ministers and the athor for parliament in that way parliament should not worry about appointing any ministers or dissolving government.
- Hell No!
- They need to go back to the polls but not in December electoral reform nerds to be put in place first. This also gives new potential politicians time to get their message out to the population
- WASTING TIME, SHAME OF GOVERNMENT, I WILL NEVER VOTE AGAIN UNLESS AM.TRULY CONVIENCE A CHANGE CAN ACCOR
- The ministers are appointed therefore the same people can get back in.
- To vote for who???
- What difference would it make. its the same jokers going in
- Make no sense vote on this island the voters never get what they vote for anyway
- Reform
- Elections should be in one year, and a interim government should be place to work on election reform and a new law to prevent ship jumping that cause government to fall so easily.
- With electoral reform only
- I do not think it would change anything
- Elections in Oct 2015.
- Does it really make a difference?? Even if we do, if we do not do something about the ship jumping we will always have this situation.
- Form the Government with the new majority.
Responses to the “Other” option for question 2
- A professional non -political cabinet should be installed for a specified period and during this time the focus must be on electoral reform and then elections can be called. The players now all had bats in their hands and got bowled out at some point. What is to say it won’t happen again.
- If they can help this beautiful island is good.
- If they have support of majority after new elections
- Think we need a whole new crew
- As stated above.
- Not really. What happen when one of the eight get upset and leave. What call for new elections then? Coalition governments on SXM, is proven to be a failure over and over throughout history. I think an interim government should be place to work on new rules and regulations and set elections in year time.
- We will see
- None we need new blood
- I am at a point where whoever goes in makes no difference. they all seem to have the same agenda
- What guarantee do we have that people will not jump ship again???
- let the new majority form the Government.
Responses to the “Other” option for question 3
- Electoral reform, education, health and justice
- This, among many other “priorities” the politicians campaigned on last time. People should be able to trust them based on their word.
- It should be in place before a government is elected and put in place
- This not an easy task and involve the kingdom partners
- It should be handled now…lets see who is for it and who isn’t before we are fooled into another wishy washy coalition
- Yes that should be the main focus of the caretaker cabinet
- Changes to the constitution
