Romney, MPs talk correct terminology

PHILIPSBURG--Is it correct to call St. Maarten a "country within the kingdom," is there an "opposition" section in parliament and are those elected to Parliament called "senators" or "parliamentarians?" These were some of the questions raised by Members of Parliament (MPs) during a discussion session with Political Analyst Julio Romney on Tuesday.

The Central Committee meeting, held at the General Chamber of Parliament Building on Front Street, was themed "Understanding your constitutional parliamentary government." Romney requested to make the presentation via President of Parliament Gracita Arrindell.

Romney said it was incorrect to call St. Maarten in its new constitutional status a "country," because it was not independent and it would create confusion in the outer world. He said the island was better referred to as a "constituent state" in the Dutch Kingdom, because it did not control all of its own matters.

He said nothing was wrong with not being called a country, and St. Maarten should make effective use of what it had.

Arrindell said it should be remembered that use of "country" comes from translation of the Dutch word "land," which means country.

National Alliance (NA) Parliamentarian George Pantophlet asked for Romney's view on MPs not part of government being referred to as members of the opposition. The MP said that opposition implied that those MPs were against everything government proposed, which was not always the case.

Parliament is a collective and has an equal responsibility to ensure proper legislation is passed in the benefit of the island, Romney said, adding that

United People's (UP) party Parliamentarian Silvia Meyers-Olivacce agreed that Parliament was "one body," but had added that the way some MPs behaved during meetings "tends to give the impression that there is an opposition."

She said, "We need to grow up and agree to disagree, think outside of the box, [and] use a more professional manner. We need to start synchronising and stop acting as if we are opposition, pull up our sleeves and starting working for country St. Maarten."

Arrindell also concurred with Romney and Meyers-Olivacce that there was no "opposition" as such in Parliament and this was not a designation outlined in the Rules of Order. She pointed out that correspondence to MPs never state "opposition member" or "coalition member," simply MP. Also in Parliament meetings members were referred to in the same way.

MP Jules James (UP) asked Romney if members should be called "senators" or "Members of Parliament/Parliamentarians."

Romney said the correct term was Member of Parliament or Parliamentarian, as St. Maarten has a unicameral system (one chamber) and not a bicameral (two chamber) system as in the United States, where there is the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Also posing questions on Romney's presentation and related issues were MPs Dr. Ruth Douglass and Johan Leonard (UP), Dr. Lloyd Richardson (NA) and independent MP Patrick Illidge.

Also present for the meeting were MPs Romain Laville (UP) and Frans Richardson (NA).

Source: http://www.thedailyherald.com/islands/1-islands-news/14027-romney-mps-talk-correct-terminology-.html

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