PHILIPSBURG--Members of Parliament (MPs) and the members of Council of Ministers weighed in on St. Maarten's first year as a Country within the Dutch Kingdom during a special plenary session of Parliament in observance of the first anniversary of St. Maarten attaining its new constitutional status on Monday.
While some MPs were critical with the lack of progress, others said that there are strides to be proud of.
No member of the Democratic Party (DP) fraction was present at the meeting and as a result, there was no speech from that fraction. Both DP MPs Roy Marlin and Leroy de Weever were absent with notice. Independent MP Patrick Illidge was also absent with notice.
Governor Eugene Holiday, Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams, Culture minister Dr. Rhoda Arrindell, Tourism Minister Franklin Meyers and Finance Minister Hiro Shigemoto were among the guests at the meeting.
Other invited guests included Members of Permanent Committee for Constitutional Affairs (PCCA), members of Workgroup for Constitutional Affairs, the Constitutional Education Committee, the Constitutional Youth Club, Community Councils representatives, students, representatives of the High Councils of State, Secretary Generals and others.
Left out and abandoned
Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Frans Richardson said 10/10/11 should be a time for honest review of the achievements and/or shortcomings made over the past year to determine whether country status lived up to the expectations of citizens.
He said a status change had been championed as a way to improve the way of life for all, but he noted that this is not being felt by the populace. The Independent MP said the past year has not been all that it should have been. He said there were still many persons in the community who feel "left out and abandoned" while some persons will say that there have been no improvement in their lives today compared to a year ago. "They will say neither do they foresee any significant progress in time to come," Richardson said.
He said if one scans the letters to the editors and blog comments, one will get the impression that people feel alienated. He said this is not just "a fluctuating perception" but a genuine one. He said there were some positive developments over the past year, but more needs to be done. Richardson called for collective efforts to move St. Maarten forward. He also stressed the importance of parties determining how to move forward placing the people first.
Differences
National Alliance (NA) Leader MP William Marlin said while it was being said that differences needed to be forgotten, it was these differences that were hampering the proper development of country St. Maarten. He said too that the National Alliance had always pledged to work together for St. Maarten, but he maintained that as long as there were certain differences, his faction would continue to oppose them.
In assessing the past year, the NA leader said while the people of St. Maarten were looking forward to changes, a year after St. Maarten's status change, this has not happened and there is no sign of this happening soon. He said one year after St. Maarten became a country, pensioners "continue to scream" for the adjustment that they have been promised and that is due to them; many persons including handicaps were being removed from the onderstand list; persons were crying out due to the high utility bills and the dissatisfied postal workers were striking because their interest and the general interest of the people of St. Maarten have been ignored.
Marlin said the latter situation could have been avoided if government had its priorities in order. He said all these persons could not forget the differences that existed and had no reason to celebrate. "This is not what our people have expected of Country St. Maarten," he said.
On the issue of good governance, Marlin said one could not speak about the maintenance and principles of good governance, while Parliament was not living up to good governance. He said one year into the new status, Parliament did not have an archive of minutes of meetings held over the past year. He added that meeting requests submitted by factions were not being held within the time frame according to the rules of order. "There is no excuse that the rules of order are not lived up to," Marlin stressed.
He said it was unfortunate that MPs and members of government were not supporting the high councils of state. He commended the High Councils of State for organizing the symposium and expressed hope that at the end of it, those who were sceptical would realize the need for them to be embraced.
He had said earlier in his presentation that the populace was told that by becoming a country they would be better off. He said however, that as "we celebrate one year, everyone would want to ask the question are we better off today than we were one year ago?" He said this should not discourage anyone from continuing the pursuit of the development of St. Maarten "because we believe that the choice the people made 11 years ago was a good choice."
No child left behind
United People's (UP) Party MP Romain Laville said it would be "farfetched" to believe that everything would be fine one year after St. Maarten attained its new constitutional status. He said, as a young person, watching the constitutional process unfold, he had asked himself what would be the real benefit for the people of St. Maarten. "Will the people of St. Maarten see some type of change? Will we wake up to a situation where all the issues we face will be wiped away or will it take time?"
Laville said Rome was not built in a day and as a new country, St. Maarten will have its ups and downs. "The question we have to ask ourselves is... with the issues that are happening now ? how long will these issues continue?"
He asked whether false hope had been given to the people of St. Maarten that all of their issues would be wiped away after one year. The answer to this he said "falls in the lap" of those who are in a position to provide this information to the people of St. Maarten.
Laville said if politicians seriously wanted to make a difference in the lives of people, party politics needed to be put aside. He said laws needed to be presented to Parliament that addressed social issues and not frivolous laws that did not have any meaning for the people.
He said too that the policy "no child should be left behind" should be championed in school and by parents and the wider community as this would make a difference.
Reason to celebrate
Tourism Minister Franklin Meyers said the problems being experienced today existed before 10/10/10 and it was irresponsible for others to make it seems as if the electricity rates, for example, skyrocketed after 10/10/10. Meyers said he can guarantee that the electricity rates will go down.
He said there is no success without struggle and no fame without sacrifice. If anyone, he noted, thought "it was going to be an easy road and that "in one year we will fix all of the problems in St. Maarten" then "we are not serious about the governing of St. Maarten."
The minister said it felt as though those at the Parliament meeting were attending a funeral and as if there was nothing to celebrate. This he says has taken the essence "of our achievement and thrown it through the window." Meyers said he will celebrate because St. Maarten has achieved a lot and has "come a long way."
He said St. Maarten by being a Country within the kingdom has succeeded and he urged everyone to put aside the things that are different and "look at our similarities." Meyers said all hands needed to be on deck to move St. Maarten forward. "Failure for St. Maarten at this time is not an option," he said calling on parties to be serious about the development of the country.
"Only together will we succeed if we do not work together as brothers we perish apart as fools."
Room for improvement
Finance Minister Hiro Shigemoto in his brief remarks said he is cognisant of the commitments and sacrifices made by members of the civil service to work towards St. Maarten's new constitutional status. He said despite an underdeveloped civil service in terms of formation, and lack of resources, work was still done and one year later those who were involved can only be commended.
Shigemoto said the picture painted about the past year was bleak, but he noted that we are in a world economic crisis. There is room, he said, for improvement and areas where attention needs to be beefed up, but "with all the negative I see the positive. We are a resilient people. We've been through many challenges. We have a dedicated civil service and stakeholders willing to participate ? we as a country can go forward."
Culture Minister Rhoda Arrindell said when she listen to what the people are saying on 10/10/11, the answer to that question is, indeed, "rather disappointing, and perhaps legitimately so.
Taking shape
Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams said Country Status "came amidst times of global economic uncertainties, as well as during the time that these uncertainties and global economic tumults were casting shadows on St. Maarten's path.
"Nevertheless, we braced ourselves and heralded the long awaited status with much confidence in our country and ourselves.
The first Government of St. Maarten started its work on that day of October 10, 2010. At face value during the first months not much changed. Our Parliament could not immediately occupy its new chambers; some civil servants were still in limbo as far as their position with the new Country St. Maarten was concerned; there were quite some uncertainties relative to the workings of the new systems of government."
Wescot-Williams said she is proud to note that we have insisted on and built the institutions worthy of country St. Maarten. But they too needed to get their feet wet and their bearings going. Not only the Parliament and the Government, the Justice organization, completing the Trias Politica, but also the institutions for the checks and balances of these very three, to mention the Council of Advice, the General Audit Chamber, the Ombudsman and the Social Economic Council SER.
"Has everything gotten off to a smooth start? No, definitely not. But who is defining what we are becoming with all the bumps and hurdles in the roads? We are. Slowly but surely, our country is taking shape, definite shape. However, we must also be prepared and assertive, ready to face new challenges that might come our way. And ready to adjust our sails to the wind. All actors are understanding their roles better and as we look at the coming 12 months, our focus should be on crafting a vision for St. Maarten that has the input of every-one and takes into account every-one.
"This is no less of an undertaking that our first undertakings as a new country and it require a new collective mindset that begins with each individual realizing his/her "debt" to St. Maarten.
This debt is one of gratitude. Gratitude for what this country, our country has allowed us to be and to become. Looking back over the last 12 months, many things stand out. On the inside of government, the placement of civil servants is practically complete. This process continued even as other personnel matters had to be organized, such as the salary indexations and training of civil servants.
The government continues to seek a durable solution for the myriad of plans to be executed and the financial constrains facing government at this time. The Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary in the Hague is also up and running, representing us in the Kingdom Council of Ministers," she said.
She called on the community to joins in to help shape Country St. Maarten.
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