~ Theo looks forward to working with Frans ~
PHILIPSBURG--Deputy National Alliance (NA) leader Frans Richardson announced last night that he has resigned from NA and will be serving as an independent Member of Parliament (MP), after weeks of rumours about his severing ties with NA.
He did not announce support for any other party.
Richardson's decision means that NA, which won seven of the 15 seats in the September 17 elections last year, now will control five seats in Parliament, Patrick Illidge having left shortly after the elections to serve as an independent MP supporting the United People's (UP) party/Democratic Party (DP) coalition government.
Richardson's decision also means that at the opening of the 2011-2012 Parliamentary Year today he will be sitting as an independent member, will be considered a "faction leader" and will be entitled to the same number of support staff as the NA.
NA party leader William Marlin could not be reached for comment last night.
However, UP leader Deputy Prime Minister Theo Heyliger said in an invited comment that he looked forward to any possibility of working with Richardson "to solve the challenges of our people."
In a press statement issued late Monday, Richardson said he was announcing his decision to relinquish his NA position to become an independent MP after consulting with his family, close supporters and advisers.
"I strongly believe that I will be in a better position to bring forth my vision, ideas and ultimately legislation which will benefit the people of St. Maarten without trampling on the thoughts and vision of the party I once wholeheartedly supported," he said in his statement.
Richardson said that while he always had been a staunch party supporter as a member of the National Alliance and had supported the party's ideals and positions since joining in 2003 at the start of his political career, he wanted to begin "charting the road ahead, a road that will pave the way for the future development of the people of St. Maarten."
He continued: "More often than not, the road ahead can only be followed by leaving behind what we already know. ...
"I will support the initiatives of other members of Parliament when I feel they are in line with achieving the collective needs and goals of the people of St. Maarten. I remain committed to using my years of experience as a contribution to the forging of the kind of St. Maarten we all want for ourselves and future generations.
"At this juncture in our history we, the Members of Parliament, need to step up and raise the bar by presenting legislation that will make the people of St. Maarten feel safe and secure once again. We must foster sustainable economic development with our environment in mind. We must make decisions. Some of them will be tough, but in the long run they must benefit all the people of St. Maarten."
He thanked the National Alliance and pledged "to continue serving all the people of St. Maarten" in his capacity as an independent MP.
He began his statement with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: "Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position."
Richardson said he was inspired by these words. "We, as a people, cannot afford to remain complacent and stagnant. We must progress in our development, both personally and collectively," he said.
Asked about Richardson's decision, Heyliger said last night, "In life one has to make very hard decisions ? some that will make you have second thoughts."
He added: "I am sure that the MP has thought about his decision over and over again and it was not an easy one. At the end of the day St. Maarten is our jewel that must always shine. I wish him all the best and look forward to any possibility of working with him to solve the challenges of our people."
There have been rumours, denied by Minister of Economic Affairs Franklin Meyers last week, that Richardson was contemplating quitting the NA on the condition that government grant a casino licence to one of his close associates.
Dolphin Casino, which went out of business, had operated in Richardson's building in Cole Bay that once had housed Sunset Theatres. The forced closure of the four-screen theatre following the opening of Megaplex 7 a short distance away due to no cohesive government policy to protect certain businesses was part of the catalyst for Richardson's entry into politics.
When asked in early September about the rumours of his leaving NA, Richardson said he did not comment on rumours and only statements directly from him should be taken seriously.
At one stage of his political career, there were rumours that he was challenging Marlin for leadership of NA, but those rumours quickly dissipated. Then there were reliable reports two years ago that he was planning to "jump ship," but that never materialised and when the DP lost its one-seat majority in the Island Council in June 2009 and NA formed the government with the support of Theo Heyliger and Louie Laveist, Richardson served as Commissioner of Economic Affairs, Tourism and Sports.
And in the September 17, 2010, elections, although Richardson was the NA's second highest vote-getter (695 votes against Marlin's 1,590) his votes showed a marked decline: close to 400 votes fewer that he had earned in 2007.
The NA parliamentary group now comprises leader William Marlin, Dr. Lloyd Richardson, George Pantophlet, Hyacinth Richardson and Louie Laveist. The UP/DP coalition has nine supporting MPs: six UP members, two DP members and independent MP Patrick Illidge.
Switzerland Folk music West Ham United US constitution and civil liberties United Kingdom Cobham
No comments:
Post a Comment