NA, DP in friendly face-to-face
Nomination Day confrontation
PHILIPSBURG--Members and supporters of National Alliance (NA) and the Democratic Party (DP) met face-to-face in front of the Main Voting Bureau at Dr. A.C. Wathey Legislative Hall at Clem Labega Square on Nomination Day for the April 20 Island Council elections. The square was covered with people dressed in white and red shirts all dancing to the brass band rhythm that accompanied the NA march.
Six parties submitted lists totalling 65 candidates yesterday. The three parties that have no representation in the Island Council have from Monday, March 5, to Friday, March 9, to collect 171 signatures each to support their lists; otherwise, they cannot participate in the elections. The collecting of signatures takes place at the Census Office.
After DP leader Sarah Wescot-Williams had submitted the DP list of candidates to president of the Main Voting Bureau Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards, DP members and supporters remained standing on Clem Labega Square, as they could see the NA candidates and supporters marching on Cannegieter Street towards the Main Voting Bureau.
The result was a face-to-face confrontation that could be construed as an exercise in either intimidation or psychological “warfare,” but it all took place in a very friendly atmosphere, for while the parties may differ in opinion on certain issues, there was no reason for personal animosity.
While NA leader William Marlin was submitting the NA list of candidates – the last that was submitted – both NA and DP supporters were dancing on Clem Labega Square to the music provided by a small brass band.
Many who witnessed this “head-to-head encounter,” even when the NA supporters surrounded the DP supporters, commented on the friendly way the opposing party members dealt with each other. “Only here in St. Maarten is this possible. Anywhere else in the world fights would have broken out,” was one comment overheard.
Some members of the Soualiga Patrol were at the scene, but they stood quietly aside, as there was no need to intervene and no incident had occurred.
Wescot-Williams said in her brief statement to the press yesterday that DP had been dealing, as a Government should, with the issues that concerned the people. That approach, was completely different from the approach of the other parties.
Marlin once again contended that there were several issues such as education, housing, environment, traffic and over-construction on the island that hadn’t been dealt with by DP.
He accused DP of lack of leadership and said the party was a group of individuals, each doing what he or she wanted, causing constant infighting that resulted in bad management and government being dragged to court.
He said the people of St. Maarten were sick and tired of DP, and NA had the experience and leadership to guide St. Maarten into a new status. And, noting that he was the longest serving member of the Island Council, he added: “I have been in the Island Council for 20 consecutive years, Commissioner in three different Governments and also a Member of Parliament.”
People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) leader Gracita Arrindell had announced earlier in the day that she had added another member to the PPA slate and submitted a full list of candidates. Charles Lindo was added as candidate number 19 on the slate. PPA had only 18 candidates on its slate up to Wednesday evening. The issues that most concern PPA are education, quality of life, youth, and the economy.
“The economic pie of St. Maarten should be shared more evenly and fairly among the population of St. Maarten,” she said.
She also referred to the problem of traffic congestion which she said was hampering not only residents, but the tourists who keep coming to St. Maarten.
While we speak about progress for St. Maarten, Arrindell said, it’s absolutely clear that the people of St. Maarten are not pleased with what is happening to their country. “PPA is committed to bring about good governance, transparency and accountability to the people of St. Maarten. We are very confident that the PPA will be victorious at the poll.”
The first party to submit its list of candidates yesterday was Democratic Labour Party (DLP). The party has 4 candidates on its list: Johan van Heyningen, Mitchell van Heyningen, Olivier Arrindell and Sjaoel Richardson. Arrindell submitted the list. He said the main issues on which DLP would focus are education, democracy, equal rights, freedom and the separate status document.
“If you look in the Oxford Dictionary there is no thing as a country in a country,” he said, referring to the status of country within the Kingdom St. Maarten is seeking. He also said the DLP would not accept financial contributions from corporate St. Maarten.
St. Maarten People’s Believers Independence Movement (SPBIM) submitted a list of three candidates: leader Harold Jack, Sam Hazel and Carlisle Webb. Jack said he wanted to run for office because politicians had turned St. Maarten over to an anti-Christ. The people have nothing but social living and the government has caused families to be destroyed, allowing homosexuality and lesbianism, Jack said.
Jack also believes the final accord signed on November 2, 2006, has taken St. Maarten back 50 years into a colonial era. “We are not stepping into the future, but we are stepping back into history. We became slaves to a colonial master,” Jack said.
Theophilus Priest, leader of National Democratic Party (NDP), will be the only candidate on his party’s list. He said the main issue for his party was to execute what had been agreed in the November 2, 2006, accord. To succeed, he wants a national unity government formed. “We are preparing St. Maarten for country status. No party has all human resources at their disposal. I as an individual want to be part of that coalition,” Priest said.
He said there was no time to play politics. “Leave that for when we go into a Parliament election. Now we have to prove to the Dutch that we are serious people, because if we’re not we’ll end up getting the same status as Saba, St. Eustatius and Bonaire,” he said.
St Maarten vacation rental
