Long enough
Councilman Louie Laveist pledging his support for National Alliance (NA) all but spells the end of the current DP Executive Council, which no longer can count on majority support in the Island Council. A change in government is now a matter of time.
This newspaper twice suggested in recent days that, taking into account the current political uncertainty and major issues such as the fallout from the financial crisis and the fledgling constitutional change process, DP leader Sarah Wescot-William and NA leader William Marlin should consider joining hands. The result would be a sort of “national” government with each party able to count on five of a total of 11 seats.
Whether such a move is even being considered at this point is unclear, but as politics go, expectations are that will not be the case and NA will welcome Laveist’s support to oust DP from office and take over the Executive Council. That working with a councilman suspected of forgery will not look good on NA’s record and seems in conflict with the resignation of its own state secretary who is also under investigation probably won’t matter that much in the end.
It must be said: other than the two parties forming a coalition, there aren’t that many alternatives. The law does not allow for dissolving the Island Council and calling new elections when there is a political stalemate, as is the case with the Antillean Parliament.
As a result, any Executive Council must depend on majority support in the current Island Council, which neither of the two parties can muster on its own without Laveist. The end result could be that the Island Territory is declared ungovernable and placed under Higher Supervision.
That Laveist indicated he was not interested in any position in exchange for his support in any case makes it a bit easier for NA. After all, bringing Laveist back as commissioner under the circumstances would have been a bitter pill for NA voters and the public in general to swallow.
Whatever decision is taken, it is important not to let this matter drag on for too long. Already the political uncertainty resulting from controversy involving several of the DP’s commissioners has lasted long enough.
Note to our readers:
Tuesday, November 11, is St. Martin/St. Maarten Day, an official holiday. There will be no Daily (or Miami) Herald on that day. Happy St. Martin/St. Maarten Day.
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