PHILIPSBURG–Members of Parliament (MPs) of St. Maarten want the Kingdom Government to annul the National Decree of St. Maarten which calls for snap elections to be held in early 2018.
The MPs of the new coalition of eight passed a motion on Friday for the Council of Minister of St. Maarten to “order and instruct” Minister Plenipotentiary Henrietta Doran-York to “immediately and without delay request the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom to add the annulment of the Decree of November 3, 2017 to (its) agenda,” and “to propose the suspension and annulment of the decree.”
The lengthy motion, which was tabled by Democratic Party (DP) MP Perry Geerlings, considers that Government on the basis of article 43.1 of the Kingdom Charter shall promote the realisation of fundamental human rights and freedoms, legal certainty and good governance.
In the motion, the MPs argued that by dissolving Parliament and establishing the election date on January 8, 2017, the rules of the Constitution and the Electoral Ordinance are violated. It also concludes that as a result of dissolving Parliament, the reconstruction of St. Maarten is delayed and the safeguarding of fundamental human rights and freedoms, legal certainty and good governance are increasingly coming under pressure.
The motion says also that the decree to dissolve Parliament is in conflict with provisions of the Constitution and the Kingdom Charter.
The motion indicated that Article 22 of the Regulations for the Governor, in conjunction with article 50 of the Kingdom Charter, provides for the annulment of legislative and administrative measures in St. Maarten which are inconsistent with the Charter.
It says the Minister Plenipotentiary can request the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom to add topics to the agenda of the Council.
“It is desired by a majority in the Parliament of St. Maarten that the … decree [to dissolve Parliament – Ed.] will be recommended for annulment,” the motion states.
Bron: Daily Herald