The next step
The Parliament of “Country St. Maarten” convened a meeting on Thursday to debate the unilateral appointment by the Dutch of a quartermaster for the non-existing Integrity Chamber. To refresh your memory this Integrity Chamber exists no place else in this Kingdom and it is being imposed on us because the Dutch are hell bent on criminalizing the entire society without the inconvenience of due process or rather giving us our day in court.
It is quite clear that the Dutch still exist in the past when they owned the islands and the people living there. The farce of autonomy is just a ruse to satisfy the inquisitive eyes of the international community allowing them to continue oppressing and dictating to us while placing their disrespecting civil servants with powers to override the duly elected officials.
Members of Parliament appeared quite serious and sometimes emotional about the issue. All members present were on the same line that the Dutch were acting without talking to Philipsburg and disregarding the Constitutional Court. It would seem that PM Rutte and Minister Plasterk have taken some pages out of President Trump’s book on alternate truths and falsehoods.
While they agreed to the establishment of this court and now claim not to know that laws vetted by the ombudsman can be challenged in this court. They further state that it is St. Maarten’s problem but they have an agreement that they intend to stick to. They forgot that we had an agreement on debt payments that was later not lived up to by the Dutch because they say we sent the information too late.
Even though there was no time limit set to the agreement their First and Second Chamber did the usual backed their government. They forgot that we were screaming for an entity for dispute regulation; in the many Ipko’s the Parliaments agreed but the Dutch government refuses to adhere to the wishes of the people’s representatives.
Our Parliament remains a bit intrepid to say that we don’t spend the Dutch tax payer’s money and we don’t need them to dictate how we spend our people’s taxes. Parliament forgot to come with a motion instructing government to prohibit our civil servants from cooperating with this super civil servant who can overrule elected officials. I also believe he should be denied entry to our government buildings. Parliament did not say what our next move should be even though they expressed frustration at the Dutch government and disrespectful ministers.
Parliament also forgot to request the Dutch to squash the guaranty function if that is their excuse to dictate to us. Parliament also forgot to involve the people more directly in civil disobedience against the colonial master. And most importantly as a citizen taking it all in from the tribune I didn’t hear any utterance or motion for a referendum to stop this charade once and for all.
While fear is a very human emotion it is not and cannot be considered a mode of defense. The continued disrespect will not cease until we show true grit and start action to take our destiny in own hands. We are law abiding people just like the holy Dutch and the justice system they put in place works most times than not and people are brought to account for any illegal behavior.
The option to give the Dutch the power to bring in who they wish without clearing immigration or registering here is ludicrous and a move mirroring what they legally were able to do in pre-Mandela South Africa. We don’t vote for anyone in the Netherlands so democratically there can’t be a Kingdom government without a Kingdom parliament. They just shot down a desire by Aruba to vote in their parliamentary elections so what rights have they to dictate. Let’s take the next step.
Elton Jones
