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March 30, 2026
Sint Maarten – The accusation by Professor Dr. Arjen van Rijn that Governor Ajamu Baly significantly overstepped his authority appears to be based on one-sided and incomplete information that had been provided to him by Prime Minister Luc Mercelina. Van Rijn claimed that his striking report was based on “facts.” This according to a report published on Dossier Koninkrijksrelaties.
The professor and lawyer Van Rijn had been asked by the prime minister for advice following a conflict he had with one of his ministers. The intervention by Governor Baly—made with the approval of the other ministers—did not sit well with Mercelina, who then sought Van Rijn’s opinion. Although Van Rijn delivered a very far-reaching judgment about the governor’s actions, his conclusions were not considered reason enough to give the governor an opportunity to respond.
Baly has since disputed the allegations in a letter to the Council of Ministers.
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