A brief political history
Governments have been falling like dominoes since 10-10-10 – the day St. Maarten became an autonomous country and everything was going to become better for all residents. Well, well, and here we are with the formation of the sixth government in as many years.
Let’s have a look at the rather pathetic political history.
The National Alliance won the three-horse race that were the 2010 elections. With 7 seats, the party seemed in control but it still ended up in the opposition, because the United People’s party – the new vehicle of MP Theo Heyliger after he had left the Democratic Party, bonded with the DP to form a government. Patrick Illidge became the first ship jumper in the country’s history by leaving the NA and offering his support to the coalition.
Sarah Wescot-Williams (DP) became the Prime Minister, Heyliger the vice PM and minister of Vromi; the other portfolios went to: Hiro Shigomoto (UP) Finance; Roland Duncan (appointed by Patrick Illidge); Justice, Rhoda Arrindell (UP) Education, Culture, Youth and Sports; and Franklin Meyers (UP) Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication.
In 2012 the government fell after the Carnival Coup that involved independent MPs Frans Richardson and Patrick Illidge and UP faction leader Romain Laville. This NA-led coalition kept Wescot-Williams as Prime Minister; the other cabinet members were William Marlin (vice PM and General Affairs); Romeo Pantophlet (Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication); Silveria Jacobs (Education, Culture, Youth and Sports); Roland Duncan (Justice); Roland Tuitt (Finance); and Cornelius de Weever (Public Health, Social Development and Labor).
In May 2013 the second Wescot-Williams cabinet fell, this time because the Democratic Party faction and – again – independent MP Romain Laville withdrew their support for the coalition.
Wescot-Williams came back as the Prime Minister in her third cabinet, a combination of the UP with the DP. Dennis Richardson became the minister of Justice and vice PM. Cornelius de Weever stayed at Public Health, Martin Hassink took over Finance, Patricia Lourens Education, Maurice Lake Vromi and, after some delay, Ted Richardson at Tourism and Economic Affairs.
That government lasted until the elections in August 2014. The DP formed a coalition with Frans Richardson’s USp and the NA, but before this combination could take office, Cornelius de Weever defected to form a majority with the UP, reportedly over the counterpart policy.
In the new UP-led government Marcel Gumbs became the Prime Minister, Dennis Richardson stayed at Justice and as vice PM, Martin Hassink took on Finance, Rita Bourne-Gumbs Education, Claret Connor and later Ernest Sams Tourism and Economic Affairs, Claret Connor Vromi and Cornelius de Weever Public Health.
On September 30, 2015 the Gumbs-cabinet fell over a motion of no-confidence tabled by the Democratic Party and supported by National Alliance, Frans Richardson (USp) and UP-faction members Silvio Matser and Maurice Lake.
In December the next government took office with William Marlin as Prime Minister and minister of General Affairs, Richard Gibson as minister of Finance and vice PM, Silveria Jacobs at Education, Edson Kirindongo at Justice, Angel Meyers at Vromi, Ingrid Arrindell at Tourism and Economic Affairs and Emil Lee at Public Health.
The tenure of this government has now come to an end and the next one will be formed by the United People’s party together with the National Alliance.
