Logical political marriage does not materialize

PHILIPSBURG – Where after the result of the parliamentary elections a logical political marriage between winner United Democrats (UD) and newcomer St. Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) seemed to be obvious, the reality appeared to be a lot more stubborn on Tuesday.

Sources around the formation talks report that Wycliffe Smith’s SMCP put extremely high demands on the table, such as the closure of whorehouses and casinos and even the closure of the Festival Village.

This drove the UD straight into the arms of the controversial party of Frans Richardson, the United St. Maarten party (USp).

Richardson was released on the Friday before the elections after he spent nine days behind bars on suspicion of vote buying, tax fraud and accepting $370,000 in bribes. The number two on the USp-list, Rolando Brison is also controversial due to embezzlement of more than $40,000 from one of his former employer, Winair. The number three on the USp-list, Maria Buncamper-Molanus, has a conviction for tax fraud and forgery to her name – 12 months of imprisonment (conditional) and 240 hours of community service.

All this puts the establishment of the Integrity Chamber and the alleged desire of politicians for transparent and integer government in the worst possible light.

UD-leader Theo Heyliger already said on election day that choosing a coalition partner would be an exercise in swallowing: “Worse with one than with the other.”

On Tuesday evening there was still no clarity about the direction the UD wants to go with its seven seats in the search for a coalition partner. It is however clear that a combination with the National Alliance (NA) is out of the question. The NA prefers a coalition with the USp and the SMCP but just like the UD it would encounter the far-reaching demands from the Christian party. Unless Wycliffe Smith is prepared to compromise, the UD seems to be condemned to a tainted marriage with the USp.

Analysis of the election results shows that UD-leader Theo Heyliger is still by far the most popular politician in St. Maarten. With 1,289 votes (137 less than in 2016) he left NA-leader Silveria Jacobs (895 votes) far behind.

The largest winner was – remarkably enough – former VROMI-Minister Christophe Emmanuel. He went into the elections under a cloud of suspicion related to the granting of land in long lease and dubious contracts to his cronies, but he still won 571 votes, 121.3 percent more than in 2016. Other winners are Ardwell Irion (352, plus 85.3 percent) and Perry Geerlings (258, plus 76.7 percent).

The biggest loser was also a surprise: Minister of Public Health Emil Lee, who won 259 votes, 61.2 percent below his stellar performance in 2016. Former Prime Minister William Marlin was punished by the electorate: with 445 votes he won 42.6 percent fewer votes than he did in 2016.

USp-leader Frans Richardson was also taken to task by the electorate after his spectacular arrest shortly before the elections. Richardson won 315 votes, 35.5 percent fewer than he won in 2016.