17 months after our previous elections, a new government of Sint Martin will be chosen of February 26. This will be our 7th government since becoming independent in 2010. Good statistics, right??
Yesterday was the presentation of the parties, with all old and new candidates. Amongst the candidates, our freshly resigned ex Prime Minister William Marlin. Re-electable again. And people wonder why we have elections almost every year. Well, there is exactly the problem. The same names keep circulating over and over. Government has a scandal, cabinet falls, and the same people get elected again next year. Welcome to Sint Martin politics.
Last elections was my first chance to vote. If I have a chance to vote, I will always go. Even if I dont agree on the topic, or the reasons, I will always go and vote. Lots of people died in our history fighting for the right of freedom of choice. I will never abandon that right, I will use it.
So, previous elections was my first chance to put in my voice. I searched online for background information on what all the parties are standing for. What their to-do lists are. I couldnt find it.
I asked around with the same question. 'What does this-and-this party stand for. What is the difference between this party and that party. What are their fundamentels'
I did not get an answer. Because here, you vote for a person. And that person just joined a party, because they want to surround themselves with people they wont fight with. They dont form a party because they have the same ideas about how they want to run the country. They dont have a party program, you can not find their ideas on want they want to acchieve in their term.
In our previous cabinets, members of parliament even jumped ship after being elected. So they changed party, when they were already in goverment. Its clear they dont care about their party, its just their own benefits they want to acchieve.
After hurricane Irma, our country still is in shock and in financial debt, since our main source of income Tourism is not up to speed as yet. And lots of government money will be spent on these elections again. Money that could help peoples roofs to get fixed, money that could help to fix roads and other infrastructure. Money that we should use wisely.
For sure I will do a lot of asking around again, before I make my choice on who I will vote for. I just hope the politicians themselves do the same, that they will think in the bigger picture, and not only about their own pockets. But as history has proven, I dont have my hopes up to high. People will not choose for the person who they think will lead the country the best, they will choose the person who bribes them with a new roof. Which to be honest, I can also understand if you still dont have a roof or electricity. I dont approve, but I can still understand.
Hopefully wise decisions will be taken. Again, to be very, very continued