Philipsburg:--- Creating 300 jobs, beginning the construction work on a bridge across the Simpson Bay Lagoon and constructing more social homes within his first 100 days in office were some of the promises the leader of the United Peoples Party Theo Heyliger gave the people of St. Maarten during the last of four political debates organised by Arts Video Studio on Sunday evening. Heyliger also criticised the political parties for attacking his party rather than focusing on the issues facing St. Maarten.The UP leader was accused of treating the harbour as his own company and the funds derived from that particular government owned company as his "little Piggy Bank". Leader of the National Alliance charged that Heyliger did not show up for work in months and that he basically abandoned government to campaign for Friday's election. Marlin reminded the people that Heyliger is their coalition partner and while the commissioner resigned from the executive council he did not quit the coalition. Heyliger tried to throw the blame on the leader of the National Alliance saying they were supposed to appoint a new commissioner but Marlin quickly reminded Heyliger that if anyone was to appoint a commissioner to fill his seat it was Heyliger himself who had to do so since the agreement they signed on June 6th still stands. Both the leader of the National Alliance and the Democratic Party pointed out that Heyliger did not show any interest in the current constitutional process because he was not interested in separate status. It was pointed out that Heyliger never attended any of the meetings that relates to the constitutional change which is to take effect on October 10 yet he wants to be elected to manage the new status. A question from the audience also pointed out that Heyliger did not even show up to celebrate 10.10.10 on Friday yet he wants to be the one to manage country.
The leader of the National Alliance William Marlin promised to eliminate school fees from government subsidized schools and giving school boards more subsidies, the removal of the wage taxes, enhance education , tackling crime through education and continuing the constitutional process as St. Maarten becomes country on October 10th , having a National Insurance plan in place by January and increasing the old age pension by 50% is the plans of the National Alliance Government.
Leader of the Democratic Party strived on her party's more experienced and is capable of making a governing program to build the new country. Wescott Williams said eliminating school fees, removing wage tax, building a bridge or the ring road is simply any politician's dream because there is no money and the budget is not even balanced. While the leader of the Concordia Political Alliance Charles Jeffry Richardson spent most of the evening attacking the leader of the National Alliance and the United People's Party. In his closing arguments he said that the CPA will make sure St. Maarteners are first in their country if they are given the chance to be in government. Jeffry wants government to reverse the compulsory education since that cannot be used regulate the immigration problems. Jeffry argued that there is no need to install a committee to define who is a St. Maartener, instead he has the definition. Jeffry said government needs to make sure the Indians and other businesses on St. Maarten hire more locals to work if they are alleviate the crime situation. Heyliger said he is going to hire the local youths to do the construction of the bridge and social homes. Marlin immediately rebutted by saying that the youths were not given opportunity neither training and he wants to know from where these youths would get the required skills to construct bridges or homes.
The leader of the Democratic Party stressed about the things that government did not do during the past 15 months. Wescott Williams on a number of occasions said the National Alliance and Heyliger government are executing the programs of the Democratic Party.
Instead of debating the issues facing St. Maarten and discussing their party's manifesto the political leaders spent most of their time attacking and criticising each other. The leader of the United People's Party was attacked because he jumped from the Democratic Party to the National Alliance whom he later abandoned, while the leader of the National Alliance pointed out that the three other panellist are basically from the same house. Marlin said each of the three DP candidates changed colours to suit their own needs. Marlin pointed out that he did not allow Heyliger to get away with his own ways while conducting government business, he reminded the audience of how he dealt with the Olzina issue when Heyliger presented a motion that was not discussed or agreed upon in the executive council. Marlin said the Olzina issue was wrong and he put down his foot and dealt with the issue at hand. The leader of the Democratic Party said she was not aware of many things that Heyliger was doing when he was part of the Democratic Party. Most of the debate was spent on rebuttals as each political leader wanted to get in the last word in order to set the record straight.