PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday March 11, 2014, the representative of the Netherlands in Sint Maarten, Mr. Gert Versluis, handed over a bundle of registration forms for the EU elections to drs. Gracita R. Arrindell, president of the Parliament of Sint Maarten.
According to Mrs. Arrindell and Mr. Versluis, many people seem not to be aware of their right to vote for the upcoming European Parliament elections. Therefore it is stressed that all inhabitants of Sint Maarten over eighteen, holding Dutch nationality, can claim that right by registering at the Dutch Representation in Front Street 26. Mrs. Arrindell, being one of the first citizens to register, wants to actively draw attention of the Members of Parliament and all other potential voters, who are eligible to vote in these elections.
The elections in Europe will be held on May 22nd, 2014. Those who want to vote in Sint Maarten can do so by registering at the Office of the Representation before April 10th, 2014. The registration forms are available at the Office, but can also be downloaded from www.stemmenvanuithetbuitenland.nl. As soon as the voting forms are available, the Representation will invite by e-mail those who have registered, to pick up the forms or have them sent to their home address. People can fill in their voting form and deliver it in a sealed envelope to the Representation's Office at the latest May 22nd, 2014 at 3 p.m.
Mrs. Arrindell said: "I have always made use of my right to vote, while being a student-resident of the Netherlands. I certainly make use of my duty to vote as a citizen of Country Sint Maarten. I take this opportunity to remind the eligible voting population in general to remember the struggles and frustration of countries, in the past and present, where people cannot or are not allowed to exercise the right to cast a secret ballot.
Let us not take this democratic exercise for granted."
