~ Will SMCP go against their manifesto vote in favor of elections, or will they stick to their stance on stability?~
PHILIPSBURG:--- The faith and future of St. Maarten is now in the hands of leader of St. Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) Wycliffe Smith who would have to decide whether or not he will stick to his promise and manifesto where the SMCP stated that they want stability for the country, or if he will go along with his colleagues Ministers and vote to dissolve the parliament of St. Maarten.
At noon today, the Council of Ministers will meet again to finally vote on the dissolution of parliament and to also submit their resignation based on the request of the Governor of St. Maarten.
On Sunday the Council of Ministers met where they discussed the calling of elections, while the Minister of VROMI clearly objected to putting the country through instability, the leader of SMCP Minister Wycliffe Smith who is also deputy Prime Minister seemed hesitant but can be convinced by his colleagues as well as the SMCP Member of Parliament Claude Chacho Peterson who will have to vacate his seat in Parliament and return it to the leader of the party.
SMN News learned that MP Peterson is pushing for new elections now that the UD/SMCP coalition has lost its support by three of their members who have declared themselves as independent members of parliament.
Two weeks ago MP Franklin Meyers pulled his support from the UD/SMCP coalition but failed to form a government with the opposition and or the UD that he left. Due to the fact the government has lost its majority, MP Luc Mercelina and MP Chanel Brownbill decided to declare themselves as independent members and immediately formed a government with the National Alliance and United St. Maarten Peoples Party.
SMN News has been informed that the leader of the National Alliance Silveria Jacobs is the selected candidate to become the country’s 10th Prime Minister while Minister of VROMI Chris Wever will remain as Minister of VROMI.
SMN News also understands that the Council of Ministers met with Governor Holiday on Monday morning where he asked them to make their positions available since he already received the agreement signed by NA/USP/Mercelina and Brownbill, at that time the Governor also appointed NA Leader Silveria Jacobs as formateur.
While there is political discord on St. Maarten State Secretary Raymond Knops and his team arrived on the island on Sunday as he was invited by SMCP MP Claude Chaco Peterson, sources say Knops is playing a key role in how the Council of Ministers move forward.
