PHILIPSBURG--The Parliament of St. Maarten continues to be two members short after this morning’s plenary sitting to examine and approve the credentials of incoming Members of Parliament Tamara Leonard and Claude Peterson stalled due to no quorum.
Another sitting on this same topic has been recalled for noon with the hope of establishing a quorum at that time.
The legislature as of Monday stands at 13 MPs, instead of the current constitutional maximum of 15 as a result of the resignations of now Members Wycliffe Smith (SMCP) and Emil Lee (United Democrats). The two had to resign ahead of taking up their posts as ministers in the Leona Romeo-Marlin Cabinet II on Monday.
The plenary session was short one MP for the quorum needed for the sitting to proceed. Only six MPs, all from the United Democrats/St. Maarten Christian Party Coalition, were in attendance. Those MPs were Theo Heyliger, Sarah Wescot-Williams, Franklin Meyers, Chanel Brownbill, Sidharth “Cookie” Bijlani and Dr. Luc Mercelina.
Without the installation of the two new MPs, the governing coalition will remain two MPs short. More specifically, SMCP will remain without a representative in Parliament. Smith was the party’s only MP; he is to be replaced by Peterson.
Six of the seven MPs not present for the meeting were absent with notice; of those two – MPs Rolando Brison (United St. Maarten Party) and Jurendy Doran (National Alliance) are on a Parliament work visit. The other four who were absent with notice were NA parliamentarians Silveria Jacobs, Christophe Emmanuel, Ardwell Irion and William Marlin.
The current 13th MP is Frans Richardson (US Party).
Before the close of the gathering of MPs, Heyliger queried if a meeting to review the credential of incoming MPs were ever stalled in the past and what are the consequence of Parliament not restoring its full complement of members.
Parliament Chairwoman Wescot-Williams said such as situation had never occurred in the country’s constitutional history and that the consequences “could be quite serious.” She intends to explore those ramifications in the event the noon meeting is affected by quorum issues.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/78116-no-quorum-for-meeting-keeps-parliament-two-mps-short
