'The job has been completed'

SUCKER GARDEN--St. Maarten has worked hard over the past year to put the necessary mechanisms in place to pass the test to become a country within the Dutch Kingdom on October 10 and last-minute hurdles will not stop the Island Territory from making the final lap, says Constitutional Affairs Commissioner William Marlin.

Marlin, who left for The Hague Sunday to participate in the final Round Table Conference (RTC) to vet St. Maarten's readiness to become country, was addressing the second National Alliance (NA) public meeting on the Richardson property in Sucker Garden Saturday night.

"We are going to tell the Dutch loud and clear that whether Curaçao has a problem forming their government or whether they have disagreements with their constitution, ours was passed unanimously and no matter what the others say we have worked hard in the last year to get every piece of document that was necessary to put on that table. ...

"When we reach in The Hague we will put our stack and say the job has been completed. The job is done."

Curaçao's constitution was passed late Saturday evening and its government was formed over the weekend.

Marlin said that while there were those "who are praying" that "the situation in Curaçao will make it difficult" for St. Maarten to pass the test, he would continue to be resolute.

"We are saying Curaçao cannot and should not stop St. Maarten from becoming Country. If they have a problem it's their problem. ... Our people have chosen to become a Country and they should respect that."

Marlin said he was proud to board KLM "one more time" to represent the people of St. Maarten in The Hague to "finally conclude the legislation for St. Maarten to become country."

He said there were "those who never lifted one finger" and on whom St. Maarten couldn't count.

"Whenever you ask [United People (UP) party leader and independent Island Councilman] Theo [Heyliger] anything, he says 'don't ask me, I voted for independence.'

"When you ask [UP #2 candidate and former Island Councilwoman] Gracita [Arrindell], she abandoned the meeting in The Hague, came back to St. Maarten and criticised the process. Today they are saying 'let's team up for St. Maarten,' but they don't believe in Country St. Maarten and in you the people."

He said "they saw an opportunity to get back in government to make more than they have made already; but enough is enough."

He said Heyliger had only "jumped the DP ship" to "keep an eye on his projects" and not to look out for the interest of the people of St. Maarten.

Marlin said he had made a tremendous sacrifice working hard to complete the process. He said the only opportunity he had to speak to the people of St. Maarten was at forums such as the party's public meetings or when he met them in the corridors of the Government Administration Building or on the street.

"The only reason you have not been seeing me every day is because we are working hard to complete the mission. We took an oath to serve you the people and had we been selfish, I too would have been out of government today. I would have left the job undone to say it's more important to secure votes than to secure the future of the people of St. Maarten," he said.

Marlin said the process was not about him or about any of NA's 22 other candidates, but about the people of St. Maarten and their interest.