SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) – Leader of the People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) Gracita Arrindell in a press statement on Thursday, has called for students studying abroad to have the right to vote in national elections.
Arrindell states: “Facing a third early (snap) elections since 20016 consequently appointing 4 governments by a shift in parliament majority support has undoubtedly made our electorate weary of going to the polls once again.
“This growing apathy is dangerous to our already frail democracy, when people lose Faith and hope in the electoral process because of our collective failure as elected representatives to focus on the people’s wellbeing instead of personal interest. We must be also aware that hundreds of million citizens around the world do not have this right or their rights to exercise their civic duty is trampled upon under life threat conditions.
‘The last full-term Parliamentary elections were held in 2014! This is not only a very costly affair for our budgets that constantly receives liquidity support from the Dutch governments. Consecutive local governments including shifts in Parliament loyalty is added strain to our coffers by appointing new staff while those who received their marching orders go home with pay.
“In the meantime, we have constantly overlooked to secure the voting rights of the future citizens of Sint Maarten. Our Constitution refers to chapter two (2) article two (2) of the election ordinance of the right to vote. Our students living in Holland who must write out of the census in Sint Maarten and re-register at the municipality where they reside in Holland. Hundreds of students residing temporarily in the Netherlands, must be able to have a say in their future.”
The PPA Leader said: “Citizens in Sint Maarten and the other former islands of the Netherlands Antilles are able to vote in the European Parliament elections, Dutch Parliament elections, Dutch States elections while residing in Sint Maarten.
“Eligible voters participated in these elections while casting a ballot from the office of the Dutch representative located in Front street Philipsburg. This means that our census information systems are connected. This process can be reversed among other steps to be taken to allow our students in Holland to vote in Sint Maarten elections”.
Arrindell said: “Most students are well- informed and very concerned about the direction our island is heading into, while they have no say in shaping this course. It is high time for the Minister of General Affairs (responsible for the census and for the minister plenipotentiary in the Hague, Netherlands) to facilitate and formalize the voting rights of our students in the Netherlands. The Sint Maarten House in the Hague can serve as the official voting location for our students going forward in elections 2024. Enough time to get this democratic deficit corrected.
“Students studying in the USA are not obliged to write out of the Sint Maarten census and thus are not obstructed in their right to vote. However, it is a costly affair for their parents to pay for their return each time snap elections are called, to vote. They too deserve a solution (Ballot stations at e.g. Dutch embassies in Miami, ) that allows students to cast their the ballots in the USA without catching a flight to Sint Maarten.
“Our electoral’ voting pond’ is small. This year approximately twenty-three thousand persons with a Dutch nationality, registered in Sint Maarten are eligible to cast their vote on January 9, 2020. We hope with your support and vote PPA will be elected into a new Parliament for a full four- year term and get this moving again.”
Gracita concludes: “Proxy voting is another option to seriously reconsider, granted steps are taken to curb the fraudulent use of this voting system.” as President of Parliament (2012-2013) I have publicly addressed this issue on several occasions in the Hague including with students during personal meetings and interviews. Regrettably government changed in that period and nothing happened. Hopefully this time around we will get the opportunity to amend the necessary articles in the electoral ordinances and allow our students to finally have a say in their future”.
Source: Souliga Newsday https://www.soualiganewsday.com/index.php?option=com-k2&view=item&id=29012:gracita-it-is-time-for-students-to-have-a-say-in-the-future-of-sint-maarten&Itemid=450
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