From left, Minister Cornelius de Weever, Member of Parliament Claude “Chacho” Peterson, Member of Parliament Franklin Meyers and Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin.
PHILIPSBURG–Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Franklin Meyers, who pulled his support from the United Democrats/St. Maarten Christian Party coalition during the closing of the parliamentary year, said on Tuesday that he did not “create the chaos,” as he is being accused of.
“I hope that the people of St. Maarten now better understand why I declared myself independent two weeks ago,” Meyers said in a press statement. “Other than what my political opponents now want to make you believe – I didn’t create the chaos, rather I took a stance from within the chaos that was created by a few.”
He said, “at the time of declaring myself independent, the plans by others to form the next government were already in full swing – character assassinations of our very own local professionals was the modus operandi, and the process to eliminate our very own ministers, one by one, was in full progress.”
“As I’ve already indicated in my previous statement, I could not sit idly by and see how born St. Maarteners and born-to-be St. Maarteners were maliciously being sabotaged and destroyed by selfish individuals with hidden agendas.”
He said having disagreements is not unusual in the political arena, but there always needs to be a level of respect and honour toward the position. “Our ministers, some of whom I grew up with, have invested decades in study and public service, good citizenship and stood up in a time when the country needed them the most. They’ve managed to run this country with dedication and integrity and it’s, to my belief, that they all deserve much better than being used as rag dolls and marionettes, whereby their heads are constantly being placed on a block by some Members of Parliament, even after the smallest disagreement.”
In politics, Meyers added, one needs to be a team player, make compromises for the greater good, and have the ability to place country above self. “When the sole purpose becomes the control over ministries and government entities and actively sabotaging the process, it’s no longer for the greater good. I can assure the population that the reason for declaring myself independent was and remains to this very day, to take a clear stance against the ongoing individualism that is plaguing our country. There is a saying that time is longer than twine and time will tell.”
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/91197-meyers-i-didn-t-create-the-chaos-i-took-a-stance-from-within-the-chaos
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