PHILIPSBURG–Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams was returned to her post as parliament chairwoman after the eight MPs of the United Democrats/St. Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) appear to have cast their ballots for her in today’s plenary sitting of the legislature.
The voting of the chairperson and the two vice chairpersons is conducted by “secret ballot.”
The vote for the parliament chairperson for the 2018-2022 parliamentary term yielded eight ballots for Wescot-Williams (United Democrats) and six for National Alliance (NA) MP Ardwell Irion.
United Democrats leader MP Theo Heyliger was appointed first vice chairman by the same vote margin. In this case, the six other ballots went to United St. Maarten (US Party) MP Rolando Brison.
The second vice chairperson’s post went to SMCP parliamentarian Wycliffe Smith by the same vote margin. The six remaining ballots went to National Alliance leader MP Silveria Jacobs.
This is the first time in recent history that opposition MPs appeared to have voted for their one of their own to counter the candidates for the governing coalition. Some see this move as a different way of approaching the roles as MPs and the possible creation of an unified opposition within Parliament.
Heyliger and Jacobs formed the election committee for all three voting rounds. Their task was to distribute, collect and count ballots.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/76360-sarah-theo-wycliffe-now-parliament-chairs
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