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Advertisers The Windward Islands Bank Ltd.
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Dutch Sint Maarten and French Saint Martin political structure - Dutch System One tiny island of only 37 square miles. Two European-based governments. Despite the confusion for outsiders, islanders understand that this tiny island's governmental authority is divided many ways. St. Maarten/St. Martin's two basic systems - Dutch and French - are both parliamentary forms of government. Each respective system joins other Caribbean islands of its parent country in a joint body. The following description should help explain the two differing political systems:
On the Dutch side of the island, the lieutenant governor of the Island Territory of Sint Maarten is Dennis Richardson. He has recently been given authority to change his title to governor. He chairs the island council that is composed of 11 members that are democratically elected from the citizens. In July, 1999 seven members of the Democratic Party were elected; three members are from the St. Maarten Patriotic Alliance Party (SPA), and one member is from the National Progressive Party. Five members of the island council are voted to be commissioners that compose the executive council. Currently, the five commissioners and their portfolios are as follows: Sarah Wescott-Williams: education; social and cultural development; finance; receiver's; judicial affairs; facility management; emergency services; information, communication and protocol; strategic policy; and planning and development Roy Marlin: public works; cadastral affairs; housing, environmental development and property management; personnel, organization and computerization; and civil affairs Michael Ferrier: labor and social affairs, control and inspection, traffic and communication, and Princess Juliana International Airport Group of Companies Franklyn Meyers: public health affairs, medical affairs, hygiene and veterinary affairs, sports and recreation, and St. Maarten Telephone Co. (TELEM) Theodore Heyliger: tourism, economic affairs, agriculture and fisheries, permits and licenses, St. Maarten Harbor Group of Companies, Economic Development Corp., and St. Maarten Water and Electricity Company (GEBE) |
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Table of Contents Setting the record straight, Governor Richardson welcomes guests |
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The Netherlands consists of three constitutional entities, which are The Netherlands and the two territories of Aruba and The Netherlands Antilles. The NA is composed of five island territories (Curacao, Bonaire, St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius or "Statia"). The NA is a parliamentary democracy with a parliament based in Willemstad, Curacao that represents all of the five island territories. The parliament has 22 senators, who serve four-year terms, from the territories represented as follows: Curacao, 14; Bonaire and St. Maarten, three each; Saba and St. Eustatius, one each. The governor general of the NA, currently J.M. Saleh, is appointed to a six-year term by the queen of The Netherlands. The office of the governor general is based in Curacao. Each island territory has a lieutenant governor that is appointed by the Dutch queen. The lieutenant governor, who is also appointed for a six-year term, chairs his own island council and executive council. The capital of Dutch St. Maarten is Philipsburg.