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PPA’s draft Ombudsman law hits ‘procedural roadblock’
by THe Daily Herald
Posted: May 16, 2006 20:08 UTC
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PHILIPSBURG - People’s Progressive Alliance (PPA) leader and Island Council member Gracita Arrindell says she was taken aback Monday by the response by members of the Democratic Party to the draft legislation she submitted recently to establish the official position of Ombudsman.
Arrindell’s draft Ombudsman Legislation appeared yesterday as an incoming document on the Central Committee’s agenda, which entails that members should take notice of it so it can be discussed at a later stage.
However, according to Arrindell, she was taken aback by remarks made by DP leader, Commissioner Sarah Wescot-Williams’ and by Central Committee chairperson Maria Buncamper-Molanus.
She said Wescot-Williams had told yesterday’s meeting that current rules of order and laws of the Netherlands Antilles did not provide a procedure for members of the opposition to introduce legislation and have it considered by the Island Council of St. Maarten.
“The chairperson of the Central Committee also informed the members that she and the island secretary would be reviewing the rules and laws to see how members of the opposition could submit draft legislation,” Arrindell said
She said Wescot-Williams’, Buncamper-Molanus’ and Commissioner Roy Marlin’s stated position was that under the current rules of order and the island regulations, there is no existing procedure to consider the draft Ombudsman legislation. “If this position is correct, and I do not think it is, no member of the opposition can submit draft legislation for the Island Council’s review and enactment.”
She said the “raising of this procedural roadblock” had caused the PPA to wonder whether the Ombudsman legislation would meet the same fate as other legislation intended to enhance and improve good governance, best practices, transparency and the official code of conduct for members serving on the Island Council.
Arrindell contended, however, that no amount of gamesmanship and legislative manoeuvring would stop PPA from pushing the draft legislation to a final vote on the floor of the Island Council.
She said Article 30 of the Rules of Order provided the legal basis and support for any member of the Island Council to submit proposals and draft legislation for the Island Council’s consideration.
Arrindell said the DP had a history of stating and professing support for programmes and policies, only to see them die for want of legislative action.
“The many nice statements from the DP that it supports the proposed institution and has always done so do not impress the PPA. As the public of St. Maarten is well aware, the Code of Conduct for members of the Island Council submitted by the Chairman of the Island Council has been pending since 2002 and the new Rules of Order have been pending since last year as well.”
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