Emmanuel: PM unbecoming, exuding “Trump Syndrome”, asks who are the coalition crabs?

GREAT BAY--Leader of the Nation Opportunity Wealth (NOW) party, former Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel, on Wednesday described Prime Minister Luc Mercelina as unbecoming in his insults towards the people and suffering from “Trump syndrome." He called on the PM to identify which members of the governing coalition he believes display a “crab mentality.”

"Some will not like it, but I will say what should be said, because this is now too much,” Emmanuel stated.

Emmanuel was responding to remarks made by Prime Minister Mercelina earlier on Wednesday regarding the government’s nomination of attorney Jairo Bloem to chair the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (CBCS). The Prime Minister classified opposing views and questions about the nomination process as examples of “crab mentality.”

“That is insulting and deflective,” Emmanuel said. “The Prime Minister claimed that democracy means not all members vote the same, and that this is healthy for coalition politics. If that is the case, then democracy cannot only be valid when it is convenient for him. That is typical Trump syndrome: democracy is good when you want your way, but when others express a different opinion or question whether the law was broken, that too is democracy. For you to call people crabs because they are questioning the process makes you sound precisely like Donald Trump."

Emmanuel challenged the Prime Minister to clarify whether his remarks mean that the entire PFP party, MP Sjamira Roseburg of his own party, MP Dimar Labega of the DP, and others within the coalition are all “crabs.” He emphasized that coalition members have raised legitimate questions, most of which have been answered directly, but instead spun in public statements that distract from the central issue: the legality of the process.

“If the Prime Minister truly wants transparency, then reveal the approved advice for Bloem’s nomination,” Emmanuel urged. “Allow us, the so-called ‘crab people,’ to verify what was actually decided. Show us whether the word ‘conditional’ appears anywhere in that advice. That word only surfaced after the issue became a problem and after the government sought internal legal advice, and not from government's legal affairs. But what is officially on the record? Show us. If all is on the up-and-up, that document should have been the first to be shown to the public. It's like when Trump said he destroyed the boat in the Caribbean because of 'lots of drugs, big drugs'...and showed no proof."

Emmanuel warned that decisions taken today will set precedents for tomorrow. “You will not be in government forever. These same decisions will be used again, next time against you and your allies. Differences of opinion must be respected. Every MP and minister must vote their conscience. But to describe people the way the Prime Minister did is unbecoming of his office.”

He further criticized what he described as the Prime Minister’s attempt to shift the discussion away from the process and onto the individual. “The Prime Minister wants us to be proud that Sint Maarten has the opportunity to appoint a chairperson, but he skips over the fact that the process itself is in question. So when we have the chance, we don't follow correct procedures? Besides, the nominee is not even a Sint Maartener. So what exactly are we supposed to be proud of? A suspect process and a non-Sint Maartener?”

According to Emmanuel, the government has repeatedly argued against locals being appointed to top positions, claiming its hands are tied when non-Sint Maarteners are selected in government-owned companies. “Now the same Prime Minister calls Sint Maarteners crabs and tells us to be happy with this nomination. It is not Eugene Holiday, not Xavier Blackman, not Roland Tuitt, not any local financial professional. So again, what are we proud of?”

“The narrative is clear,” Emmanuel concluded. “It was a bad decision, so now the government spins, twists, and confuses to win in the court of public opinion. They know it will be rejected and the Governor will not sign it. So to save face, they create a narrative to lean back on. And part of that narrative is calling your own people crabs. That is unbecoming of a Prime Minister.”

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