Marlin to Government: Fix the basics now or make room for those who will

GREAT BAY--Former Member of Parliament Cloyd Marlin says Sint Maarten is buckling under everyday failures that touch nearly every household: soaring light bills tied to disputed usage, unreliable internet with no credits, school year traffic jams in St. Peters and South Reward, and frontline EMT workers frustrated as hurricane season reaches its peak. Marlin urges immediate, practical fixes across agencies. If the government cannot deliver real solutions on these core issues, he says it should resign and allow others to govern.

Marlin says GEBE and the government's talk of relief means little while invoices keep climbing because “usage” is marked higher month to month. Residents bring him bills that show sharp jumps without a clear change in habits. He proposes that GEBE retain licensed electricians to audit homes for leakage and wiring faults, train those technicians to verify meters and identify panel or voltage problems, then advise customers on steps that cut demand. Where appropriate, households should be guided on options such as three phase metering. The goal is simple: bills that reflect true consumption, supported by clear checks.

Telecom problems, he says, is going from bad to worse and compounds the pressure on citizens. Marlin points to TELEM outages that interrupt work and school while customers receive no automatic credit for lost service. His proposal is straightforward: when an outage occurs, customers should automatically receive a day of data or an equivalent credit, backed by a published service standard that explains how credits are triggered and delivered.

Traffic is another daily strain. With schools back in session, congestion around St. Peters and South Reward has become intolerable during peak hours. Marlin urges the government to advance the Link 6 connector from Dutch Quarter to South Reward, complete design steps, settle land issues, and prepare utility relocation. In the meantime he supports short term measures such as staggered bell times, temporary one way flows at rush hour, park and ride options, and more crossing guards near schools.

The former MP is equally concerned about readiness during hurricane season while Emergency Medical Services personnel, Ambulance and Fire Department, are frustrated. Marlin calls for concrete, structural changes instead of new promises with clear timelines so these vital men and woman can focus fully on public safety when it matters most.

“The whole island is hurting,” Marlin says. “It’s time St. Maarten for solutions not excuses.” He stresses that the current parties in the coalition campaigned to govern and has had time to act. If it cannot deliver measurable relief on utilities, tax fairness, telecom, traffic, basically if they cannot improve the lives of the people in short time, he says leaders should step aside for those prepared to bring immediate, practical relief.