MP York: The public should be very concerned about government's alarming lack of transparency

GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Darryl York on Friday said the public should be very concerned about the government's alarming lack of transparency, warning that delayed meetings, limited access to ministers, and selective public communication are weakening Parliament’s ability to properly oversee government work and keep the public informed. He was speaking in a radio interview at the time.

While York said jokingly that he cannot clearly answer question the question “how the country running?”, he turned serious when he said Members of Parliament are not consistently receiving the information required to carry out their oversight function and provide accurate updates to the community. He stressed that Parliament’s role includes scrutinizing government plans, fact-checking what is being presented publicly, and ensuring that national decisions are tested through questioning and accountability.

According to York, when meetings on pressing issues are requested but not convened, Parliament is effectively deprived of its ability to do its job, and the public is left without clear, verifiable information. He cautioned that persistent lack of information-sharing can create the appearance of deliberate avoidance, particularly when ministers communicate through articles and announcements but do not make themselves available in settings where questions can be asked, such as press briefings and Parliament. York said that when ministers avoid Parliament and do not respond to written questions, it raises concerns about whether the public is being led to believe more progress is being made than can be substantiated through Parliament.

On governance and public finance, York said the government has still not finalized the 2025 amended budget, describing it as historic for an amendment and a troubling situation as the country moves into a new year while still debating amendments to the prior year. He warned that late approval can result in Parliament effectively endorsing expenditures after they have already occurred, undermining the purpose of budget oversight. While acknowledging that delays have happened in past years, he said the current timing is especially problematic.

As an example of what he described as a widening gap between public messaging and parliamentary accountability, York pointed to recent public articles regarding housing policy and a mortgage guarantee fund. He said the subject matter is important and welcomed attention to it, noting that parts of the work were already in progress, but questioned why the responsible minister has not come to Parliament to provide details and answer questions. York said he has requested a meeting since April on the same topic, without it taking place, while public messaging has continued.

MP York further argued that meeting delays have become a pattern that damages public understanding of issues. He said meetings are scheduled only when ministers indicate they are available, and that some ministers appear to come to Parliament only when they feel like it. He cited a Central Committee meeting on the Central Bank that had been adjourned since August or September and was scheduled to resume at 11:00 today, but was canceled (for the third or 4th time), with the reason communicated late and only after MPs pressed for answers. York said repeated postponements can create a perception problem, because when MPs raise the same issues months later, members of the public may assume the matter is outdated or that MPs are simply repeating themselves, without realizing the meeting process was stalled.

York also listed several other areas where he said oversight has been delayed or left unresolved, including the handling of GEBE-related timelines and promised household subsidies for December that did not materialize after a meeting was adjourned and not resumed, TelEm discussions that were adjourned with the expectation of follow-up but did not return, civil service sexual harassment matters that he said were pushed aside, and a food security meeting request that, he said, was refused by the relevant minister, who instead sent a letter while continuing to publish articles about agriculture.

He also questioned the value of public “achievement” lists that he has seen published by Ministers, which he says more emphasizes travel and not enough direct connection to immediate outcomes for residents. He noted that such lists can appear to reflect spending on per diem and travel rather than tangible improvements that match the daily struggles people are experiencing.

MP York reiterated that transparency reduces suspicion, while silence increases it. He said the absence of direct accountability through Parliament makes it difficult to validate what is being presented publicly, and he is calling for more consistent engagement, timely meetings, and clear answers on issues that directly affect the lives of the people of St. Maarten.

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