Today Newspaper St. Maarten

Anti cock-fighting petition close to 4,000 signatures

St. Maarten – The petition against legalizing cock fighting in St. Maarten stood at 3,975 yesterday afternoon. Good2Go and Light Workers SXM founder Elaine Christopher initiated the petition drive that started on June 8. Sylvie Ries from Luxembourg was the first one to sign it that day. In the meantime many others have followed, among them many St. Maarteners who prefer to remain anonymous. But others have stood up and signed the petition with their name, like former Commissioner Michael Dreher, Louis Engel, hospital director George Scot and University president Annelies van den Assem. The last one to sign as number 3,975 was Megan Bishop from Florida.
When the number of signatures reaches 4,000, Christopher intends to present them to Governor drs. Eugène Holiday. The initial target for the petition drive was 1,000 signatures.
Under the current criminal code cock fighting is illegal in St. Maarten but if the Governor signs the new criminal code that was approved by the parliament in May organized cock fights will be permitted under a permit-system. It is unclear which requirements applicants for such a permit would have to meet.
If the Governor signs off on the criminal code it will be sent to the Ombudsman; this office has the authority to forward the legislation to the Constitutional Court for further scrutiny. If the Constitutional Court concludes that the legislation violates article 22 of St. Maarten’s State Regulation, the parliament’s decision could be declared unconstitutional.