Marigot:--- Senator Louis Constant Fleming has issued a call to the President of the Collectivity of St. Martin Alain Richardson to tell the truth when making statements in the Territorial Council meetings. Senator Fleming told SMN News on Thursday that On December 13th, 2012 he received a call from his assistant in France informing him that a letter was sent to his office requesting that he make an amendment to the fiscal law. Senator Fleming said the letter reached his office at 2pm in the afternoon on the last day on which senators can submit their amendments. "These amendments had to be submitted by midday on the day when the letter was sent by the President of the Collectivity Alain Richardson. The letter reached my office two hours after the deadline had passed. Later that same day I received a text message from the President informing me of the letter that was sent to my Paris office, that day I went to the Collectivity to do some private business with my son and I made it my duty to visit the President who was in his office and he told me that he was sick and he did not realize that the letter was prepared a week earlier and was sitting on his desk waiting to be signed and sent to me. I also indicated to President Richardson that the Government of France has no authority over St. Martin's financial situation and that St. Martin can change the law as much as they want in the Territorial Council. The only fiscal power the Government kept was the collection of taxes. The letter sent to my office was signed by the President of the Collectivity but it was not dated. When we checked the request further I realized that the President was asking me to do something in the senate that the government has no power over. I understand that everyone wants to shine when they are elected but I will not sit down and allow anyone to lie on me."
Senator Fleming further explained that this year the senate did not vote on the budgets of the social security and state budget. Fleming further explained that the senate threw out the budget discussion and they did not vote on it period. This happened because the communist group decided to abstain therefore the budgets could not be discussed. Those two budgets were voted upon by the National Assembly. Fleming said he was scheduled to intervene on December 4th but since the budget debate was thrown out he could not intervene.
Senator Fleming said that he believes that President Richardson should sit and read the Organic Law so he understands the power the COM has instead of telling "lies" in the Territorial Council meetings. Senator Fleming also told SMN News that one week after the election in March 2012 he met with President Richardson and he informed him that he will not take any initiatives on his own but whatever the RRR Territorial Council decides and prepares he will defend it to the best of his abilities.