Philipsburg: --- The island council of St. Maarten now has seven members after island council member George Pantophlet was sworn in on Thursday. The Democratic Party was requested to give the current executive council the quorum to hold an urgent island council meeting announces Island Council woman Sarah Wescot Williams. After a 30-minute adjournment three members of the Democratic Party Faction signed in so the meeting could he held.
After the notices, a committee was formed comprising of leader of government William Marlin, leader of the opposition faction Sarah Wescot Williams and commissioner Theo Heyliger who verified Pantophlet’s credentials before he took the oath. Several members of the council from both factions congratulated and welcomed Pantophlet back into the council. He is now Senator and Island Council member and former State Secretary of Health.
The island council also approved the contracts that were signed by the former executive council for several companies that worked on the new administration building. Leader of Government William Marlin said the reason they have to seek the approval of the contracts was that the former executive council did not comply with the bidding process prior to signing the contracts, something that is mandated in the laws of the financial management. Marlin said that even though the contractors had signed contracts they were not being paid simply because the island council did not approve the contracts. He said additionally the contractors have some other agreements pending which was agreed upon by the former executive council.
