Marigot: ---- While it is clear that the Collectivity of St. Martin has no money and employees of the COM are probably stressed out, some of them sure did find a peculiar way to release their stress. SMN News has learnt that a senior civil servant has confessed to sexually harassing a civil servant of the COM, the source said the female victim is also having a relationship with the culprit’s son and at some point; she was living at the alleged suspect’s house.
It is understood that the victim was working in the same office as the suspect who eventually wrote a letter to the victim admitting that he sexually harassed her and that he was sorry. It is understood the incident occurred at the victim’s place of abode.
It is further understood that the victim used the letter to get a transfer from the department she was working to another department she would prefer to work. However, it is said when she approached President Frantz Gumbs and produced the letter written by the senior civil servant and her request for transfer it was told to her that her transfer would be granted but the employee would not get to work in the department she wants, instead she would have to go where she is needed. Since then it is said the employee stopped working claiming that she became ill from the entire ordeal. SMN News also learnt that the victim also filed a complaint against the suspect with the local prosecutor.
SMN News was also reliably informed that the prosecutor is now investigating three cases of sexual harassment all deriving from the Collectivity. Efforts made to contact Prosecutor Jacques Louvier on the issue proved futile up to press time.