Philipsburg: --- Sources close the National Alliance said that Island Councilman George Pantophlet has left St. Maarten to be sworn in as the new state secretary for health. Pantophlet is expected to be sworn in today by the Governor of the Netherlands Antilles. He would be replacing Joan Berkle Smart who resigned from her position when the news broke that he was being investigated for alleged fraud. Since Berkle Smart resigned there had not been any new developments in the matter. The prosecutor's office in Curacao had said the Federal Detectives were asked to look at the facts to see if a crime was committed. SMN News also learnt that Patrick Illidge would be taking up the vacant seat in the Island Council which was left by Pantophlet. Efforts made by this media house to confirm the information proved futile since we were not able to make contact with the leader of the National Alliance William Marlin.