Philipsburg: --- A packed A. C Wathey Legislative Hall and members of the general public heard from the horse's mouth when independent island council member Louie Laveist at Monday's Island Council meeting spoke about the conspiracy he faced in the Democratic Party. During his five minutes speech tears flowed from almost every eye in the hall as Laveist explained what he went through with his colleagues in the former executive council that was led by Sarah Wescot Williams.
Laveist cautioned the new executive council that was elected on Monday that they probably do not know the journey he was on when he was elected. He said it took a lot for him to get from where he was to where he is now. He said those hardballs will not stop and the new members should beware.
Laveist said from the very day he was elected six years ago and he left the A C Wathey Hall and went to his office. "Before I sat on my seat in my office, on my desk there was a letter from one my own colleagues stating they wanted this and that and that."
Laveist said he personally went through a political terrorism from that day to his eventual demise.
The former commissioner said he is a very emotional person but he is also a very honest man, he said he may have made some administrative errors but crime is not something would have ever gotten himself involved with. Laveist said he was not brought up that way and a criminal is not him. He further explained that he simply could not be involved in crime even if he wanted to do so.
"When your own colleague could conspire your own demise and take every document they think you probably made some sort of error on to the prosecutor, and if you expect that kind of behaviour would survive this executive council it would not happen." "When your own colleague would take their campaign manager who happens to be the head of a department and terrorize you from the very first day. I was hurt that I wept when I could not get from the department of labor the renewal of my mother's onderstand and doctor card." Laveist obviously emotional and hurt as he poured out what he went through grab everyone's attention that was present. Laviest said he would prefer to do a root canal everyday of the week rather than to endure that which he did endure while in the DP executive council. "To Maria Buncamper Molanus my former colleague I want you to know that I am down but not out. But by the Grace of God and I will say this to you No Weapons Formed Against Me Shall Prosper" Members of the public who was in the hall at the time repeated the same words after Laveist as he said it. Several persons came to Laveist and congratulated him for speaking out against the injustice he went through.
The statement caused several persons in the tribune to moan in sympathy with Laveist, some said the members of the DP party were plainly wicked.
Laveist said to his colleagues who were present in the island council namely Sarah Wescot Williams, Roy Marlin, Commissioner Theo Heyliger that they are not the responsible for what is happening. He also made clear it is also not Island Councilman Leroy De Weever. He said there is cancer in the DP party that is eating it from the inside out.
Laveist said to Wescot Williams that despite cutting branches and pruning trees, they would have to cut the cancer from the root in the Democratic Party. Laveist then addressed DP member and former commissioner Michael Ferrier by telling him that both him and Marcel Gumbs know of that cancer. "I need all of you to know that I will focus on my defense and by God's Grace I would get out of this".
Laveist then took a punch at one of the daily newspapers that tries to bring him down on a daily basis in an effort to destroy him. "What you see happening here is exactly the way I wanted it, in the new government. I do not want any position or anything for the formation of the new government. I wanted nada nothing so please don't write in your paper this and that and thank goodness I am not a part of the new government." Laveist concluded by saying he is a God fearing man and God does not give anyone more than they can bear." He ended by saying Maria Buncamper Molanus and your "three headed imps" I am down but I am not out and promised to rise again.
Also very emotional is the incoming commissioner of Labour Hyacinth Richardson who told Laveist publicly that he has been praying for him from the day he was arrested in October last year. Richardson said when Laviest spoke he could not help but weep. The new commissioner went on to thank his relatives and supporters.
Richardson said he always told his parents that one day he would become commissioner and finally the day arrived however, he said he wished that it had happened last year when his father was alive, prior to concluding his statements Richardson had to leave the podium since he could no longer keep his composure.