PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Social Affairs Cornelius de Weever had huge green eraser which he said certain politicians have to use to erase their past mistakes. The Minister was referring to the press release sent by the Minister of VROMI Maurice Lake who stated that he provided shelter for the victims of the St. Peters fire last Saturday. Minister de Weever said he and his staff was at the location on the day of the fire because two of the workers from the Department of Social Affairs lives in the area. Furthermore, he said that the Minister of VROMI saw him and his workers and he did not say one word to him. He said that the Minister who claims he provided shelter for the fire victims in the St. Peters Community Center should know that the building had no water and electricity at the time. Furthermore, the Minister of VROMI needs to know what they are responsible for and not try to dip into other Minister's portfolio for political mileage. He cautioned that politicians should not use the tragedy that left seven families homeless for their own political gain.
Minister de Weever said that the Ministry of VROMI did not function for some 18 years and maybe they need the huge green eraser he had with him to erase their mistakes. De Weever said in 1995 shortly after Hurricane Luis it was promised that there would not have been any more shanty towns but these shanty towns which creates a health hazard to the entire community keeps popping up and the Ministry of VROMI does nothing.
When asked who provided shelter for the victims of Saturday's fire, the Minister of Social affairs said that the victims found shelter by friends and relatives but they have been in constant contact with the Department of Social Affairs who is providing financial and other assistance to them.
He gave an example of what he had to do for one of the victims who did not have a shirt to go to his place of employment to inform his employer about the fire and that person he said did not have a shirt on. "If I wanted to use the plight of these people for political mileage I would have given him one of the political t-shirts I had in my car, but I chose to give him another shirt I had in my car and got someone from the department to take him to his place of employment."
