PHILIPSBURG:--- As SMN News continues with its review of the last governing term held by three coalition governments it is clear that a certain political party is peeved with the owner of SMN News for doing what we are obliged to do as a media house.
When the first UP/DP government was formed and Rhoda Arrindell was appointed Minister of Education Youth and Sports, she made clear that she was the new "Sheriff" in town, one who will not even consider a drag strip or cricket stadium to enhance sports on St. Maarten.
Arrindell even came under fire for distancing herself from the St. Maarten song. She also had a bad track record at USM which no one wants to address. One should ask why Arrindell had to leave USM where she worked as one of the professors.
While in office as Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture, a number of teachers and civil servants held protest actions because they could not get their cost of living allowance (COLA). Several protest actions were held in the year 2011 and 2012, some at the WIFOL center. Marches and protest action were also held where teachers chanted and demanded that Arrindell leave office in front of the Government Administration Building, especially since she herself is an educator and an activist prior to taking public office. Readers can find several articles in SMN News archives relating to the COLA payments which up to today cannot be fully structured.
The former Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Franklin Meyers while in office saw the closing down of Eastern Caribbean Cellular that left 20 workers without jobs. The Bureau of Telecommunications even revoked ECC business license but there are questions as to who obtained that license to operate their own business.
Also while in office former Minister Meyers also suspended the director of the St. Maarten Tourist Office Regina Labega for the mismanagement of government funds. Shortly after the suspension Labega was reinstated at her post at the Tourist Office but in no time she was appointed director of Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE) even though the Corporate Governance Council advised against the appointment. It should be noted that Labega was a board member or the PJIAE board prior to being appointed director.
This year SMN News published several articles regarding PJIAE, the cost of the Pelicans that were purchased to decorate the round-a-bout next to PJIAE, the $8000.00 paid to the chairman of the supervisory board for his briefcase that he lost. The donation given for the Percy Sledge Show and who is paying for the director's house insurance. Documents to support what exactly is taking place at PJIAE were also included in the articles written by SMN News.
SMN News will continue to bring you the highlights of the past governing term prior to Friday's Parliamentary Election. Our aim is to provide our readers and voters of exactly what transpired during the last four years and why the Kingdom Council of Ministers forced an integrity investigation on this 16 square miles island.
