PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Roy Marlin spoke out on Friday on the budget meeting that had to be postponed for the second time due to a lack of quorum. MP Marlin said that the chairlady of Parliament has not being following the rules of order. He said that the meeting is supposed to be called within 48 hours (2x24 hours).
Marlin said that St. Maarten has the CFT and the Kingdom Government on the country's back and he hopes that the MPs now in Government understands the consequences if the two entities put pressure on St. Maarten because they refuse to attend Parliamentary meetings to amend the 2014 budget. Marlin further explained that is unfair for the Minister of Finance to leave his work and go to Parliament on two occasions and MPs are not there to deal with the budget amendments. He also confirmed that whenever the meeting is held he will put forward his motion to address the purchase of the Vorst Estate.
MPs wasting monies attending Parlatino Meetings.
Currently there are four members of parliament namely Dr. Lloyd Richardson, Romain Laville, Jules James and Petrus Leroy de Weever who are not on the island because they went to Panama to attend yet another Parlatino meeting. Marlin said he indicated on several occasions that during the past four years several Members of Parliament went to Parlatino meetings and not once any of them presented a report to the Parliament of St. Maarten on the Parlatino meetings they attended.
Marlin further explained that it's a down right shame that the Members of Parliament voted on a motion to cut the traveling expenses of Members of Parliament yet these very MP's continue to travel like wild-west. MP Marlin said the monies that are being spent on unnecessary travelling for Members of Parliament could be spent on much needed things for the country.
