Is there still a Government in Place? Where does MP Leona Marlin stand?
PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot Williams read her letter of resignation from the position as chairlady of Parliament which she said is effective immediately. Wescot Williams then asked Parliament if they will allow her to continue the meeting that was scheduled for November 13th, 2014 on intellectual property. The Members of Parliament took a short pause and they caucused for a few minutes after which they allowed the now former chairlady to continue chairing the meeting on Thursday which will be the last meeting she will chair.
SMN News obtained details as to how the leader of the Democratic Party got the letter she received from MP Cornelius de Weever informing her that he nominated his uncle to be the Minister of VSA and Rita Gumbs as Minister of Education (the latter's brother is married to the sister of the UPP leader). According to the information SMN News received, MP Cornelius de Weever sent the letter to the Prime Minister on Monday but she was not in office, the person who took the letter then went to Wescot Williams' executive secretary to give her the letter for the Prime Minister and she advised that person to tell the Minister both him and the Prime Minister will meet at Parliament and he should give her the letter himself. Surprisingly, the executive secretary went into to the Prime Minister's office sometime later and saw the envelope she was asked to give the Prime Minister on the hand rest of her chair. The source said that the executive secretary called the person and asked him who gave him permission to enter the Prime Minister's office when she was not in office and he said that Minister de Weever told him to stick the letter under her door but he did not give any reasons as why he went into the Prime Minister's office unauthorized. The source further explained that when the Prime Minister who was busy chairing a meeting of Parliament at the time got the information as to what transpired in her office she instructed a security guard to take the letter to her and when the security guard went over to Parliament with the letter MP De Weever approached him and took the letter and told the security guard he could not enter the public tribune where the meeting was being held. The source said MP De Weever then took the letter and gave it to the Security Guard of Parliament and instructed him to hand the letter to the Wescot Williams when the meeting ended.
As the second political turmoil began on St. Maarten on Wednesday November 12th, 2014, just over two months after the August 29th Parliamentary Elections; well placed sources have informed SMN News that the chips have just begun falling in the UP/De Weever/Marlin coalition as Member of Parliament Lloyd Richardson has indicated to several of his advisors and friends that he intends to declare himself as an independent member of Parliament. It is left to be seen if MP Richardson will follow through with what he said to several persons on how he will proceed in his political career.
The source said that the "Doc" has indicated to them that he has pride and he will not be played by any political leader. According to the source, Member of Parliament Lloyd Richardson is extremely upset at the way he was played and even fooled not once but twice by the leader of his party Theodore Heyliger. Those that spoke to MP Richardson said that the "Doc" said that no one will treat him like a child whom they will give a sweet and then take it back for their own self interest. Friends and advisors of MP Richardson said that Heyliger first made MP Richardson chairman of parliament and within no time he took it back and handed it to the leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot Williams, likewise he was given the Ministry of VSA where he has full expertise and without any notification he had to learn through the media that the leader of the UPP had taken that position away from him and handed it to Leroy de Weever someone who orchestrated the fall of the former coalition (NA/DP/USp) even though he did not postulate on any political slate. Those that spoke to MP Richardson quoted him as saying he will never accept the position as chairperson of parliament now that Wescot Williams dropped the ball. They said that MP Richardson made it clear that he has to give accountability to the persons who placed their confidence in him, moreover he said has to remove himself from the current political matrix. One of the persons MP Richardson has to give explanation to is Silvio Lindo of Curacao whom he asked to take up the position as Minister of VSA when he was assured by his political leader that he was going to get the Ministry of VSA.
Other sources in the House of Parliament said that independent Member of Parliament Leona Marlin is demanding the position of the chair since she is the vice chair of Parliament. SMN News will bring you more information as these political developments continue.
