GREATBAY:--- A full scale investigation into the harbour's relationship with Checkmate Security Services and the newly updated contract between the two entities is being called for by leader of the One St. Maarten People's Party Lenny Priest, who said that such an investigation must be conducted by the RST Detectives with the assistance of a leading Accounting firm that is not established in St. Maarten.
The OSPP leader has taken issue with reports of a US$2.2 million increase in a contract between the harbour and Checkmate Security services for the latter to provide security services at the harbour. "In 1990 the people of St. Maarten kicked up about the Airportgate scandal that resulted in many business and government officials going to prison. Haven't they learnt anything from the past or has greed just become part of their daily lives with no concern for the laws of the land? There were calls made already to verify who the owners of Checkmate Security Services are and the OSPP seconds the motion," Priest said last night.
"We believed that with all the integrity issues that are affecting St. Maarten today that these types of deals would have been something of the past. Nobody can tell us that none of the political forces are not involved in this transaction. The old people have a saying that where ever there is smoke there must be fire."
He noted that the 2014 budget was referred to during the parliament debate as a skeleton budget with not much room for maneuvering to provide the people of the island with all the services that are required. "Yet, the council of ministers as the Harbour Shareholder Representative can accept these type of transactions without questioning them. Isn't the Council of Ministers supposed to be safeguarding the people patrimony, namely the government owned companies? Then how was this able to take place? I, like many other residents was under the impression that since the entire Council of Minister would be responsible collectively for the government owned companies that the head of corruption would not show its face, at least not so blatant without any regard for others. Long gone are those days," the OSPP leader said.
Priest stressed that there is "absolutely no type of justification" for this type of increase in the fees to Checkmate Security Services and the OSPP is calling "for a full scale investigation in this matter to be conducted by the RST Detectives with the assistance of a leading accounting firm that is not established in St. Maarten. They have been plundering the coffers of the harbour over the years by carrying out all types of projects under the disguise that it is for the people, enriching a few and impoverishing the entire nation. But this has been their way of avoiding projects being carried out under the auspices of the government of St. Maarten. The same rules that apply for the granting of projects under the government should be applicable to all the government owned companies."
He accuses the harbour of "denying our children a future" with this new multi-million dollar contract, noting that these funds could have been used to put solar panels on all the schools thereby reducing the energy cost and providing the many school boards a savings to invest in advanced technology. "Part of the savings could have also been used to reduce the high school fees that the parents are being charged now. After all, this was a promise made to the population during the last 2014 campaign. St. Maarten let's get serious we can't afford to let this be pushed under the carpet like so many other wrong doings in this young nation," Priest concluded.
