PHILIPSBURG:--- Chairlady of the petitions committee of Parliament MP Leona Marlin-Romeo opened a pandora box on Thursday when she asked the Members of Parliament to establish how they will handle petitions sent to Parliament. While the debate on how the committee will handle petitions, the three residents of Simson Bay were sitting in Parliament to be heard. Former Minister Maurice Lake who began the Simpson Bay saga wanted the committee to refer the residents to seek a meeting with the Acting Minister of VROMI. MP Tamara Leonard also supported her colleague's proposal but that was shot down by Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams who said that Parliament will postpone first agenda point for another time which was seconded by MP Christopher Emmanuel. MP Christopher Emmanuel informed the chair they were out of order because the people of St. Maarten elected the Members of Parliament to represent them and not Ministers.
Head of the committee, Yvette Halley said that the court did not grant the Simpson Bay residents especially her brother Marlon Halley justice when they rendered a verdict in favor of the Gioa's who paid off one of the heirs Naf.1M for a property even though he is not the sole heir to the property and does not live on St. Maarten.
Halley said that the property belongs to the Lejuez while her brother Marlon Halley occupied the land ever since he was a youngster. She said that her brother (Marlon Halley) submitted a requested to obtain the land in long-lease in 2011 and 2012. She said that they are asking Parliament to revoke the Ministerial Beschikking (MB- decree) because it has an error, secondly her brother (Marlon Halley) occupied the property for years besides that her brother invested $210,000.00 to fill in the property. Halley made clear that her brother will not move from the property, she said her brother business is severely hindered. She made clear that government created a mess and her objective is for them to revoke the MB and grant her brother the piece of land he filled in as well as access to the property. She said only in February 2015 her brother submitted a third request to the department of VROMI for the piece of land he filled in and again VROMI inspector visited Marlon Halley to get off the property. Yvette Halley said when government revoked the MB- decree they issued to Gioa they must return the property to the Lejuez family because there is proof that the land does not belong to government because her great grandparents purchased it. Yvette Halley presented Parliament with a document dating back to 1954 that even outline the exact location of the property.
MP Tamara Leonard who is not a member of the committee asked questions even though she felt she knew the answers to them , one being that they loss the court case, and if the family took the matter to the Ombudsman. Halley informed MP Leonard that she did follow every chain of law and the books, she said that the Ombudsman informed them that she could not handle the case because it was in court. She further informed MP Leonard that the Lejuez took government to court because the property belong to them and not government as indicated by MP Leonard. Furthermore, she informed the MP that the Lejuez did not lose the court case, the case was pulled back and the law firm that was used in the case represented both government and the developer.
MP Leonard asked Halley what kind of solution she is looking for because it's clear that they were wronged because the property belong to their family. Halley said when she spoke about compensation she is speaking about the land that her brother filled in with access to the property. She said that she wants MB be revoked and given back to its rightful owner the Lejuez while the excess piece of land that her brother is now occupying must be granted to her brother in long lease.
MP Maurice Lake who is also not a member of the committee in his address that he is very familiar with the case, because he tried to mediate and to find a solution to the problem, he also said that the Lejuez lost the court case. He asked why the Halley's did not attend the court case when it was being handled. He said he knows the family and his only objective is to find a solution to the problem. MP Lake said he met with the Halley's to find a solution however, Halley said that the family met with the former Minister and MP Maurice Lake in August 2014 prior the 2014 elections. She said that the Halley's especially her brother Marlon Halley were not informed of the case. Yvette Halley said at no time her family were informed of the court case but the developer who paid off one of the heirs and who also requested the land from government through long lease had all the information. Halley said government and the developer knew exactly what they were doing.
Halley said that the Lejuez did not lost the court case instead they withdrew the case because the law firm that represented the Gioa's also represented government. She asked MP Lake if there is justice on St. Maarten and further informed him that family is seeking is justice if its exists.
MP Christoper Emmanuel asked Halley which Minister granted the long least to EFB, he also asked if the land belong to government or if it belonged to the Lejuez because he needs to understand how someone can paid an heir and not the others and also requested that same parcel of land in long lease from government? MP Emmanuel said based on the information he is getting from Halley and the documents he saw shows him that something is 'smelling like a rat" he said that in his view something went wrong with the transaction he said he as an MP has to deal with the peoples' business then and to find a solution then he must have all the information.
In responding to the questions posed by MP Emmanuel, Yvette Halley said that the entire case smells fishy because the family Lejuez and Halley family have a number of questions themselves. She said the MB and all other documents was signed by former Minister of VROMI Maurice Lake. Halley said she wants to know how the Gioa's knew of the court case and the outcome of that court case. She said that the Gioa's even referred to the court case prior to them even having a meetbrief. She said that the same day the MB was signed it was picked up by the Gioa himself. Halley said that the family were not aware of the court case, neither the outcome until after the appeals time passed. Halley said that publication was made for one day in the newspapers and one day in the national gazette.
MP Silveria Jacobs who is also not a member of the petitions committee also lamented that something definitely smells fishy, she said that Parliament has every right to call government to Parliament so that they can answer questions as to what really transpired with the granting of the long lease to the Gioa's . She said what she sees in the documents presented to parliament borders on integrity within government. MP Jacobs said based on the documents presented to parliament it is clear to her that government knew what they were doing when they had Gioa submit a letter to the department of VROMI three months before he got the MB, moreso, Gioa asked for more water rights for a property that he did not yet received. She said in her view there was a major breach of integrity by the Minister who was in office at the time the MB was signed off and given to the Gioa's MP Jacobs informed the chairlady that if the committee do not take a decision to call government to parliament then the National Alliance will do just that.
MP William Marlin describe the entire situation as a 'sad story" against the Halley's. MP Marlin said when he was the Minister of VROMI he had to go court to represent Lee Halley whose property was given to a notary. MP Marlin said instead of government giving Lee Halley the property he was occupying and running a successful business in Simpson Bay, they gave it to a notary and then told Lee Halley to contact the notary and lease the property from him. MP Marlin said now again another family member of the Halley's were dealt with unjustly even though Marlon Halley was occupying the land for over 28 years. "A local man cannot get a slice of their property but developers could get what they want if the price is right. Let's fast forward to the debate on establishing an integrity chamber shows why an integrity chamber is indeed need on St. Maarten, because certain politicians calls all of this on themselves. I want to know when all of this is going to stop." MP Marlin said if mistakes were made or if it was done intentionally then government should rectify the problem and also compensate the family that suffered losses. MP Marlin insisted government should implement proper policies and ensure they are followed. Marlin made clear that something has to be done to rectify the problem, he said that if it means calling for a Parliamentary enquiry then that will be done to ensure that justice is granted to the small men and women that are being trampled upon. Marlin further stated that its time that government s start doing things right because in his opinion no integrity chamber could do it for the country and its people.
MP Sarah Wescot Williams in her presentation read out a number of questions she sent to Government via a letter on February 12th she said to this day government did not respond to her questions. MP Wescot Williams said that on March 12th she addressed the acting Minister of VROMI and asked to take note of the petition that was submitted to parliament and even posed more questions to the acting Minister. She said she even asked if government was willing to grant Marlon Halley his request to obtain the parcel of land he requested in long lease, and again she did not get a response from the acting Minister of VROMI. MP Wescot Williams said she want the committee to ask government if they never issued land to persons that lost court cases in long lease and if that is the case why they cannot do the same for Marlon Halley.
MP Silvio Matser also who is not a member of the committee made clear that his role in parliament is to represent the people. He said he is very puzzled because he cannot understand how can a "developer requested land from government and at the same time he purchase from one of the heirs. MP Matser also indicated that anytime someone does something with land VROMI inspectors would show up on the property and issue a stop order. He asked Marlon Halley when he was filling in the property to remove the dry dock if VROMI inspectors ever showed up to stop him or if the only time he saw VROMI inspectors was when they went to evicted him after issuing the long lease to a developer. Matser asked if the land was measured a second time as indicated by MP Lake then there should be a second meetbrief and if that is case then the best solution would be to grant that piece of land to Marlon Halley a known businessman in the Simpson Bay area. MP Johan Janchi Leonard a member of the committee proposed that the committee members and other MPs meet after the meeting in order to find a peaceful solution. He said that he will look for a peaceful solution that will benefit the Halley family.
MP Tamara Leonard felt that the one Lejuez family basically hustled the developer Gioa when he accepted a NAF.1M while there are documents showing that there are several heirs to the property. She felt that there is no need to go back to court to find a solution to the problem. MP Tamara Leonard said she believed that the suggested by MP Matser was ideal.
Yvette Halley in responding to the questions said she does not share the sentiments of MP Tamara Leonard who said that the developer was hustled because why would any developer pay someone NAF1M when he know he was going to obtain the land in long lease. "I believe both the developer and the former Minister knew exactly what they were doing when they handled this case."
Yvette Halley said that everyone in Simpson Bay are being hindered. She said they have not seen the development plan for the Simpson Bay area. She said that the Gioa's want to build a hotel and pier in a residential area which will not happen. She made clear that no one will go into their house and tell them how to furnish their house. She also clarified that there is no second meetbrief even though MP Lake said the land was measured twice, however she felt that one should be issued to her brother Marlon Halley. Halley said part of the area is considered dead-sea because of the amount of cement that is in it, however, she made clear that if that area has to be filled in then it must be filled in by someone from Simpson Bay and that Simpson Bay person should get it. She also questioned why Lexwell law firm was used by government in the court case because that law firm represents the developer and in her view that is a conflict of interest. She ended her statements by stating that since Gioa got the property in long lease he must pay her brother the monies he invested in filling in the property. Furthermore, she informed parliament that the family contacted the prosecutor's office to deal with the heir who was paid for the property. Not only Halley wants the land given back to the Lejuez family she is also asking that her brother be fully compensated financially.
