Ruling Majority totally against draft ordinance.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson did not mingle with words on Monday morning when he was responding to questions regarding the draft ordinance to establish the integrity chamber on St. Maarten.
On the question as to who is responsible for justice on St. Maarten, Minister Richardson said that the Minister of Justice is responsible for justice in each country, however, he made clear that St. Maarten did not get what she wanted when they were negotiating the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles. Minister Richardson said St. Maarten wanted its own Attorney General but St. Maarten did not get that, instead one Attorney General was appointed for St. Maarten, Curacao and the BES islands. He said St. Maarten got a Solicitor General. He said having one Attorney General does not work in the interest of St. Maarten and for sure not to his satisfaction as Minister of Justice. Minister Richardson said that the Attorney General lives on Curacao and because of that he has been confusing Curacao with St. Maarten when it comes to justice and crime on St. Maarten. He said at that this moment there is still a lot more that has to be done for the justice chain on St. Maarten but that can only take place when the funds are available.
As for the integrity chamber Minister Richardson said that the integrity chamber if and when established on St. Maarten will not be making its own rules and implement them as suggested by Members of Parliament. He said that the integrity chamber could submit advices to government and it be will up to government to implement the advices given. Should government chose not to implement the advice government would have to motivate their reasons for not implementing the advices given by the integrity chamber. Minister Richardson also made clear that there will be repercussions taken against those that slander or smear another person's name, he also stated that 'while-blowers' will be protected as long as the information they provide to the integrity chamber is accurate.
It is clear on Monday during the debate several Members of Parliament supporting the UP/De Weever/ LRM/US coalition clearly rejected the draft ordinance on the establishment of an integrity chamber on St. Maarten. Clearly the MPs supporting the majority who met all weekend since the meeting adjourned on Friday could not find consensus on the draft law that was presented to them last week for approval.
SMN News learned that during the closed door meetings between the UPP members they have decided to reject the draft law in order to protect themselves. An UPP insider said that two of the UPP MPs said they will not support a law that will take away certain contracts they obtained from government, while the leader of the UPP felt that the same law will be used to investigate him. "This law will stop the politicians from wheeling and dealing with government owned companies."
Democratic Party Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams made clear that she was not part of any meetings since the meeting adjourned on Friday.
Several Members of Parliament forming the coalition made it clear that they will not support the draft ordinance to establish an integrity chamber, most of them said they are ready to go for Independence since the Dutch is trying to push St. Maarten in a corner. MP Cornelius de Weever accused and blamed the media saying that they are publishing non-factual information. MP Maurice Lake accused the social media for publishing things that he said are not facts, and these things he said goes viral.
However, Member of Parliament Christopher Emmanuel said that St. Maarten does not need Independence at this moment, however the country needs more jail space. He asked the two Ministers to tell parliament what is the difference with the law that investigated several persons including former MP Patrick Illidge, former Minister Maria Buncamper, and former Minister of Finance Hiro Shigemoto and others.
Emmanuel then made reference to the bid won by a contractor (Taliesin Construction) to upgrade the Central Bank and the Fixed Based Operations (FBO) at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJAIE). While Emmanuel was addressing Parliament Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs called for a point of clarification saying that he never made any statements on the FBO building permit because to date it has not reached his desk. He also said that he did not see a building permit regarding the Central Bank. It should be noted that an insider of the UPP told SMN News that the Prime Minister and acting Minister of VROMI has refused to sign off on building permits that was left behind by former Minister Maurice Lake. The same UPP insider said the Prime Minister refused to continue with the purchase of the VORST Estate. The UPP insider told SMN News that the Prime Minister said that he will only sign permits that are approved by the leader of the UPP Theodore Heyliger. It should be noted that MP Theodore Heyliger met SMN News reporter Friday night at a function where he made certain comments claiming that he knew that it is his own people leaking internal information to SMN News because he is the one telling them what is happening within government. Heyliger in his derrogatory statements said he has to tell his membership what is happening and instead of them keeping it to themselves they are leaking it.
MP Sarah Wescot Williams in her presentation said that while the 'buzz' word right now is integrity the middle name for that is transparency and democracy. She continued by stating that the Prime Minister said that they do not have a governing program because of the continuous broadening of the government. MP Wescot Williams then asked the government to provide parliament with the agreements the persons that join the coalition agreed on.
She said when it comes to providing questions that was posed by parliament they are evasive or either government don't answer. She asked the Prime Minister to tell Parliament what did the broaden coalition agreement made when it comes to government owned companies.
Member of Parliament William in his presentation made clear that he took offence last Friday with the statements made by Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson who told parliament to decide what they want, prior to government answering the questions posed to the Ministers about the draft ordinance.
Marlin said that it makes no sense having another institution while there are so many in place already. He said St. Maarten needs policies and legislations to police what government does. He said that the prosecutor office is there to handle criminal cases, while government has the LLMA to deal with civil servants that broke the law or breach confidence.
He brought up the MOU signed by GEBE on the waste management plant which parliament asked for and to date they are not able to obtain it from government. Marlin also spoke about the long lease that Rainforest Adventure obtained and the contract between the St. Maarten Harbor Group of Companies (SMHGC) and Checkmate Security.
MP Tamara Leonard said in her presentation that from the inception she made it clear that the only way to find a solution they have to work on the document that was presented to parliament. She said that everyone knows where each Member of Parliament stands on the current document. She said the more information they got from government makes the matter more confusing. She suggested that the voting be postponed until they could make specific changes to the draft ordinance on the integrity chamber.
The meeting will resume on Thursday for continuation.
