Board calls for Emergency Meeting ---- FBO permit in Limbo
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prime Minister of St. Maarten Marcel Gumbs has dispatched a letter to the chairman of the Supervisory Board of Princess Juliana International Airport ordering them to get rid of the Airport Director Regina Labega. According to information SMN News received is that Labega did not pass the screening and the Prime Minister is using it against her because he got what some board members describe as having a “hard on for Labega.” Board members of the Supervisory board told SMN News that Labega has been doing an extremely good job but the Prime Minister does not seem to like her and thus he will do any or everything possible to get rid of her.
SMN News further learnt that Labega received the letter on Tuesday and she already consulted with her lawyer, while the chairman of the Supervisory Board Gary Matser has called for an emergency meeting to discuss the letter he received from the Prime Minister. Board Members of the Supervisory Board are at loss because they said that the Prime Minister sent out the letter while he is supposed to be off island.
It has been months now that the Prime Minister of St. Maarten Marcel Gumbs have been obstructing PJIAE especially when it comes to the expansion and renovation of the country’s airport, some of the board members told SMN News.
Labega and management of PJIAE requested a building permit from government almost a year now for the Food Based Operations (FBO) which SMN News learnt was sent to the Prime Minister since June 2015 but the Prime Minister refused to sign off on the building permit. SMN News understands that the Prime Minister wanted an apology from Regina Labega and unless he gets that apology he will not sign off on the FBO building permit.
Most recently, SMN News learnt that the Prime Minister hired some contractors to further investigate the contract that was awarded to Taliesin Construction because he believes that the price Taliesin charged to construct the FBO facility is too high. A source close to the United Peoples Party and the PJIAE told SMN News that the Prime Minister already indicated to them that he will not sign off on the FBO building permit instead he will wait until the time expires then he will force PJIAE to conduct another bidding process which would allow a construction company of his choice to bid on the project.
The said source told SMN News that several of the UPP Members of Parliament are very dissatisfied with Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs who the party intends to send home on his first anniversary in December because they are not at all satisfied with his performance. Another concern for the UPP is the fact that the Prime Minister has been visiting a certain bar far too often while they are concerned that he is being investigated as where he resides on the island.
