Point Restaurant remain closed.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The politicians that chose to suspend all controls on Friday after Maho was controlled by immigration, customs, Tax Department, SZV, health and labor inspectorate, and economic affairs are walking on thin ice as they are forbidden to interfere with the task and authorities given to enforcements agencies as stipulated by law. However, politicians can give an instruction to these departments which is subjected to review of the courts.
Based on investigations conducted by SMN News a female employee from the Czech Republic who was working in the executive office at Maho became very disrespectful and insulted the immigration officers when they asked her to identify herself and to provide them with her working documents and identification card. A well-placed source said the female employee was so disrespectful that a Dutch colleague working in the same office had to intervene and tell her on more than one occasion that she was out of line and she should not speak to the controllers the way she did. The source said the woman did not have any working documents on her neither in the office and she also did not have her identification card on her. According to the source the controllers told the male Dutch colleague who was in the office at the time that since the woman did not have any type of documents on her they were obliged to take her to IND to verify her working status. The source further explained that the controllers told the both employees that if the woman did not behave herself and cooperate with the controllers they would have no choice but to shackle her as she was becoming aggressive and violent. SMN News learnt that the woman was eventually shackled and brought downstairs and the controllers told her that if she cooperated they will unshackle her prior to entering the lobby of the hotel to avoid embarrassment to which she agreed. The woman was not released as was reported but was taken to IND office on A.Th Illidge Road, where her relatives showed up with her documents.
The POINT RESTAURANT.
Based on the information provided to SMN News the health inspectors found cockroaches and an open drain in the restaurant that had a very high stench, and as such the health inspectors had no choice but to close the restaurant. SMN News further learnt that despite the restaurant being closed it was open Thursday night after someone contacted the inspectorate and asked that the controllers return to the inspect the restaurant and reopen it because they had cleaned up. SMN News understands that the health inspectorate did not send back the controllers Thursday night but instead they went back on Saturday and the POINT Restaurant is still very much untidy and it remained closed until Monday.
Casino had no License in house --- Inspectors had no choice but to close it until management was able to produce the license.
As for the casino that was closed by the inspectors SMN News learnt that the controllers did not see the license for the casino inside the establsihment and when they asked management they were told that they had to go and look for it. The law clearly states that businesses have to have their business license in their place of business and if inspectors cannot find it they are obliged to close the doors of the establishment. The source said when the female manager went and got the license for the casino it was reopened.
According to the investigation conducted by SMN News all controllers that entered MAHO lobby and those that went to the various administration offices were in civilian clothes while those in uniform that were armed remained outside as the inspectors carry out their duties inside of the well-established hotel.
One source told SMN News that St. Maarten has become a “banana republic” because politicians meet and take decisions because they got phone calls from businessmen that have connections everywhere. “I would like to know if MAHO provided the politicians with any surveillance tape to show the uniform officers that were outside of the building pulled their weapons. Or are they listening to the people that seems to be the ones running the country. I have one piece of advice for the politicians that took the decision to infringe on the work of enforcement agencies and that is they should read the law and know that they are barking up the wrong tree. Too many locals are being fired, and victimized. Too many foreign undocumented workers are working for MAHO group wearing ‘guest bands” several complaints were filed with the immigration and labor department and this is something the politicians should get their hands on before giving instructions.”
Prime Minister William Marlin said on Talking Point Sunday morning that they did not stop the raids and or controls, he said when government got several complaints, some of which indicated that some guests were searched they (government) called in the various department heads who claimed that they did not know what exactly transpired. Those that were called to the Council of Ministers were the Director of Immigration Udo Aaron who refused to meet with the Minister of Justice on Friday morning. Aaron was given until Monday morning to produce a report, Chief of Police Carl John was also contacted and he also informed government that he did not know what transpired because the lawmen from KPSM did not participate in the raid. While the Secretary General of Economic Affairs Miguel De Weever also claimed he did not know what had happened at Maho on Thursday.
