Election tricks back in action--- MP Maurice Lake jumps ship with UPP baggage.
PHILIPSBURG: --- The Minister of VROMI Angel Meyers jumped into election mode to assist MP Maurice Lake who appointed him to office by committing some 50 parcels of land located on the over the bank to potential voters. The land which was given back to the government of St. Maarten through a court verdict has not been measured, and there is no meet-brief in place for the property, most of all there is no access road to the property located on the over the bank.
According to the information SMN News received is that one George Henson was occupying the land who claimed he inherited it from Ann Richards. However, Henson lost the case in court against a notary and the land was awarded back to government. However, Henson appealed the case and the matter is still in courts, therefore the government cannot distribute the lots to anyone until the case is finalized through the courts. Most of all government then has to measure the property and cut access roads before giving it out to anyone in the long lease.
SMN News learned that Minister Meyers committed the land to potential voters even though he knows that the property is still being contested in court, further to that the Minister is fully aware that the land is not yet measured and there is no meet-brief and access road in place for the property Over the Bank.
SMN News asked the Minister on Friday morning about his actions and he said that someone spread a rumor out there and that rumor is not true because if anyone should check with the notaries they will see that he did not give out land to anyone. While that may very well be true because committing land to people that do not have a meet-brief cannot be transferred in long lease, but making commitments is just a promise which is a comfort to a fool.
However, MP Maurice Lake did not deny the actions of his Minister, instead, he said that the Minister has a right to give out land and that there is no law guiding the giving out of the land. Asked why that was done in an election period Lake did not answer the question, instead, he said he was in a meeting.
What is clear is that MP Maurice Lake may have parted ways with the UPP party but one thing he did not do is leave behind the political tricks of that party that has been engaged in vote buying thus landing five people in court.
