~ Where is the Dutch and SMCP on Integrity matters?
PHILIPSBURG: --- Information reaching SMN News states that a doctor working for the Social Insurance Bank, SZV was threatened if she did not comply with the requests of the Prime Minister of St. Maarten Leona Romeo Marlin and backdate certain documents that will benefit convicted detective Jerry Gerardus.
According to the well-placed source, Prime Minister Leona Romeo Marlin instructed the Director of SZV Glen Carty to have the documents backdated for Gerardus who is currently on sick leave (A/O) but is still receiving his government salary even though convicted.
Jerry Gerardus was an advisor to the Prime Minister prior to his arrest on July 4th, 2018. Gerardus had to remain in pre-trial detention until his court date. However, the stained police officer fell ill while in pretrial detention and had to be released on special conditions. The source said the SZV control doctor refused to commit the fraud and forgery and as such she was threatened. It is not clear if the documents were doctored after the threats were made. On October 19th, 2018 the Prosecution requested 3-years prison sentence for Gerardus who was charged with theft and embezzlement.
Details on the charges are as follows: theft of diamonds, cut stone, or jewelry and embezzling proceeds of the sale, bribery in service as a police officer, forgery and breach of confidently. More on the Prosecution case against Gerardus can be found here (https://www.smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-martin-news/30323-3-years-requested-for-police-officer-jerry-gerardus-suspected-of-theft-and-embezzlement.html).
While the stained cop had several brushes with the law while working in the Police Force of St. Maarten only in 2018 actions such as charges and prosecution was ever brought against Gerardus. At the time he was working in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister Leona Romeo Marlin, while in detention the Prime Minister is the one that met several times with the Attorney representing Jerry Gerardus compromising the integrity of the cabinet of the Prime Minister. Besides meeting with Gerardus Attorney Romeo Marlin allegedly went to the Philipsburg Police Station and created a commotion there when Gerardus was in custody.
It is further alleged that was not the first time the Prime Minister tried to use the power of her office to interfere with judicial proceedings. On February 13th, 2019 the Court of First Instance handed down its decision on the WHALE investigation whereby Jerry Gerardus was convicted to 3 years in prison while he was banned from holding any position in the Korps Politie for a period of 8 years
While the Court of First Instance pronounced its decision the Prosecutor’s Office is yet to make the decision of the Court public while the published decisions of the Court have been manipulated in order to save the face of the justice system. It is should also be known that Gerardus has been in the pockets of several business people where it is alleged, that he was leaking information regarding criminal investigations.
Besides that, Gerardus has been the pockets of several persons and has used the office of the Police to threaten several persons. Some employees of Government-owned company GEBE has had their share of harassment and threat from the stained cop who is a friend of GEBE Internal Auditor and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of SZV Sharine Daniel.
It should be noted that Jerry Gerardus has been convicted so is Regina Labega and both persons are still working in the cabinet of Ministers and Prime Minister while other civil servants have become targets if they were even questioned by police or suspected of committing any type of crime. The UD/ SMCP coalition government seems to think that the people of St. Maarten and those in the outer world are not taking notes on their flip-flopping when it comes to matters of integrity. Government chooses to go against the principles of good governance, integrity and the LMA to keep their cronies on the government payroll and in office. Bear in mind, the Public Relations Officer for the Minister of TEATT Stuart Johnson and Perry Geerlings was also convicted in his native country St. Kitts for murder/ manslaughter.
While the people of St. Maarten seem to understand and have accepted the modus operandi of the UD/ SMCP Government the very people are still wondering what the point of views of the Dutch Government regarding matters of integrity are and if they have raised any concerns with the country’s Chief Minister. Did the Dutch Government use their power to silence the Prosecutor’s Office and the Court of First Instance on releasing the Courts Verdict that was rendered on February 13th, 2019?
The very Dutch Government have been using microscopic lenses to target certain politicians and high ranking business people on St. Maarten however, they seem to have some type of agreement with the current Government of St. Maarten since they have allowed these blatant integrity breaches to continue even though the former Government were forced to accept their conditions for the Recovery Funds, one being the Integrity Chamber. Is there an agreement with the Council of Ministers of St. Maarten and the Dutch Government regarding matters of integrity especially since the present COM have to decide to sell the assets of the country to the Dutch Government one being the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE) in order for them to take over supervisory and management of the Government-owned company for it secure a loan through the World Bank and the European Investment Bank are only some of the questions that are being asked.
