President Gibbs and Vice Presidents released.
MARIGOT:--- The President of the Collectivity Daniel Gibbs and two of his Vice Presidents Annick Petrus and Valerie Dameseau were convoked by the Gendarmerie on Thursday and remains in custody as they are being questioned.
SMN News understands that law enforcement officers are busy investigating certain decisions taken by the Collectivity and its executive council members. Details on the investigation are not readily available.
Currently, VP Steven Patrick and VP Yawo Nyuiadzi are in Paris and are expected to return to the island on Saturday. Sources say the other two VPs are also expected to be questioned when they return to St. Martin.
BREAKING NEWS:--- President Daniel Gibbs and his two Vice Presidents namely Valerie Damaseau and Annick Petrus were released this afternoon.
No further details on the ongoing investigation are available.
The Collectivité of Saint-Martin confirms that the President and his two Vice-presidents were auditioned from Thursday, October 10 in the morning, by the services of the Gendarmeries of La Savane, as part of an investigation led by the public prosecutor of Basse-Terre, pertaining to the procedural rules for awarding certain public bids.
This hearing, which took place as early as Thursday morning at 9:00 am, complies with the legal custody procedure in the context of an investigation of this type and is not exceptional nor does it reflect in any way the involvement or conviction of the persons interrogated. The principle of the presumption of innocence must prevail, including in all comments and articles published on the matter.
The Collectivité also wishes to state that this investigation takes place in a context of consultation between the State and the Collectivité over the actual duration of the so-called "extreme urgency" period decreed after the passing of Hurricane IRMA. The services that were provided then were mandated by the Collectivité within the context of such crisis.
After these interrogations, the public prosecutor's office considered it was unnecessary to seize an investigating judge and no indictment was issued. The President and his two Vice-presidents have been released.
The Collectivité reminds those who may have forgotten that the award of these contracts was made in a highly degraded territorial context after the passing of hurricane IRMA. Indeed, the Collectivité was obligated to tend to multiple emergencies while its administration was itself completely devastated. A period that spanned over several months, during which numerous acts were carried out to respond to the immediate urgency of the territory and of its inhabitants. Considering the unprecedented and degraded circumstances, the risk of administrative errors in the chain of execution is hence plausible.
The auditioned elected representatives provided with complete transparency and good faith all the administrative documents and information requested by the judicial authority.
The Collectivité of Saint-Martin remains at the disposal of the judicial authorities for any further solicitation in the context of this proceeding. ».
