Philipsburg:--- The controllers who are supposed to be working for the Ministry of Economic Affairs and were also used to direct traffic in the St. Peters area during the early morning hours stopped controlling traffic claiming they want to be sworn in as extra-ordinary police officers. According to information reaching SMN News, the controllers have been putting pressure on their boss Martha Thewet claiming they will not render certain services if they are not sworn in by the Minister of Justice. These controllers were trained for the services they are providing before St. Maarten became a country. Other officers that were trained with the same group and are working at the Department of Health and Hygiene were sworn in by the Minister of Justice and are currently working as extra ordinary police officers. The controllers that are working for the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Transportation, Tourism and Telecommunication were trained because part of their job description includes traffic.
SMN News learnt that the Windward Islands Civil Servant Union (WICSU) sent a letter to the Minister of Justice Roland Duncan requesting a meeting to discuss the concerns of the controllers. President of the WICSU Derri Leonard said she requested a meeting last year with the Minister but she had to cancel that meeting because she fell ill. Leonard said that some of the controllers are auxiliary police while the others are not and they need to be sworn in. Leonard further explained that the controllers feel threatened while controlling traffic on the road because some drivers have attacked them already.
A source said that Sherwin Frederick and the Minister of Justice Roland Duncan had a heated discussion on this matter because the Minister of Justice swore in some workers from Health and Hygiene Department who attended the same classes as the controllers. The source said that those that were sworn in received their training that was financed by Department Economic Affairs and Traffic from monies the department obtained from USONA. The source further explained that several other persons working for government did the courses prior to 10/10/10 and Curacao refused to finalize their files because of the change of status. "What we are told is that our files were sent to the Minister of Justice of St. Maarten and all he has to do is swear in the officers and give them their passes. What we believe is the Minister of Justice has refused to swear in the controllers because Sherwin Frederick told him something he did not appreciate."
In an invited comment, Minister of Justice Roland Duncan said he instructed the Police Department Chief Commissioner of Police Peter de Witte to have the police control traffic during the early morning hours in the St. Peters area to alleviate the traffic back up since the controllers are no longer controlling traffic in the area.
Minister Duncan said it is unfortunate that he had to instruct the police to do this because he knows that the police have limited manpower, however, the police are responsible for traffic and he has no choice but to have his men in blue do what needs to be done.
As for the swearing in of the controllers, Minister Duncan said he already indicated to the controllers that he could not swear them in unless they follow certain courses that are provided at the Justice Academy. Minister Duncan said the controllers have to be up to date with the law. "Some of them don't know the laws of the country and the only way for them to know the laws are by following the courses that are being provided by his Ministry. Do I have to swear in someone to direct traffic? Some of the controllers even want the power to carry firearm and since they don't work for me and did not receive the necessary training then I cannot swear them in and if they don't want to work (direct traffic) anymore then the police will have to do it."
