Philipsburg:--- Charlene Craig, an employee of A Team Security who was accused by the owner of the company Willem van Barren of stealing some $45,000.00 denounced the accusations on Monday in an interview with SMN News. Craig said that she worked for Willem van Barren for about six months making his payroll and invoices from his apartment because the company had no office and vehicles for its operations. "I want to make clear that I never collected checks from the clients, and I never had any contact with his lawyer, on the contrary a lawyer from Stomp law firm called me to ask me when were the employees going to get paid and at that point I informed the lawyer that she herself was not paid and that the lawyer should wonder if she will be paid for her services." Craig said she acted more like a mediator between van Barren and his employees and clients because van Barren cannot speak proper English and he would insult and scream at his workers. "I always had to intervene to bring peace but I never did all those things he said I did for him. Another thing I want to make clear is that van Barren and his brother were planning this whole affair where he would skip the island without paying his bills. Van Barren's brother "Mr. Plomb" came to St. Maarten from the Netherlands and van Barren transferred everything to his brother's name. Even his car he transferred to his brother." Craig said van Barren's brother contacted her and asked her to write a letter for him stating he had nothing to do with the company and she told him she could not at the time because she was leaving for Puerto Rico for a few days. "At no point did van Barren call me or email me to inquire about anything. I did not even know he left the island. I found out that day when he already boarded the plane and left."
Craig further explained that van Barren fled the island when he received a letter from Maho Group of Companies informing him that they are concerned about the way he treats his workers, especially not paying them on time. Craig said van Barren does not have any security company in the USA, according to what he told her, he was going to the USA to sell K-9 dogs. She said the man even asked her and partner Marcel Loor to join him in his business venture and they refused. Craig said that van Barren even asked Loor for advice on how to run his security company which Loor gave him free of charge for a period of time. She said van Barren told her that he never intended to keep the A Team for himself instead he wanted to sell the company for 600,000 Euros. Craig said van Barren even asked her and Loor to invest in the company but they declined because she saw how irresponsible van Barren is when it comes to spending money. Van Barren was spending over $10,000 on his own expenses and these monies were taken out of the company's account, he also spent monies on his brother and forgot that he has an obligation to his workers.
Craig said van Barren traveled numerous times to the USA as he was busy setting up his new business there. She said that the workers did not even have uniforms, or belts because van Barren was not investing in his company and workers. "In January, van Barren bought some uniforms in the USA and the workers cannot use them because the uniforms have no logos on them.
"That man had his daughter home for two years, and she was not attending school because van Barren was sending his daughter to CIA in St. Maarten and he gave the owner of the school a dog in exchange for the school fees and that did not work out. I am the one that ran around and went to the Education Department and got his daughter in at the St. Maarten Academy and the girl left the school because she claimed she did not like the school."
Craig further explained that Willem van Barren's landlord had to place a lien on his account for non-payment of rent. She described van Barren as irresponsible and a scammer because the man was not paying his bills. SZV she said placed a lien on his account of non-payment, his taxes were not paid, while he owes several car rental companies on the French side. "Van Barren used to rent cars from the French side and when the employees took the vehicles back it's only then they have to deal with the unpaid bills." The delinquent businessman Craig said even bought a generator from the French side and he did not pay for it and the store on the French side just recently took a lawyer to deal with that case.
When she was asked if her partner Marcel Loor was made General Manager of the company, Craig said that was also untrue, she said van Barren asked Loor to help manage the company and Loor (her partner) told him that he gave him free advice for quite some time and if he has to do so now then he would have to pay him. Mr. Loor did not even send van Barren an invoice as yet for his services. When asked about the check that van Barren said Loor picked up from Great Bay Hotel, Craig said that the check was picked up by one of the workers. When she was asked if Loor signed the check, Craig said she did not know but if Loor did that it was because he was authorized by van Barren to do so even though there is no written contract to say Marcel Loor is the Managing Director of the company. Craig admitted to having van Barren's computer but she said she will not hand over the computer to anyone unless she is paid. She said van Barren paid her half of her salaries for January and she is still to be paid for February like all the other employees. Craig said there are about 70 workers in the A Team predicament.
Craig said that van Barren made deductions from his employees salaries who had loans at Island Finance and even though the deductions were paid and it is on the employees pay-slips, van Barren never paid Island Finance the monies he deducted on behalf of his employees. "I fought with him almost every day because he was abusing his workers, they were working overtime and not being paid. When they needed doctor cards or anything I have to deal with it for them because they would call me for assistance. Van Barren and his brother knew that all the workers would be filing a complaint against him and so he ran away and decided to blame someone else for his irresponsible behavior."
While the interview SMN News conducted with Charlene Craig was taped, Craig said she did not want the tape to be aired because her lawyer advised her not to allow the tape to be used online or on radio.