Philipsburg:--- Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams said she does not know who the Minister of Justice Roland Duncan is negotiating with on behalf of Sameer Andrawos and his company for the Justice Park project. Members of the UP faction told reporters on Monday afternoon that they heard that the Minister of Justice gave a top government official kick-backs in order for the $100M project to move forward. According to well placed sources, the son of the Prime Minister Andy Wescot and her son in law Gary Matser are the ones negotiating with the Minister of Justice to move the project along.
SMN News reporter asked the Prime Minister if she knew who the negotiators are and if they are related to her and she said she had no idea who the negotiators are, she also said she has no knowledge of kick-backs that were given to anyone.
Wescot Williams said that the UP members know exactly what they need to do if they are aware or got certain information of this kind.
SMN News also asked the Prime Minister to further elaborate on the laws in the constitution which deals with the removal of Ministers and Members of Parliament when they are suspected of a crime, because it appears as though the Members of Parliament does not know what is in their constitution when they called on Member of Parliament Patrick Illidge to resign now that he is under investigation and also the Minister of Justice because he was questioned by the National Detectives on the ongoing investigation.
While it might be morally correct for MP Illidge to resign pending the investigation especially since he was seen on tape collecting monies and stuffing it in his pocket, no one can force the MP to do so except the Supreme Court when the file is presented to them.
SMN News contacted the Minister of Justice for queries on the allegation made by Members of Parliament of the UP faction. Minister Duncan said he does not know where people are getting this kind of information from because he has no money to give kick-backs to anyone. Minister Duncan said that the company he is negotiating with will be building the Justice Park and Government would then rent the buildings. He said he has before him a condemnation from the Court of First Instance because a minor was locked up with adults even though St. Maarten does not have a juvenile delinquency center. The Minister of Justice said that if the Members of Parliament who have all the information on his project want him to pull back the project because they will not be getting the credit for it he will do so and in the end St. Maarten will be the one that will get hurt. When SMN News asked the Minister if Andy Wescot and Gary Matser are representing Sameer Andrawos and his company, the Minister of Justice said even if those two persons are representing the businessman that does not mean they got any kick-backs.