Philipsburg:--- Eight Members of Parliament representing the United People's Party, Democratic Party, and Independent Member of Parliament Romaine Laville made history for St. Maarten's Parliament Monday morning when they convened an illegal meeting and presented and passed a motion of non-confidence against four of the Ministers in the Council of Ministers, namely Deputy Prime Minister William Marlin, Minister of Finance Roland Tuitt, Minister of Education Silveria Jacobs, and Minister of TEATT Romeo Pantophlet. The eight Members of Parliament did not even take the time to vote on the motion they presented which in their view is legal. During the illegal meeting the tribune of Parliament was filled with supporters of the UP and DP including the Leader of the United People's Party, Theodore Heyliger.
It should be noted that while the scene played out in the Parliament of St. Maarten is illegal and will not be registered as an official meeting, the four Ministers who form the majority in the Council of Ministers can still pursue with dissolving the Parliament of St. Maarten. This procedure is still ongoing.
What was seen in the Parliament of St. Maarten on Monday in the presence of the Leader of the United People's Party Leader Theodore Heyliger and supporters of the Democratic Party and UP has never taken place anywhere else in the Kingdom. Vice Chairman of Parliament Romaine Laville conducted the meeting without a griffier while the eight members of Parliament appointed Edward Gumbs to act as their recorder. Edward Gumbs who claimed to know the rules of Parliament made sure he did not sit in the seat reserved for the griffier, instead he sat in one of the seats that are reserved for Ministers or other invited guests that are invited to Parliament to provide answers to Parliament.
Another unusual action that was taken by three Members of Parliament namely Petrus Leroy de Weever, MP Roy Marlin, and MP Jules James was when they instructed the media recorder of Parliament Alvin Prescod to broadcast their meeting live on air. At some point, the President of Parliament Rodolphe Samuel ordered Prescod to take the meeting off the air because it was not an official meeting of Parliament. When Prescod complied with the President's orders, Members of Parliament Roy Marlin and Jules James went into the media room of Parliament and bullied Prescod. SMN News reporter heard Prescod telling the President of Parliament that he was ordered by Member of Parliament Petrus Leroy de Weever to air the meeting live and at some point MPs Roy Marlin and Jules James ordered him out of the press room. SMN News reporter also witnessed MP Jules James arguing with Prescod in the media room while the illegal meeting was in process.
President of Parliament Rodolphe Samuel told Reporters that he rescheduled the Meeting for Friday.
President of Parliament Rodolphe Samuel and the Griffier of Parliament Alstain Bell who witnessed that what transpired in Parliament on Monday morning said the actions of the eight Members of Parliament were undemocratic and uncalled for because they did everything that had to be done based on the rules of order. Samuel gave members of the media copies of the letters that were sent to him showing where he responded the same day to the various factions. He said despite him working based on the rules of order, he was accused by The Daily Herald of not treating the Members of Parliament fairly. The President of Parliament called on The Daily Herald to make a retraction based on the evidence he provided to each reporter including the reporter of The Daily Herald.
President Samuel said on May 6th, 2013 he received a letter which stated that the undersigned Members of Parliament that has formed the majority in Parliament informs him that the following Ministers no longer enjoys their support. "Those Ministers are Minister William Marlin, Minister Roland Tuitt, Minister Romeo Pantophlet, Minister Silveria Jacobs, and Minister Roland Duncan. Samuel said that he wants to make clear that the letter is addressed to the President of Parliament while it is copied to the Council of Ministers and the Governor of St. Maarten. Samuel said so far that letter has not yet been handled in a meeting of Parliament. He explained that on May 7th, 2013 he received a second letter requesting that he convene an urgent meeting on May 10th, 2013. Samuel said only four Members of Parliament signed that letter and he was obliged to write a letter to the MPs asking them for clarification.
Samuel said that on the same day he responded to the letter and asked those that signed the letter to clarify what they asked of him in their letter. All of the letters are posted below this article for our readers to view. He said in response to his letter, the Members of Parliament who claims to have formed the majority then wrote him a letter and asked him to then add an agenda point to the meeting that was requested by two Members of the National Alliance George Pantophlet, Louie Laviest and Independent Member of Parliament Frans Richardson which was to be held on Monday May 13th, 2013. Samuel further explained that he received a follow up letter from those that requested the meeting for Monday May 13th, 2013 asking that he reschedule the meeting because some of the Members who requested the meeting left the island to attend the funeral of slain MP of Curacao Helmin Wiels. Samuel said that he postponed the meeting to Friday May 17th, 2013 and he notified all the Members of Parliament that the meeting was rescheduled. He made clear that all Members of Parliament were informed, yet the eight members from the UP/DP/Laville decided to proceed with the meeting while he and the griffier were present in the building when the illegal meeting took place. He further stated that the Vice Chair of Parliament Romaine Laville could not preside over a meeting while the President is in the house and more important he could not have done so without a recorder. Samuel made clear that he did his work in accordance with the law/constitution and the rules of order. Samuel said what took place in the house of Parliament on Monday is very much unusual. Samuel further said that he does not know how to describe what took place in the House of Parliament on Monday because there was no convocation sent out for the meeting. This he said is laid down in the rules of order. He said the agenda point that was dealt with was not a separate meeting and what happened on Monday does not have his blessings and he knows that it was also terribly wrong. Samuel concluded by saying he will discuss the matter with the Governor of St. Maarten.
Click here to view more photos of the Illegal Meeting of Parliament on Monday May 13th, 2013.
Click here to view the motion presented and passed by the UP/DP MPs and MP Laville on Monday.
Click here to view the various letters that were sent to the President of Parliament and his responses.
