Philipsburg:--- Deputy Prime Minister William Marlin announced on the radio program "View Point" on Tuesday that the Prime Minister of St. Maarten Sarah Wescot Williams has refused to ratify the minutes of agenda point 18 that was discussed in the Council of Ministers' meeting last week Tuesday. Marlin spoke out shortly after the weekly Council of Ministers' meeting ended on Tuesday. Marlin said what the Prime Minister presented to the Council for ratification is not what transpired in the meeting last week, therefore no decision was taken on the agenda point.
In the meantime, Marlin made up the Landsbesluit (decree) for the decision which was taken by the majority of the Ministers to dissolve Parliament and call for new elections which should be held sometime in July 2013. That Landsbesluit and other documents to support the decree were sent to the Governor of St. Maarten for him to sign off and to also take a decision to end the political saga the island is facing.
Marlin also spoke about the illegal meeting that was held in the Parliament of St. Maarten on Monday and the motion of non-confidence the eight Members of Parliament passed and sent to the Governor of St. Maarten.
Marlin condemned the way those members that claimed to have formed the new majority behaved. He said based on all what was said by Member of Parliament Romaine Laville in public and the fact that he filed complaint against the UP leader and other complaints that were filed by MP Jules James, Laville has raised many questions in the minds of the people. Marlin said ever since the release of the Bada Bing tape several things transpired behind closed doors and he believes that if Members of Parliament have lost confidence in him and other Ministers then they have to tell him and the people of St. Maarten what he is accused of. He made clear the actions (fight) he putting up against those in Parliament that are swinging deals from one end to the next is not about him wanting to hold on to power but to ensure that democracy prevails on St. Maarten. Marlin and the host of the radio program called on the people of St. Maarten that have been voicing their concerns to sign the petition that is now circulating on St. Maarten demanding that new elections be called within the specified period of time.
