To The People of St. Maarten,
It is unfortunate that some media outlets are being used to propagate a particular political agenda, but no, neither in this case is there a "smoking gun".
It is unfortunate how the office of the Governor is being discredited, by a letter from his hand to the Prime Minister being put in the public domain, against all ethical standards.
However allow me to clarify some indisputable facts:
By letter of May 16th, the Governor responds to the letter from the Prime Minister dated May 10th, regarding what transpired on May in the Council's meeting of May 7th. The letter of the Governor was received on Friday, May 17th. This letter was cc'd to the Council of Ministers by the Governor himself, as all letters to the Council of Ministers are!
By letter of May 17th, Minister Marlin requests AGAIN that the dissolution of Parliament be put on the agenda of the Council of Ministers of May 21st.
On that day, before we could get to the incoming documents, a standard agenda point where mention is made of all incoming documents, minister Marlin asks about his request. The Prime Minister presented the advices she received pertaining to this request. The advices became a topic of discussion. The Prime Minister mentioned receipt of a letter from the Governor, but that the contents in her opinion did not change the position she has taken.
By not having the dissolution of Parliament placed on the agenda, the four ministers abandoned the meeting of May 21st and the meeting was closed.
On Friday, May 24th, the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers approached the Prime Minister, indicating Minister Marlin requested a copy of the letter from the Governor. Prime Minister's subsequent response was it would be put as an incoming document on the agenda. That same day, Minister Marlin requested and got a copy from the cabinet of the Governor. By that same evening -it is alleged-, the letter was published online.
How could a formal letter, Cc'd to the Council of Ministers, be hidden? And why would it be? The position of the Prime Minister is and remains what she has always said it to be.
In fact, the letter in question was the counter balance to the letter sent by the Governor to the Deputy Prime Minister Marlin regarding his actions following the May 7th meeting. Was this one published?
Using this letter now, Minister Marlin again attempts to put the dissolution of Parliament on the agenda of the Council of Ministers. And what will the position of the Prime Minister be? The advices as received on May 12th and May 17th are still applicable, in fact these are strengthened by recent developments, which have made the current Cabinet of Ministers a caretaker one.
Follow Up Comments from the Prime Minister concerning caretaker Prime Minister Marlin.
"I am surely not being sarcastic when I state that I tip my hat off to DPM Marlin. That he could take a non-issue and turn it into a frenzy deserves that.
Let's us play along with Marlin's game for a moment.
"Eureka, I have discovered the sinister plot of the Prime Minister."
What is the plot, Minister Marlin?
I discovered on May 24th that there is a letter written by the Governor of St. Maarten on May 16th to the Prime Minister advising her that the right to dissolve Parliament is one granted to the Council of Ministers by the constitution.
But wait. The Prime Minister agrees with that. She herself has stated such.
Oh, but the letter of the Governor also states that in the Council of Ministers, the majority must be respected.
But the Prime Minister does not disagree with that either. She has also stated that, but also stated that it will be done on the basis of the rules of order and the Prime Minister's responsibility for such.
On May, 10th, the PM informed the Governor what had transpired in the council's meeting of May 7th. That is the letter the Governor responded to. The PM had copied her letter to the Council of Ministers by cc'ing the council.
When the Governor wrote back TO THE PRIME MINISTER on May 16th, he did the same thing, copied it to the Council of Ministers, by cc'ing the letter to the Council.
You can check that in his letter, which went viral.
On May 24th, Marlin said he had not seen the letter. He indirectly asked the PM to forward him a copy. The PM replied, " sure, I'll take my copy, blank out my comments which I wrote on MY LETTER and send him a copy."
Marlin, convinced he had found the "smoking gun", proceeded to ask the Governor for a copy of the letter, which he received, because after all, the letter was CC'D TO THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
As a member of the Council, Marlin was entitled to a copy, right?
Marlin hardly had the letter in his hand before it went viral, in other words, it was on the net, not quoted, but the entire letter itself.
Marlin triumphantly informed the NA membership the following day: "I got her".
Wow, a master plot unveiled. "The Prime Minister hid a letter he had to get."
Wrong, Mr. Marlin.
My assessment? Marlin wants to read the contentious letter as instructions by the Governor to dissolve Parliament. Wrong, Mister Marlin. The Governor cannot instruct that.
Marlin is sorry that he tendered his resignation. Maybe he can use the letter to rescind the resignations? Wrong again, Mr. Marlin.
Sorry, but the Prime Minister refuses to play along with the childish games.
"Democracy will always prevail over trickery."
From the Cabinet of the Prime Minister
