Philipsburg:--- Newspapers and certain reporters have been reporting that Romaine Laville failed the screening process because of the complaints that were filed against him by his colleague MP Jules James and Sir Isidore York (Mighty Dow). SMN News also reported that the two complaints that were filed against Laville alleging that he pulled a gun or showed his gun to the two St. Maarten citizens played a role in his screening. However, when the national security conducted the screening on the credentials of MP Laville they took several other things into consideration other than the two complaints that were filed against him.
Reliable information reaching SMN News states those that conducted the screening placed a lot of focus on the complaint Romaine Laville filed against the Leader of the United People's Party Theodore Heyliger where he accused the UP leader of offering him huge sums of monies as bribes to go back with the United People's Party in order for Heyliger to return to office. Shortly after Laville filed the complaint against Heyliger, he went back to the UP camp where he decided to throw down the NA/DP/I-3 coalition. "The so called deal made by MP Laville to give up his seat as a Member of Parliament in order for Heyliger to become a Member of Parliament and Heyliger supporting Laville to become a Minister gave the impression that a deal was indeed made, and probably a sizable sum of money was passed in order for Laville to retreat to Heyliger's camp." Another aspect that the screeners looked at is Laville's affiliation with a convicted criminal "Koiman" who was a former police officer on St. Maarten, this raised several questions in the minds of the National Security members who conducted the screening. "Questions such as why Laville needed to hire a criminal as a bodyguard while he fooled several persons including the NA members and civil servants working both at the Government Administration Building and at the House of Parliament saying that since he left the United People's Party he has special security by the Dutch secret services. Laville once told SMN News reporter that he has to inform the Dutch secret services every hour of his location and whereabouts because he was provided with special security when the UP/DP/Illidge coalition fell last year.
SMN News further learnt that Laville has a consultancy contract with former Minister of Justice Roland Duncan. The draft contract Laville agreed on would have gone into effect when the new government takes office. The consultancy contract was for Duncan to represent Laville or check all documents for him because he is not literate in the Dutch language. SMN News was provided with the figures of that contract which states that Duncan would have been paid $15,000.00 for consultancy work, $5,000.00 for the use of his office, and $500.00 per day for each day Duncan travels on behalf of Laville. The former Minister of Justice said several times before that he was ready to serve his country and that he would work as a consultant for government or any of the Ministers because he owns a law firm. Now that Laville is through the door, so is the draft contract he made with the former Minister of Justice.
Who will be the Minister of VROMI?
Questions are also being raised on who exactly will be the Minister of VROMI. It has been reported that the former executive assistant Maurice Lake is the person that was vetted to become the Minister. However, Maurice Lake's identity has come into question because he is allegedly registered as Maurice Arnell married to Marla Shermont on the French side of the island while on the Dutch side he is registered as Maurice Lake who is divorced. This of course raises questions on the identity of the future Minister. Another issue that is now broiling is the allegations raised by St. Peters activist Rene Koto Wilson who said on several occasions that Lake and other members of the St. Peters Community Council embezzled monies belonging to the foundation. SMN News learnt that Wilson has moved one step further and filed a complaint with the National Detectives against Lake, the future Minister of VROMI.
Proposed Minister of Education co-responsible for CKC financial scandal --- Will she become Minister?
SMN News also learnt that the proposed Minister of Education Patricia Lourens is also under the microscope because her husband Freaky Lourens was a member of the now bankrupt Christian Kingdom Cooperative (CKC) that had a huge financial impact on many persons on St. Maarten. According to information provided to SMN News, Patricia Lourens is co-responsible for what happened to the CKC members while her husband was a member on the board.
SMN News also learnt that the proposed Minister of Finance Martin Hassink has problems with his screening because he allegedly has pending tax problems that have to be regulated before the Governor of St. Maarten signs off on the new Ministers Landsbesluit.
The Governor of St. Maarten drs. Eugene Holiday said via a press release that he granted the Prime Minister of St. Maarten (formateur) until Wednesday to submit her report to him but nowhere did the Governor say why the formateur needed more time.
It is believed that the Prime Minister is busy cleaning up the report to see if the Governor will pen his signature to approve these persons to become Ministers in country St. Maarten. So far the Governor did not make an announcement on what he would do with the decision taken by the majority in the Council of Ministers to dissolve the Parliament of St. Maarten.
