PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister of St. Maarten Sarah Wescot Williams confirmed on Wednesday during the Council of Ministers' weekly press briefing that the head of VDSM (Secret Services) James Richardson has been suspended. The Prime Minister made the confirmation when SMN News reporter asked her whether or not Richardson has been suspended or dismissed and if she had filed a complaint against Richardson with the Landsrecherche or the Prosecutor's Office. Wescot Williams said that Richardson was informed in writing that his employer (the Government of St. Maarten) has decided to suspended him immediately based on the information they have thus far. Wescot Williams said that Richardson is a civil servant and Government has the power to suspend or dismiss civil servants based on the LLMA. She further indicated that there are two trajectories, the government as the employer can take action through, one of them being the law governing civil servants which is the LLMA. This she said is separate from any matter that is being handled by the prosecutor or the Landsrecherche. She explained that government is yet to take a decision as to what they will do with the information they have gathered thus far. "We are yet to decide if there will be criminal liabilities and that decision has not fallen as yet, the second trajectory involves the justice authorities." The Prime Minister also said that a very small part of the VDSM falls under the Government of St. Maarten since there is also another law in place for the VDSM. She further explained that the recruitment and dismissal of staff also falls under the law that governs the VDSM and not under government.
SMN News asked the Prime Minister who is conducting the investigation on VDSM and the so called missing funds. She said that the SOAB did an investigation and they compiled a report and based on that information government decided to suspend the head of the secret services. It is still not clear as to who is continuing with the investigation against the head of the VDSM and how this investigation will proceed. Since the Prime Minister did not file a complaint with the justice authorities and she did not indicate who is continuing the investigation against James Richardson and for how long will he be suspended.
When asked if she filed a complaint with the justice authorities Wescot Williams said that government had not taken such a decision as yet. SMN News reporter also asked the Prime Minister who conducting the investigation and she responded by saying "everyone" knows that the SOAB did an investigation and they submitted a report to the government of St. Maarten.
When it comes to the oversight committee that has to overlook the VDSM, that still has to be finalized because the Prime Minister does not want the chairlady of Parliament to be on that committee. She made clear that if the chairlady is on that committee she will not be there to represent the Parliament of St. Maarten.
