PHILIPSBURG:--- Congratulation is in place for the Marlin Cabinet now that it is complete and to the two newly elected members to parliament. It is without a doubt that their work is cut out for them, both the government and the parliament of St. Maarten. Since after the election they were screaming about how things were not being done for the people of St. Maarten by the Marcel Gumbs cabinet and today they have a chance to show how it should be done. It is going to be a very interesting nine months period before the election takes place on September 26, 2016. Let’s hope that this government doesn’t make the same mistake by focusing only on electoral reform like the Gumbs cabinet did with the integrity chamber.
One of the good things about governments are that they are about continuation and therefore whenever one government leaves office the other one comes in and continue in the same path, make some changes and perhaps you may be able to take credit for that issue. But another interested thing is that in most cases the documents for any ongoing project or decision that was taken must be left behind to substantiate it for future reference.
This brings us to a very interesting case. In the 2014/2015 government period we had a very interesting arrangement that took place at the Harbour Group of Companies. A security contract was signed for 2.2 million dollars without going out on bid. This was almost 100% increase over the price that the harbour was paying that same company Checkmate for the same services. The opposition at that time in parliament was the National Alliance and the Democratic Party of St. Maarten. Many questions were posed and documentation was requested. However, the Gumbs cabinet refused to provide the opposition members in parliament with that information, claiming that it would be a breach of national security to provide that information.
Today the wheels have turned. The National Alliance, the United St. Maarten Party, the Democratic Party together with the independents are now in government. They have access to all the documentation as well as the CEO and the Supervisory Board of the harbour at their disposal. When will they reveal to the public their findings on this contractual arrangement between the Harbour Group of Companies and Check Mate Securities? Does the arrangement change now because members supporting the government were part of that contractual arrangement at that time? Is the Marlin Cabinet together with the members of eight in parliament in agreement that good cooperate procedures were followed in granting that contract in the tune of 2.2 million dollars? Can the government make the questions available that they had posed to the Gumbs Cabinet and never received the answers? Can the answers to those questions that were posed by the NA and DP and the documents be provided to the general public? Would this be the end of the Marlin cabinet if those questions posed by them be answered now? Can the documentation be provided to the public for scrutiny and if so would this cause the government to fall? Do this government and the members supporting the government consider it important to supply this information to the general public? Is this all about a hand shake that now we are in government, so it doesn’t matter anymore about the 2.2 million dollars contract or any other matter that we questioned when we were in opposition?
It is going to be very interested how the government will respond to these questions and if they are willing to provide the general public with the information that they requested at that time. Or is it going to be business as usual, today for me and tomorrow for you. In other words if we encounter any decisions that you took while you were in government even if they were illegal acts; and even if they cost the tax payers a huge amount of money we are not going to make it public with the understanding that if there is a change of government we will not hang out your dirty laundry. Is this the understanding with just a hand shake amongst the outgoing and incoming government?
The OSPP has forwarded a letter to the Honourable Prime Minister, Mr. Marlin and copied to the parliament of St. Maarten questioning the government and the parliament on this matter. It would be heartbreaking if they don’t investigate this matter and supply the general public with the information. Failure to do so would give the general public the tool to put all the politicians in the same boat. Meaning that all the politicians scream when they are on the outside but once they get in they are just about the same or even worst. But we tend to differ. The OSPP is a sharp shooter. We say what we mean and mean what we say. Our track record is there to prove, election was in 2014 and we continue to question the Marcel Gumbs Cabinet and provide them and the parliament with positive proposals. Unfortunately, neither the government or members of parliament consider those proposals as they were not coming from them.
Honorable Mr. William V. Marlin
Prime Minister
Government Administration Building
Clem Labega Square
Philipsburg, St. Maarten
Dear Honorable Prime Minister Marlin,
In February 2015 an article appeared in the dailies that the security services being provided by Check Mate Securities at the St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies had increased by 2.2 million dollars. No indication was given if additional services were being provided for this huge increase. During the many public meetings of parliament regarding this issue the then opposition consisting of the National Alliance and the Democratic Party of St. Maarten in Parliament posed many questions to the government and requested the documentation regarding this contract. At one time it was also stated that the opposition was planning to go to court in order to acquire this security contract amongst other documentation. The UP led government used all type of excuses not to provide the information to the members of parliament. One of their excuses was that providing that documentation would have breached the security at the harbour. Secondly, it was stated that if this was a foreign owned company the price could have tripled and the then NA and DP opposition would not have been posing all those questions. But because the company is owned by locals that is the reason for all those questions. Is this true?
Nevertheless, that is water under bridge. The wheels have turned now. The National Alliance and the Democratic Party are part of the government. Can this government provide the general public with the information to the questions that were posed by the National Alliance and the Democratic Party during the meetings on the Check Mate Security Contract? Can a copy of the security contract between the Harbour Group of Companies and Check Mate Security be made available to the general public? What is the difference between the existing contract and the previous contract in terms of services being offered by Check Mate Security to the Harbour Group of Companies? For how many years is this new contract and what are the terms of it? There was a hand written change made to the contract as was reported by the then Minister of TEATT. How does that change that was made differ from the original contract? It was said by one of the newly elected members of parliament that most of the times the members of parliament has the information but are questioning the government to keep the people inform. What are the additional services that Check Mate is offering the harbour that required such a huge increase? Why wasn’t this security service put on bid? What role if any did the Supervisory Board of Directors played in approving this contract price? Is this reflected in the minutes of the Supervisory Board of Directors meeting when this decision was taken? Does the minutes of the meeting between the shareholder s’ representative (the Council of Ministers) and the management of the Harbour Group of Companies reflect this contract increase, noting that there wasn’t a public bid for this service? Who are the shareholders of this company since it was mentioned by the UP led government that it is owned by locals? Why aren’t more locals employed with the Harbour Security to provide them with the same type of benefits that our people should be enjoying in their country? Seeing that the harbour is a government owned company what is their policy in providing contracts to third parties? Will the Harbour Group of Companies continue to provide contracts of that magnitude without putting the work or services on bid? Are there any major works or services in the pipe line to be carried out at the harbour within the near future? If yes, which projects and will they go on public bid?
The OSPP is looking forward to this government truly providing the information to the general public on this contract between the Harbour Group of Companies and Check Mate Security.
We want to thank you in advance and hope to be informed in order to be able to close this matter for once and for all.
Yours truly,
One St. Maarten People Party
Lenny F. Priest
Leader of the OSPP
Cc: Mrs. Ingrid Arrindell, Minister of TEATT
Members of Parliament of St. Maarten
St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies
