Philipsburg:--- The newly established parliament of St. Maarten has had at least three central committee meetings these past weeks. SMN News has been informed that five of the six members of the National Alliance faction have not been receiving their convocations to these meetings, thus they did not attend the meetings. On Tuesday SMN News was invited to take a photograph of the closed door central committee meeting and it was evident that only one member of the National Alliance faction received his convocation by email along with the parliamentarians from the United Peoples Party faction and the Democratic Party their coalition partner. When contacted on Tuesday leader of the National Alliance faction William Marlin confirmed that he did not receive his convocation from parliament and he was not aware that there was a central committee meeting. Senators Frans Richardson, Louie Laveist, Hyacinth Richardson also shared the same concerns saying that while the interim clerk has their email addresses they too are not receiving their convocations.SMN News contacted one of the interim staff of parliament and we were told that those persons who are not receiving their convocations should send their complaint in writing to the president of parliament. On Wednesday, SMN News posed the same questions to chairlady Gracita Arrindell and she said that the convocations (hard copy) are placed in the letter boxes and that parliamentarians should check their mails daily to see if they have mails. Arrindell said the current parliament building is not fully equipped yet she and her staff are making an effort to work since they are all being paid to do. Arrindell said that during both meetings all factions were represented meaning that Dr. Lloyd Richardson represented the National Alliance even though he is not the faction leader. SMN News also learnt that the parliamentarians present during the meetings of the 15th and 16 asked Arrindell about the absence of the other parliamentarians and she told them that she did not receive any type of notification from the absentees. Arrindell in her response to SMN News said that the convocation was done on November 10 which confirms that they were within the legal time frame of notifying the parliamentarians about the scheduled meetings. She said even if though some parliamentarians did not receive their convocation electronically they could have checked their mail boxes for the hard copies. When pressed for answers if these convocations can be sent electronically Arrindell said parliament is encountering household impediments by not having adequate tools. She said unless parliament can get a scanner and other equipments which would allow the clerk to scan the convocations that bears her signatures to send it then they would have to make do with the hard copies that are placed in their letter boxes.
Arrindell was asked when the new parliament building will be made available to her she said they are expecting to have the building before December 15, Kingdom Day. Arrindell said when the new building becomes available they would begin public meetings. She was also asked if the meetings currently taking place are being recorded as stipulated in the law. Arrindell said the meetings are not taped but minutes are taken by the clerk.
Central Committee Meetings.
The chairlady told reporters that Professor de Boer was present during these central committee meetings and he gave the parliamentarians that were present information on the four draft ordinances. She said they are 15 draft ordinances but de Boer gave first hand information on the ordinances he drafted. Arrindell said a public meeting will be held on a later date on the same subject matters in order to give the public the opportunity to participate in the draft ordinances.