~ Sarah cry foul when seeing her Minister gone. ~
PHILIPSBURG: --- Minister of VSA Emil Lee had his day on Tuesday evening when 8 Members of Parliament voted in favor of the motion of no confidence tabled by coalition partner MP Luc Mercelina. Based on the motion Lee must submit his resignation immediately.
MP Sarah Wescot Williams showed her anger when she accused MPs from the opposition voted in favor the motion, of being double standards she stated that while they have been promoting the young St. Maarteners they chose to take out Minister Lee, Wescot Williams even had the audacity to mention the late Roy Marlin who also faced a motion of no confidence with the Intaquin saga. However, the now UD leader and MP who recruited Emil Lee and appointed him Minister of VSA each time she was part of a coalition partner failed to mention what Emil Lee and his advisor did to Roy Marlin prior to his death while being a member of the GEBE Board. At the time the late Marlin basically took ill after meeting with Lee and his advisor to discuss the Seven Seas contract which the late Marlin did not want to renew but allow GEBE to buy over the water plant since GEBE staff are the ones managing the distribution of the water purchased from Seven Seas.
Not to mention the Minister of VSA Emil Lee admitted to parliament on Tuesday that he was in the process of extending the contract for the SZV director Glen Carty since Carty agreed to quit his job at UTS. Lee at no point addressed the misspending of SZV pension funds to finance his pet project the New General Hospital even all MPS shared their concerns about the state of Health, Labor and the financial status of INSO.
Minister of VSA Emil Lee tried everything to survive the motion tabled against him by his own collation Member of Parliament Luc Mercelina.
Minister Lee used article 53 of the Constitution which was used by MP Emmanuel to show that he as Minister acted against the constitution when he participated in meetings or voted on the contract awarded to his construction company to construct the prison wall. While the Minister of Justice Cornelius de Weever said none of the Ministers actively participated in the bidding process that was handled by ICE.
Lee in his closing remark informed Parliament that he was in consultation with a constitutional lawyer to advise him if MP Luc Mercelina was violating article 53 of the constitution since the MP and his wife are employees of the St. Maarten Medical Center.
Article 53 1. Members of Parliament shall refrain from debating and voting on issues, including appointments, suspensions, and dismissals, that personally concern them, their spouses or relations by blood or affinity to the second degree, or in which they are involved as mandatories. 2. The first paragraph does not apply to the decision on the admission of the newly elected Members of Parliament following the regular dissolution of Parliament. 3. Members of Parliament may not: a. work as attorneys or local counsel in legal cases in which the Country is involved; b. vote in Parliament on the enactment or approval of the accounts of a body in which they hold a seat on the managing board; c. accept work for the Country, stand surety for this or participate in this, directly or indirectly; d. participate directly or indirectly in private pledges of goods or rights of the Country. 4. If so, required in the interest of the Country, Parliament may grant dispensation in certain cases from the prohibitions referred to in paragraph 3.
However, the grifier of parliament advised the chair that article 53 of the country's constitution did not apply to MP Luc Mercelina.
