PHILIPSBURG:--- “It is regrettable that information regarding the Minister of TEATT’s absence from the office is not provided, not even to parliament. This has to lead to all kinds of unnecessary speculations”, the MP explains.
“Just recently, I happen to learn that the minister is out on doctor’s advice and that his leave has now been extended. I can only but assume that the minister is really unable to perform his duties, as he was conspicuously absent from the hyped-up signing ceremony with Royal Caribbean Group. “
I sympathize very much with our minister of TEATT, Roger Lawrence, and I totally respect the privacy to which I believe he too is entitled.
MP Wescot went on to say that her issue is with the council of ministers, which nonchalantly runs away from its collective responsibility and leaves urgent matters such as the promised reduction in fuel cost for the consumers hanging in the air.
“In the meantime, a very hesitant Minister of Finance has dashed all hopes of any speedy resolution to this matter with the statement that firstly a solution must be found for the loss in government revenue that any reduction for the consumer will bring with it. As if we could not figure that out ourselves.”
I advise the minister to liaise with his colleague of Curacao, who AHEAD of the necessary change of law, has announced reductions in the different fuel cost build-ups, to benefit the Curacao consumer.
“ Curacao too is bound by CFT regulations. So how is it that they can find prompt solutions to benefit the community at large? Here we are dancing around it and to use an old adage ‘while the grass is growing, the horse is starving. “
Another unaddressed matter by the COM within the purview of the TEATT Ministry is the dismissal of M. Hyman from the airport.
The Prime Minister has recused herself from this particular case, which is warranted or not, should however not leave this matter in limbo.
Parliament too is left awaiting the follow-up, which was in the hands of minister Lawrence, who is not in office presently.
“What about his replacement in the COM, can no one pick up this file,” MP Wescot asks rhetorically.
“Members of this Council of Ministers seem in a happy-go-lucky mood while there are so many burning issues, such as the amendments to the budget 2022; GEBE, PJIA, health coverage, tax reform, and hurricane preparedness, to name a few.
We have to thank our lucky stars that despite this all, the island, in general, is crawling out of the pandemic slump, but not because there is a plan to guide this recovery.
To the contrary, this council of ministers and the governing coalition seem to be doing the exact things that contradict any vision of sustainable development.
