~ Security company was not paid for two years.~
PHILIPSBURG:--- Reliably information reaching SMN News on Wednesday evening states that the Sherriff Security Company has placed a lien on the accounts of St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) accounts. The source said the liens were placed two days ago after SCDF failed to settle its debts with the Sherriff Security Company who provided SCDF with their services throughout the Carnival season each year.
Despite not settling its debts with Sherriff Security, SCDF hired a new company “VALKYRIE, " which currently provides services at the Jocelyn Arrndell Festival Village.
With liens placed on the accounts of SCDF questions are now being raised about how SCDF intends to pay its stakeholders for the services they are currently providing.
SCDF has over the years not been paying its creditors in a timely manner which has led to several problems. Besides not living up to its obligations SCDF is not keeping its books in order. On several occasions, they had severe issues obtaining the Naf 350,000.00 subsidy from the government simply because they were unable to provide up-to-date financial statements.
On Wednesday the Minister of Finance confirmed that SCDF did not request government subsidy this year. The Minister said no request was submitted to him, or the Minister of TEATT.
It is further believed that SCDF did not submit the request because they did not want the government to question them any further on the financial status of the foundation.
