Island Councilman and Commissioner Frans Richardson during his presentation on Monday attacked the members of the Democratic Party saying they wanted to smear Blackman's name even though the commissioner is a professional whose sole intention was to present a realistic budget. Richardson said Blackman did not commit a crime neither did he do anything wrong when he prepared the 2010 budget. The economic affairs commissioner said when the National Alliance/ Heyliger and Laviest government took office last year June they met the 2009 budget with a 30 million guilders deficit even though that budget was presented to the CFT and island council as balanced.
Richardson said the current members are self-destructive. He said members of the opposition all put their own spin on the budget and the CFT indifferences. He asked who voted in favor of the CFT and said they should take responsibility of having the CFT to dictate for St. Maarten. Richardson said the current government was focusing on country status when the finance commissioner prepared the 2010 budget. Richardson said had Blackman took the advice of the CFT and increased taxes then they would have been criticized by the opposition. Richardson said had they took the advice given by the CFT and increased all taxes then they would have been the worst thing since slice bread.
Richardson insisted that condominiums owners must contribute to St. Maarten's economy and not only the local taxpayers.
He argued that the entire island council voted for St. Maarten to become country and he do not understand why the same council members cannot stand together and vote for a budget that would ensure country St. Maarten on 10/10/10. Richardson said he does not believe the members of the opposition wants St. Maarten to become country since they are all siding with the CFT.
The commissioner said the same members once accused them of not voting for their own salaries or that of the teachers. Richardson said right now the council is divided and they simply do not know what they wanted for St. Maarten. He said the council members are their own worst enemies and that the adults in the council are worst than the youths that are called bad. He reminded the members of the Democratic Party that they were given a motion of no confidence by the people of St. Maarten during the January 22 federal elections since they were not able to maintain their only seat in parliament.
The National Alliance/ Heyliger and Laviest government also voted against the other two motions presented to the island council.
The second motion was to have the executive council to maintain the letters of intent given to Westin and Maho Resorts about the room tax. However, commissioner and leader of UPP party Theo Heyliger disappeared from the tribune of the legislative hall when the time came to voting against the motion. Despite Heyliger's disappearance, the motion was defeated since the five members of the National Alliance and independent island councilman Louie Laveist voted against the motion.
Richardson reminded that those letters were issued to the resorts since 2003 and the Democratic Party did nothing to island legislation. Another motion that also went through the floor was the motion for Mary's Fancy.
