PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Darryl York criticized the protocol surrounding the recent groundbreaking ceremony for the new prison during a Central Committee meeting on Friday. Addressing the chair, fellow ministers, and visiting students from Mary Genevieve de Wever Primary School, York, he labeled the event "distasteful" for excluding former officials he believes were instrumental to the project.
While York initially expressed optimism about the groundbreaking, viewing it as a necessary step forward for the country, he told Parliament that his mood shifted after realizing that former Minister of Justice Anna Elaine Richardson was not on the guest list.
York argued that the ceremony, which featured current officials breaking ground, would not have been possible without the groundwork laid by the previous administration.
"No one, Madam Chair, that sat at that ceremony would have been able to sit there... no one who held a shovel would have been able to hold a shovel if former Minister Anna Elaine Richardson didn't do the work she did," York stated.
He emphasized that the issue transcends party politics or personal likability. According to the MP, failing to invite Richardson—or any other former Ministers of Justice—was a breach of professional respect. He used a local idiom to drive his point home: "We cannot one day be speaking about giving Jack the jacket, but when Jackley needs to get it, Jackley has to kick rocks."
Beyond the protocol issue, York also issued a warning about the project's execution. While acknowledging the photo opportunities taken by current MPs and Ministers, he expressed hope that the prison construction would not mirror the fate of previous infrastructure attempts.
Specifically, he referenced the marketplace project from two years prior. York cautioned the government against a scenario where "millions have been spent, and only grass has been cut" two years from now.
The MP concluded his address by reiterating that his critique was not about seeking attention, but about ensuring credit is given where it is due and maintaining accountability for public funds.