Philipsburg:---Commissioner Blackmans latest response on the last CFT letter, he again tries to shift blame from his failing to historical perspectives, far from the truth said former finance commissioner Roy Marlin.The 2009 budget was approved by the Island Council mid December 2009 and sent to the CFT. The CFT on March 12, 2009 sent its reaction. On April 15, 2009 the Executive council responded clarifying certain matters brought forward by the CFT. On April 27, 2009 the Executive Council and the CFT met in a clarification session. On May 5, 2009 the CFT gave its approval to the 2009 budget of St. Maarten. At no time did the 2009 budget approved by the Island Council need to be amended because of fictitious income projections as was the case in the 2010 budget prepared and supported by the members of the Island Council consisting of NA Island Council Members and Commissioners, Councilman and Commissioner Theo Heyliger and Councilman Laveist.
Commissioner Blackman is the one responsible for the management of the finances of the Island Territory since June 8, 2009. Several agreements were made during the course of 2009, with the CFT by Commissioner Blackman and the current Executive Council which agreements were not lived up to. The CFT in its letter admonishes the Executive Council for continuously setting deadlines and not living up to them. While the insinuations of historical perspectives are leveled towards the DP, it is not the DP that the CFT is referring to as not living up to agreements made. The authority to borrow which was granted in the General Measure Enacting Financial Supervision has to date not paid off. The 2009 budget when approved by the CFT allowed SXM to borrow for capital expenditures. We are still awaiting this matter of borrowing to be finalized for the year 2009 and 2010 with the Central Bank. Every time this matter comes up for discussion the Commissioner comes with the same flimsy excuse, we are working on it. A financial improvement plan which was prepared in 2009, to date still needs to be put into full fledge action. Annual accounts for 2008 which needed to be presented in mid 2009 still not presented for approval by the Island Council. August 2010 and still no final CFT approval to budget 2010. Not one budget amendments presented thus far for 2009 with several cost overruns not properly covered by Island Council approval. Quarterly reports for 2009 not presented on time. As agreed upon between the CFT and St. Maarten, monthly quarterly reports for 2010 not being presented on time. The restructuring of all debt for pre financed projects still awaiting finalization. The administrative handling of the debt payoff of Nafl 180 million, agreed upon between St. Maarten and the Dutch government still to be finalized. Draft budget 2011 to be presented to the CFT by august 15, 2010 and rumors has it that the proposed budget 2011 is running a deficit of close to Nafl 100 million. These matters are indeed history but part of the Commissioners history. The Commissioner uses every opportunity he gets to fly to the Netherlands on all sorts of useless trips with the only intention of racking up as much KLM miles as possible. Let me refresh the Commissioners memory that at no time did the DP party profess that the financial administration of St. Maarten was perfect. That is exactly the reason for the agreements made on improving finances between St. Maarten and the other Kingdom partners. The faster you acknowledge your short comings the faster you can pick up the pieces and move on. Trying to tie in matters such as historical perspectives as reasons for the damaging letter by the CFT are irrelevant at this point and time and serve no purpose. The Commissioner is the responsible person. His lack of taking charge, people's management skills, limited financial knowledge, continuous hostile behavior, his confrontational attitude and the lack of dialogue are all reasons, for the cause of the quagmire that we now find ourselves in. Is this behavior not meant to deliberately delay the constitutional change process for St. Maarten? Allegiance to a cause does not come easily. One would have had to be involved in this cause with heart and soul to have this allegiance. Commissioner Blackman allegiance has always been towards the Saba becoming an integral part of the Netherlands, which he championed tooth and nail together with his mentor for the past 10 years. His actions so far as Commissioner of Finance for St. Maarten makes me wonder if he forgot to make the switch of mind set from BES to Country Status, or if these actions are done with a predetermined agenda to undermine St. Maarten's success of achieving country status. Surprisingly is also that the leader of the NA while very seldom having an opinion on matters such as the BZV, SVB, Central Bank and these other institutions which are a direct responsibility of St. Maarten, we would at the least expect him to have an opinion on the matter of the finances and the CFT which is now being held above our heads as the sword of Damaclus by the 2nd chamber and the Kingdom Council of Ministers, threatening to undermine or delay the achievement of Country Status for St. Maarten. Members of government are expected to be responsible when making public statements and the reaction by Commissioner Blackman as if the attainment of country status cannot be stopped or delayed because of the fact that all laws have been adopted by the first and second chamber, undermines the credibility of St. Maarten as a responsible partner within the Kingdom. The motion of no confidence against Commissioner Blackman will be soon brought to the floor of the Island Council. We hope that this time around the NA/Heyliger government supported by independent member Laveist will realize that this Commissioner is placing St. Maarten in a very embarrassing situation and can no longer be held in this function to the detriment of our constitutional process.
