Parliament also approved that it will become a member of Palatino and will take part in at least eight committees.
Words like mistrust, having no time to waste and stop playing political games were freely thrown around during the parliamentary debate on Wednesday. Senator Louis Laveist was of the opinion that the ruling government in parliament had already nominated the members who will be sitting in the eight committees of Parlatino. Based on that assumption Laveist accused the chairlady in the opening session saying that parliament deviated from an agreement made a day earlier with the faction leaders.
Laveist later apologised for the accusations when he was given clarity as to who will appoint the chair and sub-chair of the committees that St. Maarten will partake of.
The statements made by Laveist irked his colleagues who fired off at him requesting that he tell them where was the mistrust since they were discussing the appointment of the griffier at the time. Laveist in his response said no one was going to use scare tactics to intimidate him when he poses question on the floor of parliament.
Senator's Lloyd Richardson appealed to the members of parliament to make sure they appoint those in parliament that can bring home the bacon in these committees. He also urged parliament to seek to foster closer ties with it the neighbouring islands which he felt will be more beneficial to the people of St. Maarten. Health care issues and the importance of having relations with Parlatino was brought up by Senator Roy Marlin who made his arguments based on a youth who was born on St. Maarten and could not get a travel document to seek medical assistance abroad. That child eventually passed away because according to senator Roy Marlin government's hands were tied and they were not in a position to assist the child.
Diversification of the tourism economy was also brought up in parliament. Senator Patrick Illidge felt that St. Maarten can buy land in the Dominican Republic for the purpose of agriculture and fisheries.