PARLIAMENT RATIFIES CENTRAL COMMITTEE DECISIONS --- TWO TO REPRESENT ST. MAARTEN PARLIAMENT IN SABA.

• Economic Affairs, Social Debt and Regional Development Commission (Senators Jules James and Frans Richardson).
• Citizen Safety, Combat and Prevention of Narcotics, Terrorism and Organized Crime Commission (Senator Johan Janchi Leonard and Senator George Pantophlet).
• Education, Culture, Science and Technology and Communications Commission (Senators Silvia Olivacce Meyers and William Marlin).
• Health Commission (Senator Ruth Douglas and Petrus Leroy De Weever) it should be noted that Dr. Lloyd Richardson was also nominated but he receded when the chairman of parliament wanted to take this to a vote. Dr. Richardson made a gentleman's agreement with the chairman stating that he will act as a replacement for the first two years if any of the two appointed senators are unable to travel, while he will take the latter two years over from De Weever.
• Human Rights, Justice and Prison Policies Commission (Senator Johan Janchi Leonard and Senator Patrick Illidge are the nominated appointees). Again Dr. Richardson was also presented by the National Alliance but he receded from the appointment based on the gentleman's agreement with the chairman of parliament.
• Gender Equity Childhood and Youth Commission (Senators William Marlin and Senator Frans Richardson).
• Agriculture, Cattle Raising and Fishery Commission (Senators Patrick Illidge and Hyacinth Richardson).
• Environment and Tourism Commission (Senator Roy Marlin and Senator Jules James).
• Labour, Social and Legal Affairs Commission (Senators Romain Laville and Lloyd Richardson).
• Energy and Mines Commission (Senators Romain Laville and Louie Laveist).

The Parliament of St. Maarten also ratified the members of the permanent committees of parliament on Tuesday.
The following are the appointed senators who will sit on the following committees:

• The committee of Housing and Spatial Planning, Environment Infrastructure (Senators Romain Laville, Patrick Illidge, Roy Marlin and William Marlin).
• Committee for Justice (Senators Patrick Ilidge, Johan Janchi Leonard, Petrus De Weever, and George Pantophlet).
• Committee of Finance (Senators Silvia Olivaccce_Meyers, Roy Marlin, Patrick Illidge, and Frans Richardson).
• Committee of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (Senators Jules James, Petrus Leroy De Weever, Patrick Illidge, and Frans Richardson).
• Committee for Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs (Senators Silvia Olivacce Meyers, Petrus De Weever, and Louie Laveist).
• Committee of Health Care, Social Development and Labour (Senators Petrus De Weever, Romain Laville, and Lloyd Richardson).
• Committee for Kingdom Affairs and Inter-parliamentary Relations (Senators Roy Marlin, Ruth Douglas, William Marlin and Patrick Illidge).

Parliament also approved on Tuesday that two persons from Parliament will be travelling to Saba on Friday for Saba Day, they are Senators Johan Janchi Leonard and Roy Marlin. The deputy chairman of parliament Petrus De Weever suggested that the four factions in parliament caucus to select a candidate that would represent each faction in parliament at the Saba day celebration.
Senator Frans Richardson said the National Alliance will not nominate any of the senators since they consider that to be a waste of money for four people to represent parliament.
Senator Richardson said his faction would leave that to the people in parliament who are eager to travel.
Furthermore, senators are not representatives of factions instead they are representing parliament. Richardson also expressed concerns at the advice the newly appointed griffier is offering to the president of parliament. He said he worked with Franklyn Hanze for years and he the best suited candidate for the position. However, the mistakes he allows the president to make is uncalled for. Richardson said should these kind of mistakes continue he would have no other choice but to take a turn at Hanze since he is a well paid advisor and griffier to the parliament of St. Maarten.

Richardson expressed his frustration at the financial decisions parliament are taking while they do not have a budget. He said parliament has to put on paper how many people they intend to hire and what are the necessities of parliament rather than approving trips overseas. Senator Richardson said the finance department will not add a budget for St. Maarten parliament in its 2011 budget if they do not get a draft budget from parliament. He made clear that the draft the president of parliament found when she took office was not a finished document and that more work needed to be done on the draft for it to be presented to the Finance Minister and the department of finance.