Philipsburg:--- Former director of the University of St Martin and commissioner Josianne Fleming Artsen who resigned from the establishment to enter into the political arena is the mostly likely candidate to take up the position of ambassador in Washington.SMN News learnt that Fleming-Artsen will travel to the United States where she will take on her new job.
When Fleming-Artsen resigned from USM many thought she was going to be a candidate on the United Peoples Party list but that did not happen. Fleming-Artsen opted to be one of the board members who worked behind the scenes hoping that she would have been appointed Minister of Education, Youth and Cultural Affairs.
Sources close to the UP party said that one of the elected candidates who are also part of the educational system did not agree to give up the Ministerial seat to Fleming-Arsten whose intention was to champion education and mainly to make sure the University of St. Martin gets the necessary attention from government.
Fleming-Artsen at a press conference on Thursday told reporters that she is currently working on the financial crisis facing the USM. Fleming Artsen said that the appointed members of the executive council are looking into ways to help USM and to ensure country St. Maarten does not treat USM as step child in the future but that it is treated as an entity that is cared for and she is sure that the in-coming Minister of education would make sure that happens. Fleming-Artsen said they are looking at the "waardering" significant funds that is currently in the UNA coffers be transferred to an association on St. Maarten. Fleming-Artsen said these monies belong to the students of USM. Fleming Artsen said the executive council hopes to complete the process before Sunday October 10th.
In the meantime, SMN News also learnt that the United Peoples Party has selected Johan Janchi Leonard as the ambassador in the Dominican Republic. Efforts made on Thursday to contact Leonard for a comment on his appointment proved futile.