Philipsburg:--- Commissioner and deputy leader of government Theo Heyliger would be leaving the current coalition sometime this week. Some said Heyliger is expected to leave as early as Monday. However, this is the third time the commissioner has made people to believe he is ready to leave the current coalition and to launch the green party. While in the past he said he was not happy with how the coalition was working Heyliger never made the move neither did he give any official notification.Late Sunday afternoon Heyliger posted a comment on his Facebook page confirming that was tendering his resignation on July 19th 2010. His post reads as follows "On July 19th I will be officially tendering my resignation as commissioner to the executive council of St. Maarten. I would like to THANK the entire population of St. Maarten for allowing me to have served from July 2nd 1999 to July 19th 2010. It has been an honor serving you."
SMN News also received confirmation from Leader of Government and the National Alliance William Marlin who said that Heyliger informed him that he was tendering his resignation from the executive council in order to prepare for the upcoming elections. Heyliger also thanked the National Alliance and their team for giving him the ability to have served.
Heyliger cleaned out his office on the weekend of May 24th out and promised the Lt. Governor that he would have submitted a letter to him explaining when he was leaving. Heyliger then had his staff say he was re-carpeting and remodeling his office while he refused to comment on the issue with SMN News. SMN News learnt then that Heyliger did not make his move because Island Council member and former member of the Democratic Party Louis Laveist had refused to go along with his plans. At that time SMN News learnt that Heyliger wanted to throw down the government because he was at loggerheads with the members of the National Alliance.
SMN News learnt that Heyliger indicated to his staff last week that he is leaving with or without Laveist since he has to start his campaign especially now that the date for country election is set for September 17th while nomination day is set for August 18th.
One source said that Heyliger gave his staff timely notification because most of them are political appointees and not government civil servants. SMN News further learnt that the commissioner would hire his staff that works in his office to begin his campaign at his new building in Pointe Blanche.
Efforts made to get an official confirmation from the commissioner proved futile up to press time.
Theo Heyliger submitted his resignation formally to the current government this morning.