SMN News learnt that an employee of MNO was in the vicinity of the Philipsburg Police Station and the entrance to the Office of Constitutional Affairs directing traffic as workers from MNO Vervat were busy applying asphalt to several areas of Pondfill Road which is currently under repairs.
Eyewitnesses said Major Martina refused to follow the instructions of the MNO worker and he refused to use the side road that was used to divert traffic. One eye witnesses said the drunken officer began fighting with the MNO worker who happens to be stronger than him. The worker told him that he will not allow him to drive on the main road and he must use the side entrance like everyone else. "Martina wanted to drive on the main road that already had wet material on it and the MNO worker told him on more than one occasion that he was going to mess his vehicle up while damaging the work they already did, but Martina decided he was not going to listen and started to fight. I saw when he ran to his car maybe to get his service weapon and the guy from MNO took a rock and pelted it at him. However, he missed Martina and hit his supervisor in the face knocking him out cold. The supervisor had to be taken to the St. Maarten Medical Center in an unconscious state because his nose broke from the impact of the rock."
Police arrested the MNO worker as they investigate the fracas. SMN News also learnt that MNO was forced to stop their work and they had to take material that was already prepared for the work back to their main office in Pointe Blanche. SMN News further learnt that MNO will be seeking damages for their lost material and the injuries caused to their workers.
Police Spokesman Ricardo Henson said he did not have the details of the incident and he will look for the report during the weekend before commenting on the case.
It should be noted that Chief of Police Peter de Witte is currently off island attending the Las Americas meetings in Aruba. Efforts made to reach Commissioner of Police Carl John for a comment on the issue proved futile. It should also be noted that Major Aswin Martina is currently on probation for other police misconduct.
