Philipsburg:--- Denicio Richardson the Managing Director of the Postal Services of St. Maarten (PSS) has been suspended with pay as of Tuesday December 27th 2011 to January 13th 2012 confirmed Chairman of the Supervisory Board Hubert Pantophlet.SMN News has been reliably informed that the Supervisory Board suspended Richardson when they were informed by the Financial Controller of Economic Affairs Alex Richardson that the PSS Managing Director Denicio Richardson signed and issued a cheque without the authorization of the Supervisory Board.
The source said that Richardson purchased five computers for the Post Office without seeking the board's permission and he issued a cheque for over Naf. 8000.00 to the company he bought the computers from without a signature from one of the Supervisory Board members. The source said that Richardson is authorized to sign cheques for up to Naf. 5000.00 but when the amount is higher than the authorized amount the chairman or vice chairman of the board has to co-sign the cheque before it is issued. SMN News learnt that the Interim Managing Director of PSS Antonia Wilson confronted Richardson about the cheque he was issuing that lacks one signature and he told her that she should send the cheque to the company and he will clear it with the bank. The source said that Richardson accompanied the Chairman of the Supervisory Board Hubert Pantophlet to Curacao for four days and at no time did he inform Pantophlet about purchasing the computers and the issuance of the cheque. "He was with Pantophlet at the airport when Alex Richardson contacted Pantophlet and informed him of his discovery and the Managing Director said nothing. He gave no explanation for his actions."
Furthermore, on Tuesday when Richardson was presented with his suspension letter which was to take immediate effect he asked the board for leniency and requested to stay on the job for a few hours since he wanted to speak to his workers. The source said the board agreed to give Richardson three hours since he was presented with the suspension letter at noon Tuesday. However, the board later learned that same day that Richardson was trying to pay his medical insurance premiums to the tune of Naf. 4000.00 without following proper procedures. SMN News learnt that the Supervisory Board then took immediate action and blocked the payment to allow proper procedures to be followed before paying for the medical insurance. SMN News further learnt that those procedures were subsequently followed while Richardson was on suspension and the medical premiums were paid on Friday December 30th 2011.
The Chairman of the Supervisory Board Hubert Pantophlet has refused to divulge any details on the suspension of Richardson, he however admitted that it had to do with the issuance of a cheque and the unauthorized purchase of some computers. Sources close to the Supervisory Board said that the board members have been trying their best to protect Richardson over the past months simply because he is a young local St. Maartener who was given a top job on St. Maarten. They said that all of the problems PSS encountered earlier this year were allegedly because of Richardson's inaction and the board is now over their heads with protecting Richardson. "The Post Office had to close its doors, workers went on strike all because Richardson had failed to do his job. Even the last hiccup with the November salaries was because of Richardson's inaction," the source said.
The suspension of Denicio Richardson has since left the Democratic Party at odds while the Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams is angry with at least one of her faction Members in Parliament. SMN News learnt that one of the Democratic Party faction Members is allegedly having an affair with the sister of the PSS Director and as such he and two other Members of Parliament approached the Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams requesting that she reinstate Richardson by lifting the suspension. The source said the Member of Parliament claims that Richardson's suspension is a personal attack on him and more importantly he feels that the suspension is not warranted. SMN News also learnt that the DP Member of Parliament was even more peeved when he learned that the Supervisory Board had blocked the payment of Richardson's medical premium and he threatened to throw the government down if the Prime Minister did not intervene. One the Members of Parliament that accompanied the two Democratic Party Faction Members to see the Prime Minister is an Independent Member of Parliament.
When SMN News asked Pantophlet about the three Members of Parliament disagreement on Richardson's suspension, the Supervisory Board Chairman said he was appointed Chairman of the PSS board to do a job and not to look over anyone's head. "I would strongly advice the Members of Parliament to think with the heads above their shoulders," Pantophlet said.
In the meantime, the Supervisory Board has appointed Antonia Wilson to Acting Interim Managing Director while Richardson is on suspension.
