PHILIPSBURG:--- Parliament Chairman, William Marlin said on Monday evening, following the celebrations of Constitution Day, that he is seriously concerned about information reaching him. He said he will either send questions to caretaker Prime Minister Smith on Tuesday morning, or he may even decide to convene an urgent meeting of Parliament so that clarity can be given.
Chairman William Marlin said that it was brought to his attention that supposedly the Council of Ministers recently approved travel for former Prime Minister Leona Marlin-Romeo to attend a conference hosted by the World Bank.
Marlin said, he doesn’t want to assume that the reposts reaching him and others are true and that’s the reason why he wants answers from Prime Minister Smith.
Questions he will be seeking answers to, and he is sure other Members of Parliament as well would include:
1. Did the Council of Ministers approve for private citizen Mrs. Leona Marlin-Romeo to travel?
2. If yes, when did this take place?
3. If the answer to question 1 is yes, then what is the purpose of this travel and for how long?
4. If the answer to question 1 is yes, could the Prime Minister explain why the Council of Ministers would have to approve travel of a person who is no longer a minister?
5. If the travel for Mrs. Leona Marlin-Romeo was approved, in what capacity would she be traveling?
6. If the answer to question 1 is yes, who is paying for this travel and what is the cost of this trip?
7. Can the caretaker Prime Minister provide any information related to the travel of Mrs. Leona Marlin-Romeo, particularly if she will be speaking or conducting and or attending any meeting in any way, on behalf of Sint Maarten.
William Marlin concluded his statement by saying, that even if the trip would be covered by the Trust Fund, that this would be wrong, as the Trust Fund was not set up to promote neither the work of the World Bank or the agenda of a former Prime Minister.
The Chairman of Parliament said, clarity is needed and he will be seeking answers, as “the People have a right to know”.
