Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
PHILIPSBURG—Members of Parliament (MPs) have not yet received the "sensitive answers" about the St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies' security contract, despite the receipt of these by Parliament's Secretariat since May 26. The delay in the dissemination is due to "administrative reasons," according to Democratic Party ((DP)) leader MP Sarah Wescot-Williams.
Speaking at a (DP) press conference in Parliament House on Monday, Wescot-Williams said she is patiently awaiting the answers to see if they satisfy her burning questions. Should the answers not suffice, she still has all intention to pursue an investigation, with assistance from fellow opposition MPs of the National Alliance (NA) into the handling of the security contract matter by Economic Affairs Minister Claret Connor. The intention is for the General Audit Chamber to conduct the investigation when such is deemed necessary.
Wescot-Williams does not expect to get the answers about the Checkmate Security contract soon from the secretariat, because Parliament Chairman MP Dr. Lloyd Richardson is off-island on parliament business and so are his two substitutes.
Dealing with a related government-owned company issue, Wescot-Williams has taken "keen note" of questions raised by Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs about the request by Princess Juliana International Airport SXM for a building permit for its fixed-based operations (FBO) building.
Government can "always ask questions" of its companies, but the MP is curious to know what has prompted the questions now. "Does government know more than it is saying?", she asked in the press conference.
Integrity protocol
Wescot-Williams said government never indicated to Parliament "directly" that it was in continued negotiations with the Dutch Government to come to an agreement about the establishment of an integrity chamber for St. Maarten. Government had only informed Parliament that ministers were unable to head back to Parliament immediately after the draft law was tabled in April. Government asked for a three-week pause due to the "travel schedule" of Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs and Justice Minister Dennis Richardson.
Wescot-Williams is not too pleased by the agreement brokered by Richardson a week ago with the Dutch Government. She is anxiously awaiting the plenary session of Parliament to be called to handle the law. Parliament, based on the protocol has until June 30, to pass the law or the country can face sanctions from the Dutch Kingdom Government.
The MP does not have faith that any meeting of Parliament will take place in the coming days to deal with the draft law, because the three parliament chairpersons are off-island on various trips.
Richardson told The Daily Herald he hopes to discuss the protocol with Parliament in the second week of this month.
Wescot-Williams is "happy" with the progress made by Dutch kingdom partners on the way forward for the establishment of a kingdom dispute committee.
IPKO
The MP also shared her thoughts on the recently concluded Inter-Parliamentary Kingdom Consultations IPKO held in the Netherlands. She is happy with the results as well as plans that could result in a joint constitutional court for the Dutch Caribbean.
On integrity safeguards, she said a review of some areas in need of definition found that St. Maarten, in particular Parliament had covered a number of items in its Rules of Order. An analysis of how all partners in the kingdom as well as political parties deal with integrity issues will be carried out by Curacao MP Elmer Wilsoe. The end result may well be joint rules and regulations in the kingdom.
Education continued to be a topic of discussion at IPKO, especially the challenges faced by Dutch Caribbean students in paying back study loans issued by the Netherlands. Students have called for a help desk to be established for them to tackle concerns and challenges.
The extension of study financing from the Netherlands to students who opt to study in the Caribbean or elsewhere in the world will again be perused by, in particular, Dutch MPs. The Dutch Government had declined in the par to extend financing to Dutch citizens studying outside of the Netherlands.
Topics of interest
Wescot-Williams said she is still awaiting meetings of the Finance Committee on the 2013 annual reports of government-owned companies. She has requested that meeting of the committee be convened by Chairman MP Frans Richardson (United St. Maarten Party), but he is yet to call any meetings.
She has also called on Parliament Education Committee Chairwoman MP Silveria Jacobs to look into the viability of land for the government-owned Charlotte Brookson Academy for the Performing Arts. The high school soon has to move out of the University of St. Martin where its classes are kept.
Wescot-Williams urged residents to be prepared and vigilant as the Atlantic Hurricane Season started on Monday. She also called on government to do its part by ensuring the country is properly prepared if such a tropical storm or hurricane threaten the country.
