SXMElections.com

St. Maarten – William Reed, a senior member of the Social Economic Council (SER) has reacted angrily to statements made by former finance Minister Roland Tuitt about a SER-advice that criticizes Tuitt’s decision to take tax debts from 2006 and before off the books. The SER called the policy rules Tuitt published in the National Gazette on May 24, 2013, “unlawful.”

Yesterday, Tuitt stated in this newspaper that the SET had been used as “a political football” in writing its advice.

“As a senior member of the SER, I take exception to your article,” Reed stated in a brief email to this newspaper. “If you don’t agree with an advice from the SER is one thing, labeling this institution ‘political football,’ quite another.”

Reed – Chairman of the Windward Islands Civil Servants Union / Private Sector Union Wicsu/PSU – notes that SER-chair Oldine Bryson-Pantophlet and Secretary-General Gerard Richardson do not have “any priority when it comes to voting on an issue.”

Reed added that the members or, in their absence, their representatives, that can vote on an advice. “Mr. Richardson nor Mrs. Bryson can dictate for us to vote where they want. So please, so far we are proud of our accomplishments.”

Reed furthermore conceded that the SER is not perfect. “But neither are you,” he told Tuitt in his email. “What changes did you bring about apart from placing your church member on the APS-board against the consent of the GOA? That was your personal favor.”