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~ UP, Dr. Richardson, Illidge, De Weever absent ~
PHILIPSBURG--The public plenary session of Parliament on amendments to the 2014 budget was cancelled on Wednesday due to the lack of a quorum, as only seven Members of Parliament (MPs) were signed in.
Parliament Press Secretary Roddy Heyliger said in a press release last night that the session had been rescheduled to Friday at 10:00am.
At least eight MPs are needed for the meeting to proceed. The United People's (UP) party, whose members were in the building, appeared to have been boycotting the session, as they did not sign in. Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Minister Maurice Lake also was in the building. Lake, UP MPs and independent MP Dr. Lloyd Richardson left the building after it was announced that the meeting had been cancelled.
Deputy President of Parliament Romain Laville (independent), who chaired the meeting, said the session could not proceed as there was no quorum.
Signed in for the meeting were Laville; Democratic Party ((DP)) MP Roy Marlin; National Alliance MPs William Marlin, Hyacinth Richardson, George Pantophlet, and Louie Laveist; and independent MP Frans Richardson.
There were notices of absence from UP MP Gracita Arrindell and (DP) MP Leroy de Weever. Absent without notice were independent MPs Patrick Illidge and Dr. Lloyd Richardson and UP MPs Theo Heyliger (party leader), Johan "Janchi" Leonard, Jules James and Silvia Meyers-Olivacce.
Article 35 of rules states that if the required number of MPs are not present half an hour after the meeting time, the chair can open the meeting and indicate who is in and mention incoming notices of absence. A second meeting can be called in four times 24 hours. If the meeting has to be called a third time (in two times 24 hours), it can be held irrespective of the number of MPs present.
The meeting was called to handle amendments tabled to the 2014 budget, including the purchase of Emilio Wilson Park for US $17 million, the reduction of Parliament's travel budget, the re-allocation of funds to subsidies and the controversial change in the financing proposal for the Vorst Estate land.
A number of MPs who attended the meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on this issue last week had said they wanted the Vorst land purchase to be removed from the amendment. Roy Marlin had planned to submit an amendment to the budget amendment to this effect.
Also on the agenda of yesterday's meeting were incoming business and the discussion on two resolutions adopted by the tripartite meeting requesting that the Kingdom of Government request the Kingdom Council of State to advise on the actions of the Kingdom Government with regard to the instruction given to the Governor of St. Maarten and the Governor of Aruba, as well as the introduction of an independent institution that will issue binding rulings in strictly legal disputes within the Kingdom.
All three issues are on the agenda for the rescheduled meeting.
The public can follow Friday's proceedings live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, or online at
www.pearlfmradio.com or
www.sxmparliament.org .
