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PHILIPSBURG/THE HAGUE--The Government of St. Maarten agrees with the Wit-Samson Committee that directors of government-owned companies, who are a suspect in a criminal investigation, need to step down until this investigation is completed.

Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams and Justice Minister Dennis Richardson stated this in their formal response to the July 2014 report of the Wit-Samson integrity committee. The response was sent to the Parliament and Governor of St. Maarten, as well as the Kingdom Council of Ministers on August 21.

The integrity committee, installed by the St. Maarten Government, had recommended having directors of government-owned companies quit when they are a subject in a criminal investigation of severe integrity violations until that investigation has been completed and their name cleared.

"Government subscribes to this recommendation and will seek further legal advice on how this would be included in the statutes and contracts. The Minister of Justice will consult with the Public Prosecutor's Office and the National Detectives (Landsrecherche) as to what would be a reasonable term, not to have investigations proceed too long," the ministers stated.

The Minister of Justice will put the committee's recommendation into practice to formulate a plan of approach with the Public Prosecutor's Office and the National Detectives to combat integrity-related crimes, such as fraud and bribery, and to give this a high priority.

Government also positively responded to the recommendation to have periodic external system audits into the safety, vulnerability of corruption and integrity of the airport and harbour.

Experts of Royal Dutch Airlines KLM and Air France have started a system audit of the safety at the airport at the request of the Justice Minister. This investigation will be completed shortly and may serve as a model for similar audits at, for example, the harbour. Regular safety audits are already being carried out at the harbour in consultation with American "stakeholders."

The Justice Minister will consult with the various justice entities working at the airport after he has received the results of the audit at the airport by KLM/Air France experts. However, it is already clear that the mutual cooperation between these entities, such as police, Customs, Immigration and Marechaussee is insufficient and that coordination of this matter needs to be strengthened, Wescot-Williams and Richardson stated.

A thorough evaluation of the Immigration Service should start at the end of this year which should result in a better coordination with the other justice units at the airport.

Legislation and regulations regarding the prostitution policy and to combat human trafficking will be adapted in the implementation of the new Penal Code, the ministers pledged. The controls of brothels require improvement. The Human Trafficking Combating Coordinator will be in charge of this, in cooperation with the Public Prosecutor's Office and police.

The Finance minister will execute the committee's recommendation to carry out additional controls in "vulnerable sectors" such as casinos in the process of reorganising and strengthening the Tax Office.

Casinos are insufficiently audited due to the lack of capacity at the Tax Office. Also the casinos have a backlog of an estimated NAf. 11 million in controller fees, which are needed to pay the cost of the controllers. The recommendation to establish the Gaming Control Board shortly will be followed-up.

Wescot-Williams and Richardson informed Parliament, the Governor and the Kingdom Government that a plan of approach would be drafted to carry out the committee's recommendations and to also establish a committee to monitor the progress.