Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Parliament of St. Maarten called an emergency meeting on Monday to seek clarity on what exactly transpired at the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) where two members of the management team were suspended pending the outcome of an investigation that was to be commissioned by the SOAB. However, former Minister of Housing Maurice Lake who was also a former board member of SMHDF stopped the SOAB from conducting the investigation claiming that legal procedures were not followed and that the board of SMHDF does not have a full board. From the time the meeting was called by Members of Parliament William Marlin, Christopher Emmanuel, Frans Richardson and Sarah Wescot Williams and the convocation was sent out, MP Cornelius de Weever dispatched an email requesting documents such as the articles of incorporation for the government entity.MP William Marlin asked the chair of Parliament to provide Parliament with the letters that were sent to the persons that were suspended; he asked how many persons were suspended and what sparked the suspension. Marlin said he wants to know if an investigation was conducted and if so he wants a copy of the report. Marlin further asked for Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs who made his first appearance in Parliament on Monday to provide parliament with all documentation in order for parliament to have a healthy discussion. Marlin said that while the former Minister of VROMI now MP Maurice Lake stopped the SOAB from conducting the investigation that was ordered he was caught on tape saying something completely different. Marlin said its time that Parliament get information from the Minister in charge and those in charge rather than having to obtain information on the blogs and media. MP Marlin wants to know exactly how many persons were suspended, when they were suspended and he asked for the letters that were sent to persons that are being suspended. MP Marlin said he also want to know if any Minister can take it upon himself and interfere in the decisions taken by the board of SMHDF. He said he wanted to ensure clarity be given because so far it appears that the former Minister was in the loop with all that transpired. MP Christopher Emmanuel called on the members of parliament to grow up and deal with the people's business accordingly. MP Emmanuel said that one thing is said in the media while there are other stories living lives of their own in the community. He said that while it it was reported that two board members took the decision to suspend employees and order an investigation, the former Minister took it upon himself to call off the investigation, therefore he wants to know who superseeds at the SMHDF. Emmanuel said he wants to know what evidence does the board members have against the persons that were suspended. He said that someone's life was threatened since this saga began and besides that the people of St. Maarten need to know what is taking place with their sons and daughters.
MP Leona Marlin Romeo said that she wants to know if the Parliament of St. Maarten has the three persons that were suspended at heart and the tenants. MP Romeo Marlin said it appears as though that there is some sort of lynching taking place against locals. MP Romeo Marlin said in the past it was Delano Richardson, then the James and now it's the Lynch's.
Kettle calling the Pot Black.Member of Parliament Franklin Meyers also asked for the articles of incorporation because he wants to see if the articles of incorporation prohibit people that were incarcerated to be on such boards. MP Meyers said the board member that initiated the process to suspend members of the management team and requested an SOAB investigation was incarcerated. It is fact that Elston Fos was in prison in the Netherlands and was even arrested while working for the Government of St. Maarten and extradited to the Netherlands. Fos killed a man who raped his 13-year old daughter. The murder investigation against Fos was concluded as a crime of passion. However, managing director of SMHDF was convicted for a brutal murder he committed in Cole Bay, he committed the murder during an armed robbery. Therefore when the articles of incorporation is provided it will then be established if persons that have a criminal record could serve on supervisory boards or be part of management of a government entity.MP Sarah Wescot Williams in her remarks said that from the time the story broke about the suspension of the managing director of SMHDF she sent a letter to the President of Parliament with five questions that would have cleared up all the stories that are now in public domain.Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs asked the Parliament of St. Maarten to grant him some time since he just took office on Friday December 19th, 2014 and he needed time to gather all the information necessary in order to provide the answers that the Parliament of St. Maarten is seeking regarding SMHDF.
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