PHILIPSBURG--What was to have been a progress report meeting between the Council of Ministers (COM) and the Princess Juliana International Airport Holding (PJIAH) company board on Tuesday ended up being a final meeting for members of the supervisory board who were asked by COM to make their positions available with immediate effect.
Representing Government as the shareholder, Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin, Minister of Tourism Stuart Johnson, Minister of Finance Perry Geerlings, Minister of Justice Cornelius de Weever and Minister of Education Wycliffe Smith told the holding company they want the board’s resignation as soon as possible. The board informed COM that several procedures needed to be initiated before members resign from their post.
Johnson toured the airport recently to get a first-hand look at the company’s progress. He hinted at the time that he was not happy with the supervisory board and wanted to appoint a new board that will reflect the current political situation. The members of the PJIAH board are Glen Daniel, Alex Dijkhoffz, Rochelle Hodge and Chairperson Marieke Van Zadlehof.
The Daily Herald understands the letter inviting PJIAH to the meeting was send by Johnson and did not refer to it as a general shareholders meeting. Furthermore, it did not mention the resignation of the board as one of the seven agenda points. A request to resign can only be made at a general shareholders meeting and such request must be on the official agenda made known beforehand.
The PJIAH board informed COM council that they are not accepting the verbal request to resign and wanted COM’s request in writing.
The dismissal request comes 24 hours after the Court of First Instance ordered NAGICO Insurances N.V. to pay US $33.2 million dollars in advance to Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) for damage incurred during Hurricane Irma last year which is covered under the airport’s insurance policy.
The board members do not plan to make their positions available and await COM’s official request in writing asking for the members’ resignations. They are curious to find out what the reasons behind the dismissal request might be, as the board decided to take NAGICO to court for non-payment of insurance claim.
This newspaper requested clarity from shareholder representative Minister Johnson on Tuesday, but up to Tuesday evening he had not replied to questions posed.
