Dexter Doncher (PJIAH photo)
AIRPORT--The Council of Ministers voted on Wednesday to suspend Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) holding company PJIAH managing director Dexter Doncher, sources told The Daily Herald on Thursday.
PJIAH’s managing board has made some questionable moves in the past two months, including controversially dismissing PJIA operating company PJIAE chief executive officer (CEO) Brian Mingo and reportedly trying to replace three members of PJIAH’s supervisory board.
In Mingo’s case, the court ruled on Wednesday that his dismissal was “flawed” because PJIAH did not follow correct procedure.
PJIAH’s recent manoeuvring has raised serious concerns for PJIA’s external stakeholders in the terminal reconstruction project.
Royal Schiphol Group wrote to Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs and Finance Minister Ardwell Irion on Thursday, May 6, and threatened to withdraw its support for the airport in mid-July unless “proper corporate governance is re-established at PJIA” by May 26.
Without Schiphol’s support, the World Bank-administered funding for the airport may be withdrawn. Finding alternative funding may “prove to be difficult and cause unnecessary delays,” Jacobs said on Wednesday.
Dutch caretaker State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops said late Wednesday that he had put the payment of NAf. 39 million in liquidity support for St. Maarten on hold, demanding that the St. Maarten government, as the airport’s shareholder, solve the corporate governance situation at the airport.
Without further liquidity support from the Netherlands, government’s financial position may be “critical” within two or three weeks.
