Silveria Jacobs
PHILIPSBURG--National Alliance (NA) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Silveria Jacobs on Sunday accused Finance Minister Perry Geerlings of showing “blatant disrespect” to Parliament by not showing up to last week’s parliamentary meeting on Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA).
She said also that “the pathetic attempts” of former Chairperson of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams “to throw shade” at the new majority in Parliament are “amazing, but not at all surprising.”
Jacobs said in a statement posted on the NA Facebook page that Parliament had convened public meeting number 34, which had been originally called by the then-opposition MPs, last week Thursday, supposed to start at 2:00pm.
“It was noted that the parties, [Finance – Ed.] Minister [Perry] Geerlings, NRPB [National Recovery Programme Bureau] representatives Claret Conner and Mr. Knotnerus were not present. Minister of Finance Geerlings had informed Parliament via his cabinet on the 25th that he could not attend as the PM [Prime Minister] was absent as well as the Minister TEATT [Tourism Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications].
“However, the meeting had been convened originally with PM [Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin] and Minister of Finance and Parliament had been notified by the PM’s cabinet on September 19, (one week prior) that Minister of Finance would represent her and that the NRPB would also be present,” Jacobs said.
“The secretariat of Parliament immediately notified Minister Geerlings during the morning of the 26th that his presence was expected as it had been already verified on September 19 in a letter from the Cabinet of the Prime Minister. Again. Minister Geerlings refused to honour this request as is expected by his function.
“The blatant disrespect to Parliament shown by the Minister of Finance is what should be the focus here. Both him and the representatives of the NRPB were expected. Neither showed.”
Jacobs said that on request of the Chairperson, the acting Prime Minister [Wycliffe Smith] was summoned to fill in, as the answers were professed to have been ready since September 19, from the PM’s office.
“To his credit, Acting PM Smith did come, but without the answers or any knowledge of the subject. He was given the opportunity and agreed to return in an hour with the responses and the meeting was adjourned at 3:00pm. When [the meeting #] 34 was reconvened at 4:00pm, the Acting PM had not returned and had not forwarded any message to inform Parliament that he was indeed on his way,” she said.
“As such, Parliament did not see fit to continue the fiasco of this demmissionaire government, intent on making a mockery of the people of St. Maarten. As such, the meeting was adjourned a few minutes past 4:00[pm] and will be reconvened as soon as possible.”
She said the actions of the Finance Minister were what caused the actual negativity surrounding the meeting.
“The new coalition, as Members of Parliament who requested this meeting in the first place several months ago, are very much interested in the responses prepared and the way forward with the recovery for St. Maarten and its airport in order to make necessary upgrades and repairs in a timely manner,” Jacobs said.
“As members of Parliament we are mandated to continue to hold government accountable, even those Ministers of government who have received motions of non-confidence and no longer see the need to answer to the people. The caretaker government remains wholly accountable for all actions currently being taken, and if any actions or decisions are taken outside of the prescribed limitations then they will be held personally accountable for such.”
