MPs in session during Wednesday’s Central Committee meeting that discussed issues surrounding PJIA.
PHILIPSBURG--Several Members of Parliament (MPs) were severely critical of answers they received to questions posed about Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) during Wednesday’s meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament that discussed issues surrounding the island’s international aviation gateway.
The critical MPs characterised the answers as insufficiently detailed, while others claimed that some of their questions were skipped. Some – who asked about the contractual agreements of various airport workers and consultants – were displeased that Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Ludmila de Weever, on behalf of PJIA operating company PJIAE, told them that these arrangements are confidential and could not be shared.
Among the critical MPs were Claudius “Toontje” Buncamper (United St. Maarten Party (US Party)), independent MP Christophe Emmanuel, and United People’s (UP) party MPs Omar Ottley and Grisha Heyliger-Marten.
Heyliger-Marten went as far as calling the responses “vague, misguided, hush-hush answers”, while Emmanuel went through his original list of questions, repeating many of them. “If we are going down the road where everything is confidential, then it makes no sense to have this meeting,” said Emmanuel.
“I am very disappointed,” said Ottley. “I asked three questions and I have been given the run-around.”
Not joining their colleagues in this disparaging assessment were MPs Sarah Wescot-Williams of United Democrats (UD), Angelique Romou of National Alliance (NA), and Melissa Gumbs of Party for Progress (PFP). However, these MPs still posed follow-up questions to De Weever and the PJIAE officials in the Legislative Hall.
The meeting was adjourned until further notice after the MPs asked for clarifications of the answers they had received. Several MPs indicated that they have additional questions for when the meeting resumes.
