Grisha questions Minister Lambriex on EDC, advice on appointment of Interim Director | SOUALIGA NEWSDAY

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - In a recent letter containing eighteen questions, Member of Parliament Grisha Heyliger-Marten requested clarity from the Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT), the Hon. Leo Lambriex, on the status of the Economic Development Corporation (EDC).

At the core of the questions was the appointment of the Interim Director of the EDC, Mr. Alfred Harley. According to an advice from the Corporate Governance Council (CGC) issued to Minister of TEATT on July 1^st, 2023, Mr. Harley “does not meet the educational requirements” for the position of Interim Director. Despite this, the CGC stated that it has no “serious objections” against the interim appointment of Mr. Harley, while recommending that “the Minister start the selection process to acquire a managing Director with the relevant competencies in investments and educational background to succeed Mr. Harley within his one-year appointment.”

Additional questions posed by MP Heyliger-Marten were related to the pending appointment of the Supervisory Board of the EDC, a reported MOU between the EDC and the Port of St. Maarten, and the projects that will be executed by the EDC.

In a press release issued on Tuesday afternoon, MP Heyliger-Marten stated that she looks forward to receiving the answers from the Minister in accordance with the Rules of Order of Parliament.

“According to (former) Acting Minister of TEATT Ottley in January of 2023, the EDC, and I quote: will be an important vehicle for the country to attract foreign direct investment and be responsible for developing an economic strategy to assist Government in meeting its revenue goals to move the country forward. Minister Ottley also stated that the EDC will also improve the global image and geopolitical influence of Sint Maarten”, Heyliger-Marten stated.

“This is exactly what I have been advocating to the Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Minister of TEATT for the last two years, up to recently”, Heyliger-Marten concluded.