PHILIPSBURG – “I told the Governor: Governor, you know it. You do not believe that anyone will have a lot of interest in discussing autonomy for months.” DP-MP and President of Parliament, Sarah Wescot-Williams, told StMaartenNews.com shortly after her meeting with Governor Drs. Eugène Holiday on Monday morning.
Wescot-Williams emphasized that the meeting took place at the Governor’s request. “It was not about what happened here on Friday.”
On Friday, Wescot-Williams made her position clear about the conditions the Netherlands wants to impose on financial aid for the reconstruction of the island: unlike the William Marlin government, she does not want to close the door on talks with the Netherlands. “If I cannot take that position then there is no place for me in this coalition,” she said on Friday.
Originally Wescot-Williams would have had a meeting on Monday morning with Prime Minister William Marlin and with MP Frans Richardson, the leader of coalition partner United St. Maarten party. “That meeting did not take place, but I did meet with the Governor,” Wescot-Williams said.
She feels that USp-MP Chanel Brownbill, based on a statement he sent to the media on Sunday evening, is on her side.
“I intended to bring the two issues at hand (the Integrity Chamber and border control by the Royal Marechaussee – ed.) to the floor of Parliament.” Wescot-Williams said. “The national ordinance Integrity Chamber is not ready for handling in Parliament but I wanted to see if I could get the Parliament to take a certain position on this issue.”
Wescot-Williams noted that UP-leader Theo Heyliger does not agree with the government’s position either. ‘”We need funds; it is about aid. Nobody has a different answer.”
The DP-leader said that she would withhold further comments until the outcome of the Governor’s meeting with the Council of Ministers is clear.
Source: StMaartenNews http://stmaartennews.com/politics/no-interest-long-discussion-autonomy/
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