MP Rolando Brison speaking to MPs on Thursday.
~ Sarah says Parliament enquiry should be last resort ~
PHILIPSBURG–United St. Maarten Party (US Party) Member of Parliament (MP) Rolando Brison presented to Parliament on Thursday his faction’s initiative for a Parliamentary enquiry into Mullet Bay.
It was the first time an MP had submitted a proposal to initiate a Parliamentary enquiry. Brison said a Parliamentary enquiry is the strongest tool the legislative body has at its disposal to address the many current issues related to Mullet Bay.
His proposal met some resistance by, in particular, United Democrats (UD) MP Sarah Wescot-Williams, who said the parliamentary enquiry tool should only be used when all other parliamentary means have been exhausted. She suggested instead that questions be asked of the relevant departments, bodies and government and she cautioned that parliament has to be careful of the precedent it sets with this measure.
National Alliance MP Silveria Jacobs said the matter does not require a parliamentary enquiry and suggested instead that a letter be issued to the Council of Ministers asking them to take the necessary steps.
In his presentation to Parliament, Brison stressed that the people of St. Maarten should not have to wait another 24 years to get the truth on Mullet Bay and why the country has been held hostage for so long.
“We do not know the truth and we do not have a way forward,” Brison said. “This enquiry will get us to the truth and will help define a way forward and end this situation.
“There are some MPs that, no matter what is presented, no matter what answers are given, I don’t think I could convince them that this enquiry is good for St. Maarten. We have had various Island Councils, various Executive Councils, various governments since 10-10-10 and we are still here with no answers about Mullet Bay. Twenty-four years and now [certain MPs – Ed.] want to ask questions and stand in the way of a vital enquiry.
“We have to start now to quell people thinking that they can own our beaches, our inland waterways and get away with economic hiatus for so long. They get away with all sorts of schemes, siphon money from insurance companies against the asset of Mullet Bay. It has to stop. I will put my all if Parliament allows this enquiry. We have to know why the situation at Mullet Bay was allowed, how did it happen and how do we ensure that it never happens again. That is why I stand fully behind this enquiry.”
He also noted that some of the questions MPs asked on Thursday were exactly why an inquiry is needed, as it is the only tool Parliament has at its disposal to get certain information from certain entities and persons who would be called under oath before Parliament.
Entitled “Proposal for Parliamentary Enquiry: Giving Mullet Bay Back to the People,” the proposal calls for an enquiry into the ownership of the Mullet Bay area (issues with certificates of admeasurements and lack of deeds), the current volatile situation that exists between its current owner, government and citizens, and the need for Parliament and government to intervene in every feasible way possible to protect one of its most precious coastal and inland waterways in the national interest of the country.
The document outlines research objectives: Legislative shortcomings allowing for this problem to exist, the effects of jurisprudence that may have resulted through litigation, particularly in regard to the ownership of conflict zones such as the beach and the pond, and how these shortcomings should be addressed (new legislation, amended legislation, budgetary amendments, instructions to government by means of an amendment in the governing programme), and what actions government can and should take to ensure the property is used in the best interest of the people of the country; being proactive ahead of potential irrevocable actions such as auctions and/or settlements by the Central Bank which may or may not be in the best interest of St. Maarten; finding a fully sustainable, environmentally friendly solution to the development of Mullet Bay, and continued protection of its natural resources – zoning, expropriation, assigning monument status; the lack of economic activity for the area over 24 years and what this has cost the country, and what economic benefits could be derived for the country if it were developed in a sustainable manner.
The proposal calls for the enquiry to be executed in four phases: The preliminary information-gathering phase; verification and hearing phase – the phase where the commission will be able to verify information, hear witnesses and seek advice from external entities for possible solutions; the reporting phase – the information is placed by the commission in a report; and conclusions and actions – the conclusions of the report are delivered and debated by parliament, actions agreed, and the commission continues to follow up to ensure action is taken after the report is debated by Parliament.
The Mullet Bay Parliamentary Enquiry Commission is proposed to consist of MPs representing factions in Parliament. From beginning to end, Brison estimates the enquiry to take 32 weeks (eight months) at a rough estimate of NAf. 519,000 which includes commission staff, legal counsel, financial expertise, travel, communication, etc. Brison is of the opinion that the estimated cost of the enquiry (which could turn out to be less) is “well worth the effort of giving Mullet Bay back to the people.”
The enquiry document has also been modelled based on two more recent Parliamentary enquiries that were filed within the kingdom: the 2011-2012 Parliamentary inquiry into the financial system in the Netherlands and the 2013-2015 Fyra Parliamentary inquiry, also in the Netherlands.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/91652-brison-presents-parliamentary-enquiry-proposal-into-mullet-bay
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