PHILIPSBURG—Minister of Public Housing, Urban Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Egbert Doran (National Alliance) survived a Motion of No Confidence against him on Friday thanks to a decisive vote in his favour. The full Parliament voted, resulting in 7 votes in favour and 8 against.
Doran owes his continuation as a minister to National Alliance Member of Parliament (MP) William Marlin. Immediately after President of Parliament Grisha Heyliger-Marten declared the public meeting of Parliament closed, Doran stepped off the podium and approached MP Marlin to thank him.
Marlin made his first appearance in Parliament in a long time. The MP returned to St. Maarten from Panama this week, where he has been under medical care for the past 6.5 months.
Due to an undisclosed medical condition, he has very poor mobility. He is dependent on crutches. The stairs to the House of Representatives proved an ordeal that Marlin could not endure alone. He was assisted by an Independent Member of Parliament, who is usually notable for his absence from Parliament. He too came to show his support for Doran.
More than twenty minutes after the meeting was supposed to start – all MPs minus one were in the room, as well as Minister Doran and his staff – Marlin appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Shortly before that, Akeem Arrindell had left the packed Parliament Hall and descended the stairs to go outside. He came back with Marlin and his driver. Marlin was then carried up the stairs.
After the meeting ended, Minister Doran ducked from the camera, and rushed down the stairs, with security and staff. Surrounded by his entourage, he strode toward Front Street, shielded by umbrellas.
Party for Progress MP Melissa Gumbs, who had tabled the Vote of No Confidence, said that she was not surprised. “The question is,” she said, “how many more systemic investigations will it take, before the coalition will say: enough.”
The Ombudsman’s Investigation into Minister Doran’s decisions and actions regarding the issuing of land at Vineyard Heights/Over the Bank is still ongoing, as well as the investigation into the minister’s role in Beacon Hill affairs.
https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/doran-saved-by-just-one-vote-continues-as-minister-of-vromi
