DP not consulted on move to ask CGC to step down

PHILIPSBURG--The Democratic Party (DP) said on Sunday that it was not consulted on the decision by Prime Minister William Marlin to ask members of the Corporate Governance Council (CGC) to make their positions available reportedly over matters related to an advice CGC has to provide on Government’s pick for the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the TelEm Group.\r\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\r\n When contacted for a comment Sunday, Marlin, who was off-island in the Dominican Republic for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), said he will address the issue when he is back. Marlin is expected back sometime today, Monday.\r\n DP said in a press release on Sunday that it “regretted” not being informed of the Prime Minister’s decision. “In fact, decisions of this nature are precisely what belong on the table of all coalition partners. Whatever the specifics of the case turn out to be, DP is of the opinion that this matter should have been handled differently,” the party said in the release. “I do not expect the Council to take this lying down, thus another potential for a protracted conflict. This is not in keeping with the stability the DP advocates.”\r\n DP said the CGC was put in place to maintain a level of transparency, accountability and proper checks and balances and noted that any attempt to interfere with this institution for whatever reasons undermines the country’s democratic principles of good governance and its democratic institutional framework. \r\n “Coalition partners have not been privy to the advice of the CGC regarding the nomination/appointment of a CEO position of TelEm, but it is no secret who the nominated persons are,” the party said. The Daily Herald understands that the two top candidates are Brian Mingo and Kendall Dupersoy, and that the latter is Government’s choice. However, the CGC had requested information on the candidate, whose name Government had not submitted for advice.\r\n According to the party, the CGC bases its decisions on the Corporate Governance Code which is founded on principles of good governance that are internationally recognised. “CGC is merely an advisory body. However, if a Minister chooses to go against the advice of the CGC, the reason for doing so must be properly motivated and explained. We haven’t discussed this topic in Council of Ministers and personally, I don’t see why dismiss the CGC at this stage and in this way. The CGC is an advisory body. With motivation, the Council of Ministers can overrule their advice,” DP candidate and sitting Health, Labour and Social Affairs VSA Minister Emil Lee said in the release.\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
Source: Daily Herald \n\t\t\t\tDP not consulted on move to ask CGC to step down "