THE HAGUE–Dutch State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops has rejected St. Maarten Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin’s statement regarding the approval of the Court to prosecute United Democrats (UD) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Theo Heyliger.
Knops made clear in his meeting with the prime minister while visiting St. Maarten on September 4 that he was not amused by her statement after the Court’s ruling that gave the Prosecutor’s Office permission to pursue a criminal investigation against the popular politician in an alleged bribery case.
In his response to written questions that Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament André Bosman of the liberal democratic VVD party submitted, Knops shared Bosman’s concerns that this was unacceptable.
“I share the opinion that it is highly unusual and inappropriate that a prime minister in a state of law makes these kinds of remarks, and I have made this very clear to Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin during my visit to St. Maarten on September 4,” Knops stated on Monday.
Romeo-Marlin publicly expressed support for Heyliger after the Court’s decision. She said the Prosecutor’s Office needed to do its job in an unbiased manner and within a proper timeframe. Later, she assured the press that government would not interfere in a case of the Prosecutor. Romeo-Marlin is a member of UD.
Highly surprised by Romeo-Marlin’s remarks, Bosman found that she had violated the principle of separation of powers, the “Trias Politica,” by meddling in a criminal case and by suggesting that supervision of the Prosecutor was needed. He wondered whether St. Maarten politics was attempting to influence the Prosecutor’s Office.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/80948-knops-rebukes-leona-for-her-theo-comment
View comments
Hide comments