PHILIPSBURG–Caretaker Chairperson of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams said on Monday that Wednesday’s scheduled meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament with Dutch State Secretary Raymond Knops should proceed once an adequate number of factions are present.
Wescot-Williams, who resigned as Chairperson of Parliament on Sunday after the fall of government, said she resigned because she will not give the newly formed coalition the opportunity to dismiss her as chairperson. She explained that the decision on who will become the new chair will be part of the “formation” talks. “In fact, it has already been decided that it will go to an MP [Member of Parliament – Ed.] of the United St. Maarten Party. To appoint the new chair, I will have to be dismissed by a majority in Parliament or I can resign. Hence my decision to resign.”
Wescot-Williams said she will have to continue to act as chair until the next one is appointed. “If enough members are mustered for the meeting with Knops, it can continue,” she noted.
Additionally, in meetings of the Central Committee, with third parties, such as the one where Knops will be present, the presence of a majority of factions is sufficient for the meeting to be held. There are currently five factions in Parliament: United Democrats (UD), St. Maarten Christian Party (SMCP), National Alliance (NA), United St. Maarten Party (US Party) and Independent MP Franklin Meyers.
Wescot-Williams said independent MPs are counted as a faction, but Parliament has only received an official letter from Meyers indicating that he is now an independent MP. Similar letters were not, up to early last night, received from the two other former UD MPs – Dr. Luc Mercelina and Chanel Brownbill.
The meeting with Knops was requested by SMCP MP Claude “Chacho” Peterson, UD MP Jules James and independent MP Meyers.
Agenda points for the meeting include liquidity support for St. Maarten, specifically the amounts received thus far and the amounts to be received and their conditions and timelines; an evaluation of the performance of the Trust Fund and its projects, specifically but not limited to the use, pace, results and financials; the World Bank and the National Recovery Programme Bureau.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/91155-meeting-with-knops-possible-once-enough-factions-present
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