PHILIPSBURG–National Alliance leader Member of Parliament (MP) Silveria Jacobs said Monday her party continues to be extremely disappointed about the way Parliament meetings are convened, adjourned, reconvened or not, or postponed without proper information disseminated to MPs, the media or residents.
Jacobs referenced the suspension of the urgent public sitting of Parliament on the financial situation at Princess Juliana International Airport and the pending US $100 million funds for reconstruction. That meeting ended with two no-confidence motions tabled against Prime Minister/General Affairs Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin and Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Stuart Johnson by seven MPs of opposition NA and United St. Maarten Party. When the meeting was suspended, the coalition was “at a disadvantage,” said Jacobs, “because of two or more MPs being absent.”
At the suspension of the airport sitting, Jacobs said she indicated to Parliament Chairwoman Sarah Wescot-Williams that reconvening the meeting on Thursday, February 8, at 3:00pm would not be possible due to pending travel to Suriname of several MPs. Those MPs included Jacobs and Wescot-Williams. MPs had been informed two weeks prior of the scheduling due to no flights at a later date. Wescot-Williams, according to Jacobs, once notified said she would look into rescheduling the meeting.
The following day the notification of the continuation appeared in The Daily Herald based on the chairwoman’s announcement at the end of the meeting. With no indication of a change of date from Wescot-Williams, Jacobs sent a letter to her requesting the meeting be rescheduled and for the public to be informed of the change. At the issuance of her press statement on Monday, Jacobs said no response has been given to the letter.
To date, Jacobs said she has not received any response from Wescot-Williams on why the meeting was not rescheduled earlier in the week due to the pending travel of five MPs, nor as to when it would be reconvened. “This just adds to a running list of pending central committee and public meetings which are quite urgent but can’t reach fruition,” Jacobs said.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/85142-na-miffed-about-stalled-meetings
View comments
Hide comments