PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The UP lead coalition government is expected to meet this week to discuss the requested resignation of the Justice Minister by the USP coalition partner. The request was submitted to the Justice Minister last week Friday however the Minister has clearly stated in a previous comment that if the situation reached to this he would then seek to determine the wish of the coalition government before he decides on his departure.
This would mean that the MP’s supporting the coalition government in Parliament would have to vote to either send home their minister or go against the wishes of a coalition partner. This problem stems from the Integrity Chamber protocol that was signed by the Minister on behalf of the Council of Ministers however seemingly the USP coalition partner is not in agreement with what led up to the signing of the protocol and its contents as well.
Our efforts to discuss the intentions of the USP with its leader MP the Honorable Frans Richardson have proven futile. The Minister of Justice the Honorable Dennis Richardson has also refused to comment on the contents of the letter and his actions after receiving it. The council of Minister has already requested a meeting of Parliament to debate the Integrity Chamber protocol. This meeting is now expected to take place sometime around the 25th of June.
All efforts are now being made to have all members of parliament on island and present for this important meeting that has been requested by the council of ministers. The upcoming parliamentary summer break is also approaching in July and the parliament is now making an effort to have this matter handled before the summer break.
If the meeting of Parliament takes place on the 25th, this would give the coalition partners enough time to arrive at a unified position on the vote, noting the position of the council of Minister who is now standing behind the Justice Minister on the protocol. The Prime Minister the Honorable Marcel Gumbs stated last week Sunday that the entire council of ministers is also prepared to go home if the Justice Minister has to go home because he signed the Integrity Chamber protocol with the Dutch government.
