PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Friday’s long awaited meeting of Parliament was a huge disappointment for those persons who waited anxiously to hear from government what the plans are for the dump site in Philipsburg on short term. And if government thinks the people are not listening and watching, they are sorely mistaken.
The new minister of VROMI knew of this meeting request since he was sworn in, so to act as if the topic was a surprise was downright an insult to the intelligence of the people.
The minister for the meeting was accompanied by at least 2 persons who should know this topic inside-out.
Minister Connor had the opportunity to explain why no progress has been made with the company that government had an agreement in principle with and why he could not appear before parliament before, yet took off to Miami to talk about the same waste processing. And mind you, the one who left the project behind is a coalition MP!
Who else “happened” to be in Miami for these talks will hopefully come out when the answers are provided by the Minister.
That the Minister, who seemed intimidated by his own coalition partners, could not even put to rest the widespread allegations that again personal agendas are getting in the way of a solution for this “burning” problem, is regrettable.
Why could the minister not answer there and then to at least the following questions:
Is there a current contract for a waste disposal plant on St. Maarten?
What was the purpose of his trip to Florida?
Who is now leading this process? Government, GEBE, or one or more individual politicians?
What part of these questions, did the minister have to “prepare” for?
He got on a plane, right? He had an agenda, right? He met with persons, right? He knows their names, right? He knew what city or county he was in, right?
The answers, in my opinion, can be found in the action of the members of the coalition who turned their backs on their minister and on the people on St. Maarten and walked out of the meeting of Parliament on Friday. That picture of those members leaving the hall at that specific time, spoke volumes. “Minister, be warned, if you slip up, woe unto you”, the action of the MPs seemed to convey.
No reaction from any of these members as to why they did this. So again we are left to wonder and speculate.
It would be interesting to learn how much money has already been spent on this project due to individual politicians/ministers going contrary to advice and breaking agreements every time they fancy a new opportunity(!).
