Caption: The Prime Minister at the Council of Ministers Press Briefing
"There are certain matters that should be kept outside of the political realm"
The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams reacted yesterday at the Council of Ministers Press Briefings regarding calls o a member of Parliament for her to resign to what he falsely refers to as a breach of security at the VDSM. The Prime Minister stated that it is quite unfortunate that in this context terms and words like a breach of security were used.
"These terms are absolutely incorrect and misleading. To then make a relationship to cases abroad like the Snowden case to what has been occurring here for example I think is quite unfortunate. One should expect that members of Parliament would understand that there are certain matters that one should keep out of the political realm. And there is a process to be followed as part of informing Parliament as far as the National Security Service is concerned. The Supervisory Commission has an important role to play in that process and of course Parliament can at anytime ask a Minister to come and give account for any matter but one can imagine that the same kind of carefulness will also be used towards Parliament regarding the National Security Service and Parliament is asked to respect that.
"I consider it unfortunate that such a situation is taken totally out of context. This member of Parliament can call for my resignation as much as he cares to but outside of that it is quite unfortunate that this particular item is being used in this fashion. No one ever mentioned a breach of security. One uses these terms in order to sound popular and to cause an emotional reaction in the population. The Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf in one of its reports erroneously mentioned that there were discrepancies with money regards to the DEA as it pertains to the National Security Service which is completely erroneous, so we as those elected to represent St. Maarten and its people should have a better understanding and not drop words and make accusations; we should realize that there is a world outside of St. Maarten that is looking at St. Maarten and we need to be cognizant of that fact. And as a matter of course I will not be resigning.