On Thursday October 10th, the Council of Ministers accepted the resignation letters of Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin and Minister of Justice Cornelius deWeever, thus reducing the number of Ministers in the Council of Ministers from six to four.
Minister of Education Culture Youth & Sport, Wycliffe Smith, Minister of Finance Perry Geerlings, Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Stuart Johnson and Minister of Housing, Spatial planning, the Environment and Infrastructure Christopher Wever are the four remaining Ministers.
As of October 10th by decision of the Council of Ministers, Minister of Education Culture Youth & Sport, Wycliffe Smith has been appointed as Prime Minister / Minister of General Affairs, during his absence he will be replaced by Minister of Finance Perry Geerlings. Minister of Finance Perry Geerlings is now responsible for the Ministry of Justice. If the Minister of Finance is absent, Minister Wycliffe Smith will be his replacement.
Additionally, the Ministry for Health, Social Development and Labour will fall under the responsibility of the Minister of Housing, Spatial planning, the Environment and Infrastructure Christopher Wever. In the absence of the Minister for Housing, Spatial planning, the Environment and Infrastructure, Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications Stuart Johnson will be his replacement. Minister Stuart Johnson will also function as the replacement for the Minister of Education Culture Youth & Sport if he is not present.
Finally, when the Minister for Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications Stuart Johnson is not present, he will be replaced by Minister of Finance Perry Geerlings.
Incoming Prime Minister / Minister of Education Culture Youth & Sport Wycliffe Smith said, “On behalf of the Council of Ministers I would like to thank the departing Ministers, namely Leona Romeo-Marlin and Cornelius deWeever for their dedicated service to our Country Sint Maarten. Although the remaining period of the Council of Ministers in the Smith Cabinet is short, we remain committed to executing our tasks on behalf of the people of Sint Maarten.”
The four remaining Ministers who form the Council of Ministers will manage the day-to-day affairs of the Government of Sint Maarten until an Interim Government is sworn in.