According to National Alliance (NA) leader William Marlin, "the insinuations" made by the Democratic Party (DP) leader Commissioner Sarah Wescot-Williams on the floor of the Island Council yesterday were "absolutely nonsense."
Marlin said that, contrary to Wescot-Williams’ statements, the negotiations undertaken by the NA in an effort to form a new government last year were never with Commissioner Louie Laveist.
"What she has to realise is that it is not the National Alliance who has the problem. The DP lost one of its members, who declared himself an independent, who publicly declared his support for the National Alliance in assisting with the formation of a government," Marlin said stressing that it never had been intended that Laveist would be part of the government.
Marlin said his party had been approached by a DP member to form a new government. This government (the Executive Council) would have included three members of the NA, Theo Heyliger and a female educator.
"At no time was Louie Laveist to be a commissioner. So the motion concerning Laveist has nothing to do with him not forming a government with us or us not forming a government with him. It has everything to do with good governance and the image of the island," Marlin said.
"The image of this island is tarnished every day that this soap opera with Laveist continues," he said.
He further stated that he thought the DP was playing with the integrity of government by allowing Laveist to continue on as commissioner despite calls – including from the Lt. Governor – for his resignation.
"The Lt. Governor is the guardian of good governance and in charge of higher supervision, and it is not just that Laveist is under investigation, it is also that he writes letters that have no legal basis. First he was a non-active member of the Executive Council and now he declares that he is a full-fledged member, but his staff has been dismissed.
"The Executive Council is misleading the public. If you allow him to remain as commissioner, but you are dismissing his staff, clearly you are playing games," Marlin said.
Marlin said he believed the DP was waiting until whatever agreements it was making with Laveist were concretised and "he could be welcomed back into the fold."
"We want no part of that and it should come as no surprise, if he remains there in his function as commissioner, if the National Alliance tables another motion against him. This is the second such situation which they are trying to drag on, and in the meantime, the image of the island is suffering greatly," Marlin concluded.