Deputy Prime Minister William Marlin on Friday 15 March 2013 hosted some 30 pupils from the Methodist Agogic Center, Campus One. The students were on a field trip to learn more about Government.
The Deputy Prime Minister explained the structure of the new government and the functioning thereof. The students asked several questions of the Minister ranging from his age to what his responsibilities are in government.
He compared the responsibility of government as the responsibility parents, teachers and the principle of a school have for the children at the school.
The students asked questions about taxes and how government functions financially. The Minister used the example of a building permit that was on his desk for signing. He explained that Government collects a fee for processing the building permit which then goes into the government coffers as part of the budget revenue. This way government collects monies to take care of its responsibilities towards the people, the St. Maarten family.
All of the pupils and the teachers received a business card from the Minister and were treated to some fruit punch.