Dear Editor,
It is with great disappointment that the Democratic Party of St. Maarten, read that Member of Parliament Frans Richardson has moved himself to the lowest level of political polemic insinuating that the Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams should resign as a result of the ongoing investigations at the National Security Service.
Firstly: it is the Prime Minister who, upon being brought up to date by staff of the Service regarding certain financial discrepancies in the accounts of the National Security who decided that there should be a full-fledged investigation conducted. It is the Prime Minister who asked the SOAB to look into the discrepancies she was made aware of and it is the Prime Minister who is ensuring that due process is followed and who is reviewing the findings in order to make the necessary decisions.
Secondly MP Richardson is alleging that there was a so-called ‘security breach’. Why is this? The Prime Minister on numerous occasions has assured the population that the security of the organization is intact and that at no point in time was there any reference of a security breach. The malversations at the VDSM are strictly centered on the finances of the organizations and not on the security of the VDSM. Moreover, it was during the budget debate that Parliamentarians, including MP Frans Richardson, approved the Budget of the VDSM so he is fully aware of how the organization is structured. What the MP is involved in here, is simply political fear mongering and again lying to the public for political gain.
Let us try to explain the current situation by using the analogy of a bank. Suppose an employee of a bank commits fraud. The management of the bank discovers the fraud and decides to initiate a wide scale investigation which verifies that, indeed, there was fraud committed at the bank. The employee is placed under investigation and suspended and eventually has to appear before the court of law. Is it then up to the Manager of the Bank to resign? Is he responsible for the actions of an irresponsible employee? Does he have to set aside the important task of managing the bank to pay for a crooked employee? The same goes in this case; the Prime Minister initiates the investigation at the VDSM and based on what has been found by the SOAB, the PM will make certain decisions on how to improve whatever went wrong.. Calling for the PM to resign is just as ludicrous as it would be in our analogy to have the bank director resign.
Indeed malversations were discovered at the VDSM and if it were not for the Prime Minister the investigations into the matter would not have occurred as expeditiously and thoroughly as they have. Our PM has also, in the name of integrity and through various media outlets, ensured that the population was and continues to be brought up to speed regarding the on-going investigations. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about the "Sand-Gate" affair of the Independent Member of Parliament Frans Richardson.
The Democratic Party of St. Maarten.
Michael J. Ferrier
President