Philipsburg: --- The Federal Detectives has finally arrived at the doors of Commissioner Louis Laviest. Laveist has been under investigation over the past months, several employees who worked directly under the commissioner was already questioned which prompted the commissioner to speak out saying he was being targeted and he has nothing to hide.
Laveist went as far as saying if the federal detectives wanted answers on any of his portfolios or otherwise they should speak with him directly.
Chief Prosecutor Taco Stein has confirmed in a press release that on the morning of October 20 2008 at about 8am a search was conducted at the commissioner's home under the supervision of the investigating judge. The officers also searched the commissioner's office while the Island Council meeting was in process.
Stein said that Laviest is suspected of forgery and as such the investigation is conducted by the Federal Detectives (Lands recherché) under the authority of the Public Prosecutor.
The Chief Public Prosecutor for the Windward Islands said due to the sensitivity of the investigation they would not be releasing any further information.
At the government administration building was the investigating Prosecutor Martin Hemlaar and about six other federal detectives searching the files in Laveist office.
SMN News learnt that the commissioner was taken from his home in Cole Bay to another location where he was questioned.
According to information released by the Public Prosecutor's Office earlier this year they were investigating Laviest and his several foundations, however, it is still not clear if the commissioner will be arrested and when this would take place.
Yesterday the commissioner just signed in to the Island Council to give the Democratic Party the quorum which is necessary for the budget amendment.
For most of the Island Council meeting Laveist left and later returned where he participated in voting to approve the purchase of a parcel of land in Cole Bay.
Last month Laviest refused to show up for the island council meeting for the budget amendments. The commissioner in an interview with SMN News said that he is angry at his colleagues who made a deal with him for his vote to re-instate commissioner Maria Buncamper Molanus. That deal he said was to remove head of the island labour department Raphael Boasman.
Pundits are saying that that it seems most likely that member's of the executive council is the ones who snitched on Laveist since they are having internal and party problems. "Laveist did not realize when he was speaking to the media this would happen to him, said one pundit.
