PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams confirmed on Wednesday when she was asked if the current caretaker government made changes to the casino license policy in order to grant three more stand-alone casino licenses. Wescot Williams told reporters she did hear something to that effect on the streets and she asked the Minister of TEATT about it and he told her that the casino licensing policy has been expanded. She said this is a prime example of Ministerial responsibility and unless they (Council of Ministers) don't hear of these things from the outside, the Council of Ministers will never hear of it. She said when she asked the Minister in question he said no new licenses were granted but the policy have been expanded to include other types of casino licenses. Wescot Williams said when the Minister told her what was done she asked him to give the Council a copy of what was done but to date they have not seen the document. Wescot Williams said when she asked the Minister he said that the policy was expanded for the further economic growth and opening of economic possibilities. She also said that the Minister said that was done to grant more licenses but it's not going to be at locations where the local population could go. Wescot Williams said the main reason she asked the Minister was because she heard of a floating casino at the Princess Juliana International Airport. "Yes, there is an expansion of the policy that has or will be taking place. I cannot say for sure if it was done already because I have not seen it yet, I also cannot say what the conditions would be or how this expanded policy was done."
When asked if the motions passed in Parliament where the caretaker government cannot take any decisions that would affect the incoming government in a long term. She said that she could not answer exactly how he expanding of the casino policy was done and if it needed to be done now.
