Councilman George Pantophlet presented the motion stating that they are all concerned about the escalating crime situation on St. Maarten but his faction feels that the pilot project which is fully financed by Zenitel should also be tested outside of Philipsburg.
Commissioner Theo Heyliger the only island council member from the Democratic Party Faction who supported the National Alliance in their motion. While all other members including independent Island Council man Louie Laveist who came to the island council just to sign in on be half of the Democratic Party to give them the quorum and returned for the voting of the motion which was carried since five members voted against with four in favor.
Commissioner Roy Marlin said the National Alliance should have taken their motion to the Minister of Justice and presenting the motion there since the central government is not giving St. Maarten what it needs for security. He said the Minister has millions of Euros that was given to the Netherlands Antilles for Safety Plan St. Maarten but he is withholding those monies.
Marlin said the National Alliance is playing politics with the people of St. Maarten since their sole intention is to present this motion which would give the locals the idea that the Democratic Party is only interested in protecting the merchants and visitors.
He said the National Alliance was given all explanations in the Central Committee meeting that this project is a pilot project which is financed by Zenitel. Marlin said the project does not even cover the entire Philipsburg since it is just a pilot project.
He suggested that his colleagues should go and question the Minister of Justice on the amount of monies he spent on St. Maarten for its safety plan.
In addressing the members of the NA he said they have duty and right to ask legitimate questions in parliament regarding St. Maarten and its crime situation and they suggest to the Minister that St. Maarten needs at least two to three hundred thousand guilders for security cameras for the entire island since this is a priority for the island.
The commissioner further said based on statics it is said that 50% of crime on St. Maarten is committed by foreigners and if the immigration system was up to date then those foreigners who are committing crime would not have been here. Marlin said if the police department was optimal with human resources and necessary tools then crime would have been 50% less.
Marlin said the police force is functioning on Flintstones vehicles which are old Toyota Corolla that has rotten floors.
Marlin said the NA cannot walk away from the fact that they have a role to play in the central government and they need to question the Minister of Justice on his spending.
Marlin further said during his recent visit to Curacao he could not help but notice the level of security that was in Curacao for the recent RTC meeting. He said if counted at least 200 police officers around the ITC building which is far more than there is on St. Maarten.
Marlin said he counted at least 14 Harley Davidson motorcycles which is used by the police on Curacao while St. Maarten only have two which was donated to the police force four years ago. The police on that island he said had numerous vehicles for their riot team and brand new vehicles which are available to the police there. He said he wants to know if that situation does not prompt the NA to question the Minister on the irregularities and unfair treatment St. Maarten is getting from the Central Government.
Marlin said he wants to know why the police force on Curacao has more priorities in terms of equipments and manpower than that of St. Maarten. He said since the members of the National Alliance are not questioning the Central government he would continue to speak publicly about these matters. Marlin said the NA members are like Pontius Pilot instead of going where the money is.
He said when criminals know that police don't have the resources and tools to their advantage they would commit crime.
He said that when crime is high it would kill the goose that lay the golden eggs and those young people the NA claims to be concerned about would also loose their jobs. "Those young people who are working today will be out of work when the goose dead. Within three months three armed robberies were committed at Westin Hotel." Marlin said.
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