St. Martin News Network

Theo need to send home that dumb and arrogant skunt he appointed finance minister Hiro Shegemoto. This **tch was department head for over 10 years and government never got a balanced budget. He was leaking information to Roy and Sarah when Theo was with the NA Government... He said he could have balanced the budget, he said he was entitled to Bas job how come Theo gave that incompetent **tch a promotion as the disaster Minister.

Shannon.
Do you really understand what this article is all about? I do not think so or you would not make those remarks.

To me it seems like the counsel of ministers are hiding something i wonder what is it! It's time that some one let the shit hit the fan! bas has dug and he has found . Hiro is just upset because bas knows how to do his job and he does'nt ! It is not bas fault that hiro does not know how to balance the budget its hiro fault because he been the 10 years and bas has 1 year and i few months and he knows how to get the job done! Hiro there is a chain you must follow thats not a reason to terminate someones contract ! need i say more!

So someone in the prosecutor office snitching now

This arcticle is so strange.

Government fired Rhorda because he took information and evidence to the prosecutor's office that could indict head of the Tourist Bureau Regina Labega and Edward Dest.?

Would'nt Government be happy if indeed this was the case since they were forced to re-instate the same 2 persons after having had suspend them from their jobs?

Something just does not match up here. I feel that Government would see Rhorda as a hero if indeed he did something like that and took them off the hook.

Then, what proper procedures are to be followed? If you leak confidential information about your employer or workplace, I would think that that would warrant immediate dismissal for urgent reasons.

Anyhow, this article is really strange.

Since this new Government has came in, all they have done is abuse their power. Bas is/was a good Civil Servant. The problem is that he was not a puppet on a string like the rest of them. He has a mind of his own and does what he thinks is right or best. He's not politically attached to UP/DP and therefore they cannot order him to do anything like they do with Luud Hakkens or that retarded head of P & O Christl Berwers-Larmonie. Bas has some detrimental evidence against those in high places that the council of ministers would have preferred to keep hush hush. But the shit will hit the fan. And those who are desperately trying to cover their wrong doings will be exposed as usual. Sherry Hazel and her a** licker Hiro are probably toasting and laughing now at Bas's removal from government. But remember those who laughs last always laughs best. What is coming to those 2 fools will be much worse. Playing God is messing with people's bread and butter, just because you can??? There is only one GOD and He doesn't sleep!!!
Where is NA and why are they silent with all the BS that this new government has been reaping??? When Blackman was the commissioner DP had numerous motions of non-confidence against him. Why is the NA fraction silently allowing this idiot minister to continue to mess things up?
Aren't they the bosses??? If Theo doesn't know, then someone should tell him. Having this idiot minister of finance continue to mess up sxm's finances, make his judgement in character looks bad. Couldn't you find someone who has a brains to do the job, or did you just settle out of desperation to form a government ,and hired Hiro the fool???

Do not forget that we are in à different system. We are à country with ministers. When NA was in government we were not à country. We became country on October 10th while election was on September 17th. Maybe the reason why they are not hitting Hiro with a motion of no confidence. I'm not sure as I do not quite understand our political structure. NA can make noise but can they do anything?

Do not forget that as far as this article is concerned the only fact maybe that the gentleman got his walking papers. The rest is just hearsay about sources say this and that. So please save your comments for whatever other facts may come and leave this melee article alone. It is only about sensation

If story is correct, one must know that a civil servant has a legal obligation to report a possible criminal act to the judicial authorities.

Since the facts are not clear, we do not know what had happened. But if he is blamed for following the law, that would take us to yet another (low) level.

Didn't the prosecutor's office request documents from Sarah and Theo regarding the Buncamper's land steal and they had to fork over those documents? YES! Well, who fired them then? No one, so why fire Roorda for complying with a legal obligation. Don't forget that when Labega and Dest were reinstated, the statement was also made that government reserved the right to continue with any criminal investigation in this case at a later date, if necessary. So, now here it is. Government only reinstated them because of the heat government was getting, even from within their own grounds (Remember Fabian Badejo's letter?), but they had no desire to let the matter go. Now, they have been able to kill two birds with one stone: Continue the investigation and get rid of Roorda (the scape goat), as Hiro has always wanted to do.

Hiro never liked the fact that he was forced to choose to take one position. He was head of finance department, director of resources, and acting head of personnel affairs when the acting head was absent. So 3 posts for which he got his extra monies, but 3 posts that were not properly managed and it is a public secret that it was a chaotic situation in these 3 places.

When Roorda was hired as head of finance, Hiro was vex! Hiro wanted him gone before he came, but it was Blackman at the time who insisted that Hiro give up 2 posts and concentrate on 1 post. We all should remember his rude and angry letter Hiro sent to the newspapers about his employer, the government. He really threw a tantrum like a little spoiled child. If that was another civil servant, they would have been fired, but Hiro was not fired. Instead, in his anger he did exactly as "Shannon" said (see writing above), he leaked information to the DP party, the same party that previously did not give him what he wanted either. Hiro has burned his candle on both ends. I guess he cannot learn from the mistakes of others. When the DP/UPP has no more use for him, they will chew him up and spit him out.

At first, I was thinking the same thing as what "Fed up..." said about the NA, but then I remembered what my grandmother used to say, "Give a goat a long rope and it will hang itself." Perhaps - I don't know - that is the strategy that the NA is using, because like "Kel" said, they are in the minority, so what can they really do.

Firing Roorda, especially at this crucial point in time, is detrimental to this whole budget saga and another nail in the coffin for this island. As another writer above alluded to, Roorda works in a very objective and transparent manner and he does not allow himself to dance to any politician’s tune. Firing him will still mean that government will have to pay him for the remaining time of his contract and find someone to hire in to continue that work. That means more wasting of taxpayers’ money: your money and my money. To blame Roorda for the budget not being balanced is the...

Your looking for Leroy, he is home in his lazyboy chair drinking rum......This is what fools voted for.

Shame on Up/Dp and Patrick government.

Blah Blah Blah, Bas Roorda has a boss, who is government. If you find evidence about something, wouldn't your boss be the first to hear the news? What i suspect is that Bas bypa**ed government and went straight to the prosecutors office. He leaked information, that government should have heard before the prosecutor office, and whos to say the info is correct? Who do you think give them the info the first time, only to have had to withdraw the case? Yes Bas Roorda. Look how many places he worked before, maybe he's an unstable guy, Open your minds and look at all the angles of the story. Oh sorry this is st.maarten where bashing is the preferred thing to do, why not its fun right?

And what if the information would involve your superiors? Would you try to make a buck out of it or would you go to the prosecuto like the law instructs you to dor?

I just want to say that we have to wait for the facts. Perhaps the guy was stupid. Perhaps his morals told him to act as he did. For all I know, his dismissal will not go unnoticed with CFT.

Perhaps Kingdom government now appoints him in the CFT board instead of Michael Soons. Like you stated, the guy switches jobs once in a while.

The dismissal of Bas Roorda is long overdue; as a senior civil servant in the Ministry of Finance, he too needs to be held responsible for the ongoing bacchanal surrounding our presenting a proper balance. What sort of advice does he give government? What (other) interests does he serve? Who is this character? Why do we automatically a**ume that Dutch 'experts' are our saviors? These are the questions which need to be clarified.
For those who dare to know more about who this Bas Roorda is, google his name. Maybe the mention of Valkenswaard could help?

What can I say? Catch you! Look carefully into the story and read between the lines. FOOLS! ;-)

People of sxm all the under covers are in place. God help us now. He Rhorda is only one of the many under covers that's are in place in sxm awaiting instruction to make their next move when they get there calling.

What a joke the dismissal of Mr Roorda is becoming. What I'm missing in this whole story is why Mr. Roorda didn't break the story when it REALLY was UNCOVERED. August 2010 is when the alleged fraud was uncovered and it included former Com. Frans Richardson. Let's have all facts put out. Also seemingly former com. Roy marlin also dipped into that pot when he use to travel with Ms Labega when he was over tourism. They all collect they're stippend from government to travel (US$ 400,- per day) and have this special gasoline fund pay for their hotels dinner and cars. That's what they're blaming Ms Labega for as she was authorized to use that money without any REAL CONTROL BY GOVERNMENT.
Alex Richardson uncovered allot of the wrong doings, pa**ed in on to Bas Roorda who in turn pa**ed it on to former Com. Blackman. Now read carefully what I say next: "PUT IT AWAY FOR NOW AS WE HAVE AN ELECTION TO WIN WERE THE WORDS OF BLACKMAN" and you wonder WHY THE NA quite. Well now you know. They're just as deep in this sh*t as the rest. If the press wanted their heads they would have gone after all of them just like they did Maria. So you understand my heading now of what is cooking........

@ Sss

Please explain!

[I read what "fed up.........stupid govt." wrote and agree, but i have some suggestions for hiro, u like to fire and u like to go along to get along, but wait until they turn on u it will be worst than u ever imagine could happen to u, because the ones u fire is always more intelligent than u and can work better than u and u just don't get.it. Go home lie in your bed and think about all the persons whom u have caused so much stress and frustration and pain, so u can imagine what is coming for u hiro. It will be pitiful. But God does not sleep. U could not balance an island budget, how do u think u will be able to balance a Country budget? It is a bigger one, more complicated one and seemingly u do not want any help from competent persons, they have to be rubber stamps, don't u see how many enemies that u are making, how do u sleep at night? Thank God he has no children, otherwise poor kids. That child is busy with spite work here and vengeance there, when will he stop? He is running out of options. The CFT is awaiting the balanced budget. The Dutch ministers are breeding down minister Donner's neck for results and if not , here comes Higher Supervision, and who will U blame for Higher Supervision? the Dutch, the NA or UP/DP or maybe van Putten. no Hiro U ARE TO BLAME. The others who got u into this mess will wiggle themselves out, but U you are too stupid to know how to get out of this mess. Much luck to u when minister Donner asks questions and want answers and u cannot give answers, I hope u wrote them down and U are prepared. GOOD LUCK MINISTER

They ask for higher supervision they want the dutch here
and still THEY FIRED THE SAME DUTCH
WAT A MESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WANT TO BRING IN THE DUTCH MAN SAYING WEE ANTILLIAN CHILDREN CAN'T WORK AND STILL BRING INN THE MACAMBA MAN OR WOMEN AND FIRED THEM , THIS GOVEERNMENT IS REALLY MESS UP
THEY MAKE UP THEY BED NOW THEY RUNNING FROM THE PILLOW WAT A MESS MR.HIRO
HIRO IS THE FIRST ONE ALWAYS TO BRING IN THESE MACAMBAS WHO DISCRIMINATE PEOPLE SO MUCH Pa** U IN THE BUILDING NOT EVEN MORNING OR GOOD AFTERNOON NO KIND OF MANNERS THEN WE DUTCH CHILDREN WE BLOOD THAT WANTS TO COME BACK TO WORK CAN'T EVEN COME BACK BECAUSE THER'S NO JOB FOR THEM
BOY WAT SHAME
HIRO ITS A PITY U DON'T HAVE KIDS
THE LIL BOY U REARING IS NOT EVEN YOURS U ADOPTED HIM
GOD KNOWS WHY U DON'T HAV BECAUSE OF UR WICKED MIND!!!!!!!!!!!!

what a story, they has one working P.O. THEY SAY
SHE IS A LEGAL ADVISOR ANOTHER MONKEY
NO GOOD MORNING NO GOOD AFTERNOON SHAME SELF
GRISTEL OVER THERE DOING WHAT SHE WANTS BECAUSE HIRO PUT HER THERE TELLING
WE WORKERS DO NOT DISTURB SHE DON'T WANT TO HEAR OR SEE ANY ONE
SHE ONLY SIGNING DOCUMENTS ON WEDNESDAY AND MEETING'S ON THURSDAY SHE LIVE IN HOLLAND SO LONG THAT SHE DISCRIMINATE EVERYBODY IN THE OFFICE
SHE THINKS HRS SHXXT DONT STICKS
FOOOLISH WOMEN
BIG AND STUPID , WHO BRING HER IN ????????????
WHO U EXSPECT ????????????
HIRO0000000000 SPONGE BOB

GOD DON'T SLEEP
OYU JUST REMEMBER THAT
YOU SEE HOW FAST LEO HAD TO RUN , WELL RUDY GONE ALREADY HE 2 NOT COMING BACK
WELL SHE MUST REMEMBER KEEP TREATING PEOPLE LIKE DOGS HER DAYS ARE NEAR
HIRO BOY U MUST ALWAYS REMEMBER WHEN U HAVE GLa** HOUSE DON'T THROW STONES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The airport was built by consultants and contractors and representatives of the private investors heavily overinvoicing for goods and services. Politicians had companies billing for nonexistent goods and services, particularly consulting. I had a structural engineer visiting me it when it was close to completion and he said from what he could see there was no more $25 million in raw materials there. At the time Sarah was touting it as a $65 million airport. By the time it opened in her speech she had talked it up to "almost $100 million". A big jump. No one really noticed it, all they could do was marvel at the construction. Once finished the main contractors went broke, and of course all the evidence went with them Job done.

No imagine paying $35 per person to leave SXM for any international destination, a bit less for a local Dutch island. This is a huge honeypot for government and one worth hiding from CFT and Holland. Just calculate how many people go through the place in a year and you can see how much $$$

From what I can tell government do not own the airport. It was put together as a BOOT (build, own, operate and transfer project) Transferred when its too expensive to maintain any longer so you habnnd it over to government once you have milked it dry. It is owned under the table by a consortium of investors one m,ajor investor being Saro Spadaro. This was built with mostly privately with ongoing guaranteed revenue streams, so they cannot lose.

Every concessionaire has a computer system linked to the airport and as soon as the store's cash register rings, so does PJIA's.

PJIAE is a privately controlled entity and seems to own all the concessions, marketing etc. A soc-called government owned company. But government did not build the airport, gangsters and laundered money built it.

So know you know why Holiday has been told not to open the books, nor any of the government owned companies, which according to Holland give the impression they are not making much.

Ok, so in summary money was made by gangsters laundering their money as investment in BOOT project; They pull out clean money; Politicians sending their bills for consulting services that never happened;,Invoicing for no goods or services; heavy overinvoicing; According to me the airport is well o the way to paying for itself if you consider the real construction cost.

When an article is written on SMPA, I will comment on how they make their money.

Ministers I think the next to go should be Christ'l Larmonie at the Personnel Office. This girl has nothing good in her heart for St. Maarten people. She is only out for the Dutch and is constantly working to make the office look bad.
Everybody leaving that office. You ministers should ask yourself why.
The comments before are correct. She has no time to see workers, only big shots. You should ask yourself why Blackman is always visiting her and he doesn't work for government anymore. Ask yourselves why he should be locked up in her office.
Ask yourself why none of the workers in the office can grown and fill the big jobs in there. Only people from outside she want. She on the road telling people she don't like the staff in the office. Who is this garbage that you all went holland and pick up.
Get rid of her. She too got a contract. Give her her walking papers before she totally screw up the whole government.
No one can work with her. Not even the other managers in the organization.
Do the right thing. Send this woman packing and put someone who cares. Believe me there are people inside who can be groomed into running that office. People who care about St. Maarten people.

hhhhmmm. Government being blamed again.

Now, Govt. suspended Labega & Dest last year. Govt. was forced to put them back to work. Now Govt. is being blamed for wanting to protect these same people and covering up for them.

But you know what, I am happy that Govt. is being blamed by those who are accusing government for covering up for them now.

When they (Govt.) tried to get rid of them (Labega/Dest), they (govt.) were accused, by the same persons of wanting to get rid of a daughter of the soil. Labega was the best thing out there.

If the reasons for dismissal are true then I feel that Govt. fired Rhorda for the same reason as what they are being accused of now. Making it seem that they are covering up for Labega/Dest. Rhorda should have taken the evidence to his employers, the ministers, first. Let them decide how to handle the situation. Why did'nt Rhorda present his findings earlier when Govt. was forced to re-instate those 2 people? Was this all part of a master plan to once again make Govt. look bad?

Govt. has also hired too many people who are intent on bringing them down. Their show of democracy and equal opportunity for all, no matter what their race, religion and political beliefs are, will be their downfall.

They should have done like William. Put your own people in place who would have your back and work in an effort to make things a positive success.

I believe that they were totally right to get rid of Rhorda at this time. Too many strange things going on at the Finance Dept. these days. All Ministers has Directors, Sector and Department heads in place who are to advise them and make sure that procedures are properly followed. When these people sabotage Govt. it hurts all of us. Is this what we want?

Do we want to suffer because some are still sour about the results of the Govt. Formation and will destroy us rather than to work in the best interest of SXM and it's people? Yes, I agree, get rid of anyone who clearly shows that they are playing politics rather than doing their jobs and following procedures.
They work for a boss and if they don't like or respect their boss then they should either, freely, leave or be fired .... op staande voet.

This is running a Govt. This is not a simple business, this is not a joking matter. This is OUR livelyhood/future being put at stake.