GREAT BAY (GIS)—On Friday, March 5, the Department of the Government Information Service took part in the Career Fair at the St. Maarten Academy PSVE School in South Reward.

The department had displays of their G.I.S. products, which range from the news program G.I.S. Bulletin to the Government Information Page which appears in newspapers from Monday to Thursday and gives the public information about various aspects of government. The Government Information Service is responsible for the dissemination of information to civil servants internally and to the general public externally.

G.I.S. also displayed the print materials of the department and other promotional materials on particular topics, like the H1N1 flu prevention campaign. Additional G.I.S. media products shown were, from Television Specials, Documentaries to Public Service Announcements; coverage of the Island Council meetings; special events; the Civil Server internal newsletter, and the Government Employment Opportunities pamphlet.

Interim Head of G.I.S. Rodney Richardson said that it was a good opportunity for the students to see what GIS is about, and to promote working in the field of communications. Additionally its also interesting for students to hear from G.I.S. staff members on their experiences of working in Government as a Civil Servant.

Several GIS staff members spoke to the group of students and explained about G.I.S. in general and/or about their function in particular.

The students were invited to visit the department and get hands-on tour and maybe a student internship in the future.

There were about 20 other organizations that were present at the PSVE Career Fair.

Philipsburg: --- The island government and the department of Legal Affairs are currently investigating an inspector of ROB (Public Works) who allegedly tried to extort monies from Blue Marine. According to reliable sources, the ROB inspector and his girl friend are owners of Blue Blood Construction tried to extort $42,000 from Blue Marine, a company that belongs to Saro Spadaro. SMN News learnt that the inspector committed his act since July 2009 and to date no actions has been taken.

The source said the inspector sent his girlfriend (another civil servant) with an invoice in the name of Blue Blood to Blue Marine for $42, 000 even though Blue Blood did not conduct any work for Blue Marine. It is further understood that when Blue Marine questioned the invoice they were told that they should pay the invoice if they wanted to get their inspection approved on the buildings that were constructed at Pointe Pirouette. SMN News further learnt that a well-known member of the Democratic Party contacted the Director of ROB with the invoice that was sent to Blue Marine, which prompted ROB Director Joseph Dollison to immediately remove the inspector from that construction site and initiated an investigation on the incident. SMN News further learnt that a process verbal was made up and sent to personnel affairs on the inspector because of a second incident, which involved him, and another colleague who visited one of Blue Blood's construction sites in Oyster Pond. This media house learnt that the inspector wrote a letter complaining about his colleague whom he said is trying to hinder the work process at Oyster Pond.

SMN News also learnt that the inspector whose name was provided failed to execute his duties when several residents and even landowners asked that he intervene to stop pollution and other threats at a Shanty Town in Cul de Sac area.
The civil servant, land owner and resident of Cul de Sac said she filed several complaints at ROB and the with the police regarding the parking of vehicles and the dumping of garbage on their land but the inspector in question never did anything with the complaints filed.
This resident said she noticed a government vehicle attached to ROB in the area and decided to look to see what was happening. The resident said she also decided to take photos of the government vehicle number E 42 that was parked in the area and of the civil servant as he was leaving a home that is also part of the problems that are being encountered with illegal residents in the area.
The resident said when the civil servant realized he was caught and that photos were being taken of him he became aggressive and took the government vehicle and blocked her in. She said the ROB inspector approached her vehicle aggressively. The resident has since filed a complaint with the police department against the ROB inspector for his aggressive behavior. Late on Thursday evening, the detectives called in the inspector regarding the complaint. The inspector in question had some legal issues with his wife, over a year ago, his case was handled by the prosecutor's office, and he received a conditional dismissal. SMN News also learned that the Acting Sector Director of ROB Claudius Buncamper has instructed the inspector to park the government vehicle since he was not on assignment on Thursday in the Cul de Sac area when the incident occurred.

Philipsburg: --- Commissioner Xavier Blackman narrowly escaped a motion of no confidence which was to be presented by Island Councilman Petrus Leroy De Weever had the island council meeting convened on Thursday.
The Democratic Party Faction of the island council called an island council meeting on Thursday to discuss the pending 2010 budget and labor related matters, however the meeting could not be convened because the Democratic Party did not have a quorum even though Commissioner Theo Heyliger signed in for the meeting giving them five of the eleven signatures.
Chairman of the island council Franklyn Richards postponed the meeting for half an hour hoping that the other members of the council that were present would have signed in. In the tribune were Island Councilmen Rudolph Samuel, George Pantophlet, and commissioner Hyacinth Richardson, while the leader of government William Marlin and commissioner Frans Richardson were off island and island councilman Louis Laviest was absent. When the meeting was convened for the second time Richards informed the council that based on section 2-13 or the Island Regulations he must read out the names of those members who did not sign in as absent. He also indicated that the meeting could be called again in 30 days time based on the laws.
Shortly after the meeting was called off members of the Democratic Party in a press conference told members of the media that the people of St. Maarten needed to get answers as well as clarity on the state of affairs on the 2010 budget. Leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot Williams said the only person outside of the DP faction thought it important to discuss the budget was Commissioner Theo Heyliger since he signed in. When Heyliger signed in for the island council meeting he was heard saying to the members of the Democratic Party that he is returning the favor they granted him two weeks ago by giving him a quorum. Wescot Williams said the only reason they called the for the island council meeting was to get clarification on the budget since the National Alliance/Heyliger government was not providing answers to the island council during the central committee meetings.
Wescot Williams said the CFT was very clear to the executive council during their last meeting regarding the budget and they informed the Kingdom Council of Ministers that St. Maarten does not have a budget for the year 2010. Wescot Williams said Blackman adamantly said during the CFT meetings that government would continue with the handling of the budget as presented to the island council. Wescot Williams said at the time the Lt. Governor and Chairman of the island council advised the executive council to look at the draft budget once more prior to presenting it to the island council. Wescot Williams said based on the island ordinance the budget handling must pass through a particular process prior to it being approved. She said after some confusion the 2010 budget was presented to them. She said the when they received the final draft of the budget they posed several questions to the executive council whom she said provided some interesting answers. She further explained that during the CFT meeting it was stated that the executive council would have handled the budget on March 9 along with the advise of the CFT. Wescot Williams said that so far the Democratic Party does not know if any meeting was held on March 9 and what was the outcome of that meeting. As for the Democratic Party they believe that the advise of the CFT still stands. The DP leader said the people of St. Maarten need to know what is government's position on the 2010 budget and how would the executive council get around the proposals made by the CFT. She said the CFT has advised that the matters pertaining to country St. Maarten cannot be included in the budget unless there is a guarantee from the Central Government. Wescot Williams said her faction has questions pertaining to GEBE concession fee, the environmental fees, the condominium fee, the indexation of the civil servants salaries. So far, government has been providing elusive answers and they wanted clarification from government but members of the National Alliance refused to make that happen. She warned that the actions of government would not stop the Democratic Party as they have already requested another central committee meeting. Wescot Williams said that what took place on Thursday only strengthen their position on government's ability on handling the people's affairs and right now they have absolutely no confidence in government. She said already indicated to them that travelling expenses for the second part of 2009 has increased by 50%, yet several members of government has refused to bring clarity to the people of St. Maarten.

Island councilman Petrus Leroy De Weever in his statement said he is thankful for Heyliger's support but even Heyliger who is the deputy leader of government was not able to convince the members of the National Alliance to convene the meeting by providing the quorum. De Weever said on several occasions Heyliger has said that the current executive council has no regard for his opinion and this is indeed a sad day of St. Maarten since their actions will fall on the shoulders of the people. Also expressing concern was Island Council lady Maria Buncamper who said government's inaction would have far-reaching consequences for the island. Buncamper Molanus said one of their concerns with government is that they are spending monies that were allocated for one purpose on other things. Buncamper Molanus said St. Maarten is facing a daily challenge by the Netherlands who are saying that St. Maarten must prove that they are capable to handle the people's business prior to St. Maarten getting its country status.
The island council lady said Thursday's action by the National Alliance is an exposé of incapability and irresponsibility by government. Island Councilman Roy Marlin also indicated that the commissioner of tourism has been travelling almost everyday saying he is trying to bring in additional tourism from South America to St. Maarten. Marlin said he wants to know how the tourism commissioner could do so without a budget. Marlin said he held office for ten years and not once has the DP former executive council denied the opposition information. He said the minute the opposition deny information then they are thwarting on democracy.