CGC says government should follow proper procedures according to good governance and hear the three board members first.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The government of St. Maarten was basically given the green light to dismiss the three board members of GEBE supervisory board that the government of St. Maarten is seeking to dismiss. They are the chairman Rene Richardson, Ed Gumbs and attorney at law Zylena Barry. Based on the advice sent to the government of St. Maarten the Corporate Governance Council (CGC) do believe that government does have grounds to send home the three remaining board members who did not submit their resignations when they were asked to do so. The council stated that it appears more than likely that the board members of GEBE had more contact with the outer world (media) rather than dealing with the company’s issues internally.
However, the Corporate Governance Council states in its advice that government must hear the three board members prior to sending them home in order to comply with the rule of good governance.
The names of the seven candidates’ government submitted to replace the board were all approved, they are:-
1. Oral Gibbes
2. Tazio Bervoets
3. Agnes Monte
4. Romeo Pantophlet
5. Sandy Offringa
6. Roy Marlin
7. Patrice Gumbs.
The Corporate Governance Council however, did not give a clear decison on Veronica Jenson Webster to take on the position as CEO at the government owned company as she lacks an engineering degree for such a position, therefore the Corporate Governance Council asked government to submit more information on the candidate Jensen Webster in order for them to take an outright decision. They also mentioned that it is up to the government of St. Maarten to decide whether or not they will appoint Webster to the position she applied for after submitting additional information. The council did approve for Williams Brooks to take on the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position, However, they also said that its up to government to take the decision on whether or not they will appoint Brooks to the position of CEO since the former board gave a negative advice not so long ago when Brooks was appointed Temporary Manager of the Government owned company.
SMN News tried contacting the Prime Minister of St. Maarten William Marlin for a comment on the advice he received from the CGC but the Prime Minister could not be reached by telephone on Monday.