PHILIPSBURG--The National Alliance (NA)/Heyliger coalition has taken to the media in running Government. A perfect case is the debacle over the payment of room tax by The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort and Spa and Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, said Democratic Party leader Sarah Wescot-Williams.
Deputy leader of Government Commissioner Theo Heyliger had stated to the press Wednesday that he wanted the "comfort letters" exempting the two resorts from paying room tax to be honoured.
Following Heyliger's comments, leader of government Commissioner William Marlin came out the next day in the press stating that "a solution was proposed on Tuesday" to solve the impasse. "Then why did this play out in the media between members of the Executive Council, if a solution had been reached?" Wescot-Williams asked.
Marlin had told the press over a month ago that the NA-led government was not responsible for DP's "promises" to Westin.
However, this is not so much the point. Rather, it is Marlin's accusation of the DP, saying "creating the impression that it is the present Executive Council that doesn't want to solve the problem is nothing more than old, cheap politics that doesn't work anymore."
The DP leader said Marlin should deal with the issue with his colleagues. "We wait to see what solution is being proposed, and at the same time, the DP is preparing to address this matter in the Island Council," she said.
DP, while in office, had tried to amend the Room Tax Ordinance to accommodate incentives to "branded" properties, but was told there were legal issues preventing this approach. "We [had] responded that it must be possible, even within the legal constraints."
DP is just as convinced as it was in the beginning that attracting brand names or hotel chains is in the interest of employment and investment in St. Maarten, an approach that links to the Tourism Master Plan Tour Map, the DP leader said.
"The current government has come to the same conclusion, it would seem."
