LaBega: Caribbean tourists
still very under appreciated
PHILIPSBURG--Labour and Social Affairs Commissioner Louie Laveist denies that there is a huge backlog of employment permits dating back to 2004 as was alleged by Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards last week.
“There are no 600 work permits on my desk (and) there never were any 600 work permits on my desk,” Laveist told reporters during Wednesday’s Executive Council press briefing.
He continued: “I don’t believe the Lt. Governor did it (made the statement) with any mal-intent. I think it was a breakdown in the information he received from persons who represent him. That is unfortunate. I don’t think this was intentional either, but sometimes you can have these glitches. But I can assure you and the Lt. Governor that there are no 600 permits on my desk, there never were and never will be.”
The Commissioner said a “status report” on the employment permits situation such as figures on the backlog was being prepared for the Executive Council and would be submitted to the Lt. Governor and the public once completed.
He said there were no outstanding permits dating back to 2004 and only about six or seven “problematic” permits for the years 2005 and 2006 had not yet been processed and were being “sorted out.” He said there “is no need to hide anything.”
He also described allegations that he had been given US $50,000 by Grand Getaway Vacations as a humorous “comic strip.” He said he had accepted the funds on behalf of a foundation. He said too that all US $50,000 pledged by the company had not yet been turned over in full, as it was being donated in portions. “I have not received $50,000 or a bag of money to put in my pocket,” he said.
He said he understood that an official letter of complaint had been filed at the Prosecutor’s Office regarding this matter and he intended to visit the Prosecutor’s Office to have the allegations looked into. He said elections were in the air and people would do everything to assassinate others’ characters.
St Maarten vacation rental
