Maria accuses NA
of smear campaign
PHILIPSBURG--Commissioner Maria Buncamper-Molanus responded yesterday to what she called a sustained offensive attack on her character and credibility, disguised in the principles of good governance and transparency.
In a press release the Commissioner replied directly to the National Alliance (NA) political faction and its letter to the Lt. Governor requesting information about a donation to The Sky is the Limit Foundation from the St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies.
She stated that she had been proactive with this latest round of “baseless implications” and questions by NA and had submitted all relevant documents to Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards and DP party leader Commissioner Sarah Wescot-Williams.
She proceeded to break down the timeline of events, stating that a request had been submitted to the St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies to sponsor the “From Us To U” Calypso Show for Carnival 2007. The show was organised by The Sky is the Limit Foundation.
The request was approved and the cheque was issued to the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) in the amount of US $16,000 to cover the contracted cost of the St. Maarten Festival Village, which was US $16,000, Buncamper-Molanus said.
“Upon presenting the cheque to the SCDF, The Sky is the Limit Foundation was informed by the SCDF that a contract did not exist between the SCDF and the Harbour and therefore the cheque could not be accepted due to tax implications.
“The Harbour Group of Companies was then requested by The Sky is the Limit Foundation to reissue the cheque to the foundation. The Harbour Group of Companies agreed to do this under the condition that The Sky is the Limit send a copy of the cheque with which payment was made to the SCDF. This was done.
“There was no endorsement of any cheque by the Commissioner. The Commissioner’s signature is not on a cheque as questioned by the NA,” Buncamper-Molanus said.
She added that this “clear attempt” by the NA political faction to prolong a public discourse about her credibility was nothing but “your basic example of a smear campaign.”
However, in their “zeal” to oust her from office, she said, the opposition was venturing onto dangerous grounds by implicating the Harbour Group of Companies in what could be construed as wrongdoings.
Wescot-Williams said during Wednesday’s Executive Council press briefing that she was aware of the donation given by the Harbour Group of Companies to The Sky is the Limit Foundation and that she had no information that Commissioner Buncamper-Molanus had been signatory or had endorsed any of the cheques.
