Joan Smart-Berkel
set to resign today
PHILIPSBURG--State Secretary of Health Joan Smart-Berkel has decided she will step down. Her decision was made after consultations with National Alliance leader William Marlin.
She had planned to tender her resignation Wednesday, but the Governor was in Bonaire and she has an appointment to see him today, Marlin told a press briefing Wednesday afternoon.
Marlin said that on receiving information Wednesday morning that the National Detectives had been requested to look into the matter and determine whether a criminal investigation was necessary, he had consulted again with Smart-Berkel.
Together they came to the conclusion that in the interest of good governance and to allow justice to take its course, she would put her position as State Secretary in charge of Public Health at the disposal of the Governor, he said.
The appointment of a successor is not a point of discussion within the party at this moment, according to Marlin. However, the name of a candidate to possibly replace Smart-Berkel has already been mentioned within party circles and the issue was discussed during a party meeting last night.
Marlin said Prime Minister Emily De Jongh-Elhage had informed him two weeks ago that information involving Smart-Berkel had been sent to the Prosecutor. De Jongh-Elhage wanted Marlin to ask the State Secretary to step down until the matter had been cleared.
Marlin said he had told the Prime Minister he had no information on the matter and would get back in touch when he had more information.
He discussed the matter with Smart-Berkel on returning to St. Maarten, he said. “She showed me a letter from the Lt. Governor and later informed me that she had complied with the request of the Lt. Governor.”
Marlin said he subsequently had informed the Prime Minister of the developments and De Jongh-Elhage had to get back to him. “In the meantime, I have not seen the SOAB report and do not know what is mentioned in the report that involves Smart-Berkel.”
For these reasons, Marlin said, he could not have requested at that time that Smart-Berkel take a step back. He questioned as well what the Prime Minister meant by “step back.” Marlin: “Taking a step back is actually neither fish nor fowl. What does it mean in reality?”
And, noting that so far as he was aware, up to yesterday there was no criminal investigation against Smart-Berkel, Marlin added: “So on what grounds would I have asked her to make her position available, or resign, step down or step aside? Was she accused of any wrongdoings? Not to my knowledge.
“Furthermore, Smart-Berkel was not accused of any wrongdoing as State Secretary. There seem to be some questions relating to incidents dating back to the time when she worked at the Census Office.”
