Rift reported between Richards,
civil servants over ‘personal’ bills
~ Alliance calls for Island Council meeting ~
PHILIPSBURG--To add more twists to the quandary already facing government, a rift pertaining to an advice about his personal bills said to be in excess of NAf. 10,000 apparently has developed between Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards and senior civil servants, including Island Secretary Joane Dovale-Meit.
Sharing with the press Sunday afternoon his concerns about the consequences of such a rift for the island, National Alliance leader Island Councilman William Marlin said he was not sure what exactly the problem was, but it appeared Richards had submitted bills that in his opinion should be paid by government.
This was followed by an advice from Dovale-Meit indicating that those bills should not be paid by government, sparking the entire controversy that has led to Richards supposedly wanting to reprimand her and two other top civil servants for their “ill behaviour.”
The civil servants, according to reports, are not taking his moves lightly and at least two have already sought legal advice to prep themselves for a face-off with him.
Marlin said, “If you have a situation of the Lt. Governor having a problem with a number of high-ranking civil servants, among them the Island Secretary, then it’s reason to be concerned, because the cancer nibbling away at government is now not only in the political ranks of the DP [Democratic Party] where they are fighting and blackmailing each other. This could very well begin to have its toll on the functioning of government.”
There are claims, also heard by Marlin, about Richards wanting bills paid by government for which there is no legal basis. Based on information gathered by this newspaper, Richards wants government to pick up the tab for his cable TV, laundry and several other bills to which Dovale-Meit has strongly objected and advised against because they are not covered in his allowance.
Her advice was also vetted and concurred with by Finance Department Head Hiro Shigemoto and Randy Duggins, Director of Management Support Services, which includes the Legal Affairs Department.
“Someone should come out and say these are bills government pays for the Lt. Governor and these are bills the Lt. Governor has to pay by himself. The same should go for members of the Executive Council and members of the Island Council,” Marlin said.
Additionally, it seems the cash-strapped Island Government has been picking up far more bills for the Lt. Governor over the years without realising it. His expenses are usually covered by the Central and Island Governments. The restrictions are apparently now being imposed as government pulls its belt even tighter as the current global economic crisis begins to take a toll.
Amidst this new controversy rocking government soon after the conflict-of-interest scandal involving Commissioner Maria Buncamper-Molanus and Commissioner Louie Laveist’s determined move to remove another top civil servant from office, NA is calling for a public meeting of the Island Council to get answers and clarity on this new debacle.
“We do not want to hear it’s an internal matter, because any payments that have to be made by the Government of St. Maarten can never be regarded as an internal matter,” Marlin said. “If there are things being done that are not in accordance with the law and whether commissioners or the Lt. Governor are involved, it should not be covered up, because if the average civil servant is involved there will be measures [taken]. It should be law for one, law for all.”
He continued, “It’s not acceptable that the Lt. Governor and the Island Secretary are feuding, particularly something that regards the Lt. Governor personally. If there is a problem and the Island Secretary is not doing her job correctly, then it becomes the responsibility of the Island Council, because (she) is appointed and dismissed by the Island Council.”
