NA wants to know if
Govt has a majority
PHILIPSBURG--“Where is the majority?” National Alliance (NA) leader and Councilman William Marlin asked emphatically during Monday’s public meeting of the Island Council. He referred to yet another political crisis in government, this time concerning Commissioner Louie Laveist who was not present in the meeting yesterday.
NA submitted questions in writing about the recent developments in government, pointing out that government needed to have a majority to execute a governing programme.
“Laveist was stripped of his portfolios, but why has the Census Office been placed under the Lt. Governor? While it’s legally permissible, why was it not placed with another commissioner? Does government have a majority?” were some of the questions to which Marlin said his party wanted answers.
He said Laveist had been requested to resign, but reportedly was not willing to do so. NA wanted government to shed some light on the matter yesterday, but Democratic Party leader Sarah Wescot-Williams steered clear of the issue which was not an agenda item.
By not participating in the voting on the first agenda point, NA exposed the current crisis in government, as only four Democratic Party Island Council members voted on the agenda point dealing with the appeal of St. John’s High in a dispute with government over further development of the estate.
The voting was deemed null and void, because the required minimum of six Island Council members participating in the voting was not met, said Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards.
Besides Laveist, Commissioner responsible for Public Works Theo Heyliger was also absent, triggering Marlin to state that Heyliger “again stayed away conveniently.” He repeated: “A house divided cannot rule.”
He said that again the division in the DP Government was obvious. “Instead of dealing with the problem the DP is pointing the finger, saying the NA should work together with them.”
Marlin refuted DP insinuations that NA did not cooperate with government. He said NA had voted last month in favour of the purchase of land for the construction of the Cole Bay roundabout and there were enough other times NA had voted in favour of government proposals.
In constitutional matters, Marlin continued, NA has no political party colour and has always supported the people.
