PHILIPSBURG--The dual roles of United People's (UP) Member of Parliament (MP) Jules James as an MP and general manager of Simpson Bay Resort (SBR) and whether or not he was able to vote on a motion in Parliament that contained his name continue to come under scrutiny.
This time Acting Governor Reynold Groeneveldt, in his capacity as attorney, has weighed in, saying that James should make a decision and quit one of his jobs.
Groeneveldt shared this opinion with The Daily Herald on Monday afternoon saying that James holding the two positions was "wrong, in conflict with the constitution" and the ordinances regulating MPs' salaries.
The ordinance "clearly states" that the post of MP is a full time one and this was the reason MPs are paid such a high salary as an incentive to attract people from the private sector.
As for the constitutional conflict, Groeneveldt said the explanatory notes states that an MP "must champion the cause of the people." He added, "If you have another job, you can't fully champion the cause of the people."
James is not the only MP with a full-time job outside of Parliament. National Alliance (NA) MP Dr. Lloyd Richardson and MP Dr. Ruth Douglass (UP) continue to work in their medical practice.
As for James voting on a motion of opposition National Alliance (NA) in 2011 that named him in the then Pelican Resort Club, now SBR, fiasco that saw the sending home of a number of workers, Groeneveldt said this was completely unconstitutional. James should not have been allowed to vote because he was clearly named in the motion.
James voting on the motion was an error of President of Parliament Gracita Arrindell. It is not an error that could be simply corrected by "a footnote" explaining the error was not enough or proper. "The voting has to be declared null and void. ... He had to abstain from voting."
Groeneveldt said he was being very careful with his two caps of acting governor and a private attorney when commenting on the topic of James. He said his comments stem from his research as an attorney and concerned citizen. That concern has taken him to a recent appearance on television programme Oral Gibbes Live and on Lloyd Richardson's People's Voice on PJD2 on Monday.
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