PHILIPSBURG--Parliamentarians will debate on Tuesday the lawfulness of the voting of Jules James, one of its own Members of Parliament (MPs), on a motion that specifically named him in the continuing saga about and dismissal of workers by Simpson Bay Resort (SBR), where he is the General Manager.
The public meeting of Parliament, starting at 10:00am, was requested by MPs of the National Alliance (NA). The five MPs want to discuss their motion of November 17, 2011, on which James voted; their position that James of the United People's (UP) party of Deputy Prime Minister Theo Heyliger was not allowed to vote; Governor Eugene Holiday's letter to Parliament on the issue dated December 5; and reactions to it by the President of Parliament.
James is expected to come under pressure to resign from at least one of his posts during the meeting: the post of MP or that of SBR General Manager. Since the resort saga started over a year ago, there has been much outcry about James' dual role.
One person who has been voicing his take on the situation is Acting Governor Reynold Groeneveldt. In his capacity as an attorney, he said that based on the existing laws, James should make a decision and quit one of his jobs.
Groeneveldt had told The Daily Herald on January 16 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 is the reason MPs are paid such a high salary, as an incentive to attract people from the private sector.
He also cited a "constitutional conflict," saying the explanatory notes state 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.
The meeting will be aired live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 20, radio on Pearl FM 98.1 and streamed on the Internet via www.sxmradio.com (select 98.1FM).
No comments:
Post a Comment