Health Minister Emil Lee and members of his team in parliament on Friday.
~ Motion signed by 8 MPs ~
PHILIPSBURG--United Democrats (UD) Member of Parliament (MP) Dr. Luc Mercelina on Friday tabled a motion of no confidence in Minister of Health, Labour and Social Affairs VSA Emil Lee, who was appointed by the coalition government of which Mercelina is part.
The motion was signed by all seven members of the opposition as well as by Mercelina, totalling eight MPs. If the MPs who signed the motion vote in favour of it during the end of the budget debate, it means that Lee probably will have to demit his post as minister.
Mercelina said that although it was tough for him to present the motion, “sometimes it is not about the person, but about the country. … Love your country with your heart and not with your mouth,” he said.
Mercelina’s motion is the second to be tabled thus far in the draft 2019 budget debate. The first motion was tabled by United St. Maarten Party (US Party) MP Frans Richardson to send Finance Minister Perry Geerlings home.
In his motion, Mercelina, said Lee has “failed to adequately lead the Ministry of VSA” during his tenure and as a result no longer enjoys the confidence of the Parliament of St. Maarten.
According to the motion, since Hurricane Irma, Lee has not shown any evidence of restoring a strong social fabric through the Ministry of VSA.
Mercelina said that 21 months following the passing of Hurricane Irma, no social housing projects have been initiated in cooperation with the Ministry of VSA, even though the need is evident based on housing needs assessments. He said also that little progress has been made in the labour needs and issues of the people of St. Maarten, especially as it relates to the abuse of short-term labour contracts.
Also, no hurricane shelters have been built, as promised, to meet the responsibility of government to shelter those in need in the wake of a disaster, especially now, given that the hurricane season has started.
He said also that Lee has failed to establish clear policy and guidelines for the admittance of highly-demanded healthcare professionals to guarantee specific specialist service and continuity of care tailored to the necessities of the community of St. Maarten.
The motion also took aim at the new general hospital, noting that seven months after the official ground-breaking ceremony on December 3, 2018, although parent company of selected contractor INSO was in deep financial problems, up to now no new hospital construction has been initiated.
“Up to now more than NAf. 5 million has been invested in the project of the new general hospital, while although a ground-breaking ceremony has taken place, no construction of the new general hospital has started.”
Mercelina said that as a consequence of Lee’s “irresponsible haste” to cancel the original agreement with VAMED to build the new hospital, taxpayers were burdened with a reported cost that exceeded US $1 million. Lee, being cognisant of Social and Health Insurances’ SZV’s critical financial status, is still allowing SZV funds to be invested in the construction of a new hospital.
Mercelina also contended that under Lee’s supervision and responsibility Lee, SZV’s financial position “is worse than it has ever” been, that the ZV/OV funds have lost millions of guilders since 10-10-10 and are still losing money, yet Lee is approving and accepting an irresponsible “schommel-financiering” between the individual independent funds of SZV.
“Minister of VSA Mr. Emil Lee has failed to provide accountability to the reported missing of half a million guilders at SZV due to a scam, which has further exacerbated the financial malaise of the institution. …
“Until now no structural repayment agreement is in place to tackle the outstanding debts of government towards SZV and … Minister of VSA Mr. Emil Lee up to now has not shown any evident stand and vision concerning the OZR contributions. …
“Minister of VSA Mr. Emil Lee, although cognizant of the loss on return on investments of approximately 20 million guilders in 2018, the Minister still persists that the SZV is financially healthy enough to contribute as a significant financier for the construction of the new general hospital,” the motion read.
Mercelina made clear in the motion that any minister who receives a vote of no confidence by parliament must make his or her position immediately available to the Governor of St. Maarten. “In other words, the minister has to resign immediately,” the motion read.
The motion also seeks to prohibit Lee from signing off on any agreements and/or contracts or any long-term policies or financial engagements that may obstruct or encumber any new incoming VSA Minister “from functioning adequately and that may commit and/or affect and/or bind the country for a long time/term in whatever way.”
The motion also requested that Lee, as a caretaker minister (if the motion of no confidence has been passed), instruct the SZV management and board to refrain from entering long-term financial commitments, hiring of new personnel in management functions, entering into long-term agreements and signing any contracts that may affect or bind the SZV in one or the other way for a long time.
He is also “instructed” not to take any decision as caretaker VSA Minister that will bind St. Maarten or the entities in question to the construction of a new hospital.
Mercelina said in the motion that Lee is “being held personally responsible for any decision taken following this motion of no confidence against him, that may have serious financial and administrative consequences for country St. Maarten and/or government-owned companies and/or entities such as the SZV.”
