Chairlady Wescott-Williams announces forthcoming proposal for more effective handling of GEBE issue

GREAT BAY--Chairlady of Parliament Sarah Wescott-Williams announced on Wednesday that she will soon present a proposal to ensure Parliament plays a more effective role in handling the crisis surrounding NV GEBE. Her announcement came during the continuation of the public meeting on GEBE relief, which also saw the participation of Prime Minister Luc Mercelina.

Wescott-Williams opened her remarks by clarifying her position: “I will not take the floor, and I do this to explain to the public that if I wanted to take the floor on an agenda point, I would have to step down from the chair and cannot take it up while that agenda point is under discussion. However, in my role as President of Parliament, I have several tasks, two of them at least being: executing decisions of Parliament and representing this body.”

As Chair, she said, it was in the capacity of representing Parliament that she offered her counsel both to her colleagues and to the Prime Minister.

“I have heard my Members of Parliament, and I could repeat several of the cardinal comments made here today, but I want to stick with one that resonates: it starts and ends here in Parliament,” Wescott-Williams said.

The Chairlady laid out several facts that guided her remarks:

- Water and electricity are basic needs.

- GEBE, the government-owned company responsible for these services, has fallen into discredit.

- Parliament is currently not able to fulfill its role of representing the people effectively in the manner things are going.

“This matter is too important and too urgent to simply manage by topic,” she stressed. “Relief from GEBE is not an isolated matter of GEBE. Together with government, we must find a more effective way forward, drawing from the very words that members themselves have expressed in today’s debate.”

She acknowledged that the government, as shareholder, has its executive discretion and that Parliament traditionally exercises oversight and control periodically. However, she warned that this structure has not been enough to protect the people’s interests.

“Members of Parliament, I put to you that this modus operandi, especially where Parliament is concerned, has to change in the interest of the government of Sint Maarten, the Parliament, and most importantly, the people of Sint Maarten,” she said.

Wescott-Williams confirmed that in the coming days, she will present a concrete proposal for how Parliament can take a more proactive and structured approach to GEBE oversight. While she did not go into the details of that proposal during the meeting, she emphasized that it will be rooted in the concerns and priorities raised by MPs during this and previous debates.

“I have taken the words expressed here today in different ways and fashions, and I want to make clear: the proposal will reflect that. At the end of the day, it starts and ends with Parliament,” she concluded, thanking MPs for their input and underlining the urgency of moving past the current approach.

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