MP Ardwell Irion Approval Is Not Payment – Public Deserves Truth, Not Theater
https://sxmnews.ai/from-bid-rigging-to-land-stealing-story-of-christopher-emmanuels-crash-out/
Title: MP Ardwell Irion: Approval Is Not Payment – Public Deserves Truth, Not Theater
Philipsburg, St. Maarten June 5, 2025
Member of Parliament Ardwell Irion is raising serious concerns over statements made by Prime Minister Luc Mercelina regarding the government’s hurricane preparedness and insurance coverage for public buildings. According to Irion, the Prime Minister’s response this week reveals either a fundamental misunderstanding of governmental procedures or a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.
https://stmaartennews.ai/st-maarten-new-years-address-2025-prime-minister-dr-luc-mercelina/
“The Prime Minister ought to know that an approval in the Council of Ministers does not automatically mean a payment was made,” said MP Irion. “To suggest otherwise is to insult the intelligence of the people of St. Maarten. The public deserves clarity, not half truths.”
Irion described the Prime Minister’s claim that comprehensive insurance coverage was approved in December 2024 as incomplete and potentially misleading, noting that approval without execution offers zero protection when disaster strikes.
“The difference between an advice being approved and an invoice being paid is basic governance. And the fact that the Chief Minister of the Council of Ministers would blur that line for the sake of public image is disappointing,” he added. “Leadership means protecting the people, not defending your ego.”
MP Irion added that the Prime Minister’s public statements may have broader consequences beyond Parliament.
“Imagine the insurance company seeing the government publicly claim coverage exists when no payment has been confirmed. That kind of misrepresentation does more harm to the reputation of government than anyone realizes. It erodes trust not only with the public but with our institutional partners.”
He emphasized that the real answers will come next week during the budget debate, where he plans to formally pose questions to the Minister of Finance regarding the insurance status of government buildings. He also intends to request the relevant documents and payment confirmations to determine the truth behind the Prime Minister’s statement.
“We will ask for the receipts. We will ask for the payment confirmations. And we will let the people of St. Maarten see for themselves what kind of administration they are dealing with when it comes to transparency, integrity, and legality. It will also be interesting to see what legal basis was used for any payments and the actual timeline of execution.”
“The people of this country have endured enough. They want truth, not theater. They want receipts, not rhetoric. That is what I intend to deliver.”
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