Published: 20 January 2021
PHILIPSBURG: - Independent MP Christopher Emmanuel, supported by the MP’s representing the USP Faction in Parliament Claudius Buncamper and Akeem Arrindell, has forwarded a letter to the Chairperson of Parliament requesting a Central Committee meeting to discuss the Caribbean Body for Reform & Development (COHO), the law supporting this entity and the country packages.
The letter reads as follows:
“On Tuesday, December 21, 2020, the Prime Minister Of St. Maarten and Minister of General Affairs Silveria Jacobs signed an agreement with the Netherlands for liquidity support (third tranche). The agreement also gave St. Maarten s consent for the Dutch government to establish the Caribbean Body for Reform & Development (COHO) in the Netherlands which reportedly will oversee numerous reform initiatives outlined in-country packages for St. Maarten, Aruba, and Curacao.
Published: 07 January 2021
~ Says PM continue with misleading word games ~
PHILIPSBURG: - Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Thursday told his colleagues attending the virtual IPKO that he could not engage in any discussion with them on the COHO because the Parliament of St. Maarten has to date not received any information about the COHO. The session in which Emmanuel was participating had specifically the COHO as the topic of discussion.
His statement prompted the chairman of the session Jan Patenotte to ask have you asked your government to which Emmanuel responded, over and over and over again. He went on to reiterate his principle stance that he will not support the COHO, an entity that was forced on St. Maarten via blackmail. All members of Parliaments of the Kingdom know my position on this issue, he said.
Published: 23 December 2020
~ Says real story, details coming soon ~
PHILIPSBURG: -Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Wednesday appealed to residents to be vigilant and attentive to the new country status the Silveria Jacobs led government has placed the people under and the serious consequences to come, while he does his part to inform them “every step along the way”.
He stressed that his obligation as an elected member of Parliament is to always be forthcoming with the people of St. Maarten even if this means standing alone. “I want the people to understand clearly that they are now under higher supervision. And a people under higher supervision cannot exercise genuine free will,” he said.
Published: 21 December 2020
~ Says Pro Soualiga employed in Parliament ~
PHILIPSBURG: - Independent Member of Parliament Christopher Emmanuel criticized PM Silveria Jacobs on Monday for deflecting from the fact that she has a political deficit within her coalition and trying to place blame on other members of Parliament.
Emmanuel was reacting to the PM’s statement that a letter has been sent to Holland distancing her government from the Pro Soualiga Foundation and its decolonization efforts. In that same statement in the media on Monday, the Prime Minister specifically only mentioned a “Hitler” statement that she had to distanced herself from made by an independent member of Parliament. Emmanuel pointed out that the PM quite cunningly did not mention the Pro Soualiga Foundation on Monday for the local news report.