There’s a lot of bobol concerning PJIA, Mark Mingo, The World Bank. So I downloaded the actual documents. 56 Documents in all showing the agreement between PJIA and The World Bank. Today is a ‘DOC DROP’ day. A LOT of document uploading and downloading going on. Check back often today. Each doc drop will be it’s own blog. This one is the agreement, but there’s lots more. Also Silveria received a letter saying that if criminal Mingo and the criminal board goes…. NO DEAL….

So below, I posted the Daily Heralds version of things. Then Toontje Buncampers spin, then Christopher Emmanuels spin. There’s a lot of spinning going on when it comes to half a BILLION that Holland is pissing away to out government to enrich themselves, instead of actually helping the people.

PARLIAMENTARIAN CLAUDIUS TOONTJE BUNCAMPER (USP FACTION) TUESDAY FEB 9TH 2021:Since December 3rd 2020 a meeting was requested by five MP’s including my person to discuss the companies hierarchy and structural composition,
the protection of its assets and an update on the project itself. Some two (2) months further we are now confronted what in my opinion has become
a complete political and legal battle with regards to the internal matter of the dismissal request of the PJIAE shareholder of the PJIAE CEO.

While normally I would not delve in the day to day running’s of the shareholders task and that of the government directly or indirectly regarding the
matter at hand, it is becoming extremely worrisome to put it mildly seeing what was published in the daily herald yesterday regarding said dismissal
by the World Bank and their possible pulling the funds of the project.

What has me worried is that these type of treats should not go unaddressed and the donor needs to be requested to state their position if these are
also part of the conditions that came along with the program of reconstruction. Political interference has many shapes and forms and we need to ensure
that the reconstruction efforts aren’t hindered by local, kingdom or foreign politics.

Based on the above madame Minister I have listed many questions below that I hope can be answered most soonest seeing the critical juncture we
now find ourselves in once again regarding the reconstruction efforts at our airport.

When I read the article of the Daily Herald I read that a letter was send to the Prime Minister regarding the possible stopping of the funding for
the airport. Is this correct or was a letter also send to you as Minister of TEATT?

The article refers that a letter was send to the board of the Holding company. Is that correct?

Considering that PJIAH is the shareholder of PJIAE, is it correct that the shareholders is who hires and fires the CEO of PJIAE?

What if any role does the council of ministers have in the hiring and firing of the CEO of this or any CEO of PJIAE?

What is the task of the shareholder of PJIAE?

Is it true that presently negotiations are ongoing between PJIAE and the Schiphol group to take over the loan presently financed by the bond holders group of New York?

If the answer is yes what are the terms and conditions and what’s governments position regarding this matter?

Is it true that all concessions at the airport are being turned over to the Schiphol group for exploitation instead of the present concession holders?

Can we be provided with a copy of the letter that was send seeing the media clearly indicated they had a copy of said letter?

Have you addressed the letter with the donor; The Dutch Government?

Did the government of St. Maarten call the State Secretary Mr. Knops or whom ever that instructs the World Bank to as donor stop this nonsense immediately

before irreparable damage is done to the country?

Do you consider the actions of the authors of the letter as political interference?

What’s the position of the bond holders and the European Bank regarding the position of the World Bank threatening to pulling the already allocated funds?

Is there a regulation that states that in a project the world bank decides who the management should be on behalf of the recipient regardless of the law? I know we allow them to do as they please with our roof repair, shelter repair, school repair and landfill just to name a few.

Are we in a crisis and can this lead to the Dutch government pulling these funds away from the World Bank and placing them in the COHO?

If so where does this leave St. Maarten?

What is the role of the steering committee and in particular the role of the Dutch representative in this matter and the letter issued?

What’s the position of the government regarding the matter of the shareholder of PJIAE request for dismissal against the CEO of PJIAE?

Has there been any discussion between the PJIAE shareholder and the government regarding the intention to dismiss the PJIAE CEO by the PJIAE shareholder?

Am I correct in stating that all assets of PJIAE should be under the auspices of the Holding company of PJIA? Why are there still some 22 parcels of land including the one the terminal is situated one still not transferred over to the holding company and are still by the operational company?

During the landfill program the World Bank didn’t want to move forward with the project as their reputation would be damaged by moving people from their homes etc. Are they okay with meddling in the internal countries workings that it will damage their reputation?

Has the project started or is it once again halted and what are the contractual ramifications of such once again for the company?

Is in your opinion the whole dismissal matter of a political nature or is it legally sound?

Would you agree that the appointment of the CEO of PJIAE a few years back was also a political tradeoff with the appointment of the CEO of TeLEM which now has us in this dilemma of non performance?

What is your position on the fact that the supervisory board of the PJIAE scored the CEO with a 92% evaluation passing rate and the Shareholder of PJIAE wants him dismissed for not functioning properly?

Who is truly responsible for the evaluation of the CEO of PJIAE and what is that based on legally?

Why are there two (2) supervisory boards at the PJIA while the harbor merged their boards many years ago to one board and TeLEM and GEBE each have one board, while all also having the same asset protection role?

What’s the position of the corporate council on these 2 boards at the airport?

Will government create one new board and have everyone apply to become a board member based on qualifications of the function profiles as stipulated in the articles of incorporations?

CHRISTOPHER EMMANUEL (INDEPENDENT) LAST NIGHT:

The World Bank has no authority to dictate to the government or the airport holding board anything regarding personnel management at t e Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) and its attempt to interfere ads to an ongoing scandal at PJIA. So says Independent MP Christophe Emmanuel, adding that if the World Bank feels so strongly about involving itself in these matters, then it should indeed keep its money and let the airport holding board do its job in securing funding for the reconstruction of the airport.

PJIA holding should be given the space to get the funding and would not have to put up with more threats over funding from the World Bank and, by extension, the Dutch,” Emmanuel stated. Emmanuel was responding to the World Bank’s statement on Tuesday that warned that the funding for the airport’s reconstruction is in jeopardy if the government does not ensure adequate staffing of PJIAE.

“First of all, the terms of all the agreements signed with the World Bank does not give it any authority to have any say about personnel matters. Secondly, we have to question if this letter that The Daily Herald claims it has specifically mentioned airport CEO Brian Mingo by name or that was just a headline by the Herald. If it did mention his name, are we to assume that money was granted because of an individual? Not for St. Maarten? Suppose Mingo drops dead tomorrow? It is a ludicrous statement for the World Bank to make,” Emmanuel said.

He said it has come to his attention that the Council of Ministers (COM) had requested a postponement of the airport holding board’s action to dismiss CEO Brian Mingo after Mingo refused to resign as per the request of the holding board. He said the COM wanted to receive full communication from the holding board that due process was followed. “I have learned that the COM has received this information and they recommend to the holding board to move ahead and dismiss Mingo post-haste and the supervisory board should be next,” Emmanuel said.

MP Emmanuel said that the World Bank statements were ironic considering the person they are allegedly defending, can’t get a bidding exercise at the airport completed. He didn’t mince any words and stated that the airport is an ongoing scandal deserving of the attention of the prosecutor’s office and run by a cartel-like PJIA Supervisory Board (PJIAE). He added that he also has questions regarding the Royal Schiphol Group (RSG) and airport bondholders. He said he hopes Parliament convenes an urgent meeting at the airport soon to discuss this latest development and some other pressing matters at PJIA.

MP Emmanuel further pointed out that the cooperation agreement signed between PJIAE, PJIAH, Schiphol Nederland B.V., and the State of the Netherlands is about to expire and some parties are eager to renew. “Renew why? What has been accomplished in two years? We are in the same place we were two years ago with nothing happening at the airport with the same people from Schiphol on the board and a CFO from Schiphol as part of the managing team. Why should that agreement be renewed,” Emmanuel questioned.

“I’ve said it a million times. St. Maarten has the money and it can fund this reconstruction. The government has to let Airport Holding do its job and make it happen. Stop bending over backward for the World Bank and the Dutch. We have seen APS recently loan US $16 million to the marine sector. We cut civil servants’ salaries and benefits to save a measly $15 million. It means that the government never spoke to APS. And I have said it over and over again. Sit with your companies and get it done. That APS loan is a slap in the face to civil servants,” Emmanuel said.

“The only thing the current board, its Dutch members, and the CEO have secured is a complete fleecing of the airport,” he said. To that end, the MP mentioned that the Dutch appointees at PJIA get paid luxury amounts in euros and allegedly do not pay taxes on St. Maarten. “Mind you, they get paid with airport money, but pay no taxes? Let’s not even get into the CEO and what he has gotten from the supervisory board in addition to his regular compensation. Let’s not get into what the CEO requested from the holding board if the latter wanted him to resign. It has been a complete fleecing of PJIA while the same CEO tells the PJIA employees he has no money for them,” MP Emmanuel said.

In this context, he disclosed that the total cost for the airport project external consultants reportedly amounts to over US $10 million per year, including US $237,000 for a Procurement Officer, US $234,000 for an Environmental Specialist, and US $345,000 for remediation supervision. “Perks include round trip tickets, housing, car allowance, and other allowances. Where is the solidarity with our people who are taking cuts to salaries while these people travel up and down and live tax-free? This is just the tip of the iceberg. It is scandalous and I intend to question all of it,” the MP said.

The MP also raised issues of what he termed “blatant conflicts of interest” at the airport with the Royal Schiphol Group (RSG) appointees, supported and empowered by the supervisory board. He explained that the RSG has an employee of RSG on the supervisory board. This same RSG employee votes and evaluates RSG contracts and evaluates other RSG employees or representatives at PJIA. Furthermore, the CFO of PJIA is also an RSG employee who evaluates RSG contracts with the supervisory board as well as RSG professionals and contractors attached to the airport. “So who exactly holds who accountable and critiques contracts and processes in the best interest of St. Maarten?” the MP asked.

He also pointed out that RSG has an employee and board member on the holding board of the airport who votes on the same RSG contracts mentioned before and has a say in the appointments of Managing Directors of PJIAE and supervisory board directors of PJIAE. “These people are all evaluating and appointing themselves and colleagues from Holland and ensuring they are paid tax-free with all the perks of housing ect. The money is not from RSG, the money is from PJIA.

PJIA reconstruction funding in jeopardy if Mingo is removed

~ World Bank writes in letter to Jacobs ~

PHILIPSBURG/WASHINGTON, D.C.–The recent move by Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) holding company PJIAH to try to remove PJIA operating company PJIAE chief executive officer (CEO) Brian Mingo is deeply concerning to the World Bank, which warned that the funding for the airport’s reconstruction is in jeopardy if government does not ensure adequate staffing of PJIAE.

  This is what World Bank director for Latin America and the Caribbean Tahseen Sayed wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs on Wednesday, February 3. The Daily Herald has a copy of the letter.

  PJIAH requested that Mingo tender his resignation immediately in a letter on December 3, 2020, citing a growing lack of confidence in his leadership and delays in the reconstruction project. They also wanted him to leave the post by January 4, 2021, and warned that failure to resign voluntarily would result in the company pursuing legal termination.

  According to Sayed’s letter, PJIAH also indicated that it might consider potentially dismissing PJIAE’s board. This move, said Sayed, could result in Royal Schiphol Group’s “inability to continue its support to the PJIAE, which includes key staff and expertise essential for the project.” PJIAE interim chief financial officer (CFO) Leo van der Meiden, who has been in the position since July 2020, was loaned to PJIAE by the Royal Schiphol Group.

  Sayed said the World Bank is deeply concerned about these developments and the adverse effects it could have on PJIAE’s ability to implement the reconstruction project.

  “This could potentially have an impact on the continuation of grant financing for the project under the terms of the Trust Fund Grant Agreement, which include St. Maarten’s commitment to implement the project through PJIAE and to ensure that PJIAE shall have adequate staffing with appropriate qualifications required for the successful implementation of the project.

  “We therefore request that the government of St. Maarten take every action to ensure the continuous presence of adequate and qualified management and staffing at PJIAE, to enable the company to undertake all of its assigned responsibilities as the project-implementing entity.

  “We also request that government of St. Maarten, as the single shareholder of PJIAH, take all appropriate measures to avoid any action that would prevent or interfere with the execution of the project by St. Maarten (as the recipient of the grant) and PJIAE (as the project implementing entity),” wrote Sayed to Jacobs.

  Copies of the letter were sent to St. Maarten Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Ludmila de Weever, Dutch State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops, Trust Fund Steering Committee members Marcel Gumbs and Frans Weekers, National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) director Claret Connor, and World Bank Group executive director Koen Davidse.

  PJIAE is to evaluate bids for the main terminal reconstruction works in March, with the work itself slated to begin in May. The project’s announced end date has been pushed back by some three months since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the latest projections, the terminal reconstruction project will be completed in March 2023.