PHILIPSBURG--A total budget of NAf. 87,587.15 with an additional NAf. 5,000 for incidentals was approved by the Central Committee of Parliament on Friday for the Inter-Parliamentary Contact Plan meeting to be held here January 10-13.
Permanent Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Affairs and Kingdom Relations Chairman and Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament (MP) Roy Marlin proposed the additional NAf. 5,000 during the meeting as a buffer for any unforeseen expenses.
The only query about the budget proposal came from National Alliance (NA) MP William Marlin who pointed out that he had received an unsigned copy of it. President of Parliament Gracita Arrindell said she was in possession of the original signed proposal and a signed copy would be given to Marlin.
Another issue related to next week's meeting to be attended by some 55 MPs from the Netherlands, Aruba and Cura�ao as well as by St. Maarten's 15, was the broadcast of the sessions to be held at Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort.
MP Louie Laveist (NA) said the broadcast of the contact plan meeting and other sessions of Parliament were necessary to comply with the people's right to know and be informed. He called for the broadcast on radio of the contact plan sessions to be "outsourced" in the absence of Parliament's own radio frequency.
This was not the first time Laveist had raised the issue of public's ability to follow the meetings via radio. He said that while meetings were broadcast on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 20, not everyone had a television or access to one in their car or at work.
Arrindell said she had discussed the broadcast of meetings in general with Parliament's staff in the first meeting of the New Year and General Secretary Jozef Semeleer would prepare a proposal for approval.
As for the contact plan meeting, Arrindell said the presidium, comprising the heads of the delegations from the four countries, would make the final decision on Monday as to whether the meeting would be broadcast live.
The agenda for the inter-parliamentary meeting features the formal meetings, tours of Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA), Windward Islands Airways International Winair, St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) and Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise and Cargo Facilities.
The kingdom constitution, kingdom law procedures, air transportation within the Caribbean, ticket prices, taxes and airport fees will be discussed. A session on good governance and integrity in the countries of the Dutch Kingdom is also on the agenda.
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