PHILIPSBURG – Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson admits in veiled terms in a letter to attorney Sjamira Roseburg that Member of Parliament Frans Richardson is in some way involved with the Bureau Telecommunication and Post (BTP). Richardson is currently detained on suspicion of bribery and abuse of his position as a parliamentarian.
Roseburg resigned as chairlady of the board at BTP because the government did nothing about the position of board member Chester “Chet” Euton who was convicted for tax fraud in April. According to Roseburg, “board members that have been irrevocably sentenced cannot fulfill a board position.”
In her resignation letter, addressed to Minister Johnson, Roseburg expresses her extreme disappointment with the ministry’s lack of action. She brought Euton’s situation to Johnson’s attention on June 25, after she had already done this in April, shortly after Euton’s conviction, to interim-minister Cornelius de Weever.
De Weever promised to resolve the matter, “but actually nothing was done,” Roseburg wrote. “The same is occurring now even though I have expressed the criticality of the situation and its impact on the board.”
Minister Johnson states in a letter that confirms receipt of Roseburg’s resignation that “the matter will be dealt with,” adding that so far his schedule has not permitted him to take appropriate action.
Then the minister’s letter veers off in an eye-opening direction: “I can imagine that your membership on the board of the supervisory council and your position of chairlady on the board may have become untenable in light of your legal representation of a member of parliament in an ongoing criminal investigation against that member of parliament which may be connected [to] the Bureau Telecommunication and Post.”
Roseburg is the attorney of MP Frans Richardson, who was arrested by detectives of the anti-corruption taskforce TBO on suspicion of taking bribes, committing official coercion and abusing his position. Richardson is currently in restricted custody; he can only have contacts with his attorney and with the prosecutor’s office.
Richardson’s link to Bureau Telecommunication and Post are currently hazy. StMaartenNews.com has emailed the MP with several pertinent questions about the situation but given his detention it is not possible to verify any information right now.
The story is that Richardson’s friendship with BTP-director Anthony Carty goes back to their schooldays and that Richardson was instrumental to landing Carty the job at BTP where he reportedly earns an annual salary of around $214,000. Carty – a former low-level TelEm employee – is said to be a major contributor to Richardson’s political campaigns – but again, this is unconfirmed information. There is currently no credible information about Richardson’s possible involvement with the acquisition of the BTP-building on Cannegieter Street, other than Minister Johnson’s suggestion in his letter to attorney Roseburg.
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Related articles & documents:
Letter of resignation Attorney Sjamira Roseburg
Letter of receipt Minister Johnson
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Letter of receipt from Minister of Johnson of resignation letter Roseburg:
Letter of resignation attorney Sjamira Roseburg as BTP board chair:
