PHILIPSBURG – In what has turned out to be a rollercoaster week, Princess Juliana International Airport SXM Managing Director Regina LaBega has been suspended for three months by the airport’s Holding Company, just two days after she was praised in Parliament for an excellent job at the helm of the thriving business.
LaBega needed a moment during the Parliament session concerning the airport’s financial performance, after the sensitive topic came up of a possible impending suspension in connection with ongoing court cases following recent screening by the national security service.
LaBega was suspended following an extraordinary meeting by the Holding Company on St. Maarten/St. Martin Day. This directly followed a Court decision on Tuesday in her case brought against Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs’ instruction to remove her from the post because her position of trust needed a Certificate of No Objection which he has not given. The Court did not rule in her favour.
The case took place behind closed doors on request of attorney Richard Gibson Jr.
LaBega’s attorney Cor Merx told The Daily Herald in an invited comment that while he could not comment on the exchange of arguments during the closed-door hearing, he could disclose that the Court had decided it was bound by the Minister’s decision not to grant her a Certificate of No Objection, and that this decision could not be suspended.
Someone who does not receive said certificate cannot stay in a position of trust, but cannot be fired either, he explained. The person can be given a different job which does not require it, in the same organisation.
At the same time, Government stated that it would not impose any fines, to Merx’s satisfaction. However, he is annoyed that the Court decision has been leaked recently. “The Court of First Instance and I do not know who has been responsible for this,” he stated.
Attorney Gibson Jr. is also a member of the airport’s Supervisory Board. A colleague of his at Gibson and Associates, Aernout Kraaijeveld, represented Country St. Maarten in the closed-door hearing, while Gibson Jr. was present on behalf of the Supervisory Board.
A day after the Court decision was presented, Gibson Jr. reportedly called Labega in his capacity of Chairman of the Board and informed her that she had two choices: dismissal or suspension.
She became upset and called in sick, and is currently on a three-month suspension as a result.
LaBega’s attorney said he had not been heard about the Supervisory Board’s suspension decision, but had been informed that he could challenge it. On behalf of his client, he said both of them were very disappointed with the decision, especially given the positive feedback heard in Parliament just before. “The last word in this case has not been said yet,” he added.
Member of Parliament Silvio Matser is reportedly very much against the decision, according to two sources, but this could not be confirmed with Matser by press time.
Merx found it unpleasant that Gibson Jr. Had acted against LaBega as legal representative of Country St. Maarten, given his status as a member of the Supervisory Board. This can be seen as a conflict of interest.
When contacted, Gibson Jr. declined to comment on the matter in general, referring this newspaper instead to Chairman Gary Matser. However, Gary Matser declined to answer a request for a statement on the matter.