St Maarten PM in shock over Briston arrest

“Shock and concern”. That’s how St Maarten’s Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs feels about the arrest of Rolando Briston, a member of Parliament.

Briston, the leader of the United Peoples Party was arrested as part of a bribery probe.

He is accused by the St Maarten Prosecutor’s Office of taking bribes and abusing his position. He was arrested Friday and subsequently released but he remains a suspect in the ongoing criminal investigation”.

In a statement today, Jacobs said she was “very happy to learn of the MP’s release on Saturday evening”.

“I have a great deal of sympathy towards the MP and his family; matters such as these leave very little room for the privacy of those close to the affected individuals within our small island society. It is my hope that they find strength during this time of turmoil. I trust our legal system will ultimately deliver a fair and just outcome for all involved. I urge the public to not jump to conclusions and to be patient”, she said,

Adding, “it is uncanny that these investigations surface at times when they can negatively alter local political stability, and it begs the question if it is indeed geopolitically or locally instigated. However, we remain committed, as a coalition, to focus on handling the budget in the coming week, which is of utmost importance to the people of this country.”