Minister Leeflang considers
appeal against SMMC ruling
PHILIPSBURG--Health Minister Omayra Leeflang is considering a possible appeal against Tuesday’s ruling of the Court in First Instance, in which she was ordered to set a budget for St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) for the years 2004 and 2005.
Richard Pols, Minister Leeflang’s lawyer in this case, said Thursday, she is currently looking into the possibilities of launching an appeal in this case – a decision she has six weeks to make.
SMMC won the LAR administrative court case it had launched in April 2007 against a ministerial decree of March 9, 2007. In that decree, the minister had rejected the hospital’s request to set budgets for medical care provided for the years 2004 and 2005.
Similar agreements were made for the years 2002 and 2003, as well as for 2006 and 2007.
The Judge did not set a budget himself, but declaring the ministerial decree of 2007 null and void, he stated that Minister Leeflang should set a budget for 2004 and 2005 within three months.
The Minister had contested that setting a budget would be weighing too heavily on the Central Government’s budget.
