PHILIPSBURG –The inflammatory, defamatory and libelous remarks made by Mr. Milo Pinckney, representative of USESOM NV which was declared bankrupt, IEMC LLC, IEMR LLC, IEMR N.V. dba AUIS, are very serious and an impediment to further discussions and negotiations with Government and specifically the Ministry Education, Culture, Youth and Sport. While some facts are quoted in the statements made, many are left out thereby portraying the government in a very negative light in the statements made by Mr. Pinckney in the press.
Mr. Pinckney’s very negative and disrespectful attitude towards civil servants and Ministers has been well noted in meetings and he has been told on more than one occasion to provide proof of his allegations or to refrain from such slander. Instead, Mr. Pinckney chose to instead try the government in the court of public opinion with malicious and unsubstantiated statements.
The Minister in a letter directed via its legal representative to Mr. Pinckney’s lawyer on Monday February 13, 2017, informed him that she is prepared to sit with Mr. Pinckney provided that clarity can be obtained on all of the companies, shareholder changes and name changes Mr. Pinckney utilizes for the purposes he wishes to attain. Instead of providing clarity, Mr. Pinckney went to the press with his malicious and unfounded allegations.
Neither the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport nor St. Maarten is in anyway obliged to sign any addendum or to cooperate with any agreement with the new company IEMR N.V. without full disclosure. The Minister of Education would like to inform the parents and students as well as the general public seeking information about the University, that although IEMR NV dba AUIS is eligible to conduct business on the island, AUIS is not an accredited university or recognized on the island as is stated on its website.
After consultation with Legal Affairs, a new agreement was drawn up which Mr. Pinckney has in his possession for feedback and further discussion. However, he refuses to provide clarity in writing on how IEMR N.V. took over the operation of the University from USESOM N.V.
The Minister’s goal is to make certain that the medical school is at a level that it can be accredited; this requires a commitment by the school to apply and qualify for accreditation at an institution approved by government and subject itself to monitoring to be able to maintain accredited status.
Lawyers for the Ministry ECYS and Mr. Pinckney have been in discussion since the last meeting held in 2016. Mr. Pinckney has met with the representatives of the Dept. of Education, Legal Affairs and Minister Jacobs in early 2016. The Minister deems the public behavior of Mr. Pinckney reprehensible and unacceptable.
