PHILIPSBURG--Opposition Democratic Party (DP) requested an Island Council meeting on the draft 2010 budget and the consequences for the island not having an approved budget.

Chairman of the Island Council Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards, based on the Islands Regulation of the Netherlands Antilles ERNA, has to call the meeting within seven days of receipt of the letter. This means the meeting has to be called by Friday, March 12.

Finance Commissioner Xavier Blackman will be heading to the Netherlands on Wednesday to meet with students and drum up recruits to fill vacancies in the present government structure and when St. Maarten attains country status.

Based on the commissioner's pending trip, this meeting may be called earlier than Friday. Blackman has come under a lot of fire from the opposition. DP Island Councilman Leroy de Weever has even called for his resignation on the ground that he is incompetent.

Blackman's draft budget has undergone intense scrutiny from the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT, which has made a series of recommendations and pointed out areas where adjustments are needed.

CFT had announced Tuesday that it would inform the Kingdom Council of Ministers that St. Maarten has no 2010 budget ready to be approved.

It also would advise the Council of Ministers to issue a decree instructing the Executive Council of St. Maarten to have an approved budget that complies with all norms and regulations by the third week of March.

CFT has advised the Executive Council to re-visit its 2010 budget and present a balanced budget that doesn't take into account the cost of the dismantling process.

The request for the Island Council meeting was signed by DP Island Council members Wescot-Williams, Roy Marlin, Maria Buncamper-Molanus and Leroy de Weever.