St. Maarten – When UP-MP Jules James asked Parliament President Rodolphe Samuel for a  roll call during yesterday’s central committee meeting, a remarkable incident took place. Earlier, James had referred to an MP “who gave loans to adult entertainment center” – a clear reference to independent MP Patrick Illidge who is caught up in the Bada Bing bribery scandal.

When James got up and briefly left his seat, Illidge briefly gave him the finger – a rude gesture that was obviously not witnessed by James who had his back turned, but it was picked up on the large TV-screen by at least one reporter and by at least one visitor in the public tribune. Parliament President Rodolphe Samuel apparently missed the gesture as well, because Illidge was not called to order. TSXM