SXMElections.com

Saba Again Receives Positive Audit On Financial Statements

By Suzanne Koelega

SABA/THE HAGUE--The 2015 financial statements of the Public Entity Saba has received a positive audit, again. This is the fourth time in a row, a milestone which has not been accomplished by any other Dutch Caribbean island. The Saba Island Council discussed the 2015 annual report and related documents in the Central Committee on Thursday.

The audit statement of accounting firm Ernst and Young (EY) was positive in all aspects. “We are of the opinion that the audit information that we received was sufficient and suitable to offer a substantiation for our qualification regarding the dependability of the annual report and the financial legitimacy.”

The accountant stated that the 2015 annual account presented a “true view of the size and composition” of both the revenues and expenditures over 2015 of the assets and liabilities per December 31, 2015, in accordance with the budget and other relevant legislation Read more

Wuite Calls 26% Youth Unemployment ‘Nuts’

PHILIPSBURG--“Nuts” is how Jorien Wuite, Secretary-General for Education and Youth as well as Parliamentarian hopeful, described the current 26 per cent youth unemployment rate in the country.

“There is no room for complacency anymore, and it’s time to get out of our comfort zone. A lot of opportunities for entrepreneurs, for example in fashion and performing arts, are easily gained,” Wuite said on “Oral Gibbes - Speaking of Everything” show according to a Democratic Party press statement.

The high percentage of youth unemployment “has bothered her for a long time,” said Wuite whose party is in the current governing coalition Read more

Us Party Proposes Profit Tax Break For Local Entrepreneurs

PHILIPSBURG--The United St. Maarten Party (US Party) says it will enact a five-year profit tax break for young local entrepreneurs who invest in up and coming fields of business. Among the areas considered “up and coming” are agro-farming, e-zoning, technology and automation.

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Heyliger And Meyers Has 72 Hours To Publicly Retract Their False Statements Or Consider Legal Action

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — In a press release issued late Wednesday (August 25) night by Robelto & Sons NV the director Mr. Flanders broke his silence by saying;

In the week of August 15 both the leader and the deputy leader  of the United People’s Party went in the media and boldly made the statement that Robelto & Sons BV has collected or at least has billed government for a total amount of 19 times 148,500.00 guilders or 2.82 Million Guilders.

This statement is a blatant lie and we will not accept these types of statements from persons whose goal it is to fool the people of St Read more

Usp’S Manifesto Released, Urges Public To Believe In St. Maarten

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Leader of the United St. Maarten (US) party MP Frans Richardson on Thursday presented the first copy of the party’s 2016 Manifesto to representatives of the Philipsburg Jubilee Library, in the presence of students from the St. Maarten Academy who just happened to present at the same time of the presentation.

Richardson told the students, who were working on a political project for school, that he was honored that they could be the first to see the manifesto Read more

Wuite On Gibbes: “26% Youth Unemployment Is “Nuts”’

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — At Oral Gibbes’”Speaking of Everything” show DP No#3 Jorien Wuite was highly critical of the current situation of youth unemployment on Sint Maarten. Stressing the need for rapid expansion of their possibilities on island, she called the current percentage of 26% youth unemployment “nuts”.

“We are in a highly competitive region Read more

Frans: Five-Year Profit Tax Break For Young,  Local Entrepreneurs

~ It’s past time we do this for our people ~

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The United St. Maarten (US) party will seek to enact a five-year profit tax break for young local entrepreneurs who seek to invest in up and coming fields of business. Leader of the USP Frans Richardson stressed on Thursday that the world is evolving and so too should St Read more

Usp’S Manifesto Released, Urges Public To Believe In St. Maarten.

PHILIPSBURG:-- The Leader of the United St. Maarten (US) party MP Frans Richardson on Thursday presented the first copy of the party’s 2016 Manifesto to representatives of the Philipsburg Jubilee Library, in the presence of students from the St. Maarten Academy who just happened to present at the same time of the presentation.
Richardson told the students, who were working on a political project for school, that he was honored that they could be the first to see the manifesto Read more

PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM) — Minister of Finance Richard Gibson meets with Mr. Julian Ramirez and Professor Peter Kavelaars , Managing Partners of Deloitte in the Dutch Caribbean and the Netherlands, to present their latest book on levying taxation in Sint Maarten, Aruba, Curaçao and the BES islands. The book “Het fiscale stelsel in het Caribisch Koninkrijk” describes and analyses the tax systems of all countries in the Caribbean under the Dutch Kingdom Read more

Said INSO’s Bid should have been disqualified --- No Dialysis, Oncology Center, and Special Wing will be included if INSO constructs Hospital.

PHILIPSBURG:---KPMG and USZV has one more hurdle to cross before the finalization of the contract for the new hospital is realized and they may well have to face court litigations if the contract is awarded to INSO. Two of the three companies that bid on the project has submitted their objections to the project manager at KPMG. According to information and documentation, SMN News obtained the objections were filed on August 12th, 2016.
Some of the arguments used by VAMED, the Austria company that worked on a concept for USZV invested a significant amount of time and also incurred significant costs in order to participate in the tender for the new hospital on St Read more

The Role Of Your Elected Parliamentarian

As a politician, campaigning for the elections on September 26th, I am constantly bombarded with questions such as, what can you do for me? Will you fix my papers? Can you make sure that I get a job? Will you increase the pension of my aged mother who is unable to survive on such a meager income?

I truly understand the plight of these persons and I wish I could tell them yes. But that would be only telling them lies, making empty promises and giving them false hope. Unfortunately, this is what the majority of parties and politicians are doing Read more

Frantz Gumbs Not Running In 2017, Endorses Mussington Party Instead

MARIGOT--Former President of the Collectivité from 2008-2012, Frantz Gumbs has stated he will not be forming a list to contest the 2017 Territorial Council elections due to his commitments at the Cité Scolaire where he is the Principal.

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Romain Laville Found Guilty Of Illegal Firearm Possession

~ Acquitted of death threats ~

PHILIPSBURG--Former Member of Parliament (MP) Romain Laville (38) was sentenced by the Court of First Instance on Wednesday to a suspended prison sentence of one month, on two years’ probation, for the illegal possession of a firearm with ammunition.

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Why did Minister of VSA appoint Carty retroactive to 2014?

PHILIPSBURG:--- The appointment of the interim director now director of USZV has raised a number of questions based on documents SMN News obtained. One has to now question if Carty was acting and or signing agreements on behalf of USZV illegally. While Carty was appointed by word of mouth to the position of interim director of USZV on July 1st, 2015 to June 30th, 2016. The Gumbs cabinet only took a decision on October 14th, 2015 where they made the appointment official and retroactive to July 1st, 2015, while the Chairman of Supervisory Board of Directors (SBOD) was informed officially of the appointment on October 27th, 2015 by the then Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs.
While Carty’s appointment expired on June 30th, 2016, he continued to work and committed SZV (AOV) funds during the month of July and August 2016 while he had no official working agreement.
What is more questionable is the Landsbesluit signed off within four days by Governor Holiday on August 4th, 2016.

The documents which that is below the article shows that the SBOD of USZV sent in a proposal to the Gumbs cabinet on September 3rd, 2015 to appoint Carty as the Director of USZV while he was in possession of a contract that expires on June 30th, 2016.
The LB continues to show that Carty was appointed Director of USZV for an unlimited period of time even though he has another full-time job as the CEO of UTS St Read more

Usp Moves Thursday Meeting To Saturday

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Due to uncertainty surrounding the present weather conditions, the United St. Maarten Party (USP) has moved its first public meeting to Saturday, August 27. The event will be held in the same location, Simpson Bay, across of the Harbour Restaurant.

The meeting was initially scheduled for Thursday, August 25, but the party explained that Thursday evening shows chances of remnant showers from the passing tropical wave Read more

Up Party Postpones Public Meeting Due To Inclement Weather. Dutch Quarter Public Meeting Set For Saturday

SUCKER GARDEN — The United People’s Party (UP Party), has postponed the public meeting at its first scheduled venue in Sucker Garden until further notice and is inviting the general public to its Saturday August 27th public meeting in Dutch Quarter on the Plantz Property adjacent Mc Donald’s.

The public meeting will begin at 7:00pm and ending at 11:00pm. The general public is invited to come out and get updates from the 23 energetic candidates for the UP Party, who are eager to tell its supporters the many plans they have been busy working on for the future of Country St Read more

Usp Moves Thursday Meeting To Saturday.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Due to uncertainty surrounding the present weather conditions, the United St. Maarten Party (USP) has moved its first public meeting to Saturday, August 27. The event will be held in the same location, Simpson Bay, across of the Harbour Restaurant.

The meeting was initially scheduled for Thursday, August 25, but the party explained that Thursday evening shows chances of remnant showers from the passing tropical wave Read more

Up Party Postpones Public Meeting Due To Inclement Weather. Dutch Quarter Public Meeting Set For Saturday

SUCKER GARDEN, St. Maarten - The United People’s Party (UP Party), has postponed the public meeting at its first scheduled venue in Sucker Garden until further notice and is inviting the general public to its Saturday August 27th public meeting in Dutch Quarter on the Plantz Property adjacent Mc Donald’s.

The public meeting will begin at 7:00pm and ending at 11:00pm. The general public is invited to come out and get updates from the 23 energetic candidates for the UP Party, who are eager to tell its supporters the many plans they have been busy working on for the future of Country St Read more

Dr. Petits Comments Are “Concerning” Says Minister Lee

PHILIPSURG, St. Maarten - During the Council of Ministers Press briefing Minister of Public Health, Social Emil Lee commented on the release issued by former chairman of the supervisory board of SZV Dr. Michel Petit where he stated that he resigned from the board due to the “overreaching and undue influence” from the Minister.  ”Personally, I have a tremendous amount of respect for Dr Read more

Romain Found Innocent Of All Gun Charges, Threats

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Former Member of Parliament Romain Laville on Wednesday was cleared and found innocent of all gun charges as well as all charges of making gun threats that was brought against him, with the exception of a minor charge relating to the renewal of his gun license.

For this the judge imposed a conditional one-month sentence and two years probation Read more

Romain Found Innocent Of All Gun Charges, Threats

~ Will fight a technicality ~

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Former Member of Parliament Romain Laville on Wednesday was cleared and found innocent of all gun charges as well as all charges of making gun threats that was brought against him, with the exception of a minor charge relating to the renewal of his gun license. For this the judge imposed a conditional one-month sentence and two years probation Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Former Member of Parliament, R.L. has been convicted by the Court of First Instance on Wednesday, August 24, 2016, to a one (1) month jail sentence, fully suspended. R.L was acquitted of the charges of threat against him. R.L. was charged by the Prosecutor's Office in the Zeepaard and Sardine investigations with two counts of threat and possession of a firearm and ammunition. The National Detectives Agency investigators arrested R.L. on Thursday, March 26, 2015, at his home. During a search of his home two firearms and bullets were found and confiscated Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr. told members of the media on Wednesday that last week when he announced that NGO’s (foundations or associations) does not have to file profit tax his announcement was taken out of context by some and they have been getting a little bit over zealous. He said those NGOs do have to pay their TOT and wage taxes but they are exempted from profit tax. He made clear on Wednesday that NGO’s will only be exempted from profit tax and not wage taxes and other dues Read more

PHILIPSBURG: --- Minister of VSA Emil Lee tried to bring clarity about the press release sent on by the former chairman of the Supervisory Board of Directors of USZV. Minister Lee said he has lots of respect for Dr. Petit who is a great professional in his field of medicine. However, the statements in the press release issued by Dr. Petit the Minister said that he only had three meetings with the former chairman of the SOBD of USZV Dr Read more