SXMElections.com

>PHILIPSBURG:----  Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams in a press release questions the motives of the Parliament of St. Maarten. MP Wescot Williams was referring to meetings the oppositon factions of parliament requested and are not being called on a timely basis.  Wescot  Williams said if any-one is holding his or her breath for answers regarding the harbor's pay-out to the Zebec company, these answers will not be forthcoming any time soon.

"At least not in a meeting of Parliament Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Telecommunications & Transport (TEATT), Honorable Mr. Claret Connor, singed off on Quality of Service (QoS) documents that sets clear guidelines and standards for St. Maarten Telecommunication providers to comply with, for the further enhancement of Telecommunication services in St Read more

Minister Of Teatt Implements Quality Of Service Standards In The Telecom Industry

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Telecommunications & Transport (TEATT), Honorable Mr. Claret Connor, singed off on Quality of Service (QoS) documents that sets clear guidelines and standards for St. Maarten Telecommunication providers to comply with, for the further enhancement of Telecommunication services in St Read more

Chta Holds Agm In Barbados

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) wrapped up their Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Barbados last week.

President Emil Lee told our news room that a number of issues affecting the industry were discussed including the mitigation of the Sargasso Sea Weed problem and the devastation to the tourism industry of Dominica Read more

Editorial - A promise made …

Governor Eugene Holiday gave a solid commitment for the deployment of a security camera system during the opening of the legislative year on Tuesday. He was speaking on behalf of the Gumbs cabinet at the time, of course.

The term “country-wide” was used, but this probably should not be taken too literally. After all, it’s almost inconceivable to fully cover every nook and cranny of every neighbourhood.

More plausible is that the main roads will be targeted, along with crime-sensitive locations like downtown Philipsburg and areas frequented by visitors such as Pelican/Simpson Bay, Oyster Pond/Dawn Beach and Maho/Cupecoy Read more

New judge welcomed

PHILIPSBURG--Judge Sander van Rijen was welcomed officially as a member of the Joint Court of Justice on Friday, amongst an array of Justice officials and dignitaries, including Acting Governor Reynold Groeneveldt, Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, Justice Minister Dennis Richardson and President of Parliament Lloyd Richardson.

Van Rijen was introduced to the assembly by President of the Common Court of Justice Evert van der Poel.

Van der Poel, Attorney General Guus Schram and St Read more

Ambassador Braakhuis discusses Cuba developments, possibilities

PHILIPSBURG--Dutch Ambassador to Cuba Norbert Braakhuis addressed a full room of attendees at University of St. Martin on Thursday night in an informative lecture focussing on the economic and political facets that have shaped Cuba, and what the cumulative changes the country has been experiencing and those it is expected to experience can mean for the Caribbean region.

A diverse group of stakeholders was in attendance, including ministers, Government officials, lawyers and key private sector leaders and representatives.

Braakhuis also announced that a Kingdom trade mission was planned and that he would facilitate local stakeholders in making connections there Read more

MP Tamara calls for youth regulations during Carnival

PHILIPSBURG--As preparations for Carnival 2016 are already taking shape, addressing the much-talked-about involvement of young people in adult-oriented festival events must be dealt with for their best interest and development, says United People’s (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Tamara Leonard.

“We have all seen very young children out all hours of the night, mothers pushing babies in strollers behind Carnival trucks Read more

Sabnani: Carrefour products more cost-effective and available in LGM

PHILIPSBURG--It is “unfortunate” that National Alliance Member of Parliament (MP) Christophe Emmanuel opted to compare a national brand like Frisian Flag with Super U milk, a private label, instead of with a comparable product such as private label Carrefour milk, said Le Grand Marché (LGM) Managing Director Anil Sabnani as he countered Emmanuel’s claims that LGM’s prices are higher than those of French-side-based Super U.

Sabnani told The Daily Herald on Friday that Emmanuel “did not make a correct comparison Read more

style="text-align: center;"> Rene Gartner trying to get his subordinates to cover up for him with the SAP Deal.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of GEBE Rene Gartner has suspended the Financial Auditor of GEBE Sharine Daniel on Wednesday claiming that she went out of line when she conducted a forensic audit at the company and it is there she found out he was misusing his rights on the operational cost for management employees. According to information reaching SMN News Gartner claimed that the financial auditor of GEBE has no authority to conduct such audits without his consent Read more

Brazil downgrade leaves little choice but austerity for Rousseff

BRASILIA-- One thing is clear for Brazil's economy after its credit rating was downgraded to junk: political leaders now have little choice but to push ahead with painful austerity measures if they hope to regain market confidence.
  Faced with a growing budget deficit and the worst recession in nearly three decades, senior officials said on Thursday they will double down on austerity to lift revenues, cut spending and balance public finances that went off kilter with a raft of stimulus measures in recent years.
  Finance Minister Joaquim Levy, the face of austerity in President Dilma Rousseff's cabinet, said measures will be taken this month to bridge a shortfall currently projected in next year's budget Read more

United Continental chief moves to calm investors, employees

NEW YORK-- One day after ousting its chief executive, United Continental Holdings Inc and its new boss, Oscar Munoz, moved to reassure shareholders and employees that the company is stable.
  The airline also got a boost on Wednesday after acting Chief Financial Officer Gerry Laderman said at an investor conference that United is on track to save $1 billion in annual non-fuel costs by next year and would complete a $1 billion share buyback nearly two years ahead of schedule. UAL told investors it would return $4 billion to shareholders by 2017.
  Analysts gave a thumbs up to leadership change, and the company's shares rose, after falling as much as 2 percent in extended trading Tuesday Read more

Win some, lose some

Member of Parliament Christopher Emanuel (NA) during his press conference on Thursday (see related article) openly questioned why grocery prices are considerably lower on the French side, using receipts with concrete examples. His colleague Maurice Lake (UP) had touched on the issue earlier, at the end of July.

This matter actually has been the “talk of the town” among shoppers lately, especially since a new supermarket was established in Marigot with a house brand Read more

NA, DP request meeting on harbour settlement

PHILIPSBURG--Opposition National Alliance (NA) and Democratic Party (DP) have requested an urgent meeting of Parliament about the out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed amount made by St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies and Zebec, the company that was contracted to develop th Read more

Government formulates a ‘Strategy for Growth’

PHILIPSBURG--The Marcel Gumbs Cabinet has formulated a “Strategy for Growth” with the aim to “generate additional revenues” for Government’s coffers to fund its policy agenda, Governor Eugene Holiday announced at the opening of the 2015-2016 Parliamentary Year on Tuesday.

The “strategy,” which appears to be rooted in increased tax compliance, not more taxes, was described by the Governor as a way to ensure compliance with the national ordinance on Government accounts and the Kingdom Law on financial supervision for Curaçao and St Read more

Emmanuel calls out Dutch-side supermarkets on ‘price gouging’

~ Tags Super U prices as cheaper ~

PHILIPSBURG--The vastly cheaper prices for groceries at French-side supermarket Super U compared to large Dutch-side chain Le Grand Marché (LGM) has National Alliance Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel crying foul.

The MP, who said he was disgusted with price-gouging by supermarkets on the Dutch side, went on a price-comparison mission Thursday, buying comparative or same items at both supermarkets Read more

Former abuse victim opens Bahamas’ first PRC for abortion alternatives

NASSAU, Bahamas--Bahamian-born Rhonda Darville triumphed over sexual abuse and two abortions to become the founder and executive director of The Bahamas’ first pregnancy resource centre (PRC).

Darville, who grew up in Nassau and worshipped at an Anglican church, was molested by her brother and a priest at an early age, going on to travel a destructive path that led to abortion.

LifeNews.com reports that she underwent her first abortion at the age of 18, and later had a second, going on to attempt suicide on three occasions as a result of the emotional pain from the procedures.

According to LifeNews, she was one of the many women who attempt suicide after abortion, with statistics showing that post-abortive women are six times more likely to commit suicide than women who have given birth.

Darville subsequently moved to the United States where she worked at a PRC in Virginia and at Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center in Florida.

According to LifeNews, statistics show that 78 per cent of women who see an ultrasound of their baby at a PRC reject abortion and go on to have their child.

Darville started counselling post-abortive women after working through Forgiven and Set Free, a bible study for women seeking healing after abortion.

She explained to LifeNews her rationale for opening a pregnancy centre in The Bahamas Read more

Sarah requests MOU on pending boxing match

PHILIPSBURG--A copy of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between government and Keaton Corporation for the Miami 2 St. Maarten Showdown featuring a boxing card of Roy Jones Jr. versus Danny Santiago is still being sought by Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams Read more

Granny distressed over slashing of monetary aid from NAf. 734 to 186

~ Wants it restored ~

PHILIPSBURG--Sixty-year-old grandmother Mary Bartlette Weekes, who says she is a poor and ill woman, does not know how she will continue to survive since authorities slashed her financial assistance from NAf. 734 to NAf. 186.

According to a well-placed source at the Social Services Department, the circumstances surrounding the decrease in her aid were explained to Weekes, as well as the fact that she would now be receiving pension benefits and there was now income of others working in the household, “so it would only be a fair calculation that her aid should decrease.”

Weekes said she had been receiving NAf Read more

VP Arnell to seek advice from Préfète on homeless situation

MARIGOT--The 72-hour deadline to prevent a protest action over the homeless situation at the Marina Royale car park was extended by District Five Wednesday to give First Vice-President Guillaume Arnell a chance to discuss the situation with Préfète Anne Laubies and get back to the district with answers.

Arnell was at the district headquarters Wednesday attending a presentation of their projects, unrelated to the marina car park problem, but nevertheless was questioned on what the Collectivité is doing, or can do, about the homeless situation and other matters related to the car park Read more

Buncamper case hearing centres on search-breach

PHILIPSBURG--The criminal cases against former Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus (47), her husband Claudius Buncamper (52), notary F.E.G. (71) and co-suspects I.A.H. (46) and T.O.W. (69), continued on Wednesday, with a focus on a breach in the handling of the case and what it should mean going forward.

A preliminary ruling on the point of view presented by the lawyers is expected to be given on Wednesday, September 16 Read more

REMNANTS OF GRACE ADVISORY NUMBER 17

NWS NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL       AL0720151100 AM AST WED SEP 09 2015

...GRACE DEGENERATES TO AN OPEN WAVE......THIS IS THE LAST ADVISORY...

SUMMARY OF 1100 AM AST...1500 UTC...

INFORMATION

-----------------------------------------------

LOCATION...14.5N 49.0WABOUT 825 MI...1325 KM E OF THE LESSER ANTILLES

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...30 MPH...45 KM/H

PRESENT MOVEMENT...W OR 275 DEGREES AT 18 MPH...30 KM/H

MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...1008 MB...29.77 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS

--------------------

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.

DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK

------------------------------

Satellite data indicate that Grace no longer has a closedcirculation and is now an open wave Read more

First consignment of animal foodstuff arrives at the port

MARIGOT--The first container of emergency food for livestock arrived at Galisbay Port on Friday from Guadeloupe, destined for farmers and stockbreeders to sustain their animals during this summer’s unprecedented drought.

In July, the Collectivité had released 20,000 euros of emergency aid to buy food and water for the animals. The subvention was given to Association de Développement de L’Elevage et la Promotion des Produits Agricoles Locaux (ADEPPAL) to purchase supplies and distribute on a priority basis.

Owners of livestock were asked to make declarations of their situation and numbers of animals in order to determine how the goods should be distributed.

The first delivery of 20 tons consisted of 600 bags of feed for cattle and 200 bags for goats.

“The distribution was completed today,” Julien Gumbs, on behalf of ADDEPAL, confirmed on Tuesday Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---The Government of St. Maarten “quietly” via the Department of Communication made known the postponement of the Miami 2 St. Maarten Showdown Roy Jones Jr. and Danny Santiago fight, to which fight the government said “it contributed”.
The Government went on to say that the postponement had to do with hurricane Danny etc. etc.
What government did not say was that it entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the foreign Keaton Corporation to organize this event to the tune of $ 185.000,--.
By letter of September 2nd, 2015 Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams said she requested from Ministers Connor and Hassink, a copy of this MOU.
MP Wescot Williams said they learned from news reports of alleged legal woes Roy Jones Jr Read more