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Editorial - In the middle

The same-day postponement of Monday’s continuation “until further notice” of a plenary session in Parliament on developments at NV GEBE did not come as a complete surprise. During the original meeting last week Friday interim Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Marcel Gumbs in his capacity of shareholder representative indicated the need for more documentation to answer the questions posed.

Apparently the latter could not be gathered over the weekend, hence the delay Read more

Notices June 30

Teachers, Volunteers Needed

I Too Can Learn (ITCL) Foundation is seeking teachers (Special Ed) and volunteers for their Center. For more information call 547 0890 or 524 6067. Your resume can be sent to: \n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots Read more

Two taxi drivers receive tokens of appreciation

MARIGOT--Taxi drivers Anthony Lewis and Augustin Bernard have been recognised by St. Martin Tourism Office for the excellent work they do in welcoming tourists to the island.

The pair received tokens of appreciation from tourism office President Jeanne-Rogers Vanterpool and Director Kate Richardson at a press conference Friday, as taxi association representatives looked on.

It was noted Augustin Bernard, taxi driver since 2001, received a Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor two years in a row on behalf of his team at Bernard Tours, while numerous positive comments have been posted about Anthony Lewis on TripAdvisor.

“Knowing how to receive tourists is very important, because it is that first impression the tourist gets from the taxi driver that really counts in contributing to a positive experience on the island,” noted Local and Regional Marketing Manager Grégoire Dumel Read more

Marlin and NA are ‘outraged’ at Govt. handling of GEBE meeting

PHILIPSBURG--National Alliance (NA) fraction leader Member of Parliament (MP) William Marlin says on behalf of NA that he is "outraged at the manner in which the Government is handling the request for a meeting" on utilities company GEBE.

His comments come on the same day that a plenary session of Parliament about the ongoing dispute between the GEBE Supervisory Board and Chief Operations Officer (COO) and Managing Director Romelio Maduro about his position at the company was supposed to take place, but instead was "postponed until further notice" to allow Prime Minister/Acting Infrastructure Minister Marcel Gumbs to gather all relevant information/documents requested.

"We had requested an urgent meeting ever since May 10," Marlin told The Daily Herald Read more

In turf war with Afghan Taliban, Islamic State loyalists gain ground

SURKH DEWAL, Afghanistan--Fighters loyal to Islamic State have seized substantial territory in Afghanistan for the first time, witnesses and officials said, wresting areas in the east from rival Taliban insurgents in a new threat to stability.

Witnesses who fled fighting in Nangarhar province told Reuters that hundreds of insurgents pledging allegiance to Islamic State pushed out the Taliban, scorching opium poppy fields that help to fund the Taliban's campaign to overthrow the Afghan government Read more

style="text-align: center;">Man gets stabbed in eye during fight'

PHILIPSBURG:---- On Sunday afternoon, June 28th, around 4:30, a major fight took place at a residence on Middle Region Road. The parties involved were severely under the influence of alcohol.
During the fight a 23-year old man was stabbed in his eye with a sharp object. The victim needed to be transported to the hospital for medical assistance. The police were called and a patrol and detectives to the scene to investigate the case Read more

>MULLET BAY: After another successful St. Maarten Open Golf Tournament which was held in April of this year, the St Maarten Golf Association SMGA was able to donate a total of USD 9,000 to three well deserving community organizations. These were:

 No Kidding With Our Kids Foundation LAB Sports AcademyJunior Golf Foundation of St. Maarten

Each community organization received USD 3,000 to help each foundation in further achieving their goals and to increase the development of children in St Read more

Car Overturns Slightly Injuring Passenger

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - On Saturday June 27th at approximately midnight police patrols and traffic department were sent to the A. J. C. Brouwers road in the vicinity of the "Look out Point" (Harold Jack) to investigate a traffic accident.

On the scene the investigating officers encountered a vehicle which had landed on its roof.

Read more

Mp Christopher Emanuel Refutes Alligations Monday

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Member of Parliament of the National Alliance, the Honorable Christopher Emanuel has refuted news paper reports that he has requested personal favors from the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of GEBE, Romelio Maduro in the past.

Speaking to our news department the MP dispelled the reports.

According to MP Emanuel, while he has called Mr. Maduro in the Read more

Parliamentary Meeting On Gebe Postponed Indefinitely

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The plenary session which was scheduled for Monday afternoon regarding developments at NV GEBE has been postponed until further notice.

The meeting was at the request of Members of Parliament of the National Alliance, namely Read more

Dr. Gonsalves: Reparations needed to fix Caribbean underdevelopment

POND ISLAND--Caribbean Countries should get reparations from former and in some cases, present colonial masters to repair the under-development they face today, said Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, on the topic of reparations.

Dr. Gonsalves was the keynote speaker at the Emancipation Day Lecture hosted by Independence for St. Martin Foundation on Saturday night at University of St. Martin (USM). St. Maarten will mark Emancipation Day on Wednesday, July 1 Read more

$68K figure for GEBE payment ‘never received’

PHILIPSBURG--Alfred Harley says he and his company SXM Services Provider are being dragged through the mud in connection with the ongoing problems at utilities company GEBE.

Harley is particularly angry about the allegations that have been repeated in media outlets, in Parliament and in court that the company was receiving hefty payments approved by GEBE Chief Operations Officer (COO) and Managing Director Romelio Maduro, against the wishes and to an extent against the knowledge of GEBE's Supervisory Board.

One figure being cited is US $68,000, which seems to be the total amount the company needs to be paid, but has received in full Read more

DR, Haiti issue potential to be 'serious humanitarian disaster'

POND ISLAND--As the future of thousands of people of Haitian descent hangs in the balance in neighbouring country the Dominican Republic (DR), veteran Caribbean politician Dr. Ralph Gonsalves said the situation "has the potential to become a serious humanitarian disaster" in the Caribbean.

Dr. Gonsalves, who is prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, was speaking at an Emancipation Day Lecture, themed "Reparations," hosted by Independence for St. Martin Foundation at University of St Read more

SpaceX rocket supplying space station explodes after launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida--An unmanned SpaceX rocket exploded about two minutes after liftoff from Florida on Sunday, destroying a cargo ship bound for the International Space Station in the latest in a string of mishaps in supplying the orbiting outpost.

The 208-foot-tall (63-meter) Falcon 9 rocket had flown 18 times previously since its 2010 debut, all successfully. Those missions included six station cargo runs for NASA under a 15-flight contract worth more than $2 billion.

However SpaceX, a company founded and owned by technology entrepreneur Elon Musk, has twice previously tried and failed in an experiment to land the rocket on a platform in the ocean Read more

Editorial - Much-needed support

Curaçao policeman Xavier de Windt was sentenced to eight years in prison and forbidden to execute the profession for 10 years. He had admitted providing confidential information against payment of NAf. 50,000 that he himself received from a Security Service employee to criminals in the deadly gang-related shooting at Hato Airport on July 15 last year.

The same officer also confessed to stealing two police radios with the intention to offer them for sale to a local radio journalist Read more

Notices June 29

Teachers, Volunteers Needed

I Too Can Learn (ITCL) Foundation is seeking teachers (Special Ed) and volunteers for their Center. For more information call 547 0890 or 524 6067. Your resume can be sent to: \n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots Read more

Rogers: ‘Uncomfortable truths’ are hurting VKS

~ Seven honoured for unbroken service ~

PHILIPSBURG--Commander of the Voluntary Corps St. Maarten VKS Major Antonio Rogers on Saturday made a firm call for persons who have personal agendas and those who pretend that the organisation is "upside down," to "resign and seek affliction elsewhere."

He made the remarks during the VKS' 18 anniversary celebrations on Saturday.

"We have uncomfortable truths that are hurting the VKS," Rogers said.

"It is time to place meaningful balms on these wounds which have occurred over the last years and are still present Read more

Collectivité to seek legal counsel regarding Semsamar indictments

MARIGOT--The Territorial Council on Thursday authorised President Aline Hanson to obtain legal representation over the recent indictments handed down by the court on the present and former Director Generals of Semsamar in case the Collectivité is implicated in any way by virtue of being a 51 per cent shareholder of the company.

The motion was passed by the majority, however, Wendel Cocks who is President of the Semsamar board and other board members had to leave the room before the vote was taken.

Hanson said the Collectivité does not have access to the file and needs to have a specialist lawyer to represent the Collectivité as a precaution.

“The objective is for the Collectivité to be directly informed on elements of the case, not to come into conflict with Semsamar,” she said Read more

WIFOL wins referendum to represent Divi workers

>PHILIPSBURG:---- WIFOL union won the referendum held at the Divi Little Bay resort on June 26. 94 workers were eligible to vote. According to a press release issued by the union on Sunday, The International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions section 87 state that the "Freedom of Association and the Right to Organise. This establishes the way for all employees to have a collective representation and section 98 state "employees have the power to negotiate their working contract".

By law WIFOL must acquire 48 votes in order to be recognised by management as the representative of the employees Read more