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Vote-buying case to go back to Court of First Instance for retrial

PHILIPSBURG--The Joint Court of Justice referred the so-called "Masbangu" case, involving selling or buying votes on behalf of United People's (UP) party in the September 2010 election, to the Court of First Instance on Tuesday for retrial.

The Court of First Instance declared the Prosecutor's Office's cases against these men inadmissible in August 2014, because it had failed to also investigate the roles of UP and its leadership in the scheme.

Initially, the case involved five suspects, but one of these persons passed away in June 2014.

The case concerns (former) officers of the then-Police Force of St Read more

Guyanese wanted for US murders held in Trinidad

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad--A 37-year-old Guyanese who entered Trinidad under a false name is now in custody after being identified as a man wanted for several criminal offences in the United States, including two counts of murder.

A statement issued Tuesday by the twin-island republic's National Security Ministry said Balkumar Singh, who has US citizenship and immigration status in Canada, was first detained on March 27, for violating the country's immigration laws, under the name Shauwn Maharaj.

The fugitive, who has 14 convictions in Canada, including for assault and weapons charges, is also known by the aliases Tevin Persaud, Terry Persaud, Kumar Doodnath, Terry Singh and Sean Maharaj.

Based on information received by local Interpol, he was positively identified as Balkumar Singh who was being sought by US authorities on charges of murder, assault in the first degree, reckless endangerment, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and tampering with physical evidence.

As a result, a request was made by the US for Singh's provisional arrest, which was agreed to by the Attorney General, and Singh subsequently appeared before a Port of Spain Magistrates' Court.

He was remanded into custody until May 28 Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Court of Appeals has rendered its verdict on Tuesday ordering the Prosecutor's Office to conduct a complete retrial of the Masbangu (VOTE BUYING CASE). Press Prosecutor Tineke Kamps confirmed that the verdict was issued on Tuesday afternoon.
Kamps said although the case does not fall under her jurisdiction but that of the Solicitor General Taco Stein she understands that the court ruled that the verdict issued by the Court of First Instance was not correct therefore a complete retrial of the case involving the United Peoples Party and its leader Theodore Heyliger must take place Read more

Gumbs apologises for landfill fire nuisance

PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs in his capacity as Acting Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI issued an apology to residents of Philipsburg and surrounding areas for the intermittent landfill fires that have blanketed the sky with smoke.

The most recent fire was on Saturday, May 2 Read more

Jamaica policemen in reported murder-suicide were best friends

KINGSTON, Jamaica--The two police constables who died in a murder-suicide in the early hours of yesterday have been identified as best friends Keemo Walsh and Andualy Smith.

Smith, who was with Walsh at the Grass Hoppa Bar and Grill in White River celebrating another friend's birthday, allegedly shot Walsh around 3:00am and then turned the gun on himself. It is unclear whether the shooting was intentional or accidental.

The incident occurred just hours into the day of Smith's own birthday Read more

Gunman in Mohammad cartoon attack was monitored for years

GARLAND, Texas/PHOENIX--Federal agents for years monitored one of the two gunmen who were shot dead after opening fire with assault rifles at a heavily guarded Texas exhibit of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad.

Two government sources who asked not to be named said the shooters were roommates Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi, of Phoenix. Court documents show that Simpson had been under surveillance since 2006 and convicted in 2011 of lying to FBI agents over his desire to join violent jihad in Somalia.

FBI agents and police searched the two men's home at the Autumn Ridge Apartments in north-central Phoenix, cordoning off the complex and evacuating residents for several hours in the early morning.

The shooting incident in the Dallas suburb of Garland was an echo of past attacks or threats in other Western countries against images depicting the Prophet Mohammad Read more

Baltic military shadow-boxing said to reach Cold War levels

VISBY FORWARD OPERATING BASE, Sweden--A daily game of Cold War cat-and-mouse is ratcheting up tensions in the Baltic and drawing the biggest military presence into the region for over 20 years, Swedish military officials say.

Eye-to-eye encounters with Russian combat jets and reports of suspected submarines in Swedish and Finnish waters are fuelling regional concerns about Russian assertiveness in the wake of the Ukraine crisis and reversing years of defence cuts. Western officials say Russia has stepped up probing flights and mock bomb runs near Europe's borders since 2013, forcing jets from NATO nations and non-NATO allies like Sweden to scramble repeatedly Read more

Burning of King Momo marks end of Carnival

CARNIVAL VILLAGE--The 2015 Carnival season officially came to an end last night with the burning of King Momo in Carnival Village at midnight.

King Momo was set alight by fire-dancer Jason Carter after revellers enjoyed one last jump-up to Carnival Village starting near Le Grand Marché, and listened to closing words by St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) President Michael Granger, Marketing Director Rolando Brison and Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Claret Connor.

Granger called it "the night we all dread," but said there would be many changes coming for next year's Carnival season, which he called "an infusion of culture," including bringing back a number of elements Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs who is also Acting Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment & Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), would like to apologize to the residents of Philipsburg and environs with respect to the Landfill fires that take place from time to time.

The most recent fire event was on Saturday evening 2 May Read more

>GREAT BAY:---- Educator and leading linguist Rhoda Arrindell is one of at least 12 authors, mostly from the USA, invited by the Anguilla Literary Festival to its 4th annual edition on May 21-24, 2015, said her publisher House of Nehesi (HNP).
Arrindell will be a panelist on book publishing on May 23. But it's her new and well-selling book, Language, Culture, and Identity in St Read more

Rhoda Arrindell, Invited Author At Anguilla Literary Festival 2015

GREAT BAY, St. Martin — Educator and leading linguist Rhoda Arrindell is one of at least 12 authors, mostly from the USA, invited by the Anguilla Literary Festival to its 4th annual edition on May 21-24, 2015, said her publisher House of Nehesi (HNP).

Arrindell will be a panelist on book publishing on May 23. But it's her new and well-selling book, Language, Culture, and Identity in St Read more

Prime Minister Gumbs Apologizes To Residents Of Philipsburg And Environs For Landfill Fire Nuisance

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs who is also Acting Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment & Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), would like to apologize to the residents of Philipsburg and environs with respect to the Landfill fires that take place from time to time.

The most recent fire event was on Saturday evening 2 May Read more

National Day Of Remembrance Held Monday (Ii)

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The National Day of Remembrance Ceremony 2015 was held on Monday morning at the Captain Hodge Wharf in Philipsburg at 9.00AM.

The ceremony remembered the sacrifice made by those who defended us in the 2nd World War and those who have served in various peace missions.

On hand for the remembrance ceremony was the Governor of St. Maarten the Honorable Eugene Holiday, Prime Minister the Honorable Read more

Editorial - Win-win after all

Not everyone will be happy, but news that work on Rockland Estate Rain Forest Adventure Park is to start this summer (see Saturday paper) should not surprise anybody. After all, it already was clear that the company had been awarded a long lease for the necessary land at Emilio Wilson Estate (EWE), even though Government at the request of Parliament bought that property from its private owners to preserve it as natural-cultural-historic patrimony.

The thought then obviously had been not to allow any major commercial development there, but the lease agreement at US $1.20 per square metre nonetheless was signed, also to help pay for the purchase Read more

Editorial - Win-win after all

Not everyone will be happy, but news that work on Rockland Estate Rain Forest Adventure Park is to start this summer (see Saturday paper) should not surprise anybody. After all, it already was clear that the company had been awarded a long lease for the necessary land at Emilio Wilson Estate (EWE), even though Government at the request of Parliament bought that property from its private owners to preserve it as natural-cultural-historic patrimony.

The thought then obviously had been not to allow any major commercial development there, but the lease agreement at US $1.20 per square metre nonetheless was signed, also to help pay for the purchase Read more

Public invited to ceremony today

PHILIPSBURG--The public is invited by government to attend the Remembrance Day ceremony on Captain Hodge Wharf today, Monday, at 9:00am. Governor Eugene Holiday, Parliament President Dr. Lloyd Richardson and Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs are slated to lay wreaths in remembrance of those who fought and died in World War II.

Government will again remember all those – civilians and soldiers – who have been killed or murdered in the Kingdom of the Netherlands or anywhere else in the world in war or during peace-keeping operations since the outbreak of the World War II.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands marks Remembrance Day on May 4 Read more

Grégoire Ratchel honoured in traditional Fish Day ceremony

MARIGOT--Retired fisherman Grégoire Ratchel was honoured by the Collectivité for his lifelong contribution to the community at the opening of the 13th Annual Fish Day celebration in French Cul-de-Sac on Sunday.

He was presented with a plaque by First Vice-President Guillaume Arnell and Vice-President Wendel Cocks Read more

Corallo says opening of Starz is ‘first step’ of ‘bigger project’

CUPECOY--The Atlantis Group inaugurated its Starz City concept and celebrated the rebranding of Atlantis Casino to Starz Casino on Friday.

The rebranding of the casino marks the "first step" of a bigger project that will include a hotel and commercial centre.

A large cross section of the community, including several dignitaries, attended the inauguration of Starz City. Atlantis World Group owner Francesco Corallo told The Daily Herald during the inauguration that plans were afoot to construct a 120-room hotel and commercial centre in the area.

"We have to upgrade our product and that is what I try to do myself with my small environment," Corallo said in a brief interview Read more

Regional health authority marks five-year milestone

MARIGOT--Agence Regional de Santé (ARS) of Guadeloupe, St. Martin and St. Barths celebrated a five-year milestone on Friday, with a summary of five main achievements since April 1, 2010.

Délégué Territorial for St. Martin Pascal Godefroy, and Stanley Hanson in charge of vector control, talked to reporters at a press conference.

It was noted the chikungunya virus that arrived on the island December 6 and 30, 2013, in St. Martin and St. Barths affected 13 to 15 per cent of the population of both islands Read more

Jenny Hanley from booth #15 wins Village Cook Out

PHILIPSBURG--Jenny Hanley of "How You Like It" booth #15 is the winner of the second annual Village Cook Out competition held at the St. Maarten Carnival Village on Sunday.

Organised by the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF), the competition was held during the Bounce and Splash Family Play Day event held at the Village.

Five booth holders, who were pre-selected, prepared their best versions of fried fish and oyster soup. The dishes were judged by a panel of three Read more

>Cole Bay:--- Animal Advocacy Group Animal Defenders recently donated the first seven doghouses to less fortunate families and their pets to protect them against the elements. The doghouses, which were built by Volunteers as part of the SXM Doet Project, were delivered to families who are unable to provide shelter for their pets. "We have been noticing many animals being kept on leashes outside and exposed to the elements (hot sun, rain and wind) so we decided that this would be an excellent project to both provide shelter for the animals and to create awareness that our pets are an important part of our family," stated Mrs Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- Sunday 3rd of May marks World Press Freedom Day. Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs would like to congratulate the nation's journalist as well as those from the North side of the island (St. Martin) on this internationally renowned day.

The theme this year is "Let Journalism Thrive! Towards Better Reporting, Gender Equality, & Media Safety in the Digital Age."

"The right to freedom of expression allows journalist to inform about what us going on in order for civil society to be informed of developments taking place here and abroad Read more

Animal Defenders Sint Maarten Donates Dog House Shelters To Needy Families And Their Pets

COLE BAY, St. Maarten- Animal Advocacy Group Animal Defenders recently donated the first seven doghouses to less fortunate families and their pets to protect them against the elements.

The doghouses, which were built by Volunteers as part of the SXM Doet Project, were delivered to families who are unable to provide shelter for their pets.

"We have been noticing many animals being kept on leashes outside and exposed to the elements (hot sun, rain and wind) so we decided that this would be an excellent project to both provide shelter for the animals and to create awareness that our pets are an important part of our family," stated Mrs Read more

Prime Minister Gumbs Congratulates Sint Maarten/St. Martin Journalists On World Press Freedom Day

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Sunday 3rd of May marks World Press Freedom Day. Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs would like to congratulate the nation's journalist as well as those from the North side of the island (St. Martin) on this internationally renowned day.

The theme this year is "Let Journalism Thrive! Towards Better Reporting, Gender Equality, & Media Safety in the Digital Age."

"The right to freedom of expression allows journalist to inform about what us going on in order for civil society to be informed of developments taking place here and abroad Read more