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First Meeting Ad Hoc Committee Integrity: Code Of Conduct Suddenly A Priority For Parliamentarians

St. Maarten – Thirteen years after former Lt. governor Franklyn Richards proposed it for the first time to the Island Council, the ad hoc committee Integrity of parliament met yesterday and named establishing a Code of Conduct for parliament a priority.

“I believe it is a priority for parliament to have a Code of Conduct,” committee-chairman Cornelius de Weever said.

The committee’s meeting was off to what felt like a reluctant start – the objective of this first meeting being to set the perimeters for the committee’s activities and responsibilities Read more

Smcu Calls For Deportation Of Telem’S  “Illegal Workers”

St. Maarten – The deportation of the Surinamese workers brought in by TelEm to work on the pilot fiber to the home project is being demanded by the St. Maarten Communications Union, which also wants the Immigration Department to stamp the passports of these workers to forbid them from re-entering the island for five years.

Following an outcry from the union last week regarding these same workers, TelEm explained that the workers were brought in on an emergency and temporary basis to assist with a backlog of work and to do the pilot fiber to the home project Read more

Country committed to tackling the underperformance of boys

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten "remains committed" to examining gender-development to address "gaps in raising successful and engaged boys and men." This was the message delivered by Minister Plenipotentiary Josianne Artsen on behalf of Education and Youth Minister Rita Bourne-Gumbs at a recent briefing with the fellow Dutch Kingdom delegation members and non-governmental organizations in New York.

The message, outlining the position of women on St Read more

Marlin-Romeo calls for consumer agency

PHILIPSBURG--The establishment of a consumer protection agency is called for by independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo.

Consumer protection laws exist, but with no agency to execute the laws, she said in a press statement on Sunday.

Marlin-Romeo intends to champion an "immediate" discussion about establishment of the agency with St Read more

Pantophlet wants info on two missing financial controllers

PHILIPSBURG--Two ministries are without financial controllers. This is a cause for worry, says National Alliance (NA) Member of Parliament George Pantophlet.

The Education Ministry does not have a controller and the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI controller has been appointed the concern controller, Finance Minister Martin Hassink told MPs on Thursday.

Pantophlet plans to send questions to Hassink querying who authorised the transfer of the VROMI controller and who is now authorised to approve financial transactions for the two ministries Read more

Rita: Consequences of selling SZV cards will match offence

PHILIPSBURG--Interim Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour Rita Bourne-Gumbs says the “consequences” to be meted out in the case of the alleged selling of Social and Health Insurance SZV cards “will match the misconduct.”

In a press statement on Sunday, Bourne-Gumbs said SZV management had updated her on the current situation as it relates to the ongoing investigation into the alleged selling of the medical cards. She was assured that the matter was being addressed with urgency and the consequences would match the misconduct.

“The Minister was guaranteed that SZV’s ability to handle the matter is forthcoming, based on the plan of action that was presented to her during an extensive relevant meeting with the management of SZV,” the press statement read Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament George Pantophlet will be submitting some questions to the Minister of Finance Mr. Martin Hassink regarding the setting up of an internal control department. The Member is looking forward to these questions being answered in writing. He needs clarity on this matter since claims have consistently been made by former Minister of Finance Roland Tuitt that during his tenure this was done Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--– United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake would like Government to make use of local contractors in the various districts when it comes to district community improvement.

"As a duly elected representative of the people, I have a lot of persons approaching me that are not working, and not much is happening within the districts since I left office as the former Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Minister VROMI) almost three months ago Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Honorable Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT) Claret Connor visited the Methodist Agogic Center (MAC), St. John's Campus and spoke to the 3rd grade students of campus 1 & 2 about Tourism and how it affects their lives.
The visit is in keeping with the Ministry's vision, which is to create greater awareness and understanding about the industry and the importance to the economy and by extension, the citizens of this country.
Minister Connor was very impressed with the knowledge the students have about Tourism, and how it contributes to the island Read more

Independent Mp Leona Marlin-Romeo Calls For Establishment Of Consumer Protection Agency

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo says statistics continue to show that Sint Maarten is still considered and favoured as the duty free shopping hub of the Caribbean.

"The time has come for the establishment of a Consumer Protection Agency. Consumer protection laws are in existence; however, there are no bodies to execute the said laws.

"Millions are spent in purchases on this island and yet both local consumers and transitional consumers purchasing goods are still not privy to the support of a consumer protection agency.

"In addition, many locals are subjected to questionable acts of financial institutions but are left hopeless because of the lack of support from such an agency Read more

Minister Teatt Connor Stresses Importance Of Tourism To Mac 3Rd Graders

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - On March 11, 2015, Honorable Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT) Claret Connor visited the Methodist Agogic Center (MAC), St. John's Campus and spoke to the 3rd grade students of campus 1 & 2 about Tourism and how it affects their lives.

The visit is in keeping with the Ministry's vision, which is to create greater awareness and understanding about the industry and the importance to the economy and by extension, the citizens of this country.

Minister Connor was very impressed with the knowledge the students have about Tourism, and how it contributes to the island Read more

Mp Lake Calls On Government To Use Local Contractors In The Different Districts

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake would like Government to make use of local contractors in the various districts when it comes to district community improvement.

"As a duly elected representative of the people, I have a lot of persons approaching me that are not working, and not much is happening within the districts since I left office as the former Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Minister VROMI) almost three months ago Read more

Ospp Is Repeating Its' Call For An Urgent Operational Audit To Be Done At The Harbour Group Of Companies

POINTE BLANCHE, St. Maarten – We have been following with keen attention all the activities that have been taken place at the harbour group of companies over the last couple of years.

In a media report some time ago the CFT stated that the Harbour Group of Companies refused to open its books for the government of St. Maarten, the shareholder of the company.

Based on the 2013 financial statements acquired by one of the dailies many irregularities were mentioned in the article. Perhaps it is time for us to revisit that article again.

It was stated that the board members were paid approximately U.S Read more

Large Scale Investigation at SZV might end up crippling Economy

style="text-align: center;">General Controls began Friday.

PHILIPSBURG: --- A large scale investigation is underway at SZV after the new management discovered that an employee is suspected of selling SZV cards to people that are not legally insured and they are registered under several bogus companies. Last week Member of Parliament Franklin Meyers announced through a press release that he is monitoring the investigation Read more

Editorial - Ask a question

Several motorists have expressed doubts over already the third gasoline price hike in just over a week that went into effect on Monday. They reason that world oil prices don’t seem to be recovering quickly enough to justify so many upward adjustments.

The fact that Curaçao announced a drop in fuel rates at the start of this month no doubt added to the confusion. However, it must be noted that tariffs for petroleum products there are adapted on a quarterly basis, which means the effect of international fluctuations is delayed.

Nevertheless, a combined increase of 25.7 cents per litre within such a short time is rare and parliamentarian George Pantophlet (NA) has sent a letter on the topic to Economic Affairs Minister Claret Conner (UP) Read more

OSPP repeats call for urgent operational audit at the Harbour Group of Companies

Dear Editor,

We have been following with keen attention all the activities that have been taking place at the Harbour Group of Companies over the last couple of years. In a media report some time ago the CFT stated that the Harbour Group of Companies refused to open its books for the government of St. Maarten, the shareholder of the company. Based on the 2013 financial statements acquired by one of the dailies, many irregularities were mentioned in the article. Perhaps it is time for us to revisit that article again Read more

After years of stalemate, Sweden seeks London date with Assange

STOCKHOLM--Swedish prosecutors want to question Julian Assange in London over allegations of sexual assault, potentially ending an impasse that left the WikiLeaks founder holed up for almost three years in Ecuador's embassy.
  Swedish prosecutors said on Friday they had asked for Assange's approval to question him in London, a U-turn after years of insisting he must go to Stockholm for questioning about alleged assaults against two women in 2010.
  Assange denies the allegations, which are not related to WikiLeaks' publication of U.S Read more

Chin Cactus no longer in a deplorable state

SUCKER GARDEN--Residents of Chin Cactus Road and Chin Cactus Drive can now enjoy long-awaited and much-needed improvements made to the roads, which had been in a continuous deplorable state that became increasingly frustrating.

One resident recently contacted The Daily Herald in order to show gratitude on behalf of the community to former Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Maurice Lake who he said pushed for the repairs to be done, as well as VROMI Maintenance Department Head Claudius Buncamper and Public Works Project Leader Alfredo Pantophlet who were both said to have kept good lines of communication with them and were always ready to assist when needed.

Buncamper explained to this newspaper that VROMI is now getting ready to take over the project as completed by the contractor, after some minor works are finalised Read more

Permit will be denied if employers fail to hire suggested counterpart

PHILIPSBURG--Employment permit requests will be denied from employers who refuse to hire "suitable counterparts" recommended by the Labour Department.

This is one of the stipulations in the controversial counterpart policy, which was discussed in a meeting of Parliament's Permanent Committee of Health Care, Social Development and Labour on Friday.

Some Members of Parliament (MPs) echoed sentiments expressed by some sections of the community noting that they had serious concerns about the policy and its potential effects on the economy Read more

Van Raak asks if casino bosses are being probed

THE HAGUE--Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP) wants to know whether casino bosses Francesco Corallo of St. Maarten, Rodolfo "Rudy" Pizziolo, Robbie dos Santos and Jacobo "Cocochi" Prins of Curaçao are being investigated, criminally or otherwise.

Van Raak on Friday submitted a number of written questions to Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk in which the Member of Parliament (MP) seeks further information about the reported close ties between the government and the (partly illegal) gambling industry in Curaçao Read more

George questions gasoline delivery

PHILIPSBURG--The length of time the reserves at gas stations last, the delivery dates of gasoline for the past two years and controls at gas stations were among the questions sent to Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Claret Connor by National Alliance (NA) Member of Parliament George Pantophlet via Parliament.

The questions to the minister stemmed from the gasoline price increases on February 27, March 5 and March 9 by a total of 25.7 guilder cents.

"Explanation needs to be given to the public, reason why, in contrast to when the prices go down, the increase takes place at a very rapid pace," stated Pantophlet in the letter.

Pantophlet requested information about the last time gasoline was purchased by Sol and Texaco, the number of days a tanker takes to arrive from Trinidad to St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Undersigned Member of Parliament George Pantophlet is requesting in accordance with article 62 of the Constitution that the Minister of Economic Affairs Claret Connor provide him with the answers to the following questions:

How long does the reserve at the gas stations last? And how often is gasoline delivered to St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- This Saturday March 14, 2015 in collaboration with Club de Gym Saint Martin, The National Institute of the Arts
(NIA) will be holding the first island wide gymnastics competition at the Asha Stevens Campus in Cay hill.

Grattiene Riom, the Director in charge of the trainer course and technical component training is supported by teachers Doris Barbes from Club de Gym Saint Martin and Peggy Oulerich Head of the Dance Department at NIA.
The purpose is to further develop the sport of gymnastics on the island between the French and Dutch sides.

The competition will involve 40 students under the age of 12 and are judges representatives from the Comité Régional of Guadeloupe (Gymnastics Local Commitee of Guadeloupe) Read more

>PHILIPSBURG: --- Several veteran and long standing police officers who have been waiting for their promotions are now peeved at the police management team whom they said are handpicking persons that are not qualified for top positions while officers of the force have been waiting for years to get their promotions.
Some of the officers spoke to SMN News on the condition of anonymity on Friday said that Jadira Gjisbertha, a scale 9 officer was chosen to take up a scale 12 position which was vacated by Pico Simmons who went on pension Read more