SXMElections.com

Government could save 75 per cent on paper cost

PHILIPSBURG--Government can cut paper cost by up to 75 per cent if it opts to utilise digital forms and online services. This was the estimate given to Parliament recently by General Affairs Minister/Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs in response to enquiries from independent Member of Parliament Leona Marlin-Romeo.

The reduction in paper usage will amount to between NAf Read more

LOL stands behind its statement.

style="text-align: center;">Calls for resignation of SOG board

PHILIPSBURG:--- Laugh out Loud would like to respond to the character assassination by SOG, the board of the festival village. In November of 2014 the board representatives headed by Fabiana Arnell and the strictly business representative Julian Rollocks held a meeting with local promoters including Mr Read more

Editorial - Undesirable

The announcement by Justice Minister Dennis Richardson in today's paper that the "leaked" proposal to send 50 to 55 persons to St. Maarten to strengthen law enforcement was part of the original draft kingdom measure on the Integrity Chamber and has been off the table since, may be seen as good news. Also in light of the reaction from the police union NAPB to recent reports (see Friday edition), executing the plans as described most likely would have led to considerable unrest in the judicial sector.

The latter is always undesirable, but all the more in the middle of the high season, with thousands of visitors in need of protection continually on the island Read more

Connor reiterates position on timeshare protection

Dear Editor,

After having just returned home to Canada after a wonderful holiday at our Timeshare in Guana Bay, I am greatly distressed by the Caravanserai debacle! While one can sympathize with the bank for wanting to recover some funds after a bad investment, the fact remains that the bank should never have accepted investor-owned timeshare assets to support a management loan without investor-owner agreement!

While it is encouraging that Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Read more

Nigerian opposition candidate urges calm after election postponement

ABUJA--Nigerian opposition presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari called for calm in the country and cautioned against any violence following the election postponement, which he said was engineered by the ruling People's Democratic Party.
  Foreign powers are closely following events in Africa's biggest economy and have voiced concerns there could be a repetition of violence that followed 2011 elections when 800 people died and that a delay would stoke unrest in opposition strongholds.
  The poll will pit incumbent Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP against former military ruler Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in what is likely to be the most hotly contested election since the end of military rule in 1999 Read more

MPs to hear from Connor about harbour issues Tues

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies and its operations will take centre stage at a Central Committee meeting of Parliament with Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Claret Connor and Finance Minister Martin Hassink on Tuesday, February 10. The meeting, requested by the National Alliance (NA) and Democratic Party (DP) on February 10, starts at Parliament at 2:00pm in Parliament House.

The agenda for the meeting covers issues related to the harbour group, the past and future impacts of the company on the country, cruise passenger head tax, Dock Marteen (Deher) marina project; causeway Turn over Tax payment, cranes, dividend and payment for the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association Conference (FCCA).

Members of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams (DP), Silveria Jacobs and George Pantophlet (NA) requested answers to be provided orally in the meeting by the ministers on the "outcome between the harbour and Bobby's Marina" and if government had given the harbour the exclusive right of development for the area that the company claims in its case against the Deher's development.

Also, the MPs want to know when Parliament will receive the harbour's 2013 financial report, whether government promised to contribute to the FCCA conference and what did government actually contribute Read more

Housing board snubs Parliament

PHILIPSBURG--The Supervisory Board of St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) "declined" an invitation to meet with Members of Parliament (MPs) today, Monday, about recent developments at the foundation, says Democratic Party (DP) leader MP Sarah Wescot-Williams.

The invitation for the closed-door session was extended based on discussions in a closed- door session last week with foundation's management team members, who are on suspension due to alleged irregularities Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- As stakeholders, government included, desperately seek ways to mitigate the effects of the Caravanserai timeshare debacle, all eyes are on some type of protection for the consumers, those who bought timeshare from developers and property owners.
Clearly what we have now in terms of legislation does not sufficiently offer this protection, otherwise we would not be in the situation we are in today.
This latest fiasco from the timeshare buyers' perspective, continues to gnaw away at the image we desperately try to maintain and build on as a country Read more

Central Committee Meeting requested by DP and NA Factions about Port St. Maarten.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee of Parliament will meet in public session on February 10 at the request of the Democratic Party (DP) and National Alliance (NA) factions.
The Minister of Finance Hon. Martin Hassink and Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications Hon Read more

Smhdf Supervisory Board Refuses To Meet With Parliament

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The meeting requested by three members of the opposition in Parliament on December 18, regarding the Harbor Group of Companies has been convened for Tuesday, February 10, 2015.

It will be a meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament, which meetings are open to the public.

The members who requested this meeting back in December are MPs Silveria Jacobs, George Pantophlet, and the undersigned.
In their request, the members of Parliament cited the issues that are playing regarding this government company as the following:
- Head tax issue
- The Deher's marina project
- The Causeway (TOT payment)
-The Crane issue
- Government dividend and payment for the FCCA conference

The presence of the ministers was requested and ministers Conner and Hassink have confirmed to be at the meeting on Tuesday Read more

Central Committee Meeting Requested By Dp And Na Factions About Port St. Maarten

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The Central Committee of Parliament will meet in public session on February 10 at the request of the Democratic Party (DP) and National Alliance (NA) factions.

The Minister of Finance Hon. Martin Hassink and Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications Hon Read more

Justice Minister Has No Knowledge Of Possible Replacement

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - According to reports on The Voice of St. Maarten News has learnt that Former head of the Coastguard Edson "Eddy" Kirindongo is tipped to be the next Justice Minister.

He will be replacing the current Justice Minister, the Honorable Dennis Richardson.

Although, it is still not clear as to when Kirindongo will take up the position, according to reports, he is currently being vetted, as the choice of Member of Parliament and leader of the United St. Maarten Read more

The illusion of Parliamentary Motions

Dear Editor,

On January 30, the budget of country St. Maarten was passed by Parliament after some marathon sessions, which were necessary if our country wanted to make the CFT deadline of January 31.

The CFT will now have to render its advice on the approved budget 2015. As is often the case, the closing part of the budget debate saw several motions being presented. Some motions were approved by a majority, others unanimously approved, and yet others rejected.

Five motions were presented and one amendment Read more

Kremlin talks on Ukraine yield little

DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine--The leaders of France and Germany flew out of Moscow in the dead of night after five hours of talks with Vladimir Putin on Friday, with little to announce to end fighting in Ukraine beyond a promise to keep talking.

None of the leaders spoke publicly after the meeting, which ended around midnight with President Francois Hollande and Chancellor Angela Merkel whisked straight from the Kremlin back to the airport. The French and German leaders had held similar late talks the night before with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, part of a last-ditch push for a breakthrough before EU leaders consider new financial sanctions against Russia next week.

European officials had played down expectations ahead of the Moscow talks, expressing doubt that Putin would compromise while pro-Russian rebels are advancing on the ground Read more

NAPB wants ‘function book’ finalised this year

PHILIPSBURG--General Police Union NAPB will be focusing on enhancing its communication with members and the public as well as pushing for government to finalise what is referred to as the police "function book."

The function book covers a range of areas such as the general police law, structure, placement plan and salary package amongst other things. NAPB President Ethelwoldus Josepha told The Daily Herald that officers have been awaiting the finalisation of these matters for in excess of four years and it is time that these issues are finalised once and for all.

"The function book is something I have to work on and the entire board of NAPB has to work on Read more

DP, CPA, OSPP still to submit donation list

~ Candidates urged to submit info by Feb. 13 ~

PHILIPSBURG--The Democratic Party (DP), Concordia Political Alliance (CPA) and One St. Maarten People Party (OSPP) have not yet submitted their donation registers for the August 29, 2014 Parliament Election to the Electoral Council Read more

Separate Ordinance To Regulate Timeshare Being Considered Say's Dp

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The meeting, requested by the DP faction in Parliament on the 2 draft time-share laws took place on Thursday, February 5th.

Unfortunately, Minister Conner was not able to attend, however the minister sent 2 advisors to assist at the meeting.

Also present was the Minister of Justice, within whose purview the civil code falls.

Parties agreed that we will work together to expeditiously respond to the advice of the Council of Advice Read more

D66, PvdA opposed on St Maarten intervention

THE HAGUE--The Dutch Labour Party PvdA and the democratic party D66 have contradicting views when it comes to the proposed intervention by the Kingdom Council of Ministers to tackle integrity violations in St. Maarten.

The PvdA is of the opinion that intervention by the Kingdom Government in the case of St. Maarten is merited because the country has offered insufficient redress to effectively deal with integrity violations in government.

PvdA Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Roelof van Laar made this clear during a public debate in The Hague on Thursday evening, organised by the Committee Kingdom Relations and the Kingdom Youth Parliament.

Member of the Second Chamber Wassila Hachchi of D66 condemned the extreme measure of the Kingdom Council of Ministers to start the procedure to impose a General Measure of the Kingdom Government ("Algemene Maatregel van Rijksbestuur AMvRB") to establish an Integrity Chamber for St Read more

Bosman, Van Raak sanction intervention by The Hague

THE HAGUE--Intervention of the Kingdom Government is painful and it might be experienced by some as unjust, but it is necessary because without help from the Netherlands, St. Maarten will not be able to tackle the integrity violations and clean up the dirty politics.

Members of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP) and André Bosman of the liberal democratic VVD party wholeheartedly supported the decision of the Kingdom Council of Ministers last Friday, to start the procedure to invoke a so-called General Measure of the Kingdom Government (“Algemene Maatregel van Rijksbestuur” AMvRB) to set up an Integrity Chamber for St Read more

Royal Netherlands Marines commander suspended after subordinates complain

Commander of the Netherlands Royal Marines in St. Maarten Patrick Wokke was suspended after what a source referred to as a “bullying campaign” against Wokke led to a complaint by subordinates.

POINTE BLANCHE--Commander of the Netherlands Royal Marines in St. Maarten Major Patrick Wokke has been suspended from his post with immediate effect after what a source referred to as “a bullying campaign to have the major removed from his position.” The suspension happened some three weeks ago.

It is the second time within a year that the Dutch Defence Forces have been accused of unfairly removing a popular leader from an organisation based in St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Of the eight registered political parties only three of them submitted their donation registers before February 1st as is stipulated in the National Ordinance registration and finances of political parties. These political parties are the Citizens for Positive Change, the United People's Party and the Social Reform Party Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- On January 30th the budget of country St. Maarten was passed by Parliament after some marathon sessions, which were necessary if our country wanted to make the CFT deadline of January 31st.
The CFT will now have to render its advice on the APPROVED budget 2015. As is often the case, the closing part of the budget debate saw several motions being presented. Some motions were approved by a majority, others unanimously approved, and yet others rejected.
Five motions were presented and one amendment Read more

Minister Connor: Government Still Committed To Timeshare Consumer Protection

St. Maarten – Government’s goal as it regards timeshare remains to establish timeshare consumer protection and meet the goal of bringing credibility to St. Maarten’s Timeshare product, Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Claret Connor reiterated on Tuesday.

He said government understands, full well, the messages it is receiving from timeshare members Read more

Local Alternative For Rain Forest

St. Maarten – He wrote a comprehensive plan for the sustainable development of the Emilio Wilson estate and brought it to the attention of former Vromi-Minister Maurice Lake, the former Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams and the former Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Ted Richardson Read more