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Editorial - Not too much

Judging by his statements in Parliament, the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs will be diligent about tackling misspending within the public sector. In answering questions during the 2015 budget debate on, for example, the use by officials of credit cards, cell phones and rental cars, he did not hide his disapproval of the apparently excessive cost involved, nor his intention to do something about it.

That must have sounded like music to the ears of many who have grown wary of watching obvious waste of taxpayers' hard-earned money year after year, while essential collective needs cannot be addressed properly due to lack of funds Read more

Parliament adopts ‘skeleton budget’

PHILIPSBURG--Parliament passed the 2015 budget with an 11-4 vote on Thursday night with just two days to spare before the deadline set by the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT.

The budget had to be established in December 2014. Government asked CFT for more time and was given the deadline of January 31.

Voting for the budget were the 10 Members of Parliament supporting the coalition and former coalition member MP Sarah Wescot-Williams (Democratic Party (DP)) Read more

Gov’t instructed to raise fee on money transfers

PHILIPSBURG--Increase or create an international transfer fee to be levied on money transfer services such as MoneyGram and Western Union was an instruction from Parliament to Finance Minister Martin Hassink. The motion was adopted by Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Plenary Session of Parliament dealing with the 2015 budget on Thursday evening.

Thirteen MPs voted for the motion.

MP Sarah Wescot-Williams (Democratic Party) voted against the motion, saying she could not support the piecemeal approach to changing the tax system Read more

2,096 referred abroad for medical care in 2014

PHILIPSBURG--The number of Social and Health Care Insurances SZV patients who were refereed abroad for medical care was slightly higher in 2014 compared to the year before, according to figures provided by Acting Minister of Health Rita Bourne-Gumbs during the recent meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on the draft 2015 budget.

There were 2,096 SZV referrals abroad in 2014 compared to 1,982 in 2013.

According to the minister, there were 996 referrals to Curaçao last year compared to 1,100 in 2013; 401 to Colombia last year compared to 437 in 2013; 603 to the Dominican Republic compared to 368 in 2013; 86 to Aruba last year compared to 48 in 2013; six to the Netherlands last year compared to 14 in 2013; none to Guadeloupe compared to three in 2013; none to Martinique compared to six in 2013; one to Jamaica in 2014 compared to one in 2013; and three to Puerto Rico in 2014 compared to five in 2013.

The minister said SZV currently has contracts with hospitals in Aruba, Curaçao (BMS, Sehos), Colombia (Coomeva, hospitals in Bogota, Bucaramanga, Cali, Medellin), the Dominican Republic (Cedimat), the Netherlands (Holland Intercare), St Read more

Westin changes its tune on beach access

DAWN BEACH--The blocking of public beach access by The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort and Spa changed quickly after its doing so landed the property on the front page of The Daily Herald's Wednesday, January 28 edition.

One resident who had sent a detailed complaint to this newspaper reported that beach chairs had been moved to make more space for beachgoers and that security guards had been especially welcoming and polite, even seeming "relieved." The chairs were said to have been pulled back "a good 25 yards from each end of the beach."

The resident, who previously had described being approached and harassed by security guards over the past three years about his and his wife's not being allowed to place their "own chairs and umbrella anywhere on the beach within the perimeters of their property" said there had been "no harassment and no restrictions" on where they could sit on Wednesday, when the article ran.

"It was a pleasure to spend a few hours enjoying the beautiful beach with no interference," he said Read more

Marlin changes his tune on leasing EWE to Rainforest

PHILIPSBURG--National Alliance (NA) leader Member of Parliament William Marlin was in favour of leasing Emilio Wilson Estate to Rainforest Adventure for the creation of zip-line attraction when he was Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment an Infrastructure VROMI in July 2012.

Marlin's support for Rainforest could be seen clearly in an excerpt from the Minutes of the Council of Ministers meeting of July 5, 2012, United People's (UP) party leader Member of Parliament Theo Heyliger told Parliament Thursday in the Plenary Session on the budget Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister Plenipotentiary Hon. Josianne Fleming-Artsen recently met with the board of St. Maarten Student Support Services (S4) to get an update with respect to S4 activities for 2015.

Minister Fleming-Artsen at the same time introduced herself to the board who was represented by Rinaldo Hassell, President, Genevieve Mourillon, Secretary, Gino Rombley, Treasurer, as the new minister plenipotentiary who took the oath of office on December 19, 2014 in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Hon Read more

>THE CARIBBEAN:--- The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), representing 32 National Hotel Associations across the region, has appointed hospitality and tourism industry veteran Frank J. Comito as the new CEO and Director General. He assumes the post March 9, 2015.
As CEO, Comito will work to raise CHTA's profile as the leader for the Caribbean hospitality industry and along with the CHTA Executive Committee and Board of Directors he will develop a strategic plan for the association that serves the needs of its entire membership comprised of over 600 hotels and 300 allied members Read more

Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association Names Industry Veteran Frank Comito Ceo, Director General

CORAL GABLES, FL - The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) has appointed hospitality and tourism industry veteran Frank J. Comito as the new CEO and Director General. He assumes the post March 9, 2015.

As CEO, Comito will work to raise CHTA's profile as the leader for the Caribbean hospitality industry and along with the CHTA Executive Committee and Board of Directors he will develop a strategic plan for the association that serves the needs of its entire membership comprised of over 600 hotels and 300 allied members.

Comito replaces Jeff Vasser who stepped down as CEO/Director General at the end of December 2014.

"Frank Comito brings a wealth of knowledge and insight to CHTA, most recently as Executive Vice President of the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association and other tourism-related organizations," said Emil Lee, president of CHTA adding:

Comito most recently served as Executive Vice President of the Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association, a position he held for over 10 years, and was responsible for guiding and managing the organization's range of activities in advocacy, business development, workforce improvement and organizational development.

Comito brings to his new role with CHTA over 30 years of experience in economic development, organization management, government affairs, project management, workforce development, research and analysis, and providing business and investor support in the Bahamas, U.S Read more

Westin reportedly blocking public access to Dawn Beach

A quiet Dawn Beach in front of The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort and Spa.

DAWN BEACH--Two very specific complaints against The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Resort and Spa concerning the alleged blocking of public access to Dawn Beach in front of and near the resort have been received by The Daily Herald within just three days recently.

The accounts have been backed up by multiple stakeholders who have heard of or experienced similar situations. Resort management could not be reached for comment on Monday or Tuesday.

Both accounts describe harassment by overly confrontational security guards who are confining beachgoers to a smaller area than before Read more

Extra money for shark protection

PHILIPSBURG/WILLEMSTAD--Dutch lottery "Postcode Loterij" has approved a grant of US $1.9 million for a three-year project aimed at shark protection in the waters of Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten. The money will be made available to local marine parks through Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA), a non-governmental organization in which nature parks on all six Dutch Caribbean islands cooperate.

The implementation of this project will be done together with local communities, fishermen and researchers and directed by local experts.

Tadzio Bervoets, manager of St Read more

SMTA calls for summit, decisive action on Timeshare Ordinance

SIMPSON BAY--"The time for decisive action is now," says St. Maarten Timeshare Association (SMTA) chairman Marcel Javois in relation to the Advisory Council's remarks on the Timeshare Ordinance brought to SMTA's attention recently. The SMTA is calling for a summit on the matter to discuss the best way forward.

"The SMTA has taken keen note of the recent comments and statements surrounding the Timeshare Ordinance. We believe that it is now time for urgent action, with this matter having been on the table for over 18 years," Javois was quoted as saying in an SMTA press statement released January 28.

SMTA said it had "just learned that the Advisory Council is unhappy with the Timeshare Ordinance Civil Code amendments and the Timeshare Authority Ordinance that will assist government and consumers in regulating the timeshare industry being drafted in the English language.

"At the time the laws were drafted for Member of Parliament [MP – Ed.] Leroy de Weever, the initiator of the laws, then-Minister of Justice Roland Duncan, and the supervising expert of the legislation, Judge Professor Jan de Boer, believed that there was ample justification for the laws to be drafted in English as it is one of our two official languages.

"In April of last year, the SMTA met with Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson, who said that many timeshare concepts were so English-specific and given that Holland has only one small timeshare property, that English should be used, but the law should be as a separate national law rather than part of the Civil Code, which needs to be as uniform as possible throughout the Kingdom.

"We understand that the Advisory Council is also not satisfied with using that as a solution.

"Given the late hour and the urgency of the issue as a national priority now that two large timeshare properties are having serious trouble and government has no tools to help, the SMTA hereby calls for an immediate summit to be convened."

SMTA called for the summit to include players that might have input, including current parliamentary initiator of the law Democratic Party (DP) through its leader MP Sarah Wescot-Williams, Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Claret Connor, Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson, the Advisory Council, the Ombudsman, Department of Legal Affairs and the SMTA, "in order to make a plan to get this legislation corrected and, if necessary, translated accurately to Dutch, and passed in the shortest time possible."

As reported in Tuesday's edition of The Daily Herald, the hold-up in the processing of the draft initiative laws to regulate the timeshare sector has come down to a matter of language Read more

Gov’t paid NAf. 1.31 million mobile phone bill to TelEm

~ Budget debate continues today ~

PHILIPSBURG--Government spent NAf. 1,131,844.78 last year in mobile telephone bills for civil servants. That amount covers 206 mobile phones from St. Maarten Telephone Group of Companies TelEm allotted to civil servants in "key positions," including emergency posts at the Fire and Ambulance Departments, police, health inspectors and policy advisors.

The Ministry of General Affairs has 50 government-allocated mobile phones; Ministry of Justice 25 mobile phones; Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports 17; Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication 35 mobile phones; Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure 42 mobile phones; Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour 26 mobile phones; and Ministry of Finance 9 mobile phones.

Prime Minister/General Affair Minister Marcel Gumbs told Parliament Wednesday that government intends to establish a new policy on the issuance and regulation of mobile phones for civil servants to curb the high bill.

Independent MP Leona Marlin-Romeo had called on government in the Plenary Session of Parliament on the draft 2015 budget on Tuesday to seek more ways to cut back on waste and bad spending in the administration Read more

Gumbs wants healthy debate on pension age increase

PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs said he looked forward to a "healthy debate" on the increase of the pension age from sixty to 62 when it reached Parliament.

He told Members of Parliament (MPs) during the debate on the draft 2014 budget on Wednesday that the ordinance for the pension age increase by two years, was making its way through the necessary channels before it can be tabled in Parliament Read more

Advice to examine BT&P 16M claim on St. Maarten

THE HAGUE--The Settlement Committee of Assets and Liabilities of the Country the Netherlands Antilles is advising a thorough investigation of the NAf. 16 million that the Bureau Telecommunication and Post BT&P claims from Country St. Maarten.

The Division Committee stated this in its end report of December 2014, which was presented to the three legal successors of the dismantled Country the Netherlands Antilles, Curaçao, St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister Plenipotentiary Hon. Josianne Fleming-Artsen on Monday, January 26 met with the Chairlady of the Dutch Second Chamber of Parliament Hon. Anouchka van Miltenburg regarding current affairs.

Minister Plenipotentiary Fleming-Artsen stated that the meeting was of an introductory nature and also part of her plan to rebuild relations between the two countries, Sint Maarten and the Netherlands.

"We had a very open discussion. Van Miltenburg visited Sint Maarten in 2014 and she now has a better understanding of the diversity of the various countries, and also the complexities of small scale societies.

"Van Miltenburg also known as the Speaker of the House of Representatives has a very open mind for Sint Maarten's viewpoint regarding the Integrity Chamber when we discuss integrity.

"The Dutch Speaker of the House would also like to meet with Sint Maarten ministers when they come to the Netherlands on a working visit Read more

Central Committee Meeting scheduled for Friday regarding Non-payment of bills by SZV and Government for health care.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee of Parliament will meet in public session on January 30 at the request of the National Alliance (NA) faction.

The Central Committee meeting is set for Friday at 10:00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda for the meeting is the non-payment of bills by the Social Health Insurance (SZV); the non-payment of premiums by Government to the SZV, and the consequences to health care in the country.

This meeting has been requested by NA Members of Parliament (MP) Hon Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- On behalf of the parks and nature conservation organisations on Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten, DCNA was proud to receive an annual contribution of Euro 500,000 on from the Lottery at their Goed Geld Gala event, which will be used to help create a sustainable funding future for parks throughout the region and to support regional conservation activities.

On Monday 26th January 2015 the annual Dutch Postcode Lottery Charity Gala (Goed Geld Gala) was held in Amsterdam.
During the charity gala, the lottery proudly announced that thanks to its 2.5 million participants, who bought more than 4 million lottery tickets collectively, a total of 312 million euros will be distributed to non-governmental organisations in 2015.

The Dutch Postcode Lottery has been raising funds since 1989 to support organisations working towards a fairer and greener world Read more

Minister Fleming-Artsen Meets With Board Of St. Maarten Student Support Services

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister Plenipotentiary Hon. Josianne Fleming-Artsen recently met with the board of St. Maarten Student Support Services (S4) to get an update with respect to S4 activities for 2015.

Minister Fleming-Artsen at the same time introduced herself to the board who was represented by Rinaldo Hassell, President, Genevieve Mourillon, Secretary, Gino Rombley, Treasurer, as the new minister plenipotentiary who took the oath of office on December 19, 2014 in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Hon Read more

Central Committee Meeting Scheduled For Friday Regarding Non-Payment Of Bills By Szv And Government For Health Care

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The Central Committee of Parliament will meet in public session on January 30 at the request of the National Alliance (NA) faction.

The Central Committee meeting is set for Friday at 10.00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda for the meeting is the non-payment of bills by the Social Health Insurance (SZV); the non-payment of premiums by Government to the SZV, and the consequences to health care in the country.

This meeting has been requested by NA Members of Parliament (MP) Hon Read more

Nature Conservation Gets A Huge Boost From The Dutch Postcode Lottery

BES Islands - On behalf of the parks and nature conservation organisations on Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten, DCNA was proud to receive an annual contribution of Euro 500,000 on from the Lottery at their Goed Geld Gala event, which will be used to help create a sustainable funding future for parks throughout the region and to support regional conservation activities.

On Monday 26th January 2015 the annual Dutch Postcode Lottery Charity Gala (Goed Geld Gala) was held in Amsterdam.
During the charity gala, the lottery proudly announced that thanks to its 2.5 million participants, who bought more than 4 million lottery tickets collectively, a total of 312 million euros will be distributed to non-governmental organisations in 2015.

The Dutch Postcode Lottery has been raising funds since 1989 to support organisations working towards a fairer and greener world Read more

Leona: Stop first class travel for MPs and ministers, cut salaries

PHILIPSBURG--A five per cent salary cut and an end to all first class air travel for Members of Parliament (MPs) and ministers were proposed to Parliament by independent MP Leona Marlin-Romeo during the Plenary Session of Parliament dealing with the draft 2015 budget on Tuesday.

Marlin-Romeo, a member of the governing coalition, said if civil servants could do without the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) this year, MPs and ministers should be prepared to take a salary cut.

She intends to formalise her proposals in a motion slated for tabling today, Wednesday, when the plenary session continues in Parliament House at 2:00pm.

Then Democratic Party MP Roy Marlin lobbied for a similar salary cut just over a year ago, but it was withdrawn after he failed to persuade any of his coalition partners to sign on Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake, this past weekend commenced with his district observation visits in his capacity as MP to see where and how he can assist Sint Maarten communities.

MP Lake said he started his back to basics district visits 2015 with his home district of St Read more

Police Searches Secondary School.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- On Tuesday at approximately 8:30a.m. a special police team carried out a search the Sint Maarten Vocational School in Reward. The search was done on the request of the management of that school based on information that students of that school were either using drugs, dealing drugs or in the possession of weapons. The search was carried out on the school premises where all schoolbags were searched. At the same time the school premises was patroled by the Police K-9 team. During the search some firecrackers, a box cutter and a small amount of marijuana was found Read more