SXMElections.com

Ipko: No Time For Debate About Dispute Regulation

St. Maarten News – The Inter-parliamentary Kingdom Consultation (Ipko) did not get around to a discussion about the dispute regulation yesterday. Due to time constraints, chairlady Sarah Wescot-Williams closed the meeting shortly after 4.30 p.m. to allow members of the Dutch delegation to meet unspecified commitments outside of the meeting.

St Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

St. Maarten Prime Minister Wants Voting Rights For Students In Holland

St. Maarten News – Prime Minister William Marlin will travel to the Netherlands on Sunday for a week-long visit where he will meet with Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Kingdom Relations Minister Ronald Plasterk and the vice-chair of the Council of State, Piet Hein Donner Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

New Parking System At Clem Labega Is Ready

St. Maarten – The new parking system at Clem Labega square should be operational soon but the seemingly simple project has a long history, Prime Minister William Marlin explained yesterday. Motorists will have to pull a ticket from a machine at the entrance opposite the Windward Islands Bank before the beam goes up to allow them to enter.

Access is only allowed on a right hand turn, coming from the direction of the police station and the Government Administration building Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Central Bank Helps With Employment Fund

St. Maarten News – The cabinet has called in the help of the Central Bank to set up the Employment Fund for young job seekers. Today Prime Minister William Marlin meets with a two-strong support team from the Central Bank to discuss the issue. Previously, the PM discussed his options with the President of the bank, Emsley Tromp.

“The government is a shareholder in the central bank,” Marlin said yesterday Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Marlin Foresees Lively Debate About Reform Proposals

St. Maarten News – Prime Minister William Marlin disagrees with the opinion of political analyst Julio Romney that his proposal for electoral reform will result in a dictatorship. “That’s unfortunate. I don’t agree with his take on it but his contribution adds to a lively debate,” Marlin said yesterday.

The three-strong committee tasked with the fine-tuning of electoral reform proposals had its first meeting on Tuesday and it will present its plan of approach and a timeline to Marlin today.

:In the past Romney has proposed that MPs who leave their party should give up their seat and walk away Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Szv And Aps Buy Government Building “Civil Servants Move In By July”

St. Maarten News – Social insurance agency SZV and pension fund APS think it is feasible for civil servants to move into the government administration Building on Pond Island by the end of July, Prime Minister William Marlin said at yesterday’s council of Ministers press briefing.

SZV and Aps will buy the building for around 45 million guilders and complete it Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Timeshare, The Sick Cousin Of The Tourism Industry

After many years, legislation remains in limbo

St. Maarten – Trouble in the timeshare industry probably dates back further than December 2010, when the controversial sale of the Pelican Resort caused uproar among employees and timeshare owners alike, but it is a good starting point for getting an impression of the state of this industry and the lack of action on the part of successive governments.

When the Pelican Resort changed ownership in December 2010, the jobs of 182 employees were suddenly on the line Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Jakisha Brooks On Student Athlete Visit In Miami

MIAMI/ ST. MAARTEN – Jakisha Brooks is ending the year on a high note. The 18-year old 5’ 11” starting forward for the Learning Unlimited team in the Ladies Basketball Championship is on an official NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) student athlete visit at the St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida.

Brooks is the reigning ‘LBC Defensive Player Of The Year’ for 2014-2015 and was selected to the LBC All Star Game 2014, LBC All First Team and as a top-20 player for the 2014-2015 season Read more

Open Government

Our government wishes to be open and transparent. We have seen some examples of this given by Public Health Minister Emil Lee and only last week, Education Minister Silveria Jacobs confirmed that she is on the same page – actually, that the whole government is on the same page.

Well, let’s test those statements against an initiative that came up in the Netherlands and that seems to fit St Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Former Pm Marcel Gumbs Reacts To Dr. Martha “Not Possible To Revoke Dissolution Decree”

St. Maarten / By Hilbert Haar – “I think that not all the facts were presented to him,” former Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs told this newspaper yesterday in a reaction to the interview with Dr. Rutsel Martha. “He is a good friend and very clever, though somewhat controversial, but his specialty is not in constitutional law.”

Gumbs said that he had acquired advice from three constitutional experts – professors Arjen van Rijn, Tijn Kortmann and Joop van den Berg Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

“Governor Holiday Made Gumbs Look Like A Fool”

Dr. Rutsel Martha: revoking dissolution decree perfectly legal

By Hilbert Haar – LONDON / GREAT BAY – The decision by the Marlin-cabinet to withdraw the October 29 dissolution decree and to replace it by another one that pushed the elections back to September of next year is perfectly legal. That is the opinion of Dr. Rutsel Martha, a former Minister of Justice in Curacao who is now based in London as an international legal consultant. From a distance, Dr. Martha has followed the political developments in St Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Maho Group Appreciates Dedicated Team Members

St. Maarten – The Maho Group recognized its outstanding and dedicated team members as Stars of the Hospitality and Tourism Industry this week at Sonesta Resorts’ End of the Year Team Appreciation evening.

The resort group singled out a number of team members in various categories such as Employee of Year and Supervisor of the Year and in novelty categories like Best Smile and Punctuality and Grooming. All team members were observed throughout the year as they conducted their regular assignments and when they went above and beyond the call of duty.

Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor Emil Lee, who was very active in the field of hospitality and tourism prior to his current post, was a guest at the appreciation evening. 

The awardees were pulled from Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Casino, Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort Casino and Spa, Ocean Point, Casino Royale, Diamond Casino, and Golden Casino.

The recognition of Employee of the Year was received by Diane Burnett and Maria Mercedes (Sonesta Maho), Soledad Van Lamoen Rivera and Pierre Banno Charles (Ocean Point), Ruby Coby and Marie Philippe (Sonesta Great Bay), Elmira Hodge and Richard Renjifo-Tinini (Casino Royale), Juan Nunez and Maria Bryson (Diamond/Golden Casinos). 

The Best Smile Award were presented to Anna Nelson (Sonesta Maho), Clarissa Clement (Ocean Point), Jonathan Puente (Sonesta Great Bay), Karoll Gil-Huertes (Casino Royale), and Celine Oliente (Diamond/Golden Casinos)

The Supervisor of the Year nod was given to Preciosa Teleisi (Sonesta Maho), Alma Harry (Ocean Point), Miguel Felix (Sonesta Great Bay), and Daniel Ottley (Diamond/Golden Casino).

The Leadership Award went to Irene Correa (Sonesta Maho), Damion Bailey (Ocean Point), Unelta Cherry (Sonesta Great Bay), Yacqueline Rivera (Casino Royale), and Rosa Isaac (Diamond/Golden Casinos).                                                    

The resorts have also paid keep attention to punctuality and grooming of team members and those who have exceeded the ordinary were commended for their commitment to being on time and being well put together Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Government About To Collect 13 Million From Casino Sector

Parliamentarians happy with withdrawal increased road tax

St. Maarten – By providing the receiver’s office with a mandate, the government is able to collect 13 million in tax arrears from the casino-sector, Finance Minister Richard Gibson said yesterday afternoon during a meeting of the Central Committee where he, as announced on Wednesday, withdrew the draft law to increase the road tax in 2016.

In a brief introduction, the minister told parliament that he would like to make some changes to the draft the previous government had submitted Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

University Launches Online Journal

Partial screenshot of the website that hosts the online journal. Image usmonline.net

University of St. Martin (USM) President Dr. Francio Guadeloupe launched the online journal Commentaries at an informal ceremony. The university will host an official launch at the end of January 2016. Joshue Ferrol maintains the website and Pedro de Weever edits the journal

“Commentaries features scientific and popular essays from the Dutch Caribbean (and St. Maarten in particular),” Guadeloupe said in a press statement Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

New Parties Come With Joint Statement About Elections

St. Maarten – The five newly established political parties will come with a joint statement about the decision to move the elections from February 9 to September 26, Christian Party leader Wycliffe Smith told this newspaper yesterday evening. He declined to make an individual comment on the situation, but it stands to reason to assume that the five parties are not happy with the outcome of the process.

The Christian Party, Hope, led by Mercedes van der Waals-Wyatt (aka Elektra),MAP, led by Peter Gittens, SMD, led by Benjamin Ortega and Beyond St Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Nagico 2016 Calendar Features Artwork From Local Students

NAGICO Insurances CEO Dwayne Elgin presents winners Carina Alcin and Tracey Aloma with a copy of the 2016 calendar displaying their handy work and a gift certificate for Boolchands. Photo contributed

St. Maarten – Nagico Insurances launched its 2016 calendar, entitled My Heritage, My Culture – a compilation of art submitted by students from across the Caribbean, two (2) of whom are from St Read more

Lisa Alexander: Canceling National Decree Is Unconstitutional”

St. Maarten – “His Excellency Governor Eugene Holiday’s attempt to cancel the national decree of October 29 is unconstitutional,” Lisa Alexander said in a press statement last night. “There is absolutely no provision in the Constitution that gives the governor the authority to cancel a published National Dissolution Decree. This decree affects the fundamental rights of the citizens of St Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Mp Maurice Lake: Vital Role For Gebe In Renewable Energy

St. Maarten – Independent Member of Parliament Maurice Lake says he foresees GEBE playing a vital role in renewable energy in St. Maarten. “Based on the coalition of eight’s governing program, we will continue where the steering committee within government left off with the waste-to-energy plant discussions and review the latest draft agreement,” he said in a press statement.

Government is continuous and the previous Government should never have attempted changing plans that were in the best interest of the people, Lake noted. “Based on the shareholder’s meeting that took place yesterday, Gebe Management and supervisory board will inform the Council of Ministers about its current state of affairs.  The Minister of Vromi, who is shareholder representative of GEBE, needs to put as an agenda point the historical and current status of renewable energy.  We need to work towards the future by starting investments into renewable energy and alternative sources of energy through LPG/ LNG, also by promoting solar energy to the community in addition to having the necessary policies in place.”

Those who have invested in solar energy production in our community should be commended for taking the initiative on their own, Lake added. “All stakeholders, Gebe and government, need to put in place what is necessary for local solar energy producers to receive back what they contribute on a daily basis based on their solar energy investment and contribution to the electricity grid.  Gebe needs to adjust its meters to accommodate solar energy to residential homes Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Wycliffe Smith About Separation Of Church And State: “Distinct Yet Inseparable”

St. Maarten – Ever since the Sint Maarten Christian Party announced its participation in the upcoming elections the issue of separation of church and state became debatable. Opinions range from strict separation to a close association between church and state.

“People wonder where the Sint Maarten Christian Party’s stands on this controversial issue. People can rest assured that the party is not about establishing a religious state,” party leader Wycliffe Smith wrote in a press statement Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

St. Maarten Port Inaugurates Gottwald Crane

On the left is the boom of the Terex Gottwald Model 6 Crane and the CMA CGM Container Vessel, the largest to dock at Port St. Maarten, MV Marseille. Photo contributed

St. Maarten – During the inauguration on Saturday of the newly acquired Terex Gottwald Model 6 Crane, and the welcome ceremony for the CMA CGM Marseille Container Cargo Vessel – the largest vessel to operate at Port St. Maarten Cargo Facility – the buzz coming from various stakeholders was about the strategic investments that have been made by Port St Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

New Parties Urge Governor To Hold February Elections

St. Maarten – The five newly established political parties have, as they announced last week, sent a protest letter to Governor Drs. Eugene Holiday, demanding that the elections on February 9 of next year take place and will not be postponed. The letter is dated November 30, but its authors are still awaiting an answer from the Governor.

“We are hearing rumors that the new government will first seek a decision from parliament on the postponement of the elections,” the five parties write in their letter Read more

Dutch Quarter Upgrade Has Again Priority

St. Maarten – On June 2012 current Prime Minister William Marlin, then minister of Vromi. promised Dutch Quarter that the district would be “brand new” by the end of 2014. Why nothing happened? “The wrong people were in government,” Marlin said at yesterday’s Council of Ministers press briefing. “Right now, this project has priority again.”

St Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

New Political Parties Balk At Postponement Of Elections

From left Peter Gittens, Daniel Ortega, Loekie Morales, Mercedes van der Waals-Wyatt and Wycliffe Smith. Photo contributed

St Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Christian Party Hosts General Meeting

The Sint Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) hosts a general meeting tomorrow at Belair Community Centre at 7.30 p.m. This general meeting serves to inform the public about the objectives and goals of the party. Also, it is an opportunity to ask questions and engage directly with the faith-based political party.

Founded by Wycliffe Smith, former Lt. Governor of Saba, policy advisor, and retired pastor, and James Edwin Arrindell, pastor of Christian Faith Ministries, the St Read more

---

Candidates in this article: