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OSPP 2nd meeting cancelled due to centre’s unpaid electricity bill

ST. PETERS--It appears that lightning has struck twice for One St. Maarten People's Party (OSPP). The party had to cancel the second planned town hall meeting of its campaign for parliament on Friday night. The meeting was due to take place in Rupert I. Maynard Youth Committee Centre in St. Peters, but there was no electricity; a similar circumstance to what occurred on Thursday at the Salvation Army Headquarters in Cole Bay where the party was slated to hold its first town hall meeting. Party leader former Commissioner Lenny Priest was not pleased with having to cancel a second meeting. The electricity was off at the centre, because the foundation that runs it did not pay the electricity bill. The OSPP leader said it was "unacceptable" utilities company GEBE, owned 100 per cent by government, would disconnect a community centre "for one outstanding invoice or some other matter." He agreed that the foundation, like any other institution, must have its finances in order to avoid embarrassing situations, but pointed out that OSPP is aware of many large businesses that owe GEBE "huge amount of money and they are still connected." Priest had publicly asked Shareholder Representative for GEBE Minister Maurice Lake, who hails from St Read more

Senatorial candidates to declare candidacy September 8th to 12th

MARIGOT--The Préfecture announced that official declarations of candidates for the upcoming Senator Elections will take place from Monday September 8 to Friday September 12 from 8:00am to 6:00pm. The election takes place on Sunday September 28 from 8:30am in the Prefecture of St. Martin and in the annex of St. Barths. In case of a second round, declaration of candidates will be submitted on the same day of voting, September 28, until 3:00pm when results will be announced. All information relating to declaring candidacy, eligibility, and other information can be obtained on the Website of the Prefecture www.saint-barth-saint-martin.pref.gouv.fr/ The same information can be obtained from the election services of the Prefecture at Tel Read more

Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise’s New President ready to "Light Up Rotary".

PHILIPSBURG:--- Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise President Dr. Virginia Asin-Oostburg personal theme for taking on leadership this year is "Celebrate Passion". She is passionate about helping and supporting people and plans to bring that same passion into her new role. President Asin-Oostburg, along with her board members are eager to put this year's Rotary International theme "Light Up Rotary" into action. In addition to the established programs for the club such as, breakfast programs, Readers are Leaders initiative and providing glasses to students in need, the club aims to add a health project Read more

Heat stress can cause illnesses; CPS urges vigilance of elderly, infants and young children.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour observes that for several days it has been very warm, and recommends to the community to take action during such warm periods. CPS is calling on the community to monitor closely friends, family members and co-workers with respect to heat stress and to minimize their exposure risk. The Minister of Public Health Hon. Cornelius de Weever, via his 'Get Checked' campaign, strongly recommends to the community to take measures to avoid heat exhaustion. Heat-related illnesses occur as a result of heat exposure Read more

PHILPSBURG:--- Members of the Democratic Party stood by their leader Sarah Wescot Williams on Thursday when they shed light and their shared their views on many issues affecting St. Maarten. Member of Parliament Roy Marlin in his remarks said he was the one that met with Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson to establish the guidelines for the political campaign Read more

MARIGOT:--- Former St. Martin Mayor Albert Fleming, in an exclusive interview, shared his vision for the unification of the Northern French side, and Southern Dutch side of the island. "I am people person and I love my country," says Albert. "Things on the French side are not going well because of the direction the politicians took on article 74 without having done a study. That's one of the reasons why I left government because we don't have the structure. We are in the crossroads of an extremely difficult situation financially, especially as a result of when the euro went into effect Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake met with members of the Progress Committee paid on Thursday afternoon in what turned out to be a farewell meeting as it was the last time that the committee would be meeting with the Ministry VROMI. The committee was put in place after Sint Maarten became an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands with the task of reporting on the plans of approach that are legally needed to ensure a proper functioning country status. The Committee has demonstrated its satisfaction with the work that has been done and has recommended that the Ministry puts in place some form of an external reporting committee or bureau, which can continue to monitor and report to the Minister to ensure that the good work that has been achieved through the cooperation and supervision by the Progress Committee doesn't decline. The Committee was moreover very pleased to have received the Project Plan Domain Affairs, which is a policy document pertaining to the granting of government land in long lease Read more

Public health authorities monitoring Ebola developments closely.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Minister of Public Health Hon. Cornelius de Weever says that public health authorities at the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, is closely monitoring the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, adding that Ebola does not pose an immediate threat to the country. "We are being proactive and very vigilant and closely monitoring developments daily with respect to the advices from the World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization and the Caribbean Public Health Agency. "Ebola does not pose a threat to the country, but we must monitor," Minister of Public Health, Hon Read more

The Campaign Promises Of 2010: Second Hospital-Plan Is Already Four Years Old

St. Maarten – The campaign promises are flying far and wide again in the run-up to the August 29 elections. How did our political parties do in 2010? What did they promise and what became of it? Let’s begin with an obvious example: the claim by the United People’s party (UP) – “We ready for our new medical center.” On September 15, 2010, the final campaign meeting of the UP took place on the grounds of the still unfinished ring road. Gerrit Schotte, leader of Movementu Futuro Kòrsou who was to become the first Prime Minister of Curacao before he got entangled in a web of scandals, endorsed the UP and lit up the meeting with his presence. UP-leader Theo Heyliger made his entrée in a carnivalesque atmosphere, dancing to the podium while cameras flashed and supporters wanted pictures with him Read more

Quarter Of The Population Is Without Medical Insurance

St. Maarten – Between 20 and 25 percent of the population still does not have healthcare insurance, Public Health Minister Cornelius de Weever said at a press briefing of the Democratic Party yesterday. The numbers are improving, because in the recent past the number of uninsured citizens stood around 33 percent. De Weever said that his ministry has been quite busy with the National Health Insurance plan Read more

 Up-Candidate Wants End To Possible Prosecution: Maria Buncamper-Molanus To Court On Monday

St. Maarten – The Judge of Instruction will handle the request by United People’s party candidate Maria Buncamper-Molanus to terminate a possible criminal investigation against her on Monday afternoon. The hearing takes place behind closed doors. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has consistently declared since December 2010 that it intends to investigate possible criminal aspects of a lease land deal Buncamper and her husband Claudius did in 2008 Read more

Former Mayor Albert Fleming Calls For Unification Of St.Martin North And South With The Support Of Up Party Candidate #5 Josianne Artsen

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Former St. Martin Mayor Albert Fleming, in an exclusive interview, shared his vision for the unification of the Northern French side, and Southern Dutch side of the island. "I am people person and I love my country," says Albert. "Things on the French side are not going well because of the direction the politicians took on article 74 without having done a study. That's one of the reasons why I left government because we don't have the structure. We are in the crossroads of an extremely difficult situation financially, especially as a result of when the euro went into effect.  Buying power with the euro is tremendous against the dollars, and that's why people don't come to French side to shop as much as they did in the past Read more

Sxm Bids Bon Voyage To 80 Students Leaving For Holland

SIMPSON BAY, St. Maarten — The Princess Juliana International Airport, SXM, in collaboration with Dominos Pizza, will be bidding "Bon Voyage" to about 80 students who will be leaving the island Sunday, August 3, 2014. "The event, which is in its third year, will be attended by Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams and Minister of Education Patricia Lourens, both of whom will Read more

Public Health Authorities Monitoring Ebola Developments Closely

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – Minister of Public Health Hon. Cornelius de Weever says that public health authorities at the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, is closely monitoring the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, adding that Ebola does not pose an immediate threat to the country. "We are being proactive and very vigilant and closely monitoring developments daily with respect to the advices from the World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization and the Caribbean Public Health Agency. "Ebola does not pose a threat to the country, but we must monitor," Minister of Public Health, Hon Read more

Former Ministers Fail To Submit Financial Declarations

PM unaware of blank filing by former Justice Minister Duncan St. Maarten – Not all ministers that left office after the fall of the second Wescot-Williams cabinet have filed a declaration of their assets and financial affairs, Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams said at yesterday’s Council of Ministers press briefing. The General Audit Chamber stated in a report about institutional integrity in May that ministers who leave office have to submit a declaration “truthfully affirming which business interests and assets he, his spouse or partner and his children possess.” This rule is based on the National Ordinance Promotion Integrity of Ministers. The declaration has to include secondary functions and ancillary activities plus the compensation they receive for these activities Read more

Franklin Meyers About His Billboards: “I Am Not In Breach Of Campaign Rules”

St. Maarten – “I am not in breach of any campaign rule,” United People’s party candidate Franklin Meyers told this newspaper yesterday in a reaction to our report that the police will ask the Ministry of Vromi to remove political billboards from roundabouts. Meyers, the number 3 on the UP-list and a former Commissioner of Public Health, said that he had not received any call about his campaign billboards Read more

De Weever Warns Politicians About Requests For “Special Assistance”

St. Maarten – Members of Parliament, their wives, and candidates in the upcoming elections have been approaching civil servants at the Labor Department to ask “special assistance for their potential voters,” Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor Cornelius de Weever said at yesterday’s Council of Ministers press briefing. “I am kindly asking these politicians and their wives not to play politics with the department and with government in general,” he said Read more

Progress Committee Bids Farewell To Minister Lake And Ministry Vromi. Ministry Vromi A Good Example For Other Ministries

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake met with members of the Progress Committee paid on Thursday afternoon in what turned out to be a farewell meeting as it was the last time that the committee would be meeting with the Ministry VROMI. The committee was put in place after Sint Maarten became an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands with the task of reporting on the plans of approach that are legally needed to ensure a proper functioning country status. The Committee has demonstrated its satisfaction with the work that has been done and has recommended that the Ministry puts in place some form of an external reporting committee or bureau, which can continue to monitor and report to the Minister to ensure that the good work that has been achieved through the cooperation and supervision by the Progress Committee doesn't decline. The Committee was moreover very pleased to have received the Project Plan Domain Affairs, which is a policy document pertaining to the granting of government land in long lease. This policy was basically the last outstanding document needed to finalize the task of the Committee as it pertains to Ministry VROMI. Minister Lake was very satisfied with the achievements of the Ministry as he is the third Minister with whom the Progress Committee had discussions on the way forward and moreover the fact that under his watch the project was brought to its finalization. To quote the words of the Committee, "Ministry VROMI should be used as an example for other ministries on what can be achieved". Minister Lake thanked the members of the Committee for their assistance in bringing about positive change to Ministry VROMI and expresses the hope that other Ministries would use VROMI as an example of what is administratively needed to make Sint Maarten a proper functioning country within the Kingdom. In Photo: Minister Hon Read more

Heat Stress Can Cause Illnesses; Cps Urges Vigilance Of Elderly, Infants And Young Children

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour observes that for several days it has been very warm, and recommends to the community to take action during such warm periods. CPS is calling on the community to monitor closely friends, family members and co-workers with respect to heat stress and to minimize their exposure risk. The Minister of Public Health Hon. Cornelius de Weever, via his 'Get Checked' campaign, strongly recommends to the community to take measures to avoid heat exhaustion. Heat-related illnesses occur as a result of heat exposure Read more

Sickle Cell Foundation Gets Government's Support

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Sickle Cell Foundation held an information meeting on Tuesday night. One of the persons who have realized the importance of the foundation is the Honorable Minister of Health, Cornelius de Weever. Speaking at the weekly Council of Ministers press briefing this week, he noted that while government does not have the financial means to support the foun Read more

Attorney: “Minister Lake Wanted To Unwrap A Beautiful Present For Ifps” Corallo’S Ifps Wants To Stop Caravanserai Auction

St. Maarten – The Court in First Instance will rule in summary proceedings on Friday August 8 whether Scotiabank will be allowed to proceed with the public auction of the Caravanserai property in Beacon Hill. International Financial Planning Services (IFPS) – a company linked to BPlus Giocolegale and Atlantis World Group owner Francesco Corallo – wants the court to stop the auction, because it claims ownership of the part of the property where the Dunes Casino is located. The company got a little help from Vromi-Minister Maurice Lake, but the bank’s attorney contests his decision. IFPS bought the long lease on the contested property from Kildare Properties on March 29, 2011, for $1.5 million Read more

Dp “Walking The Integrity Walk” Lee Pushes For Full Public Disclosure

St. Maarten - On the initiative of Emil Lee, candidate #4 on the Democratic Party (DP) list, the Open Government Partnership agreement has been endorsed by the DP and all candidates on its current slate for the upcoming elections, Lee declared in a press release yesterday. “Open and transparent government is not solely a state that St Read more