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DP Faction says Central Committee meeting on Harbor and Checkmate Security was disrespectful to Parliament.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The continuation of the Central Committee meeting on May 7th 2015 on the Harbor Security contract was a show of total disregard for the Parliament of this country.
Unfortunately I could not attend that particular meeting due to the funeral of my mother, however what I heard and read of Government's representation was outright embarrassing.
With all that has been written and said in the media, government still refuses to present Parliament with a copy or at the very least with the factual details of the contract the harbor has entered into with Checkmate Security company.
To add insult to injury, a document that was provided in the meeting of May 7th to members of Parliament for their "eyes only", was allegedly the working copy of the Minister of TEATT, the honorable Claret Conner Read more

Hanson urges citizens to pay their income tax

MARIGOT--President of the Territorial Council Aline Hanson reminded citizens that the 2014 Income Tax Return forms will be delivered to every household shortly.

"As well as being an administrative formality, paying taxes is a citizen act that directly impacts the future of our territory in terms of implementation of development projects," she said Read more

Semsamar gives tour of social housing projects

MARIGOT--Officials from mixed-capital company Semsamar including its President Wendel Cocks gave the media a tour on Friday of some of the ongoing social housing projects in Concordia and French Quarter, including an overview of maintenance in existing residences.

A recent development has been the realisation of eight playgrounds in the different homes that have been financed 50 per cent by Semsamar and 50 per cent by Caisse Allocation Familiale (CAF).

Cocks explained the housing schemes each have their own tenants associations that include a member from Semsamar which enables the company to get feedback on needs and social activities in each area Read more

Top Dutch lawyer critical of vote-buying case ruling

PHILIPSBURG--Where the Court of First Instance had provided a "beautiful motivation" for throwing out the Prosecutor's cases in the so-called vote-buying case, the Joint Court of Justice made a "somewhat artificial" decision last week in referring the case back to the lesser court for retrial, said top lawyer from the Netherlands Cees Korvinus on Monday.

Korvinus and his partner at their Amsterdam law office Alexander van Roy presented a lecture at the Courthouse Monday afternoon on recent developments in jurisprudence by the High Court in The Hague.

Referring to recent developments in connection with the inadmissibility of cases presented by the Prosecutor's Office, Korvinus told his audience, among whom was Court of First Instance Vice-President Judge Koen Luijks, that the Court's decision of August 2014 to throw out the case against four persons suspected of having sold their votes to United People's (UP) party in the September 2010 election "was exactly in line with High Court jurisprudence."

In what Korvinus described as a "beautiful motivation," Judge Luijks had declared the Prosecutor's Office's cases against suspects inadmissible Read more

Hanson re-confirms decisions of President Hollande during visit

MARIGOT--In her first reaction to President François Hollande's official visit on Friday, President Aline Hanson first thanked the population for giving the Head of State a cordial welcome. Many people had lined the roads from Grand Case, La Savane, Rambaud and Cripple Gate to wave to the motorcade as it passed.

The President in turn reciprocated by chatting with well-wishers on his arrival at Hotel de la Collectivité.

Hanson said she was pleased with the outcome of the Presidential visit Read more

Writers from India to Brazil heading for Book Fair 2015

PHILIPSBURG--The thirteenth annual St. Martin Book Fair is set for June 4 to 6, said book fair coordinator and president of Conscious Lyrics Foundation (CLF) Shujah Reiph. Novelists, poets, historians, scholars, drama and performance word artists from India, United Kingdom, Brazil, St. Lucia and the United States, to name a few countries, "are heading our way," said Reiph.

Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs has already extended a welcoming hand to book fair guests and is encouraging the island's people to, "Have a very successful St Read more

Airport breaks ground for cargo building renovation

AIRPORT--A symbolic ground-breaking ceremony on Tuesday kicked off the US $4.6 million renovation of the Princess Juliana International Airport SXM cargo building. The more-than-three-decades-old building will be given a much-needed facelift and offices for eight new cargo handlers. The project is slated for completion in May 2016.

Airport Managing Director Regina Labega told the gathering at the ground-breaking ceremony in the building's parking lot that the building was "in need of an urgent facelift."

That facelift was described by Labega as "a complete multi-million-dollar makeover" that will be carried out by four contractors chosen via a public tender Read more

Rita supports decriminalisation of marijuana for medicinal use

PHILIPSBURG--Acting Minister of Public Health Social Development and Labour Rita Bourne-Gumbs said on Tuesday that she "is completely for the decriminalization of marijuana and cannabis-related products for medicinal use."

She was at the time responding to several questions posed by this newspaper on the subject via the Press Secretariat. In her brief response, the Minister said as well that she "is completely against the decriminalization of marijuana for personal abuse." She said however, that the actual decriminalisation or changing of the law must happen in Parliament.

When asked to weigh in on the issue, Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson said he was unable to comment at this time as this topic needed careful consideration and consultation with all persons and organisations involved.

There have been some talks about the subject lately Read more

>POINTE BLANCHE:---- Port St. Maarten – In order to enhance port operations and have a seamless operation that operates as efficient and as effective as possible, five department heads at Port St. Maarten completed a four-day PFSO (Port Facility Security Officer) course related to the International Ship and Port Facility (ISPS) Code.
The department heads expressed enthusiasm for the training and now they possess renewed understanding of the ISPS Code and its applicability, and pledged their continued support to compliance efforts in ensuring that the country's seaport meets all international requirements and obligations therefore ensuring the safety of all those who use the nation's port and at the same time protecting the populace of the country where it relates to border security.
Maritime security in the Caribbean is taking on a new shape Read more

style="text-align: center;">New Building Expected to Create 115 jobs.

Airport:--- The Managing Director and other staff of the management team of the Princess Juliana International Airport held the ground breaking ceremony on Tuesday to commence the building of the Cargo Building. While the project is deemed as facelift for the cargo building, Managing Director of PJIAE Regina Labega said that the project is a multi-million dollar project that will create about 115 jobs which will cost the PJIAE $4.6M Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---  Hon. Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs led a delegation to Anguilla on Monday to attend the 1st Meeting of the First Session of the 11th Anguilla House of Assembly on Monday afternoon at the Atlin Noraldo Harrigan Parliamentary Building. Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications Hon. Claret Connor and Minister of Education, Culture, Youth & Sports Hon Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---  President of Parliament Hon. Dr. Lloyd Richardson, Vice President and Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Leona Marlin-Romeo, and Vice President MP Hon. Cornelius de Weever, who form the Presidium of Parliament, met with Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon Read more

style="text-align: center;">Where is the Management Team that was appointed by Former Minister Roland Duncan?

PHILIPSBURG: --- Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson said in an invited comment that the Council of Ministers recently approved an organization structure (plan) for the Pointe Blanche Prison and the Police Department of St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Five Years After St. Maarten Acquired Its' Separate Status On October 10, 2010 And Nothing Has Changed. After The 2014 Election We Have Changed A Few Of The Players In Parliament But The Leadership Remained The Same, Therefore We Should Not Expect Anything Different. This Brings Us To The Meeting Of Parliament Where The Checkmate Contract Should Have Been Debated.

PHILIPSBURG:---– Never have I witnessed such a degrading meeting of the people business in parliament as that meeting held last week regarding the Checkmate Security contract at the St Read more

style="text-align: center;">New comers cannot move WICSU forward.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Denisio Conner a senior civil servant for the Government of St. Maarten for the past 20 years has decided to postulate himself for the Presidency of the Windward Islands Civil Servants and Private Sector Union (WICSU/PSU). The election is slated for Friday May 29th 2015 at the WICSU/PSU head office on Walter Nisbeth Road from 7am to 4 pm.
Running alongside Conner is Henrietta Doran York, someone that has been in the political arena for years and has even served as deputy Minister of Plenipotentiary Read more

Five Department Heads Receive Isps Training For Security Of Ships And Port Facilities At Port St. Maarten

POINT BLANCHE, St. Maarten – In order to enhance port operations and have a seamless operation that operates as efficient and as effective as possible, five department heads at Port St. Maarten completed a four-day PFSO (Port Facility Security Officer) course related to the International Ship and Port Facility (ISPS) Code.

The department heads expressed enthusiasm for the training and now they possess renewed understanding of the ISPS Code and its applicability, and pledged their continued support to compliance efforts in ensuring that the country's seaport meets all international requirements and obligations therefore ensuring the safety of all those who use the nation's port and at the same time protecting the populace of the country where it relates to border security.

Maritime security in the Caribbean is taking on a new shape Read more

Students Welcome End To S4 (St. Maarten Student Support Services)

St. Maarten -Students generally were satisfied with the news that the St. Maarten Government will be terminating the service level agreement with St. Maarten Student Support Services S4 in the Netherlands effective July 1, 2015. Students contacted the Today Newspaper this weekend and expressed “joy and relief” at the news. Student Timothy Colli told this newspaper that “you work with S4 in the beginning of your studies to get to Holland, when you arrive, be ready to fend for yourself.” Colli is in his second year of studies in the Netherlands.

Two student guidance counselors will be put in charge of the students Read more

Caribbean Looks To Paris Climate Summit For Its Very Survival

St. Maarten/THE CARIBBEAN—Caribbean leaders on Saturday further advanced their policy position on climate change ahead of the 21st Conference of Parties, also known as COP 21, scheduled for Paris during November and December of this year.

The position of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), 14 independent countries, was put forward by the group’s chairman, Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie, during a meeting here with French President François Hollande. “For the Bahamas, which has 80 percent of its land mass within one metre of mean sea level, climate change is an existential threat.” — Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie

“The evidence of the impact of climate change within our region is very evident Read more

Minister Teatt And Council Of Advice Forge Closer Ties

St. Maarten -A working and cooperation methodology where feedback and input would be sought from the Council of Advice on initiative laws thereby foregoing a long tedious process to get legislation approved, is the result of a recent meeting between Minister of TEATT Claret Connor and members of the High Council of State, the Council of Advice led by Vice Chairlady Mavis Brooks-Salmon Read more

Carnival Foundation “Fires” 6 Volunteers

GREAT BAY – St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) fired six volunteers last week, days after the carnival season concluded.  According to one of the volunteers who asked to remain unknown, years ago, the volunteer started assisting the SCDF with the expectation to serve the community in what they called the islands biggest cultural festival. Six letters were sent personally to the volunteers stating that the foundation thanks them for their service however due to downsizing and restructuring of the board, the foundation can no longer allow them to be volunteers in the foundation.

Six members including a board member were sent the following dismissal letter, by President of the SCDF Michael Granger last week Thursday Read more

Mp's Commit To Ensuring Matter Of Increasing Legal Drinking Age Is Handled

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Back on April 7th 2015, the Permanent Committee of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs (CECYSA) of Parliament, met with the St. Maarten Lions Club on where a presentation was made regarding underage drinking and parental responsibility.

The club started their awareness programme in March of last year.

During their presentation to Parliament in April, the club requested that MP's make amendments to the law in its current form that allows youngste Read more

Minister Teatt Meets With Council Of Advice

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT) Hon. Claret Connor earlier in the week met with members of the High Council of State, the Council of Advice led by Vice Chairlady Mavis Brooks-Salmon.

There was a very good and extensive discussion that took place on a number of issues resulting in a working and cooperation methodology where feedback and input would be sought from the Council of Advice on initiative laws thereby foregoing a long tedious process to get legislation approved.

Minister Connor presented his vision and plans related to his ministry Read more

20-Odd Writers From India To Brazil To St. Lucia, Heading For The 13Th Annual St. Martin Book Fair 2015

GREAT BAY/MARIGOT, St. Martin — The 13th annual St. Martin Book Fair is set for June 4 - 6, 2015, said Shujah Reiph, book fair coordinator and president of Conscious Lyrics Foundation (CLF).

Novelists, poets, historians, scholars, drama and performance word artists from India, UK, Brazil, St. Lucia, the USA, to name a few places, "are heading our way," said Reiph.

Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs has already extended a welcoming hand to book fair guests and is encouraging the island's people to, "Have a very successful St Read more

Hollande declares Court of First Instance will open January 2016

MARIGOT--President of the French Republic François Hollande made a number of sweeping announcements in his speech to the population of St. Martin at the end of his whirlwind visit to St. Martin last night. Among them were assurances that the social benefit (RSA) would be reformed to be more adaptable for St. Martin with help given to pay off the Collectivité's debt.

He also said a Court of First Instance and a rehabilitation centre for the youth (foyer educatif) would be established, and the number of Gendarmes in the territory would increase this July.

Hollande appeared to be decisive and up to speed on the issues plaguing St Read more