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>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Leader of the government coalition, MP Theo Heyliger is expecting the people of St. Maarten to believe that he has no and will not get any previous knowledge of the budget which has been sent to the Governor and is well on its way to Parliament. Really?
This revelation by MP Heyliger comes after repeated calls by his Minister of Finance for a dividend policy to level the playing field for all government-owned companies.
And it comes after severe criticism from the CFT and from several integrity reports about the contribution of government-owned companies to the country's coffers.
Not only that, but most of these organizations have also criticized the involvement of politicians(!) in these companies' policies and programs Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- On December 16th, 2014 I sent the minister of VROMI via the chairman of Parliament, 5 questions regarding the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation, due to the public uproar regarding this institution, the allegations, the threats etc.
My questions were straightforward. I did not ask for books, I did not ask for financials or incorporation articles.
The Prime Minister, Honorable Marcel Gumbs subsequently dutifully presented himself to Parliament, also acting as minister of VROMI and boasted of this record, having done so within 72 hours of his installation.
Again I repeated the same basic questions, most of which could be answered with a yes or no Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The outcome of the Inter-parliamentary Kingdom Consultation (IPKO) that took place in Aruba recently, will be a topic of discussion on Friday morning in the House of Parliament when the Permanent Kingdom Affairs and Inter-parliamentary Relations Committee will meet for a debriefing.
The meeting is scheduled to start at 10.00am in the General Assembly Chamber, and members of the public are invited to attend the open session.
The next IPKO is scheduled for May 27 to 29 in The Hague, the Netherlands which will be attended by parliamentary delegations from the Netherlands, Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten.
Members of Parliament (MPs) will be sharing their opinions on Friday morning when the House sits for the debriefing.
On energy matters, delegation members fully support cooperation in the area of energy, and look forward to seeing the utility companies of Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten coming together to have discussions in exploring such cooperation.
After such discussions are held, it should lead to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) being signed by the three parties.
The delegation members then hope to be able to discuss the MOU at the next IPKO meeting.
A workgroup has been established with representatives from the following countries: Rasmijn (Aruba), Sulvaran (Curacao) and Bosman (the Netherlands) Read more

Inter-Parliamentary Kingdom Consultation In Aruba Covers Many Topics Requiring Follow-Up By The Four Governments. Debriefing Set For Friday Morning

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The outcome of the Inter-parliamentary Kingdom Consultation (IPKO) that took place in Aruba recently, will be a topic of discussion on Friday morning in the House of Parliament when the Permanent Kingdom Affairs and Inter-parliamentary Relations Committee will meet for a debriefing.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 10.00am in the General Assembly Chamber, and members of the public are invited to attend the open session.

The next IPKO is scheduled for May 27 to 29 in The Hague, the Netherlands which will be attended by parliamentary delegations from the Netherlands, Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten.

Members of Parliament (MPs) will be sharing their opinions on Friday morning when the House sits for the debriefing.

On energy matters, delegation members fully support cooperation in the area of energy, and look forward to seeing the utility companies of Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten coming together to have discussions in exploring such cooperation.

After such discussions are held, it should lead to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) being signed by the three parties.

The delegation members then hope to be able to discuss the MOU at the next IPKO meeting.

A workgroup has been established with representatives from the following countries: Rasmijn (Aruba), Sulvaran (Curacao) and Bosman (the Netherlands) Read more

Teenager takes stance against sex offences against children

ST. PETERS--A sixteen-year-old girl, supported by her family and friends, has started an initiative to encourage government to take action to better protect children and young people from sexual predators.

The aim of her petition is for government to offer better protection of children and young people by taking a number of measures, including a publically-accessible sex offenders register.

"In St. Maarten, the rights of convicted sex offenders seem to take precedence over victims' rights," says the front sheet of the petition Read more

Theo: Govt must be willing to get concession fees from companies

PHILIPSBURG--Government must show explicit willingness to demand concession fees from all government-owned companies capable of paying the fee and not allow some companies to get away scot-free while others pay year after year, says United People's (UP) party leader Member of Parliament Theo Heyliger.

The concession fees must be collected by government and used the balance the budget, instead of excessive budget-cutting that "can affect the rendering of needed services to the people." The concession fees can aid in the balancing the budget without the need "to trouble the pockets of the people."

There is "no viable reason" why a company like SXM Princess Juliana International Airport "should not pay government a concession fee," Heyliger told The Daily Herald on Thursday.

United Telecommunication Services (UTS), of which St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- President Hon. Dr. Lloyd Richardson on Wednesday morning met with Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs to discuss a number of matters.
Richardson and Gumbs have decided to meet on a quarterly basis to keep each other abreast on matters of mutual interests.
President Richardson was informed that the national 2015 budget has been forwarded to His Excellency Governor Eugene Holiday who will send it to Parliament within short Read more

style="text-align: left;">PHILIPSBURG:--- Well placed information provided to SMN News states that allies from the United Peoples Party (UPP) approached the leader of the United St. Maarten Party (USP) Frans Richardson and asked him to join the current coalition Read more

President Richardson Meets With Prime Minister Gumbs

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – President Hon. Dr. Lloyd Richardson on Wednesday morning met with Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs to discuss a number of matters.

Richardson and Gumbs have decided to meet on a quarterly basis to keep each other abreast on matters of mutual interests.

President Richardson was informed that the national 2015 budget has been forwarded to His Excellency Governor Eugene Holiday who will send it to Parliament within short Read more

Prime Ministers Asjes (Curacao) And Gumbs (St. Maarten) Strengthen Ties

Ivar Asjes (l) presents a book to Marcel Gumbs entitled “Curacao: Religions, Rituals and Traditions.” Photo cabinet Prime Minister

St. Maarten – Prime Ministers Marcel Gumbs and Ivar Asjes both dubbed the latter’s visit as important in establishing a basis for continued good relations between the two countries.

PM Asjes met yesterday with Governor Eugène Holiday, President of Parliament Dr Read more

St. Maarten Parliament Keeps Silent On Integrity-Assessment

St. Maarten – It is easy to lose sight of a 250-page integrity report, but this is exactly what seems to be happening at this moment. Reason for Today to revisit the PricewaterhouseCoopers integrity-probe and to refresh the memory about the areas the researchers recommended for future analysis.

The issue that stands out, and has gained momentum due to recent developments concerning politicians, is the Parliament. The inquiry team has proposed as a major priority to conduct “a targeted integrity assessment of St Read more

Man O’ War Shoal Marine Park On St. Maarten Among Three Recognized Dutch Caribbean Parks

St. Maarten —The Man O’ War Shoal Marine Park on St. Maarten is among three parks in the Dutch Caribbean that has received international recognition as protected under the protocol concerning specially protected areas and wildlife.

Nature conservation in the Dutch Caribbean has taken a giant leap toward a more sustainable future with international recognition of three more protected areas and six more species, including its most important reef building corals. The Saba National Marine Park, the Man O’ War Shoal Marine Park on St Read more

St. Maarten Student Makes Dean’S List At U.S.A College

St. Maarten – 22-Year old former Sundial School student Shahyra Evers ,has made the dean’s list at the Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where she has a grade point average (GPA) of 3.52, but is currently in need of financial assistance to continue her studies.

Evers has applied for study financing in order to continue with her studies at the aforementioned educational institution. Shahyra applied last year for study financing and is awaiting an answer, but in the meantime left the country on January 2nd to continue with her studies.

Arthur Lugisse, Director of the Tallahassee-St Read more

Editorial - Need for speed

The news that parliamentarian Sarah Wescot-Williams (DP) intends to "pick up" former DP fraction member Leroy de Weever's two initiative laws to establish a timeshare authority and better regulate the sector no doubt will be welcomed, especially in light of the problem at Caravanserai and the bad publicity for the destination this is generating Read more

Charlie Hebdo "survivors' edition" sells out in minutes

PARIS-- Charlie Hebdo's first edition since an attack by Islamist gunmen sold out within minutes on Wednesday, featuring a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammad on a cover that defenders praised as art but critics saw as a new provocation.

French readers queued at dawn for copies to support the satirical newspaper, even as al Qaeda's branch in Yemen claimed responsibility for the attack last week, saying it ordered the killings because it deemed the weekly had insulted the Prophet.

Across the Middle East, Muslim leaders who have denounced the attack in which 12 people died called for calm, while criticising Charlie Hebdo's decision to publish a fresh caricature of Mohammad.

President Francois Hollande visited France's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean and said it was ready to support military operations against Islamic State in Iraq "in close cooperation with coalition forces".

The U.S Read more

Budget sent to Governor

PHILIPSBURG--The draft 2015 budget is a step closer to Parliament. The budget, with remarks from the Advisory Council, has been submitted to Governor Eugene Holiday by the Gumbs Cabinet.

The budget was top priority for the cabinet of Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs. That cabinet was sworn in by Governor Holiday on December 19, 2014, and faces an extended deadline from the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT Read more

Heyliger: NA’s call for Matser’s resignation ‘truly hypocritical’

PHILIPSBURG--National Alliance (NA) elected members were "busy" last week trying to persuade United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament Silvio Matser "to leave UP in their attempt to cause problems in the UP-led coalition, says UP Leader MP Theo Heyliger Read more

Sarah questions Dutch Secret Service role in cabinet screening

PHILIPSBURG--The exact role the Dutch Secret Service played in the screening of minister candidates for the Gumbs Cabinet is questioned by Democratic Party (DP) Leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams in a letter sent this week to Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs.

She seeks answers to the Dutch Secret Service's role in the screening, whether theirs was a one-time involvement, or will this continue for subsequent cabinets and how the service's role is "formalized nationally."

Her request to the prime minister for answers "has nothing to do" with the persons who were subjected to the screening process, but are directed to "the process" used to screen them.

Dutch Minister for Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations Roland Plasterk was quoted by the media as saying that ministers sworn-in on December 19, 2014, were "subjected with the assistance of employees of the Dutch secret service to an extra-severe screening."

Wescot-Williams framed her questions to the prime minister based on Plasterk's statement and St Read more

Bada Bing trial set for February 11-12

PHILIPSBURG--The court hearings in the so-called "Orca" case will be taking place on February 11 and 12, the Court of First Instance decided Wednesday during a brief session.

In the trial, former Member of Parliament Patrick Illidge (49) will be facing charges of accepting bribes from Bada Bing and Lunteren N.V.'s owner Jaap van den Heuvel (49) for the total amount of US $150,000 between October 2010 and September 2012.

In exchange for the money, Illidge allegedly was to use his power and influence to favour the Bada Bing owner in ensuring the Ministry of Economic Affairs would grant adapted permits to the nightclub and seek a change in its official registered address.

Illidge allegedly also was to promote extended opening hours for Bada Bing and seek the extension of work permits for several female employees.

Illidge was also charged with possession of an illegal firearm.

The indictment against Van den Heuvel consists of eight charges, including the alleged bribery of Illidge, money laundering and membership in a criminal organisation involved in forgery, tax evasion, trafficking of women and the employment of women without a work permit.

Lunteren N.V Read more

DP to continue with draft timeshare laws

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) will "pick up" the two draft initiative laws on the establishment of a timeshare authority and the regulation of the sector submitted to Parliament in its first sitting by former DP Member of Parliament Leroy de Weever.

DP leader MP Sarah Wescot-Williams informed Parliament Chairman Dr Read more

Minister of Tourism meets with SMTA

PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Tourism Claret Connor met with members of the board of St. Maarten Timeshare Association (SMTA) on Tuesday. During the meeting they discussed, amongst other things, the possible litigation of timeshare issues moving forward.

The meeting was called based on a directive from the Prime Minister to ensure that government has all relevant information about the industry in order to make informed decisions.

Minister Connor said what was realised, was that there are instances on the island where people purchase a product, where a buyer has a opinion about the nature of what he/she is purchasing, which differs from that of the seller Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the Democratic Party and Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams has sent a letter to Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs asking for an explanation on the screening of Ministers that were installed on December 19th, 2014 Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The 2015 National Budget has been submitted to his Excellency the Governor of St. Maarten Eugene Holiday on Wednesday, January 14 to be sent on the Parliament. The Submitted version includes the supplementary report on the remarks from the Council of Advice.
Prime Minister the Honorable Marcel Gumbs is cognizant of the importance of a national budget for St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The National Alliance said on Wednesday afternoon that Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs is clearly not in control of his cabinet, at the least, not as far as how to deal with Parliament.
During his first visit to Parliament the honorable Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs said that one thing he had learnt during his term as a State Secretary in the Government of the Netherlands Antilles was, that when a Minister or State Secretary is called to Parliament, you drop everything and appear before Parliament.
He said that because of this experience he had made sure to be in Parliament, even though he had just been sworn in a few days before.
Either the Prime Minister has not been able to convince certain Ministers or he had not yet discussed this with them.
The faction of the National Alliance said that a Central Committee meeting had been convened with Minister of Finance Martin Hassink on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarterly reports Read more