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>PANAMA/PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday, December 3rd, Member of Parliament and DP leader, Sarah Wescot-Williams attended her first Parlatino committee meeting in Panama Read more

Minister Lake Says Belair Pond Storm Drain Clearance Progressing Well. Nature Foundation Monitoring And Assisting

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake says the current activities at the Belair Pond are related to the clearance of the storm drain channel and mouth area into the pond.

The mouth of the drain channel became overgrown with brush as well as clogged with debris and garbage.

Nature Foundation is observing the activities and is assisting with the removal of bird nests in that particular area where the drainage channel to the Pond is located Read more

Mp Pantophlet Addresses Changes To Casino Policy

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT) Hon. Ted Richardson announced on Wednesday that he has annulled changes made to the Casino Policy where four additional casinos would have been allowed to operate in the country.

The annulment means that the Casino Policy that has governed the sector in the past years remains as is – status quo.

"In light of the multiple misinterpretations and misconception of the entire issue surrounding the amendment of the Casino Policy, intended to primarily increase Government income, I have taken the decision to permanently annul the entire process and keep the state of the industry as is.

"Any other review of the present Casino Policy will be left to the discretion of the next Minister of TEATT and to the upcoming Council of Ministers.

"The intention from the onset was timed to be in accordance with the Gaming Control Board, that has been signed and on its way to the different departments and advisory institutions for review and ratification.

"It must be clearly noted though that the intended amendment, that is now annulled, was never officially published, as it never went to the Council of Ministers for approval nor to the Cabinet of the Governor for approval and signature," Minister Hon Read more

Dp Leader Mp Wescot-Williams Attending First Par Latino Meeting, Framework Law On Violence In Schools Approved

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - On Wednesday, December 3rd, Member of Parliament and DP leader, Sarah Wescot-Williams attended her first Parlatino committee meeting in Panama.

The St. Maarten MP participated in the meeting of the Parlatino committee on Gender Equity, Childhood and Youth.

In its meeting of Wednesday, aforementioned committee approved a framework law on violence in schools, with an emphasis on anti-bullying measures and actors.

This draft was commissioned in a previous meeting of the committee in June of 2014.

This draft will now be sent to a plenary session of Parlatino.

It is expected upon approval to serve as a guide and impetus for member states to use and tailor to the specific needs and circumstances of the individual states.

On Thursday and Friday, the DP faction leader will attend the forum on Women and Politics (abbreviated), along with several other members of parliament of St Read more

Silvio Matser facing prison time, big fine

~ In Energizer tax evasion case ~

PHILIPSBURG--United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament and construction company Energizer NV former director Silvio Matser (48) is facing 24 months in jail, eight of which are to be suspended, with two years' probation and payment of a NAf Read more

Serious business

Dear Editor,

They sometimes say that some things are better left without being said. This is my opinion about the article in which it is rumoured that Carl John is the candidate chosen to be chief of police. In that same article the reasons for not mentioning the names of the candidates is because the depth of the screening might uncover information that could make the candidate vulnerable to corruption etc.

I am saying this to say that by mentioning that name, that article is doing exactly what the article is saying is the reason for not mentioning names Read more

style="text-align: center;">Was an Election Deal Made with SBL for Building Permit?

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Maurice Lake who is also the caretaker Minister of VROMI will have a lot of explaining to do as to why he signed a building permit that bears the number 176/14 that was signed off on October 20th, 2014.
The building permit granted to SBL Management Company N.V Read more

style="text-align: center;">Prosecutor demanded that a Naf. 4.5M fine be imposed

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prosecutor Gonda van der Wulp demanded that Member of Parliament Silvio Matser be sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, eight of which should be suspended. The Public Prosecutor also asked that the court impose a fine of Naf. 4.5 million guilders on the now Member of Parliament who owned and operated Energizer N.V.
Matser was charged with tax evasion to the amount of US $3.2 million in connection with non-payment of income tax, social security premiums for workers and turnover tax on behalf of his construction company Read more

Minister Lake says he will regulate public access to all beaches in zoning plans.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake says that every so often the access to public beaches becomes an issue, and he plans to have his ministry start making preparations to have this regulated in the national zoning plans of the country.

"Direct and specific access to all beaches has to be taken up in our Zoning Plans Read more

Ministry Of Public Health Calls On Garage Owners And Tire Repair Shops To Take Steps To Eliminate Mosquito Breeding Sites

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – The Collective Preventive Services (CPS), a section at the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, is appealing to garage owners and tire repair shops to take measures to remove mosquito breeding sites from their establishments and to maintain on a daily basis control measures to eliminate any standing water on their premises.

Accumulation of rainwater in tires provides breeding space for mosquitoes that carry the dengue/chikungunya-causing virus.

Minister of Public Health Hon Read more

Rueben Thompson; “Enforcement Is The Problem”:  Beach Policy Exists Already For More Than Twenty Years

St. Maarten – The Executive Council of the Island Territory of St. Maarten established already twenty years ago a beach policy. In August 2014, acting Island Secretary Rafael Boasman and Lt. Governor Dennis Richardson signed off on this policy, which basically establishes that beaches have to be freely accessible for the public.

“The Executive Committee of the Island Territory of Sint Maarten hereby makes known that they have established a policy concerning the use of beaches,” the document, that contains a summary, states.

“The beaches must be useable for everyone, both local residents and tourists alike, for recreational purposes Read more

Police Officers Graduate From Leadership Course

St. Maarten – Around twenty team leaders and acting team leaders of the police force received on Friday certificates for the leadership course they took last summer. David McGregor, the senior trainer at the UTS Training and Development Center (TDC), issued the certificates.

The officers learned the technicalities of leadership and the structure of communication skills, and how to manage and support their team members into making their working days as productive and challenging as possible.

TDC, the management team of KPSM and, from a distance, Angela Dekker of USONA, the organization that financed the management development training congratulated the graduates Read more

Lake Calls For Volunteers For Simpson Bay Lagoon Clean Up

St. Maarten—A clean up of the Simpson Bay Lagoon is scheduled to take place this Saturday December 6 and Vromi Minister Maurice Lake is calling on the marine community, organizations, businesses, volunteers and students to come out and support this clean-up.

 

Minister Lake’s initial appeal for a coastal clean-up of hurricane related debris in the lagoon due to the passing of Hurricane Gonzalo, was publicly stated early November and the St Read more

Editorial - Maturity required

Thankfully, a majority of the fractions in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament rejected the idea floated by the liberal democratic VVD and Socialist Party (SP) for a commonwealth with St. Maarten, Aruba and Curaçao as independent countries (see related article). It was pointed out correctly that the right of self-determination recognised by the United Nations (UN) in principle lies with the islands, not the Netherlands.

None of the three territories has called for independence officially, and historically it is up to the colonised rather than the coloniser to opt for changes in that relationship Read more

Beach entry technically reopens, need for legislation highlighted

BELAIR--Property development representatives technically have reopened the entryway to the Belair beach after it had been closed off on the morning of December 1, preventing public access to the beach.

However, the “No trespassing” and “Private property” signs remain, and another one even has been added since Tuesday, on a tree directly in line with the only entryway, a footpath (see Tuesday edition of The Daily Herald).

The newly-fixed fence has been drawn back to technically allow foot access, although this can be considered a “mental barrier,” according to the Beach Access Policy Read more

KPSM team leaders graduate from special leadership course

Some twenty police team leaders and acting team leaders received their certificates on November 29, for the leadership course they took last summer. All officers received their certificate from David McGregor, senior trainer at the UTS Training and Development Centre (TDC).

During the course, the officers learned not only the technicalities of leadership and the structure of communication skills, but they also learned how to manage and support their team members into making their working days as productive and challenging as possible.

All graduates were congratulated by TDC, the management team of KPSM and, from a distance, by Angela Dekker, member of USONA, which financed the "Management Development Training." Dekker couldn't personally attend the ceremony, because she was off island.

Facilitator McGregor addressed all students and talked about how the group had first arrived as cynical and hardened officers, with many years of service, and yet they opened their hearts quickly to the spirit of good leadership and motivational management.

McGregor said that he saw changes within the personality of most of the officers, who started to appreciate that their staff are people who need to be developed, encouraged and validated Read more

George wants report on gov’t-owned companies

PHILIPSBURG--National Alliance (NA) Member of Parliament George Pantophlet wants government to ensure government-owned companies comply with their responsibilities to the shareholders – the people of St. Maarten. To that end he wants a report from government on whether companies are paying their concession fees.

"Looking at the challenging financial times and the balancing of the 2015 Budget it is only prudent that all avenues with regard to securing revenues are exhausted," Pantophlet said in a press statement issued on Monday.

Pantophlet wants an update on what government is doing to collect the concession fees from Princess Juliana International Airport SXM which, to date has not paid any concession fee.

St Read more

Access to Belair Beach shut over disagreement

A shut and repaired gate and fence closing off access to the Belair beach is clearly marked with “No trespassing” and “Private property” signs.

 BELAIR--The entryway to the Belair beach was shut off yesterday, December 1, in a move spurred by the owners upset about the planting of palm trees on the beach.

It would appear, based on the “For sale” signs up until recently and the newly-repaired fence and gate, that the property directly in front of the shore was sold to new owners who did not know the rule that beaches have to be accessible to the public.

However, the property was taken off of the market and is still under the same ownership, as confirmed by Tendal Real Estate which had advertised the property for sale.

The owners, the Pavan family, live in Venezuela Read more

Objections in Parliament to commonwealth proposal

~ Parties say decision is up to islands ~

THE HAGUE--The Labour Party PvdA, Democratic Party D66, Christian Democratic Party CDA and ChristianUnion (CU) turned down on Monday idea of the liberal democratic VVD party and the Socialist Party (SP) to establish a Dutch commonwealth construction with an independent position for Aruba, Curaçao and St Read more

Central Asian migrants feel the pain of Russia's economic downturn

DUSHANBE/BISHKEK--Vali Salimov quit his job at a Moscow supermarket last month after his salary was halved, and returned home to Tajikistan another migrant victim of Russia's economic downturn whose family livelihood now looks precarious.
  Salimov, like millions of other migrants, used to send much of his salary back home. So as he and others leave Russia, the economies of their home countries - poor former Soviet republics like Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan - are also feeling the pinch.
  "I was paid 25,000 roubles (536 dollars) a month Read more

Minister Lake calls on Marine community, volunteers and students to support clean-up of Simpson Bay Lagoon on December 6th.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake is calling on the marine community, organizations, businesses, volunteers and students to come out on Saturday, December 6 and support the clean-up of the Simpson Bay Lagoon.

Minister Lake's initiative appeal for a coastal clean-up of hurricane related debris in the lagoon due to the passing of Hurricane Gonzalo, was publicly stated early November and the St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Can Caretaker Minister sign off on new requests?

PHILIPSBURG:--- A post on Facebook by one of the founding members of St. Maarten Pride Foundation directed especially to St. Maarten media personnel to seek clarity on a building permit that was submitted by Simpson Bay Yacht Club developer Miti Katz to develop a plot of land including the Belair Pond (Little Bay Pond). The writer of the post said that based on information she received, the owner of the land died but his son inherited the property and that person identified as Johnny Pavan made an agreement with one Miti Katz to develop the property Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Last Friday, November 29th 2014, about twenty police officers (team leaders and acting team leaders) received their certificates for the Leadership course they were taking last summer.
All officers received their certificate from David McGregor, the senior trainer at the UTS Training and Development Center (TDC).
During the course, the officers learned not only the technicalities of leadership and the structure of communication skills, but they also learned how to manage and support their team members into making their working days as productive and challenging as possible.
All graduates were congratulated by TDC, the management team of KPSM and, from a distance, by Mrs Read more

>GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- International Day of People with Disability is a United Nations (UN) sanctioned day that aims to promote an understanding of people with disability and encourage support for their dignity, rights and well-being.
The theme for 2014 is: "Sustainable Development: The Promise of Technology."
Rapidly developing technology has changed the way people with disability can access entertainment, work, communication and basic information seeking.
The theme focuses on the role of technology as a way to break down barriers for people with disability and how devices are becoming faster, cheaper and more accessible.
The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) as part of its Calendar of Health Observances commemorates this international day with the provision of information regarding the international theme.
As part of the Minister of Public Health Hon Read more