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Mixed Opinion On Legal Employer Of Coliseum Casino Workers

St. Maarten – The current plight of the former employees of Coliseum is a mess created by Parliament, according to union head Theophilus Thompson, and a “tricky” situation according to legal experts consulted by Today yesterday after the former employees showed up at our offices on Monday evening to explain their dilemma.

The employment of the former employees in question—most of which have worked at that same casino for over a decade—were terminated on Monday, “abruptly and without notice” according to them Read more

Formateur Heyliger: Reports About Gumbs Are Speculative

St. Maarten – Formateur Theo Heyliger has labeled media reports suggesting that Marcel Gumbs could become the next prime minister as speculative. In a statement issued yesterday afternoon, Heyliger noted that he has not completed the names of the candidate ministers for presentation to Governor Drs Read more

Mps Unable To Give Update On Government Formation To Youth Parliament 

St. Maarten – As President of the St. Maarten Youth Parliament, Dwayne Griffith submitted to St. Maarten Parliament a motion, requesting an update on the current situation with government and the steps being taken to establish the new Council of Ministers. However, the MPs present were unable to give any information on the developments to the Youth Parliament, as many were not privy to what was taking place. Members of the Youth Parliament met with Parliament members at the Central Committee meeting on Tuesday to discuss the developments in government formation with regard to the instruction for the screening of candidate-ministers from the Kingdom Council of Ministers in The Hague.

“Our faction cannot provide any insight as to whether a list of ministers has been put forward… neither do we know the standards by which they will be screened,” said MP William Marlin Read more

Lakes Book Is Catalyst For Debate On St. Maartens Future

St. Maarten – USM will be hosting a presentation on “Six 4 nine” a book by local author Jose Lake on November 6 from 7:00 to 9:00pm in the USM lecture Hall. This will be followed by a panel discussion.

In his book “Six 4 Nine,” local author Joseph Lake Jr. champions independence as the main solution to the problems of Country St. Maarten and Collectivité St. Martin. He argues that being colonies is not in the interest of the people who live on the island.

“A patriotic book is a cry, a critique, and a challenge; it tries in these three tonalities to convey the author’s prophetic opinion on the current state of his society Read more

Arnia Now Has A Wide Range Of Symbolic Items

St. Maarten – Ten years ago when St Maarten’s day was celebrated, the Management of Arnia’s Bookstore only had two symbolic items on sale, now as November 11 approaches, they have 57 items available.

“According to visitors to the island, this is the only store that has so many national flags on sale,” said Henry Janvier, the proprietor of the small business establishment.

“We started then with the table cloth flag and then eventually the small flag that was flown on cars,” he pointed out Read more

Gebe And Telecom Providers Meet Wednesday To Discuss Underground Cables

St. Maarten—A meeting is carded for Wednesday between the shareholder representative of Gebe and stakeholders in the telecommunications industry to discuss having all telecommunications and power cables placed underground to avoid power outages as was the case with the recent passing of hurricane Gonzalo that left numerous households without power.

Following the passage of hurricane Gonzalo, minister with responsibilities for Gebe Murice Lake announced his intention to restructure the company and to look into having the cables placed underground Read more

European Commission cuts forecasts

BRUSSELS--The euro zone will need another year to reach even a modest level of economic growth, the European Commission said on Tuesday, calling on Germany to help as Chancellor Angela Merkel again rejected a spending spree.

The EU executive cut its forecasts, saying the euro zone economy would expand by 0.8 percent this year, 1.1 percent next year and by 1.7 percent in 2016 -- a level the Commission said six months ago would be achieved next year. The delay in the upturn was due to drag on the economy from France and Italy.

"There is no single and simple answer Read more

Mussington: ‘Taxes hurting the small man, unemployed’

MARIGOT--President of Movement for Advancement of the People (MAP) Louis Mussington said Tuesday he condemned the "hurried" decision made by the Territorial Council last week to introduce three new tax measures, the controversial 30-per-cent Revenu Solidarité Active (RSA) levy for one, saying this will again "hurt the small man, the unemployed and those in despair, who are already suffering."

He said since the Collectivité had the competence in 2007 to write its own fiscal policy, it has failed to come up with a tax policy that's fair.

"Every time there is an increase in public charges, we rush through new measures, as in this case, and it always hurts the small man," he said Read more

Youth Parliament wants more of a role in decision-making

PHILIPSBURG--The Youth Parliament wants a more active role in the decision-making process of the country.

A delegation of the Youth Parliament, headed by Dwayne Griffith, presented a motion requesting the possibility to make recommendations on the findings of the various integrity reports to the Parliament of St. Maarten on Tuesday afternoon in a Central Committee meeting in Parliament House.

The "emergency" meeting during which the motion was presented to the Parliament was requested by the Youth Members of Parliament (YMPs) Read more

First workshop held on revitalisation of Marigot

MARIGOT--Third Vice-President Wendel Cocks presided over the first workshop and meeting on Friday, October 31, with the consortium of business partners, including Semsamar, engaged in the study to restructure and revitalise downtown Marigot as announced in early 2014 by President Aline Hanson.

This group of experts will be working with the elected officials and technicians of the Collectivité on the project Read more

USM Hosting Book Presentation Six for Nine.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The University of St. Martin (USM) will be hosting a presentation on the book "Six 4 Nine" written by Mr. Joseph Lake Jr. followed by a panel discussion. Six 4 Nine is about the people of St. Martin, it argues that the Country and Collectivité are colonies that are not in the interest of the people of St. Martin. The book champions independence as the main solution to the problems on the island.
A patriotic book is a cry, a critique, and a challenge; it tries in these three tonalities to convey the author's prophetic opinion on the current state of his society Read more

Prominent Lawyer Allegedly Failed Screening due to Molestation Investigation.

style="text-align: center;"> Coalition dispute ongoing

PHILIPSBURG:--- Well placed sources have informed SMN News that a prominent lawyer on St. Maarten has failed the screening process to become a Minister in the UP/DP/ Marlin coalition. SMN News learnt that the candidate is allegedly under investigation for molesting a teenager. According to the information SMN News received a relative of the victim filed charges against the prominent citizen and lawyer on St. Maarten about two months ago Read more

"Six 4 Nine" Presentation Set For University Of St. Martin On November 6Th

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten- The University of St. Martin (USM) will be hosting a presentation on the book "Six 4 Nine" written by Mr. Joseph Lake Jr. followed by a panel discussion.

Six 4 Nine is about the people of St. Martin, it argues that the Country and Collectivite´ are colonies that are not in the interest of the people of St. Martin.

The book champions independence as the main solution to the problems on the island.

A patriotic book is a cry, a critique, and a challenge; it tries in these three tonalities to convey the author's prophetic opinion on the current state of his society.

Mr Read more

Process To Identify Candidate Ministers Still Ongoing

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Formateur the Honorable MP Theo Heyliger on Tuesday made clear that the task given to him by the Governor of St. Maarten is still ongoing and he has not finalized the names of candidate Ministers to present to the Governor.

MP Heyliger's statement was in reaction to speculative media reports published Read more

Editorial - For a better position

It appears the decision to appoint someone else than UP leader Theodore Heyliger as prime minister has been taken (see related article). The by-far-biggest vote-getter during the end of August elections apparently will remain in Parliament despite earlier intentions to lead his first cabinet.

This development obviously is related to Governor Eugene Holiday being ordered by the Kingdom Council of Ministers to hold off on installing any candidate-ministers until a more stringent screening process determined and executed by officials from the Netherlands is completed Read more

Rocket plane's tail activated prematurely in fatal crash

MOJAVE, California--A human-factors expert will join a team investigating the fatal test-flight crash of the Virgin Galactic passenger rocket plane to study why the co-pilot prematurely unlocked the ship's pivoting tail section, the National Transportation Safety Board chairman said on Monday.

The untimely engagement of the tail mechanism, designed to slow the vehicle's descent into the atmosphere from space, and the possibility that pilot error was to blame, were disclosed by the NTSB late on Sunday and have emerged as a main thrust of the inquiry into the accident.

The suborbital rocket vehicle dubbed SpaceShipTwo was undergoing its first powered test flight since January when it crashed on Friday shortly after separation from the special jet aircraft that carried it aloft for its high-altitude launch Read more

OSPP instruction to Mr. Heyliger

Dear Editor,

It is the first time in the history of St. Maarten that it has taken such a long time to form a government. Nevertheless, we are at a point where the country is in serious need of a government that will work in the interest of the people. The campaigns are over and now it is time to work for the people.

Since the instruction was given to the Governor of St. Maarten on October 17, 2014, the Parliament of St. Maarten has met on numerous occasions to debate this issue. During this debate many statements were made by many Members of Parliament, but the statement that stood out was the one made by the leader of the UP Party, Mr Read more

Coliseum staff furious about sudden job loss, feel helpless

~ Told to stay home for three months, then reapply ~

PHILIPSBURG--Twelve Coliseum Casino workers, ten of whom have been working at the casino for more than twenty years and one for twelve, are "furious," "frustrated" and "stressed out" after suddenly being placed on the unemployment line on Monday "without any explanation."

The workers were left in limbo after receiving their work schedules, which show that Monday was their last day of work. When they approached Princess Group of Companies official Hakan Unal about the matter, the workers said they had been told they either could stay home for three months and reapply for their jobs and would be considered for employment, or they could form an employment agency and the casino would consider hiring the agency under which they would be given a chance to work at the casino.

Unal could not be reached for comment late last night Read more

Marcel Gumbs tipped to be prime minister

PHILIPSBURG--It appears United People's (UP) party leader Member of Parliament Theo Heyliger will stick to his seat in Parliament instead of opting to become prime minister of the new UP/Democratic Party/Marlin-Romeo coalition.

Veteran politician Marcel Gumbs has been tipped as a possible candidate for prime minister Read more

Pupil expulsion not valid, school seeks assistance

CAY HILL--A couple describing themselves as very "angry parents" reported to The Daily Herald that their nine-year-old child, who attends Hillside Christian Schools Asha Stevens Campus, has been expelled, a decision with which they fervently disagree and say is not allowed under St. Maarten's stand on compulsory education.

The school has described a situation of uncooperative parents and disruptive and dangerous behaviour by the pupil, stating that action is needed for both his safety and that of other pupils.

Amongst other warnings, the pupil was suspended for aggressive behaviour near the end of the last school year Read more

>CAY HILL:--- Representatives from the Ebola Virus Disease Incidence Management Team VSA(EVD-IMT) met with representatives from St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) to discuss St. Maarten's Ebola Preparedness Plan. The meeting was held to share ideas and discuss a coordinated response. ""The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (VSA) along with all key stakeholders have taken a rigorous pro-active approach in order to ensure that St. Maarten will be prepared to respond in the event a suspected or confirmed Ebola patient surfaces in the area", said Minister of Public Health Cornelius de Weever

At the meeting SMMC gave an extensive overview on the protective equipment they currently have in-house and what is still needed to be acquired Read more

No Ebola Travel Ban In Place On French St. Martin

St. Maarten –No ebola travel plan has been put in place on French St. Martin, although officials there have said they have three levels when dealing with a suspected case of ebola. Dutch St. Maarten issued an ebola travel ban on October 27.

Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a delegation from the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA), met with French side officials in Hope Estate last week to discuss preparations related to the ebola virus disease (EVD) and inform them of the St Read more

Priest Instructs Heyliger: Man Up To Your Position; Take A Delegation To Holland And Present St. Maarten’S Case

St. Maarten—An instruction to form a delegation consisting of the leaders of the political parties in Parliament and visit the First and Second Chambers and present St. Maarten’s case, has been issued to leader of the UPP Theo Heyliger by leader of the One St Read more

Minister Lake Implores Boat Owners To Clear Lagoon Of Sunken Vessels

St. Maarten – “I’ve observed some of the vessels that partially sank or were blown ashore have been removed within the Simpson Bay Lagoon; however, there are still a number of vessels that are partially underwater or sitting onshore. I am appealing to the owners of the vessels to make arrangements to have these vessels removed as soon as possible,” Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure Maurice Lake said on Sunday Read more