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Casino licences for harbour, airport have Bosman worried

THE HAGUE--Plans to construct a casino at the airport and the harbour in St. Maarten have Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament André Bosman of the liberal democratic VVD party very worried.

Bosman submitted written questions to Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk on Thursday in response to media reports stating that St. Maarten had expanded its casino policy in order to grant four additional casino licences. The Harbour Group of Companies and Princess Juliana International Airport SXM already have submitted applications for casino licences.

Bosman asked Plasterk how in "God's name it was possible" that permits were being granted while there is a moratorium on the issuing of casino and lottery permits Read more

Governor Holiday receives final report of informateurs

HARBOUR VIEW--St. Maarten Governor Eugene Holiday received the final report of the current information process from informateurs Joe Richardson and Marcel Gumbs on Friday.

The informateurs presented the Governor with a 2014-2018 governing accord signed by eight incoming Members of St. Maarten Parliament, seven of whom are members of the United People's (UP) party Read more

Hanson reacts to assault on teacher

MARIGOT--President of the Territorial Council Aline Hanson gave her reaction Thursday to the assault on a teacher in the French Quarter primary school on Tuesday around 4:00pm, which led to a brief strike by fellow teachers.

"I would like to share my indignation at the assault of teacher C.P. on Tuesday, September 30, 2014, in a primary school in Quartier d'Orléans," she said Read more

PVV submits law to send back criminal ‘Antilleans’

THE HAGUE--The Party for Freedom PVV in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Wednesday submitted an initiative law which aims to send persons from Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten who have been convicted of a crime back to their island.

An expulsion law is needed to "protect" the Dutch society against the excessive and often violent, criminal behaviour of persons from the islands, contended PVV Members of Parliament (MPs) Sietse Fritsma and Machiel de Graaf, the initiative takers of the law proposal.

The law proposal puts the protection of victims of violence, robberies and other severe crimes in the centre by expelling violent and trouble-causing Dutch Caribbean persons, Fritsma and De Graaf stated in the explanatory note Read more

Plasterk pledges to work on dispute arrangement

THE HAGUE--Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk on Wednesday promised the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament to work on a dispute arrangement ("geschillenregeling") for the Kingdom.

Plasterk did so during the handling of the draft 2015 Kingdom Relations budget, on the insistence of the Democratic Party D66, the Christian Democratic Party CDA and the ChristianUnion (CU).

Plasterk said that he would try to reach a consensus with all four countries in the Kingdom before the next Kingdom Conference which takes place in Curaçao in April 2015 Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (VSA) and by extention the people of St. Maarten are officially the proud new owners of the Mobile Health Services bus which was donated by Social Health Insurances (SZV). The official signing of the transfer documents and keys were handed over by the Deputy Director/COO of SZV, Mr. Willemsberg to Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (VSA) Cornelius de Weever on Thursday afternoon Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- On September 25th and 26th 2014, the Social Economic Council (SER) of Sint Maarten took part in the international conference "Economic growth by strengthening human capital and industrial performance" which was held in Willemstad, Curacao. The conference was hosted by the International Association of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions (AICESIS) in collaboration with SER Curacao, AICESIS is a worldwide organization representing 70 member states from four different continents Read more

UPP MP Elect under Investigation for 2014 Election Fraud.

style="text-align: center;">Prosecutor's Office refuses to comment

PHILIPSBURG:--- Information reaching SMN News states that the Landsrecherche is busy investigating a UPP MP elect who was elected on August 29th, 2014 for election fraud. According to the information provided to SMN News undercover agents that were working on Election Day have the MP elect on camera along with other evidence which suggests he was giving out monies to voters at the Belvedere and Dutch Quarter polling stations.

SMN News contacted Solicitor General Taco Stein to confirm whether or not the information SMN News received has any truth to it Read more

style="text-align: center;">Rumors are unfounded --- Leona Marlin Romeo

PHILIPSBURG:--- SMN News received information from certain members of the United Peoples Party (UPP) who said that they will be getting the support of Member of Parliament (elect) Leona Marlin whom they said promised them that she will declare herself independent after being sworn in as a Member of Parliament and she would then support the UPP/de Weever coalition.
When contacted by SMN News on Thursday MP Leona Marlin (elect) said that she has no intention of leaving the political party she was elected on Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- In solidarity with people undergoing treatment for breast cancer, Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour Cornelius de Weever continues to honor his tradition of balding his head. On October 1st breast cancer survivor and founder of Still Beautiful Foundation, Marcellina Loblack shaved his head. Each year Minister de Weever takes part in this breast cancer awareness initiative to support and encourage breast cancer awareness
"October, Breast Cancer Awareness month provides an opportunity for us all to focus on breast cancer and its impact on those affected by the disease as well as raise awareness about the importance of early detection of breast cancer Read more

>HARBOUR VIEW:--- On October 3rd, 2014, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, received the final report of the current information process from informateurs Joe Richardson and Marcel Gumbs. The informateurs presented the Governor with a governing accord 2014-2018, signed by the 8 MPs, namely the 7 members of the UP and Mr Read more

Curacao Watching Closely Expected Dutch Intervention In Justice Ministry On Sxm

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Residents on Curacao are paying keen attention to the developments on St. Maarten, and the announcement of the intervention by the Dutch in the Justice Ministry.

This was announced by Minister with the responsibility for Kingdom Affairs, the Honorable Ronald Plasterk.

The statement of the Minister has also gotten a reaction from former Minister of Justice on St. Maarten, attorney Read more

Governor Holiday Receives Final Report Of Informateurs

HARBOUR VIEW, Sint. Maarten – On October 3rd, 2014, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, received the final report of the current information process from informateurs Joe Richardson and Marcel Gumbs.

The informateurs presented the Governor with a governing accord 2014-2018, signed by the 8 MPs, namely the 7 members of the UP and Mr Read more

Ser Attends International Conference In Curacao

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - On September 25th and 26th 2014, the Social Economic Council (SER) of Sint Maarten took part in the international conference "Economic growth by strengthening human capital and industrial performance" which was held in Willemstad, Curacao.

The conference was hosted by the International Association of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions (AICESIS) in collaboration with SER Curacao, AICESIS is a worldwide organization representing 70 member states from four different continents.

AICESIS functions as an important international organization for social and economic policy.

Acting Chairman of the SER Curacao Mr Read more

Dutch Send Supervisor Integrity And Reinforcements To The Island

Debate about Kingdom Relations-budget in The Hague

THE HAGUE  – Assistance for the Public Prosecutor’s Office to fight white collar criminality,  border control under the supervision of the Netherlands and the appointment of a Supervisor Integrity. These are the three pillars of an action plan Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk announced yesterday in the debate about the budget for Kingdom Relations in the Second Chamber in The Hague.

Plasterk said during the debate that the situation in St Read more

Up Party Says It Will Not Accept Any Dutch Interference

St. Maarten – The board of the United Peoples Party (UP) strongly believes “that the recent rhetoric of the Liberal Democratic VVD party and Socialist Party (SP) in the Netherlands is exactly that, rhetoric, but nonetheless infringes on the fundamentals of St. Maarten’s parliamentary democracy,” the party stated in a press release.

“The people have clearly spoken and the support our party and its leadership serves testimony to the confidence the people of St Read more

Prime Minister Has Nothing But Smooth Answers To Integrity Questions

St. Maarten – Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams had nothing but smooth answers to questions about the PricewaterhouseCoopers integrity report yesterday but then, her term in office comes to an end just eight days from now and from the way things stand now, she will not have to deal with it from an executive position anymore.

Wescot-Williams said that the government is ready to take over the recommendations from the PWC-integrity report, adding that the new government that will soon take office also ought to get an opportunity to react to it Read more

Thompson Concerned About Economic And Environmental Sustainability

St. Maarten –Rueben Thompson of the United St. Maarten party expressed his concerns for St. Maarten’s future environmental and economic sustainability under the governance of current Minister of Vromi Maurice Lake and the newly-formed UP coalition, which will constitute the new government, saying, “We’re slaughtering the goose that lays the golden egg.”

“I’m very concerned about the plans for the protection of our natural and cultural heritage Read more

Donor Szv Officially Hands Over Mobile Health Services Bus To Vsa

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (VSA) and by extention the people of St. Maarten are officially the proud new owners of the Mobile Health Services bus which was donated by Social Health Insurances (SZV).

The official signing of the transfer documents and keys were handed over by the Deputy Director/COO of SZV, Mr. Willemsberg to Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (VSA) Cornelius de Weever on Thursday afternoon.

Tomorrow the bus will receive its L- license plate and become officially registered as a government vehicle and maintained as such by Facility Management under the supervision of Department Head Rignald Martina.

"SZV looks forward to working together with the Ministry of VSA to ensure sustainability of the project Read more

Up Calls On The Nation To Take Part In Breast Cancer Awareness Activities For The Month Of October

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – The board of the United People's Party (UP) is calling on the Sint Maarten community to take part in various Breast Cancer Awareness activities that will be held for the month of October.

Countries around the world hold activities to help increase attention and support for the awareness, early detection and treatment as well as palliative care of this disease.

A Breast Cancer Awareness march organized by community based organizations is planned on Friday, October 3rd starting at the Festival Village in Philipsburg at 4.30pm Read more

Minister De Weever Continues The Tradition Of Balding His Head To Support Breast Cancer Awareness

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - In solidarity with people undergoing treatment for breast cancer, Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour Cornelius de Weever continues to honor his tradition of balding his head.

On October 1st breast cancer survivor and founder of Still Beautiful Foundation, Marcellina Loblack shaved his head.

Each year Minister de Weever takes part in this breast cancer awareness initiative to support and encourage breast cancer awareness

"October, Breast Cancer Awareness month provides an opportunity for us all to focus on breast cancer and its impact on those affected by the disease as well as raise awareness about the importance of early detection of breast cancer.

In honor of those who we have lost to breast cancer, to those who are struggling with it, and to the survivors I encourage everyone to come out to the activities organized by the Positive Foundation and Elektralytes Foundation this month.

Raising awareness about breast cancer has come a long way.

With the efforts initiated by the Ministry and more importantly by the various NGO's such as Positive Foundation and the Elektralytes, people and especially women on the island are becoming more proactive in getting regular check-ups Read more

Editorial - First things first

Reports received by The Daily Herald that a change was being made to the casino policy were confirmed by outgoing Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams during Wednesday's weekly press briefing (see related article). Answers to further inquiries from this newspaper also were provided last night by the cabinet chief of the responsible Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Ted Richardson.

It's an interesting development especially because it regards gaming activities, always a sensitive subject Read more

Jamaica government says tackling crime not only a matter for law enforcement

KINGSTON, Jamaica--The Jamaica government is calling on nationals to re-think their position that the solution to crime and violence is a matter only for law enforcement.

"Law enforcement has an important role to play, but if we think it is only law enforcement that is going to fix our crime problem, then we are seriously mistaken. The truth of the matter is...when you look at the root causes of crime, it starts with the family," said National Security Minister, Peter Bunting, who said there needed to be a deepened understanding among Jamaicans of the causes of crime and violence affecting the island.

Bunting, addressing the launch of a Unite for Change forum and First Responders and Violence Interrupters training, said the understanding is needed in order to identify and put in place strategies aimed at fighting the scourge.

He said it is hoped that through the Unite for Change programme, the quest for a better understanding of the issues surrounding crime and violence will be achieved and a number of misconceptions will be removed from the thinking of Jamaicans.

"A part of the Unite for Change initiative is really working to deepen our understanding of the causes of violence, because if you don't understand what is causing it...you will end up just treating the symptoms and not curing the disease."

Bunting said one of the strategies being employed by his Ministry in curbing crime and violence is the use of "softer policing," where members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) are dressed in a more civilian-friendly manner, instead of looking as if they are on a mission to confront.

"When we talk about changing culture, we recognize that the first place we have to start is with the Police Read more

UP answers Dutch MPs’ statements, claims would infringe on democracy

~ Calls statements rhetoric~

PHILIPSBURG--The board of the United Peoples (UP) party says it "strongly believes" that the recent statements made by members of the liberal democratic VVD party and Socialist Party (SP) in the Netherlands is "rhetoric," and it "infringes on the fundamentals of St. Maarten's Parliamentary democracy."

The VVD and SP had been very critical of in particular UP leader Theo Heyliger, with both saying they would be calling for an instruction to have a criminal investigation focusing on Heyliger, during the handling of the draft 2015 budget of Kingdom Relations in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Wednesday.

UP said in a press release on Wednesday that St Read more