SXMElections.com

MAHO:--- (DMF) DOW MUSICAL FOUNDATION and EBONY STEEL ORCHESTRA 25th year annual concert celebration took place on Monday night December 26th, 2016 at Maho Royale Ballroom.
The Tallahasse-St. Maarten Foundation Inc. (TLH-SXMF) presented an award to Prime Minister William Marlin under the banner of: POLITICIAN OF THE YEAR 2016.
“The house was packed to capacity at the annual Steel Pan Concert and extravaganza celebrating the DOW MUSICAL FOUNDATION and EBONY STEEL ORCHESTRA 25th concert anniversary,” according to TLH-SXMF Executive Director Arthur Lugisse.
Lugisse continues: “Current Prime Minister of Sint Maarten William Marlin was first sworn in on November 19, 2015 and after serving one year he was again recently sworn in on December 20, 2016 as Prime Minister in the Red, White and Blue coalition government comprising of the Democratic Party, the National Alliance and the United St Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The visionary of Victorious Living, Dr. Erna Mae Francis-Cotton, and board members sincerely thank VLF’s partners, volunteers, clients, supporters and members of the press and the general public for helping them to make a significant difference in 2016. This past year has yielded much transformation in the lives of the people that Victorious Living touches, from the transformation in marriages, increased growth in the lives of young and old, and family restoration.
In addition, many lives were transformed through VLF’s fourth hosting of the premiere one day leadership simulcast conference, Leadercast; facilitation of a successful marriage and singles retreat for the Pastors and spouses of the Moravian Church Eastern West Indies Province; and a grief workshop that VLF’s visionary facilitated for the St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:---  Student Jodian Mc Donald recently completed a two-week job-placement stint at the receptionist of the New Government Building. The PSVE student who also worked at the Public Service Center (PSC) branch in Simpson bay recently, has been praised for her outgoing attitude, professionalism, and exceptional work ethics.
In the function of receptionist (under the auspices of PSC), Ms. Mc Donald’s tasks were to welcome and coordinate guests on behalf of the cabinets of the Council of Ministers and provide assistance to government employees with regard to personnel matters just to name a few.
Over the last two years, the Public Service Center Department has been working with various secondary schools on St Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The people of Sint Maarten expect a higher level of functioning from our Parliament in the New Year. Following a trial and error period of six years, our MP’s should begin to raise the bar in 2017.
We expect our MP’s, while on the floor of parliament, to stick to the business at hand and not be carried away by personal or emotional circumstances. According to article 53 of the Constitution, parliamentarians should refrain from debating and voting on issues related to their person, their spouses or family members to the second degree Read more

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Pond Island:--- TelEm Group technicians and engineers successfully restored internet service to Dutch St. Maarten at approximately 5:30 pm Thursday evening after effecting repairs to a fibre connection between the French side and the Dutch side of the island.

Thursday’s restoration comes after several failed attempts to fully restore the service following a major outage Sunday.

Technicians and engineers working round the clock, successfully cleaned up a faulty link that was causing the company’s internet service to operate sporadically and sometimes not at all, since the outage Sunday.

“The local fiber connection came up several times, but deteriorated as soon as any load was put on it,” said Chief Technical Officer, Mr Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, Isaiah 9:6. This prophecy was uttered by the Hebrew prophet Isaiah some 700 years before Jesus was born. Isaiah became a prophet, after the death of King Uzziah who reigned for fifty-two years. Under Uzziah’s reign, the land of Judah enjoyed a period of prosperity not known since the reign of King Solomon Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The newly sworn in Council of Ministers held their first meeting at the Government Building on Thursday morning December 22nd. Attending the meeting were Prime Minister William Marlin, Minister of Finance Richard Gibson, Minister of Public Health Social Development and Labor Affairs Emil Lee, Minister of Education Culture Youth & Sports Silveria Jacobs and Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Christophe Emmanuel.

In its first meeting, the Council of Ministers took the decision amongst others, to grant all Civil Servants “half day off” on December 23rd and 30th where the service permits Read more

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Exclusive: Sls Threatens Uszv And Government That They Will Not Be Accepting Uszv Cards For Civil Servants Due To Outstanding Debts Amounting To Naf.139, 000.00.

USZV and Government have until January 15th to settle the debt or face litigation.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Laboratory Services (SLS) has dispatched a letter through its legal representatives to the Minister of VSA Emil Lee, and Director of USZV Glen Carty which was also copied to the Prime Minister of St. Maarten William Marlin and Minister of Finance Richard Gibson (Country St Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Incoming Minister of VROMI Christopher Emmanuel did not waste any time since taking office on Tuesday. Minister Emmanuel said at the weekly Council of Minister's press briefing that the Ministry of VROMI has a lot of issues to deal with, some of those issues he mentioned are the traffic congestion, sewage water, garbage collection, running water and even mattresses along the roadside and road infrastructure Read more

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Fête De La Cuisine.

PHILIPSBURG:--- This Friday at Oyster Bay Beach Resort's Infinity Restaurant, Fête de la cuisine organizer Henri Brookson handed over a $1,758.57 cheque to the Sint Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association. The donation was the result of a collaboration between Fête de la Cuisine and Oyster Bay Beach Resort Infinity Restaurant to donating 50% on the net proceeds of the night’s event, to enable Sint Maarten to send our culinary team to the regional Taste of the Caribbean culinary contest Read more

Finance Minister Advised Vromi Minister To Work Hard And Accept Critics.

2016 budget ended with a small surplus.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr welcomed the Minister of VROMI Christopher Emmanuel to the Council of Ministers, he also told Minister Emmanuel to be prepared to be criticized and to also work hard Read more

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PHILIPSBURG: --- During the first live press briefing on Wednesday Prime Minister William Marlin informed the people of St. Maarten that the screening process for the Ministry of TEATT is not yet completed but hopefully that process will be completed shortly. Marlin said that in the meantime, the Minister of Justice Raphael Boasman will be responsible for that Ministry until the new Minister takes office.
However, Minister Boasman has left the island shortly after the swearing in ceremony for the Netherlands for a period of two weeks, therefore, the Prime Minister will be responsible for the Ministry of General Affairs, Justice and TEATT until Minister Boasman returns.
The Prime Minister also introduced the new council of ministers, namely Minister of Finance Richard Gibson, returning Minister of VSA who was not present  at the opening of the weekly press briefing Emil Lee, Minister of Education, Minister of Justice Raphael Boasman, and Minister of VROMI Christopher Emmanuel and Minister of EYS Silveria Jacobs.
Marlin said that he hopes that the coalition partners will give this government a full four-year mandate which would give the island some stability.
Marlin outlined some of the things the government has been doing, and of the things they have high on their agenda are affordable housing and he plans to support the Minister of VROMI with whatever plans the SMHDF and the Ministry come up with to provide more affordable home.
Another priority for the government is the country’s infrastructure which is affecting the visitors of the island and residents Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Christmas will be 5 days away by the time this article appears in the media. The question is should we be paid before Christmas? I am sure that many reasons can be given as to why we should not be paid before Christmas. Someone saw this somewhere and forwarded it to me. It reads and I quote:” Blessed are those who spendeth their entire December salary in December for they shall knoweth the true meaning of endurance in January” end of quote. My personal opinion is that we should be paid before Christmas Read more

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REMARKS AT THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY OF THE NEW GOVERNMENT
by His Excellency drs. Eugene B. Holiday
Governor of Sint Maarten

Harbour View, Sint Maarten
December 20, 2016

Vice-Chairman of Parliament, Members of Parliament
Prefette of Saint Martin and St. Barths
Prime-Minister, Ministers,
Vice-President of the Collectivity of Saint Martin
Vice-president of the Joint Court of Justice
Distinguished Guests,
Good Morning,
On September 26th, 2016, the people of Sint Maarten went to the polls and elected a new group of parliamentarians Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- NV GEBE celebrate its yearly “Santa Comes to GEBE”, where students from the I can Foundation, Hope Out Reach Foster Care and the Public Schools received an early Christmas gift at the GEBE’s Christmas Village located on the Ring Road. Over 300 gifts were distributed this year to children between the ages of 2 - 12. Children within the public schools were selected by the teachers. The children were joyful and enjoyed the day GEBE hosted in their honor.
GEBE started this event 4 years ago for the children of the employees and friends and the new Managing Board took it a step further by giving back to the community Read more

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Lengthy Budget Debate Ended On Friday With Upp Members Voting Against For The 2017 Budget.

7 motions also passed.

PHILIPSBURG:--- After nine days of budget debate 10 Members of Parliament, those forming the current coalition NA, USP and DP MP’s voted in favor of the 2017 budget, while three of the UPP MP’s voted against Read more

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Integrated Youth Policy Plan Stakeholders Consultation Session Organized By The Department Of Youth.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Department of Youth hosted a consultation session with stakeholders to discuss the Integrated Youth Policy Plan (IYP) on Friday, December 9th, 2016 at the University of Sint Maarten. The purpose of the consultation session was to discuss relevant areas concerning youth development on St. Maarten as well as strategies for effective implementation as outlined in the draft document. Welcome statements were given by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Education, Culture Youth and Sport, Ms Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The board of the United St. Maarten (US) party on Friday explained that the screening process for its candidate Minister Cecil Nicholas is still ongoing but nearing completion. As such, the swearing in on Tuesday will proceed without Mr. Nicholas who will be sworn in soon thereafter. Mr. Nicholas will take up responsibilities for the Ministry of TEATT."

Read more

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HARBOUR VIEW:--- On December 16th, 2016, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, received the final report, including the Governing Program 2016 – 2020, Stability For Prosperity from formateur William Marlin.
The formateur has accepted the commission to form a new government supported by a majority in Parliament comprised of the NA-fraction, the USP-fraction, and the DP-fraction Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Franklin Meyers used most of his speaking time during the budget debate to speak out against the constant arrests taking place on St. Maarten. Meyers said right now only the “blacks” on St. Maarten is being targeted. He mentioned the names of the various owners of houses of repute that were arrested even though the government is making monies from the “girls” that comes to the island to work Read more

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Who Scammed Government For Government Building Decorations?

PHILIPSBURG: --- Since the budget debate started last week there have been a war taking place on Facebook regarding the cost to decorate the New Government Building for the upcoming holiday season. On the social media various amounts are being mentioned, some persons stated and even newspapers stated that government paid $80,000.00 for the decorations all of which will remain government property. However, SMN News learned that the amount spent on the decorations amounted to $78,000.00. Indeed, the amount is far too much especially when the country has financial constraints and Ministers were forced to cut their budgets and spending in order to meet the requirements of the CFT Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:---- I must commend our parliamentarians for raising the budget debate in the Central Committee a notch higher this year. Compared to the debate on the 2016 Budget, Parliamentarians were better prepared to deal with details, to ask critical questions and to consequently carry out one of their very important functions, namely to control and monitor Government.
Parliamentarians were in their right to call out the NA-DP-USP-Lake-Matser caretaker Government and Ministers on the 2016 expenditures of the country Read more

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SOUTH REWARD:--- On Thursday evening (December 8th) , Prime Minister William Marlin attended the St. Maarten Community Collective, South Reward Public Meeting which took place at the Milton Peters College.

The community meeting was held with intentions of gathering members of the South Reward Community as a mean to inform on current works that’s in progress by the association as well as to have an open floor allowing attendees to voice their concerns on various community issues, contribute their ideas and / or opinions of possible solutions and an all togetherness in building a much stronger and better South Reward.

Concerns made by residents were noted by Prime Minister’s team with intentions to further investigate to gain deeper understanding of the matters in order better resolve Read more

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Caft Chairman Age Bakker: “Keep Doing The Utmost To Meet Deficit Norms.

Oranjestad:--- During its most recent visit to Aruba, the Board of financial supervision for Aruba (CAft) indicated that the utmost must be done in order to meet the maximum acceptable deficit norm. At this moment particularly the indirect tax income is lagging well behind under the influence of low economic growth. In contrast, the reopening of the oil refinery will result in additional income for the government. The estimated direct tax revenue of Aruba for 2018 represents a 22% rise. This is such a strong increase that the CAft is not sufficiently convinced of the long-term sustainability of the Aruba public finances.

Budget implementation in 2016
The implementation report for the period up to the third quarter shows that the deficit of the public sector over this period amounted to 1.5% of GDP Read more