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Land Or Property Tax For Who All Exactly?

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — July 29 th 2021 Member of Parliament Claudius Buncamper is questioning who the suggested property tax will apply to. This quarry comes at the heels of the presentation in Parliament by CFT which stated that Property Tax should be implemented in St. Maarten. I was somewhat surprised at the hard stances several MPs have already taken regarding the land tax or property tax issue Read more

Buncamper: Govt Should Explore Property Tax For Non-Residents

PHILIPSBURG--There are no restrictions on non-residents owning or purchasing property, said Member of Parliament (MP) Claudius Buncamper (US Party). This group enjoys the benefits that the country provides. He would like the gover Read more

PHILIPSBURG:---  Member of Parliament Claudius Buncamper is questioning who the suggested property tax will apply to. This quarry comes at the heels of the presentation in Parliament by CFT which stated that Property Tax should be implemented in St. Maarten. I was somewhat surprised at the hard stances several MPs have already taken regarding the land tax or property tax issue Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Over the past 24 months, the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) has obtained several pieces of heavy equipment machinery, all of which helps to improve the daily management of the countrys landfill.
The machinery, procured through the St. Maarten Trust Fund under the Emergency Debris Management Project (EDMP), includes a front-end loader, a bulldozer, an alternative daily cover (ADC) silo, and applicator, and, most recently, a new solid waste compactor worth US $740,000.
With the countrys current financial constraints, the purchase and delivery of this equipment provide cost-saving to the Government of Sint Maarten, as it replaces the machinery that the VROMI Ministry was previously renting from third parties Read more

Kick Off Of Football Clinic For Boys And Girls.

The St. Maarten Tourism Bureau is pleased to announce the successful kick-off on Monday, July 26, where the organization FUNDACION REAL MADRID CLINICS DUTCH ANTILLES, together with the REAL MADRID FOUNDATION and our Local Partner Flames United FC, started the Real Madrid Foundation football clinic for boys and girls (6 until 13 years) which will run until Friday 30 of July 2021 on the friendly island of Sint Maarten.

The goal of the organization in conjunction with the Sponsors is to motivate the practice of football on the island as well as to encourage the values inherent in the sport, to give them the opportunity to train as their idols do and contribute to their personal development Read more

Several Un-Natural Deaths Of Mental Health Patients, Yet Information Is Being Withheld.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Reports of unnatural deaths at the Mental Health Foundation are mounting, patients that were placed in restrictive custody ended up dead yet information regarding these deaths of these vulnerable persons in the community are being withheld.

Minister of Justice Anna Richardson said on Wednesday that an indebt investigation has been launched into the most recent death, and as such, she will reserve the right to withhold all information and comments until that investigation is completed Read more

Department Of Culture To Establish Archeology/Underwater Heritage Policy

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten — On Wednesday, July 14 th 2021 Policymakers of the Department of Culture within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport (ECYS) met with several internal stakeholders from key Government departments. They are Maritime Affairs within the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT), the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), Department of Interior and Kingdom Relations (BAK) within the Ministry of General Affairs (AZ) and National Commission for UNESCO St Read more

~Open letter to Government~

PHILIPSBURG:---  July 26th, 2021 - Its with much dismay that I read about the events that are surrounding the most recent dismissal of the Managing Director of the PJIAH and the 2 board members of the PJIAH. In a simple term, I would say its disgraceful. Disgraceful because government professes to be transparent, integer, and honest, but makes these decisions for which the motive is questionable for more reason than one.
Lets start with the first reason, was the process in accordance with CORPORATE GOVERNANCE regulations, or is this a means to an end? Were Corporate Governance rules not established to prevent political victimization of members of supervisory boards and managing boards when governments change? Is this an unwritten or unannounced condition to funding? Or is there something else that fails the test of transparency? I can guarantee that this episode is far from over.
I call on the dismissed board members to take this to court including the Managing director of PJIAH and to also file a formal complaint at the Integrity Chamber, after all sine this chamber was born under forceful conditions, and we are now also paying for, we might as well have them look into this latest questionable move of the Jacobs Cabinet Read more

Bigger Than Me Indeed!

Mr. Editor,

There are many political opponents who are frustrated with the fact that I continue to hold this government accountable through means available to all of us. It has come to the point where they, their soldiers and future candidates publicly display their frustration by stating I always have an article ready to go. I dont know if to take that as a compliment, but I can inform Mr. Cloyd Marlin that I am always ready because his government is always predictable and predictably bad, including his Letter to the Editor Read more

Establecimiento Del Estado De Emergencia Sanitaria En San Bartolom Y San Martn

El Senado ha decidido la adopcin del estado de emergencia sanitaria en San Bartolom y San Martn hasta el 30 de septiembre de 2021. Este contexto permite al Prefecto disponer de mayor flexibilidad en la aplicacin de las medidas nacionales a nivel local, permitiendo aligerar o empeorar segn la situacin sanitaria.

El estado de emergencia sanitaria se instaura en nuestras islas para proteger nuestro sistema de salud. El Hospital Louis Constant Fleming se mantiene fuertemente movilizado y acoge hoy a 11 pacientes en el servicio de covid dedicado Read more

Corporate Governance For Whom Exactly

Open letter to Government

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten — July 26 th 2021 – Its with much dismay that I read about the events that are surrounding the most recent dismissal of the Managing Director of the PJIAH and the 2 board members of the PJIAH. In a simple term I would say its disgraceful. Disgraceful because government professes to be transparent, integer and honest, but makes these decisions for which the motive is questionable for more reason than one.

Lets start with the first reason, was the process in accordance with CORPORATE GOVERNANCE regulations, or is this a means to an end? Were Corporate Governance rules not established to prevent political victimization of members of supervisory boards and managing boards when governments change? Is this an unwritten or unannounced condition to funding? Or is there something else that fails the test of transparency?
I can guarantee that this episode is far from over.

I call on the dismissed board members to take this to court including the Managing director of PJIAH and to also file a formal complaint at the Integrity Chamber, after all sine this chamber was born under forcefully conditions, and we are now also paying for, we might as well have them look into this latest questionable move of the Jacobs Cabinet Read more

Mp Heyliger-Marten Says: The CftS Suggestion To Impose Land Tax Is Anti Local People

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The community of St. Maarten paused this weekend to celebrate the 95th birthday of its longest leader Dr. Albert Claudius Wathey a.k.a. the Ole Man, who is still today considered the father of modern-day St. Maarten.

In a press release issued on Sunday, Member of Parliament and Faction Leader for the United Peoples Party the honorable Grisha Heyliger-Marten remembered Dr Read more

Consensus Kingdom Law Amendments Near Completion

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten — The Prime Ministers of St. Maarten, Curacao and Aruba have been participating in Four-Country Ministerial Consultations together with Demissionary State Secretary of Interior and Kingdom Relations Knops since July 15th to discuss the remaining items of concern of the countries on the proposed amendments to the Consensus Kingdom Law.

In March of this year, the Council of State confirmed many of the concerns of Sint Maarten and the other countries pertaining to the content of the law.Since then, fromMarch26th until July 19th, many adjustments have been made and discussions have taken place on a technical level to come to principal agreements on the best way to address these concerns raised and finalized in the proposed further report.

On Thursday, July 22nd, the second Ministerial Consultation took place on the remaining points of concern Read more

Establishment Of A State Of Health Emergency In Saint-Barthlemy And Saint-Martin.

MARIGOT:--- The Senate has decided to adopt a state of health emergency in Saint-Barthlemy and Saint-Martin until September 30, 2021. This context allows the Prefet to have greater flexibility in applying national measures at the local level, allowing it to lighten or worsen depending on the health situation.
A state of a health emergency is setting up on our islands to protect our health care system. Louis Constant Fleming hospital remains heavily mobilized and is now welcoming 11 patients into the dedicated covid service Read more

CftS Suggestion To Impose Land Tax Is Anti-Local People

PHILIPSBURG--Member of Parliament and United Peoples Party faction leader Grisha Heyliger-Marten commemorated the late Dr. Albert Claudius Wathey on July 24 for his contribution to the growth and development of the people and nation. She also reflected on a recent suggestion by the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT, to impose a tax that Wathey fought against at the Central Government level for years to prevent it from imposing it on St Read more

In-Depth Investigation Into Passing Of Mental Patient

PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Justice Anna Richardson, on behalf of the government of St. Maarten, has extended condolences to the family of the man L.T. (48) who died in a police holding cell on Thursday. Richardson confirmed that the authorities are conducting an in-depth investigation.

Read more

Covid-19 Relief Group Holds Second Fundraising.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The COVID-19 Relief Group will hold its second Fundraising Drive on Saturday, July 31st, and Sunday, August 1st. On both days, the Group will be stationed at the Carrefour Market in Cul-de-Sac, from 10 am until the closing of the supermarket. Persons, families, companies, businesses are encouraged to stop by and give their donations in cash or checks.

With the funds, raised during its first Fundraising Drive, the COVID-19 Relief Fund was able to assist a total of 66 persons with the payment of small bills Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prime Ministers of St. Maarten, Curacao, and Aruba have been participating in Four-Country Ministerial Consultations together with Demissionary State Secretary of Interior and Kingdom Relations Knops since July 15th to discuss the remaining items of concern of the countries on the proposed amendments to the Consensus Kingdom Law.

In March of this year, the Council of State confirmed many of the concerns of Sint Maarten and the other countries pertaining to the content of the law Read more

Mp Emmanuel Asks Integrity Chamber To Provide Opinion On Ballast Nedam Selection

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Thursday asked the Integrity Chamber to provide its opinion on whether the awarding of the reconstruction of the airport project to Ballast Nedam by the Supervisory Board of the Princess Juliana Airport operating company (PJIAE) constitutes an act or a failure by an administrative body or government entity to adhere to values and norms, legal requirements, or other obligations through which the interest of society, or the proper functioning of an administrative body or government entity could be harmed.

His letter to the Integrity Chamber is the first of its kind to the Chamber from a Member of Parliament Read more

Emmanuel Questions How Ballast Nedam Won Airport Bid With Its Bribery Settlement

~ Says measuring stick is different for Dutch firms ~

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — In response to the news that Ballast Nedam has been awarded the contract for the airport reconstruction project, Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel has again questioned how Dutch firms with a criminal history continue to secure contracts on St. Maarten.

It is not the first time the MP has raised these concerns. Earlier this year he pointed out that Windward Roads, despite its guilty verdict in the Larimar investigation and defrauding the country, is still somehow managing to secure contracts from the government of St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday, July 14th, 2021 Policymakers of the Department of Culture within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport (ECYS) met with several internal stakeholders from key Government departments. They are Maritime Affairs within the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT), the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), Department of Interior and Kingdom Relations (BAK) within the Ministry of General Affairs (AZ) and National Commission for UNESCO St Read more

Department Of Culture To Establish Archeology/Underwater Heritage Policy

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten On Wednesday, July 14th 2021 Policymakers of the Department of Culture within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport (ECYS) met with several internal stakeholders from key Government departments. They are Maritime Affairs within the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT), the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), Department of Interior and Kingdom Relations (BAK) within the Ministry of General Affairs (AZ) and National Commission for UNESCO St Read more

Mental Health A Collaboration Effort

CAY HILL, Sint Maarten – Today July 23, 2021 the Mental Health Foundationrepresented bythe president of the board Dr. Felix Holiday and Erika van der Horst Secretary to the board,at the Notary offices of Tjon Ajong signed off on the purchase of 6,267 m2 of land in St. Johns.

Also present for the occasion was Joy Arnell Secretary General of the Ministry of Public Health, Labor and Social Affairs, and Eileen Healy projects development for the Foundation.

Land that could meet the needs of the foundation is not easy to come by on St Read more

~MENTAL HEALTH IS A COLLABORATION EFFORT~

Today July 23, 2021, the Mental Health Foundation represented by the president of the board Dr. Felix Holiday, and Erika van der Horst Secretary to the board, at the Notary offices of Tjon Ajong signed off on the purchase of 6,267 m2 of land in St. Johns.
Also present for the occasion was Joy Arnell Secretary-General of the Ministry of Public Health, Labor and Social Affairs, and Eileen Healy projects development for the Foundation.

Land that could meet the needs of the foundation is not easy to come by on St Read more