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Antigua Dismisses Call For Commission Of Inquiry Into Odebrecht Scandal

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – The Antigua and Barbuda Government has dismissed the idea of a Commission of Inquiry into the on-going controversy related to the Brazilian multinational, Odebrecht SA, and the energy company, Petrobras scandal even as the opposition Friday held talks with the Governor General Rodney Williams on the issue.

Attorney General Steadroy Benjamin said the head of state cannot legally set up any Commission of Inquiry, saying “there is nothing in the law as I know it to give the authority to the Governor General to call a Commission of Inquiry.

“It is particularly clear and the case law establishes the fact any Commission of Inquiry must be triggered by the government Read more

Rotary Sunrise Celebrates It’S Members

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — As the Rotary Year 2016-2017 advances in this 4th quarter of the year, the Rotary club of St. Martin Sunrise celebrates it’s membership by highlighting a couple of persons each week. This is an effort that commenced in August last year as part of Rotary’s Membership Month., a month of significance when the club seeks various ways to motivate membership and reach out to potential new Rotarians.

In this profile highlight, Rotary Sunrise introduces two of our great members, Ms Read more

Exclusive:--- Is The Minister Of Vromi Sleeping On The Job? What Is Going With Chairman Of Gebe Supervisory Board, When Will Buncamper Be Appointed?

Was agreement signed with AES in Dominican Republic for L&G Gas?

PHILIPSBURG: --- It appears as though the Minister of VROMI Christopher Emmanuel is sleeping on the job. There are numerous matters that need the Minister’s attention at the Government owned company GEBE.
The Minister is supposed to appoint a member to the Supervisory Board, already he selected Claudius Buncamper for the position but it is understood that the Minister is being blocked by at least one member of the Council of Ministers to make the appointment Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The rumored ‘gag order’ supposedly intended to hamper the functioning of the inspectorate as described by SMN-News and certain Members of Parliament is far from the reality. Indeed, an MB or instruction was issued to the inspectorate with the sole objective of protecting the rights to privacy of patients and medical personnel as guaranteed in St Maarten's constitution. This MB was quite simply intended to further define how details on reports of patients and medical professionals are to be handled in order to protect individual's rights and the Ministry from any potential liabilities or additional court cases.

Based on a legal case of possible violation of patient and medical specialist right to privacy, which is now in court following a lawsuit by SMMC against the inspectorate, the Minister felt it was necessary to ensure that a clear public and transparent policy on how potentially private information would be released and under what conditions and procedures.
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Although the inspectorate has an internal communication policy, due to concerns about current litigation, the Inspector General refused to provide a copy of the internal communication policy to the Minister Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- As the Rotary Year 2016-2017 advances in this 4th quarter of the year, the Rotary club of St. Martin Sunrise celebrates its membership by highlighting a couple of persons each week. This is an effort that commenced in August last year as part of Rotary’s Membership Month., a month of significance when the club seeks various ways to motivate membership and reach out to potential new Rotarians.
In this profile highlight, Rotary Sunrise introduces two of our great members, Ms Read more

PHILIPSBURG:---The United St. Maarten (US) party will host a Family Fish-Fry and Soup Sale for the general public on Saturday, April 15. With a focus on “Soups by US”, the day will also feature activities for children and is being touted as an affair the whole family can enjoy.
It will be held at the USp headquarters property in Cul de Sac and will run from 10 am to 6 pm. “We simply wanted to do an event that brings two things we love together; family and local food,” the board of the USp said Read more

Sarah: “A Reset, Not A Retreat Is What Is Necessary As Far As The Relationship Between The Kingdom Government And St. Maarten Is Concerned”

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — I don’t remember a time that the relationship between these 2 entities has not been strained. Yes, we have had lulls, but the underlying currents have always been present. I remember the early years following the constitutional referendum of 2000, when the position of the Kingdom government was “no separate (read: country) status” for any entity in the Kingdom. You were either in or out!

10 years after our referendum, parties had managed to get out of that quandary to the cautious satisfaction of parties, it seemed Read more

Mission To Unify The Caribbean Islands Of The Dutch Kingdom

A delegation of ‘Nos Ke Boneiru Bek’ (We Want Bonaire Back) left for St. Maarten last week on a mission with the objective to unify the Caribbean islands of the Dutch Kingdom to counter arrest the division of the peoples that was created on 10-10-10 (October 10 2010) and start a new era of cooperation, collaboration and support and restore the ties of friendship and cooperation toward each other’s needs in particular.

This crusade started with a meeting with Rudy Croes, vice-president of COPPAL which recently in a meeting held in Mexico, affirmed that the International community will support and cooperate with the Dutch Caribbean islands, especially Bonaire and St Read more

Exclusive: Will The Parliament Of St. Maarten Fail The People, Prosecutor Office Already Turned A Blind Eye.

What actions will Parliament take when they are being lied to by Ministers?

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday, April 6th 2017, the Minister of VSA Emil Lee told the Parliament of St. Maarten that he did not give the director of SZV Glen Carty permission to spend money from the AOV funds to construct the new hospital, instead he said the decision was taken by the Minister of General Affairs (Prime Minister William Marlin and Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr.) a blatant lie told to the members of Parliament.
The two letters sent by the Director of SZV Glen Carty to Minister Emil Lee and his response will be published under this article for sake of transparency.
SMN News got hold of the letters Minister of VSA Emil Lee sent to SZV director Glen Carty dated August 5th, 2016 informing Carty that the Council of Ministers gave him the approval to use the AOV funds to create a capital reserve fund to the tune of NAF 144M for the construction of the New General Hospital including consultant fees Read more

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Cps Donates Ear Plugs To Scdf Intended For Use At The Children’S Parade

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- The Department of Collective Prevention Services (CPS) has donated earplugs, for children, to the Sint Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF), intended to be used during the Children’s Parade scheduled for April 8th and other activities in which very loud music is generated.

The SCDF will distribute the earplugs to persons with children during the parades.

CPS urges the population to be aware that loud music can cause hearing damage, especially in young children, and as such it is important to protect them from loud pitches, tones and in general overly loud music by avoiding these as much as possible, and avoid standing in close proximity of speakers of sound trucks.

Prolonged exposure can result in damage, which can be irreversible.

For any questions or concerns regarding this or other health topics, CPS can be contacted at 542-3003.

PHOTO CUTLINE: L to R: Management of CPS, Dr Read more

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication, Mellissa Arrindell-Doncher, joined her colleague Ministers in her first Council of Ministers meeting on Tuesday, April 4.

The meeting was adjourned for the Ministers to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Minister Arrindell-Doncher and resumed after.

At the onset, Minister co-signed her first national decree which contained the so-called ‘vervangingsregeling’, which regulates which minister replaces another minister when he / she is unable to execute his / her responsibilities; this can, for example, be related to illness, travel on behalf of government, or vacation.

With a complete Council of Ministers consisting of seven ministers, the replacement overview is now as follows:
Prime Minister / Minister of General Affairs, Mr Read more

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Instruction To Set Up Integrity Chamber

Instruction to set up Integrity Chamber

THE HAGUE--After a delay of two years and much discussion, the Kingdom Council of Ministers on Friday decided to give the St. Maarten an instruction, via a General Measure of the Kingdom Government (“Algemene Maatregel van Rijksbestuur” AMvRB), to establish the Integrity Chamber.

  St. Maarten Prime Minister William Marlin said that his government will make use of the possibility stated in the May 2015 protocol, in which St Read more

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Com Meets With Full Complement Of Ministers Last Tuesday

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication, Mellissa Arrindell-Doncher, joined her colleague Ministers in her first Council of Ministers meeting on Tuesday, April 4.

The meeting was adjourned for the Ministers to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Minister Arrindell-Doncher and resumed after.

At the onset, Minister co-signed her first national decree which contained the so-called ‘vervangingsregeling’, which regulates which minister replaces another minister when he / she is unable to execute his / her responsibilities; this can, for example, be related to illness, travel on behalf of government, or vacation.

With a complete Council of Ministers consisting of seven ministers, the replacement overview is now as follows:

Prime Minister / Minister of General Affairs, Mr Read more

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Pond Island:--- TelEm Group Technicians and engineers have been busy connecting the Festival Village with fiber optic cable and new Wi-fi solutions to vastly improve mobile voice and data user experience during this year’s carnival season.

Prompted by an initiative of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr. Kendall Dupersoy to “flood” St Read more

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Laville-Appeal Postponed Until June

Source: Today Newspaper

GREAT BAY – The appeal hearing of former Member of Parliament Romain Laville was postponed until June 8 yesterday. In the meantime, the court wants to hear former Justice Minister Roland Duncan at the Judge of Instruction as a witness in this case.

On august 24 of last year, the court in first Instance sentenced Laville to a 1-month suspended jail sentence for firearm possession, but it acquitted him of making threats against former MP Jules James and against steel pan icon Isidore York.

Members of the National Detective Agency arrested Laville on March 26, 2015 at him home, Read more

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Former Justice Minister Duncan Witness In Laville’S Appeal Case

PHILIPSBURG--The hearing in the appeal against former Member of Parliament (MP) Romain Laville has been postponed until June 8. The investigation has been referred back to the Investigative Judge to hear former Minister of Justice Roland Duncan as a witness.

Laville was convicted by the Court of First Instance on August 24, 2016, to a suspended prison sentence of one month, on two years’ probation.

He was acquitted of two charges of threat in the so-called “Zeepaard” and “Sardine” investigations Read more

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Mps Zoom In On Gag Order Placed On Inspectorate

PHILIPSBURG--Why Minister of Public Health Emil Lee would place a gag order on the Inspectorate of Health, a body that should function independently for the Ministry, was a cause for concern and inquiry from Members of Parliament in Thursday’s urgent plenary session of Parliament dealing with development of the new hospital, the current state of affairs at St Read more

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‘Cabinet Will Make St. Maarten Set Up Integrity Chamber’

ANP – Source www.nu.nl

THE NETHERLANDS – The Kingdom Council of Ministers is forcing St. Maarten to establish an independent Integrity Chamber to fight corruption. Sources confirmed reports on Thursday, April 6, according to NRC Handelsblad.

It is already almost two years since St. Maarten was informed of the arrival of the Integrity Chamber. The current government of the island led by Prime Minister William Marlin wants nothing of it.

Now it is being imposed by a so-called Order in Public Administration Read more

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Sarah: “A Reset, Not A Retreat Is What Is Necessary As Far As The Relationship Between The Kingdom Government And St. Maarten Is Concerned.”

PHILIPSBURG:--- I don’t remember a time that the relationship between these 2 entities has not been strained. Yes, we have had lulls, but the underlying currents have always been present. I remember the early years following the constitutional referendum of 2000 when the position of the Kingdom government was “no separate (read: country) status” for any entity in the Kingdom. You were either in or out!

10 years after our referendum, parties had managed to get out of that quandary to the cautious satisfaction of parties, it seemed.
Nevertheless, some thorny issues remained, not in the last place the opposing positions partners on both sides of the ocean take as far as the contentious article 43 of the Charter is concerned.
The recent amendment to the Charter while a step in the right direction, does not totally mitigate the democratic deficit, which remains a thorn in the relationship.

Fast forward to today and not wanting to rehash the whole story regarding the Integrity Chamber, let’s establish at least the following:
The GOVERNMENT of St Read more

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Former Minister Of Justice Roland Duncan To Be Heard In Laville Criminal Case. Case Referred Back To Investigating Judge

PHILIPSBURG:--- The criminal proceedings in the appeal case against former Member of Parliament R.L. have been postponed June 8, 2017. Meanwhile, the investigation has been referred back to the investigative judge to hear former minister of justice Roland Duncan as a witness.
Former Member of Parliament, R.L. was convicted by the Court of First Instance on Wednesday, August 24, 2016, to 1 month in jail fully suspended Read more

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Mp’S Fires More Questions To Minister Of Vsa On Gag Order Through An Mb To Inspectorate.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of VSA Emil Lee provided some answers to the questions that was posed to him last week in the public meeting of parliament regarding health care on St. Maarten.
The Minister told parliament that he was not a signatory to the agreement signed between SZV and SMMC and therefore he could not provide parliament with that document Read more

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Minister Jacobs Attends Smvts Career Fair

SOUTH REWARD – On April 3rd, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Ms. Silveria Jacobs attended the 6th Annual Career Fair day at the St. Maarten Vocational Training School.

SMVTS has been hosting the career fair to encourage, and assist in the development of the students with regards to their vocational educational and career fields Read more

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Marlin: Send In The Troops To Implement Integrity Chamber

POND ISLAND--Prime Minister William Marlin issued a bold challenge to the Dutch Government on Wednesday when he called on it to “send in the troops” to implement the instruction, when passed by the Kingdom Council of Ministers, for the implementation here of an Integrity Chamber with far-reaching power.

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Mellissa Arrindell Doncher on Wednesday said she was not only happy that the work on Backstreet, financed by the TEATT Ministry, would commence soon but also with the fact that some local young men would be employed during the execution of the project.

The upgrading of Back Street and the further beautification of Philipsburg is part of the Ministry’s continued efforts to further upgrade the tourism product in Philipsburg and to provide the people of St Read more

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