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>PHILIPSBURG:--- The eight Members of Parliament that now has the majority in Parliament told members of the media that the Governor of St. Maarten already made a clear decision on the current political situation. Leader of the National Alliance MP William Marlin said that the Governor Eugene Holiday clearly informed the Council of Ministers situation in 2013 is the same as the current situation because there is a majority in Parliament that are ready to form a government.
Marlin said the Governor told the Council of Ministers that the constitution of St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Today our young island nation is in a constitutional crisis because of the different interpretations of articles #33 and #59 of our constitution. The Council of Ministers has requested the opinions of various Dutch constitutional experts from the Hague. Our governor has taken the high road and requested three judges to provide an advice on this political impasse in five working days. We don’t know if the eight majority in the parliament of St. Maarten has acquired advice from any legal minds locally or from the Hague.
What bothers me is that time after time our elected officials especially those supporting the Council of Ministers have ridiculed the same Dutch for meddling in our internal affairs Read more

Eclac Predicts Economic Slowdown In Latin America And Caribbean In 2015

New York, New York – Launching the Economic Survey of Latin America and the Caribbean 2015 in Santiago, Chile, the UN Economic Commission for the region, known by the acronym ECLAC, forecasts that South America will contract -0.4 per cent, Central America and Mexico will grow 2.8 per cent, and the Caribbean will expand just 1.7 per cent.

On a national level, the projections show, Panama will lead the regional expansion with a 6.0 per cent increase, followed by Antigua and Barbuda (5.4 per cent) and the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua (both with 4.8 per cent).

Mexico’s gross domestic product (GDP) will grow 2.4 per cent while Argentina’s will rise 0.7 per cent, the report showed, but Brazil will experience a contraction of -1.5 per cent while Venezuela will face an even greater decline of -5.5 per cent.
Upon presenting its most recent annual report, the regional organization called for vitalizing the investment process to resume growth and improve productivity in the region’s economies.

“Revitalizing growth in the short and long term requires boosting public and private investment at a complex time,” said Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary Read more

"Quotable Caribbean" October 2015

Caribbean - "The success of CHIEF (Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum) is a reflection of our new vision and a validation that we have moved in the right direction. Besides seeing increased participation from middle management, we are seeing a new generation of hoteliers becoming involved and enthusiastically engaged." - Emil Lee, President, Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association

 "Management sets standards of performance, assumes responsibility for work objectives, initiates focuses and serves as motivators for employees for the purpose of achieving the company goals Read more

Evt Hosts Successful Cosme Renewable Energy Workshop

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Under the umbrella of the European Union funded COSME Programme, the Department of Economy, Transportation and Telecommunication (EVT) hosted an interactive workshop for small hotel property owners throughout the Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs).

The workshop, which was held on Thursday October 15, 2015, was one of many initiatives hosted under the COSME Programme which seeks to strengthen the competitiveness of small and medium sized enterprises throughout the Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories Read more

Former President Of Parliament Dr. Lloyd Richardson Represents Sint Maarten At 200Th Anniversary Of The Dutch Chambers Of Parliament

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Prior to the change of the Presidium of Parliament on October 15th, the House of Parliament had already decided several weeks before that President of Parliament Hon. Dr. Lloyd Richardson would represent the country at a celebration event marking the 200th anniversary of the Dutch Chamber of Parliament (First and Second Chambers) in The Hague, the Netherlands Read more

Dissolution decree corrected, sent back to Governor for his signature

PHILIPSBURG--It looks like elections on December 8 may still be in the cards. The Marcel Gumbs Cabinet has made adjustments to its draft national decree to dissolve Parliament and has sent it back to Governor Eugene Holiday for his signature.

The draft decree was sent to Holiday on the night of September 30, hours after the new National Alliance (NA)-led coalition passed a motion of no confidence against the seven-member Cabinet Read more

Cuba in cash crunch due to low commodity prices, Venezuela woes

HAVANA--Low commodity prices, a drought at home and Venezuela's economic crisis have created a cash shortage for Cuba's Communist government, restricting its ability to trade just as it could be taking advantage of an economic opening with the United States.
  State companies have cut imports and are seeking longer payment terms from suppliers, diplomats and foreign business people say Read more

Focus needs to be on fighting crime & helping unemployed

Dear Editor,

With all of the political situation on the island, we can't lose focus on some of the issues affecting our economy and neighbourhoods, especially with the spate of crime on the island.

Education is key to fighting crime by starting with the young generation, by teaching them morals and values within the school system. We have a lot of houses but few homes in the community and we need to get back to basics where it concerns fighting crime, but also preventing crime on this island by improving our rehabilitation centre where young prisoners, when released early from jail, work them slowly back into the community so they can be productive citizens within society again.

Prison is becoming like a merry go around for a lot of youngsters where they come out and go right back to crime and then back to prison Read more

Nadal trounces Wawrinka, Djokovic tames Tomic

CHINA-- Former world number one Rafa Nadal displayed more signs of a return to top form with a ruthless 6-2 6-1 hammering of Stan Wawrinka and was joined by Novak Djokovic in the Shanghai Masters semi-finals on Friday.
  World number one Djokovic, twice champion in Shanghai, was tested by Australian Bernard Tomic before winning 7-6(6) 6-1 to stay on course for a ninth title of the year having picked up his eighth last week in Beijing.
  "It was a very good first set," Djokovic told the ATP website (www.atpworldtour.com) Read more

SHTA poll: Businesses want anti-ship-jumping legislation

Click here for SHTA graph pdf

PHILIPSBURG--The St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA), in light of the “current political dilemma,” invited its members to take a poll which showed that the largest single group of respondents wish both for new elections and for new legislation to prevent political “ship-jumping.” However, new legislation was the strongest sentiment expressed overall.

Responses quickly started coming in for the one-question survey sent out to members by e-mail on Tuesday and SHTA released the results on Thursday Read more

Editorial - Anybody’s guess

Governor Eugene Holiday has decided to seek legal clarity on the current constitutional impasse. That’s the gist of a press release from his cabinet at Harbour View on Friday evening.

He did so rather than either signing into law the Marcel Gumbs cabinet’s national decree to dissolve Parliament and call early elections, or sending it up to the Kingdom Council of Ministers for annulment, allowing the recently established NA/DP/USP/Matser/Lake coalition to form a new Government Read more

Home in Belvedere housing project reaches highest point

BELVEDERE--St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) celebrated another milestone in its on-going social housing construction project, reaching the highest point of a dwelling-in-construction with a rafter-wetting ceremony on Friday afternoon. Construction began in August.

During the short ceremony, it was also announced that the project is two-and-a-half weeks ahead of schedule and that in addition to the eight planned houses which will go up for sale, another building will be added, which will be made available for rent.

The newly announced plan entails a building with four modern one-bedroom apartments, aimed at students returning home to St Read more

Manzoni officially installed as Gendarmerie Commandant

MARIGOT--Sébastien Manzoni was officially installed as Commandant of the Gendarmerie for St. Martin and St. Barths on Thursday in a ceremony at the La Savane compound.

Manzoni took up his post in St. Martin on August 1, however, the ceremony was delayed due to a similar ceremony for his superior, Colonel Jean-Marc Descoux, which had to take place first in Guadeloupe.

The ceremony on Thursday was presided over by Colonel Descoux who wished Manzoni success, noting the post of a Commandant is a difficult job that rarely allows time off due to the level of crime manifesting itself on a daily basis Read more

Governor requests judges to evaluate positions in ongoing political impasse

~ To provide advice in five working days ~

 HARBOUR VIEW--Governor Eugene Holiday has requested that “a special panel of three judges” from the Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten and Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba and the Constitutional Court of St. Maarten “evaluate the constitutionality of the implementation of the political positions” in the current impasse between Parliament and the Marcel Gumbs Cabinet.

Due to the urgency of the situation, the panel has been requested “to provide an advice within five working days.”

The “independent” panel is specifically requested to evaluate the Constitution in the context of the country’s Constitutional Law to “provide a clear legal position regarding Articles 33, paragraph 2; Article 40; paragraph 2 and Article 59 of the Constitution.”

The Governor met with all parties involved in the impasse on Friday to inform them that he deemed it “prudent” to install the special panel to obtain an urgent advice Read more

>ST. PETERS:---- “With all the political situation on the island, we can't lose focus on some of the issues affecting our economy and neighbourhoods especially with the spate of crime on the island.
“Education is key to fighting crime by starting with the young generation by teaching them morals and values within the school system. We have a lot of houses but few homes in the community, and we need to get back to basics where it concerns fighting crime, but also preventing crime on this island by improving our rehabilitation center where young prisoners when released early from jail, work them slowly back into the community so they can be productive citizens within society again.
“Prison is becoming like a merry go around for a lot of youngsters where they come out and go right back to crime and the back to prison Read more

EXCLUSIVE: APS and Government signed off on sweetheart deal ---- Corruption continues as current government tries to tell the people they want to end ship jumping

style="text-align: center;">APS got VORST land for a symbolic Guilder for housing development.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Gumbs cabinet proclaim they are doing all they can to stop ship jumping and to control the instability of government on St. Maarten by calling for new elections and not working on election reform which will be the only tool to curb the ship jumping. Certain Ministers told SMN News that what they are doing is not for their own interest instead they are protecting St. Maarten’s image.
SMN News is well known for exposing what takes place in government and while politicians are focusing on the bridge loan the Harbor obtained from SZV to settle the ZEBEC deal SMN News got something better Read more

Focus Needs To Be On Fighting Crime And Helping The Unemployed

ST. PETERS, St. Maarten – “With all the political situation on the island, we can't lose focus on some of the issues affecting our economy and neighbourhoods especially with the spate of crime on the island.

“Education is key to fighting crime by starting with the young generation by teaching them morals and values within the school system. We have a lot of houses but few homes in the community, and we need to get back to basics where it concerns fighting crime, but also preventing crime on this island by improving our rehabilitation center where young prisoners when released early from jail, work them slowly back into the community so they can be productive citizens within society again.

“Prison is becoming like a merry go around for a lot of youngsters where they come out and go right back to crime and the back to prison Read more

De Weever cancels NA meeting, cites safety, security challenges

PHILIPSBURG--Second Deputy Chairman Cornelius de Weever has cancelled the Parliament meeting called by the new National Alliance (NA)-led coalition for today, Thursday, at 6:00pm citing in a letter to Members of Parliament (MPs) “the current safety and security challenges.”

The new coalition had decided to bypass submitting a request for a Parliament meeting to De Weever and had instead sent out on convocation letter on Wednesday to all MPs directly to attend an “urgent meeting” today.

The meeting had as its main agenda point the appointment of a chairperson, and a second deputy chairperson.

The letter, signed by the eight MPs of the new coalition, stated “in view of the recent developments” during meetings of Parliament, they have “all agreed” that today’s meeting would be chaired by MP George Pantophlet (NA).

De Weever in his letter to the MPs this afternoon said he took note of meeting time Read more

Law-quirk mended by retroactive Rent Committee appointments

PHILIPSBURG--An interesting quirk in the law came to light in late June, whereby St. Maarten Rent Committee decisions since 10-10-10 could be deemed voidable because none of the committee members had been appointed by National Decree (“Landsbesluit”) since then. The Daily Herald has now learned that the appointments have been made by decree, retroactively.

At the time, attorney Joeri Essed of BZSE Attorneys at Law posted to the company’s blogsite that the Court of First Instance had nullified a Committee decision on this basis, and that although it said possible retroactive appointments could validate some decisions, “the playing field is now open for those who have been negatively affected by a decision of the Rent Committee that has been taken after October 10, 2010.”

“On April 13, 2015, the Court...in its capacity of appellate court for decisions taken by the Rent Committee, passed a judgment that may very well have great implications for all decisions taken to date by compositions of the Rent Committee in which one or more of the committee members have not been appointed by Country Decree...”

The grey area provided “food for discussion among legal professionals,” he had posted.

In an invited comment at the time, Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Secretary-General Louis Brown told The Daily Herald that now-former VROMI Minister Marcel Gumbs had approved a proposal to appoint members, and forwarded this to Governor Eugene Holiday for signing on June 22.

According to the new information, the Governor issued the decree on August 28, and this was signed off by VROMI September 29.

The Committee should comprise three members, including a Chairman Read more

I Am King forum hones in on empowering young men

DAWN BEACH--Nearly 200 young men attended a motivational and interactive I Am King Men's Empowerment Conference on Thursday, where they were addressed by a number of speakers, shared issues affecting them in groups, and interacted with facilitators.

The day-long conference centred on topics affecting male youth focusing on personal development. Keynote speaker Shane “Rizon” Gibson, an international Caribbean/ Gospel musician and sportsman, was given a standing ovation for his words, which focused on advice to the young men in their development into driven and accomplished adults.

Advice included training in the right habits, visualising goals, having heart, not giving up, having a mentor and speaking mindfully Read more

Sarah elected new Parliament Chair in spite of De Weever’s cancellation

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams is again at the helm of Parliament. She was elected Parliament Chairwoman by the new National Alliance (NA)-led coalition in an extraordinary meeting of Parliament on Thursday evening Read more

Government has ‘autonomous right’ to dissolve Parliament

~ Governor wrote in 2013 letter ~

PHILIPSBURG--“The right to dissolve Parliament by national decree is a constitutional and autonomous right of the Government,” wrote Governor Eugene Holiday in a letter dated May 16, 2013, to then-Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams when she tried to stopped the then-National Alliance (NA)-led Council of Ministers from invoking Article 59 of the Constitution.

The letter came to light this week as political tension intensified between the newest NA-led coalition with a majority in Parliament and the UP/De Weever/Marlin-Romeo-supported Council of Ministers, after the crumbling of the United People’s (UP) party-led coalition.

The current Marcel Gumbs Cabinet has held tight to the view that it is its right to dissolve Parliament in the face of the shifted majority in Parliament Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The meeting called by the majority on Thursday afternoon to elect the Chairman and vice chair persons of parliament went ahead even though the former vice chairman Cornelius de Weever cancelled on Thursday morning. The opening of meeting was chaired by Member of Parliament George Pantophlet to elect the Chairman Read more