SXMElections.com

Editorial - Not if, but how

Mention of the counterpart policy in Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs’ New Year’s speech has led to several reactions. The idea for such a mandatory regulation when employing expatriates has been contested from the start, because of the feared detrimental effect on the local business community.

Then again, that the policy would be part of the incoming cabinet’s plans was to be expected, especially as now-independent (former DP) parliamentarian Cornelius de Weever had cited the intention to leave such out of a governing programme for the originally envisioned NA/US/DP combination as his main reason to “jump ship” and support a UP-led coalition instead Read more

Today’S Predictions For The New Year: Still No Waste-To-Energy Plant, No Plastic Bag-Ban, No New Hospital

St. Maarten / By Hilbert Haar – “It seems almost too easy: predict what will and what will not happen in St. Maarten in any given year.” that was the first sentence of the article we published exactly a year ago about our predictions for the New Year – and it is still true. Our headline read “Emilio Wilson estate purchase but no waste-to-energy plant.” Needless to say, both predictions were on the mark.

The Today newspaper made its first predictions in 2010, when we looked ahead at 2011 Read more

New Year’S Address Prime Minister Gumbs: Government Wants To Implement Controversial Counterpart Policy

St. Maarten – In his inaugural New Year’s address, Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs has indicated that his government will make work of implementing the controversial counterpart policy and that it will tackle the gray economy. Gumbs’ address is first and foremost a message that holds the promise of an incorruptible government that takes ingerity serious and that intends “to carry out the majority of the recommendations” from the three integrity reports, produced by the General Audit Chamber, the Bob Wit-committee and PricewaterhouseCoopers Read more

Up-Leader Theo Heyliger: Budget, Economy And Education Are Priorities

St. Maarten – Financial management, education and the economy are three of the priorities United People’s party leader MP Theo Heyliger mentions in his New Year’s address. “Along with my coalition partners I will be working diligently with the government for a more productive, competitive and robust economy,” Heyliger stated Read more

Economic Affairs Minister Claret Connor: “Service Levels And Standards Are Important Principles”

St. Maarten – The government will share many ideas and initiatives to trigger tangible economic growth in the first few months of 2015 and most of these initiatives will be done in collaboration with the private sector and non-governmental organizations with a strong focus on service, Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Claret Connor states in a press release issued last night.

Echoing UP-party-leader Heyliger, Connor states that he looks forward to starting his tenure with renewed passion and vision “that will hopefully effect sustainable economic growth for our country and a better quality of life for all Read more

Editorial - A bit of balance

The Inter-Parliamentary Kingdom Consultation IPOK takes place this week in Aruba, starting with today's preparatory tripartite session between the Parliament Presidents of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten. While the first six agenda points for this IPOK are from the last meeting in June, five more have been added that very much relate to current events.

It is obviously with this in mind that Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs and Justice Minister Dennis Richardson met with St Read more

Colts roll past outmanned Bengals for wildcard victory

INDIANAPOLIS - Quarterback Andrew Luck led the Indianapolis Colts to a 26-10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC wildcard game on Sunday to set up a divisional round clash with Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.
  Luck, who was drafted to replace Manning at the Colts, threw for 376 yards and one touchdown on 31 of 44 passing in a game in which the Colts rarely looked in danger of losing.
  The Indianapolis quarterback was particularly impressive on a 36-yard pass on the run to Donte Moncrief for a decisive third quarter touchdown as the Colts prepared to meet the Broncos for the second time this season next Sunday.
  Denver won the first matchup 31-24 at home in the season-opener.
  "He was outstanding," said Colts head coach Chuck Pagano said of Luck Read more

Arnell: ‘We need to reduce labour cost in hotel sector’

MARIGOT--President of the St. Martin Chamber of Commerce Jean Arnell disclosed he has asked the Minister of Overseas Territories George Pau-Langevin to look into creating a sector policy to reduce labour costs, specifically in the hotel sector.

"She is committed to it, together with the tourism minister," Arnell indicated. "For example the ratio of labour cost to sales in St. Martin is 48 per cent and in France it's 34 per cent. We're looking at reducing that ratio to make our hotels more competitive in this region where we are competing against other destinations that have a significant number of flights from the continental USA.

"That's where unqualified labourers registered at the unemployment office will find work when we build more hotel rooms, and around that more jobs will come from the related service sectors."

Arnell said it is essential to build more high-end hotel rooms for stay-over tourism and market the cruise ship companies more to capture a slice of the two million cruise ship passengers coming to the island.

"The economic impact of stay-over visitors is undeniable Read more

Integrity committee one of main priorities for DP

PHILIPSBURG--Electoral, financial and tax reform, and having an integrity committee of Parliament are amongst the priorities the Democratic Party (DP) will champion this year.

In the party's New Year message issued on Sunday, DP Leader Sarah Wescot-Williams said the vision of the party is for Parliament to become more in tune with the realities of what is taking place in the community Read more

Ferrier wants PM to explain how counterpart policy will be applied

~ 'It will stifle economic growth' ~

PHILIPSBURG--Businessman Michael Ferrier is looking forward to an explanation from Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs on how the counterpart policy will be applied in St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- A delegation of six Members of Parliament (MPs) will be representing Sint Maarten at the Inter-parliamentary Kingdom Consultation in Oranjestad, Aruba from January 6 to 9.

On Monday, January 5, the Presidents of the three parliaments within the Kingdom of the Netherlands will have their Tripartite Meeting at the House of Parliament of Aruba, namely Aruba's President Hon. Marisol Lopez-Tromp, Curacao's President Hon. Marcolino 'Mike' Franco, and President Hon. Dr. Lloyd Richardson representing Sint Maarten Read more

>My Fellow Citizens,

Once again another year has come to end and a new year has begun. Over the past year of 2014, it was not without the many challenges, which we had faced. As the people of St. Maarten; we have experienced a lot of setbacks and by speaking out on those issues that had affected us the most; it didn't yield any sort of positive results or outcomes.
The cost of living, here on the island continues to rise with no limit in sight. Those, who are in authority has repeatedly shown no type of effort or indication towards the citizens that any plans would be set in motion for a relief in the coming new year Read more

style="text-align: center;">"Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us". (Hal Borland, American author and journalist)

This, in the opinion of the Democratic Party (DP) of St. Maarten is an apt description of where we find ourselves today as a political party.
Determined to carry on, but with much wisdom and humbleness from our experiences, especially those of the year just behind us.
The past year however, was also the closure of a unique and unforgettable chapter Read more

style="text-align: center;">Recalls Brooke as 'a friend to St. Maarten'

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, on behalf of the government and of St. Maarten, extended heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of former U.S. Senator Edward W. Brooke who passed away on Saturday. He was the first black in U.S. history to win popular election to the Senate Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs and Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson met with Parliament's Permanent Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Affairs and Kingdom Relations in Parliament House on Friday morning. The meeting was called on the request of the Prime Minister to brief the committee on the current state of affairs with the integrity issue between St Read more

Minister Connor pays Tribute to D’Shnay.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Claret Connor recently paid tribute to St. Maarten's Reigning Teen Carnival Queen D'Shnay York who won the Haynes Smith Talent Teen Pageant in St. Kitts on December 30. He congratulated her on behalf of his entire Ministry.

The Minister presented D'Shnay with a congratulatory letter from his Ministry and hailed her as a true ambassador for St Read more

New Year 2015 Message From The Leader Of The Ospp: Lenny F. Priest

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - My Fellow Citizens, Once again another year has come to end and a new year has begun. Over the past year of 2014, it was not without the many challenges, which we had faced.

As the people of St. Maarten; we have experienced a lot of setbacks and by speaking out on those issues that had affected us the most; it didn’t yield any sort of positive results or outcomes.

   The cost of living, here on the island continues to rise with no limit in sight Read more

Parliament Updated On Integrity Issues By Prime Minister

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs and Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson met with Parliament's Permanent Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Affairs and Kingdom Relations in Parliament House on Friday morning.

The meeting was called on the request of the Prime Minister to brief the committee on the current state of affairs with the integrity issue between St Read more

Pm Gumbs Extends Condolences To Family Of The Late Edward Brooke

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, on behalf of the government and of St. Maarten, extended heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of former U.S. Senator Edward W. Brooke who passed away on Saturday.

He was the first black in U.S. history to win popular election to the Senate. He died of natural causes at his Coral Gables, Florida, home Read more

Parliamentary Delegation Departs Over The Weekend For Aruba To Attend Inter-Parliamentary Kingdom Consultation

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – A delegation of six Members of Parliament (MPs) will be representing Sint Maarten at the Inter-parliamentary Kingdom Consultation in Oranjestad, Aruba from January 6 to 9.

On Monday, January 5, the Presidents of the three parliaments within the Kingdom of the Netherlands will have their Tripartite Meeting at the House of Parliament of Aruba, namely Aruba's President Hon. Marisol Lopez-Tromp, Curacao's President Hon. Marcolino 'Mike' Franco, and President Hon Read more

Democratic Party Of St. Maarten New Years Message

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - "Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us". (Hal Borland, American author and journalist)

This, in the opinion of the Democratic Party (DP) of St. Maarten is an apt description of where we find ourselves today as a political party.

Determined to carry on, but with much wisdom and humbleness from our experiences, especially those of the year just behind us.

The past year however, was also the closure of a unique and unforgettable chapter Read more

US ‘deeply concerned’ about detention of activists in Cuba

WASHINGTON DC--The United States says it's "deeply concerned" about the latest reports of detentions and arrests by Cuban authorities of peaceful civil society members and activists.

On Wednesday, the State Department said the activists included Luis Quintana Rodriguez, Antonio Rodiles, Danilo Maldonado, Reinaldo Escobar, Marcelino Abreu Bonora and Eliecer Avila.

"We strongly condemn the Cuban government's continued harassment and repeated use of arbitrary detention, at times with violence, to silence critics, disrupt peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, and intimidate citizens," said Jeff Rathke, director of the Bureau of Public Affairs in the US Department of State.

"Freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly are internationally recognised human rights, and the Cuban government's lack of respect for these rights, as demonstrated by [the latest – Ed.] detentions, is inconsistent with hemispheric norms and commitments," he added.

"We urge the Government of Cuba to end its practice of repressing these and other internationally protected freedoms and to respect the universal human rights of Cuban citizens," Rathke continued.

The arrests were the most sweeping roundup of dissidents in the two weeks since the United States and Cuba said they would normalise diplomatic relations and President Obama moved to loosen several trade and travel restrictions associated with the five-decade economic embargo.

The New York Times noted on Thursday that President Raul Castro said that Cuba's political system, which limits freedom of expression, will not change.

It said Cuban authorities made it clear that they would not tolerate what they called a "political provocation" by the artist Tania Bruguera and her supporters.

Bruguera, who splits her time between Cuba and New York, had planned to set up the microphone on Tuesday afternoon and allow Cubans to speak for a minute at a time, articulating their visions for the country's future.

Instead, she was detained at her mother's home hours before the event and released Wednesday afternoon, along with several others.

Cuba has made no official statement on the detentions, but the authorities had declined to issue Bruguera a permit for the event Read more

Option Nr.3 has lost!

Dear Editor,

The Daily Herald of Friday Jan 2nd quoted an undisclosed source stating that a number of people on Statia have suspicions about the role of the Post Office with regard to the distribution of the voting cards for last referendum.

The claim is that the majority of Post Office staff are DP party members and the DP was openly against this referendum. This statement insinuates that because of their perceived political affiliation the Post Office workers will-fully have obstructed the referendum Read more

Learn to love the sea in 2015

~ Alfredo Foundation teaches swimming, snorkelling and scuba ~

Need a New Year resolution? Why not earn your scuba diving certificate? It's a shame not to enjoy our island's most abundant natural attraction, especially since Alfredo Foundation offers the training to residents for free.

The sea surrounds us; it is beautiful beyond words, myriad shades of blue, glinting and dancing, inviting us to explore. But too many residents of The Friendly Island find the sea intimidating, and water in general, off limits Read more