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Hong Kong media mogul unbowed by raid as democracy battle boils

HONG KONG--Hong Kong's most powerful critic of Beijing, a brash media tycoon whose home was raided by anti-corruption officers, said on Friday he won't be cowed by efforts to silence him ahead of a crunch decision this weekend on the city's political future.
  Jimmy Lai, 65, a self-made millionaire smuggled into Hong Kong by boat as a child, has become one of the most influential magnates in greater China, standing up to an increasingly assertive China and pumping millions of his own money into a movement seeking democracy for the former British colony.
  His role as the main financial patron of the pro-democracy movement since the territory's 1997 handover to Communist Party rulers in China has come under growing scrutiny Read more

Up Party Inadmissible In Quest For Complete Voting Register

St. Maarten – The Court in First Instance declared the United People’s party and its president Sylvia Meyers-Olivacce inadmissible yesterday in a lawsuit that the party filed in an effort to obtain a full copy of the voters register.

The UP, represented by attorneys Peggy Ann Brandon and Brenda Brooks, filed the lawsuit against the Minister of General Affairs and the Government of St Read more

Democratic Party holds its last public meeting

SIMPSON BAY--Democratic Party (DP) supporters turned out for one last public meeting at Kim Sha Beach in Simpson Bay last night. The nineteen candidates reiterated what they stood for, what needs to change in St. Maarten and what the party has been accomplishing so far.

Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams, DP #1, reiterated her views that the party had put United People’s party leaders where they are today, which was why they could shine Read more

Democratic Party Presents Party Platform On Sports And Culture, Emphasizes Sports And Culture As A Means To Promote National Identity

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Democratic Party on Tuesday presented its Party Platform on Sports and Culture to the electorate on St. Maarten, highlighting its standpoint on the development of national culture and the support of sports as a vehicle for national identity on St. Maarten; "It is the conviction of the Democratic Party that Sports and Culture should feature prominently as we pursue national development.

"True to this conviction, where sports is concerned, during the D.P.'s most recent governing period the Department of Sports was created to exclusively concentrate on, stimulate and support developments in the area of sports.

Whereas the Department of Sports is charged with the policy and planning aspects with regard to sports development, the National Sport Institute has been recently established to execute planned projects and sport programs.

The N.S.I Read more

style="text-align: center;">"St. Maarten's foreign policy cannot be divorced from its national development"

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Democratic Party of St. Maarten over the weekend highlighted its party platform on Foreign Relations, placing both within the context of the development of the St. Maarten Nation and its position within the global and regional community; "Since becoming a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Democratic Party has been working to carve out St Read more

Former Democratic Party Number Three Candidate Louis Halley Urges Supporters to Vote Number One on DP Slate.

style="text-align: center;">"Vote for stability and not for political gimmickry and bandwagoneering"

PHILIPSBURG:--- Previous number three candidate on the Democratic Party Slate popular Simpson Bay resident Louis Halley is urging his supporters and the people of St Read more

UP’s case to obtain copy of voting register thrown out

PHILIPSBURG--The Court on Tuesday declared United People's (UP) Party Association and its chairperson and Member of Parliament (MP) Sylvia Meyers-Olivacce inadmissible in the injunction it had filed to obtain a copy of the voting register.

Upon hearing the Judge's decision, UP's lawyers Peggy-Ann Brandon and Brenda Brooks announced they would immediately file a new and similar injunction against Country St Read more

US Party candidates call voters ‘to make a change’

CUL DE SAC--Voters were urged to head to the polls on Friday and make a change by voting for the United St. Maarten Party, headed by independent Member of Parliament Frans Richardson. The party leader and thirteen other candidates shared first final messages of campaign for Parliament at the party's final public meeting at the party's headquarters on Tuesday.

Richardson told supporters, "We are ready for change in this country." He called on voters "to send a message" to the "expired politicians" that the "time has come to get out of office."

He criticised the plans of the United People's (UP) party to build a new hospital as expensive and burdensome for the people as it will cost about US $300 million Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The board of the United People's Party (UP) has taken note of the Democratic Party's (DP) position on the lawsuit initiated by Zebec NV against Port St. Maarten and Chief Executive Officer Mark Mingo.

"It is very unfortunate that the DP is ready to tear down a local government –owned company which is managed by a local young professional Read more

UP: DP being judge, jury before a harbour verdict

PHILIPSBURG--The board of the United People's Party (UP) has taken note of the position of Democratic Party (DP) on the lawsuit initiated by Zebec NV against St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies and Chief Executive Officer Mark Mingo.

The board said in a press statement: "It is very unfortunate that the DP is ready to tear down a local government-owned company which is managed by a local young professional Read more

Integrity Report Presents Scathing Assessment – St. Maarten Parliament Under Fire

St. Maarten – Many within and outside of Parliament doubt whether the important task of this institution is currently executed adequately. That is the mildest remark in the integrity report of the Wit Committee about the functioning of St. Maarten’s Parliament. The report contains a scathing analysis of the way the fifteen parliamentarians do their job. Unnecessary trips abroad and absence from meetings are only a tip of the iceberg.

The Wit Committee notes that evaluating the Parliament is not a specific part of its task, but it adds that integrity in the public administration cannot be discussed in its entirety without involving the Parliament.

“The public debate about the functioning of Parliament is so critical that a serious evaluation in the Parliament would benefit the authority of this institution,” the report states Read more

Dp Wants Risk Assessment By Central Bank – Harbor’S Legal Team Calls Zebec N.V.’S $100M Claim “Frivolous”

 St. Maarten - The Harbor Group of Companies says that the $100 million claim from Zebec NV against it is “wholly without merit” but the Democratic Party said in a press release that it is “seriously concerned” about the matter. Zebec claims damages from the harbor over the Harbor Village project that it was going to develop. The project stalled, according to Zebec, because Harbor CEO Mark Mingo kept throwing up obstacles.

The Harbor stated in a press release this weekend that it would “vigorously” defend itself against the claim in court Read more

Up Says Dp Being Judge And Jury Before The Verdict Is Out On Harbour Lawsuit

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The board of the United People's Party (UP) has taken note of the Democratic Party's (DP) position on the lawsuit initiated by Zebec NV against Port St. Maarten and Chief Executive Officer Mark Mingo.

"It is very unfortunate that the DP is ready to tear down a local government –owned company which is managed by a local young professional.

The DP is at it again, the same thing they did with Postal Services St Read more

DP calls for Central Bank to assess claim against Harbour

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament Roy Marlin says his party wants Finance Minister Martin Hassink to get the Central Bank of Curaçao and St. Maarten to assess the risk for St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies as a result of a US $100 million claim against the company and its Chief Executive Officer Mark Mingo by Zebec NV.

"The risks associated with this claim can pose a serious threat to the survivability of this group of companies Read more

Party leaders delve into critical matters

BELAIR--Dollarisation, integrity, boosting the economy, and immigration were among the topics the leaders of the six political parties delved into during the third and final Arts Video Studios televised political debate in Belair Community Centre on Sunday ahead of Friday's Parliamentary Elections.

The first question posed to party leaders by moderator Paul De Windt, publisher of The Daily Herald, was the parties' stance on dollarisation of the country.

Social Reform Party (SRP) leader businessman Jacinto Mock, to whom the question was posed, said the country was not ready to make the US dollar its currency; this could only happen when St Read more

Laser 101 to host 2nd political debate today

MADAME ESTATE--Laser 101 will host its second political discussion today, Monday, with representatives of four political parties contesting the Parliamentary Elections on Friday.

The discussion will be live on Philipsburg Broadcasting Network's radio station Laser 101.1FM from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.

The discussion was originally to feature the leaders of four of the six political parties in the elections. However, two party leaders could not attend due to conflicting schedules.

"We planned the discussion late so it is understandable that not everyone could make it," said Glenn Carty of the radio network Read more

2nd Laser 101 Political Debate to be aired on Monday from 7 - 9pm.

>MADAME ESTATE:--- The 2nd and last Political Discussion that will be hosted on Laser 101, will be aired live on Monday, August 25th from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. The leaders of the political parties that have representation in the present parliament have been invited to attend.

In first instance, Frans Richardson from the United St.Maarten Party, Sarah Wescot-Williams from the Democratic Party, and William Marlin from the National Alliance have all three confirmed their attendance by email to management of Philipsburg Broadcasting Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Democratic Party faction in Parliament continues to express its concerns regarding the so called Vorst land deal. While the judge in the court of first instance has ruled against the government in this particular case the Democratic Party faction in Parliament considers the behavior of the UP minister Maurice Lake irresponsible Read more

Democratic Party Concerned about Zebec Claim.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Democratic Party is seriously concerned about the claim of US 100 million dollars, filed recently against the harbor group of companies. The risks associated with this claim can pose a serious threat to the survivability of this group of companies. When a company like the harbor has litigation claims pending against it, its bond holders, which includes the Central Bank of Curaçao and St Read more

Political Discussion On Laser 101

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The 2nd and last Political Discussion that will be hosted on Laser 101, will be aired live on Monday, August 25th from 7:00 to 9:00 PM.

The leaders of the political parties that have representation in the present parliament have been invited to attend.

In first instance, Frans Richardson from the United St.Maarten Party, Sarah Wescot-Williams from the Democratic Party, and William Marlin from the National Alliance have all three confirmed their attendance by email to management of Philipsburg Broadcasting.

Theo Heyliger of the United People's Party sent an email indicating that he could not confirm his attendance due to his agenda.

Eventually William Marlin informed Philipsburg Broadcasting officials that there was a double booking as he has to attend an interview on a TV program on the same day and time, thus making it impossible for him to attend.

The National Alliance will therefore be sending Silveria Jacobs, and the United People's Party will be sending Frankie Meyers to represent the leader of the UP.

As the two candidates that will be attending this formal discussion are veteran members of their respective parties, the vision and sentiments of their leaders, and their party should be well represented.

The topics will be of a general nature, however integrity, will be the main driver.

The program will be retransmitted on radio stations on St.Martin, St.Barths and Saba Read more

Like Four Years Ago – The Results Next Friday Could Be Different: Today Newspaper Poll Gives Up Majority Of Votes

St. Maarten – The votes are in, and boy, did Chippie-users grab the opportunity to make their political preference known. Today’s partner in this project, telecom provider UTS received no less than 1,269 text messages from Chippie-users who responded to the poll.

While the pie charts show the results from different angles, it is important to read this figures in their correct context. For this, we will also use the results of an identical poll Today organized using the Chippie-network in 2010.

The raw numbers look like this: United People’s party 452 votes (55 percent), Democratic Party 143 votes (17 percent), National Alliance 119 votes (14 percent), United St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Emphasizes Social Cohesion as a Core Value

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Democratic Party of St. Maarten released its National Platform on Nation Building on Wednesday, highlighting the DP's accomplishments and vision for developing the nation and national identity of St. Maarten. The platform states that the common thread through its manifesto is the concept of nation building; building a strong nation and a strong national identity; "The 'Red Thread' throughout this manifesto is nation building Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of the Democratic Party announced loud and clear on Tuesday at a press conference that they have not signed any pre-election agreement with the United Peoples Party. The DP leader Sarah Wescot Williams distanced herself and her party from the banner that is being circulated via the social media Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Electoral Council would like to remind all political parties contesting the upcoming parliamentary elections that in accordance with the National Ordinance on Registration and Finances of Political Parties they are required to timely make their manifestos public. The Electoral Council is of the opinion that all manifestos should be available for the public, with less than two weeks remaining for the Elections of 2014.
The Electoral Council has thus far received the mani Read more