SXMElections.com

National Alliance: Hold Minister Lake Liable For Vorst Estate Land Purchase

St. Maarten – National Alliance says UP’s Vromi-Minister Maurice Lake should be held liable for his wrongdoings in the Vorst Estate land deal and for putting the people of St. Maarten in unnecessary expense of having to pay for the significantly overpriced property.

NA-Leader William Marlin pointed to statements made by the judge in his verdict last week indicating that Parliament could call Minister Lake to account for an irresponsible purchase and that Lake could be held personally liable for damages incurred, if these were caused deliberately or by grave neglect.

“It is wrong what Minister Lake did Read more

National Alliance: Focus On Realistic Achievements

St. Maarten – The National Alliance (NA) plans to focus on responsible, attainable and realistic achievements for residents by addressing the issues that directly affect the people of St. Maarten in the next governing period, the party said in a press release yesterday in the wake of its public meeting in Cole Bay on Saturday evening..

Addressing the issues in health care; working towards an increase in the minimum wage and pension; the construction of a Center for the Performing Arts, an initiative first pursued by Deputy NA Leader Silveria Jacobs while she was minister; the creation of affordable housing; reducing the exorbitant utility rates and fast-tracking the party’s draft ordinance to stem the abuse of short term labour contracts are some of the issues NA will be tackling according to the press release.

The NA said its comprehensive approach to resolving the issues in health care in St 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

Lively Political Debate On Laser 101: Connor (Up) Estimates Gray Economy To Be 50 Percent

St. Maarten – “The government has a debt of 500 million guilders to the Netherlands, and 200 million to creditors. The 2015 budget is expected to be around 465 million. Unemployment is 11.5 percent. It is your first day in office. What will you do?”

This is how moderator Glen Carty started the political debate on radio station Laser 101 on Saturday evening with participants Emil Lee (number 4-candidate Democratic Party), George Pantophlet (number 2-candidate National Alliance), Claret Connor (number 10-candidate United People’s Party) and Harlec Doran (number 6-candidate United Sint Maarten Party).

The lively debate outshone earlier debates on AVS and the political mixer at the St Read more

Voting In Today Election Poll Now Open – Send A Free Text Message To Vote

St. Maarten – Starting today, Chippie-users will begin to receive text messages for Today’s election poll. Chippie-users will be able to express their political preference for the August 29 elections via a free text message. Today has once again chosen UTS as its partner for this project because the company has the largest mobile customer base in St. Maarten.
UTS makes the poll technically possible by putting its network at our disposal. The company will start today sending our text messages to thousands of Chippie-customers Read more

Marlin: “Up Is Ready To Rip The People Off”

National Alliance meeting draws a large crowd

St. Maarten - A large crowd came out to listen to the National Alliance party candidates as they launched their first political meeting in Sucker Garden on Saturday evening. NA-leader William Marlin called on the electorate to come out in numbers and vote for his party.

“Come August 29 make no mistake, don’t vote because of the green flags, because you were given 100 cents, vote because you need a decent honest government, with hard working ministers and parliamentarians who will look out for you every day Read more

Dp Blames Up And Na For Hurricane Season Elections

St. Maarten – The Theo Heyliger / National Alliance coalition is to blame for the fact that elections in St. Maarten take place during the hurricane season. That is the position of Prime Minister and leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot-Williams.

In a press release issued yesterday afternoon, Wescot-Williams points out that the Heyliger / National Alliance government that was in office in 2009-2010 decided that the date for transition to country status would be October 10, 2010.

“Someone of that government must have been asleep at the wheel when it agreed to that date for country status Read more

Outpouring Of Sympathy For Deceased Unionist Pantophlet

St. Maarten – Unionists and politicians expressed their respects to unionist Patricia Pantophlet who passed away last weekend in Colombia at the age of 57.

“Deeply saddened by the passing of a great trade union leader, Patricia Pantophlet, sister of the General Secretary of the Windward Islands Teachers’ Union, Roxsana Pantophlet,” Witu-President Claire Elshot wrote.
“Affectionately known to all as Patsy, she has left a legacy with her contributions to the workers’ organizations in defending the rights of civil servants as President of Windward Islands Civil Servants Union (WICSU) Read more

The Campaign Promises Of 2010: Second Hospital-Plan Is Already Four Years Old

St. Maarten – The campaign promises are flying far and wide again in the run-up to the August 29 elections. How did our political parties do in 2010? What did they promise and what became of it? Let’s begin with an obvious example: the claim by the United People’s party (UP) – “We ready for our new medical center.” On September 15, 2010, the final campaign meeting of the UP took place on the grounds of the still unfinished ring road. Gerrit Schotte, leader of Movementu Futuro Kòrsou who was to become the first Prime Minister of Curacao before he got entangled in a web of scandals, endorsed the UP and lit up the meeting with his presence. UP-leader Theo Heyliger made his entrée in a carnivalesque atmosphere, dancing to the podium while cameras flashed and supporters wanted pictures with him Read more