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~ Says support is only given to Miss Saint Martin Committee.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- First Vice President Valerie Damaseau said in an invited comment that the Saint-Martin Tourist Office was not contacted by anyone representing Lara Mateo as the Miss World contestant representing Sint Maarten or Saint Martin.
The First Vice President made clear that the only committee the French Tourist Office supports and rallies behind is the Miss Saint Martin Committee. Damaseau said she does not know who is financing Lara Mateo and she also does not know how she was chosen to be a Sint Maarten contestant Read more

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~ USP has no representation in the parliament of St. Maarten.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament and Faction leader of the United St. Maarten Peoples Party (USP) has declared himself an Independent Member of Parliament on Friday morning.
MP Arrindell made the notification during a public meeting of parliament on Friday morning. In addressing parliament Arrindell said that he was heavily ridiculed by the President of the USP board Cecil Nicolas during a live talk show, that video was played so that members of parliament and the general public could see his reasons for leaving the USP Party Read more

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Us Board: Court Ruling Will Stifle Middle Class, Further Dutch Plans.

~ Says Alliance now the facilitator of hardships ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- The United St. Maarten (US) party expressed disappointment with the verdict of the Constitutional Court to uphold the three ordinances in connection with income and benefit cuts, despite the existence of laws that protect workers rights.

The party board is of the opinion that the court used convenient excuses and considerations to arrive at the underlying reason for its verdict: that it upheld the laws because St Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel and Claudius Buncamper in a joint press release on Sunday stressed that the proposed Consensus Kingdom Law (Rijkswet) on Data Protection, if passed as currently intended, is tantamount to abuse and it must be stopped dead in its tracks. Both MPs said that the Government of St. Maarten needs to deal with the matter in a transparent manner and consult the public so our people know what you are intending to do by literally subjecting them to more privacy issues.
The MPs were reacting to a presentation to Parliament made by Minister of Justice Anna Richardson last week, which was basically the same information provided to MPs and others at a session held at the Simpson Bay Resort earlier this month by the three-person committee that is slated to head a so-called Independent Supervisory Authority.

The countries in the Kingdom have jointly decided to harmonize Data Protection in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom by a Consensus Kingdom Law as outlined in the approved country packages Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Wednesday once again questioned when the actual reconstruction work of the Princess Juliana International Airport will begin. The MP noted that the end of the year is approaching along with another peak season and PJIA is still showing the world the same face it has been showing for four years following Hurricane Irma of 2017.
He also said he is still awaiting a response from the Minister of TEATT to a letter he sent since August 15 seeking an update on any potential delays at PJIA, considering an ongoing situation in the Netherlands between Schiphol International and contractor Ballast Nedam Read more

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Parliament Railroaded With Answers Provided By Nv Gebe.

~ Minister they are setting you up. MP Emmanuel~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of Parliament expressed concerns over the answers to the questions they posed regarding NV GEBE's financial status.
Minister of VROMI Egbert Jurendy Doran returned to Parliament on Monday to provide the answers to the questions that were posed. The answers that were read out by the Minister were the ones provided by the Temporary Manager of NV GEBE, Mauricio Dembrook.

The Temporary Manager did not show up to Parliament as he reported sick on Monday morning.
Members of Parliament were furious with the answers provided by the Minister to the Parliament of St Read more

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Erfpact Land Distribution A Known Taboo For Politicians On St. Maarten.

~ A policy is like placing a band-aid over a life sore.~

PHILIPSBURG: --- The distribution of long lease land to voters during an election is a known taboo for politicians on St. Maarten, it is one of the reasons why the Ministry of VROMI is fought for during coalition negotiations. In most cases, the best negotiator wins.

Members of Parliament that were either commissioners or ministers are guilty of receiving parcels of land for themselves their family members, close friends, and party supporters Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent MP Christophe Emmanuel on Monday said the statement by the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) about raising the rent of its tenants feels like there is more to the story than the foundation is saying and questioned governments role.
SMHDF General Director Helen Salomons informed the media that the World Bank (WB) Trust Fund Steering Committee has denied SMHDFs request for the US $45 million in funding. She said that the rejection is for reasons unknown Read more

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Independent MP Christophe Emmanuel has called on the government to provide a report on the countrys first home-porting experience, in particular, if the estimated US $52 million was realized now that the service is over to the Celebrity Millenium.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The MP said that currently, the people of St. Maarten are only hearing tax, tax, tax from the government, with no other revenue-generating measures or cost-saving measures being mentioned. As such, he said, this would be the opportune time to Let us know if we managed to derive that famous US $52 million from home-porting, the MP said.
St Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Sunday said the Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion proved once again that the financial information he shares with the Parliament and the people of St. Maarten cannot be trusted. The misinformation and hiding of the truth continue, MP Emmanuel said.
The MP was referring to the disclosure by Minister Irion that a 7.5% sales tax for online purchases is on the table as part of the governments tax reform plans Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- An ongoing situation in the Netherlands between Schiphol International and contractor Ballast Nedam has prompted Independent MP Christophe Emmanuel to write to Minister of TEATT Roger Lawrence to obtain information on any potential fallout for the re-construction of the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA).
In the week of August 27, 2021, several media outlets in the Netherlands reported on the significant financial losses of Schiphol International Airport in the first half of 2021 due to the Coronavirus pandemic Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent MP Christophe Emmanuel on Wednesday dispatched a letter to the Minister of VROMI Egbert Doran with a number of questions regarding the reported relocation of persons living on the landfill to brand new homes to be built at the area known as the Foga Housing Development Project in Sucker Garden.
Emmanuel said in his letter to the Minister that persistent rumors and unconfirmed reports must be addressed post-haste as there were existing plans for the area. One of his 10 questions to the Minister queried if there is any validity to the report that persons living on the landfill will each be compensated financially to move as well as the legal status of these individuals Read more

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Everything I predicted came true

Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Monday said the fact that President of Parliament Rolando Brison continues to poke fun at the notion of accountability not only reflects his immaturity but the low level of respect he has for the people of St. Maarten. In his mind, he and the government he supports is accountable to no one, Emmanuel said.
MP Emmanuel on Monday called the current government the worst government in the history of St Read more

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~ Marlin promised change in the new parliamentary year.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Faction leaders in the parliament of St. Maarten did not spare government in their closing remarks. Government was described as the worst in past years while having a bad parliament. Independent Member of Parliament Christopher Emmanuel said that this government placed their people on death row while depending on the Ombudsman to grant them clemency Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Monday reiterated his position that the COHO or COHO 2.0 is a construct of control that is unnecessary in the bigger picture of St. Maarten implementing government reforms.
He said the government of St. Maarten is gullible when dealing with the Dutch or being willfully deceitful in keeping the public in the dark in regards to changes to the COHO legislation. We are approaching the end of the year and the entity is known as COHO is still mired in controversy because in some shape or form it encroaches on the autonomy of the countries, Emmanuel said.
He stressed that State Secretary of Kingdom Relations & Interior Affairs Raymond Knops is forcing the countries to accept the entity by pretending to remove problematic areas of the COHO legislation, only to disguise COHOs true intent in other ways Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- I am not at all surprised, says MP Christophe Emmanuel in reaction to the CFTs statement that lower personnel costs have not been realized after the government implemented a 12.5% cut in income and benefits of civil servants. The CFT stated that personnel costs remain the same as 2020. This government cut the income and benefits of civil servants and forced suffering on the people to please people 5,000 miles away in Holland, he said.
The MP said that any economist or financial expert could have told the government that those cuts could not result in any significant savings for the government Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Christophe Emmanuel on Tuesday said he still cannot understand how a government that professes to care about its people is so comfortable and still unable to realistically tackle the issues that would improve their standard of living, but prefer to look at new ways to inflict more tax burden directly and indirectly upon them.
In this context, the MP referred to the Minister of Finance Ardwell Irions tax reform presentation on Monday to Parliament as a presentation of nothing Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- MP Christopher Emmanuel on Friday said a request has been submitted for an urgent Central Committee meeting with Minister of VSA Omar Ottley regarding COVID-19 protocols, their enforcement by the authorities, and circumventing by members of the UP/NA coalition at their discretion for personal pleasure.
The MP said he has listened to Ottleys explanation of what transpired last weekend at Lotus Night Club, but as the Minister of VSA and Interim Minister of TEATT at the time, he did not address pertinent questions that specifically focused on breaching protocols.
The Minister used the opportunity to defend himself and take a target off of his back, but in doing so he either forgot or willfully did not answer important questions, MP Emmanuel said Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Sunday said members of government need to stop with unbecoming behavior, be transparent with the public, follow its established protocols and stop trying to deflect with empty, evasive press releases. CPS protocols are in place to protect people. Leaders in this country should avoid undermining them with irresponsible actions, the MP said.
The MP was referring to Minister of VSA Omar Ottleys response to reports that he and the President of Parliament Rolando Brison attended a gathering at Lotus Night Club after the stipulated 11 pm closing time on Friday last Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel wants government to provide answers and clear up rumors concerning what he termed as disturbing incidents from this weekend. The island was clamoring on Saturday over news that Minister of Health Omar Ottley and President of Parliament MP Rolando Brison either organized or permitted a private party at Lotus Night Club in contravention to the Ministerial Regulation (MR).
According to witness reports, police were dispatched to Lotus Night Club on Friday night to ensure that the club closed its operations in accordance to the recently passed Ministerial Regulation which mandates closure at 11:00 pm Read more

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~ Chamber declines to give opinion on Ballast Nedam ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Monday said the Integrity Chamber has verified that his initial impression of the entity was exactly on point: a completely useless construction that does not serve the best interest of St. Maarten, only those that forced it upon the country. The double standards are evident, the MP said.
The MPs comment came after he received the response from the Chamber to his request for the Chambers opinion on Ballast Nedam being awarded the contract for the reconstruction of the airport Read more

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PHILIPSBURGIndependent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel has publicly called on the government of St. Maarten to publicize the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) it has entered into with GridMarket and the Island Resilience Partnership (IRP).
The MP was reacting to a government press release that announced that St. Maarten will leverage the GridMarket platform to transition away from diesel dependence and create a sustainable, resilient, low-cost energy future.
It all sounds nice and well, but the devil is always in the details, the MP said Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Tuesday said that despite criticism, the government of St. Maarten continues its practice of not engaging in consultations with the people and Parliament on major issues that affect the country. Case in point he said: The announcement that The Netherlands, Aruba, Curaao, and St. Maarten have reached an agreement on the Kingdom Act on the Caribbean Body for Reform and Development (COHO).
Emmanuel noted that the Prime Minister of St Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Thursday asked the Integrity Chamber to provide its opinion on whether the awarding of the reconstruction of the airport project to Ballast Nedam by the Supervisory Board of the Princess Juliana Airport operating company (PJIAE) constitutes an act or a failure by an administrative body or government entity to adhere to values and norms, legal requirements, or other obligations through which the interest of society or the proper functioning of an administrative body or government entity could be harmed.

His letter to the Integrity Chamber is the first of its kind to the Chamber from a Member of Parliament Read more

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