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The Role Of The Minister In Labor Disputes

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — With the economy of St. Maarten being faced with the Post-Irma effects, the Ministry of VSA is very cognizant of the amount of labor disputes on the rise. The community has been calling on the Minister of Labor to take action, however it is important for the community to understand that the role of the Minister/Ministry is to provide advisory support to employers and employees on their rights and the labor laws, mediation services for conflict resolution outside of court, and legal assistance to help those that do not have the financial means to obtain a lawyer if they feel their rights have been abused.

“We take labor relations very seriously, these are going to be difficult times but if we do it together we can come through as a country Read more

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Vsa To Distribute Water Survival Kits Donated By Rotary

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten — The Department of Labor and Social Affairs will coordinate the distribution of seventy (70) water survival kits and four (4) aqua boxes that were donated by the international and regional Rotary Clubs to St. Maarten. The donation offers an alternative for water to displaced families or those without access to clean water.

The water survival kits and aqua water filters will be distributed to families most in need according to the Basic Necessities program database managed by the Department of Labor and Social Affairs Read more

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Vsa To Distribute Water Survival Kits Donated By Rotary

SINT MAARTEN (POND ISLAND) - The Department of Labor and Social Affairs will coordinate the distribution of seventy (70) water survival kits and four (4) aqua boxes that were donated by the international and regional Rotary Clubs to St. Maarten. The donation offers an alternative for water to displaced families or those without access to clean water.

The water survival kits and aqua water filters will be distributed to families most in need according to the Basic Necessities program database managed by the Department of Labor and Social Affairs Read more

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William: Draft Law Short Term Contracts Watered Down To Primarily Benefit Businesses

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Former Prime Minister William Marlin says the draft national ordinance to amend the civil code to stem the abuse of short term labor contracts has been watered down to such an extent that the original intention of the law is no longer visible.

The current draft on the table, he adds, primarily benefits businesses and seems to make a mockery of the system Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Former Prime Minister William Marlin says the draft national ordinance to amend the civil code to stem the abuse of short-term labor contracts has been watered down to such an extent that the original intention of the law is no longer visible.

The current draft on the table, he adds, primarily benefits businesses and seems to make a mockery of the system Read more

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~Relatives claim that Dr. Luc Mercelina declared their relative as a vegetable prematurely.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Relatives of Ramon Gumbs are at their wits ends now that the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) management has decided that their disabled relative can no longer be housed at the country’s hospital.
Larissa Brooks, sister of Ramon Gumbs said that her brother was stabbed multiple times while incarcerated at the Pointe Blanche prison Read more

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CAY HILL:--- The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, & Labor (VSA) received boxes from the United Family Reproductive Association (UNFPA). The UNFPA donated the items as a sign of relief to St. Maarten in the form of Emergency Reproductive Health Kits (ERH Kits). This UNFPA relief is an initiative to cushion the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

The received ERH-kits are Kit 2: Clean Delivery for use By Birth Attendants can treat 10.000 women for 3 months; ERHKit5: Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections to diagnose and treat STIs for 3 months for 10.000 people; ERH-Kit6A Clinical Delivery Assistance- Reusable Equipment for 3 months to treat 30.000 women; ERH-K6B: Clinical Delivery Assistance – Drug & Disposable Equipment for 3 months for 30.000 women and Kit 9: Structure of Tears (Cervical & Vaginal) and Vaginal Examination to provide care to 30.000 women for 3 months.
The pre-identified target groups or vulnerable groups for the UNFPA relief project are: Category 1= No insurance; Category 2= Unemployed/low income with no insurance; Category 3= Profession CSW not employed, no insurance; Category 4= Below 18 years of age.

On Thursday, January 24 the Ministry Public Health Social Development & Labor with the assistance of the Honorable Minister Lee, handed over the following: ERH-Kits: Kit 2; Kit 6A; Kit 6B and Kit 9 slated as UNFPA relief to the St Read more

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La Parlamentaria Leonard Solicita Reunión Urgente Al Parlamento Para Abordar El Tema De Trabajadores Extranjeros

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – La parlamentaria (MP) Tamara Leonard del Partido del Pueblo Unido (UP), con la asistencia de otros parlamentarios solicitará una reunión urgente del Parlamento con el Ministro de Salud Pública, Desarrollo Social y Trabajo, Emil Lee Read more

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GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- As a follow-up to a unanimous decision of the newly installed incoming Council of Ministers (COM), a delegation consisting of Minister of Finance, Michael Ferrier, Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Emil Lee, Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure, Miklos Giterson and Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary Hasani Ellis, were given a tour of the Sint Maarten Airport Terminal Building (ATB) in the afternoon of Monday, January 15, the same day the Council was sworn in.

Prior to his departure to Curaçao for his first ‘Justitieel Overleg (JVO)’, Minister of Justice Cornelius de Weever, also visited the airport building.

Management and board of SXM Airport were present and conducted both tours for the delegation, as well as for Minister de Weever.

It was pointed out to the representatives of the airport that the public’s perception of Sint Maarten’s ATB is that after four and a half months post-hurricane Irma, the main portal of Sint Maarten’s economy is still in shambles and that seemingly very little has been done to repair the destruction.

While according to the airport officials present, improvements are being made, amongst which having a baggage handling system that is now about 80% functional, the conditions of the ATB appear to have been allowed to deteriorate daily, according to the visiting ministers.

Practically the entire roof continues to leak unabated even today, resulting in mold throughout the entire facility Read more

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HARBOUR VIEW:--- On January 12, 2018, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, received the updated final report from formateur S. Wescot-Williams.
The formateur has accepted the commission to form an interim new government supported by a majority in Parliament comprised of the UP-fraction, the DP-fraction, and Member of Parliament C.E Read more

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Correction: Prosecutor Confirms Lee Under Investigation

Philipsburg – In the article titled, “Prosecution confirms Lee under investigation”, published on January 9, 2018, it stated that Honorable Minister of VROMI, Christophe Emmanuel, filed a complaint against his colleague, Minister Lee, with the Prosecutor’s Office in early December 2017. This is false information.

Prior to the above mentioned article, the Daily Herald published on December 19, 2017, that during the radio program “Online with Fernando Clark”, Minister Emmanuel announced that he filed a complaint with the Prosecutor’s Office against Minister Lee for misuse of his Government-issued fuel bonds for his business and placing his Government owned vehicle license plate on his personal vehicle post Hurricane Irma Read more

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Correction: Prosecutor Confirms Lee Under Investigation.

PHILIPSBURG:--- In the article titled, “Prosecution confirms Lee under investigation”, published on January 9, 2018, it stated that Honorable Minister of VROMI, Christophe Emmanuel, filed a complaint against his colleague, Minister Lee, with the Prosecutor’s Office in early December. This is false information.

Prior to the above mentioned article, the Daily Herald published on December 19, 2017, that during the radio program “Online with Fernando Clark”, Minister Emmanuel announced that he filed a complaint with the Prosecutor’s Office against Minister Lee for misuse of his Government-issued fuel bonds for his business and placing his Government-owned vehicle license plate on his personal vehicle post Hurricane Irma Read more

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Public Prosecution Service Says There Is No Criminal Investigation Against Minister Emil Lee. No Formal Complaint Made Against Lee

PHILIPSBURG – “The Public Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten states, regarding the article today (January 9th, 2018) in The Daily Herald, that there is no criminal investigation ongoing against mr. Emil Lee at this moment in relation to abuse of car number plates or theft of gasoline/using government fuel bonds to purchase fuel for personal use in the last months of 2017 after the hurricane Irma,” aforementioned prosecuting agency said in a press statement on Tuesday.

“There is also no formal complaint at the Public Prosecutor’s Office against mr Read more

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Exclusive: Minister Of Vsa Approved Naf. 25,000.00 As Remuneration For Szv Director.

Carty and Felicie made payments without the approval of Board of Directors.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of VSA Emil Lee approved NAF. 25,000.00 as remuneration for the Director of SZV Glen Carty which was recently paid to Carty without the approval of the Board of Directors of SZV.
Information reaching SMN News states that Glen Carty and the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Elton Felicie signed off on the payment which was made last week to Carty while the members of the board of directors sat back and allowed the management team to continue draining the accounts of SZV Read more

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Exclusive: Emil Lee, Leona Marlin, And Claret Conner Failed Screening.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of VSA Emil Lee has failed the screening process due to the complaint filed by Minister Christopher Emmanuel. Emmanuel filed a complaint against Lee after SMN News released photographs showing that Lee had removed the government license plate from his vehicle and placed it on his personal vehicle Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- A recently published story whereby Minister Lee was accused of using government fuel bonds to purchase fuel for personal use and misusing government number plate by a blog website is mistaken. “Sadly instead of investing time and energy into rebuilding the country, it appears that efforts will continue to be wasted blaming others and continued attempts at character assassination. I believe this is a sad attempt to discredit, delay or interfere with the screening process for a candidate minister Read more

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~ Man of Integrity and Transparency fleeced government to keep his hotel open ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of VSA Emil Lee who refused to take responsibility for not providing assistance to the people of St. Maarten after the passing of hurricane Irma has to explain the people of St. Maarten how it was possible for him to take off the MR.4 license plate from government vehicle and place it on his private pick-up truck that he used along with government bonds to purchase diesel at the Bush Road Gas station on September 12th, 2017.
Minister Lee was caught at the gas station where he filled two large drums almost every day with government bonds and he took the much-needed fuel to his Princess Heights hotel to run his generator.
Diesel was supposed to be used for government operations and for the vehicles that were busy providing emergency operations as well as cleaning up the debris left behind by Irma.
SMN News managed to secure photographs with the Minister in his pick-up truck that had a large black drum that was filled twice the morning of September 12th, 2017.
Persons who witnessed the Minister use government bonds for the purchase of the diesel once confronted the Minister since they believe that the Minister was abusing government while the country was devastated by hurricane Irma.
Several Ministers and other civil servants openly stated that Minister Lee did not even check in on the civil servants that work in his Ministry and had the responsibility to provide social assistance and aid Read more

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Ministers Of Vromi And Vsa Questioned On Roof Repair Program.

Philipsburg, St. Maarten, — Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams has requested Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure, the Honorable Mr. Christopher Emmanuel and Minister of Health Care, Social Development & Labor, the Honorable Mr Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The UP/DP/Brownbill government submitted the following names of persons who have to undergo the necessary screening in order for them to fill the positions as Prime Minister and Ministers in the interim.
According to well-placed sources, the following names of p Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- “As a minister that believes in being accountable to the people and based on recent accusations by the Prime Minister, I am in the process of requesting that SOAB, Government’s Accounting Bureau, perform an audit of the receipt and distribution of relief goods by Government and in particular the Ministry of VSA,” stated Minister Lee.
“I am truly disheartened. It is so sad that in a time when the people need help and hope, politicians would fabricate stories for political gain Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Recent accusations that Minister Lee is delaying the payments to truckers, heavy equipment operators and workers that are cleaning up the island after hurricane Irma, is simply not correct. The accusations are a shameful attempt to look for a scapegoat that allows them to diffuse blame as well as serving a political objective of tarnishing the reputation of Minister Lee. “I have absolutely no problem paying companies or workers that have participated in cleaning up the island Read more

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~ Lee makes position available ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- The new majority of the Parliament of St. Maarten voted in favor on a motion of non-confidence against six Ministers, namely Prime Minister William Marlin, Ministers Silveria Jacobs, Rafael Boasman, Christopher Emmanuel, Mellissa Arrindell-Doncher and Richard Gibson Sr., while no motion was brought against DP appointed Minister Emil Lee who it was said made his position available.
The now opposition voted against the motion of non-confidence brought against the six Ministers Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister William Marlin made a very serious accusation that Minister Lee is deliberately withholding the delivery of relief goods from the people in an attempt to make the government and Prime Minister look bad in order to justify a change in government. Minister Lee stated, “It is really sad that the Prime Minister would sink so low to try and blame the entire Ministry of VSA with an out and out lie Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the United St. Maarten (US) party MP Frans Richardson on Wednesday said the Minister of VSA Emil Lee should be held fully accountable for his failure to properly organize the relief effort following hurricane Irma.
Richardson said he cannot understand how the media have not attached accountability where it should go instead of letting Lee throw civil servants from his Ministry under the bus as the failures Read more

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