Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
Minister Of Justice Co-Signs Justice Legislative Package On Wednesday
Minister of Justice Anna Richardson signing the justice legislative package during Wednesday's ceremony.
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Justice Anna Richardson co-signed the justice legislative package at the Government Administration Building on Wednesday, December 27.
The official signing of the national decrees solidified the legal position of officers and established essential structures for human resources management in the Ministry of Justice.
The signing encompassed the national decree containing general measures for the legal position of officers with police tasks, the new police salary scales and the national decree to enact the legal position and approved function book.
In her address, Richardson acknowledged the challenges faced on the journey to this point and expressed her pleasure in bringing it to a successful conclusion Read more
Parliament Approves 2023 Budget Amendment, 2 Motions
PHILIPSBURG--Parliament on Thursday unanimously approved the 2023 budget amendment as well as passed two motions tabled by United Peoples (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Rolando Brison.
Only eight of the 15 MPs were present for Thursdays public meeting of Parliament in which the budget amendment was voted upon. Present were United Peoples (UP) party MPs Brison and Sidharth Cookie Bijlani, Party for Progress (PFP) MP Melissa Gumbs, National Alliance (NA) MPs George Pantophlet, Angelique Romou, Hyacinth Richardson and William Marlin and independent MP Ludmila de Weever Read more
No Meeting To Approve Ipko Delegation Due To No Quorum
MP Ludmila de Wever, standing, about to sign in for the meeting, which could not be held due to no quorum, on Thursday morning.
PHILIPSBURG--Thursdays scheduled meeting of Parliament to approve the composition of the delegation to participate in the Inter-Parliamentary Kingdom Consultations IPKO and Tripartite, did not take place due to a lack of quorum.
IPKO Is scheduled to be held in The Hague, Netherlands from May 31 to June 5.
Chairperson of Parliament Sidharth Cookie Bijlani opened a gathering of Parliament, and told MPs present that the meeting was not able to start as there had been no quorum Read more
Mps Want The Diamond Estate Ruins Rebuilt At Offenders Expense, Rubble On Monument List
MPs preparing to vote on the motion during Thursdays meeting.
~ Pass motion to this effect ~
PHILIPSBURG--Taking legal action against the persons who demolished the Diamond Estate ruins, rebuilding the historical site at the offenders expense and having government expedite efforts for the area and the remaining rubble to be placed on the protected monument list were among the actions Members of Parliament (MPs) want to see executed in a motion passed on Thursday.
The motion, which was tabled by United Peoples (UP) party MP Rolando Brison, was passed by 10 MPs voting in favour and none against Read more
St. Maarten Debate Team Is 2023/2024 Leeward Islands Debating Champions
The St. Maarten Debate Team won the first round of the 51st annual Leeward Islands Debate Competition. In photo: The St. Maarten Debate Team, their coaches and MP Hyacinth Richardson (far right).
PHILIPSBURG--The St. Maarten Debate Team, under the guidance of Hyacinth Richardson Education Awareness Foundation, emerged victorious in the first round of the 51st annual Leeward Islands Debate Competition held at John E Read more
Hreaf, Spf Spread Xmas Cheer Giving Gifts And 115 Baskets, Rice, Ham, Turkey
A section of the many attendees at Thursday evenings event.
ST. PETERS--The Hyacinth Richardson Educational Awareness Foundation (HREAF) and Secours Populaire Franais (SPF) helped spread some holiday cheer to about 115 children and their parents on Thursday evening when it presented gifts to the children and gift baskets, a la Read more
Doran Escapes No Confidence Motion After Mps Walk Out Of Meeting
MPs Rolando Brison and Hyacinth Richardson walking out of the meeting.
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Egbert Doran on Wednesday escaped facing a motion of no confidence that was going to be tabled by Party for Progress (PFP), after two governing coalition Members of Parliament (MPs) walked out of the public meeting resulting in lack of quorum for the meeting to proceed Read more
Three New Mps Sworn In Tuesday
HARBOUR VIEW--Governor Eugene Holiday on Tuesday administered the oath to the three new National Alliance (NA) Members of Parliament (MPs) Romeo Pantophlet, Read more Candidates in this article:
Update: Four New Mps To Be Sworn In Soon
~ Credentials to be checked today ~
PHILIPSBURG--The four vacant seats in Parliament will soon be filled. The four persons to whom the seats were offered by the Central Voting Bureau by virtue of the votes they gathered on their parties' slates have accepted their posts.
Voting Bureau Chairman Jason Rogers told The Daily Herald that as of Thursday morning all four had accepted their seats to serve as Members of Parliament (MPs).
Perry Geerlings of the Democratic Party (DP) had not yet accepted his seat up to late last Wednesday night.
Now that Geerlings has accepted the seat, Rogers will inform Parliament of his acceptance Read more
Four New Mps To Be Sworn-In Soon
Voting Bureau Chairman Jason Rogers told The Daily Herald as of this morning all four had accepted their seats to serve as Members of Parliament (MPs).
Up to late last night, Perry Geerlings of the Democratic Party (DP) had not yet accepted his seat, Rogers had told the paper on Wednesday night.
Mps Pepper Ministers With Questions In Budget Debate
Independent MP Leona Marlin-Romeo (standing) speaks in the budget debate on Monday.
PHILIPSBURG--The 2016 draft budget was tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister Richard Gibson on Monday morning in Parliament House. Members of Parliament (MPs), who had up to 90 minutes to speak, peppered the Council of Ministers with a barrage of questions spanning from the budget and Government policies to general topics of interest.
The seven Ministers, who all made presentations about the working of their Ministries on Monday, will be back in Parliament today, Tuesday, starting at 2:00pm to deliver answers to the questions from MPs Read more
Gearing up to a new era of colonialism and nepotism
Dear Editor,
Lately, our representatives seem to worry a lot -and sometimes rightly so- about the Dutch (post) colonial powers. So far, the apogee of this independence rhetoric came to light when an MP was quoted as saying that he would rather “die on his feet than live on his kneesâ€. The MP was quick to forget that Dutch PM Rutte already indicated that independence is just a phone call away.
So why so much noise? It is nothing more than putting up smokescreens in order to derive the attention from the real problem, namely the new era of (corporate) colonialism and nepotism which is upon us Read more
What’s is in it for me? Gearing up to a new era of colonialism and nepotism
Lately, our representatives seem to worry a lot, and sometimes rightly so, about the Dutch (post) colonial powers. Some of our MP's are calling for independence while presenting themselves as the last of the Mohicans. So far, the apogee of this independence rhetoric came to light when an MP was quoted as saying that he rather "die on his feet than live on his knees." The MP was quick to forget that Dutch PM Rutte already indicated that independence is just a phone call away (i).
So why so much noise? It is nothing more than putting up smokescreens in order to dr0ive the attention from the real problem, namely the new era of (corporate) colonialism and nepotism which is upon us Read more
Worse than the previous
Despite the efforts of this new parliament of trying to convince the public that it has raised the bar to a very high standard, this proclamation continues to be such an uneasy truth. On the contrary, it is by far, worse than the previous. What has become common practice for some parliamentarians is to have speech competitions and to see who can outfox and demean the other. But the public is not interested in such devious minds and childish behaviours.
Elevated representation of the people coincides with the ability to think independently and then proceed expeditiously and consciously to the demands of society and the success of this island Read more
Vorst land purchase to be omitted from 2014 budget amendment
~ Roy's amendment to budget amendment passed ~
PHILIPSBURG--An amendment to remove the purchase of the Vorst Estate property from a budget amendment tabled by Finance Minister Martin Hassink was passed during a public plenary session of parliament on Monday.
It was the third time the meeting had been convened to handle this and other issues. The first two meetings were cancelled due to lack of quorum. The motion, which was tabled by Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament (MP) Roy Marlin, was passed by seven of MPs voting in favour of the amendment and six voting against it.
Supporting the motion were author Roy Marlin, National Alliance (NA) MPs William Marlin, Hyacinth Richardson, George Pantophlet and Louie Laveist and Independent MPs Frans Richardson and Romain Laville Read more
Budget amendment meet called off again due to lack of quorum
PHILIPSBURG--The public plenary session of Parliament on amendments to the 2014 budget was cancelled for the second time on Friday, as only four Members of Parliament (MPs) showed up and signed in for the meeting.
The meeting was first called off on Wednesday, due to the lack of a quorum when seven MPs were signed in, though United People's (UP) party MPs and Independent MP Dr. Lloyd Richardson had been in the building.
Present at Friday's session were National Alliance (NA) MPs Hyacinth Richardson and George Pantophlet, Democratic Party (DP) MP Roy Marlin and United People's (UP) party MP Gracita Arrindell Read more
No quorum for budget amendment meeting
~ UP, Dr. Richardson, Illidge, De Weever absent ~
PHILIPSBURG--The public plenary session of Parliament on amendments to the 2014 budget was cancelled on Wednesday due to the lack of a quorum, as only seven Members of Parliament (MPs) were signed in.
Parliament Press Secretary Roddy Heyliger said in a press release last night that the session had been rescheduled to Friday at 10:00am.
At least eight MPs are needed for the meeting to proceed Read more
MPs concerned about TelEm-Digicel accord
PHILIPSBURG--Members of Parliament (MPs) have expressed concern about the signing of a financial information sharing contract between the St. Maarten Telephone Group of Companies TelEm and regional telecom company Digicel.
Democratic Party (DP), National Alliance (NA) and Independent MPs Frans Richardson and Patrick Illidge expressed concerns during a meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on Friday, to handle amendments to the 2014 budget.
Neither United People's (UP) party MPs nor independent MP Dr Read more
MPs close off fourth year of Parliament
PHILIPSBURG--The 2013-2014 parliamentary year closed on Monday with several Members of Parliament (MPs) taking the opportunity to give a farewell speech outlining their accomplishments, hopes for the new parliamentary year and for the incoming government.
Based on the Constitution, the parliamentary year must close before the second Tuesday in September – the official opening of the new parliamentary year. The opening will take place today, Tuesday, at Parliament House, with Governor Eugene Holiday delivering the traditional governor's speech containing government's plans for the coming year.
At Monday's session, outgoing independent MP Romain Laville said being an MP has been "one of the greatest experiences" he has had in life Read more
Motion passed to restrict outgoing ministers’ actions
PHILIPSBURG--A motion calling on Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams to inform individual ministers of the Wescot-Williams III Cabinet "to not make any long-term policy, financial and/or decisions of such a nature as granting lands in long lease, bus and taxi licences, concessions, hiring and placement of personnel in crucial functions" was adopted by a majority of Members of Parliament (MPs) in the closing meeting of the 2013-2014 parliamentary year on Monday.
The motion was presented by MP Roy Marlin (Democratic Party (DP)) and also signed by six other MPs.
The motion further called on the ministers to refrain from making any decision on the waste-to-energy concession or any other decision "that may obstruct or encumber the incoming government from functioning adequately during the next governing term."
The motion also requested the prime minister to inform the individual ministers who are shareholder's representatives of government-owned companies "to instruct management and boards of these companies to refrain from entering into long-term agreements and sign contracts that may negatively affect or bind these companies for a long term."
The motion was presented by MP Roy Marlin after he requested an addition to an agenda of the plenary session of Parliament Read more
Humility overrides arrogance and plastic intelligence
Staying connected to the people is an art and by extension, a bond that is fastened by true love, planted deep within the fibre of a human being. This is the principle that governs the conduct of a real politician, a standard that cannot be fabricated because he is dedicated to and is educated in knowing the needs of his constituents.
How many politicians can relate to this criterion personally, and are privileged to maintain it, regardless of criticism or political upheavals? Not many! It takes a politician who is genuine, one who is humble, an elected official, who is spontaneous in serving and a politician, who avoids the demands of public accolades Read more
Dennis updates MPs about tackling crime
PHILIPSBURG--Justice Minister Dennis Richardson gave Members of Parliament (MPs) updates on the Police's efforts to tackle crime in the community at a Central Committee meeting of Parliament on Monday. The meeting was scheduled to take place last week, but was postponed until yesterday, due to a lack of quorum.
Richardson said the country's crime levels are at a place where other countries in the immediate surrounding will be "jealous of." The police force has been tackling preventable crimes and have been making arrests and getting breaks in large cases Read more
Duty officer: Fire Department was dispatched immediately
~ Call 919 for faster fire response ~
PHILIPSBURG--"Call 919 in case of a fire, not 911," is an important message from the Fire Department.
Although 911 may also be utilised, calls are taken by a controller. When people dial 919, the calls are answered by fire officers who are on duty 24/7 and have specific training and knowledge that a non-Fire Department controller does not have.
Calling 919 enables the fire officer to ask specific questions that will help determine whether the fire is a threat to life or property, or whether it is caused, for example, by someone burning garbage.
In the case of the house fire in St Read more
Brave local men fight a fire, dwellings destroyed