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Lake calling for MPs to ‘get on board’ with integrity chamber

PHILIPSBURG--"Get on-board" to approve the "home-grown" draft ordinance to establish an integrity chamber for St. Maarten "after certain changes are made." This was the call issued by United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake to his "fellow colleagues" in Parliament.

He said in a press statement if the ordinance is left hanging ".. Read more

Sarah: Bringing ordinance in line with civil code can be done ‘rather quickly’

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams says bringing the National Ordinance in line with the Civil Code to increase the legal drinking age from 16 to 18 can be done "rather quickly."

Independent MP Cornelius de Weever suggested that the legal age for cigarettes should also be addressed and not just that of alcohol.

The MPs were speaking during a session of Parliament's Permanent Committee of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs (CECYSA) on Thursday Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake says it's a reality that the draft ordinance to establish a Sint Maarten national Integrity Chamber must take place by the House of Parliament, "...otherwise we will be talking integrity for another six months without anything happening for the people and moving Sint Maarten forward."

MP Lake is appealing to his fellow colleagues in the House of Parliament to get on-board and approve the Sint Maarten "home-grown" draft ordinance after certain changes are made, and if additional changes are needed, the MP said that this can be done along the way.

"We also have to realize if we don't approve our own draft ordinance to establish the integrity chamber it will open up the road for the General Measure of Kingdom Governance.

Sint Maarten is responsible for its own affairs, including good governance and the establishment of its own institutions such as its own Integrity Chamber, which came out of the country's own committee which made such a recommendation.

"As an elected representative of the people, I am a voice of the people Read more

Mp Lake: The People Elected Me To Run Their Own Affairs And Good Governance

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake says it's a reality that the draft ordinance to establish a Sint Maarten national Integrity Chamber must take place by the House of Parliament, "...otherwise we will be talking integrity for another six months without anything happening for the people and moving Sint Maarten forward."

MP Lake is appealing to his fellow colleagues in the House of Parliament to get on-board and approve the Sint Maarten "home-grown" draft ordinance after certain changes are made, and if additional changes are needed, the MP said that this can be done along the way.

"We also have to realize if we don't approve our own draft ordinance to establish the integrity chamber it will open up the road for the General Measure of Kingdom Governance.

Sint Maarten is responsible for its own affairs, including good governance and the establishment of its own institutions such as its own Integrity Chamber, which came out of the country's own committee which made such a recommendation.

"As an elected representative of the people, I am a voice of the people Read more

Mp Lake Commends Gebe; Urges Seniors To Apply For Relief

St. Maarten –NV Gebe has extended its senior relief program until December of this year and this has led to a verbal commendation from United People’s Party MP Maurice Lake to the company for taking this action.

The relief for seniors began in 2014 while MP Lake—then Minister Lake—was the minister with responsibilities for Gebe Read more

MP Lake commends PJL on getting seniors involved in computer technology

>PHILIPSBURG:--– United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake would like commend the Philipsburg Jubilee Library (PJL) for hosting a workshop for senior citizens at St. Martin's Home about computer technology.

The Media Lab workshop was organized to assist persons who have little or no experience with computers on how to use this intelligent device.

"I heard that the seniors who took part in the workshop were very pleased and expressed great interests in the subject Read more

Mp Lake Commends Pjl On Getting Seniors Involved In Computer Technology

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake would like commend the Philipsburg Jubilee Library (PJL) for hosting a workshop for senior citizens at St. Martin's Home about computer technology.

The Media Lab workshop was organized to assist persons who have little or no experience with computers on how to use this intelligent device.

"I heard that the seniors who took part in the workshop were very pleased and expressed great interests in the subject Read more

MPs still have reservations about Integrity Chamber

~ Meyers: Independence only choice ~

PHILIPSBURG--Several Members of Parliament (MPs) made it crystal clear on Monday that if the proposed Integrity Chamber stagnates the growth of the country and hampers St. Maarteners from prospering, the law to establish the chamber will not receive their support.

Chief among those speaking out about the draft law was coalition member MP Franklin Meyers (United People's (UP) party) Read more

St. Maarten should seek to have its own Attorney General --- Current Attorney General does not work in the interest of St. Maarten --- Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson.

style="text-align: center;">Ruling Majority totally against draft ordinance.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson did not mingle with words on Monday morning when he was responding to questions regarding the draft ordinance to establish the integrity chamber on St. Maarten.
On the question as to who is responsible for justice on St. Maarten, Minister Richardson said that the Minister of Justice is responsible for justice in each country, however, he made clear that St Read more

Mp Lake Commends Nv Gebe On Senior Citizens Relief Program For 2015

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake would like Government to commend NV GEBE for starting the second program bringing relief to the senior citizens of the country by reducing their electricity bills.

"I applaud NV GEBE Board of Directors and Management to continuing the relief program for seniors citizens age 62 and older for another six months.

"The first pilot senior relief program in 2014 was started when I was the Minister of Energy Affairs, and it was considered a success, and I applaud the Managing Board for continuing with the programme through the end of 2015.

"Our seniors have until May 1 to apply for the relief according to information NV GEBE submitted to the media Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Council of Ministers approved the long lease that is to be granted to Rainforest Adventure on March 18th 2015.
According to documents SMN News obtained showed that an advice prepared by Domain Affairs which was signed off by the head of VROMI Louis Brown on March 9th 2015 and booked in at the Department of General Affairs under Div Read more

Heated Debate by Members of Parliament as to how they will deal with the Petition sent to Parliament regarding the Simpson Bay Development.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Chairlady of the petitions committee of Parliament MP Leona Marlin-Romeo opened a pandora box on Thursday when she asked the Members of Parliament to establish how they will handle petitions sent to Parliament. While the debate on how the committee will handle petitions, the three residents of Simson Bay were sitting in Parliament to be heard Read more

Voting Bureau petitioned court twice to allow inmates to vote

~ Says it's up to MPs to amend laws ~

PHILIPSBURG--The Central Voting Bureau petitioned the court twice prior to the August 29, 2014, parliamentary election to legally allow inmates who were registered to vote in another district to cast their ballot at the polling station at the prison and to allow a prison official to vouch for the identity of inmates who did not have identification cards.

The issues at the polling station at the prison were amongst several electoral concerns broached during a meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on Wednesday.

Central Voting Bureau Chairman Jason Rogers told Members of Parliament (MPs) that it was up to them to change the legislation to rectify this issue in future elections.

Rogers said "a number" of inmates initially had not been allowed to vote because, although they were in possession of their voting cards, they were assigned to vote in another district Read more

Mp Lake As Minister Gave Advise To Soab On Smhdf Confirms Pm Gumbs In Parliament

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The House of Parliament met in a public plenary session on Tuesday afternoon.

This session was the continuation of the initial meeting that was held on December 22nd of last year.

The meeting was at the request of the National Alliance, the Democratic Party and the USP, and dealt with among others, the request to the Governments Accountants Bureau SOAB to carry out a forensic investigation into the operations of the St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Several Financial Statements still not available Corporate Governance Council Rejects candidates proposed by government.

PHILIPSBURG: --- Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs informed Parliament on Tuesday that the government of St. Maarten is currently working on taking the supervisory board of the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) to court in order to obtain two audit reports Read more

Up Mp Lake Addresses Social Media Political Rumours In The House Of Parliament On Tuesday

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake addressed on Tuesday in the House of Parliament social media rumours that he was involved in a plot to throw down government and send home the Cabinet of Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs.

"It's good to be back in the House of the People Read more

Plenary Session of Parliament scheduled for Tuesday about the SCHDF.

>PHILIPSBURG:---  The House of Parliament will meet in a public plenary session on April 7. This session is the continuation of the initial session that was held on December 22, 2014. On March 24, the meeting was called, but was adjourned and is now being reconvened.

The plenary session is set for Tuesday at 2.00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is the request to the Governments Accountants Bureau SOAB to carry out a forensic investigation into the operations of the St Read more

No Quorum For Integrity Meeting In Parliament Monday

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Central Committee meeting of Parliament, which was scheduled to be held on Monday to discuss among other issues, the draft National Ordinance for the establishment of an Integrity Chamber, did not go ahead due to the lack of a quorum.

Seven members supporting the coalition government signed in for the meeting.

There were three MP's who were also off island namely MP's Meyers, Maurice Lake and Leona Marlin Read more

Ten Seat Majority lacks Quorum for Central Committee Meeting.

style="text-align: center;">Three MPs Supporting Government Off island --- Opposition did not sign in.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee meeting called on Monday to discuss the draft ordinance to establish the Integrity Chamber could not be held on Monday since three of the ten Members of Parliament supporting the government of St. Maarten were not present for the meeting.
Member of Parliament Franlin Meyers, MP Leona Marlin-Romeo and MP Maurice Lake sent in their notification of absence because they are all off island.
At the meeting on Monday were seven of the ten members majority, they were leader of the UPP MP Theodore Heyliger, MP Silvio Matser, MP Johan Janchi Leonard, MP Tamara Leonard, MP Cornelius de Weever and MP Lloyd Richardson.
Inside the chamber were the Members of Parliament sitting on the opposition benches who did not sign in to form the quorum Read more

EXCLUSIVE: Maurice Lake Jumps back in order to take up VROMI Minister seat --- Where would this leave Minister Claret Conner? – Reliable Sources.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Maurice Lake seems to have gotten exactly what he wanted from the leader of the United Peoples Party in order for him to remain a member of the United Peoples Party and to keep the shaky coalition in-tact.
SMN News learnt that MP Maurice Lake wanted to remain in his position as the Minister of VROMI when the UPP/De Weever coalition was formed but his party leader Theodore Heyliger allegedly denied him his request stating that he did not do what he "Heyliger" wanted him to do while he was a Minister Read more

Prime Minister given Two Weeks to gather Information on SMHDF.

>PHILIPSBURG: --- The National Alliance Faction in Parliament has given Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs two weeks to gather all information regarding the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation if not actions will be taken against the Prime Minister for failure to provide information to Parliament.
In the continuation meeting held on Tuesday Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs informed Parliament that he did not receive the information they requested from the St Read more

Plenary Session of Parliament scheduled for Tuesday about the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will meet in a public plenary session on March 24. This session is the continuation of the initial session that was held on December 22, 2014. On March 11, the meeting was called, but due to a lack of a quorum,, it could not continue and is now being reconvened.

The plenary session is set for Tuesday at 2.00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is the request to the Governments Accountants Bureau SOAB to carry out a forensic investigation into the operations of the St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Saunders Welcome Sign not paid for --- procedures were not followed.

PHILIPSBURG:--- There seems to be more in the mortar than in the pestle when it comes to the construction of the FBO section at the Princess Juliana International Airport. SMN News learnt that the Fixed Based Operations (FBO) project that have to be constructed at the Princess Juliana International Airport is creating more problems even though Taliesin Construction legally won the bid. According to information provided to SMN News some five companies were invited by PJIAE to submit their bids for the project Read more

Lake debunks talk about breaking UP

PHILIPSBURG--"Untrue and baseless" is how United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake described rampant "rumours" in the community about him being "involved in a plot to throw down government and send home the Cabinet of Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs."

Since Friday, there has been persistent talk that spun into blogs about Lake breaking with this party over differences Read more