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>PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Cornelius de Weever spoke out on Wednesday for the first time since he left the Democratic Party to form a government with the UPP political party in 2014 Read more

Eight is more than seven

Dear Editor

I read the PM's “weighing in on the political turmoil” and would like to comment.

In 2013, the United People’s (UP) party wanted to come into government and (rightfully so) proclaimed eight parliamentary seats to be more than seven. The battle between proponents of Article 33-2 and Article 59 ensued. Article 59 was invoked by the National Alliance (NA) led Wescot II cabinet, but lost Read more

Opinion: Something’S Brewing

We know since last night that Governor Holiday sent a letter to Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs. We do not know the content of this letter, but there is no doubt that this will come out some time today.

The past couple of days, two political parties have come out with press conferences where they made their positions clear. The National Alliance nor the Democratic Party fear elections, they say.

Do they really want elections? Not really Read more

Where Is Theo?

Theo Heyliger – File photo

Dear Editor,

?With all the commotion going on…where is Theo? His silence is deafening.

Is he backing the Government’s fight for new elections now? Is he ready? Curious to know.

Michael J Read more

>Pond Island:--- TelEm Group personnel capped a month-long campaign of cervical and prostate cancer awareness with a potentially life-saving talk from businessman Michael Ferrier and the KaLaHa Projects founder, Keoman Hamer.
The session took place in the TelEm Group main building Friday with close to 80 persons in attendance. It will be followed up in the coming days with special screening sessions for male and female workers in the company.
The talk was organized by TelEm Group’s Change Champions group in collaboration with the KaLaHa Foundation to bring attention to cervical cancer awareness for women.

“Since we were doing this for women in the company, a decision was taken to also include prostate cancer awareness information for men in the company also,” said Foundation founder Ms Read more

Mike Ferrier About The Aftermath Of The Shooting: “Hopefully, Parliament Will Get A Grip On Reckless Spending”

Michael Ferrier. File photo Today / Leo Brown

St. Maarten – Businessman Michael Ferrier, a former president of the Democratic Party – as party he left in disgust last year – analyzes in this article the situation the country finds itself in in the wake of the shooting that cost sergeant Gamali Benjamin his life.

Last week’s shooting of a police 0fficer by a coward with a gun has brought our once tranquil “Friendly” Island to an all-time new low in societal behavior Read more

Officer Benjamin's sacrifice

Dear Editor,

Last week's shooting of a police officer by a coward with a gun has brought our once- tranquil "Friendly" island to an all time new low in societal behaviour. Killing any human being is bad; however, being mentally capable, and physically prepared and able to actually shoot a police officer, a representative of the law, is a whole other matter! In the rawness of such a tragedy we, (the collective we), seem to be seeking serious debate on this "national" issue.

The evidence can be found in both traditional print and social media that has been "lit up"! We are learning that compassion is alive and well in our society Read more

style="text-align: center;">Air Ambulance with Officer Benjamin landed on St. Maarten at 12:20pm -- Taken to SMMC where family and colleagues will spend last moments before removing life support.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC/ PHILIPSBURG:---- Bike Patrol Gamali Benjamin who was shot by armed bandits on Wednesday is brain dead and non-responsive but is kept alive on life support his father Gilbert Benjamin told his contact on St. Maarten early Friday morning. The father of the wounded officer who travelled to the Dominican Republic Thursday evening with his son said that the news on his son is not at all good after a complete evaluation was done in the Dominican Republic Thursday night.
Businessman Michael Ferrier who is in contact with Mr Read more

Philipsburg shuts down, injured cop arrives safely at trauma centre in DR

PHILIPSBURG--Philipsburg was transformed into a ghost town on Thursday, as a large cross-section of the business community in town as well as in other parts of the country closed their doors in firm solidarity with Police Officer Gamali “Benji” Benjamin who was shot and seriously wounded in the line of duty on Wednesday.

The businesses wanted to send a firm message that they are against all forms of criminal activity and hold hope for Benjamin’s recovery.

Benjamin arrived safely at a trauma centre in the Dominican Republic last night after being flown out of St Read more

NAPA Auto Parts joins IMA in closing their businesses in Solidarity with wounded Bike Patrol.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Owner of NAPA Auto Parts Michael Ferrier will be closing both NAPA stores today “Thursday” as he heeded the call of the Indian Merchants Association (IMA) who called on all business owners on Front and Back Street to close their businesses today in solidarity with wounded bike patrol Gamali Benjamin Read more

Response to Mr. Ferrier on ‘What a democracy we live in’

Dear Editor,

Upon reading the newspaper this past Friday, June 5, I came across an interesting article submitted by Mr. Michael J. Ferrier. The article was titled "What a democracy we live in"

What is a Democracy?

Democracy is defined as the following:

a) A form of government in which the people choose leaders by voting.

b) An organisation or situation in which everyone is treated equally and has equal rights.

Now that we all understand the meaning of the word, let's move on to the subject matter at hand:

*MP Frans G Read more

Abolition of Slavery to be celebrated on Wednesday

MARIGOT--The 167th anniversary of the abolition of slavery will be celebrated this coming Wednesday at the Agrément roundabout, the site of the Lady Liberty statue, from 9:00am to 10:30am.

The Emancipation celebration this year will focus on the 226-year-old Hameau du Pont Bridge.

"The bridge was built back in 1789 during the evil period of slavery and the ancestors were never paid or recognised for their labour," noted President of Conscious Lyrics Foundation, Shujah Reiph.

The bridge was built on the orders of Jean Sebastien de Durat who also built Fort Louis and the old jail Read more

Fish Da Megaboss is new Calypso Monarch

CARNIVAL VILLAGE--Fish Da Megaboss was crowned the new Calypso Monarch after ten contestants challenged the reign of 2014 Calypso Monarch Ruminni "The Protége" Rogers in a busy Carnival Village on Saturday night. This is the fourth time Fish Da Megaboss has walked away with this crown. He also went home with the prize money of US $10,000 courtesy of sponsor NAGICO.

The new Monarch had a total of 489 points, with first runner-up and winner of $5,000 King Beau Beau scoring a total of 462 Read more

Mingo refuses to disclose details of Checkmate security contract

~ Owner's identity not provided ~

PHILIPSBURG--Questions relating to the Harbour Group of Companies' contract with Checkmate Security Services and the status of security at the port, as well as the Group's "clandestine attitude" were amongst the hot-button issues discussed in Thursday's presentation to Parliament's Permanent Committee for Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (TEATT) at Parliament House.

Committee Chairman United St. Maarten (US) party leader MP Frans Richardson organised the meeting, which was broadcast live, with the expressed goal of hearing directly from Harbour Group Chief Executive Officer Mark Mingo and his team about a number of pressing issues.

Mingo remained mum on most questions relating to security, citing competition and safety-related concerns, as well as contractual obligations.

He did not present any "information and documentation regarding the security contract with Checkmate Security Company" as formally requested by Democratic Party (DP) MP Sarah Wescot-Williams through MP Richardson Read more

More on the Counterpart Policy

Dear Editor,

According to information received, MP Cornelius de Weever and the acting Labour Minister seem to want to push the Counterpart Law to a ridiculous extreme in time for the policy introduction in the third quarter of this year, as announced in the media on Saturday, January 24.

As I understand it, effective October 1, the Counterpart Law may also be applied to requests for Employment Permits, as required by the numerous Houses of Pleasure on the island Read more

Response De Weever re Counterpart Policy

Dear Editor,

I read MP De Weever's press release re The Counter Part Policy in the papers and on-line news media of January 22, and while I am the furthest thing from being a literary scholar, I believe there was a line from Macbeth by Shakespeare that is applicable here, and goes like this: "... a tale, told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing!".

The MP's explanation of his efforts and intentions related to the Counterpart Policy are basically thus summed up. Not only does the "tale" fail to include useful information about the policy (or law, as he suggests it is), but the MP's story also makes clear to me, that he for one is a politician who believes that if he spews enough venom, makes enough noise and bends enough truth, he can misdirect the attention of the public from his own professional failings.

Nationalistic rhetoric and shouts of "saving our people" while scoffing and demonization what he calls "special interests" and businesses, may be all well and good in MP De Weever's world of politics Read more

Ferrier wants PM to explain how counterpart policy will be applied

~ 'It will stifle economic growth' ~

PHILIPSBURG--Businessman Michael Ferrier is looking forward to an explanation from Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs on how the counterpart policy will be applied in St Read more