Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
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
Mp Illidge Reacts To News Paper Article
PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Outgoing Independent Member of Parliament, the Honorable Patrick Illidge has expressed regrets with an article in one of the daily news papers over the weekend.
The article indicated that he was paid to stay away from the meeting in connection with the amendments to the 2014 budget which seeks to pave th 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
Editorial - Majority rule
A lot of frustration is being expressed by voters about the meanwhile-confirmed latest political twist that will see a UP-led government take office after all. Many uttered disbelief as to how something like this was even possible, let alone allowed to take place.
Some reason that especially as DP candidate and caretaker minister Cornelius de Weever had failed to earn a Parliament seat outright in terms of preferential votes, he should not be able to "jump ship" and torpedo the seemingly-incoming NA/DP/US Party coalition of which his party was to be part 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
Rumors Run Amok In Local Politics: Coalition May Fall Apart With De Weever’S Departure
No Quorum for Budget Debate --- UPP, De Weever, Illidge Absconded.
Restaurant-Owner Remains Jailed For Eight More Days
St. Maarten – The Judge of Instruction extended the detention of the 75-year-old owner of Toppers restaurant by eight days yesterday. Last week police visited the restaurant in Simpson Bay and found a handgun and ammunition for which the owner, H.A.D., did not have a permit.
The court in Philipsburg has over the years handed down a variety of sentences for illegal firearm possession. In general, sentences for business owners were more lenient than those for individual citizens.
In 2006, an Australian sailor was caught with two handguns and two shotguns on his boat, as well as with 2,000 rounds of live ammunition 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
Departing Politicians Become A Burden For The Treasury
Political pensions could cost country St. Maarten $4 million
St. Maarten – The change of government could cost the country over the next two years more than $4 million if all departing ministers and not re-elected members of parliament claim the political pension they are entitled to by law. To put this number in perspective: on a national budget of 440 million guilders (about $245 million), it represents 1.6 percent of total expenditures.
Four ministers (Patricia Lourens, Martin Hassink, Dennis and Ted Richardson) are not expected to return in the new cabinet Read more
Ronald Plasterk Caught On Camera With Bada Bing Boss Van Den Heuvel
St. Maarten – Five days before the pro forma hearing in the Bada Bing bribery case, aka the Orca-investigation, Bada Bing owner Jaap van den Heuvel boarded a plane in the Netherlands for the Caribbean. Ronald Plasterk, Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations was on the same flight on his way to the governors-consultation in Curacao. Van den Heuvel got the minister to pose for a picture with him. The image, snapped on August 16, surfaced yesterday on the website Geenstijl.nl.
The text that accompanies the photo assumes that Plasterk had no idea with whom he went on that picture Read more
Plasterk steers clear of planning Bada Bing trial
THE HAGUE--Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk is not getting involved in the scheduling of the Bada Bing bribery case by the Court and the fact that this trial will only take place in the first months of 2015.
"It is not up to me as Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations to judge on the term that the Prosecutor's Office and the Joint Court of Justice set for the handling of criminal cases, no matter how important it is to have a timely handling," Plasterk informed the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Wednesday.
He stated in his short response to written questions submitted by Member of the Second Chamber Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP) that he didn't have information either on what persons were being heard as suspects by the Prosecutor's Office in St Read more
Governor Holiday At Opening Parliamentary Year: “There Are Real Opportunities For Economic Growthâ€
St. Maarten – Ravel’s Bolero was once more floating through the parliament building yesterday morning ahead of the official opening of the parliamentary year 2014-2015. What stood out apart from the music was the absence of United People’s party leader Theo Heyliger – who had sent notice – and of Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams who was for undisclosed reasons off island.
Other Members of Parliament who passed on the festive occasions were Jules James, who missed his re-election by a mere three votes, 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
Parliamentary Year Concludes On Monday With Traditional Speeches
PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The parliamentary year for 2013-2014 ended on Monday during a session of the House of Assembly.
The session was carried out by the chairlady of parliament of the United People's Party, the Honorable Gracita Arrindell.
During the parliamentary meeting, parliamentarians took some time to reflect on the last four years, while they took the opportunity to say farewell to their colleagues.
One of those MPs looking back at the four years served was out going Independent Member of Parliament, the Honorable Romain Laville who can now be heard via PodCast.
Leader of the United St Read more