SXMElections.com

DP to continue with draft timeshare laws

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) will "pick up" the two draft initiative laws on the establishment of a timeshare authority and the regulation of the sector submitted to Parliament in its first sitting by former DP Member of Parliament Leroy de Weever.

DP leader MP Sarah Wescot-Williams informed Parliament Chairman Dr Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the Democratic Party and Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams has sent a letter to Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs asking for an explanation on the screening of Ministers that were installed on December 19th, 2014 Read more

Dp Faction To Give Attention To Draft Timeshare Ordinances

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Leader of the Democratic Party MP Sarah Wescot-Williams Wednesday confirmed that on Wednesday she informed the chairman of Parliament of her faction's intention to pick up the draft timeshare initiative laws and continue with the process.

According to MP Wescot-Williams, as is the case with initiative laws, the initiators are responsible for the process.

It is also customary that a faction can continue the process, started by one or more of its members, no longer in Parliament, as is the case with these drafts.

I also informed Minister Conner of my intentions and suggested that we meet to plan the way forward with these drafts.

I did so to avoid any overlapping and or doubling of efforts Read more

Mp Wescot-Williams Seeks Information Of Closure Of Screening Process For Ministers

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The leader of the Democratic Party, MP the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams Wednesday expressed concern with what she believes is the none transparent manner in which the screening process conducted by the Governor of St Read more

NA call for MP Matser’s ‘immediate’ resignation

PHILIPSBURG--The "immediate resignation" of United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Silvio Matser has been called for by the National Alliance (NA) Board.

The call, issued Tuesday, comes a week after the Court of First Instance sentenced the first-term MP to 24 months, 18 of which were suspended, on three years' probation and 240 hours of community service, for tax evasion Read more

The grass might be greener on the other side of the fence, but the mangoes in your own backyard are the sweetest: a report on the USM in 2014.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Too often we half-forget the wisdoms of our grandparents and great-grandparents. This of course is lamentable and tragic. It is time that we remember and endorse the other part of our grandmother and grandfather's wisdom notes to achieve wholeness as individuals and as a society.
Most of us are familiar with the saying, "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence." We use this colourful expression routinely to state that from our dwelling place, from our little Caribbean island, from where we are standing, what takes place educationally in the overdeveloped countries in Western Europe and the USA and Canada or even the emerging economic powers in Asia, and what people in those countries have materially and we don't because we lack their educational system, is simply extraordinary Read more

Dp:  “A Dark Day For All Of Us” (Charlie Hebdo)

St. Maarten – The Democratic Party is the first political party to react to the Charlie Hebdo terrorist attack in Paris. In a brief statement, party-leader Sarah Wescot-Williams offers its condolences as well as sympathy to our country’s French neighbors.

“The Democratic Party of St Read more

The Grass Might Be Greener On The Other Side Of The Fence, But The Mangoes In Your Own Backyard Are The Sweetest: A Report On The Usm In 2014

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Too often we half-forget the wisdoms of our grandparents and great-grandparents. This of course is lamentable and tragic.

It is time that we remember and endorse the other part of our grandmother and grandfather's wisdom notes to achieve wholeness as individuals and as a society.

Most of us are familiar with the saying, "the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence." We use this colourful expression routinely to state that from our dwelling place, from our little Caribbean island, from where we are standing, what takes place educationally in the overdeveloped countries in Western Europe and the USA and Canada or even the emerging economic powers in Asia, and what people in those countries have materially and we don't because we lack their educational system, is simply extraordinary.

We consider ourselves deprived and long to be there; we dream of having those mountains of things and those degrees that they have Read more

‘Look in the mirror,’ PM tells crowd at National Prayer Day

PHILIPSBURG--A few hundred people gathered on Clem Labega Square late Sunday afternoon to celebrate the National Day of Prayer.

The event was organised by the St. Martin Ministerial Foundation, the St. Maarten Council of Churches, the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and the Ministry of Education and Culture.

The service started with a word of welcome by Monique Rey, who said St. Maarten was a nation under God. She welcomed the dignitaries, who included Governor Eugene Holiday, Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, Minister of Finance Martin Hassink, Jean-David Richards of the Collectivité of French St Read more

>How blessed we are! For the 10th consecutive year, we are enjoying the freedom and leadership committed to conjointly observing a National Day of Prayer. I am proud to have been part of the Executive Council that in 2005 instituted this day and I thank the different denominations for upholding the tradition unwaveringly.
This we do, respecting the constitutionally enshrined right of freedom of religion of all, but also respecting the premise and preamble of the same constitution, our unified belief in the Almighty.

I truly believe that a government should have its ears to the ground and respect the individual freedoms of all, but ultimately it should be the norms and values that the majority of us hold dear that should set the tone.
The National Day of Prayer in addition to its religious connotation, is also an opportunity for reflection and for resolution.
Consciously, this day is held at the beginning of the year, giving ourselves another opportunity for resolve and recovery, and the will to stay the course.
Neither as a member of Parliament nor as a citizen, it is to me to judge any-one else, but rather to provide guidance and to stand up for the values we hold dear as a community Read more

Sarah: January 7 ‘dark day for all’

PHILIPSBURG--January seven was “a dark day for all of us,” said Democratic Party (DP) Leader Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams in a condolence message to the family of the victims of the tragic shooting at the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, the French Republic and all of Europe impacted by the events on Wednesday.

“In a very special way, we empathize with our French St Read more

Medical Center still to get NAf. 5 million from gov’t for urgent repairs

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) is still to receive the NAf. 5 million government had promised to provide the institution to conduct urgent repairs and upgrades.

The funds are not related to SMMC's current NAf. 5 million deficit. SMMC General Director Kees Klarenbeek, who just clocked one year and five months in SMMC's employ, said that once received, the funds would be used in a positive manner for urgent repairs and on things that could be used in the new or expanded medical centre.

In addition to the NAf Read more

SMMC in dire financial straits, books in the red

~ Low tariffs, unpaid bills smothering hospital ~

CAY HILL--St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) is experiencing dire financial straits, which potentially threatens the future health of the institution if not remedied soon.

SMMC General Director Kees Klarenbeek told The Daily Herald in an exclusive interview on Thursday that the institution is currently operating in the red, with its accounts some NAf Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The third day of IPKO meetings concluded on Wednesday afternoon, Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams said in a press release.  The first day was dedicated to the 3 parliaments (Tripartite meet) of the Caribbean countries, Curacao, Aruba and St. Maarten.

In addition to reverting back to the previous Tripartite of April 2014, the 3 delegations approved and signed a resolution to promote sports in general amongst the 3 countries, but also sports for the disabled Read more

Third Day Of Ipko Meetings Conclude Tuesday

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - St. Maarten, Aruba and Curacao wrapped up the third day of meetings Tuesday in an IPKO setting.

Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams who is also the DP faction CKAIR chairperson confirmed that in addition to reverting back to the previous Tripartite of April 2014, the 3 delegations approved and signed a resolution to promote sports in general amongst the 3 countries, but also sports for the disabled Read more

New Year’S Message Sarah Wescot-Williams: Focus On Climate Change And Flexible Labor Market

St. Maarten – A flexible labor market is one of the priorities the opposition Democratic Party has in the crosshairs for 2015, party-leader Sarah Wescot-Williams wrote in a belated New Year’s message. Climate change, ageing and electoral, financial and fiscal reform are other issues the party intends to champion.

“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us” (Hal Borland, American author and journalist) Read more

Positive first day of IPKO, integrity discussed at length

THE HAGUE/ORANJESTAD--Chairman Jeroen Recourt of the Dutch delegation taking part at the Inter-Parliamentary Consultation of the Kingdom IPKO in Aruba this week said on Tuesday, that he looked back at a successful first day with very positive talks on integrity in government.

Delegations of the Parliaments of Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten and the Netherlands spoke elaborately about integrity in government on Tuesday. "The atmosphere was positive and the discussion very constructive, despite the sensitivity of the subject," Recourt told The Daily Herald.

Recourt was positive about the presentation by Chairlady of the Permanent Committee for Kingdom Affairs and Inter-Parliamentary Relations Sarah Wescot-Williams (DP) about the developments and improvements of her country in the area of integrity Read more

Budget preparation continues, no St. Maarten CFT member yet

PHILIPSBURG--The Ministry of Finance continues to work on the preparation of the 2015 budget. The draft budget is due in Parliament in the coming weeks in order for the Gumbs Cabinet to meet the January 31 deadline as set by the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT in December.

Finance Minister Martin Hassink is said to be diligently working on the draft budget

with the goal of meeting the January 31 deadline. As a minister in the Wescot-Williams III Cabinet that demitted office in late December, Hassink has requested more time to get the budget in line with the regulations set out in the kingdom law.

The budget should have been established by Parliament since December 2014 Read more

Ipko Parties Agree On Need To Meet More Often

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Inter-parliamentary Kingdom Consultation involving the parliaments of Aruba, Curacao and St. Maarten is well under way in Aruba.

During their first session on Monday, the law makers expressed the need to meet on a more regular basis to discuss issues of importance for the three countries.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Member of Parliament and leader of the Democratic Party of St Read more

Editorial - Not if, but how

Mention of the counterpart policy in Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs’ New Year’s speech has led to several reactions. The idea for such a mandatory regulation when employing expatriates has been contested from the start, because of the feared detrimental effect on the local business community.

Then again, that the policy would be part of the incoming cabinet’s plans was to be expected, especially as now-independent (former DP) parliamentarian Cornelius de Weever had cited the intention to leave such out of a governing programme for the originally envisioned NA/US/DP combination as his main reason to “jump ship” and support a UP-led coalition instead Read more

Today’S Predictions For The New Year: Still No Waste-To-Energy Plant, No Plastic Bag-Ban, No New Hospital

St. Maarten / By Hilbert Haar – “It seems almost too easy: predict what will and what will not happen in St. Maarten in any given year.” that was the first sentence of the article we published exactly a year ago about our predictions for the New Year – and it is still true. Our headline read “Emilio Wilson estate purchase but no waste-to-energy plant.” Needless to say, both predictions were on the mark.

The Today newspaper made its first predictions in 2010, when we looked ahead at 2011 Read more

Integrity committee one of main priorities for DP

PHILIPSBURG--Electoral, financial and tax reform, and having an integrity committee of Parliament are amongst the priorities the Democratic Party (DP) will champion this year.

In the party's New Year message issued on Sunday, DP Leader Sarah Wescot-Williams said the vision of the party is for Parliament to become more in tune with the realities of what is taking place in the community Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- A delegation of six Members of Parliament (MPs) will be representing Sint Maarten at the Inter-parliamentary Kingdom Consultation in Oranjestad, Aruba from January 6 to 9.

On Monday, January 5, the Presidents of the three parliaments within the Kingdom of the Netherlands will have their Tripartite Meeting at the House of Parliament of Aruba, namely Aruba's President Hon. Marisol Lopez-Tromp, Curacao's President Hon. Marcolino 'Mike' Franco, and President Hon. Dr. Lloyd Richardson representing Sint Maarten Read more

Parliamentary Delegation Departs Over The Weekend For Aruba To Attend Inter-Parliamentary Kingdom Consultation

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – A delegation of six Members of Parliament (MPs) will be representing Sint Maarten at the Inter-parliamentary Kingdom Consultation in Oranjestad, Aruba from January 6 to 9.

On Monday, January 5, the Presidents of the three parliaments within the Kingdom of the Netherlands will have their Tripartite Meeting at the House of Parliament of Aruba, namely Aruba's President Hon. Marisol Lopez-Tromp, Curacao's President Hon. Marcolino 'Mike' Franco, and President Hon Read more