Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
Vote Buying Case Heads Back To Court — No Proof Of Class JusticeÂ
St. Maarten – The vote buying case, commonly called the “Masbangu case†was referred back to the Court of first instance by the Court of Appeal in a verdict rendered yesterday. The case was dismissed by the Court of First Instance when the judge ruled that trying the persons who allegedly sold their votes and not trying the person to whom they are accused of selling their votes smacked of class justice.
The case concerns charges brought against four persons who were accused of selling their votes to the UP in 2010 and were brought before a judge in 2012, following which the case was postponed and continued on August 24th of last year, just after the 2014 elections Read more
Vote-buying case to go back to Court of First Instance for retrial
PHILIPSBURG--The Joint Court of Justice referred the so-called "Masbangu" case, involving selling or buying votes on behalf of United People's (UP) party in the September 2010 election, to the Court of First Instance on Tuesday for retrial.
The Court of First Instance declared the Prosecutor's Office's cases against these men inadmissible in August 2014, because it had failed to also investigate the roles of UP and its leadership in the scheme.
Initially, the case involved five suspects, but one of these persons passed away in June 2014.
The case concerns (former) officers of the then-Police Force of St Read more
Corallo says opening of Starz is ‘first step’ of ‘bigger project’
CUPECOY--The Atlantis Group inaugurated its Starz City concept and celebrated the rebranding of Atlantis Casino to Starz Casino on Friday.
The rebranding of the casino marks the "first step" of a bigger project that will include a hotel and commercial centre.
A large cross section of the community, including several dignitaries, attended the inauguration of Starz City. Atlantis World Group owner Francesco Corallo told The Daily Herald during the inauguration that plans were afoot to construct a 120-room hotel and commercial centre in the area.
"We have to upgrade our product and that is what I try to do myself with my small environment," Corallo said in a brief interview Read more
Survivors triumphant in Children, Grand Parade
Winning adult troupe Jasmine Philips’ Survivors dance their way through Front Street. (Darlene Hodge photo)
PHILIPSBURG--Survivors by Jasmine Philips won in both sections of the Children and Grand Carnival Parade held Thursday and the Labour Day Parade on Friday. Brightly coloured troupes in elaborate and diverse costumes once again danced their way to Carnival Village in the season’s annual highlights.
“The SCDF [St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation – Ed.] is very happy with the turnout of the Grand Carnival Parade 2015 Read more
CUPECOY:--- Over three thousands persons across St. Maarten/ St. Martin were invited on Friday night to the grand opening of the newly rebranded Atlantis Casino. Businessman Francisco Corrallo told SMN News that the opening of the Starz Casino and more is a new beginning for the business he managed over the years Read more
Chief Prosecutor Ton Maan: “The Word Class Justice Has Hurt Us A Lotâ€
Chief Prosecutor Ton Maan: “We have indicated to the Minister of Justice that the prostitution policy violates international treaties.†Photo Today / Hilbert Haar
St. Maarten – “The word class justice has hurt us a lot and the effect is that you are almost going to have reverse class justice whereby you are inclined to prosecute dignitaries sooner than criminal citizens, if only to prove that you are not practicing class justice. That is not good either,†Chief Prosecutor Ton Maan says Read more
Court hears appeal in vote-buying case
PHILIPSBURG--The Joint Court of Justice on Thursday heard the Prosecutor's appeal in the case against four persons allegedly involved in selling or buying votes on behalf of United People's (UP) party in the September 2010 election.
In August 2014, the Court of First Instance declared inadmissible the Prosecutor's Office's cases against these men because it had failed to also investigate the roles of UP and its leadership in the scheme 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.
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
Integrity Chamber Meets Resistance From Coalition
St. Maarten – The draft ordinance for the establishment of St. Maarten’s Integrity Chamber met with unexpected opposition from within the governing coalition yesterday. Members of the opposition also expressed their doubts. Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs said that he is facing a May 5 deadline. On that date, the Dutch Council of State renders judgment on the advice the Kingdom Council of Ministers has requested about a looming instruction for St Read more
Halley land saga heard by Petitions Committee
~ 'Something wrong,' way forward to be determined ~
PHILIPSBURG--Marlon Halley, supported in particular by community spokesperson Yvette Halley, had the transfer of land rights plaguing him heard by Members of Parliament on Thursday during a Petitions Committee meeting at Parliament House.
The meeting was the result of a petition submitted March 4 that called for Parliament to thoroughly investigate "fishy business" surrounding the land deal that entailed government taking ownership of the land where Marlon Halley has operated a business for some 28 years, and long-leasing it to developers without his knowing Read more
MPs share concerns on integrity chamber, but open to discussion
~ Expect more answers on Friday ~
PHILIPSBURG--"Looking forward to further discussion" was the point Members of Parliament (MPs) reached on Wednesday night after hearing answers to shared main points of concern given by Justice Minister Dennis Richardson during a public meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on the draft National Ordinance for the establishment of an Integrity Chamber for St. Maarten.
Although many individual questions had been posed, paired with statements of concern about what the Ordinance will mean for St 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
Prime Minister says draft law to Establish Integrity Chamber is not to please the Dutch Government.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs made clear to Parliament on Wednesday that the draft ordinance to establish the integrity chamber on St. Maarten is not to please the Dutch Government. Prime Minister Gumbs reminded the members of parliament that the parliament of St Read more
Bosman’s statement about De Weever was illegitimate
~ Court rejects demand for rectification, compensation ~
THE HAGUE--The Court in The Hague has qualified the statement of Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament André Bosman of the liberal democratic VVD party about Member of the St. Maarten Parliament Cornelius de Weever as "illegitimate." However, Bosman does not have to rectify his statement and does not have to pay damages.
The Court deemed a rectification in the newspapers no longer appropriate considering the time that has passed since Bosman's statement, which initially appeared in the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf on September 29, 2014, and was repeated in The Daily Herald, Today newspaper and Amigoe one day later.
In the De Telegraaf article Bosman was quoted as saying that De Weever had been "simply bought" by United People's (UP) party leader Theo Heyliger to leave the Democratic Party (DP) and support the UP Read more
Ten Seat Majority lacks Quorum for Central Committee Meeting.
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
Opinion: Transparency
Opposition politics is one part criticism and one part coming up with better ideas than the government has to offer. We’re not into politics for dummies, but we do wonder at times about the way our politicians are going about their business.
We’re living in a time where integrity and transparency are on everybody’s mind. For as long as we remember, politicians have opted to speak in veiled terms about any subject they touch – in the former Island Council, in parliament and also during press conferences.
That’s what we’d call old-school politics Read more
PHILIPSBURG:--- With the political shambles within the United Peoples Party several persons such as Minister of TEATT Claret Connor and UPP candidate Julian Rollocks do not know what tomorrow will bring for them Read more
NA calls for a ‘unified approach’ from Govt.
PHILIPSBURG--The United People’s (UP)-led coalition has failed to show exactly what it is ready for, as its election campaign “We Ready†stated, said National Alliance (NA) Members of Parliament on Wednesday. They called on the governing coalition to present a “unified approach,†to table its long-overdue governing programme and appoint the two missing ministers.
NA leader MP William Marlin said at a press conference in Parliament House on Wednesday that UP members had proven only they were ready to take care of themselves and “to cut more deals and use the infrastructure†for their own personal enterprises.
In his estimation, UP is not ready “to bring much needed changes†to the country’s infrastructure and to tackle social ills Read more
EXCLUSIVE: Rainforest Adventure got steal of a deal in Long Least at Emilio Wilson Estate.
PHILIPSBURG: --- Rainforest Adventures allegedly got what one could describe as a steal of a deal from the interim Minister of VROMI Marcel Gumbs and Leader of the United Peoples Party Theodore Heyliger.In an advice it is stated that Rainforest Adventures will get 375,000 square meters land in long lease at the Emilio Wilson Estate that the Government of St 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:--- The four members of parliament from the National Alliance faction told reporters during a press briefing on Wednesday that they would like to know what the United Peoples Party was ready for when they campaigned in 2014 Parliamentary elections and won seven of the 15 parliamentary seats 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