Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
It’S Election Day
By Alita Singh
PHILIPSBURG--The fate of the country of St. Maarten, just two weeks shy of its sixth birthday, and its 59,800 plus residents from more than 115 countries lies in the hands of 22,302 people. Those voters, privileged by birth or naturalisation with the Dutch nationality, head to the polls today, Election Day, to cast their ballots for one of the 125 candidates across the slates of nine political parties.
The number of eligible voters may change this morning when the Court of First Instance hands down its decisions on several petitions filed by people with Dutch nationality who registered in the Civil Registry after the Voters Register was closed on June 11 Read more
William: Na Delivers, Seeking 8-10 Seats To Continue Accomplishing
CUL DE SAC--Outlining some of the accomplishments the National Alliance (NA)-led government has delivered in its short nine months in office, NA Leader Member of Parliament (MP) William Marlin on Saturday called on the electorate to give the party eight to ten seats, so that it can continue accomplishing for the people of the country Read more
New Govt. Administration Building Opens, Ministers Have Relocated
~Govt. to save NAf. 350,000 to 400,000 monthly ~
POND ISLAND--After sitting unoccupied for eight years, the new Government Administration Building on Pond Island was opened during a ceremony held in front of the entrance on Friday.
Prime Minister William Marlin, Justice Minister Richard Gibson and representatives of Social and Health Insurances SZV and General Pension Fund Administrator APS cut the ribbon to declare the new government administration building open Read more
Marlin Guest At Guyanese Association Meeting Today
PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister William Marlin will be a guest at the St. Maarten Guyanese Association meeting at the association’s office at 158B Back Street, today Wednesday, September 14, from 7:00pm to 8:00pm.
Marlin will be addressing the meeting and will also be fielding questions from attendees. President of the St. Maarten Guyanese Association Neville Mars is encouraging the entire Guyanese community in St Read more
Union Keeps Justice Minister In The Dark And Meets With Prime Minister Instead
PHILIPSBURG--Prison Guards at the Pointe Blanche prison continued their industrial action and marched to the Government Administration Building to meet with Prime Minister William Marlin.
Marlin: Govt. Will Be Blamed If Protest Scares Off Chinese
PHILIPSBURG--Should protest against the Pearl of China project in Belair beachfront scare off Chinese investors, who are ready to pump millions of dollars into the development, it’s the current Government that will have to shoulder the blame for allowing such “a big project to get away,†said Prime Minister William Marlin on Wednesday.
Marlin was reacting to the negative backlash the announcement of the 326-room hotel with showroom and 450 apartments targeting Chinese investors has received from the public.
“Interesting would be that if the announcement comes that because of the protest that others are planning to engaging on, that these people say you know what Antigua is not too far from St Read more
Smmta Addresses Concerns On Lagoon Transfer To Ministers
PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten Marine Trades Association (SMMTA) has submitted a letter to both Prime Minister William Marlin and Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Ingrid Arrindell about its concerns about the possible transfer of all the waters of Simpson Bay and Simpson Bay Lagoon directly to Port St. Maarten.
Marlin To Meet With Cgc On ‘Misinterpretation’ Of Letters
PHILIPSBURG--The Corporate Governance Council (CGC) has requested an urgent meeting with Prime Minister William Marlin to discuss the possible misinterpretation of correspondences between the parties.
Dp Not Consulted On Move To Ask Cgc To Step Down
PHILIPSBURG--The Democratic Party (DP) said on Sunday that it was not consulted on the decision by Prime Minister William Marlin to ask members of the Corporate Governance Council (CGC) to make their positions available reportedly o Read more
Elshot: Unions To Follow Up On Request For Cola Workgroup
PHILIPSBURG--The various unions in St. Maarten still want a workgroup formed to work out the payment of the outstanding cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for civil servants and teachers.
Windward Islands Chamber of Labour Union (WICLU) President Claire Elshot told The Daily Herald on Tuesday that while the unions had not formally heard from Government on their joint letter to Prime Minister William Marlin requesting the formation of a workgroup for this purpose, she had heard unofficially that steps were being taken to have a workgroup formed Read more
No Mou Signed Yet, Dominican Republic
PHILIPSBURG--A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Dominican Republic and St. Maarten has been shelved for now.Due to time constraints of newly inaugurated Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina, the MOU could not be signed with St. Maarten Prime Minister William Marlin during Marlin’s working visit for the inaugura Read more
Ombudsman Presents List Of Civil Servant Bottlenecks
PHILIPSBURG--Ombudsman Nilda Arduin recently presented Prime Minister William Marlin with a summary of bottlenecks identified by civil servants during workshops hosted by the Ombudsmen of the kingdom held June 27 and 28.
National Alliance Wants 10 Seats For Stable Govt.
SUCKER GARDEN--The white party, National Alliance (NA), presented 23 candidates to its supporters at the new party headquarters in Sucker Garden on Sunday afternoon. The party will present its list on Monday, led by veteran politician and sitting Prime Minister Read more Candidates in this article:
Discussion About Joint Sewage Plant Continues
COLE BAY--Prime Minister William Marlin and a delegation of Government officials met with Préfète Déléguée Anne Laubies, representatives of the Collectivité of St. Martin and Louis Fleming to discuss the Territorial Cooperation Programme for St Read more
Marlin Challenges Supporters To Capture ‘Perfect 10’ Seats
DAWN BEACH--A full term of four years with a “perfect ten†seats was the mandate National Alliance (NA) leader Prime Minister William Marlin gave to supporters at the party’s congress held in The Westin St. Maarten Dawn Beach Read more
William Happy With Verdict On Integrity Chamber Law
PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister William Marlin is “happy†with the tossing out of the national ordinance establishing an integrity chamber by the Constitutional Court last week. Government’s Legal Affairs Department is reviewing the verdict to render an advice to the Council of Ministers on the way for forward.
Marlin told the press on Wednesday, a week after the verdict was rendered, the law “criminalized†the entire community, would have left people “guilty until proven innocent†and gave “far-reaching powers†to the people related to the chamber.
“We have to say ‘Thank God for the Constitutional Court,’†Marlin said Read more
Gebe Remains Mum On Continued Outages
PHILIPSBURG--Utilities company GEBE remains silent about the continued electricity outages plaguing the Dutch side of the island over the past days. Some residents have been experiencing as many as three or four outages on a daily basis.
The Daily Herald requested a comment from the company’s management about the outages, but no statement has been released since last week Monday, July 4, when it was stated that three engines that provide a total of 18 megawatts (MWs) of power were being repaired and/or overhauled.
This newspaper also contacted Prime Minister William Marlin for comment about the outages, as Government is the company’s shareholder Read more
Pm To Meet With Zagers On Gebe
PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister William Marlin said he will be calling temporary manager of utilities company GEBE Andrew Zagers to find out about the issues plaguing the company resulting in frequent power outages lately.
Marlin-Richardson Awarded Prins Bernhard Top Honour
PHILIPSBURG--The Prins Bernhard Culture Fund Caribbean Culture award was given to daughter of the soil Ihndhira Richardson-Marlin for her contributions over the years to the art of dance on the island. Governor Eugene Holiday and proud father Prime Minister William Marlin and his wife were present, among other guests. The event was held Read more
William: Lifting Cuba Embargo Not A Threat
HAVANA, Cuba--The lifting of the embargo on Cuba should not be seen as a threat to the Caribbean tourism product, but as a chance at new opportunities and increased regional cooperation and integration, Prime Minister William Marlin told fellow Caribbean heads, including Cuba President Raoul Castro Ruz, in the recent summit of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) held on Cuba Read more
Dutch Quarter Sewage Project Approved By Eu
DUTCH QUARTER--Dutch Quarter is another step closer to having a sewage treatment plant with the approval of European Union (EU) funding for the project. Prime Minister William Marlin announced the approval of the funding on Wednesday.
Marlin, Koto Have Amicable Meeting On Facebook Threats
~ Marlin clears air on election assumptions ~
PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister (PM) William Marlin and Rene “Koto†Wilson met on Thursday to discuss Wilson’s post on Facebook threatening to kill Marlin, his family and friends over assumptions that elections would be postponed.
Marlin said in a press release last night that he had called Wilson on Thursday afternoon and invited Wilson to meet with him at his office at 6:00pm to clear the air on statements made and Facebook postings Read more
Marlin Says Work Progressing On New Government Building
PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister William Marlin said on Wednesday that work is progressing on the new Government Administration Building on Pond Island.
Pm Marlin Met With Detectives On Threats
PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister William Marlin met on Wednesday with detectives looking into the threats made again him last weekend by social activist Rene “Coto†Wilson, who threatened to murder him along with coalition members, friends and family members.