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New Council Of Ministers Grants Half Days To Civil Servants

PHILIPSBURG – The newly sworn in Council of Ministers held their first meeting at the Government Building on Thursday morning, December 22.

Attending the meeting were: Prime Minister William Marlin; Minister of Finance Richard Gibson; Minister of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor Affairs Emil Lee; Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports Silveria Jacobs, and Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Christophe Emmanuel.

In its first meeting, the Council of Ministers took the decision, amongst others, to grant all civil servants “half day off” on December 23, and 30 where the service permits Read more

Age Bakker (Cft): “Budget 2017 Needs Close Monitoring”

PHILIPSBURG РThe Board of financial supervision Cura̤ao and St. Maarten (CFT) discussed the budgetary outcome for 2016 and the budget for 2017 with government officials.

CFT has not yet formally received the adjusted budget for advice. Based on the discussions it seems that the budget will be amended and sufficiently substantiated to be on the right track for 2017. However, progress still has to be made to keep the budget sustainable for the future.

Compared to 2016, the budget 2017 relies more on incidental income, such as contributions from government-owned entities Read more

Aps Makes Presentations To Finance Minister

CUL-DE-SAC – The offices of the general pension fund APS were on Monday, November 14, the venue for several presentations made to St. Maarten’s Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr., by officials of the pension fund.

The presentations marked the Minister’s first official visit to the APS offices, during which the latter was welcomed by APS Chairman of the board Franklyn Richards and Director Nadya van Putten Read more

De-Risking Solution Hit Snag As Dutch Islands Await Holland

PHILIPSBURG – The Dutch Caribbean islands are now facing a delay in resolving the de-risking issue facing banks in the Caribbean.

According to Minister of Finance Richard Gibson, the Dutch Caribbean islands have been asked by the US to get assistance first from the Dutch government before a solution can be pursued on this matter.

The Minister noted that the US commended the Dutch Caribbean islands and Jamaica for their approach to finding a solution to this problem Read more

St. Maarten Receives Dividends From Central Bank But Cannot Borrow

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — It’s a bitter sweet moment for the finances of the Government of St. Maarten.  The same week Minister of Finance Richard Gibson announced that the government has received dividends from the Central Bank, he also notified the public that the Dutch Government, under advice from the financial supervisory council (CFT) has prohibited St Read more

Voting Is Showing Politicians Their ‘Report Card,’ Says Residents

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Voters in today’s election say they are deciding to hold their leaders accountable by going to the polls. More than 20,000 people could cast the vote in Monday’s parliamentary election, the second in two years.

For resident Jefferson George, voting today meant exercising his right and guaranteeing himself a say in how the island is run.

“Now that I vote I can have a say, I can complain. If I didn’t vote, I would just have to accept what they give,” George told 721news.com.

He was among the trickle of voters trooping into the Raoul Illidge Sports Complex in Cay Hill after 1:00pm Read more

Frans Calls On Pm To ‘Shut Gibson Up’

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Leader of the United St. Maarten (US) party MP Frans Richardson on Monday night urged Prime Minister of St. Maarten William Marlin to finally “put to bed and shut up” Minister of Finance Richard Gibson who, according to Richardson, is “becoming rude and bold in this country.”

Marlin and Gibson

Richardson tore into Gibson during the USp’s public meeting on Monday night, chastising him for not taking care of workers in his places of business for many years, but quick to talk down colleague MP’s of the current coalition government Read more

Chinese To Develop 326-Room Hotel, 450 Apartments In Belair

Source: The Daily Herald

POND ISLAND–A 326-room hotel with a showroom and 450 executive apartments will be constructed on the Belair beachfront by a Chinese public-private venture. Plans for the “Pearl of China” project have already approved by Government and the ground-breaking for the project is slated for September 17, and should take some two years to complete.

This multi-million dollar project, for which the Chinese bought the land that was for the shelved Barbaron development, was announced by Finance Minister Richard Gibson Sr Read more

Los Chinos Construirán 326 Habitaciones De Hotel Y 450 Apartamentos En Belair

Traducido por Máximo Castro

POND ISLAND.– Un hotel de 326 habitaciones con una sala de exposición y 450 apartamentos ejecutivos serán construidos frente a la playa de Belair, por una empresa público-privada china. Los planes para el proyecto “Perla de China” ya ha aprobado por el Gobierno y el primer picazo para el inicio de la construcción del proyecto está programado para el 17 de septiembre y la construcción de este proyecto está planificado a terminarse en dos años.

Este proyecto de varios millones de dólares, para el que los chinos compraron la tierra, fue anunciado por el ministro de Finanzas Richard Gibson Sr Read more

Gov’T Will Have Final Say In Appointment Of Board Members To Government Owned Companies

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The Council of Ministers will now have the final say in the selection of board members for government owned companies and foundations. Minister Richard Gibson said this decision was taken by the Council of Ministers this week, due to the wanton appointment of board members to government owned companies with little or no input from the Council of Ministers.

“A decision was taken going forward that all appointees to all government corporations, foundations, will not take place without the consent and approval of the Council of Ministers,” Minister Gibson announced.

Minister Gibson suggested that the appointment of board members for quite some time has been done with no input from the government which is the main shareholder and that it was time this practice stopped.

“We have seen a tendency of people being appointed to government boards…that the Council of Ministers sit back and have no say in Read more

Sxm Has Balanced Budget For 2017

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — St. Maarten has a balanced budget for 2017, announced Minister of Finance Richard Gibson at the Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday. “For the first time in history, St. Maarten has presented a balanced budget for 2017 according to the stipulations in the law.

That budget has been presented to the Council of Ministers and it has been passed (Tuesday) by the Council of Ministers,” he said Read more

Foresee Thanks Finance Minister For Revisited Tax Legislation For Non-Profits

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — It’s with great pleasure and gratitude that the Foresee (4C) Foundation read the recent communication through our local media that the Minister of Finance has taken a firm decision to adjust the legislation on filing taxes, understandably under certain conditions.

Believing in the 4Cs of Communication, Collaboration, Creativity and Critical thinking, we sincerely thank all persons and entities who have played a crucial role in this process, “foreseeing,” recognizing and acknowledging the crucial role that non-profit NGOs and numerous volunteers make for the betterment of St Read more

New Draft Legislation To Extend Timeframe On Tax Arbitrary Assessment

PHILIPSBURG – A legislation is being drafted by Finance Minister Richard Gibson relating to arbitrary assessment of taxes.

“For instance, if in a normal course of event had you filed (taxes), you would have NAf. 1,000 bill to pay as far as taxes are concerned. But you didn’t file, the Tax Department can impose an arbitrary assessment and give (an assessment of) NAf Read more

Gov’T Looking To Retrieve Overdue Taxes From Smmc To Supplement 2017 Revenue

PHILIPSBURG – The Government of St. Maarten will be looking at ways to increase government revenue so as to meet targets ahead of the 2017 island budget.

Minister of Finance Richard Gibson in Wednesday’s, August 10, Council of Ministers press briefing identified two steps by the government to supplement the budget. One is casino fees indexation and the other is retrieving overdue taxes estimated at NAf Read more

Gibson Working On Resolving Division Of Assets Issue

PHILIPSBURG РMinister of Finance Richard Gibson was expected to meet with his counterpart in Cura̤ao on Wednesday, August 10, in Cura̤ao to finalize matters pertaining to the division of assets between St. Maarten and Cura̤ao, and for St. Maarten to gets its fair share.

Minister Gibson was expected to leave the island on Wednesday to meet with the Minister overnight and return to St. Maarten on Thursday morning – less than 24 hours later Read more

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 William Marlin.

  The inclusion of younger candidates shows the party’s vision for the future, according to Marlin, who presented the candidates Read more

Gibson: Review Performance Of Gov’T-Owned Companies

PHILIPSBURG – Minister of Finance Richard Gibson has called for a review of the performance of government-owned companies, especially as it relates to the salaries earned by directors of these companies.

He made the comments at the Council of Ministers press conference on Wednesday, July 20. He wants government-owned companies to present a policy on how its directors are paid, and to introduce a salary ceiling that should not be higher than what the Prime Minister earns.

“I don’t think that should be the case and I think government-owned companies will have to come with a policy for key positions in government-owned companies to determine what is being paid to directors, to top positions in government-owned companies and to make sure that the policy to come with that it has a ceiling, and the ceiling has to be that it cannot be higher than what the Prime Minister makes,” Minister Gibson said.

He called for a performance-based approach to the management of government-owned companies Read more

Ministry Of Finance Hosts Tax Summit 2016 Themed: “A Consensus To Collaborate”

DAWN BEACH – The Ministry of Finance called upon key (internal) stakeholders to take part in a critical discussion during the Tax Summit of Friday, June 17, to improve tax compliance.

In attendance were Prime Minister William Marlin, Minister Public Health Social Development and Labor Affairs Emil Lee, and Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports Silveria Jacobs, during the first hour as well as representatives of the various Ministries of Government and SZV, SOAB, SER, CFT, Ombudsman and Council of Advice.

“A lot of territory was covered Read more

Gibson: No Reason To Panic About Decline In Revenue

PHILIPSBURG – Minister of Finance Richard Gibson suggested that the financial situation of St. Maarten, in terms of government revenue, is not as bad as reflected in the first execution report of the first quarter of 2016.

The Committee for Financial Supervision for Curaçao and St. Maarten (CFT) had stated, in a letter dated June 8, to the Minister of Finance that the budget balance of the first quarter of 2016 had deteriorated by some NAf Read more

Leadercast 2016: Inspirational And Transformational

GREAT BAY – Local and aspiring leaders left the Belair Community Center inspired, invigorated and recharged after Leadercast, the world’s largest one-day leadership conference, broadcast live from Atlanta, Georgia, and simulcast to hundreds of locations around the world on May 6.

Leadercast was hosted by Victorious Living Foundation (VLF), which empowers, enlightens and reconciles individuals, couples, families, organizations and communities, for the fourth consecutive year. The local host for Leadercast was Andre Huie, the founding president of Youth to Xtreme (Y2X), Victorious Living’s youth wing Read more

Press Release From The Board Of The National Alliance

After the nonsensical press release of the UPP on Tuesday, which we must admit left us as a board a little confused, we would think that the UPP and independent members would try to save face by making a serious effort to work in the interest of the people.

We mean, a project that is clearly in the best interest of education and our youth, for the UPP to try to turn it into a political stunt is a show of desperation Read more

Mp Tamara Leonard Still Awaiting Answers From Gibson

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten (April 21, 2016) – United People’s (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Tamara Leonard has again written to Finance Minister Richard Gibson Read more

Cft Approves 2016 Budget

PHILIPSBURG – The Committee for Financial Supervision CFT has approved St. Maarten’s 2016 budget. Minister of Finance Richard Gibson said the CFT also commended him for making “significant improvements” in the budget.

Speaking at the Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday, April 20, the Minister said he had received a letter from CFT on Tuesday informing him of the approval and mentioned that it had “taken note of the significant improvement to the draft budget of St Read more

Gobierno Ahorrará Miles De Florines Al Mes Al Mudarse A Nuevo Edificio

Traducido por Máximo Castro

PHILIPSBURG – El gobierno espera ahorrarse NAf. 360.000 al mes, cuando mude sus departamentos al nuevo edificio administrativo que está ubicado en Pond Island.

El primer ministro William Marlin dijo el martes a los miembros del Parlamento (MP), durante una reunión del Comité Central que el Gobierno tenía una deuda considerable con el Fondo General de Pensiones APS y del Seguro Social y Salud SZV, y había recibido una instrucción que le obligaba a pagar esta deuda Read more