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Pfp, Duncan Request Meeting To Continue Process To Adopt ParliamentS Code Of Conduct

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Party for Progress (PFP) Members of Parliament (MPs) Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson and independent MP Solange Duncan have requested a Central Committee meeting of Parliament to continue the process to adopt a Code of Conduct that MPs will be required to adhere.

There is a draft Code of Conduct already on the table Read more

Three MpS Request Urgent Meeting On Status Of Telem

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Members of Parliament Solange L. Duncan (Faction Duncan), Melissa Gumbs (PFP), and Grisha Heyliger-Marten (Faction Heyliger-Marten) recently sent a request to the second Vice-Chair of Parliament William Marlin for an urgent public meeting on the status of TELEM.

The meeting request includes three main agenda points, which are:

The original SOAB report of 2021 on TELEM Update on the financial status and overall fiber to the home project. The state of affairs related to the concerns about the working environment at TELEM as expressed by the Telecommunications Union.

Since the previous update, over one year ago, there has been little to no update or movement on Telem’s fttH project Read more

St. Maarten Drunk Driver Saga Part 1

On Saturday the 15th of October I was on my way to cheer for the St. Maarten ladies volleyball team in the ECVA competition. Unfortunately, I never made it to the game as I was struck by what would later turn out to be a drunk driver. Without diving into too much details, the police were on the scene quite promptly and all required information was taken from both parties. During the interaction with the Police the intoxicated driver was not allowed to operate his vehicle any further. This was reassuring to me as I was under the impression that once intoxicated, i.e Read more

Mp De Weever: Issues At Gebe A Matter Of National Security Now

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten — The Honorable Member of Parliament (MP) Ludmila de Weever sounded the alarm that the deafening silence coming from the management of GEBE is very concerning and requested an urgent public meeting. The meeting request was also supported by MPs Christophe Emmanuel, Melissa Gumbs, and Sarah Wescott-Williams Read more

Pfp: Vromi Minister Is Playing Stalling Tactics To Avoid Accountability

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Party for Progress (PFP) Members of Parliament (MPs) Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson are not surprised by the deliberate stalling tactics played by the Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Egbert J Read more

Gumbs, Peterson: President Of Parliament Does Not Speak For Pfp

~ Letter to Prime Minister is a masterclass in being tactless ~

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten — Party for Progress (PFP) Members of Parliament (MPs) Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson on Wednesday, April 28, 2022, distanced themselves and their faction from the statements made by President of Parliament Grisha Heyliger-Marten in a recent letter to Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs.

Gumbs expressed her frustration with the continued misuse of the position of the President of Parliament, adding that letters sent by the President of Parliament give the impression that the words and sentiments are on behalf of the entire Sint Maarten Parliament.
The President of Parliament is trying to shield herself by acting as if she is only sending the letter in her capacity as a lone MP, Gumbs commented, However, much like when former President of Parliament Brison blundered in his letter to the Central Bank, this is again an instance of not recognizing that, when you are the President of Parliament, your words reflect and often give the impression of being representative of the entire Parliament.

Moreover, in parts of Heyliger-Martens letter, the wording itself gives the impression of a unified Parliament standing behind its President Read more

Pfp Wants Answers About Failed Dutch Quarter Sewage Project

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — A.Th. Illidge Road – the main road in Dutch Quarter – has been in a deplorable state for many years, and the infamous Dutch Quarter Sewage Project has not made the situation any better.

This is the reason why Party for Progress (PFP) Members of Parliament (MPs) Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson sent a letter to Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Egbert J Read more

Pfp: GovtS Current Media Policy Sets Dangerous Dictator-Like Precedent Of Press Censorship

Faction Requests Committee General Affairs Meeting to Discuss

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Party for Progress (PFP) Members of Parliament (MPs) Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson took aim at the recently published Media Accreditation Policy 2022, calling the policy as contradictory, inflammatory, and improperly thought-out Read more

Pfp, Pantophlet & Wescot-Williams Request Urgent Cc On Cybersecurity

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Party for Progress (PFP) Members of Parliament (MPs) Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson – along with MPs George Pantophlet of National Alliance (NA) and Sarah Wescot-Williams of United Democrats (UD) – have requested an urgent central committee meeting of Parliament, following last weeks cybersecurity attack at government-owned company N.V Read more

Gumbs Questions Teatt Minister About Incomplete Port Supervisory Board

PHILIPSBURG The supervisory board of the Sint Maarten Harbor Group of Companies has been incomplete for almost 18 months, operating with three members shy of the minimally required five, according to the companys statutes.

This concerning state of affairs prompted Party for Progress (PFP) Member of Parliament (MP) Melissa Gumbs on Tuesday to send written questions to Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Roger Lawrence.

In September 2020, The Daily Herald newspaper advertised two vacancies for the supervisory board Read more

Closure Of Meeting Hampered Discussion Of Motion On Long-Lease Land, Says Pfp

~MPs to request public meeting~

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten —While creating a draft policy on long-lease land is commendable, Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Egbert J. Doran did not comply with the motion submitted by the Party for Progress (PFP) and passed by Parliament in October 2021. The follow-up meeting to discuss the resolutions that the motion brought forward was abruptly closed before it could truly start.

This is why several MPs – including PFP’s Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson – have requested a public meeting of Parliament to discuss the motions resolutions, especially in light of last weeks verdict of the Court of First Instance, which ordered the VROMI Minister to cease from issuing long-lease rights in Vineyard Heights Read more

Pfp: Passing Of 2022 Budget Marks A Low Point In Modern Sint Maarten History

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Despite having independent legal advice demonstrating that the countrys draft 2022 budget is in contravention of Sint Maartens Constitution, a majority of Members of Parliament (MPs) on Monday night still passed the draft legislation.

Party for Progress (PFP) MPs Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson were among the four (4) MPs who voted against the draft legislation.

The legal advice – which was discussed by MPs during Mondays public meeting of Parliament – was compiled and signed by former Secretary-General of Parliament Nancy Joubert, LL.M, on January 7, 2022 Read more

Government, Majority Of Mps Show Blatant Disregard For Sint Maarten Constitution, Says Pfp

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The eight Members of Parliament (MPs) who voted against a proposal to suspend voting on the countrys 2022 budget until after the next Kingdom Council of Ministers meeting have shown their blatant disregard for the Sint Maarten Constitution. This is what Party for Progress (PFP) MPs Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson had to say following Fridays public meeting of Parliament.

The proposal in question was brought forward by MP Gumbs on Friday afternoon during Parliaments handling of the countrys draft 2022 budget Read more

Pfp: Coalition Obsession With Pre-Clearance Is Disrespect For Airport Workers

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten Party for Progress (PFP) Member of Parliament (MP) Melissa Gumbs took aim at what she calls a constant push for United States (US) pre-clearance to be established Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA).

US pre-clearance allows US-bound passengers to clear customs before their flight Read more

Pfp Poses Questions About Vromi Tender Policy

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten Although on the surface the recently published Tender Procurement Policy for the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), published on 23 December 2021 in the Landscourant National Gazette, could be seen as a step in the right direction, the measure actually contravenes the countrys National Accountability Ordinance, thus making it illegal.

This grave concern motivated Party for Progress (PFP) Members of Parliament (MPs) Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson to submit official questions to VROMI Minister Egbert J Read more

Pfp Against Efforts To Silence Mps, Rush Through The 2022 National Budget

~ Faction proposes to extend debates into Parliament recess ~

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten With only one week left before Parliament goes on recess, Party for Progress (PFP) Members of Parliament (MPs) Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson are spearheading a proposal for MPs to continue working well into the holiday season.

The late submission of the countrys 2022 budget is the reason for the proposal Read more