SXMElections.com

Chairperson of Parliament Rolando Brison and MP Sarah Wescot-Williams 

~ Sarah: Its difficult to accept as miscommunication ~

PHILIPSBURG--Chairperson of Parliament Rolando Brison apologised to United Democrats (UD) Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams on Thursday for inaccurate statements he made on a radio station suggesting that Wescot-Williams had contracted a Dutch firm in Groningen for more than 20,000 euros to provide advice about how to handle the suspension of former MP Theo Heyliger.

  The information from Brison was incorrect, as 2,722 euros was the amount paid to the law firm Read more

Multiple Shots Fired At Man On A Scooter

The scene of the shooting as detectives collected forensic evidence.

ST. PETERS--A barrage of gunfire rang out on St. Peters Road around 2:45pm Friday, as a would-be killer attempted to end the life of a man on a scooter.  

  The shooting took place in the vicinity of Santos Bakery. Sources at the scene told The Daily Herald that a man wearing a white shirt and brown pants walked up to another man on a scooter and fired multiple times at close range. He then fled the scene on foot.

  Residents in the area reported that they heard at least 8 gunshots Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The second batch of COVID-19 vaccines has arrived in St. Maarten today Friday, March 19th, 2021. Minister of Health Richard Panneflek was at the Princess Juliana International Airport when the shipment arrived.

Read more

Emmanuel And Usp Congratulates Garrick Richardson.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Friday said the appointment of Garrick Richardson as Secretary-General of Parliament was well deserved, and that Richardson is an efficient professional with whom he has had the pleasure of working.

Richardson was appointed on March 19 after holding the position in an acting capacity for some time. MP Emmanuel said Richardson has an extensive and impressive education and professional background.

Richardson holds a Masters Degree of Law, a Masters Degree of Legislation and a Bachelors of Law from the University of Tilburg and Hoogeschool Leiden Read more

 Revolutionized Celebrity Millennium to set sail on June 5 Announcement is such a significant moment for company, St. Maarten, and the Caribbean

MIAMI:--- Celebrity Cruises announced its long-anticipated return to cruising today, as company President and CEO, Lisa Lutoff-Perlo confirmed that the revolutionized Celebrity Millennium, the ship at the forefront of the fleets $500 million modernization program and featuring the exclusive open-air hideaway The Retreat, will homeport in the tropical paradise of St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The US$12 million Digital Government Transformation Project was approved by the Sint Maarten Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience Trust Fund. This project aims to enhance the access, efficiency, and resilience of public services for citizens and businesses.

Given Sint Maartens vulnerability to natural disasters, business continuity and systems resilience are critical. Bringing key government services online can make the country more resilient to future disasters, while also making citizens and businesses daily lives easier, said Michelle Keane, World Bank Program Manager for the Sint Maarten Trust Fund.

The project will finance digital platforms and associated institutional, regulatory reforms to lay the foundations for digital government Read more

Checking On Water Supply

Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor VSA Richard Panneflek (centre), accompanied by his legal advisor Lyndon Lewis, conducted working visits to the three water plants in St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Detectives arrested Officer Fabian Perez-Torres early Friday morning as they continue to probe the investigation of the stolen vehicles that were upgraded by Minister of Justice Anna Richardson after SMN News published a string of articles regarding stolen vehicles on St. Maarten/ St. Martin.
Officer Fabian Perez-Torres a national of Curacao and Chille was fingered by Franklin Brison in mid-2020 when his vehicle was stolen and Perez-Torres was seen driving the vehicle on numerous occasions with one license plate Read more

Wuite Elected To Second Chamber

Jorien Wuite at the D66 debriefing session in the Second Chamber on Thursday.

THE HAGUE--Jorien Wuite, number twenty on the slate of the Read more

Goal For Airbnb To Collect 5 Per Cent Tax

Finance Minister Ardwell Irion.

PHILIPSBURG--The intention of an agreement being hammered out with homestay vacation rental marketplace Airbnb, is that the latter will collect a 5 per cent tax from renters in St. Maarten and transfer this on a quarterly basis to the government of St. Maarten, Finance Minister Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday, March 17, 2021, The Minister of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor (VSA), Richard Panneflek, accompanied by his Legal Advisor Lyndon Lewis had a working visit to the three water plants on St Read more

SABA:--- A total of 446 valid votes were cast during the Second Chamber elections on Saba on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Raymond Knops (CDA) was the biggest vote-getter with 180 votes. The only candidate from Saba in these elections, Lysanne Charles (BIJ1) amassed 105 votes.
The elections went well. I am content with the high turn-out, said Chairman of the Main Voting Bureau Island Governor Jonathan Johnson. In these elections the voter turn-out was 49.6%. Saba has 907 eligible voters Read more

Emmanuel: Prime Minister Must Explain Her Position On Petition

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs must explain her position on the petition submitted to the United Nations and added that the Chairperson of Parliament Rolando Brison as well as the initiator of the petition Grisha Marten-Heyliger, is busy undermining their own initiative.

MP Emmanuel reminded all Parliamentary factions that he had forewarned that they were playing a dangerous game with the Dutch government Read more

Higher Turn-Out On Saba, Cda Most Votes

SABA–A total of 446 valid votes were cast during the Second Chamber elections on Saba on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Raymond Knops (CDA) was the biggest vote-getter with 180 votes. The only candidate from Saba in these elections, Lysanne Charles (BIJ1) amassed 105 votes.

The elections went well. I am content with the high turn-out, said Chairman of the Main Voting Bureau Island Governor Jonathan Johnson. These elections the voter turn-out was 49.6%. Saba has 907 eligible voters Read more

Online Payments Soon For Road Tax, Work Permits

Finance Minister Ardwell Irion

PHILIPSBURG--Persons will soon be able to pay for their employment permits, motor vehicle (road) tax and electrical inspections online and receive a receipt right away.

Read more

Jorien Grabs 43 Per Cent Of St. MaartenS Votes

Dutch representative in St. Maarten Chris Johnson (second left) dumping the ballots on the table so that counting could begin. Photo by Dimetri Whitfield.

~ D66 big winner again ~

PHILIPSBURG--Of the 154 valid votes cast in Philipsburg for the Dutch Second Chamber of Parliament election, former St. Maarten Minister Plenipotentiary Jorien WuiteRead more

Emmanuel: Prime Minister Must Explain Her Position On Petition.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs must explain her position on the petition submitted to the United Nations and added that the Chairperson of Parliament Rolando Brison as well as the initiator of the petition Grisha Marten-Heyliger, is busy undermining their own initiative.

MP Emmanuel reminded all Parliamentary factions that he had forewarned that they were playing a dangerous game with the Dutch government Read more

PHILIPSBURG: --- Minister of VROMI Egbert Doran said at the Council of Ministers press briefing that the procurement for the solid waste contracts has come to an end. Doran said 5 contractors were awarded 5-year contracts for the period 2021 to 2026, these contractors will begin their work on April 1st, 2021.
The Minister said that the procurement was publicly tendered on February 2nd 2021since the current contracts will be coming to an end on March 31st. Doran explained that the ministry prepared new multi-annual contracts that will cover the duration of the 5-year contracts that were awarded for the period 2021 to 2026 Read more

PHILIPSBURG: --- Minister of VSA Richard Panneflek told members of the media on Wednesday during the Council of Minister's press bring that today March 17th marks one year since Sint Maarten reported its first case of COVID-19 on the southern side of the island.
Panneflek said this time last year there were a lot of unknowns with panic and fear seeping into public sentiment.

No one could have ever predicted how crippling COVID-19 would have been Read more

The Facts Regarding Sint Maarten Decolonization, Puerto Rico Is Fully Decolonized, But Not An Independent Country

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The Parliament of St. Maarten’s recent petitionto the United Nations regarding racial bias on the islands of the former Netherlands Antilles has come under great scrutiny by varying members of the public. As a matter of fact, the topic of decolonization seems to have caused a lot of anxiety, as well as, confusion amongst the general public which is quite understandable. When discussing and analyzing decolonization, it is imperative to focus on the facts presented by the United Nations, the United Nations Charter, and the Kingdom Charter. What Then Is Decolonization? In his letter of September 15, 2015, to the Dutch Prime Minister, Marcel Gumbs, along with the Prime Ministers of Aruba and Curacao recalled that the United Nations had great doubts about whether or not the Kingdom Charter had really brought about decolonization Read more

Cabinet Of The Minister Plenipotentiary Of Sint Maarten Hosts Virtual Election Debate

THE NETHERLANDS — On Friday March 12th, 2021, the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary in the Hague hosted an Election debate with Candidates of six political parties. The parties which were represented in this debate were BIJ1, represented by Ms. Lysanne Charles, UBUNTU (UCF), represented by Mr. Carlos Lopes, DENK, represented by Ms. Isaura Carillho, D66, represented by Drs. Jorien Wuite, Christen Unie, represented by Mr Read more

Cabinet Of The Minister Plenipotentiary Of Sint Maarten Hosts Virtual Election Debate

THE NETHERLANDS — On Friday March 12th, 2021, the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary in the Hague hosted an Election debate with Candidates of six political parties. The parties which were represented in this debate were BIJ1, represented by Ms. Lysanne Charles, UBUNTU (UCF), represented by Mr. Carlos Lopes, DENK, represented by Ms. Isaura Carillho, D66, represented by Drs. Jorien Wuite, Christen Unie, represented by Mr Read more

Cabinet Of The Minister Plenipotentiary Of Sint Maarten Hosts Virtual Election Debate

THE NETHERLANDS — On Friday March 12th, 2021, the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary in the Hague hosted an Election debate with Candidates of six political parties. The parties which were represented in this debate were BIJ1, represented by Ms. Lysanne Charles, UBUNTU (UCF), represented by Mr. Carlos Lopes, DENK, represented by Ms. Isaura Carillho, D66, represented by Drs. Jorien Wuite, Christen Unie, represented by Mr Read more

Stay-Over Visitors Figures Show Recovery Is Underway

Ludmila de Weever Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunications,

SINT MAARTEN, PHILIPSBURG The Sint Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB) says that the number of stay-over visitors to the destination is on the increase and this is a sign that recovery of the tourism sector is underway.

In the months of November, December, and January the destination welcomed 32,669 stay over arrivals Read more