SXMElections.com

Dp And Coppal To Rekindle Ties

PHILIPSBURG – During his recent visit to St. Maarten, Rudy Croes paid a courtesy visit to DP leader Sarah Wescot-Williams, also in his capacity as vice-chairperson of the Permanent Conference of Political Parties of Latin America and the Caribbean (COPPAL).

The Democratic Party (DP) is a long standing member of COPPAL, however, during the last few years, has been inactive as far as this regional political body is concerned.

COPPAL is an international organization of political parties in Latin America and the Caribbean Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG:--- Honorable Minister Christopher Emmanuel met with representatives of Vidanova in Curaçao to continue discussions regarding the 160 affordable homes. The discussions were very positive and Vidanova expressed how impressed they were with the affordable housing project. They are looking forward to realizing investments in Sint Maarten by funding these affordable homes, not only for their clients in Sint Maarten but as well as the eligible public Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Exclusive: Gebe Paid Tpi Trainer $21,000.00 For Training For Management Team.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Workers of GEBE are up in arms because they found out that the company paid the TPI (Natasha Gittens) some $21.000.00 for a two-day training that was held at the Westin Resort sometime in January 2017. The training was for the management team and some supervisors.
According to information received is that the Gittens has good “friendship” with the CEO of GEBE Kennrick Chittick. The workers further stated that GEBE is a sponsor of TPI but Gittens is now employed at GEBE and while she is paid an enormous amount of monies they cannot get an increase in salaries Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Exclusive: Minister Lee Committed Country To $200K To Sunwing Airline While Attending Cha Meeting In The Bahamas.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of VSA Emil Lee who represented St. Maarten in the Bahamas committed the country to giving Sunwing Airlines $200k in order for them to continue their marketing programme and also flying to St. Maarten without consulting with the Ministry of TEATT or Council of Ministers.
An email dispatched by Susan Oland, Director of Programme Development Sunwing, stated in an email that at no time they were told they would not get the monies and that they were asked to block certain media which they did since January and now they are left without the promised $200k
Oland further stated that the Minister told them at the CHA meeting that certain media were not to be part of the plan and they made the changes and blocked those media, now they are left without the financial support the Minister promised them Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Prime Minister Christie Promises Short Election Campaign

NASSAU, Bahamas – Prime Minister Perry Christie is promising a “sprint to the finish line,” as Bahamians await the date for the general election.

Prime Minister Christie, who leads his ruling Progressive Liberal party (PLP) into the polls, is expected to announce the election date on Tuesday after he advises the head of state to dissolve the Parliament paving the way for the vote.

Voters have up until 5.00 pm (local time) Monday to register for the election.

The PLP, which comfortably won the last general election in 2012 will face a challenge from the main opposition Free National Movement (FNM) and the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) for control of the 41-seat Parliament.

“I will be making the announcement and when it is made it is going to be a sprint to the finish line Read more

Marlin’S Remark To ‘Send In The Troops’ Condemned

THE HAGUE--The tone used by St. Maarten Prime Minister William Marlin last week when he stated that he would not cooperate with an Integrity Chamber and that The Hague should “send in the troops” if it wanted to force through its decision met criticism in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Tuesday.

---

Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG:--- During his recent visit to St. Maarten, Mr. Rudy Croes paid a courtesy visit to DP leader, Sarah Wescot-Williams, also in his capacity as vice-chairperson of the Permanent Conference of Political Parties of Latin America and the Caribbean (COPPAL).

The Democratic Party is a long-standing member of COPPAL, however during the last couple of years, has been inactive as far as this regional political body is concerned.
COPPAL is an international organization of political parties in Latin America and the Caribbean Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

 THE HAGUE:--- Minister Plenipotentiary Henrietta Doran-York met with officials of the Foundation Secondary Education Windward Islands (SVOBE), Mrs. Angela Richard-Huggins of Human Resources, and Mr. W.J.M. de Visser, who is also the General Director of the Milton peters College and Sundial School, during their working visit to the Netherlands.
Visser and Richards utilized the Sint Maarten’s Cabinet in The Hague to assess applicants for various subject areas for the upcoming school year 2017-2018 at the Milton Peters College (MPC) and the Sundial School on Sint Maarten.
Annually, the SVOBE representatives travel to The Netherlands in order to recruit new teachers for these schools Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

The Hague, Netherlands:---Students of the faculty of Tourism and Hospitality at the University of Sint Maarten (USM), during an orientation visit to the Netherlands, paid a courtesy call the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary in The Hague.
They were welcomed by the Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary, H.E. Mr. Hasani Ellis. The Deputy Minister after introducing himself and the staff of the Cabinet addressed the students briefly by providing useful information on the best practices he experienced, both while studying in the Netherlands and now in his tenure as Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Sarah: Plastic Bags Ban A Small, But Important Step

PHILIPSBURG--A ban on single-use plastic bags, particularly shopping bags, would be a small, but important step for the country in waste management and environmental care, said Democratic Party leader Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Smspa, S.E.L. Maduro & Sons, Discuss Tourism Packages For Small Hotels

 

PHILIPSBURG – The board of the St. Maarten Small Properties Association (SMSPA) had an introductory meeting with S.E.L. Maduro & Sons NV last week Monday, said Nzinga Lake, SMSPA president.

S.E.L. Maduro & Sons General Manager Sjaoel Richardson, and office manager Laura Louis represented the travel agency at the meeting with the association Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Wescot-Williams: Plastic Bags Ban A Small But Important Step

PHILIPSBURG – As part of her first stakeholders’ consultation, Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams met with Nature Foundation’s manager Tadzio Bervoets to discuss her proposal to ban the use of plastic bags.

As the MP already made clear, there is a draft initiative law in Parliament, dating back to 2014, seeking to address the same matter, however, in a more indirect way.

“My proposal is to amend the General Police Ordinance and prohibit the use of plastic bags Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG:--- The board of the St. Maarten Small Properties Association (SMSPA) had an introductory meeting with S.E.L. Maduro & Sons NV last week Monday, said Nzinga Lake, SMSPA president.
S.E.L. Maduro & Sons general manager Sjaoel Richardson, and office manager Laura Louis represented the travel agency at the meeting with the association Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Brussels:--- An international conference in Ponta Delgada, Azores, 12-­-13th April, will gather representatives of the European Union’s Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs)*, the government of the Azores, the European Commission and innovation experts to look at how innovation is spurring sustainable development in both groups of small islands and the scope for future initiatives. Mr. Jude Houston, Innovation Manager for St Maarten, will take part.

The event taking place at NONAGON -­- São Miguel Science and Technology Park is being organized by OCTA Innovation in cooperation with the Government of the Azores Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- As one of her first stakeholders' consultation, MP Sarah Wescot-Williams met with Nature Foundation's manager, Tadzio Bervoets to discuss her proposal to ban the use of plastic bags.
As the MP already made clear, there is a draft initiative law at parliament, going back to 2014, seeking to address the same matter, however in a more indirect way.
"My proposal is to amend the General Police Ordinance and prohibit the use of plastic bags" Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Update: Serious Motorbike Accident In French Quarter

~ Young man in critical condition ~

FRENCH QUARTER, Saint Martin – On Sunday afternoon, April 9, French SMUR paramedic were busy administering life-saving measures on a bike rider who had lost control of his bike, and landed between some container chassis.

According to information reaching 721news, a young man on a cross bike, was heading toward the Dutch side on the main road of French Quarter, when he lost control around t Read more

Antigua Dismisses Call For Commission Of Inquiry Into Odebrecht Scandal

ST JOHN’S, Antigua – The Antigua and Barbuda Government has dismissed the idea of a Commission of Inquiry into the on-going controversy related to the Brazilian multinational, Odebrecht SA, and the energy company, Petrobras scandal even as the opposition Friday held talks with the Governor General Rodney Williams on the issue.

Attorney General Steadroy Benjamin said the head of state cannot legally set up any Commission of Inquiry, saying “there is nothing in the law as I know it to give the authority to the Governor General to call a Commission of Inquiry.

“It is particularly clear and the case law establishes the fact any Commission of Inquiry must be triggered by the government Read more

Rotary Sunrise Celebrates It’S Members

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — As the Rotary Year 2016-2017 advances in this 4th quarter of the year, the Rotary club of St. Martin Sunrise celebrates it’s membership by highlighting a couple of persons each week. This is an effort that commenced in August last year as part of Rotary’s Membership Month., a month of significance when the club seeks various ways to motivate membership and reach out to potential new Rotarians.

In this profile highlight, Rotary Sunrise introduces two of our great members, Ms Read more

Exclusive:--- Is The Minister Of Vromi Sleeping On The Job? What Is Going With Chairman Of Gebe Supervisory Board, When Will Buncamper Be Appointed?

Was agreement signed with AES in Dominican Republic for L&G Gas?

PHILIPSBURG: --- It appears as though the Minister of VROMI Christopher Emmanuel is sleeping on the job. There are numerous matters that need the Minister’s attention at the Government owned company GEBE.
The Minister is supposed to appoint a member to the Supervisory Board, already he selected Claudius Buncamper for the position but it is understood that the Minister is being blocked by at least one member of the Council of Ministers to make the appointment Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG:--- The rumored ‘gag order’ supposedly intended to hamper the functioning of the inspectorate as described by SMN-News and certain Members of Parliament is far from the reality. Indeed, an MB or instruction was issued to the inspectorate with the sole objective of protecting the rights to privacy of patients and medical personnel as guaranteed in St Maarten's constitution. This MB was quite simply intended to further define how details on reports of patients and medical professionals are to be handled in order to protect individual's rights and the Ministry from any potential liabilities or additional court cases.

Based on a legal case of possible violation of patient and medical specialist right to privacy, which is now in court following a lawsuit by SMMC against the inspectorate, the Minister felt it was necessary to ensure that a clear public and transparent policy on how potentially private information would be released and under what conditions and procedures.
.
Although the inspectorate has an internal communication policy, due to concerns about current litigation, the Inspector General refused to provide a copy of the internal communication policy to the Minister Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG:--- As the Rotary Year 2016-2017 advances in this 4th quarter of the year, the Rotary club of St. Martin Sunrise celebrates its membership by highlighting a couple of persons each week. This is an effort that commenced in August last year as part of Rotary’s Membership Month., a month of significance when the club seeks various ways to motivate membership and reach out to potential new Rotarians.
In this profile highlight, Rotary Sunrise introduces two of our great members, Ms Read more

PHILIPSBURG:---The United St. Maarten (US) party will host a Family Fish-Fry and Soup Sale for the general public on Saturday, April 15. With a focus on “Soups by US”, the day will also feature activities for children and is being touted as an affair the whole family can enjoy.
It will be held at the USp headquarters property in Cul de Sac and will run from 10 am to 6 pm. “We simply wanted to do an event that brings two things we love together; family and local food,” the board of the USp said Read more

Sarah: “A Reset, Not A Retreat Is What Is Necessary As Far As The Relationship Between The Kingdom Government And St. Maarten Is Concerned”

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — I don’t remember a time that the relationship between these 2 entities has not been strained. Yes, we have had lulls, but the underlying currents have always been present. I remember the early years following the constitutional referendum of 2000, when the position of the Kingdom government was “no separate (read: country) status” for any entity in the Kingdom. You were either in or out!

10 years after our referendum, parties had managed to get out of that quandary to the cautious satisfaction of parties, it seemed Read more

Mission To Unify The Caribbean Islands Of The Dutch Kingdom

A delegation of ‘Nos Ke Boneiru Bek’ (We Want Bonaire Back) left for St. Maarten last week on a mission with the objective to unify the Caribbean islands of the Dutch Kingdom to counter arrest the division of the peoples that was created on 10-10-10 (October 10 2010) and start a new era of cooperation, collaboration and support and restore the ties of friendship and cooperation toward each other’s needs in particular.

This crusade started with a meeting with Rudy Croes, vice-president of COPPAL which recently in a meeting held in Mexico, affirmed that the International community will support and cooperate with the Dutch Caribbean islands, especially Bonaire and St Read more