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PHILIPSBURG:--- The entire top brass of Parliament has flown off to Curaçao, for the entire week of January 9th, to attend the Tripartite meetings and the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (IPKO).
While the President of Parliament, MP Sarah Wescot-Williams, and First and Second Vice Presidents, MP drs. Rudolphe Samuel and MP Frans Richardson, respectively, are off island, the Parliament of Sint Maarten is left without a leader Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Based on the recent appointment of Rafael Boasman as Minister of Justice, the Ministry has received concerns from the unions and media regarding the mediator position. Minister of Labor Emil Lee provided clarity on the situation at Wednesday’s press briefing.

Currently, the Ministry of VSA is in the process of establishing a pool of mediator, as opposed to a full-time mediator Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Health Emil Lee explained to members of the media that the only reason no one from government or USZV are not speaking or doing anything with the plans of the New Hospital is because they are respecting the decision of the court which prohibits USZV and SMMC from moving forward with the agreement they have with INSO Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The country St. Maarten did not receive its share of monies from the division of assets which is due to St. Maarten since the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010. In responding to a question posed by SMN News Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr said that St. Maarten is supposed to collect NAF67M, some seven million from the SAO foundation which is now dormant Read more

PHILIPSBURG: --- Minister of VROMI Christopher Emmanuel and the department of VROMI are working closely to find solutions for several issues that are plaguing the island. Emmanuel told members of the media at the weekly press briefing that he held a very fruitful meeting with the department of VROMI and the head of maintenance Claudius Buncamper Read more

Three New Mps Sworn In Tuesday

 HARBOUR VIEW--Governor Eugene Holiday on Tuesday administered the oath to the three new National Alliance (NA) Members of Parliament (MPs) Romeo Pantophlet, Read more

Independent Mediation Bureau To Be Established

PHILIPSBURG--Government is looking to establish an Independent Mediation Bureau with a pool of mediators whose services can be secured to mediate labour related matters.

The establishment of the bureau is expected to reduce the current situation where the provision of mediation services is affected if the sole mediator in service of government is unavailable. Rafael Boasman, who had been serving as mediator was recently appointed as Minister of Justice.

The Cabinet of Labour Minister Emil Lee said the Assistant Mediator is currently holding the position in Boasman’s absence Read more

Governor Holiday Swears In Three New Mps

Harbour View – On Tuesday, January 10, 2017, Governor Eugene B. Holiday administered the oath to new Members of Parliament Romeo Pantophlet, George Pantophlet and

Hyacinth Richardson at the Governor’s Cabinet Read more

Ministry Of Vsa Congratulates Recipients On Being Sworn In

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten  – The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Emil Lee and by extension the entire Ministry would like to congratulate Kawieta Baboeram- Perk, Natalia caraman and Zoraida Magdalena Spanner on being sworn in as Health Care Practitioners on St. Maarten.

All three took the oath as Pharmacist’s Assistants Read more

Harbour View:--- On Tuesday, January 10, 2017, His Excellency Governor Eugene B. Holiday administered the oath to new Members of Parliament Mr. Romeo Pantophlet, Mr. George Pantophlet and Mr Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Emil Lee and by extension the entire Ministry would like to congratulate Kawieta Baboeram- Perk, Natalia caraman and Zoraida Magdalena Spanner on being sworn in as Health Care Practitioners on Sint Maarten. All three took the oath as Pharmacist’s Assistants. With this first step these three health care professionals are moving forward to ensuring that the Sint Maarten population is provided with quality service and appropriate health care Read more

Culinary Fame

The annual gastronomy festival, Fete de la Cuisine, held every November, continues to give the country exposure in the Netherlands. The latest was in De Telegraaf. A number of articles have been published in Dutch newspapers and television programmes which bring invaluable exposure to St. Maarten as a culinary and vacation destination. The annual festival is organized by Henri Brookson Read more

Jean-Louis Turquin Murdered In Mont Vernon, French Saint Martin

The death of Jean-Louis Turquin, convicted in 1997 in Nice for the assassination of his son

Sentenced in Nice to 20 years of imprisonment for the murder of his 8-year-old son, Jean-Louis Turquin was shot dead in the night from Friday to Saturday.

SAINT MARTIN/GUADELOUPE – Jean-Louis Turquin, convicted in Nice (Alpes-Maritimes) in 1997 for the murder of his son, was found dead with a bullet in his back during the night from Friday to Saturday, January 7, on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin, it was learned from Basse-Terre (Guadeloupe) Read more

Delegation Leaves For Ipko In Curaçao

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten РFrom January 10-13, 2017 delegations from the Parliaments of the Netherlands, Cura̤ao, Aruba and St. Maarten will be meeting in Cura̤ao for the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (IPKO).

The four parliamentary delegations will be discussing a number of issues that include economic opportunities, energy and climate change, the vision for the ideal Kingdom in 2040, youth, issues with pension (AOV/AWW) of students, double language test, right of initiative for Kingdom laws for the Parliaments of Curaçao, Aruba and St Read more

Delegation Leaves For Tripartite And Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (Ipko) In Curaçao.

From January 10-13, 2017 delegations from the Parliaments of the Netherlands, Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten will be meeting in Curaçao for the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (IPKO).
The four parliamentary delegations will be discussing a number of issues that include economic opportunities, energy and climate change, the vision for the ideal Kingdom in 2040, youth, issues with pension (AOV/AWW) of students, double language test, right of initiative for Kingdom laws for the Parliaments of Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten, status of the Kingdom law on Dispute regulation, integrity, Constitutional Court and health care Read more

Prison Director Rohan Continues To Work While Being Investigated

~ Justice Minister remains mum ~

PHILIPSBURG--Pointe Blanche prison Director Edward Rohan remains a suspect in a criminal investigation by the National Detectives agency and the Prosecutor’s Office. Rohan was implicated as a suspect when it was discovered that he had provided a list of eligible voters at the prison to Member of Parliament Silvio Ma Read more

Council Of Advice Not Positive On Expansion Of Constitutional Court

PHILIPSBURG--There is no need to expand the scope of the Constitutional Court to tackle disputes between Parliament and the Council of Ministers, because there are sufficient existing institutions to handle such, the Council of Advice said in a response to an initiative draft law submitted by Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament Sarah Read more

Wescot-Williams: 2017 – A Year Of Challenges And Opportunities

Video Press Conference: Chairperson of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams

PHILIPSBURG – During her first press conference for 2017, on Thursday, January 5, Chairperson of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams wished all a prosperous, Happy New Year.

She deemed 2017, “a year that’s really facing challenges, but also a year of opportunities and it behooves all of us to look for and seize those opportunities.”

She reflected on the elections of September 26, 2016 Read more

Parliament Building Lease To Be Renewed

PHILIPSBURG--The lease on the Parliament House on Wilhelminastraat will very likely be renewed by Government. The current lease, costing taxpayers some US $96,000 per month, will expire in September.

  Despite Parliament having an Ad Hoc Committee for the preparing and building of an actual Parliament House, not much has been done in the past years. Land still has to be identified for such a building along with financing for the project.

  Parliament Chairwoman Sarah Wescot-Williams said on Friday: “Clearly, we are not going to have a new Parliament Building by the time the lease runs out and so we are going to have to negotiate a possible extension of the lease of this building.”

  Parliament has been operating out of the former Caribbean Palm building at the corner Front Street and Wilhelminastraat since 2011 Read more

Cnn: Fort Lauderdale Airport Shooting: Multiple People Killed, Suspect In Custody

(CNN) Gunshots erupted at the Fort Lauderdale airport on Friday, leaving multiple people dead.

Authorities say the gunman, who appeared to be acting alone, is in custody. Here’s the latest on what we know: • Five people are dead, and 13 injured people were transported to hospitals, Broward County Mayor Barbara Sharief told CNN. • Multiple reports on social media — including tweets from former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer — described the shooting. • Gene Messina told CNN he’d arrived at the airport as people were being evacuated from the terminal. “I got off the plane and I saw people running and screaming,” he said Read more

Govt. To Host 12Th Annual National Day Of Prayer

PHILIPSBURG – The 12th annual National Day of Prayer will be held this Sunday, January 8, 2017 in front of the new Government Administration building under the theme: “Lord, give us vision that we may prosper.”

The ecumenical service will begin at 5:30pm with Praise and Worship led by the Harmonics Team and Band.

The Order of Service includes a call to worship and invocation. Renditions will be done by the church choir of the Seventh Day Adventist Church as well as the Love and Grace Youth choir.

Intercessory prayers for: Government, economic stability, against crime and violence, the family, the youth and protection, will be offered by a member of the clergy, together with the various persons from the different churches, while Reverend Jaediene Meade will give the sermonette.

Prime Minister William Marlin will offer remarks, followed by a word of thanks by a representative of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Affairs.

The National Day of Prayer is observed annually on the second Sunday in January, with an invitation to people of all faiths to pray for the nation Read more

Update: Four New Mps To Be Sworn In Soon

~ Credentials to be checked today ~

PHILIPSBURG--The four vacant seats in Parliament will soon be filled. The four persons to whom the seats were offered by the Central Voting Bureau by virtue of the votes they gathered on their parties' slates have accepted their posts.

Voting Bureau Chairman Jason Rogers told The Daily Herald that as of Thursday morning all four had accepted their seats to serve as Members of Parliament (MPs).

Perry Geerlings of the Democratic Party (DP) had not yet accepted his seat up to late last Wednesday night.

Now that Geerlings has accepted the seat, Rogers will inform Parliament of his acceptance Read more

Ruling Party Calls On Former Pm And Finance Minister To Explain Their Role In Banking Scandals

ST JOHN’S, Antigua  –  The ruling Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) Wednesday called on former prime minister Baldwin Spencer and the former finance minister, Harold Lovell, to explain their roles in at least two banking scandals it claimed occurred under their stewardship while in government between 2004 to 2014.

The ALBP said that it had taken note of a New Year statement by Spencer talking about “banking scandals” and putting a “negative world spotlight” on Antigua and Barbuda.

It recalled that Spencer was at the head of the government when the first international banking scandal occurred under R Allen Stanford and during the period of the Meinl Bank money laundering operations.

The ruling party said it is now calling on both Spencer and Lovell, who now heads the main opposition United Progressive Party (UPP) to indicate what or any links they may have had “to the Brazil Oldebrecht saga now occupying international headlines, including the purchase of Meinl Bank in 2010”.

Last month, Prime Minister Gaston Browne announced the dismissal of an honorary consul as his administration continues its investigations into claims linking it to corrupt activities related to the Brazilian multinational, Odebrecht S Read more

Four New Mps To Be Sworn-In Soon

PHILIPSBURG--The four vacant seats in Parliament will soon be filled. The four persons to whom the seats were offered by the Central Voting Bureau by virtue of the votes they gathered on their parties' slates have accepted their posts. 

  Voting Bureau Chairman Jason Rogers told The Daily Herald as of this morning all four had accepted their seats to serve as Members of Parliament  (MPs). 

  Up to late last night, Perry Geerlings of the Democratic Party (DP) had not yet accepted his seat, Rogers had told the paper on Wednesday night. 

  Now that Geerlings has accepted the seat, Rogers will inform Parliament of his acceptance Read more