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PHILIPSBURG:---- Last week Minister Emil Lee initiated a stepped up level of cooperation between the Dutch and French sides of the Island with regards to health care. “As St. Maarten continues with its plans for the development of a new hospital, determining the level of cooperation between the Dutch and French sides is a critical element of our development strategy” Minister Lee states.
“Our hope is that instead of two independent hospitals, struggling to provide quality care in a sustainable manner, that we synchronize our strategies.”
A formal cooperation agreement has existed since 2014 and is known as the Observatory St Read more

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Exclusive: William Brooks Approved Back-Pay For His Brother That Amounts To Over Naf 12,000.00.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Based on information reaching SMN News states that the former temporary manager William Brooks also approved NAF 12,000.00 which is "back-pay" monies he believed is owed to his brother from the year 2009. The source said that the payment is currently on hold while the internal audit is busy investigating some of the decisions taken by William Brooks while in office. SMN News further learnt that monies paid to Brooks was not due to him because he had some severe issues with the former management some of which ended up in court.
The source said that while the workers are saying that the vehicle bought for Brook’s brother was purchased just two weeks after he was hired.
As for GEBE Supervisory Board Government is busy working on getting the approval from the Corporate Governance Council to send home the board Read more

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Report submitted to Minister of Justice ---budget debate slows down the process.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister William Marlin again stated on Wednesday regarding the suspension of controls until government could get clarity on what exactly transpired at Maho Hotel. Marlin said from Thursday night the company began sending letters where they complained as to how the controllers acted Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Brian Deher, Managing Director of Dock Maarten NV, delivered a presentation to the Council of Ministers on Thursday February 8, 2016, where he officially requested that Government initiate a thorough investigation into the many issues that surround the Harbour Group of Companies, specifically the management decisions taken by CEO Mark Mingo and his aggressive and – taking into account the history of the case – incomprehensible stance against Dock Maarten’s marina expansion project.
According to Deher “During Mr Read more

Study Financing Repayment Drops After Former Pm Stopped Collection

PHILIPSBURG--The amount of study financing repayment Government received from recipients in 2015 plummeted significantly after former Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs stopped the collection efforts.

Govt. Plans To Cut Fleet Via Vehicle Allowance

PHILIPSBURG--Government is looking into the possibility of cutting its vehicle fleet cost by moving to the payout of a vehicle allowance to civil servants who are assigned a vehicle due to their position or contract.

Prime Minister/General Affairs Minister William Marlin said in Tuesday’s continuation of the budget debate in the Central Committee of Parliament instead of buying more vehicles, Government will look into moving to the issuance of a vehicle allowance at the maximum of NAf Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of VSA Emil Lee did not hesitate to inform the Members of Parliament on Tuesday when he reported to the Central Committee meeting to answer questions that the slashed budget that is being debated in parliament is what the current government inherited. Minister Lee said even though the Ministry of VSA is the Ministry that deals mostly with the lives of people they too had to suffice with the 10% cuts proposed by the Minister of Finance in order for him to be able to provide a balance budget for the year 2016, prior to the deadline while complying with the instructions given to former Government.
The Minister gave Parliament the figures of the unemployed, those figures he said came from statistics done in the year 2013 and at that time there were 1,900 people unemployed Read more

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Proposal Mp Tamara Leonard (Up): Drastic Cut In Political Salaries And Pensions

St. Maarten News: MP Tamara Leonard is the second MP in Country St. Maarten’s history to propose a pay-cut for parliamentarians. On January 16, 2014, former DP-MP Roy Marlin submitted a motion to cut salaries by 12 percent, after the draft budget showed that all members of the Council of Ministers had decreased their remuneration by 30,000 guilders for that year.

Marlin’s motion failed, because none of the other fourteen Members of Parliament supported it Read more

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Tony Harris Explores Celebrity-Marketing For St. Maarten

From left: Roddy Heyliger, Bernard Hunt, Tony Harris and Arthur Lugisse. Photo contributed

St. Maarten News: Under the umbrella of the Tallahassee-St. Maarten Foundation and in conjunction with photographer Hassan Kareem, Emmy award winning journalist and former CNN and Al Jazeera television broadcaster Tony Harris, arrived on the island over the weekend to explore marketing the destination to celebrities.

Tony Harris worked with CNN for six-years out of their headquarters in Atlanta, where he hosted CNN Newsroom for three years Read more

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‘Shotgun Budget’ Tabled In Parliament By Gibson

Finance Minister Richard Gibson (right) with MP Maurice Lake. 

PHILIPSBURG--Parliament is faced with a “shotgun budget” as the draft 2016 budget was described by Finance Minister Richard Gibson Read more

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Finally, Upgrading Work In Dutch Quarter To Start Late 2016, Early 2017

DUTCH QUARTER, Sint Maarten –– Upgrading work in the Dutch Quarter district will officially begin late 2016, into 2017, with the awarding of the contract to contractors in November.

Prime Minister William Marlin explained this at the symbolic signing for the project to upgrade the infrastructure of Dutch Quarter on Monday, February 8, in the presence of Incoming Ambassador to the European Union representing the Dutch islands Jernej Viditic, and Minister of VROMI Angel Meyers.

The Prime Minister stated that the project was signed by then Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams some three years ago, when he was Minister of VROMI.

Monday’s symbolic signing was to usher in the company that will officially supervise the project Read more

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Orient Beach Tenants Mull Legal Action If Satisfaction Not Obtained

~ Architect insists project has ‘been done by the book ~

ORIENT BAY--Three local proprietors of the new restaurant units on Orient Beach who have not signed contracts with the Collectivité based on their claims the buildings have not been constructed to French code in addition to contesting what they view as prohibitively high rent said Monday this was their “final stand.”

They alluded to a legal action if satisfaction is not obtained from the Collectivité. Meanwhile, other restaurants and boutiques in the new complex have signed contracts and opened, giving the project a half-opened look Read more

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Four Mps Question Budget Allocations

PHILIPSBURG--Only four Members of Parliament (MPs) have so far questioned the allocation in the draft 2016 budget as its handling started in the Central Committee of Parliament on Monday. Only MP Tamara Leonard (UP) requested information related to the budget in writing prior to the start of the debate Read more

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Health Inspectorate To Continue Controls

~ Lee clarifies misconceptions ~

PHILIPSBURG--The Public Health, Social Development and Labour VSA Inspectorate will continue its inspections relating to compliance with food safety, Health Minister Emil Lee said in a press release on Monday.

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Emmanuel Requests Study On Setting Up Development Bank

PHILIPSBURG--National Alliance (NA) Member of Parliament (MP) Christophe Emmanuel has called on the Social Economic Council SER to conduct a study on the benefits and economic impact the establishment of a development bank would have for the country.

Inspectorate Of Health Will Continue Inspections

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten –  On behalf of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor (VSA) there are a few misconceptions that need to be clarified. The Inspectors of VSA will continue as normal to conduct their inspections as it pertains to compliance to food safety, however the joint inspections are currently under review by the Council of Ministers.

“As Minister responsible for the safety of the health of the population and the visitors to our country, ensuring restaurants and business that are handling food are in compliance remains a  priority.

Although I do understand the concerns of the business community as it pertains to the negative effect it may have on the economy during the height of our tourist season, compliance is essential toward securing the well-being of our population” said Minister Emil Lee in an invited statement on Tuesday.

In reference to stopping the operations where food was being handled by the Point Restaurant at Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, as of Monday morning the restaurant still remains closed Read more

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Na Board Says Up Has Awaken From Slumber

PHILIPSBURG--National Alliance (NA) Board said in a press statement it is happy to see United People’s (UP) party leader Member of Parliament (MP) Theo Heyliger and the UP Board “have awaken from their slumber” and have expressed concerns about the people of St Read more

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‘Shotgun Budget’ Tabled In Parliament By Gibson

PHILIPSBURG--Parliament is faced with a “shotgun budget” as the draft 2016 budget was described by Finance Minister Richard Gibson. The Minister tabled the budget, totaling NAf 438,000 in the Central Committee meeting of Parliament on this morning.  

  There is “no time to do the budget as it should have been done” and to get all policies from the seven ministries covered, said the Minister Read more

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Inspectorate Of Health Will Continue Inspections

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - On behalf of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor (VSA) there are a few misconceptions that need to be clarified.

The Inspectors of VSA will continue as normal to conduct their inspections as it pertains to compliance to food safety, however the joint inspections are currently under review by the Council of Ministers.

“As Minister responsible for the safety of the health of the population and the visitors to our country, ensuring restaurants and business that are handling food are in compliance remains a priority Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- On behalf of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor (VSA) there are a few misconceptions that need to be clarified. The Inspectors of VSA will continue as normal to conduct their inspections as it pertains to compliance to food safety, however the joint inspections are currently under review by the Council of Ministers. “As Minister responsible for the safety of the health of the population and the visitors to our country, ensuring restaurants and business that are handling food are in compliance remains a priority Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Head of New Projects Kurt Ruan told representatives that the project has been in the pipeline for quite a while. He said since these projects are financed by the European Development Fund (EDF) goes through a lengthy procedure. Ruan said he could remember that the current Prime Minister William Marlin was the one who signed off on this particular projects some years ago.
Ruan said the scope of work entails upgrading of Dutch Quarter main road which was identified by the EDF as a project that came into consideration for financing Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The Board of the National is happy to see that the UPP leader and Board have awaken from their slumber. It is good to see that they are once again concerned about the people of St. Maarten. It is just a shame that this concern does not show itself when the UPP party is in the Executive Branch of Government Read more

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Politicians Will Not Deter Inspection Team.

Inspections will continue and those businesses that are in violation will have to deal with the consequences.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Inspection team headed by Dr. Earl Best will continue with its inspections as early as this week since the Council of Ministers did not issue a written decision to suspend the controls.
SMN News understands that the team took the decision on Monday morning during their weekly meetings to evaluate the work done last week. According to information provided Read more

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Heyliger: ‘Govt. Demands From Gebe Detrimental’

PHILIPSBURG--The National Alliance (NA)-led Government is “ransacking GEBE for NAF. 31 million with no remorse for the ramifications it will have for the country,” said United People’s (UP) party leader Member of Parliament Read more

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