SXMElections.com

Silvio Matser to declare himself independent MP

~Lake not happy with UP~  

PHILIPSBURG--United People’s (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Silvio Matser announced on Wednesday that he will be “drawing a line in the sand” and will be declaring himself as an Independent MP.

  Matser made the surprise announcement during a parliamentary meeting, in which a no-confidence motion was passed against the Gumbs-Cabinet, with his support Read more

Russia begins Syria air strikes in its biggest Mideast intervention in decades

MOSCOW/WASHINGTON--Russia launched air strikes in Syria on Wednesday in its biggest Middle East intervention in decades, plunging the four-year-old civil war into a volatile new phase as President Vladimir Putin moved forcefully to stake out influence in the unstable region.
  Moscow's assertion that it had hit Islamic State militants was immediately disputed by the United States and rebels on the ground. The attacks also raised the dangerous specter of Washington and Moscow running air strikes concurrently and in the same region, but without coordination.
  U.S Read more

Israel undermines US peace effort, Abbas tells UN

UNITED NATIONS--Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday accused Israel of sabotaging U.S. efforts to broker peace and said Israeli security operations at the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem could lead to a religious war.
  In an address to the United Nations General Assembly before a ceremony for the raising of the Palestinian flag at U.N. headquarters in New York, Abbas said the Palestinian Authority no longer considered itself bound by the accords signed with Israel in the mid-1990s.
  Reiterating what the Palestinian Authority has been saying for at least half a decade, Abbas said the agreements would not apply as long as Israel supports settlements of Israelis in the West Bank and refuses to release Palestinian prisoners.
  "You are all aware that Israel undermined the efforts made by the administration of President Barack Obama in past years, most recently the efforts of Secretary of State John Kerry aimed at reaching a peace agreement through negotiations," Abbas told the 193-nation General Assembly.
  A senior U.S Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- All the Members of Parliament including those from the coalition government supported a motion presented by the National Alliance and Democratic Party on Monday to demand that Attorney General Guus Schram tender his resignation and also repudiate the statements he made on September 11th 2015 at the swearing in ceremony of a judge on St Read more

Chairman of Cft Age Bakker: ‘Curaçao remains on track with 2016 budget’

>Willemstad:--- The budget for 2016 is solid. The Cft had a number of recommendations on the draft 2016 budget, particularly focused on the downward revision of the budgeted economic growth figures and a more realistic capital service. The Government has taken the recommendations of the Cft and the Advisory Council into account and adjusted the budget accordingly, which resulted in a budget that is now in order.

The Board of financial supervision for Curaçao and Sint Maarten (Cft) visited Curaçao in the last week of September Read more

style="text-align: center;">Motion of No Confidence against Gumbs Cabinet passed, Eight MPs voted in favor --- UPP/ De Weever/LRM/USP Government falls

PHILIPSBURG:--- The government of St. Maarten is now in shambles. The UPP/ De Weever/ LRM and USP Government fell on Wednesday when three Members of Parliament supporting the current coalition voted in favor of a motion of no confidence against the Gumbs cabinet which was presented by MP Sarah Wescot Williams Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The eight members of Parliament who voted on a motion of no-confidence against the Gumbs cabinet on Wednesday did not waste any time on forming a new government.
According to information reaching SMN News as soon as the motion was passed in Parliament, two letters were dispatched to the Governor of St. Maarten, one informing him of the motion of no confidence along with a copy of the motion and another informing the Governor of St. Maarten that there is already a majority in Parliament that are ready to form a new government.
The source said the new government will consist of four Members of Parliament from the National Alliance, one from the Democratic Party, the USP and two Independent Members namely Silvio Matser and Maurice Lake.
SMN News further learnt that at least two MPs from the National Alliance faction will leave their seats in Parliament to go over to the executive branch Read more

Parliament Gives Council Of Ministers Vote Of No-Confidence Wednesday

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The parliament of St. Maarten gave the Marcel Gumbs cabinet a motion of no-confidence on Wednesday afternoon.

The motion was read by the leader of the DP Sarah Wescot-Williams Read more

Dr. Verene Shepherd Lectures In St. Martin On Reparations; The Un’S Int’L. Decade For People Of African Descent

GREAT BAY, St. Martin —The new lecture organized by the Independence for St. Martin Foundation (ISMF) is “Reparatory Justice and the Decade for People of African Descent: The CARICOM Case” by Dr. Verene Shepherd.

The lecture will take place at the University of St. Martin (USM) on Saturday, October 3, 2015, at 8 PM, said lecture coordinator Dr. Rhoda Arrindell Read more

The University Of St. Martin Donates To Dominica

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The day after Dominica was hit by heavy rainfalls due to Tropical Storm Erika, the Board of Directors and Management of the University of St. Martin (USM) addressed a letter to the Prime Minister of Dominica Honorable Roosevelt Skerrit, in an act of spontaneous solidarity.

In that letter USM pledged its support to the recovery of Dominica.

That very same day students, faculty, and staff began to pool resources to assist with the relief efforts.  

The President of the Board, Mrs Read more

Mp Leona Marlin-Romeo Donates To Primary Schools Sports Equipment As Part Of Give Back To The Community Program

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo continues to donate sports equipment to the country’s public primary schools.

The Prins Willem Alexander School, Ruby Labega School, and the Oranje School, all received soccer equipment from the MP. 

All six public schools have now received sports equipment from the MP Read more

Lake Urges Ministry To Get Rid Of Nipa-Board

St. Maarten – United people’s party MP Maurice Lake urged Education Minister Rita Bourne-Gumbs yesterday to get rid of the board at the National Institute of Professional Advancement (Nipa).

“When the school started in 2014 it had 288 students. In 2015 there are just 65,” Lake said. The board does not live up to any deadlines Read more

Verene Shepherd Lectures At University On Saturday

Dr. Verene Shepherd. Photo courtesy VAS

St. Maarten – Dr. Verene Shepherd is the key note speaker at a lecture entitled “Reparatory Justice and the Decade for People of African Descent: The Caricom Case,” organized by the Independence for St. Martin Foundation (ISMF) at the University of St. Martin on Pond Island on Saturday at 8 p.m.

Keynote speaker Dr. Shepherd is an author, historian, and professor at the University of the West Indies, Jamaica. “The lecture focuses on the Caricom case for Reparations Read more

St. Maarten Government Falls – Three Coalition Members Defect

Picture: St. Maarten Parliament

NEWSFLASH!! St. Maarten– The Gumbs government fell shortly after 12.30 p.m. today (Wednesday, September 30, 2015) after the parliament passed a motion of no-confidence submitted by Democratic Party MP Sarah Wescot-Williams with an 8-7 vote Read more

MPs defer talk on double taxation

PHILIPSBURG--Members of Parliament (MPs) have deferred discussions about the new tax treaty between St. Maarten and the Netherlands until they can hear from Finance Minister Martin Hassink.

The treaty, said to be in conformity with internationally accepted regulations, was on the agenda of Tuesday's Central Committee sitting in Parliament House. However, independent MP Cornelius de Weever said he had questions about the treaty, especially the effects of it on St Read more

NIPA board refuses to sign agreement with ministry

~ MP tells minster to fire board ~

PHILIPSBURG--The Advanced Vocational Education (AVE) board of National Institute of Professional Advancement (NIPA) has refused to sign an agreement with the Education Ministry geared at improving the institute.

The board also has refused to adhere to a seven-point plan of action to improve things at the institute, Education Minister Rita Bourne-Gumbs told Members of Parliament (MPs) during the continuation of a parliamentary session on NIPA and other issues on Tuesday Read more

Sergi, Suarez rescue Barcelona in late win

BARCELONA-- Two late goals in two minutes from Sergi Roberto and Luis Suarez gave European champions Barcelona a dramatic 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Tuesday.
  Trailing 1-0 at the Nou Camp with 10 minutes to go, Sergi poked in a rebound from close range, and moments later Suarez produced a fine finish for the winner, sweeping home first-time from just inside the area.
  Kyriakos Papadopoulos had put the German side ahead after 22 minutes from a corner, with Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen beaten in the air.
  For Barcelona, who were without injured talisman Lionel Messi, it was a frustrating game of missed chances until their pressure told.
  "We believed in ourselves until the end," Suarez told reporters.
  "We are the champions Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The University of St. Martin donates to Dominica the day after Dominica was hit by heavy rainfalls due to Tropical Storm Erika, the Board of Directors and Management of the University of St. Martin (USM) addressed a letter to the Prime Minister of Dominica Honorable Roosevelt Skerrit, in an act of spontaneous solidarity. In that letter USM pledged its support to the recovery of Dominica. That very same day students, faculty, and staff began to pool resources to assist with the relief efforts Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:----  Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs meeting with the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte last week during his working visit to the Netherlands, was an opportunity to discuss pertinent issues related to the relations between both countries within the Kingdom, Minister Plenipotentiary Josianne Fleming-Artsen said on Tuesday.

“Prime Minister Gumbs touched on all the current issues related to the country, and specifically regarding the Integrity Chamber and the instruction related to financial matters.

“Prime Minister Rutte responded with great respect Read more

>GREAT BAY:---- The new lecture organized by the Independence for St. Martin Foundation (ISMF) is “Reparatory Justice and the Decade for People of African Descent: The CARICOM Case” by Dr. Verene Shepherd.
The lecture will take place at the University of St. Martin (USM) on Saturday, October 3, 2015, at 8 PM, said lecture coordinator Dr. Rhoda Arrindell.
Keynote speaker Dr Read more

Elton Jones About Five Years Country St. Maarten: “Basically We Are Back To Colonial Status”

Former Island Council member and Commissioner Elton Jones. Photo Today / Milton Pieters

St. Maarten /By Hilbert Haar – Eleven days from now, St. Maarten will mark the fifth anniversary of its existence as an autonomous country in the Dutch Kingdom. Are we better off than before, or not? And where do we go from here? Elton Jones, a former Island Council member and a former Commissioner back in the nineties, is of two minds: we’re not better off, but there is still hope for our country.

“The politicians in Philipsburg set the bar far too high,” the former air traffic controller says Read more

Lions Clubs Net Over $6,200 For Dominica Disaster Relief

St. Maarten – A joint Radiothon by Lions Clubs of St. Maarten, Saint Martin and St. Barths raised $6,262.55 for the Dominica relief effort over the weekend. The Lions Clubs of St. Maarten, Fort Louis, Doyen, Qualichi and Ile de St. Barthelemy raised the funds in just four hours.

Even though the result is short of the $30,000 target set for the Radiothon, the Lions Club members are satisfied with the joint effort and the generous pledges that were made by members of the public in such a short time.

“We received very few pledges from the many large companies on St Read more

Can we get financing?

Dear Editor,

I started to comment on a different topic when, what has become a nuisance, the days current went again, this time for almost two hours. Last week G.E.B.E. promised us that there would not be any outages for a while because the problem causing the load shedding was solved. That was like telling us that the mouse will not eat the cheese anymore because we bought a mousetrap.

And then, two days later no Cable TV. The lady at customer service said that they did not have any current because of a G.E.B.E Read more

Obama, Putin clash over working with Assad

UNITED NATIONS--The United States said on Monday it was willing to cooperate with Russia, as well as Iran, to try to end the Syrian civil war, but the two big powers clashed over whether to work with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
  Speaking at the annual United Nations General Assembly, U.S. President Barack Obama described Assad as a tyrant and as the chief culprit behind the four-year civil war in which at least 200,000 people have died and millions have been driven from their homes.
  Russian President Vladimir Putin, in contrast, told the gathering of world leaders that there was no alternative to cooperating with Assad's military in an effort to defeat the Islamic State militant group, which has seized parts of Syria and neighboring Iraq Read more