SXMElections.com

Lake Powell's receding waters show risk of "megadrought"

ON THE SHORES OF LAKE POWELL, Utah/Arizona border--Where the Colorado River falls from the snow-capped Rocky Mountains into the arid U.S. Southwest, lies Lake Powell.
  More than 500 feet (150 meters) deep in places and with narrow side canyons, the shoreline of the lake is longer than the entire West Coast of the United States. It extends upstream into Utah from Arizona's Glen Canyon Dam and provides water for Nevada, Arizona and California.
  But a severe drought in recent years, combined with the tapping of the lake's water at what many consider to be an unsustainable level, has reduced its levels to only about 42 percent of its capacity, according to the U.S Read more

Chileans pick through debris after powerful quake, 11 dead

TONGOY, Chile--Residents sifted through rubble on Thursday and saved what they could from homes destroyed by a magnitude 8.3 earthquake in central Chile that killed 11 people, forced 1 million from their homes and sent giant waves crashing into coastal areas.
  Aftershocks shook the South American country following Wednesday's quake, the strongest in the world this year and the biggest to hit Chile since 2010. But some residents expressed relief that the destruction had not been greater.
  The northern port city of Coquimbo, where waves of up to 4.5 meters (15 feet) slammed into the shore, was declared an emergency area by the government Read more

Global economy prompts Fed to hold rates steady

WASHINGTON--The U.S. Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged on Thursday in a bow to worries about the global economy, financial market volatility and sluggish inflation at home, but left open the possibility of a modest policy tightening later this year.
  In what amounted to a tactical retreat, Fed Chair Janet Yellen said developments in a tightly linked global economy had in effect forced the U.S. central bank's hand. "The outlook abroad appears to have become less certain," Yellen told a news conference after the Fed's policy-setting committee released a statement following a two-day meeting.
  She added that a recent fall in U.S Read more

Editorial - Joint approach

Government is busy changing a national decree to make the entire cabinet rather than its individual members responsible for Government-owned companies, parliamentarians were told during a committee meeting with Finance Minister Martin Hassink (see Thursday paper). The intention had been announced in the governing programme of the UP-led coalition, but no further explanation was offered.

The document did say that the Finance Minister would be appointed for the execution of any decisions for the approval of the budgets and financials of public companies and foundations Read more

Registry to be made for access to ‘foreign’ birth certificates

PHILIPSBURG--One of the great hurdles faced by people born outside of St. Maarten – acquiring certified copies of birth and other certificates with vital statistics from their country of origin – may soon become a thing of the past thanks to a motion tabled by independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo that was accepted unanimously by Parliament on Thursday afternoon.

The motion sets the Marcel Gumbs Cabinet to work on the establishment of “an Integral Copy Registry.”

The registry not only will make life easier for Dutch citizens, but will generate additional funds for Government’s coffers Read more

MPs pass motion to make English ‘mother tongue’

PHILIPSBURG--Minister of General Affairs Marcel Gumbs and Minister of Education Rita Bourne-Gumbs have sixty days to present a plan to Parliament to establish English as "the first and mother tongue" of the country.

This was the instruction given to Government via a unanimously adopted motion that was tabled in Parliament on Thursday by Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams.

The motion also instructs government to develop "a plan of approach to gradually introduce the use of the mother tongue as the first official language of St Read more

Parliament adopts Constitution Day

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten officially has ditched Kingdom Day, December 15, as an official holiday and replaced with it Constitution Day, which is to be observed annually on the second Monday in October, starting this year.

Parliament unanimously adopted the law on Thursday to make the day official and strike Kingdom Day from the calendar. The establishment of this newest holiday comes ahead of the fifth anniversary of St. Maarten’s attainment of country-within-the-Dutch-Kingdom status and the coming into force of the St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---  Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo on Thursday said that three public schools namely the Genieve De Weever School, Martin Luther King School, and Charles Leopold Bell School, were asked what they were in need of for their sports activities.

The schools indicated that sports materials such as baseballs, and bats, soccer balls, and shin guards were a necessity and these were donated by Independent Member of Parliament Leona Marlin-Romeo on Thursday, September 10th 2015.

This is a mere fraction of the bigger picture on the adopting a school program where, certain needs of schools are met through donations from the private sector.

This is part of promoting social and community responsibility and is part of the MP’s give back to the community program Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of Parliament from the National Alliance Faction and Democratic Party dispatched a letter to the Chairman of Parliament requesting an urgent meeting to debate the statements made by Attorney General of St. Maarten Guus Schram on September 11th 2015.
The le Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- The Democratic Party said in a press release that the buzz word independence has been carried and dropped many times during parliamentary debates recently. The Faction of the Democratic Party considers it opportune at this time to reiterate its stance on the political future of our country.

Politically going forward, in our opinion there is only one way, as going back is not an option.
Our faction has remained steadfast over the years about the political future of our island.

Back in 1994, it was our belief that the Netherlands Antilles had served its time Read more

Dennis: Prosecutors need to do job without any bias

PHILIPSBURG--The Prosecutor’s Office on St. Maarten and the Attorney-General stationed in Curaçao must stick to their core responsibility to “find the truth” and not act on “perceived” political biases from The Hague or elsewhere, Justice Minister Dennis Richardson said on Wednesday.

The Prosecutor’s Officer “should distance itself” from any political statements or perceptions, said Richardson who was in Parliament for a second time this week to continue discussions with Members of Parliament (MPs) about the protocol he signed with The Hague that should result in a boost of manpower and finance for the justice service.

If the Prosecutor’s Office decides to work on political perceptions or decide to paint people as guilty without first seeking the truth, such an action would be like putting “a machete to the root of our system and cannot be accepted,” said Richardson, referring to the judicial position of being innocent until proven otherwise Read more

No dismissal of laundering charges in Buncamper case

~ Case continues in January ~

PHILIPSBURG--In a brief preliminary ruling on proceedings concerning a breach in the investigation of the criminal cases against former Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus (47), her husband Claudius Buncamper (52), notary F.E.G. (71) and co-suspects I.A.H. (46) and T.O.W. (69), it was decided that the breach was serious, but not enough to count the Prosecutor’s charge of money-laundering inadmissible, Judge Peter Lemaire relayed on Wednesday.

One week before, Prosecutor Dounia Benammar suggested the Judge declare the Prosecution’s case against the Buncampers inadmissible in relation to a second summons concerning a money-laundering offence which had been added in June, but not the case in its entirety.

Longstanding charges against the group entail involvement in fraud, forgery of documents and participation in a criminal organisation, relating to a transaction regarding a piece of land that had been given on long lease.

However, Benammar said last week that the same should not apply to suspect I.A.H Read more

Old Soremar building to become shooting range

COLE BAY--Government plans to spend some NAf. 2 million to acquire the old Soremar building in Orange Grove, Cole Bay, to use as a shooting range for police and other armed branches of the justice chain.

The location will be converted into a shooting range, the central dispatch of the police and also the nerve centre for the planned country-wide camera surveillance system, Justice Minister Dennis Richardson told Parliament on Wednesday.

Government has also earmarked some NAf Read more

MPs get calls from inmates

PHILIPSBURG--Justice Minister Dennis Richardson has been asked by Members of Parliament (MPs) to look into why they are receiving mobile phone calls from prisoners housed inside of Pointe Blanche House of Detention.

United St. Maarten Party (USP) leader Frans Richardson was the first to raise the issue in Parliament with the minister on Wednesday Read more

Buncamper Court Case to continue January 13th 2016 --- Three more witnesses have to be heard.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Buncamper family still has wait a few more months before they know whether or not the case brought against them by the Prosecutor’s Office will be thrown out or not. The Court of First Instance ruled on Wednesday that three more witnesses have to be heard by the Judge of Instruction and continuation of the management hearing will take place on January 13th 2016.
Last week Wednesday the Prosecutor’s Office willingly dropped the second charge they brought against the Buncamper’s due to prosecutorial misconduct by the prosecutor that was handling the case Read more

Urgent Plenary Session about Landfill scheduled for Friday with Minister of VROMI.

>PHILIPSBURG:----  An urgent Plenary Session of the House of Parliament that was scheduled for September 9 will take place on September 18.

Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Claret Connor will be present for the public sitting of the House.

The public Plenary Session is set for Friday, at 10.30am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is the dumpsite (landfill) in Philipsburg and the plans for a waste to energy system for the country’s garbage problems.

This urgent plenary session of the House was initially requested by the National Alliance (NA) faction Members of Parliament (MPs) Hon Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- International Peace Day in Sint Maarten will be commemorated on September 21st. The Rotary Club of Saint Martin Sunrise invites the general public to a Peace Declaration Event at the Peace Monument located at the Philipsburg Jubilee Library on Monday, September 21st , 2015 at 8:45 a.m sharp.
September 21st is designated as International Peace Day through United Nations General Assembly resolutions 36/67 of 1981 and 55/282 of 2001. It is a Day established for an annual commemoration of non-violence and ceasefire Read more

style="text-align: center;">Involved in Sabotage with new airline --- Three Wise Men Fired.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Three senior employees of WINAIR namely its chief pilot Jeff Oliver, Chief of Operations Elvis Quealy and Chief of Security Michel Carter were suspended last week after management of WINAIR found out that they have been consulting with the persons that are involved in establishing a new Airline called St Read more

Parties Upset About Delay Landfill Meeting

St. Maarten – Opposition parties National Alliance and Democratic Party are upset about the postponement of a meeting they had requested about the landfill. “We do not take the postponement lightly,” the parties said in a press statement last night.

The meeting was initially moved to last Wednesday – beyond the four day term between a request and a meeting being held – due to the absence of Vromi-Minister Marcel Gumbs, the closing and opening of parliament and the swearing in of new ministers.

“All valid reasons for us to agree to Wednesday Read more

Opposition Wants Meeting About Zebec Deal

St. Maarten – Opposition parties National Alliance and Democratic Party have “wasted no time” to request a meeting of parliament about the settlement between the Harbor Group of Companies and developer Zebec, the parties said in a press statement last night.

“The government-owned harbor company and its representatives have in the recent past labeled the action by Zebec as “wholly without merit,” the opposition parties point out Read more

Questions About Funding  For Ghost Boxing Event (Roy Jones And Danny Santiago That Never Took Place)

St. Maarten – Did the government pay $185,000 to the Keaton Corporation for the boxing match between Roy Jones and Danny Santiago that never took place? MP Sarah Wescot-Williams has posed pointed questions about this issue to Finance Minister Martin Hassink and Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Claret Connor in a letter dated September 2.

Connor has in the meantime moved to the Ministry of Vromi so his successor Ernest Sams will have to deal with the matter.

Wescot-Williams notes in a brief press release that the government “quietly” announced that the fight was postponed, due to hurricane Danny (actually, it was due to Tropical Storm Erika – ed.) and that it had “contributed” to the fight.

“What government did not say is that it entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the foreign Keaton Corporation to organize this event to the tune of $185,000,” the MP wrote, adding that she had taken note of media reports about Jones’ legal troubles.

Wescot-Williams has asked the ministers for a copy of their agreement with Keaton Read more

Mp Emmanuel Puts Retail Prices On The Agenda; Le Grand Marché Reacts

National Alliance MP Christophe Emmanuel shows products from Le Grand Marché (left) and French-side competitor Super U. Photo Today / Hilbert Haar

Game on: Carrefour ready for the battle with Super U

St. Maarten – National Alliance MP Christophe Emmanuel brought the price differences between supermarkets on the Dutch and the French side into focus at a press conference in the parliament building yesterday morning, but Anil Sabnani, managing director of Le Grand Marché is not buying his story Read more

Agreement About Crash Course In Journalism

St. Maarten – The Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the university and Bureau Telecommunication and Post (BTP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly support the “I AM SXM” initiative of MP Tamara Leonard whereby St. Maarten students interested in journalism and seeking a career in this field, will be educated at t Read more

Prosecution Ready To Drop Second Case Against Buncampers

“We have not attempted  to cover this up”

St. Maarten – Prosecutor Dounia Benammar put on a hair shirt on behalf of the prosecutor’s office yesterday morning to atone for procedural violations that threaten to jeopardize part of the trial against former Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor Maria Buncamper-Molanus and her husband Claudius.

Benammar concluded that the prosecution has to be declared inadmissible in the second summons it brought against the couple Read more