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Prime Minister Gumbs: Officer Benjamin Know That Your Legacy Will Remain As A Beacon For A Country That Needs One

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs delivered the following speech on Thursday, 13 August at the funeral of Police Officer G. Benjamin.

“Good afternoon family, in the past week, we as a country have felt anger, despair, sorrow and confusion over the untimely and tragic death of Officer Gamali Benjamin. Law enforcement, much like the fire brigade or the military, comes with the willingness to risk one's life each and every day, in the pursuit of doing the right thing. 

“Today, as we lay him to rest and begin the healing process, I am hopeful that we remember to reflect on Officer Benjamin's character and conduct, and that we do our utmost to always do the right thing Read more

Gumbs says Govt did not ask for crime meeting to be closed door

PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs made it clear on Wednesday that no member of the Council of Ministers had requested that Parliament have the urgent Central Committee meeting on crime on Monday convened behind closed doors.

Gumbs told reporters at the biweekly Council of Ministers press briefing which resumed yesterday that Parliament invited the council to a closed door session Read more

Bouterse sworn in for second term as Suriname’s president

PARAMARIBO--President Desi Bouterse was sworn in for a second term in office on Wednesday. Shortly after accepting the presidential sash from National Assembly chair Jennifer Geerlings-Simons, the president swore in his fifteen-man team of Ministers. “For the first time in our political history, the people of Suriname have given Government to a political belief that considers ethnicity as a source of wealth and not as the basis for disparity and powerlessness,” the President said in his maiden speech afterward Read more

Harper unaware of payment made to quiet ethics scandal

OTTAWA--Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper did not know that in order to quiet an ethics scandal his former chief of staff had secretly repaid expenses claimed by the senator at the heart of the affair, the ex-aide testified on Wednesday.
  The trial of Conservative Senator Mike Duffy, who is accused of receiving a bribe and abusing expense claims, comes as Harper campaigns ahead of Canada's Oct. 19 election. Opposition parties say the affair shows voters should end the Conservatives' near 10-year grip on power.
  Nigel Wright, Harper's former chief of staff, told an Ottawa courtroom that he decided in early 2013 that the only way to kill a raging scandal about Duffy's expense claims was to secretly give the senator his own personal check for C$90,000 ($69,400) so Duffy could repay the money Read more

Benjamin’s funeral will be streamed live online

~ UP: stores should close half day ~

PHILIPSBURG--Today’s funeral services for bike patrol Police Officer Gamali “Benji” Benjamin will be streamed live via the World Wide Web and can be followed at

www.vidmedia.tv .

Police spokesperson Chief Inspector Ricardo Henson said in a press release on Wednesday that a decision had been made to have the funeral streamed live given “the magnitude of the event.”

The live streaming is being done by the Department of Communication DComm in collaboration with VID Media Solutions.

Henson said persons in St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- In a letter dispatched to Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, the Democratic Party points out what in the party’s belief is a case of misleading parliament and the people of St. Maarten.
The decision to raise the pension age to 62 has been taken quite some time ago by the
(former) government of St Read more

>Pond Island:---TelEm Group kicked off its Back-to-School annual promotion Tuesday with a donation to a Fun/Sports day for kids taking place at the Melford Hazel, sports complex, Sucker Garden, this Friday.

The Fun/Sports Day is the initiative of the “Your Voice Your Choice Foundation” and aims to provide kids in foster homes with a great day out, filled with fun activities.

Volunteer, Nichelle van der Mark, accepted a cash donation from TelEm Group, Manager Marketing & Sales, Mr Read more

>Dutch Civil Servant Bouman wants to control Justice on St. Maarten Illegally --- St. Maarten Justice Minister will stand up to him.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson commended the officers of the Police Force who managed to control their emotions and worked endless hours to capture the suspects believed to be involved in the armed robbery and shooting death of bike patrol Gamali Benjamin who would be laid to rest on Thursday. Minister Richardson who became obviously emotional when speaking about the officer’s death said it’s the first time in St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Says his cabinet was busy putting out fires, cleaning up mess and dealing with the Dutch for the past seven months

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs became somewhat agitated and straight forward on Wednesday during the live Council of Ministers press briefing when SMN News posed several questions to the Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- NAGICO is helping The Your Voice Your Choice Foundation (YVYC) with the hosting of its second annual Fun Sports Day in efforts to give residents of various foster homes the opportunity to take part in a variety of fun games and sport activities. All participants will be awarded with a certificate for having taken part in the fun filled sports day.
On behalf of YVYC, Ms Read more

Up Family Extends Condolences To Officer Benjamin's Family And Police Force. Calls On Businesses To Show Solidarity And Close Half Day

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The board of the United People's Party (UP) conveys its deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Police Officer Gamali Benjamin who will be laid to rest on Thursday.

"We mourn with the entire country the passing of our local hero who proudly served with humility and honour.

We call on the business community as a move of solidarity once again to close their businesses half day on Thursday as a mark of solidarity with the family of Office Benjamin and the Police Force of Sint Maarten.

At the same time it would allow employees an opportunity to pay their respects to our hero," the UP Party Board said on Wednesday.

"On behalf of the UP family, supporters, myself and family, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Officer Benjamin, his colleagues in the Sint Maarten Police Force, his friends, and the population of Sint Maarten.

"Officer Benjamin is a national hero Read more

Democratic Party Questions Government On The Pension Age Increase To 62 Years

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - In a letter dispatched to Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, the Democratic Party points out what in the party's belief is a case of misleading parliament and the people of St. Maarten.

The decision to raise the pension age to 62 has been taken quite some time ago by the (former) government of St Read more

Wescot-Williams About Tourism Authority: “Government Believes It Can Fool All The People, All Of The Time”

St. Maarten – Is a letter Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Claret Connor sent to parliament on June 22 “a scam”? Democratic Party MP Sarah Wescot-Williams asks that question in a press statement about the fledgling St Read more

Mike Ferrier About The Aftermath Of The Shooting: “Hopefully, Parliament Will Get A Grip On Reckless Spending”

Michael Ferrier. File photo Today / Leo Brown

St. Maarten – Businessman Michael Ferrier, a former president of the Democratic Party – as party he left in disgust last year – analyzes in this article the situation the country finds itself in in the wake of the shooting that cost sergeant Gamali Benjamin his life.

Last week’s shooting of a police 0fficer by a coward with a gun has brought our once tranquil “Friendly” Island to an all-time new low in societal behavior Read more

Pm Marcel Gumbs About Officer Benjamin’S Passing: “This Country Is A Dimmer Place Without Him”

Composite photo celebrating the life of police Officer Gamali Benjamin. Photo Facebook

St. Maarten – “Never in our island’s history have we seen our local law enforcement forced to say farewell to one of their own, taken from us in the line of duty,” Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs said yesterday in a statement after the passing of police Officer Gamali Benjamin Read more

Matser’S Energizer Gets Distress Warrant

St. Maarten – The bailiff has served a distress warrant to Energizer NV, the construction company of United People’s party MP Silvio Matser. The company was established at an address on the Chameleon Drive, but is now, according to a publication in yesterday’s edition of the National Gazette, “without a known address in Sint Maarten or elsewhere.”

The bailiff delivered the distress warrant at the request of the Receiver on July 7 and Energizer had to comply with its content within two days.

The Court in First Instance sentenced Matser in January to 24 months of imprisonment (with 18 months suspended) with 3 years of probation and 240 hours of community service for a string of fiscal offenses Read more

Silent March Honors Officer Benjamin

Workers and officers take part in a silent march to show their solidarity with Officer Gamali Benjamin. Photo Today / Milton Pieters St. Maarten – More than 200 people marched the streets of Philipsburg yesterday in solidarity with the injured police Officer Gamali Benjamin. Nagico Insurances closed its doors at 3 p.m. and staff members walked with police officers and supporters to the spot on the Front Street were Benjamin was gunned down on Wednesday.

Emotions ran high and people were weeping and consoling each other on their way to the location Read more

Council Of Ministers Saddened By Senseless Killing Of Police Officer Benjamin

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Council of Ministers of St. Maarten Wednesday resumed their press conferences, providing information to the community from the seat of government in Philipsburg.

The resumption of the information sessions comes at a time when the St. Maarten community is mourning, mourning the violent death of a young police officer who served the community of St. Maarten well, at the hands of young bandits.

Minister responsible for Justice the Honorable Dennis Richardson was obviously broken at the senseless killing of Officer Benjamin who was gunned down last Wednesday during a Philipsburg robbery.

He died on Saturday at the St Read more

Editorial - Perfect occasion

Today’s news that St. Maarten will host the 2015 Caribbean Sailing Association (CSA) conference is most welcome. Visiting yachts have become important contributors to the local tourism economy, due in part to the annual Heineken Regatta, construction or expansion of various marinas and the widening of the drawbridge channel.

The last few years have seen some less-than-positive developments like losing the boat charter show, but overall the destination remains relatively strong in terms of its marine industry Read more

Officer Benjamin’s funeral schedule released, road closures announced

PHILIPSBURG--Slain bike patrol Police Officer Gamali “Benji” Kwasi Benjamin will be laid to rest at the Methodist Cemetery in Philipsburg after a ceremony with honours tomorrow, Thursday.

At 10:30am his body will depart Royal Funeral Home to the Philipsburg police station.

At 10:45am a brief ceremony will be held at the Philipsburg police station while the uniformed departments will stand in front of the police station.

At 10:55pm the procession of uniformed departments will leave the police station and head to Front Street where it will stop for a brief moment in front of Oro Diamante, where the Benjamin shot on Wednesday, August 5.

At 11:30am, the procession will arrive at the Philipsburg Methodist Church.

At 12:00pm the official part of the ceremony will start at the church.

The viewing of the body will take place at the Methodist Church on Front Street from 12:00 to 1:45pm Read more

DP and NA say meeting on crime should not have been closed door

~ Concerned about financing for proposals ~

PHILIPSBURG--National Alliance (NA) and the Democratic Party (DP) said in a joint statement on Tuesday that the information shared during Monday’s urgent meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on crime did not warrant a closed-door session.

NA and DP said they had not immediately protested the calling of the meeting in a closed door session to give Government “the benefit of the doubt” as it pertains to the sensitivity of the information being shared and possible ramifications it might have on the outcome of the case.

The parties noted that the “information shared by the Council of Ministers, however, was not such that the public needed to be sheltered from the reality.”

The two parties said there had been repeated calls on Government for open communication with the public to put an end to speculation Read more

DP supports call for statue of slain cop

~ Weighs in on crime ~

PHILIPSBURG--The Democratic Party (DP) supports a call made by the general police union NAPB for a statue to be erected of bike patrol officer Gamali “Benji” Benjamin, who was gunned down at the scene of a robbery at a Front Street jewellery store on Wednesday, August 5 Read more

Miami 2 St. Maarten schedule announced

PHILIPSBURG—Boxing card Miami 2 St. Maarten will feature Roy Jones Jr. against Danny Santiago at Festival Village August 29. Tickets start at US $50 with ringside seating set at $100 and a VIP table that seats 10 goes for $2,500.
 The schedule for events leading up to the fight and the after match concert were announced at a press conference at the Claude Wathey Legislative Hall yesterday.  Attending the conference were Erno Labega from the St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday August 7th 2015, the Department of Community Development, Family & Humanitarian Affairs (CDFHA) honored members of various NGOs and Community Councils that successfully completed the Capacity Building Program that took place in 2014, with a continuation in 2015 with accredited courses at the University of St. Martin.

Sixty Four (64) participants successfully completed the program which was originally sponsored by USONA and the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development & Labor.

The primary objective of the Capacity Building Program is to offer support and to enhance the skills and performance of NGOs and Community Councils Read more