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Audi St. Maarten Opens Doors Friday, Quality Brand And Service Comes To St. Maarten/St. Martin

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Audi brand is now available on St. Maarten. Audi officially opened their doors on Friday evening with a large group of family, Friends and government officials from both French and Dutch as well as officials of the Audi brand in attendance.

Chairman of the board Imrand MacSood gave some history about the process that led up to the brand now being established on the island.

He also spoke about the hard work that went into the process, for which he gave special thanks to his son Tariq Amjad.

Apart from hard work he also spoke about the quality that Audi brings to a quality island such as St Read more

Dennis: Integrity Chamber law ‘strengthens’ country’s position

PHILIPSBURG--Parliament's adopting the draft law to establish an Integrity Chamber "strengthens" the country's position when ministers go before the Kingdom Council of State in a week's time to present St. Maarten's case against the Dutch Kingdom Government's use of Article 51 of the Kingdom Charter to impose a measure on the country. This is the belief Justice Minister Dennis Richardson shared with Members of Parliament on Friday.

"It [the law – Ed.] strengthen our position on the legality" of St Read more

> Cole Bay:--- St. Maarten along with its visitors have lost a familiar face who has served the community in many ways. Harold Jack (75) passed away peacefully at the St. Maarten Medical Center early Friday morning after being ill for about a month. Jack as he is familiarly known as was a casino controller who retired about 16 years ago, he also served drinks and snacks at the Lookout Point for over 40 years said his son Alex Jack.
Alex said his father became ill about a month ago but died peacefully without suffering from any pain Read more

Obama, Castro shake hands as US, Cuba seek better ties

PANAMA CITY--U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro shook hands on Friday at a summit in Panama, a symbolically charged gesture as the pair seek to restore ties between the Cold War foes.
  A photograph showed Obama and Castro, both wearing dark suits, chatting in a small group of leaders at the summit's opening ceremony. A White House official confirmed the two men shook hands and spoke briefly.
  "This was an informal interaction and there was not a substantive conversation between the two leaders," the official said.
  Obama and Castro are expected to meet again on Saturday and talk about their efforts to restore full diplomatic relations and boost trade and travel between the two countries Read more

Nigerians vote for powerful governors in state elections

LAGOS--The final stage of Nigeria's election will begin on Saturday with state governorship polls, two weeks after a presidential vote saw an incumbent leader unseated at the ballot box for the first time.
  The 36 governors are among the most powerful politicians in Africa's biggest oil producer and top economy, controlling budgets larger than those of small African nations and wielding influence that can decide who goes on presidential tickets. Voting starts at 8 a.m.
  With so much at stake, candidates in past polls have often played dirty, snatching ballot boxes, manipulating voter turn-out and engaging in thuggery and intimidation.
  Muhammadu Buhari beat President Goodluck Jonathan last month with 15.4 million votes against 13.3 million, in a vote that was considered free and less violent than past polls Read more

Editorial - Preferred option

How much is enough? The Dutch side alone currently has 480 taxis and 263 buses (see Friday paper). This certainly sounds like a lot for such a small territory, but readers should keep in mind that it regards a one-pillar tourism economy and tens of thousands of visitors without their own means of transportation are present at any given time.

Nevertheless, there is a reason moratoriums were placed on these types of licences. This becomes all the more evident when one takes into account that there were 321 taxis and 211 buses prior to 2012, but respectively 69 and 14 were added that year, plus another 87 and 38 in 2013.

That seems questionable at best, as the apparent oversaturation of the market must have been pretty clear by then, certainly to the local associations representing the drivers Read more

Integrity chamber law now to be handled on Monday

PHILIPSBURG--Parliament will continue its handling of the draft national ordinance to establish an Integrity Chamber on Monday starting at 10:00am. The Central Committee meeting resumed on Friday morning after its suspension on Wednesday evening, but was suspended again after coalition Members of Parliament (MPs) requested time to compare the draft law with the version suggested by the Dutch Government.

MP Tamara Leonard (United People's (UP) party) made the request for time to review the two versions to Parliament Chairman Dr Read more

Country has 480 taxis and 263 bus licences

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten has a total of 480 taxi licences and 263 bus licences on the roads. There are 39 large “tour” buses with “T” (tour bus) licence plate numbers and a total of 31 “G” licence plate numbers. This is based on numbers given to Parliament’s Permanent Committee for Transportation by Transport Minister Claret Conner on Thursday.

He also informed MPs the moratorium on the issuance of bus and taxi licences remains in place until a study on the state of the industry is conducted Read more

High Court rejects all but one Standard Trust appeal

PHILIPSBURG--The High Court in The Hague this week rejected all but one appeal filed in the so-called Standard Trust case. Only the case of Standard Trust Company (STC) NV director co-director Jodi Lynn Garner (42) was referred back to the Joint Court of Justice in St. Maarten for retrial.

In November 2012, STC and its directors Allard Stamm, Corinne De Tullio-Stamm and Garner were acquitted by the Appeals Court of money laundering, but found guilty of violation of the Ordinance on Unusual Transactions.

For this crime, committed between June 1, 2006, and July 21, 2006, each defendant was sentenced to suspended NAf Read more

Community meets police on escalating burglaries, violence

SOUTH REWARD--About thirty concerned residents of Waymouth Hill and South Reward gathered Thursday evening for a meeting with Police Force representatives concerning a serious and escalating string of break-ins in the area.

Some of the residents, discontented and having lost some faith that a solution was being found, say they would have been very disappointed had it simply been a "lock your windows and doors" type of meeting. However, they said they found it informative, and found the police representatives to be "open, frank and candid," as put by one resident.

"They didn't make excuses," and came across as approachable Read more

‘St. Maarten still uncooperative to solve Saba, Statia dilemmas’

THE HAGUE--The St. Maarten Government is still uncooperative in certain areas of the relations with St. Eustatius and Saba. Areas include (double) taxation of goods for the two smaller islands, the medical evacuation of patients and the airport taxes.

Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk stated this in a letter that he sent to the Dutch Parliament on Thursday. The letter, which was released on Friday, dealt with a number of obstacles in the relations between St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---  Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (Ministry TEATT) Honorable Claret Connor was present for the oath-taking ceremony of civil servants from the Ministry TEATT that took place recently.
"I am very proud to be able to work with these professional women and men who have taken an oath to serve the people of this country.
"I have a great team to work with Read more

Central Committee meeting to further discuss the Integrity Chamber Ordinance Adjourned to Monday.

style="text-align: center;">Polices, Legislations and Guidelines needed to strengthen the Purpose of the Integrity Chamber.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of Parliament mostly from the governing coalition requested that the chairman of Parliament adjourn the central committee meeting that was supposed to continue on Friday morning to discuss the draft ordinance to establish an Integrity Chamber on St. Maarten. The Members of Parliament from the governing coalition wanted more time to study the additional documents that were presented to them on Friday morning Read more

>Cole Bay: --- Caribbean Auto Sales owned and operated by the Amjad family has added another top of the line brand of vehicles to their fleet as they are one of St. Maarten's biggest auto dealer on the island. When one hears the name Masood, the first thing they think about is insurance as he is the architect that built NAGICO Insurances from scratch.
However, the Amjad's "Mac and Rena" are dedicated business people that are not afraid to take chances, while working endless hours to build the businesses they own Read more

Foreign Id Accepted When Voting Confirms Chairman Of Main Voting Bureau

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - "The electoral ordinance does not prohibit the use of foreign identification for voting purposes," stated chairman of the Main Voting Bureau, attorney Jason Rogers.

Attorney Rogers was at the time speaking on the floor of Parliament discussing the issue of alleged discrepancies during and in preparation of the August 29th parliamentary elections last year.

The meeting was at the request of MPs Read more

Harold Jack Passes Away Friday

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Well known entertainer Harold Jack passed away at the St. Maarten Medical Center on Friday afternoon.

The late Harold Jack in his later years was well known for his operation on the "look out point" from where he sold refreshments to the islands visitors who stopped at the location to take picture and enjoy the scenic view of the islands South and Western coastline including Cay Bay, Cole Bay, Simpson Bay and the Lagoon.

At the "look out point" Harold would only sell non-alcoholic beverages.

Harold Jack died who was in his 70s, died after a short illness at the St Read more

The Case Against Dollarization

The fact that there is still a discussion on the dollarization issue is somewhat strange to me and not because I think it would the worst thing that can happen to us in St. Maarten but because of the total lack of actual benefits proposed by those supporting dollarization.

The symposium on dollarization organized by the Council on Advice at the University of St. Maarten only confirms what I have believed all along, that dollarization is not a valid option for St. Maarten. Although I am basing my article on what was published in the media since I was unable to attend the actual meeting.

In the media, supporter of dollarization, Mr Read more

Implementation Counterpart Policy Is Still Far Away

Ministry publishes rules in National Gazette

St. Maarten – The labor department will deny work permits to companies that refuse to hire “a counterpart found suitable by the department and made available to the employer.” This is one of the rules laid down in the counterpart policy the government published in the National Gazette last week. It will still take some time though, before the private sector is going to feel the effects of the controversial counterpart policy because the ministry first wants to do a pilot project that will last one year from the moment it begins.

“The quality of the execution of the policy by the labor department is a determining factor for the success of the counterpart policy Read more

Integrity Chamber Meets Resistance From Coalition

St. Maarten – The draft ordinance for the establishment of St. Maarten’s Integrity Chamber met with unexpected opposition from within the governing coalition yesterday. Members of the opposition also expressed their doubts. Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs said that he is facing a May 5 deadline. On that date, the Dutch Council of State renders judgment on the advice the Kingdom Council of Ministers has requested about a looming instruction for St Read more

Silver Medallist Returns To Rousing Welcome

St. Maarten – Shakeba Pink wrote her name boldly in the sporting books of Country St. Maarten when she won a Silver medal at the 44th Annual Carifta Games which took place in St. Kitts over the Easter weekend.

Pink, the leading middle distance runner on the island, follows the footsteps of Claude Paul, a former member of the Lab Sports Academy who was also the first male runner to medal at the same event several years ago under the Netherlands Antilles. Ironically, this is Pink’s second time at the Carifta Games, she was unable to secure a place on the podium in her first outing, but this time, she did it and that is a plus for St Maarten Read more

Public Notice For Sunday April 12 (Cycling Race)

In connection with the upcoming cycling race which is organized by Soualiga Riders and scheduled to take place on Sunday April 12th the police department is announcing the following:

The race will start at 01 p.m. on the Welfare road in the vicinity of Willy’s Restaurant and Mini Mart and head towards the Kruythoff round about and turning right on to A.J.C. Brouwers road, round about on the top of the hill, A.J.C. Brouwers road, Church hill round about, Bush road, Zagergut road, The Cottage round about, A Read more

1,000 to jam in Lighted Parade, motorists should note diversions

~ Zero tolerance in effect ~

PHILIPSBURG--Police on Thursday called on motorists to take note of the traffic diversions that will result from road closures associated with Rio Productions' fourth annual Lighted Parade on Saturday, April 11, from 8:00pm to 2:00am.

Front Street will close as of 5:00pm on Saturday in preparation for the parade, and vehicles parked on the road after this time will be towed at the owner's expense.

Brenda Wathey of Rio Productions told reporters at a press conference on Thursday that the parade has grown tremendously with some 1,000 persons registered to jam this year Read more

New law on transport expected in mid-2016

PHILIPSBURG--“To professionalize, promote and enhance public transportation equally for consumers and operators alike” is the goal of the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication, Minister responsible Claret Connor told Parliament’s Permanent Committee for Transport on Thursday afternoon.

Conner was at Parliament House to talk with the committee about the state of the country’s transportation sector Read more

Halley land saga heard by Petitions Committee

~ 'Something wrong,' way forward to be determined ~

PHILIPSBURG--Marlon Halley, supported in particular by community spokesperson Yvette Halley, had the transfer of land rights plaguing him heard by Members of Parliament on Thursday during a Petitions Committee meeting at Parliament House.

The meeting was the result of a petition submitted March 4 that called for Parliament to thoroughly investigate "fishy business" surrounding the land deal that entailed government taking ownership of the land where Marlon Halley has operated a business for some 28 years, and long-leasing it to developers without his knowing Read more