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Finance Minister Updates Parliament On Govt Expenditures Compliance

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Permanent Committee of Country's Expenditures (CLU) of Parliament met in a session on Tuesday with the Minister of Finance, the Honorable Martin Hassink.

The purpose of the meeting was to provide information to members of the CLU committee regarding the measures taken by the Government on the recommendation of the General Audit Chamber in its report on Compliance Audit of the 2012 Financial Statements of the General Pension Fund St. Maarten (APS).

Wh Read more

Prosecutor’s Office not to appeal ‘Piranha’ acquittals

PHILIPSBURG--The Prosecutor's Office has decided not to appeal the verdict of the Court of First Instance in the so-called "Piranha" investigation, it was announced Tuesday. On May 28, the Court acquitted former Minister of Finance Hiroshi "Hiro" Shigemoto and Global Advisor Services (GAS) BV Director R.A.G. (62) of fraud and forgery, among other crimes.

The Prosecutor accused Shigemoto of performing acts as a civil servant, in his capacities as Director of Resources, Secretary-General and Minister of Finance, in such a way that suspect G Read more

Parliament wants islands to improve LGBT rights

THE HAGUE--The Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Tuesday adopted a motion which called on the Dutch Government to urge the Governments of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten to legalise same sex marriages and to improve the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBTs).

The Parliament approved the motion of the liberal democratic VVD party, the Labour Party PvdA and the Democratic Party D66 Read more

Police, Ambulance launch joint NAf. 5.5 million Dispatch Centre

PHILIPSBURG--“A very important undertaking” and “an example of good cooperation,” were some of the terms used to describe the St. Maarten Police Force and Ambulance Department’s Joint Dispatch Centre, which was officially launched on Tuesday.

The state-of-the-art centre was constructed at a cost of NAf. 5.5 million, which was partly funded by Dutch Funding Agency USONA and partners in the project Read more

Sarah calls Govt to return law amendment ‘soon as possible’

PHILIPSBURG--Government should “not take its time” in returning to Parliament with amendments to the draft National Ordinance to establish the Integrity Chamber for the country. Rather than wait for Parliament’s return after its July recess, Government should return with the amended law as soon as possible, says Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams.

She is “prepared” to handle the draft law in July even though it is the parliamentary recess Read more

Plasterk gives details on dispute regulation talks

THE HAGUE--Three aspects of the dispute regulation (geschillenregling) were a source of discussion at last week's Kingdom Conference: the type of organisation that would execute the regulation, the nature of the disputes that would be resorting under the regulation, and the binding character of the ruling.

Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk provided details on the discussions between the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten at the June 16 Kingdom Conference in Curaçao in a letter that he sent to the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Tuesday.

Plasterk explained that the Dutch delegation indicated a preference for the Council of State of the Kingdom, and to give this existing entity a major role in the dispute regulation because, according to the Netherlands, this entity was "by far" best equipped to deal with disputes of a constitutional character.

However, the three Dutch Caribbean countries preferred to appoint the Supreme Court as the executive body of the dispute regulation Read more

Rolling back the ‘Arm’s-length’ Policy: Govt & its companies in the power play

Dear Editor,

Once upon a time, in the last century, what we know today as "government-owned companies" were departments of the government administration. Who remembers when Landsradio was a federal government department, run effectively from Willemstad, Curacao? Or, when GEBE was similarly a public utility company that could not function without directives from the then government of the Netherlands Antilles? Or when the Post Office and even the Princess Juliana International Airport was arms of government?

That seems like an eternity ago and thus to many, probably completely forgotten Read more

‘Voice of our people’ theme of Emancipation Day 2015

PHILIPSBURG--Under the theme "Emancipation from Within-The Voice of Our People" St. Maarten will be observing Emancipation Day 2015 on Wednesday, July 1, culminating in a celebration and cultural manifestation at Emilio Wilson Park in the afternoon.

The Emancipation Day programme, organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, in conjunction with Voices Foundation, was presented Tuesday afternoon during a press conference at Claude Wathey Legislative Hall.

Minister of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs Rita Bourne-Gumbs called upon all St Read more

style="text-align: justify;">PHILIPSBURG:--- The government of St. Maarten would do well to respond to Parliament's recommendations and amendments to the national Integrity Chamber Ordinance AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and not take its time, given the timeframe of one month that was mentioned by parliament.

If the whole matter is indeed that we want to establish our "own" integrity chamber, then we should proceed, and proceed with utmost haste.

I am concerned that this delay is going to cost our country dearly Read more

EU Funding Available to Construct Waste Management Plant at Bellevue Border --- Deadline to Obtain EU Funds has to be completed by December 2015.

style="text-align: center;">What will this do to the MOU signed with GB Energy and GEBE?

PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of the French Executive Council met with members of Members of Parliament on Tuesday to discuss the usage of European funding that are available to both sides of the island.
Both President Aline Hanson and Vice President Guillaume Arnell told the Members of Parliament that the two sides of the island have to take matters seriously and work efficiently in order for the island to obtain the funding to construct some main projects, one being a waste management plant in the vicinity of Bellevue border Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday June 19th at approximately 10.45 p.m. police patrols, police Traffic Department, paramedics and Fire Department were sent to the A.J.C. Brouwers road in the vicinity of the Harold Jack look-out Point for a serious traffic accident. On the scene the investigating officers encountered a head-on collision between two private vehicles P-5934 and P-7307 Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- -Police officially announced the opening of the Central Dispatch Center linking the ambulance department and the police to one communication line. The fire department is not part of the system according the Benjamin Gout Head of the Police Traffic Department. Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson and Minister Claret Connor were among the dignitaries at the police headquarters in Philipsburg on Tuesday afternoon.

Inspector Gout explained in a brief power-point presentation that the Police started to work on centralizing the system in 2009 Read more

Emancipation Day 2015 Schedule

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - All is set for the celebration of Emancipation Day, which will be held this year under the theme, "Emancipation from within, the Voice of Our People."

While the day will be observed for the152nd year, this year, for the 4th consecutive time, the inhabitants of St. Maarten will have the opportunity to officially celebrate the occasion.

Emancipation Day will officially be observed on Wednesday July 1st, however, prior to the celebrations and as is customary in observation of the day, on Tuesday, June 30th, the Diamond Hill Estate Slave Run Reenactment will be held Read more

Parliament Ignore Dutch Govt Deadline For Agreement On Integrity Chamber Protocol

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - During the plenary session of the House of Parliament on Monday debating the National Draft Ordinance for the Integrity Chamber for St. Maarten, Member of Parliament of United People's Party, the Honorable Franklin Meyers requested that some changes be made to the document.

Whilst addressing that subject on the floor of Parliament, the MP outlined some of the areas where amendments should be made in the ordinance.

Meanwhile, whilst speaking on the floor of Parliament handling the National Draft Ordinance to establish the Integrity Chamber, Member of Parliament and leader of the USP, the Honorable Frans Richardson made clear that they had no intention of bringing a motion of no confidence against the Minister of Justice, the Honorable Denis Richardson for signing the protocol with his Dutch counterpart.

He is of the opinion that the issue was sensationalized by the media Read more

George queries restart of Central Bank project

PHILIPSBURG--National Alliance (NA) Member of Parliament George Pantophlet has called for Central Bank of Curaçao and St. Maarten to give an update on when the renovation works on the St. Maarten branch will resume. The work on the building was stopped almost two months ago, after Central Bank ended its contract with the contractor Taliesin Construction NV.

Work on the building on W.J.A Read more

Sarah calls for high priority for performing arts centre

PHILIPSBURG--"Put politics aside" and get moving on the development and construction of a preforming arts centre for St. Maarten was the call from Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams to her fellow MPs on Monday morning.

The arts centre should be "put as a high priority" by government and the money needs to be found for the project, Wescot-Williams said in the notification section of the plenary session of Parliament dealing with the Integrity Chamber.

Her call stemmed from the packed arts and cultural schedule in the just concluded weekend Read more

Govt. back to drawing board with Integrity Chamber Law

PHILIPSBURG--Parliament has sent Government back to the drawing board with the controversial draft National Ordinance on the establishment of an Integrity Chamber for the country.

Parliament sending Government back to make changes was not unexpected, as the majority of MPs had voiced their discontent with the draft when it was tabled in the Central Committee of Parliament about two months ago.

The reworking of parts of the law means the deadline of June 30 for Parliament to handle the law as stated in a recent protocol with the Dutch Government will not be met Read more

TEATT gas measuring tanks still in Curaçao

PHILIPSBURG--Controls by the Inspection Department of the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication TEATT are hindered because the measuring tanks – used to ensure gas stations are operating within the parameters set by government – have been in Curaçao since last year.

The concern was shared on Monday by Member of Parliament (MP) George Pantophlet via press statement Read more

Collectivité honours six for Father’s Day

MARIGOT--The Collectivité held its traditional Father's Day ceremony on Friday to honour six. As usual the chosen fathers were nominated by the representatives of each district council and a biography of each nominee was presented.

The six were Joseph Liburd from French Quarter, Bruno Burnett from Grand Case, Clement Gumbs from Cripple Gate, Jocelyn Jermin from Morne Valois, Charles Richardson from Marigot, and Fernand Sylvestre from Sandy Ground.

Vice-President for Solidarity and Families Ramona Connor in her address noted celebration of fathers has existed in France since 1952.

"Today we are going to celebrate the very good fathers you are," she said Read more

UP tables changes to Integrity Chamber law

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten should chair the Integrity Chamber that will come into being for the country should Parliament pass the draft National Ordinance to establish the Chamber. That Chamber also should render "advice" to the Council of Ministers and not "binding advice" as the draft currently states.

These are among the changes the United People's (UP) party wants to see in the draft law when Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs and Justice Minister Dennis Richardson bring it back to Parliament possibly in August to continue deliberations on it.

UP faction leader MP Franklin Meyers, speaking on Monday in the now-suspended plenary session of Parliament on the law, outlined the changes his party wants to see made to the law Read more

Russia to help Jamaica agriculture and possibly import meat and crops

KINGSTON, Jamaica--Russia has promised to help Jamaica restore its mined-out bauxite lands to full agricultural production. It also plans to share its technology to boost the island's agriculture and help address its environmental issues.

Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Phillip Paulwell made the disclosure as he attended the 19th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Moscow, where he met with representatives from the Russian government to strengthen cooperation in specialised areas.

"I held discussions with the Agriculture Minister [Alexander Tkachov – Ed.] Read more

style="text-align: center;">Was St. Maarten’s Entities Consulted --- MP Leona Romeo Marlin.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of National Alliance and Member of Parliament William Marlin asked several questions regarding the protocol Minister Dennis Richardson signed on May 23rd with the Dutch Government on the establishment of an integrity chamber Read more

>PHILIPSBURG: --- The chairman of Parliament MP Lloyd Richardson had to go back on his decision and remove an agenda point he added on Monday even though several Members of Parliament objected to the additional agenda point claiming that procedures were not followed.
MP De Weever asked the chair of Parliament to add the motion that was suspended in December 2013 which was to widen the scope of medical coverage for independent workers, namely bus drivers, taxi drivers and vendors.
When the motion was in parliament it had to be suspended when it became clear that there was no law in place to support the motion.
MP William Marlin was the first MP to object to the chairman’s decision citing that procedures were not being followed, Marlin even ask the chairman of parliament if the Parliament of St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Will MP Meyers be living on his Knees or will he die Standing?

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Christopher Emmanuel did not mingle with words during the parliamentary debate on the establishment of an integrity chamber on St. Maarten that was held on Monday. MP Emmanuel said that people need to stop blaming the Dutch for everything and blame the person that places the country in the position it is now Read more