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Religion and policy collide over gender-neutral laws in Barbados

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados--A Barbadian Cabinet Minister is prepared to personally campaign to churches and members of his constituency to fight the introduction of gender-neutral legislation on domestic violence.

Speaking to a Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Christ Church East branch meeting last Sunday, Minister of Environment and Drainage Dr. Denis Lowe went as far as to threaten to resign his post, rather than sign any legislation which appeared to recognise same-sex couples.

The Minister's reaction follows a resolution for the reform of Barbados' domestic violence laws, which was circulated by opposition Senator Wilfred Abrahams to the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) annual conference Read more

Lucas Berman tipped to be next deputy minister plenipotentiary

PHILIPSBURG--Attorney Lucas Berman is said to be the candidate minister for the post of deputy minister plenipotentiary in The Hague.

Providing he passes the security and integrity screening, Berman will join the minister plenipotentiary in representing the country in the Netherlands, particularly at the meeting of the Kingdom Council of Ministers. Minister plenipotentiary is expected to be Josianne Artsen, who currently serves as deputy minister plenipotentiary.

Berman, a junior partner with Lexwell Attorneys-at-Law, was born in Toulouse, France, and was raised in the Netherlands Read more

USM honours faculty and staff at 25th anniversary celebration

~ Special award for Danny's parents, Smith ~

PHILIPSBURG--University of St. Martin (USM) honoured a long list of staffers and faculty for their efforts in moulding students over the years during its 25th anniversary celebrations on Friday evening.

A special award was presented to Vice President of USM Foundation and the institution's first Director Pastor Wycliffe Smith, as well as to the parents of Treasurer of USM Foundation Danny Ramchandani, for allowing their only son to come to St Read more

Port says it is protecting national economic, shareholder interests

POINTE BLANCHE--St. Maarten Harbour group of Companies Chief Executive Officer Mark Mingo relayed his perspective on an ongoing court case against Dock Maarten via press release Sunday, claiming a Government-granted concession is in his favour and tying the success of the port to the national economy.

St. Maarten Harbour Holding Company (SHHC) is fighting Dock Maarten's plans to construct a marina with a pier to accommodate ultra- and giga-yachts (see related front-page story in The Daily Herald on Saturday, November 29).

"I have no comment on Mr Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- As an educator and a Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake, says one of his priority areas is higher education for the people of Sint Maarten.
"I would like the incoming Government to work on promoting degrees and academics at the University of St. Martin (USM). USM should be the University of higher learning on the island Read more

Safety tips for holiday shopping spree.

>GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- As part of the Minister of Public Health's Hon. Cornelius de Weever 'Get Checked' campaign, every parent's number one concern this holiday season should be to make sure that whatever it is you buy for your child this year, it's safe. Therefore, make sure you check the safety information of toys before you purchas Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- November is Rotary Foundation Month and Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise Foundation Director Meredith Boekhoudt recently gave a review to fellow members on the Rotary Foundation. The Rotary Foundation was formed on the advice of Past Rotary International President Arch C. Klumph who suggested an endowment "for the purpose of doing good in the world". The Foundation aims to "advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty" Read more

>Pond Island;---- TelEm Group management and staff celebrated the contributions of its longest serving employees during a moving Jubilee anniversary event at Captain Oliver's, Oyster Bay, last Thursday.
The veteran workers clocked in a massive 280 years of combined service having reached milestones of 25 years, 30 years, 35 years and 40 years in service.
Each Jubilee celebrant was presented with a gift on behalf of the company along with some encouraging words from TelEm Group Mangers and directors, including Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Mrs Read more

Heyliger Asks For More Time To Form Government

St. Maarten – UP leader and formateur Theo Heyliger has asked and received more time to submit the final names of his cabinet to form the new government according to a press release from Governor Eugene Holiday.

The formateur originally had a November 30 deadline to submit the final list, but in a meeting with Governor Holiday yesterday, Heyliger made his request for additional time and was granted till December 16 Read more

Telem Group Celebrates Contributions Of Its Long- Serving Employees

POND ISLAND, St. Maarten – TelEm Group management and staff celebrated the contributions of its longest serving employees during a moving Jubilee anniversary event at Captain Oliver's, Oyster Bay, last Thursday.

The veteran workers clocked in a massive 280 years of combined service having reached milestones of 25 years, 30 years, 35 years and 40 years in service.

Each Jubilee celebrant was presented with a gift on behalf of the company along with some encouraging words from TelEm Group Mangers and directors, including Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Mrs Read more

Mp Lake Would Like To See Next Government Promote Degrees Offered By Usm

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – As an educator and a Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake, says one of his priority areas is higher education for the people of Sint Maarten.

"I would like the incoming Government to work on promoting degrees and academics at the University of St. Martin (USM). USM should be the University of higher learning on the island.

The incoming Government has to promote and send more students to USM Read more

Safety Tips For Holiday Shopping

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – As part of the Minister of Public Health's Hon. Cornelius de Weever 'Get Checked' campaign, every parent's number one concern this holiday season should be to make sure that whatever it is you buy for your child this year, it's safe.

Therefore, make sure you check the safety information of t Read more

Editorial - Not unthinkable

That outgoing Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure VROMI Maurice Lake wants the Council of Ministers to get on with approving the much-discussed purchase of the Vorst land in Cay Hill (see Friday paper) is to a certain extent understandable. After all, the family has been waiting since the days of former Minister Roland Duncan and his plans for a Justice Park on that location.

Not only that, but they have agreed to lower the price at least twice Read more

Notices November 29

Saturday, November 29

FREE HIV TEST

Organised by St. Maarten AIDS Foundation for World AIDS Day

Place: Scotiabank in Philipsburg (next to KFC)

Time: 10am to 3:30pm

Results in 15 minutes.

Saturday, November 29

MOVIE NIGHT

Organised by 1st St. Maarten Boys' Brigade & the 2nd St. Maarten Girls' Brigade

Time: 7:00pm

Place: Louisann Augusta Illidge Hall

Admission: Adults - NAf 8 or US$4/ Children - NAf 4 or US$2

Drinks and snacks will be on sale Read more

Heyliger to now present final formation report on Dec. 16

HARBOUR VIEW--The process of searching through the lives of the minister candidates for the new Cabinet with a fine-tooth comb is in “its final stage,” but has not yet been completed. This has led Governor Eugene Holiday to grant formateur of the new Cabinet United People’s (UP) party leader Theo Heyliger a new deadline of December 16 to present his final report.

The screening of minister candidates covers a background review of personal and professional credentials, their financial position, fiscal compliance (tax and social security premiums), a judicial check for possible suspicious transactions, the security background and, if necessary, the health condition of the candidates.

The purpose of the screening is to assess the integrity, independence and solvency of the candidates, as well as the stability of the new government, according to a statement from the Governor’s Cabinet.

Member of Parliament Heyliger met with Holiday on Friday, ahead of his November 23 deadline for his final report, to give his progress report on the screening of the candidates for the posts of prime minister, ministers, minister plenipotentiary and acting minister plenipotentiary.

The current Wescot-Williams III Cabinet has remained in office as a caretaker government since the August 29 Parliamentary Elections.

This is the first time in St Read more

Maria to stand trial for ‘tax fraud’ and participation in criminal organisation

~ Pre-trial set for Jan. 7 ~

PHILIPSBURG--United People's (UP) party member Maria Buncamper-Molanus will stand trial for tax fraud, fraud and participation in a criminal organisation.

The pro forma/pre-trial hearing in this case is scheduled for January 7, 2014, Prosecutor Tineke Kamps announced in a press statement on Friday.

Kamps said the Prosecution Service stuck to its word to take a decision about the prosecution in the Buncamper-Molanus investigation before December 1 Read more

Caravanserai timeshare owners lose injunction against Alegria

BEACON HILL--Timeshare owners at Caravanserai Beach Resort have lost the injunction they had filed against the property's new owner, Alegria Real Estate BV, concerning ownership rights.

The Court of First Instance ruled in the injunction on Friday, and stated that Timeshare Owners at Caravanserai Association (TOCA) had no case against Alegria, because association members had not closed timeshare agreements with Alegria or with the former resort owner, but with Endless Vacation NV.

As a result, TOCA was ordered to pay Alegria's legal fees, which were estimated at NAf Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The public prosecutor has taken close to four years to decide whether or not they will prosecute former Minister of Public Health Maria Buncamper-Molanus who sold the economic rights of government long lease land. The Buncamper case made headlines when several media houses including SMN News dug deep and found that Maria Buncamper sold the economic rights for long lease land she obtained from government Read more

>HARBOUR VIEW:--- On Friday, November 28, 2014, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, met with and received a progress report from formateur Mr. Theo Heyliger.
During the meeting the formateur updated the Governor on the progress of and deliberated on the required information for the screening of the candidates for the posts of Prime Minister, Ministers, Minister Plenipotentiary and acting Minister Plenipotentiary Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Caretaker Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams did not waste any time on Friday after she read the press statement issued by caretaker Minister Maurice Lake. In a letter sent to the various media house Wescot Williams outlined what she said on Tuesday to Minister Lake in the Council of Ministers meeting and what she stated on Wednesday during the weekly press conference, below is the letter from caretaker Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams.

Dear Minister Lake/Dear Maurice,

In my opinion, we have arrived at a sad state of affairs when persons can not express their own view(s) Read more

Rotary Sunrise Acknowledges Rotary Foundation Month And Paul Harris Fellows

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - November is Rotary Foundation Month and Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise Foundation Director Meredith Boekhoudt recently gave a review to fellow members on the Rotary Foundation.

The Rotary Foundation was formed on the advice of Past Rotary International President Arch C. Klumph who suggested an endowment "for the purpose of doing good in the world".

The Foundation aims to "advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty".

They do this mainly through their End Polio Now campaigns and through offering Peace Fellowships where degrees and certificates are earned in peace and conflict resolution.

Ms Read more

Dp Leader Responds To Minister Lake Request Concerning Planned Purchase Of Vorst Property

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - DP leader the Honorable MP Sarah Wescot-Williams responded Friday to a press statement from the Honorable Minister Maurice Lake on the subject of the Vorst property.

Minister Lake in his press statement which was also carried on this website, stated that he would like the Council of Ministers to take a vote on the planned purchase of the Vorst property.

In his statement Minister lake stated that "I was not surprised by the comments of our Prime Minister about the Vorst and Emilio Wilson land purchases Read more

Notices November 27

Saturday, November 29

FREE HIV TEST

Organised by St. Maarten AIDS Foundation for World AIDS Day

Place: Scotiabank in Philipsburg (next to KFC)

Time: 10am to 3:30pm

Results in 15 minutes.

Saturday, November 29

MOVIE NIGHT

Organised by 1st St. Maarten Boys' Brigade & the 2nd St. Maarten Girls' Brigade

Time: 7:00pm

Place: Louisann Augusta Illidge Hall

Admission: Adults - NAf 8 or US$4/ Children - NAf 4 or US$2

Drinks and snacks will be on sale Read more

Editorial - Despite the turmoil

People worried about the delay in installing a new cabinet and its consequences for the budgetary process should be reassured at least somewhat after statements this week from outgoing Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams and Finance Minister Martin Hassink (see Thursday paper).

The intention is to ratify the draft budget in the Council of Ministers on Tuesday coming, after which the Advisory Council is to review such Read more