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Labour Affairs to be accepting permit renewals as of Monday

~ Normal opening hours resume ~

PHILIPSBURG--The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour VSA has engaged in a re-writing of its procedures to facilitate the manual intake of employment permit requests at the Department of Labour Affairs.

The ministry said this was being done due to "the continued ICT [Information Communications Technology – Ed.] challenges experienced at the department. The servers at the department went down about a month ago due to a power surge.

The Department of Labour Affairs will start with the manual intake of employment permit applications as of Monday, August 18, but only those permits up for renewal, it was stated in a press release issued by the Cabinet of Labour Minister Cornelius de Weever.

Vacancy registrations, unemployment registrations and labour registrations also will be offered and rendered by the department manually Read more

Plasterk regrets Statia objections to Isabella

THE HAGUE--Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk stated on Thursday that he is "disappointed" about the objections of St. Eustatius to the appointment of Gilbert Isabella as the new National Government Representative ("Rijksvertegenwoordiger").

"I regret that the Island Council of St. Eustatius beforehand has reservations about the suitability of Isabella as National Government Representative," Plasterk stated in response to written questions separately posed by Sietse Fritsma and Geert Wilders of the Party for Freedom PVV and Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP).

Fritsma, Wilders and Van Raak, all Members of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament, sought clarity on the July 4 decision of the Council of Ministers to appoint Isabella and the subsequent motion unanimously adopted by Statia's Island Council in which it expressed a lack of confidence in Curaçao-born Isabella, who has no ties with the Windward Islands.

In his response, Minister Plasterk indicated that he was hopeful that the matter with Statia's Island Council would be resolved once the island politicians would meet and get to work with Isabella Read more

Hanson: ‘Transmit values, morals to your children’

MARIGOT--"School is for instruction, but education starts at home."

Those were the words of President of the Territorial Council Aline Hanson in her address at a low-key Sandy Ground Fête on Friday as she unsurprisingly focused on the youth in a district close to her heart for over two decades.

Noting that she is due to retire in September as principal of the Sandy Ground Elementary School after 23 years, Hanson said she was concerned about road safety and the "extremely worrying death toll" among the youth since the beginning of the year.

"I would like the young people and the parents to pay keen attention to this issue where consequences can be tragic Read more

National Mental Health Plan 2014 Presented To Health Minister, Plight Of Seniors Addressed

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The National Mental Health Plan 2014 – 2018 was presented to the Minister with the responsibility for Health Social Affairs and Labor, the Honorable Cornelius de Weever.

The plan was presented by head of Collective Prevention Services, Dr. Virginia Asin Oostberg during a press conference on Wednesday.

An action plan for the same period was also presented Read more

style="text-align: center;">Supports Abolishing of Turn Over Tax

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Democratic Party on Thursday highlighted its Fiscal Policy as part of its 2014 Party Platform for the upcoming Parliamentary Elections. The Party Platform highlights the simplification and harmonizing of the tax system and the preference for indirect taxation, which would include the abolishing of the Turn over Tax in Favor of a Value Added Tax; "The DP believes that political parties should present their vision to the electorate Read more

>GREAT BAY:--- Parliamentarians should be great champions of our nation's culture," said educator and author Dr. Rhoda Arrindell.
"Having a modern Performing Arts Center for our culture to be presented in creative and dynamic ways or on a grand scale by our singers, kaisonians, musicians, dancers, gymnasts, capoeiria and other martial arts students and masters, as well as by our playwrights, actors, painters and plastic artists, moviemakers and videographers, poets, rappers, and other spoken word artists, and for the enjoyment and inspiration of our people and our visitors, is definitely an area that I would champion in Parliament," said Arrindell.
"The Performing Arts Center illustration that the UP party has made public, is a ready part of the vision of my party leader Theo Heyliger, which I wholeheartedly subscribe to," said Arrindell, who is the #14 UP candidate for the parliamentary election of August 29, 2014.
"Part of the parliamentarian's job is to do his or her part for that vision to become a reality, by passing the laws that would translate election promises into reality in the form of buildings, jobs and new career and business opportunities, and in services with dignity for our people," said Arrindell.
Arrindell was herself successful with two cornerstone nation-building legislations in the areas of culture and education during her term as the UP Minister of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs between October 2010 and May 2012.
"It took both leadership and team work within the ministry, the Council of Ministers and Parliament, with researchers, legal people, labor leaders, cultural workers, educators and administrators, and a range of other stakeholders, to make July 1 Emancipation Day a public holiday and to secure St Read more

Minister Lake applauds NV GEBE for Providing Relief to seniors.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake, applauds NV GEBE for remaining on track and providing seniors of the country who qualified relief which should be seen in their monthly utility bills.
Minister Lake took note of a NV GEBE press release announcing the news this week.
"NV GEBE has kept its promise to the seniors in our community Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Health Cornelius de Weever told members of the media on Wednesday at the Council of Ministers press briefing that he must bring clarity on the situation at the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC).
Minister De Weever said now that politics is in the air there are politicians that are paying as much as $1000.00 for advertising regarding the SMMC to repeat the very things he has said on a number occasions Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake says in order for the country to move forward, one has to have a vision.

On Wednesday Minister Lake released an illustration of his vision for the Vorst property in Cay Hill. It includes public housing for young professionals who are studying abroad and would like to return home to work; and a commercial job creation center that would create jobs for the unemployed and those seeking work.

The commercial center includes a sewing center that could create 100+ jobs Read more

Presentation National Mental Health Plan “Half Of Mental Disorders Begin Before The Age Of Fourteen”

St. Maarten – “There will be no more budget cuts to the subsidy for the Mental Health Foundation,” Public Health Minister Cornelius de Weever said yesterday in answer to a question from this newspaper at a press conference where Virginia Asin-Oostburg, head of Collective Prevention Services (CPS) presented the National Mental Health Plan 2014-2018.

Last year, the Mental Health Foundation lost around 200,000 guilders of its annual subsidy, while the government increased the subsidy for the rehab center Turning Point Read more

Minister Lake Reveals Plans For Vorst Estate

CAY HILL – Vromi Minister Maurice Lake revealed yesterday in a press release an image of what he envisions could be built on the Vorst property in Cay Hill. “In order for the country to move forward, one has to have a vision,” he said.

The plans include public housing for young professionals who are studying abroad and would like to return home to work; and a commercial job creation center that would create jobs for the unemployed, and those seeking work, the Minister said.

The commercial center includes a sewing center that could create 100+ jobs Read more

Mps Should Champion Our Culture, Says Rhoda Arrindell

GREAT BAY, St. Martin — "Parliamentarians should be great champions of our nation's culture," said educator and author Dr. Rhoda Arrindell.

"Having a modern Performing Arts Center for our culture to be presented in creative and dynamic ways or on a grand scale by our singers, kaisonians, musicians, dancers, gymnasts, capoeiria and other martial arts students and masters, as well as by our playwrights, actors, painters and plastic artists, moviemakers and videographers, poets, rappers, and other spoken word artists, and for the enjoyment and inspiration of our people and our visitors, is definitely an area that I would champion in Parliament," said Arrindell.

"The Performing Arts Center illustration that the UP party has made public, is a ready part of the vision of my party leader Theo Heyliger, which I wholeheartedly subscribe to," said Arrindell, who is the #14 UP candidate for the parliamentary election of August 29, 2014.

"Part of the parliamentarian's job is to do his or her part for that vision to become a reality, by passing the laws that would translate election promises into reality in the form of buildings, jobs and new career and business opportunities, and in services with dignity for our people," said Arrindell.

Arrindell was herself successful with two cornerstone nation-building legislations in the areas of culture and education during her term as the UP Minister of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs between October 2010 and May 2012.

"It took both leadership and team work within the ministry, the Council of Ministers and Parliament, with researchers, legal people, labor leaders, cultural workers, educators and administrators, and a range of other stakeholders, to make July 1 Emancipation Day a public holiday and to secure St Read more

Editorial - Not without merit

Although the introduction of a visitor health fee proposed by Health Minister Cornelius de Weever (see related story) seems a bit "out of the blue" it shouldn't be discarded outright. Health-related services obviously are targeted in the first place toward local residents, but it does happen that guests make use of them.

As a tourism destination, maintaining quality medical facilities is important, especially for vacationers who may suffer already from some type of condition Read more

Editorial - Wait and see

Tuesday's report that a fourth St. Maarten mobile service concession has been granted to local television station owner Elwaldo Arrindell obviously caught many by surprise. It seems the licence itself dates back almost two years and was issued by then-minister of telecommunications Romeo Pantophlet of the NA/DP/Independent 3 government.

While the news was met with some concern by both United Telecommunication Services (UTS) and the TelEm Group (see today's related story), clients unhappy with the two current cell phone providers on the Dutch side UTS (Chippie) and TelCell may take a different view Read more

Sale of Pelican Resort declared null and void

PHILIPSBURG--The Court of First Instance on Tuesday declared null and void the disputed December 16, 2010, auction of Pelican Resort and Club.

In the court case on the merits, the former owners of Pelican Resort, now Simpson Bay Resort, successfully challenged the legality of the auction, which was called after the owners of the resort fell behind with their mortgage payments.

Lender Quantum Investment Trust (QIT) auctioned off the resort in a public auction on which it submitted the only and winning bid and became the owner of the resort, after which QIT transferred ownership to Simpson Bay Resort Owner Company B.V Read more

Port St. Maarten set for major milestones

From left: Port St. Maarten CEO Mark Mingo and MP Theo Heyliger present a Port St. Maarten plaque to Carnival Corporation CEO Arnold Donald, a strategic cruise partner.

 POINTE BLANCHE--Port St. Maarten Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Mingo has announced two milestones for the port: it is expected to surpass St. Thomas for the first time ever in terms of number of cruise passengers, and it is expected to hit the two million mark Read more

Caravanserai goes to anonymous buyer

PHILIPSBURG--A buyer who has opted to remain anonymous won the Caravanserai resort, land and apartments at a public auction held by Tjon Ajong and Associates at Pasanggrahan Beach Hotel yesterday morning.

This was the third time the assets had been put on auction and they sold for some US $14 million, in comparison to the initial asking price of $20 million.

Two bidders purportedly were in the running for the purchase, amidst a room of around 50 people.

The buyer's intentions could not be established and his representative at the auction, Chris van Amersfoort of HBN Law, declined to relay any information on his client's intentions or identity.

Roeland Zwanikken of BZSE Attorneys at Law/Tax Lawyers who represented seller Scotiabank said the bank was happy with the outcome and happy to have the situation behind it, even though the price is $3 million below the accrued principal mortgage in addition to other costs Read more

Labour, Social Services Dept servers sent abroad to be fixed

~ Consideration to avoid gaps in permits ~

PHILIPSBURG--The servers at the Departments of Labour and Social Affairs are expected to be "up and running" in about two weeks, says Labour Minister Cornelius de Weever.

The minister said on Wednesday that the servers had been sent abroad to be fixed. The system went down about four weeks ago due to a power surge and persons have been unable to submit employment permit renewal requests Read more

De Weever says visitor health fee can raise millions for health care

PHILIPSBURG--The introduction of a visitor health fee can raise millions for health care in St. Maarten, says Health Minister Cornelius de Weever.

He told reporters at Wednesday's Council of Ministers press briefing that a health fee of US $1 could be considered to be charged on airline tickets or cruise ships. With the 1,700,000 to 1,800,000 and projections for 2,000,000 cruise ship passengers and 500,000 stay-over visitors, St Read more

UP candidate Matser to face tax-evasion charges

PHILIPSBURG--The criminal court case against local businessman Silvio Matser and his company Energizer N.V., which was initially scheduled for Wednesday, has been postponed until December 3.

Matser, who is the owner of Energizer N.V., is charged with tax evasion to the amount of US $3.2 million, in connection with non-payment of income tax, social security premiums for workers and turnover tax on behalf of his construction company.

Matser is running in the parliamentary election as the number 23 candidate on United People's (UP) party slate.

Energizer's director was held and questioned on January 25, 2013, in connection with this tax investigation.

The formal charges include tax evasion and forgery of tax returns allegedly committed between January 1, 2006, and October 10, 2010, and alleged tax evasion over the fiscal years 2006 and 2007.

Energizer's 47-year-old director is denying the allegations Read more

De Weever: New budget cuts nearly impossible

PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour Cornelius de Weever says budgetary amendments from his ministry are near impossible, as the ministry has reached a bare minimum and any additional cuts would not enable the ministry to execute the legislative tasks with which it is tasked.

He was attempting to explain why his ministry had not been able to comply with the budget demands as stated by the Committee for Financial Supervision.

"In order to pass the 2014 Budget, the private sector now pays its own fair share of health care premiums which provides medical insurance to their clients and family members for such a low price," De Weever said in a press release Tuesday.

De Weever made a request to amend the budget as it relates to the health care expenses of civil servants; to transfer these costs from the budget of Public Health, Social Development and Labour VSA to the budget of General Affairs or allocate them to the personnel budget of each respective Ministry by means of an allocation key.

He said the budget of VSA in particular was pegged to a year plan, including key performance indicators, and to an end-of-year report that accounts for every penny spent.

"I believe all other ministries that function without a year plan should reform and provide more accountability Read more

Dennis updates MPs about tackling crime

PHILIPSBURG--Justice Minister Dennis Richardson gave Members of Parliament (MPs) updates on the Police's efforts to tackle crime in the community at a Central Committee meeting of Parliament on Monday. The meeting was scheduled to take place last week, but was postponed until yesterday, due to a lack of quorum.

Richardson said the country's crime levels are at a place where other countries in the immediate surrounding will be "jealous of." The police force has been tackling preventable crimes and have been making arrests and getting breaks in large cases Read more

Concession given for 4th mobile service provider

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten's fourth mobile service concession has been granted officially to Elwaldo Arrindell, who was granted a licence in August 28, 2012, by former Minister of Telecommunication Romeo Pantophlet after initially having requested one in 1997.

The concession will allow him to operate, which can translate to a somewhat worrying development for established local providers TelCell and United Telecommunications Services (UTS).

Although Arrindell was not available for comment yesterday, he shared with The Daily Herald last year that, if successful, he hoped to launch a new cellular phone company by the end of 2013 Read more

Minister Lake Applauds Nv Gebe For Providing Relief To Seniors

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake, applauds NV GEBE for remaining on track and providing seniors of the country who qualified relief which should be seen in their monthly utility bills.

Minister Lake took note of a NV GEBE press release announcing the news this week.

"NV GEBE has kept its promise to the seniors in our community Read more