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MPs concerned about TelEm-Digicel accord

PHILIPSBURG--Members of Parliament (MPs) have expressed concern about the signing of a financial information sharing contract between the St. Maarten Telephone Group of Companies TelEm and regional telecom company Digicel.

Democratic Party (DP), National Alliance (NA) and Independent MPs Frans Richardson and Patrick Illidge expressed concerns during a meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on Friday, to handle amendments to the 2014 budget.

Neither United People's (UP) party MPs nor independent MP Dr Read more

Justice Academy’s Anniversary.

style="text-align: left;">PHILIPSBURG:--- On Monday September 15, 2014, the Minister of Justice the Honorable Dennis Richardson attended a ceremony commemorating the 2nd Anniversary of the existence of the Justice Academy and it's achievements to date. The Minister spoke about the Justice Academy being a continuation of a project initiative of the previous Minister of Justice Mr. Roland Duncan and it being a positive institution with great challenges, but that offer at same time the opportunity for it to become a center of excellence for education and training in the Justice sector Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry of VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake, on Friday morning was thanked by President of Rotary Club Sint Maarten Danny Ramchandani for his role in allowing the service club to have the responsibility of beautifying and maintaining the Simpson Bay Village Round-a-bout.

On Friday, Rotarian Ramchandani said: "On behalf of the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten I want to thank the 'back to basics' Honorable Minister Lake for believing in the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten and the service projects that Rotarians do on behalf of the community.

"We are very proud to display the Rotary International marquee on the roundabout Read more

Minister Lake says we need to stop the petty politics and raise the bar of professional politics with the people at heart.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake says he has taken note of the discussions in the Central Committee meeting of Friday, September 19 with respect to budget amendments.

"As the Minister of 'Back to Basics,' and as an elected representative of the people, my slogan for the new parliamentary year in parliament is going to be, 'Raise the bar, take our Country to the next level.'

"Traveling to Parlatino meetings needs to be prioritized Read more

Minister Lake Says We Need To Stop The Petty Politics And Raise The Bar Of Professional Politics With The People At Heart

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake says he has taken note of the discussions in the Central Committee meeting of Friday, September 19 with respect to budget amendments.

"As the Minister of 'Back to Basics,' and as an elected representative of the people, my slogan for the new parliamentary year in parliament is going to be, 'Raise the bar, take our Country to the next level.'

"Traveling to Parlatino meetings needs to be prioritized Read more

Minister Lake Happy Rotary Club Of Sint Maarten To Beautify And Maintain Simpson Bay Village Round-A-Bout

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry of VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake, on Friday morning was thanked by President of Rotary Club Sint Maarten Danny Ramchandani for his role in allowing the service club to have the responsibility of beautifying and maintaining the Simpson Bay Village Round-a-bout.

On Friday, Rotarian Ramchandani said: "On behalf of the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten I want to thank the 'back to basics' Honorable Minister Lake for believing in the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten and the service projects that Rotarians do on behalf of the community.

"We are very proud to display the Rotary International marquee on the roundabout Read more

Threats Said To Be Influencing The Makeup Of New Government Coalition

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Seemingly there are elements in the St. Maarten community who have resorted to threats as a means of influencing the islands political future.

Persistent information reaching this website indicates that a MP elect was threatened by rogue elements within the community of St. Maarten, threatening their life and property if certain political allegiances are broken.

It is also said that these threats came from a member of the MP's election campaign team.

The MP elect is said to have taken the threats seriously and out of fear, refrained from filing an official complaint with the police fearing that the police would not be able to provide the necessary protection.

Our sources say that these rogue elements was also prepared to sit the required jail time if their deeds were discovered by the law.

Just recently the US political party held a press conference in which the number 2 on their list Leona Marlin refuted news reports that she was in negotiations with the UP political party to form an alliance that would support the next government of St Read more

Editorial - Solid enough

The names mentioned in today's paper as the reported candidates for the various positions of the incoming NA/DP/US-party coalition inspire confidence. The screening process will have to determine whether they all qualify in the end, but for now the apparent nominees certainly sound adequate.

It was already clear that NA leader William Marlin would be the next Prime Minister in charge of General Affairs, while the party's number three candidate and top vote-getter Silveria Jacobs had been a "shoo-in" to again become Minister of Education, Culture and Sports.

Whom NA would make its Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Development and the Environment VROMI was not known, but Rodolphe Samuel with his experience as President of Parliament certainly had been among the frontrunners for the job on the party's election list Read more

Kingdom Relations Committee swiftly deals with hefty agenda

PHILIPSBURG--Parliament's Permanent Committee for Kingdom Affairs and Inter-Parliamentary Relations, chaired by outgoing Member of Parliament (MP) Roy Marlin Democratic Party (DP), swiftly dealt with a twelve-point agenda covering several kingdom treaties, motions and other business on Tuesday morning, in Parliament House.

Marlin outlined the agenda and suggested the points that needed the committee simply to take note of and the ones that needed to be left for the incoming committee and its new chairman to handle.

A list of treaties in the preparatory phase and Country St Read more

23 cases of child abuse reported from Jan. to Aug

~10 alleged sexual abuse ~

PHILIPSBURG—Twenty-three cases of child abuse have been reported to the Court of Guardianship's Child Abuse Reporting Centre between January to August this year.

The figures were described as "scary" by Court of Guardianship Director Richelda Rodriguez-Emmanuel. Of the total number of cases reported, 10 were alleged sexual abuse of minors Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson confirmed on Wednesday while at the Council of Ministers weekly press briefing that the coroner has been paid but he could not say when a pathologist will be coming to St. Maarten to conduct the autopsies on the two murder victims. Last Sunday the father of murder victim Lizcania Maduro said that he intends to move to court to force the Prosecutor's Office to find a pathologist within 24 hours. However, Edwin Maduro told SMN News on Wednesday that he did not need to move to court because since he spoke to SMN News the Justice Ministry did what they needed to do and that the autopsy was conducted Wednesday (September 17th) about 3pm Read more

“Budget Security Service Under Scrutiny”

St. Maarten – The contract of the former head of the national security service VDSM, James Richardson, expired a couple of months ago, Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams said at yesterday’s Council of Ministers press briefing. While an ad inviting applications for a successor appeared in local media some months ago, no new head has been appointed yet.

“The process has started, but the budget has to be taken into consideration Read more

Ministers Lake, Richardson And Other Stakeholder's Wrap-Up Tourist Directional Signs Project

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry of VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake and Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications Hon. Ted Richardson along with representatives of the St. Maarten Timeshare Association (SMTA) and St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies, on Tuesday wrapped-up the tourist directional signs project.

The brief ceremony took place at the Cay Hill round-a-bout in front of one of 90 signs that were erected throughout the country during the past months.

"This is a significant improvement for product development Read more

Ambulance Department Participates In Disaster Management Training Course

GREAT BAY, St. Martin - In an effort to enhance the knowledge and skills in disaster management in general and specific as it relates to command and control; safety; communication; assessment; triage; treatment and transport the Ambulance Department recently concluded an operational training in disaster management.

"We must stay proactive and keep training, disasters can happen at any moment and we must be prepared and cannot afford to be complacent," said Minister of Public Health Social Development & Labor, Cornelius de Weever.

The Ambulance Department plays a key role in the disaster management structure of Emergency Support Function 6 (ESF 6) for Medical Relief & Public Health and therefore this operational training will be able to equip the emergency workers with the skills in the execution of their task in emergency response activities in the event of any possible disasters.

This disaster training is in keeping with the Minister of Public Health of putting people first by enabling all members of the Ambulance Department the opportunity to get better acquainted with disaster management in general and with the needed techniques and skills to be able to execute their jobs even in a disaster situation in a professional manner.

This specialized training was done in cooperation with Adphidius from the Netherlands in collaboration with Regional Ambulance Institute & Disaster Management Organization of Brabant Middle-West-Nord Holland.

This specialized training was made possible with funding from USONA in collaboration with University of St Read more

Commemorating International Peace Day September 21, 2014

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - On the occasion of the International Peace Day September 21 2014, a couple of events will be hosted in Sint Maarten/St. Martin.

These events will include a Symposium on Friday September 19, 2014 from 9:00 – 12:00PM at the University of St. Martin; and a Cultural Manifestation on Sunday September 21 from 2:00 – 6:00PM at the Philipsburg Jubilee Library.

The Rotary clubs of the island recently erected and unveiled a Peace Monument on May 31, 2014, in front of the Philipsburg Jubilee Library.

This Monument is dedicated to promote justice, nonviolence and social change in our community.

In continuity with our efforts to promote peace within our community, the general public is invited to a Peace for Sustainable Development and Nation Building symposium scheduled to be held at the University of St Read more

St. Maarten Governing Program In Final Stages

St. Maarten – The workgroup charges with drafting the governing program for the coalition of National Alliance, Democratic Party and United St. Maarten party exports to complete its tasks by the end of the week. The draft will first be presented to the leaders of the three coalition parties Read more

style="text-align: center;">Pathologist refused to come to St. Maarten to conduct autopsy, due to non payment.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The father of murder victim Lizcania Maduro (Beba Brumant), Attorney at Law Edwin Maduro is furious with the police and Public Prosecutor's Office regarding how his daughter's murder investigation is being handled.
Maduro told SMN News in an exclusive interview that his daughter was killed sometime between September 1st and September 2nd, 2014 and to date the Prosecutor's Office cannot conduct an autopsy and turn over the body to the family Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The workgroup established by the three political parties that came together to form the next government is busy working on the Governing Accord for the period 2014 to 2018. Assisting the members of the workgroup are two consultants from Bearing Point who are giving invaluable assistance to the work group. They are Ms. Shadira Fransisca and Ms Sharon Lieuw-Sjong. SMN News learned that the aim of the new government is to have a completed governing program prior to October 10th 2014 when the new government will be sworn in.
Moments after the 2014 Parliamentary Election results were announced the National Alliance, Democratic Party and United St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Candidate ministers identified, governing program being finalized

PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the National Alliance (NA) Member of Parliament (MP) William Marlin expects to complete his tasks of forming a new government that will work in the best interest of the people of St Read more

Préfecture confirms list of Senatorial candidates

MARIGOT--The Préfecture officially confirmed last night the list of candidates who will contest the September 28 election for senator of St. Martin. The deadline to declare candidacy was 6:00pm Friday.

The list has seven candidates, more than first expected. They are as follows: First Vice-President Guillaume Arnell (substitute Aline Hanson), Territorial Councillor René-Jean Duret (substitute Rosette Gumbs-Lake), President of Economic, Social and Cultural Council Georges Gumbs (substitute Carole Gumbs), Union for Democracy (UD) member Dominique Aubert (substitute Dominique Riboud), Territorial Councillor Alain Gros-Desormeaux (substitute Rollande Questel), Grand Case district representative Patricia Chance-Duzant (substitute Steven Patrick) and Boniface Hodge (substitute Marise Dixon).

The second election for the St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Pathologist refused to come to St. Maarten to conduct autopsy, due to non payment.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The father of murder victim Lizcania Maduro (Beba Brumant), Attorney at Law Edwin Maduro is furious with the police and Public Prosecutor's Office regarding how his daughter's murder investigation is being handled.
Maduro told SMN News in an exclusive interview that his daughter was killed sometime between September 1st and September 2nd, 2014 and to date the Prosecutor's Office cannot conduct an autopsy and turn over the body to the family Read more

Departing Politicians Become A Burden For The Treasury

Political pensions could cost country St. Maarten $4 million

St. Maarten – The change of government could cost the country over the next two years more than $4 million if all departing ministers and not re-elected members of parliament claim the political pension they are entitled to by law. To put this number in perspective: on a national budget of 440 million guilders (about $245 million), it represents 1.6 percent of total expenditures.

Four ministers (Patricia Lourens, Martin Hassink, Dennis and Ted Richardson) are not expected to return in the new cabinet Read more

Ronald Plasterk Caught On Camera With Bada Bing Boss Van Den Heuvel

St. Maarten – Five days before the pro forma hearing in the Bada Bing bribery case, aka the Orca-investigation, Bada Bing owner Jaap van den Heuvel boarded a plane in the Netherlands for the Caribbean. Ronald Plasterk, Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations was on the same flight on his way to the governors-consultation in Curacao. Van den Heuvel got the minister to pose for a picture with him. The image, snapped on August 16, surfaced yesterday on the website Geenstijl.nl.

The text that accompanies the photo assumes that Plasterk had no idea with whom he went on that picture Read more

Everyone has the right to be respected

Dear Editor,

If we truly want to make St. Maarten a better place for our children and grandchildren, letters to The Herald's Editor like the one in Sept 11th's edition under the caption "They have a right to" should become a thing of the past and so should graffiti like the one on the Government Building wall yesterday (thankfully removed by those in charge of Government Facilities). The non-indigenous born-to-be-here St. Maarteners (including me) are here to stay.

Let's all get along Read more