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Editorial - Costly oversight

The answers on the settlement between the Harbour Group of Companies and Zebec provided to Parliament on Tuesday afternoon were to the point and clear. Deputy Prime Minister Dennis Richardson, assisted by Port St. Maarten Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Mingo, said there was nothing sinister about the matter and it basically boiled down to a dispute over giving further content to a general property lease agreement for a Dutch Village to be built by the developers of Blue Mall.

The latter’s interpretation of the deal was not deemed favourable for the Harbour, particularly its separate arrangement with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (RCCL) that initiated an own US $100-150 million venture, including a hotel near the area in question Read more

style="text-align: center;">Board calls for Emergency Meeting ---- FBO permit in Limbo

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prime Minister of St. Maarten Marcel Gumbs has dispatched a letter to the chairman of the Supervisory Board of Princess Juliana International Airport ordering them to get rid of the Airport Director Regina Labega. According to information SMN News received is that Labega did not pass the screening and the Prime Minister is using it against her because he got what some board members describe as having a “hard on for Labega.” Board members of the Supervisory board told SMN News that Labega has been doing an extremely good job but the Prime Minister does not seem to like her and thus he will do any or everything possible to get rid of her.
SMN News further learnt that Labega received the letter on Tuesday and she already consulted with her lawyer, while the chairman of the Supervisory Board Gary Matser has called for an emergency meeting to discuss the letter he received from the Prime Minister Read more

Dp Leader Maintains That Governing Program Lacks Substance

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Leader of the Democratic Party of St. Maarten MP the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams has accused the current coalition government of lifting certain segment of the governing program of the NA-DP-USP coalition government and using it in their own governing program entitled, “Ready to work for you”.

The DP leader was at the time speaking on the PJD2 aired program Breakfast with the Robert this past Sunday Read more

Your reputation is on the line

Dear Editor,

Permit me to express a word of caution to our new Minister of VROMI, Claret Connor. I write this article with such a heavy heart, because I know that you are not in the right place but as much as I would like the situation to be different, only you have the authority to choose the direction of your life. However, it is the prerogative of any individual to make comments that could generate further thought Read more

How Nutrition Affects your Feet!

FOR THE LOVE OF SHOES

Greetings!

My name is Ameera Groeneveldt. I am the owner of Shoe Solution SXM – the ONLINE delivery shoe store for women, men and kids; specializing in large shoe sizes 5 and up and wide-width shoes. I am also the ONLY shoe consultant on St. Maarten.

How nutrition affects your feet!

Eating the right foods can help keep your feet healthy Read more

Invest Caribbean Now 2015 to shine spotlight on investment opportunities

MARIGOT--President of St. Martin Tourism Office, Jeanne Rogers-Vanterpool, said she will be showcasing infrastructural and other opportunities to interested investors at the Invest Caribbean Now conference in St. Martin on September 25.

"As we gear up for the launch of our new Five Year Tourism Master Plan, we are excited to speak to investors about ideas and opportunities that are available,” she added, noting among the major projects available are the expansion of port services, the Marigot Bay Development Project and other tourism-related opportunities that fall within the Marigot Revitalisation project.

"Investment opportunities both inside and outside of these major projects include, among other projects, resorts, hotels, marinas, conference facilities, theme parks, nature parks, shopping centres and shipping related activities," President Rogers-Vanterpool pointed out.

A delegation of more than 40-Beijing companies including Showland Investment Group Corp Read more

Sandy Ground school children spread the message for peace

MARIGOT--An estimated 550 children from the Sandy Ground UNESCO-affiliated elementary school (now renamed Aline Hanson School) and the Jérôme Beaupere School took part in a march Monday at 9:00am in observance of the United Nations’ International Day of Peace.

As was the case last year the march followed a short circuit in Sandy Ground, starting from and finishing at the school Read more

MPs question Dennis on Zebec settlement at Port

~ Sarah’s call for more speaker’s time voted down ~

PHILIPSBURG--Members of Parliament (MPs) fired off numerous questions seeking clarity on the Harbour’s settlement with Zebec Development during an emergency meeting on Monday.

The meeting was adjourned after the first round of questions to give Deputy Prime Minister Dennis Richardson a chance to obtain answers. The meeting will continue at 2:00pm today, Tuesday.

A proposal by Democratic Party (DP) MP Sarah Wescot-Williams at the start of the meeting for the speaking time to be increased to 30 minutes in the first round and 20 minutes in the second round was voted down with eight MPs voting against the proposal and six voting for it.

The vote was called after United People’s (UP) party MP Franklin Meyers said he opposed Wescot-Williams’ proposal Read more

Court to decide on SHHC appeal against Dock Maarten in October

POINT BLANCHE--After a failed attempt in Civil Court in December to halt Dock Maarten N.V. construction plans, St. Maarten Harbour Holding Company (SHHC) N.V. filed an appeal centred on a building permit and was heard in administrative court on Monday. The Court will give its decision October 19.

The Harbour is against a building permit for expansion issued by the Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI on July 21, 2014. The Harbour argues that the construction forms both a hindrance to vessels and a danger.

Attorney Marcha Woudstra also argued that the decision by the ministry to issue the permit had not taken into careful consideration previous reports made, and that the decision was at odds with the law Read more

Technical Services to start work for Blue Zone parking

MARIGOT--The Collectivité’s Technical Services will begin installing infrastructure and informative signs to indicate Blue Zone parking areas in downtown Marigot as of this Thursday, September 24.

This first phase requires a month-and-a-half of work, the Collectivité noted in a release. Commissioning of the Blue Zone is scheduled for mid-November, just before the start of the new tourist season.

The creation of a Blue Zone was initiated by President Aline Hanson’s majority party in the context of the revitalization of Marigot’s town centre Read more

NATO say Russia must withdraw heavy weapons from Ukraine

LVIV, Ukraine--NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg said on Monday an ebb in violence in eastern Ukraine was not enough to bring peace and demanded Russia withdraw heavy weapons the alliance accuses it of providing in support of separatists.
  Ukrainian diplomats said Stoltenberg's two-day visit, his first to Ukraine as NATO Secretary-General, held strong symbolic importance for the country in its drive for Western integration in the face of a pro-Russian rebellion in eastern territories.
  With a troubled peace plan for the Ukrainian conflict nearing its year-end deadline, Stoltenberg said the drop in fighting since the start of September was encouraging but called it fragile and far from sufficient Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- Last Friday, Posh Productions hosted its first Corporate Cocktail Pageant Presentation for Corporate St. Maarten. This very “posh” evening was hosted at Princess Port de Plaisance and was well attended by the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, the Honorable Rita Bourne-Gumbs and representatives of various businesses on the island.
Posh Productions recognizes the general perceptions and reservations many institutions and individuals have about pageantry. Often times, pageantry is perceived as not serving much purpose or holding any value, but quite to the contrary, pageantry has significant importance for our community and serves as a pillar for growth throughout the world Read more

Members of Parliament wanted more speaking time in Zebec/Harbor debate.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of Parliament were called to vote on Monday when a member of the opposition asked for speakers time to be extended and a member of the coalition opposed the extension. MP Frans Richardson who supports the government voted in favor of the extension citing that he believes that Members of Parliament should be given extra time if they need when debating certain topics Read more

Press Core Boycott Parliament Meetings due to specific dress code.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- On Monday members of the media on St. Maarten boycotted the meetings of parliament due to a press release sent out last week informing members of media the dress code of parliament. In that press release its states that members of the media should wear a “jacket” in order for them to access the press-room in parliament. The press release further states that those members of the media who does not abide with the dress code will have to sit in the public tribune.
While parliament sent out a press release to say how members of the media to dress in order for them to attend parliament meetings, so far parliament have not taken the initiative to keep Members of Parliament out of the press room while meetings are taking place Read more

Statia takes its cause to the UN

THE HAGUE/ORANJESTAD--A four-member Statia delegation will be meeting with the United Nations’ Decolonisation Committee this week in an effort to seek the support of international organisations such as the UN to intervene on the island’s behalf in the struggle with the Dutch Government for more autonomy and the right of self-determination.

Commissioner of Constitutional Affairs Reginald Zaandam was very clear as he was about to leave for New York on Saturday: The Netherlands, as Statia’s mother country has a responsibility and duty to work with St Read more

Wescot-Williams: Connor ‘intimidated’ by coalition

PHILIPSBURG--Recently appointed Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure VROMI Claret Connor “seemed intimidated” by the coalition partners who appointed him in the post when he appeared before Parliament on Friday to answer questions from, in particular, opposition National Alliance and Democratic Party Members of Parliament about tackling the country’s garbage mountain Read more

Pope meets Fidel Castro, warns against ideology on Cuba trip

HAVANA--Pope Francis met Cuba's revolutionary leader Fidel Castro on Sunday hours after warning Cubans to beware the dangers of ideology and the lure of selfishness as their country enters a new era of closer ties with the United States.
  Latin America's first pope and Castro, the region's last surviving leftist icon of the 20th century, discussed religion and world affairs at the home of the 89-year-old retired president for about 40 minutes Read more

It’s time to move on

Dear Editor,

If government officials cannot address the public in a sober and civil manner, then they need to reconsider their position and move on. It is totally unacceptable for representatives of the people to express themselves in ways that are substandard to effective leadership. This pattern of behaviour seems to be a developing trend - a style that exposes their state of mind – a mind that is overruled by frustration, which has lead them to the point where they are unable to guide their thoughts.

Politicians, who are called to lead, would be cognizant of their choice of words and actions Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Postal Services St. Maarten (PSS) attended the Caribbean Postal Union (CPU) and Universal Postal Union (UPU) 18th annual Postal Conference in the British Virgin island of Tortola.

The St. Maarten delegation arrived on Sunday in Tortola comprised of Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Directors (SBD) Stuart Johnson and interim-Managing Director Antonia Wilson Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---  University of St. Martin (USM) announced on Friday that it received accreditation of its Hospitality and Tourism Management programme by Business and Technology Education Council in the United Kingdom (BTEC).

BTEC accredited degrees are recognized in the US and in Europe. This is the first programme under the USM to be accredited.

USM also received "recognition" from American Hotel and Lodging Association, and that USM will be the third institution in the Caribbean to offer courses from American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute, especially in the North Eastern Caribbean where personnel from American hotels can come to upgrade their skills.

“It's high time that our Government recognize USM in writing based on our Government Program Read more

Pss Attends Caribbean Postal Conference In Bvi

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Postal Services St. Maarten (PSS) attended the Caribbean Postal Union (CPU) and Universal Postal Union (UPU) 18th annual Postal Conference in the British Virgin island of Tortola.The St. Maarten delegation arrived on Sunday in Tortola comprised of Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Directors (SBD) Stuart Johnson and interim-Managing Director Antonia Wilson Read more

Mp Lake Commends Usm Management And Board On Reaching Milestone With First Accredited Program. Wants Governments Recognition

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – University of St. Martin (USM) announced on Friday that it received accreditation of its Hospitality and Tourism Management programme by Business and Technology Education Council in the United Kingdom (BTEC).

BTEC accredited degrees are recognized in the US and in Europe. This is the first programme under the USM to be accredited.

USM also received "recognition" from American Hotel and Lodging Association, and that USM will be the third institution in the Caribbean to offer courses from American Hotel and Lodging Educational Institute, especially in the North Eastern Caribbean where personnel from American hotels can come to upgrade their skills.

“It's high time that our Government recognize USM in writing based on our Government Program Read more

GEBE marks its 55th anniversary

PHILIPSBURG--Utilities company GEBE marked its 55th anniversary on Friday with a celebration that included the unveiling of a portrait of long-time GEBE Managing Director the late Julius Lambert painted by artist Ruby Bute and the rewarding of five youngsters for their outstanding performance at the high school entrance exams.

Receiving laptops and praises were Collin Shigemoto and Jaidev Nainani of St. Dominic High School, Eshita Wadhwa and Oluwatoyin Aladejana of Methodist Agogic Centre (MAC) Browlia Maillard Campus and Sean Mitchell of MAC Rev Read more

Democratic donors call on Biden to challenge Clinton

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON--A group of prominent Democratic Party fundraisers on Friday began circulating a letter to encourage a hesitant Vice President Joe Biden to enter the 2016 race for U.S. president.
  The letter, signed by nearly 50 people, calls the Obama-Biden administration a "spectacular success." It cites job creation, a lower unemployment rate, new health insurance policies for nearly 9 million Americans and the end of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
  "To finish the job, America needs a leader who is respected both home and abroad, and who understands the real challenges facing American families Read more