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Dp Wants Answers From Gebe

St. Maarten -A list of pertinent questions will be forwarded to Gebe by the Democratic Party faction in parliament following a recent meeting between the company representatives and the parliament.

Leader of the Democratic Party faction in parliament Sarah Wescott-Williams noted that there is a government endorsed energy plan for the Country St Read more

Are we in Cuba or St. Maarten --- Prime Minister allegedly running a booth camp in Government Building.

style="text-align: center;">Civil Servants disgusted and ready to take action.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Several civil servants working at the Government Administration Building are disgusted and are ready to take action if Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs continues with what they consider as 'dictatorship" attitude. The civil servants who prefer to remain anonymous said that if they are seen in the corridor talking to a colleague or going to the kitchen the Prime Minister will come up to them and say "get back to work, it's not yet happy hour." Those who spoke to SMN News said that the Prime Minister would go as far as checking to see if civil servants are at their desk working Read more

Shujah’s pick of books for “the ‘readingist’ month” of the year

by Shujah Reiph

When I first glanced at the Facebook post from Nehesi House at the end of January, about February being "the readingist month" of the year, I had to laugh, because that is a big statement to make without any backup information.

I was about to call Lasana right away, for proof, since he always drills me about evidence and having "multiple sources" when I find some new historical information. Nehesi House is the Facebook page of House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP). Lasana Sekou is a poet and projects director of HNP Read more

Chikungunya thrives in climate variability of the Caribbean

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad--Jenny had gone to bed feeling well, but an hour into her sleep she suddenly awoke with a "stiff, cramping pain" behind one knee. Within the next hour the pains had multiplied and both knees began to lock, followed by stiffened fingers and pains in her chest, along with a fever.

Jenny Gittens (61) described her experience with chikungunya over the next two weeks as marked by excruciating pain Read more

Caravanserai owners unique amongst victims of takeover

BEACON HILL--A California couple who cashed in part of their retirement fund to invest in buying a unit at the former Caravanserai Beach Resort have been thrown into the same basket as approximately 2,200 timeshare owners who had their rights at the same property annulled when it was taken over by Alegria Real Estate BV. The couple received an eviction order earlier this month, after a trial of which they reportedly had not been informed took place.

Chasing ownership

John and Shandrea Degen signed the relevant paperwork with Caravanserai in 2007 Read more

‘Welkom op St. Maarten’ on top 5 travel guides list

SIMPSON BAY--The book Welkom op Sint Maarten: The Friendly Island is now among the country's top five travel guides thanks to a list compiled by Website

stmaartenvakantie.nl . The book is noted as worthwhile to read and to take on vacation to the Dutch Caribbean.

The Dutch language book was launched internationally last year with a limited edition presented to then-Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams by authors Ina Kruize, Esther de Vries and Marlene van Asten.

The book informs people who are moving to St Read more

First 11 guesthouses receive star ratings by Collectivité

MARIGOT--Plaques were presented by elected officials at a ceremony on Friday to proprietors of the first eleven guesthouses that were classified and rated by the Collectivité in 2014.

The awards bring guesthouses into focus with a guarantee of quality while diversifying the hospitality sector's range of accommodation options available to tourists.

The guesthouses have a maximum 10 rooms or less and received ratings from one star to five stars. Each star a guesthouse earns comes with the guarantee that a set of standards has been met and in some cases surpassed.

In the French system guesthouses are not classified, but the Collectivité decided in February 2014 to adopt a classification system for St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---  United People's (UP) Party Members of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake and Hon. Johan Leonard, attended a birthday thanksgiving service organized by Home Away from Home Taking Care of the Golden Age Foundation of Patsy Flanders.

The service was for seniors 80 years and older with the eldest celebrating her 96th birthday on Saturday.

The service was held in the John Larmonie Center and was conducted by Brother Nathaniel Richardson.

"It is always a blessing to be invited by the seniors of our country Read more

Press Secretariat in Shambles, Granger submitted letter of Resignation to PM on Friday.

>PHILIPSBURG: --- Reliable sources within the Prime Minister's cabinet disclosed that the owner of M&M PR and Marketing Consultancy Michael Granger has submitted a letter of resignation to Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs on Friday. According to information SMN News gathered is that Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs told Granger that he had to choose between working for his cabinet and being the President of the St Read more

Mps Lake And Leonard Hang Out With Seniors During Birthday Thanksgiving Service

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Members of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake and Hon. Johan Leonard, attended a birthday thanksgiving service organized by Home Away from Home Taking Care of the Golden Age Foundation of Patsy Flanders.

The service was for seniors 80 years and older with the eldest celebrating her 96th birthday on Saturday.

The service was held in the John Larmonie Center and was conducted by Brother Nathaniel Richardson.

"It is always a blessing to be invited by the seniors of our country Read more

Theo: No meeting ever held with Schotte, VDC member

PHILIPSBURG--"I am getting tired of being associated with Gerrit Schotte. I have never met with Schotte at the UP headquarters. I have never met anyone that identified themselves as the secret service of Curaçao. Nor have I ever wanted to. I had no meetings with them. I have never asked for information from them."

That was the statement from United People's (UP) party leader Member of Parliament (MP) Theo Heyliger upon reading Thursday about supposedly "secret documents" released online by anti-St Read more

Editorial - Quite a legacy

The winds of change have blown in St. Kitts-Nevis, where the Labour Party lost Monday's parliamentary vote after governing the country for two decades straight. While the war of words with the united opposition during the campaign had been fierce, in the end the process went peacefully and so did the transfer of power.

Unfortunately, the final outcome was not known immediately because the election supervisor halted the announcing of results early Tuesday morning, citing possible irregularities Read more

Self Defense Seminar to help Petition to Expel Pedophiles

COLE BAY--Renzo Gracie Jiu Jitsu St. Maarten (SXM BJJ) is hosting a fund-raising self-defense class for girls age eight to 20 on Saturday from 10:00 to 11:00am. The fundraiser will benefit Mhakeda Shillingford's organization Petition to Expel Pedophiles (PEP).

Sixteen year old Shillingford had a terrifying experience in December when a bus driver kept pestering her for her name and telephone number. He did not cease his behavior when she told him she was only 16, and then refused to let her get off the bus unless she provided her details.

This strong young woman happens to be vice-president of the Youth Parliament of St Read more

New political party emerges with goal to be deal breaker

GEORGETOWN, Guyana--A new political party has emerged in Guyana with hopes of truly breaking away from an ethnic divide and providing a balance between Guyana's two main political parties – a united Alliance For Change (AFC)/A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) and the incumbent People's Progressive Party.

The Healing the Nation Theocracy Party (HTNTP) believes that it can rally the support of Guyanese at the upcoming May 11 polls by opening "your eyes to the poverty we are experiencing .. Read more

Schotte, Heyliger met with security service man in 2010

~ Ronald van Raak publishes online article ~

THE HAGUE--Secret documents, supplied to Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP) and published on Tuesday on the website ThePostOnline.nl, revealed a meeting on or around the 2010 elections in St. Maarten between a member of the Curaçao Security Agency VDC, candidate Curaçao Prime Minister Gerrit Schotte, candidate minister George Jamaloodin and United People's Party Leader Theo Heyliger.

The meeting in St Read more

Airport ‘on the radar’ of various air carriers

~ Details opportunities, threats ~

AIRPORT--In reference to opportunities discussed at the Routes Americas 2015 Conference earlier this month, Princess Juliana International Airport SXM says it "remains firmly on the radar of various airlines, with several carriers stating that they are very pleased with the airport."

An airport press release said, "During one-on-one meetings between a St. Maarten delegation and a number of airlines and airport representatives at the Routes Americas 2015 Conference to discuss current and new air service opportunities, the United States carriers indicated that the 2014 load factors were good and that no changes were expected in the market."

The delegation was led by Tourism and Transport Minister Claret Connor and included airport Managing Director Regina LaBega and other top airport officials Read more

Police union says Dutch want St. Maarten to give up its rights

~Wants local politicians to react~

PHILIPSBURG--General Police Union NAPB says it is of the impression that Dutch authorities want St. Maarten to "give up its rights" and "its patriotism" with some of the things it wants to impose on the country.

Union President Ethelwoldus Josepha says local politicians should make their positions clear on the issues that have been developing lately and tell the people of St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Sir Richard Branson Commends Islands on Shark and Ocean Conservation Efforts

Bimini- Political Leaders, Government Representatives and Conservationists from the Dutch Caribbean attended a high-level Caribbean Shark Conservation Leadership Retreat in Bimini, Bahamas last week, where significant discussions were held regarding the conservation of Sharks and Rays and the protection of the Ocean Environment in the wider-Caribbean Region. The Retreat, hosted by the PEW Charitable Trust; former President of Costa Rica and co-chair of the Global Ocean's Commission Jose-Maria Figures; and well-known businessman and environmental steward Sir Richard Branson, brought together conservation and political leaders, filmmakers and scientists from around the wider Caribbean region in order to discuss the protection and conservation of sharks and the Marine Environment.

During the event the delegates from the Dutch Caribbean; Commissioner Chris Johnson of Saba, Commissioner Carlisle Tearr from St Read more

Editorial - No ifs, no buts

Concerns expressed by the Democratic Party (DP) parliamentarians in Tuesday's paper regarding a perceived lack of tourism marketing should not go unnoticed. As stated before, there is currently no representation in Europe and contracts for the all-important North American continent apparently expired.

The opposition members have a point when questioning why and how Economic Affairs Minister Claret Connor is – as he stated – reorganising, reviewing and revisiting the already established St Read more

EU patience frays as Greek PM refuses "blackmail"

BRUSSELS/ATHENS--A war of words between Greece and EU paymaster Germany escalated on Tuesday with Athens' new leftist prime minister rejecting what he called "blackmail" to extend an international bailout and vowing to rush through laws to reverse labour reforms.

A source close to the government said Greece intends to ask on Wednesday for an extension for up to six months of a loan agreement with the euro zone, on conditions to be negotiated. The source drew a distinction between a loan agreement and the full bailout programme which the government insists is dead.

However hardline German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble dismissed the Greek gambit, telling broadcaster ZDF: "It's not about extending a credit programme but about whether this bailout programme will be fulfilled, yes or no."

Financial markets held their nerve after the latest talks among euro zone finance ministers broke down late on Monday and EU partners gave Greece until the end of the week to request an extension or lose financial assistance Read more

Gumbs formally rejects The Hague intervention

~ Warns that measures will create social unrest ~

THE HAGUE--St. Maarten Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs has informed the Dutch government formally that his government cannot agree with the current proposal of the Kingdom Council of Ministers to impose the installation of an Integrity Chamber for St. Maarten.

Gumbs stated in separate letters dated February 9 to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in his capacity as Chairman of the Kingdom Council of Ministers and to Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk that the proposed General Measure of the Kingdom Government ("Algemene Maatregel van Rijksbestuur" AMvRB) was "in violation" of the Kingdom Charter and "disproportionate," that it "undermined St Read more

New Government Coming To St. Kitts

Premier Vance Amory’s seat is one of only two to be officially called.

By Felicia J. Persaud

News Americas, CHARLESTOWN, Nevis, Tues. Feb. 17, 2015: The opposition coalition, Team Unity, in St. Kitts/Nevis has claimed victory in Monday’s elections even though the country’s Supervisor of Elections of the Electoral Commission, Raphael Archibald, refused to announce the final results of the election at 5 a.m. this morning.  The country’s supervisor of elections told media personnel earlier this morning that there will be no more public results released and it could be “days” before the results were made official because there were reports of discrepancies in the elections where less than 16,000 votes were cast.

  Sources told NAN exclusively this morning that from a voter tally witnessed by their agents, that the opposition coalition, Team Unity, had won enough seats to take the reins of power from the 20-year ruling St Read more

Island Gems helps Animal Defenders

PHILIPSBURG--Island Gems Charity Foundation presented a cheque to Animal Defenders SXM recently to assist with neuter operations, vaccinations and other medical cost for stray animals.

The cheque for NAf. 900 was written to a veterinary clinic in keeping with Island Gems' policy of not giving money directly to any organisation. Island Gems prefers to pay for services or buy necessary items.

"We are all delighted and very thankful to the Island Gems Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Kooyman is pleased to announce a special guest for their upcoming Home Improvement Fair. Miss MAKITA - Maria Alejandra Montoya, spokes model of MAKITA brand Industrial power tools and Accessories will be live at the Kooyman Home Improvement Fair on Saturday February 28th.
The Kooyman team will welcome vendors and other top suppliers such as AIR MASTER Windows & Doors, MAPEI Adhesives, Sealants and Building Products, GLOBAL Professional High End paint manufacturer, and MAKITA Power Tools as well as local suppliers such as, Rollfix, SBS, City Furniture, Paradise Pools, WIB and more.
The event will feature a series of live product demonstrations, expert advice and estimates Read more