SXMElections.com

Editorial - Majority rule

A lot of frustration is being expressed by voters about the meanwhile-confirmed latest political twist that will see a UP-led government take office after all. Many uttered disbelief as to how something like this was even possible, let alone allowed to take place.

Some reason that especially as DP candidate and caretaker minister Cornelius de Weever had failed to earn a Parliament seat outright in terms of preferential votes, he should not be able to "jump ship" and torpedo the seemingly-incoming NA/DP/US Party coalition of which his party was to be part Read more

First Russian woman lifts off to International Space Station

ALMATY-- A Russian rocket blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan to the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday, taking to orbit a U.S.-Russian trio including the first Russian woman to serve on the $100 billion space outpost.

The Soyuz rocket lifted off from a vast steppe into a black sky at 0225 a.m. (2025 GMT on Thursday) to take Russian Alexander Samokutyaev, his compatriot Elena Serova and U.S. astronaut Barry Wilmore into orbit.

"Everything in order on board, we feel well," a live television broadcast by U.S Read more

No quorum for budget amendment meeting

~ UP, Dr. Richardson, Illidge, De Weever absent ~

PHILIPSBURG--The public plenary session of Parliament on amendments to the 2014 budget was cancelled on Wednesday due to the lack of a quorum, as only seven Members of Parliament (MPs) were signed in.

Parliament Press Secretary Roddy Heyliger said in a press release last night that the session had been rescheduled to Friday at 10:00am.

At least eight MPs are needed for the meeting to proceed Read more

De Weever prefers serving as MP, no longer wants to stay a minister

PHILIPSBURG--Incumbent Health Minister Cornelius de Weever has informed Democratic Party (DP) leader Sarah Wescot-Williams that he wants to serve as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the new government and no longer will be continuing as Minister of Health, Labour and Social Affairs as was originally the case.

De Weever was elected to Parliament on the DP slate in the August 29 election Read more

Holiday starts new consultations after end of ‘Marlin’ formation

PHILIPSBURG--Governor Eugene Holiday started new formation talks on Thursday after United People's (UP) party leader Theodore Heyliger submitted a signed "coalition agreement" for the governing period 2014-2018.

The agreement was signed by UP's seven elected Members of Parliament (MPs) and Democratic Party (DP) MP-elect Cornelius de Weever.

Holiday said in a press release that in view of these developments, National Alliance (NA) leader William Marlin had informed him that the majority in Parliament necessary for the formation of the planned NA/DP/US Party coalition government no longer existed Read more

New coalition said imminent

PHILIPSBURG--Widespread but unconfirmed reports on Wednesday indicated that a new coalition government with a one-seat majority is in the making between the United People's (UP) party with its seven seats and Democratic Party (DP) candidate and incumbent Health Minister Cornelius de Weever.

It could not be ascertained whether De Weever has severed ties with DP, as up to early yesterday Wescot-Williams said she had not been informed of such, although he had indicated that he no longer wanted a ministerial post and would retain his parliamentary seat (see related story).

According to reports, De Weever has agreed to form a coalition with UP Read more

Audi and Caribbean Auto break ground for $500,000 showroom

COLE BAY--Audi Latin America and Caribbean Auto broke ground for the construction of a US $500,000 new Audi dealership in St. Maarten on Thursday.

The dealership will be located at 153 Union Road Cole Bay, near Caribbean Auto. The centre will be Audi's St. Maarten/St. Martin dealership in the Caribbean region and will help strengthen its relationship with current and future four-ring customers.

"It's wonderful having a global company like Audi bring its quality-engineered vehicles to the island Read more

Minister Lake Commends SHTA on Level of Discussion and Approach to Issues.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry of VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake, says he would like to commend the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA) for its high level of discussion at its recent Annual General Meeting.

"We have to lift the bar, and the SHTA is one organization in our community that is doing that Read more

>HARBOUR VIEW:--- On Thursday September 25, 2014, His Excellency Governor Eugene B. Holiday met with the leader of the United People's Party, Mr. Theodore E. Heyliger. During the meeting Mr. Theodore E. Heyliger presented the Governor a coalition agreement for the period 2014-2018 for the governing of Sint Maarten. This agreement has been signed by the seven elected members to Parliament of the UPP and elected member to Parliament Mr Read more

SHTA – Engaged Learning Key in Tourism & Community Development.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- With a view towards World Tourism Day, the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA), the largest private business representative on the island, during its Annual General Meeting last Thursday addressed the theme of this year's World Tourism Day, Tourism & Community Development. Both speakers of the night addressed the need to improve and utilize our talent, our human capital, and our communities; focusing on the ability of tourism to empower people and provide them with skills to achieve change in their local communities.

President of the SHTA, Mrs Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- With the current developments concerning the formation of a new government where incumbent Minister of Health and Labor also Member of Parliament (elect) Cornelius de Weever has led on the people of St. Maarten including his party leader and the leaders of the National Alliance and the United St. Maarten Party the question that comes to mind is "who really is making big mistakes"?
MP de Weever made everyone on St Read more

Minister Lake Commends Shta On Level Of Discussion And Approach To Issues

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry of VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake, says he would like to commend the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA) for its high level of discussion at its recent Annual General Meeting.

"We have to lift the bar, and the SHTA is one organization in our community that is doing that.

They also approach issues on a professional constructive level, and this is the type of approach that needs to be continued.

"Public-private partnership is the way to move our country forward Read more

Governor Starts New Consultations After End Of Marlin Formation

HARBOUR VIEW, Sint Maarten – On Thursday September 25, 2014, His Excellency Governor Eugene B. Holiday met with the leader of the United People's Party, Mr. Theodore E. Heyliger.

During the meeting Mr. Theodore E. Heyliger presented the Governor a coalition agreement for the period 2014-2018 for the governing of Sint Maarten.

This agreement has been signed by the seven elected members to Parliament of the UPP and elected member to Parliament Mr Read more

Shta – Engaged Learning Key In Tourism & Community Development

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – With a view towards World Tourism Day, the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA), the largest private business representative on the island, during its Annual General Meeting last Thursday addressed the theme of this year's World Tourism Day, Tourism & Community Development.

Both speakers of the night addressed the need to improve and utilize our talent, our human capital, and our communities; focusing on the ability of tourism to empower people and provide them with skills to achieve change in their local communities.

President of the SHTA, Mrs Read more

Rumors Run Amok In Local Politics: Coalition May Fall Apart With De Weever’S Departure

Finance Minister Martin Hassink confers with National Alliance leader William Marlin while (from left) Frans Richardson and Romain Laville look on Read more

Formateur Gets More Time To Complete His  Mission  

St. Maarten – Yesterday Governor drs. Eugène Holiday, received an update on the formation process from formateur William Marlin. Based on the evaluation of the information presented to the governor in regard to the governing program and the time required to complete the ongoing screening of the candidate ministers, the formateur was g Read more

Tourist Bureau Embezzlement Investigation: Roorda, Labega And Richardson Called To Testify One More Time

St. Maarten – Bas Roorda, Regina Labega, Lisa Koffi, Frans Richardson, Hiro Shigemoto, Alex Richardson, Miguel De Weever and Keith Graham will all be heard at witnesses at the request of the attorney of Edward Dest, the former head of marketing at the Tourist Bureau who is standing trial on charges of embezzlement.

Judge Koos van de Ven adjourned the trial to an unspecified future date but ruled that it will have to take place within six months, considering that the charges refer to fact dating back to 2009 and also considering the defendant’s health.

The court rejected the request to hear other witnesses, like Lasana Sekou and Sherry Hazel, because it is not clear how hearing these witnesses would benefit the defense.

Dest is a suspect in an investigation into abuse of a Chase-bank account in New York that was set up by the government to cover the expenses for its New York based Tourist Bureau office Read more

Editorial - Better now than later

It seems the formation of a new government might not go as smoothly as expected after all. Although “formateur” William Marlin (NA) presented Governor Eugene Holiday with his report and the incoming NA/DP/US coalition’s governing programme yesterday, DP leader Sarah Wescot-Williams confirmed that her party’s number two vote-getter Cornelius de Weever had indicated meanwhile that he preferred to occupy his seat in Parliament rather than remain Minister of Labour, Health and Social Affairs as intended.

This creates a problem, because DP quickly will have to choose another nominee to become one of its two cabinet members, while the names of all seven candidate ministers already had been submitted Read more

Solution Seems Near For 4-Year Old Crime: Man Arrested For Clemencia Josie-Ann Julot-Murder

St. Maarten – Detectives arrested a 21-year-old man last week as a suspect in a four-year old murder and rape case. The suspect, identified in a press release from the prosecutor’s office as A.R.S.R., is now in pretrial detention for the murder and rape of Clemencia Josie-Ann Julot, who went missing on July 20, 2010 and was found two days later along the Oyster Pond Road on French territory.

The 20-year-old victim left her home on the Tintamarre Drive in Middle Region around 5 a.m Read more

>HARBOUR VIEW:--- On September 24, 2014, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, received an update on the formation process from, with formateur William Marlin. Based on the evaluation of the information presented to the Governor in regard to the governing program and the time required to complete the ongoing screening of the candidate ministers, the formateur was granted an extension until Friday October 3, 2014 to finalize his formation report.
After completion of the formation report a date will be established for the appointment and swearing-in of the new cabinet.

From the Cabinet of the Governor of St Read more

No Quorum for Budget Debate --- UPP, De Weever, Illidge Absconded.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The budget debate that was scheduled for Wednesday September 24th, 2014 to amend the 2014 budget could not take place due to a lack of quorum. Members of Parliament from the United Peoples Party, Member of Parliament Petrus Leroy de Weever and Member of Parliament Patrick Illidge did not show up to the meeting.
While the UPP and DP are in government it is clear that the United Peoples Party will not attend the meetings to amend the budget until they know who will be in government and if things will go their way Read more

Governor Holiday Grants Formateur Extension Until Friday October 3, 2014

HARBOUR VIEW, Sint Maarten – On September 24, 2014, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, received an update on the formation process from, with formateur William Marlin.

Based on the evaluation of the information presented to the Governor in regard to the governing program and the time required to compl Read more

D66, SP oppose removing voting rights of foreign island residents

~ Debate in Second Chamber today ~

THE HAGUE--Opposition parties the Socialist Party (SP) and Democratic Party D66 in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament will be objecting to the proposed law change to take away the voting rights of foreign residents of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba during its handling in the Second Chamber today, Wednesday.

D66 Member of Parliament (MP) Wassila Hachchi is planning to table a motion if Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk does not present a solid argument during today's plenary debate as to why he will not establish a so-called Electoral College for the Caribbean Netherlands, which would be the solution to maintain the voting rights of foreigners on the three islands, according to her and the majority in the First Chamber.

In that motion, Hachchi will call on the minister to send a law proposal to the Second Chamber before the summer of 2015 to establish an Electoral College that would elect the members of the First Chamber on behalf of the island residents with Dutch nationality.

MP Ronald van Raak (SP) will offer a different solution for the constitutional dilemma to have foreign residents maintain their right to vote in the Island Council elections while at the same time preventing this small group from having any possible influence on the composition of the First Chamber when Island Council members acquire the right to co-elect members of the First Chamber once the amended Dutch Constitution has been adapted.

Van Raak will propose giving everyone on the islands voting rights for the Island Council, but giving neither Dutch citizens nor foreign residents influence on the composition of the First Chamber by taking away everyone's right to vote for the First Chamber.

According to Van Raak, people in Bonaire, St Read more

New registration system for medical professionals Jan. 1

PHILIPSBURG--A registration system for medical professionals operating in St. Maarten will go into effect as of January 1, 2015.

An ordinance has been approved by the Council of Ministers and will go into effect once it has gone through the necessary channels. All persons operating in the medical field will be required to register and will have to re-register every five years.

There are currently about 475 persons operating in the medical field in St. Maarten.

The Inspectorate of Public Health will be responsible for the registration of medical professionals and supervision of the ordinance, which is part of efforts by government to improve the quality of health care in the country Read more