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Urgent Plenary Session About Landfill Scheduled For Friday With Minister Of Vromi

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – An urgent Plenary Session of theHouse of Parliament that was scheduled for September 9 will take place on September 18.

Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Claret Connor will be present for the public sitting of the House.

The public Plenary Session is set for Friday, at 10.30am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is the dumpsite (landfill) in Philipsburg and the plans for a waste to energy system for the country’s garbage problems.

This urgent plenary session of the House was initially requested by the National Alliance (NA) faction Members of Parliament (MPs) Hon Read more

MPs want Constitution Day on 2nd Monday in October

PHILIPSBURG--Members of Parliament (MPs) want Constitution Day to be observed annually on the second Monday of October instead of the actual day – October 10 – when the St. Maarten Constitution came into force.

The proposal to make October 10 a holiday and to have it replace Kingdom Day, December 15, by amending a number of laws, including the labour ordinance, was tabled by Education and Culture Minister Rita Bourne-Gumbs in a meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on Tuesday afternoon.

The minister is slated to be back in Parliament for a vote on the law changes Thursday Read more

Sarah: No 'earth-shattering' plans in governor's speech

PHILIPSBURG--There was "nothing earth-shattering" in Governor Eugene Holiday's speech about government's plans for the 2015-2016 parliamentary year, but it was heartening to see that the Marcel Gumbs Cabinet is "making use of the goodwill and leadership" created by the former government in the region and further afield, said Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams on Monday.

The former prime minister and her fraction's advisor Emil Lee called on government at their bi-weekly press briefing to continue with the National Development Plan (NDP) and were happy to note that government, based on the governor's speech, was still keeping the plan for which a lot of time and money has already been invested.

While the governor's speech was "short on specific," Wescot-Williams hopes to gain more insight into the plans for tax reform, when Finance Minister Martin Hassink is in Parliament this week to meet with Parliament's Permanent Committee for Finance.

DP has "ideas for changes" to the tax system, beginning with the often talked about simplification of the tax system, she said.

The party plans to put emphasis on an "economic reform agenda" that is necessary and that is needed to make tax reform workable.

Wescot-Williams expressed satisfaction that Parliament's Permanent Committee for Finance will finally handle the 2013 annual accounts of government-owned companies this week Read more

Richardson to Schram: Prove underworld claims or ‘shut up’

PHILIPSBURG--Justice Minister Dennis Richardson minced no words when he publicly called on Attorney-General Guus Schram to prove his claims about the mixing of the so-called underworld with civil society.

Richardson said in Monday's plenary session of Parliament that Schram should prove his claims or "shut the hell up."

Richardson was reacting to comments made by the Attorney-General on Friday at the swearing-in of a new judge for the Court of First Instance. Schram said, "The Friendly Island has lost its innocence."

He said another threat existed in St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Landfill and Harbor and Zebec meetings will not be held this week.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams representing the Democratic Party faction in parliament told reporters during their bi-monthly press conference on Monday that they are pleased with the acknowledgement of the Governor who mentioned the progress the former government had with the OCTA regional meetings and the preparation on obtaining EU funding along with the French side Read more

Prime minister’s travel plans halt meeting about Zebec settlement

PHILIPSBURG--The “urgent” meeting of Parliament requested by opposition parties – National Alliance (NA) and Democratic Party (DP) about the out-of-court settlement reached by St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies and developer Zebec has stalled before it could get started.

The meeting cannot be held this week, an official Parliament meeting week, because of an already packed Parliament schedule and due to the travel of Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs from Wednesday, September 16, until Sunday, September 27, 2015.

DP leader Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams is not amused that yet another urgently requested meeting of Parliament has not been scheduled by Parliament Chairman Dr Read more

Buncamper case hearing centres on search-breach

PHILIPSBURG--The criminal cases against former Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus (47), her husband Claudius Buncamper (52), notary F.E.G. (71) and co-suspects I.A.H. (46) and T.O.W. (69), continued on Wednesday, with a focus on a breach in the handling of the case and what it should mean going forward.

A preliminary ruling on the point of view presented by the lawyers is expected to be given on Wednesday, September 16 Read more

Sarah requests MOU on pending boxing match

PHILIPSBURG--A copy of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed between government and Keaton Corporation for the Miami 2 St. Maarten Showdown featuring a boxing card of Roy Jones Jr. versus Danny Santiago is still being sought by Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams Read more

NA, DP request meeting on harbour settlement

PHILIPSBURG--Opposition National Alliance (NA) and Democratic Party (DP) have requested an urgent meeting of Parliament about the out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed amount made by St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies and Zebec, the company that was contracted to develop th Read more

Opposition parties, NA and DP have wasted no time in requesting a meeting of Parliament on the topic of the settlement between the Harbor Group of Companies and Zebec.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The opposition factions in parliament namely the National Alliance and the Democratic party wasted no time in trying to obtain informain on the St. Maarten Harbor Group of Companies and Zebec settlement. In the letter requesting the urgent meeting, the two parties have outlined the reasons for their request as follows:

"The government-owned Harbor Company and its representatives have in the recent past labeled the court action by Zebec against aforementioned company as “wholly without merit” and the claims by the Zebec company as “blatant misrepresentation of facts” Read more

Obama orders contractors to offer staff paid sick leave

BOSTON/WASHINGTON--President Barack Obama on Monday ordered government contractors to offer their workers seven days of paid sick leave a year and, without naming them, knocked Republican presidential candidates for advocating what he said were anti-union policies.
  Obama signed an executive order on sick leave, which the White House said would affect some 300,000 people, during a flight to Boston, where he spoke at a union event. Starting in 2017, workers on government contracts will earn a minimum of one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked Read more

Achievements and lack thereof highlighted as MPs close year

PHILIPSBURG--The achievements or lack thereof in the first Parliamentary year of the second Parliament came into focus as Members of Parliament (MPs) closed off the 2014-2015 legislative year in Parliament House on Monday. The 2015-2016 year opens today, Tuesday, with much pomp and ceremony.

The call to work together was issued by fraction leaders representing the coalition partners while the two opposition fraction leaders MP William Marlin (National Alliance) and Sarah Wescot-Williams (Democratic Party) were straightforward with their criticism about lack of action by the United People’s (UP) party-led coalition.

Destiny impaired

UP fraction leader MP Franklin Meyers laid the blame for the country’s stagnated growth and development in the past year at the door of The Hague saying that government and Parliament have spent the past year battling instructions and financial constraints due to financial supervision Read more

Faction leaders outline their achievement and failures during parliamentary year 2014 -2015.

>PHILIPSBURG:---- Faction leader of the United Peoples Party Franklin Meyers in his remarks during the closing of parliamentary year 2014-2015 said that the moment the UPP and MP De Weever formed the coalition that formed the current government they got all sorts of pressure from the Dutch Government (Kingdom Partners) which includes an instruction Read more

Inside Bernie Sanders' strategy to win over organized labour

WASHINGTON--Union activist Cliff Smith once thought of Bernie Sanders as an "obscure" U.S. senator. That changed in August when Smith joined 27,000 people to hear the Democratic White House candidate speak at a Los Angeles sports arena.
  "The other candidates - they talk in these very calculated, milquetoast, vague ways - they just don't come across as human," said Smith, the business manager for Local 36, a branch of a roofers' union. "He just seems like your next-door neighbour."
  Sanders' vow to protect American jobs and rein in big corporations has resonated with union workers such as Smith Read more

DP calls on Harbour to disclose amount paid in Zebec settlement

POINTE BLANCHE--The Democratic Party (DP) is “demanding transparency” in the out-of-court settlement reached between the Harbour and Zebec Development and wants the Harbour to disclose the amount paid in the settlement.

“Given the seriousness of the accusations and the sizable financial consequences to the Harbour, the DP believes the details of the settlement should be made public, after all if the Harbour had to pay serious penalties for contractual failures, the people have a right to know,” DP Leader Sarah Wescot-Williams said in a press release on Sunday.

In August last year, Zebec Development filed a legal claim for more than US $100 million against the St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:----The Harbor and Zebec have in the recent past publicly leveled serious accusations of breach of contract against each other that included claims of 100 million USD in damages, repeated failure to adhere to contractual obligations, failure of the harbor director to comply with terms of the agreement, frivolous lawsuit and serious misconduct and so forth.
According to the latest media reports, the Harbor and Zebec have now resolved all differences and have settled all issues and damages, however the terms of the settlement have been obscured by a yet another confidential and out of court settlement Read more

The Democratic Party(Dp) Demands Transparency On Harbor And Zebec Settlement

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Harbor and Zebec have in the recent past publicly leveled serious accusations of breach of contract against each other that included claims of 100 million USD in damages, repeated failure to adhere to contractual obligations, failure of the harbor director to comply with terms of the agreement, frivolous lawsuit and serious misconduct and so forth.

According to the latest media reports, the Harbor and Zebec have now resolved all differences and have settled all issues and damages, however the terms of the settlement have been obscured by a yet another confidential and out of court settlement Read more

Dp Wants Action With Timeshare Legislation

St. Maarten– The ministry of tourism and economic affairs is going back to the drawing board with timeshare legislation and that is not to the liking of the Democratic Party. DP-MP Sarah Wescot-Williams said yesterday that the party would take back its initiative legislation and go forward with it if there is no fast action forthcoming from the ministry.

Former DP-MP Leroy de Weever submitted draft timeshare legislation Read more

Dp Saddened By Passing Of Linda Johnson

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten -The Democratic Party has with much sadness taken note of the passing of Linda Johnson.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to her husband, children and extended family and friends. Linda was a dear and beloved friend of the DP leader and many DP members. She was a dedicated worker and a loving mother. She loved life and had a great sense of humor.

 Linda fought a valiant battle against cancer Read more

Where is the Timeshare legislation that would have helped prevent this disaster?

Dear Editor,

We celebrate the legal victory of the handful of timeshare tourists who were willing to organise against a well-funded and larger opponent, put up their own money, and fight for their rights to keep their timeshare weeks as purchased, but what we don’t see are the thousands of timeshare owners at the former Caravanserai who gave up and as a consequence signed away their rights. Sadly, the collateral damage to our tourism industry translates into a tainted reputation for St Maarten, lost jobs and lost contributions into St Maarten’s economy.

The draft legislation which would regulate the Timeshare industry and has been working its way through our Parliamentary system for many years is still not approved Read more

Motion of no-confidence passed against Island Governor Berkel

ST. EUSTATIUS--A majority in the Island Council of St. Eustatius passed a motion of no-confidence against Island Governor Gerald Berkel on Monday.

The motion was filed by Progressive Labour Party (PLP) leader Clyde van Putten, who said the coalition of PLP and United People’s Coalition (UPC) had been faced with many stumbling blocks for the past four months since coming into office.

The motion, which calls on Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk to revoke Governor Berkel’s appointment and to dismiss him with immediate effect, was adopted by a 3-1 vote Read more

Sarah determined to get timeshare law moving

PHILIPSBURG--Too much time has been wasted on moving forward with the draft timeshare legislation while the country’s reputation has sustained damage. For those reasons, Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams is determined to see the draft initiative law to protect timeshare owners and buyers that her party proposed in the last parliamentary terms moving in full swing Read more

Kingdom Committee supportive of law to digitize court process

PHILIPSBURG--The draft Kingdom law to allow the digitization of court processes has the support of the Parliament’s Permanent Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Affairs and Kingdom Relations. The draft law was before the committee on Tuesday and after getting the nod of approval was forwarded to the Central Committee of Parliament for further handling.

Committee Chairwoman Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams (Democratic Party) explained that the law amends several other Kingdom laws to allow for the digitization in the courts across the Kingdom Read more

style="text-align: center;">DP Faction plans to take back draft timeshare legislation and move forward with them in Parliament.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The leader of the Democratic Party and Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams told reporters on Tuesday that she has several concerns with the current government, one being the status of the Waste to Management Plant Read more