SXMElections.com

Parliamentary Year Concludes On Monday With Traditional Speeches

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The parliamentary year for 2013-2014 ended on Monday during a session of the House of Assembly.

The session was carried out by the chairlady of parliament of the United People's Party, the Honorable Gracita Arrindell.

During the parliamentary meeting, parliamentarians took some time to reflect on the last four years, while they took the opportunity to say farewell to their colleagues.

One of those MPs looking back at the four years served was out going Independent Member of Parliament, the Honorable Romain Laville who can now be heard via PodCast.

Leader of the United St Read more

style="text-align: center;">THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Words cannot begin to express my sincere gratitude to all of you- for your support of me and my election campaign. It was your encouraging words that got me through many long days and nights with minimal sleep. Thank you to the 378 voters who put their faith in me to help build St. Maarten; I assure you that I will continue to work for you. Together NA, DP and USP will work in the interest of the people Read more

style="text-align: center;">Guarantees that she will stand with the leader of the USp and manage the affairs of the people of St. Maarten.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The two candidates that were elected on the United St. Maarten Peoples Party (USp) slate namely its leader Frans Richardson and the number two candidate Leona Romeo Marlin called an urgent press conference on Friday to clear the air on whether or not Romeo Marlin will jump ship to join UPP Read more

Who will lead the pack of hungry wolves?

Dear Editor,

After yesterday's press briefing and statements made by Leona Marlin about coming out victorious on leading the pack of wolves, I am wondering in this coalition partnership, who really is leading the pack?

Oh, and by the way, I must congratulate Mrs. Marlin for her brave statement and conviction. She sounds like a real leader. And talking about "Leader", I believe that Frans Richardson should give her the leadership of the US party for the next election Read more

Leona dispels rumours, committed to US Party

PHILIPSBURG--"I am still a candidate...I am a member of the United St. Maarten (US) Party and there I shall stay. There is where the people asked me to be and that's where I am at." This was the firm statement from Member of Parliament (MP)-Elect Leona Marlin-Romeo at a press conference with her party leader, MP Frans Richardson, on Friday in Parliament House.

The press conference was held to curb "the innuendos and stories" being circulated from "living a life of their own" in the community, said Richardson Read more

Usp-Candidate Leona Marlin-Romeo: “I Am Not Going Anywhere”

St. Maarten – Leona Marlin-Romeo is firmly committed to the United St. Maarten party. During a press conference at the  Parliament building yesterday morning, the party’s number 2-candidate laid to rest rumors triggered by a baseless article that appeared on a notorious local gossip website on Thursday.

The website insinuated that Marlin-Romeo had “jumped ship” and taken money to join the United People’s party to form a government.

Marlin thanked blogger Bibi Shaw for the publicity the story has generated, but the sarcasm was lost on Shaw, who later acknowledged the “compliment.” Marlin-Romeo, however pointed out the obvious: “Before you slander my name and the name of my campaign manager I think you should get your facts straight Read more

Us Say's There Is No Alliance With Up Party, Denies Rumors {Updated}

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Many persons are now breathing a sigh of relief, as the United St. Maarten Party held a press conference on Friday to brushed aside what they described as rumors regarding the formation of the next government.

it was on Sunday, three political parties signed an agreement aimed at the formation of the next government for St. Maarten.

The three parties are the National Alliance who received four (4) seats in the parliamentary election, the Democratic Party two (2) seats and the United St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Information reaching SMN News states that the USp number 2 candidate Leona Marlin Romeo is threatening her party to go independent and join the United Peoples Party to form the next government. According to our sources, Leona Marlin wants to appoint her campaign manager Henry Lynch as a Minister.
It is further understood that during the negotiations with the Democratic Party and the National Alliance Marlin Romeo and her party leader Frans Richardson they accepted the Ministry of TEATT and Finance because Marlin was supposed to appoint Lynch as Minister of Finance Read more

St. Eustatius mourns former senator and council member

ST. EUSTATIUS--Kenneth "Wompie" van Putten passed away unexpectedly in St. Eustatius on Thursday. He was 77 years old. Residents had heard the wailing of sirens in the lower part of Oranjestad as the ambulance came through, but it was too late for Van Putten.

Van Putten was a Democratic Party member and leader for many years. He worked on the island- and central level of government Read more

‘Janchi’ re-elected, in spite of tie with Buncamper-Molanus

PHILIPSBURG--Incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) Johan "Janchi" Leonard (United People's (UP) party) can be considered the big winner after the validation of the votes from the August 29 Parliamentary Elections by the Central Voting Bureau on Wednesday. Leonard was short two votes to be re-elected to Parliament. He received those votes when the bureau reviewed ballots deemed invalid by the polling station on election night.

Leonard (UP #7) is an MP-elect for UP, in spite of the tie with former Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus (UP #21), because of his placement on the party's list of candidates Read more

Frans and Leona to address ‘rumours’

PHILIPSBURG--United St. Maarten Party leader Member of Parliament Frans Richardson and MP-elect Leona Marlin-Romeo are to hold a press conference at Parliament House today, Friday, at 10:00am "to address the rumours" circulating in the community about Marlin-Romeo leaving the party to go independent.

Richardson told The Daily Herald about the press conference last night Read more

Johan Leonard Squeezes Past Buncamper-Molanus Into Parliament

“Mister 7-UP” sends rival home

St. Maarten – Maria Buncamper-Molanus will not become a member of the new Parliament after all. After the Central Voting Bureau had scrutinized yesterday all the ballots the twenty polling stations had deemed invalid, it found two valid votes that went to Johan Leonard Read more

Governor requests Marlin to form govt

HARBOUR VIEW--Governor Eugene Holiday has requested that National Alliance (NA) leader incumbent Member of Parliament William Marlin form a new government for the country as "formateur." The Governor, based on the results of two days of consultations, met with Marlin Tuesday to make his request Read more

What is the DP going to do?

Dear Editor,

Norako N. V., the private company of former Democratic Party (DP) island councilman and commissioner Nicolaas "Koos" Sneek, has initiated a court case against the Statia Housing Foundation (SHF), alleging non-compliance on the part of SHF in faithfully executing a Letter of Intent (LOI) signed between the two. In the public debate ongoing about this matter my name too is called in my capacity as former commissioner of housing Read more

>HARBOUR VIEW:--- On September 2, 2014, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, requested Mr. William Marlin, to form a new government as formateur.
The Governor, based on the results of two days of consultations, met with Mr. William Marlin today Read more

NA/DP/US divide portfolios, sign declaration for open stable govt

~ NA gets PM post; DP gets Parliament President ~

PHILIPSBURG--United St. Martin (US) party, Democratic Party (DP) and National Alliance (NA) agreed to a division of portfolios in a Governing Declaration for an "open and stable" government signed early Monday.

The coalition partners have also agreed that an operational and forensic audit will be conducted on government-owned companies to determine their overall health Read more

Heyliger: UP parliamentarians to be ‘formidable’ opposition

PHILIPSBURG--Developments over the past days will see the United People's (UP) party playing its role in Parliament from the opposition benches. UP party Leader Member of Parliament Theo Heyliger said the party and its Members of Parliament (MPs) "will be a formidable force to be reckoned with when it comes to the role of keeping the government in check."

"We are ready to govern, to hold in check and control the decision of the coalition government that is in the making Read more

style="text-align: center;">NA, USp and DP Sign Governing Accord --- Rumors must be put to rest

PHILIPSBURG:--- Formation talks between three political parties that obtained seats in the Parliamentary Elections that were held on Friday are continuing. Early Saturday morning shortly after the election results were announced the leaders of the United St. Maarten People's Party, the National Alliance and the Democratic Party signed an agreement to work together to form the next Government of St Read more

Leader of the Democratic Party Prime Minister Wescot-Williams’ Post-Election Message.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Leader of the Democratic Party of St. Maarten Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams released a statement regarding the outcome of the 2014 elections on Monday. The Prime Minister highlighted the way forward in her statement released amidst ongoing negotiations regarding the formation of Government; "The Democratic Party of St Read more

Holiday starts consultation on formation of new gov’t today

HARBOUR VIEW--Governor Eugene Holiday will start consultations for the formation of a new government as of today, Monday, September 1. The consultations will be held with Vice Chairperson of the Advisory Council; Ombudsman Nilda Arduin-Lynch; outgoing President of Parliament Gracita Arrindell and the leaders of the four political parties that obtained seats in the elections: United People’s (UP) party leader Theo Heyliger, National Alliance (NA) leader William Marlin; Democratic Party (DP) leader Sarah Wescot-Williams and United St Read more

Coalition talks amongst NA, DP, US continue over weekend

CAY HILL--Talks to form a new coalition government for the next governing period continued amongst the Democratic Party (DP), United St. Martin (US) Party and National Alliance (NA) over the weekend.

The Daily Herald understands that parties met on Sunday to hammer out a more detailed agreement on working together in a new government for Country St Read more

Leader Of The Democratic Party Prime Minister Wescot-Williams' Post-Election Message

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Leader of the Democratic Party of St. Maarten Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams released a statement regarding the outcome of the 2014 elections on Monday.

The Prime Minister highlighted the way forward in her statement released amidst ongoing negotiations regarding the formation of Government; "The Democratic Party of St Read more

Political Parties Share Portfolios

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The combination of the National Alliance, Democratic Party and the United St. Maarten Party have decided on the division of seats in the wake of the agreement signed on Saturday morning, August 30th.

According to documents obtained, the National Alliance will be responsible for portfolios of VROMI, Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs.

The party will also be responsible for appointing the new Prime Minister of St Read more

Sarah: DP to evaluate results, open to talk

PHILIPSBURG--The Democratic Party (DP) will be "digesting" and "evaluating" the preliminary parliamentary election results and will determine how to proceed, given the distribution of seats announced early this morning.

"We need to digest the results. That's where we will start. Then we see what needs to be done," DP leader Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams told The Daily Herald at the party's headquarters at Bute Hotel just after the announcement.

"The DP has been in this to give stability to the government of St Read more