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Buncamper case will be heard on June 10

PHILIPSBURG--The criminal case against former Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus (47), her husband Claudius Buncamper (51), notary F.E.G. (70) and suspects I.A.H. (46) and T.O.W. (68) will be heard by the court on June 10, it was decided Thursday.

The one-day hearing will concern charges of involvement with fraud, forgery of documents and participation in a criminal organisation to include a transaction with a piece of land that had been given on long lease.

Buncamper-Molanus ran on the United People’s (UP) party slate for the August 29, 2014, parliamentary election, but is a former Democratic Party (DP) Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour.

The case against the Buncampers came to light in December 2010, when documents surfaced in which it was revealed that they had sold the economic rights to a plot of land on long lease to a company named Eco Green N.V., against payment of US $3 million.

Buncamper-Molanus had obtained the rights of long lease to the government property against annual payment of approximately US $10,000 in April 2008, while she was a member of the then-Executive Council.

Three days after Eco Green was established, with figurehead T.O.W Read more

Mingo refuses to disclose details of Checkmate security contract

~ Owner's identity not provided ~

PHILIPSBURG--Questions relating to the Harbour Group of Companies' contract with Checkmate Security Services and the status of security at the port, as well as the Group's "clandestine attitude" were amongst the hot-button issues discussed in Thursday's presentation to Parliament's Permanent Committee for Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (TEATT) at Parliament House.

Committee Chairman United St. Maarten (US) party leader MP Frans Richardson organised the meeting, which was broadcast live, with the expressed goal of hearing directly from Harbour Group Chief Executive Officer Mark Mingo and his team about a number of pressing issues.

Mingo remained mum on most questions relating to security, citing competition and safety-related concerns, as well as contractual obligations.

He did not present any "information and documentation regarding the security contract with Checkmate Security Company" as formally requested by Democratic Party (DP) MP Sarah Wescot-Williams through MP Richardson Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams who is representing the Democratic Party in Parliament dispatched a letter to griffier of Parliament and copied to MP Frans Richardson to request the representatives of the St Read more

Importance of transparency

Dear Editor,

With a government in office for just over 60 days, a feeling of discontentment with government is discernible. While part of this can be attributed to a feeling of ever-present political apathy, the fact cannot be denied that a government formed without even an indirect approval by the electorate; an uneasy composition of coalition "partners" with very diverse manifestos and philosophies, and the absence of a governing accord contribute in no small measure to the feeling of dissatisfaction or inquietude one can sense daily in the community.

The Democratic Party is also of the belief that the talk of transparency, but in reality the often times disregard for such, only exacerbates the situation outlined above.

Partial information is even more damaging, as then all sorts of stories are conjured up.

There are many small steps that government can take as measures to promote transparency as part of the bigger objective of promoting integrity Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- With a government in office for just over 60 days, a feeling of discontentment with government is discernible. While part of this can be attributed to a feeling of ever-present political apathy, the fact cannot be denied that a government formed without even an indirect approval by the electorate; an uneasy composition of coalition "partners" with very diverse manifestos and philosophies, and the absence of a governing accord contribute in no small measure to the feeling of dissatisfaction or inquietude one can sense daily in the community.
The Democratic Party is also of the belief that the talk of transparency, but in reality the often times disregard for such, only exacerbates the situation outlined above.
Partial information is even more damaging, as then all sorts of stories are conjured up.
There are many small steps that government can take as measures to promote transparency as part of the bigger objective of promoting integrity Read more

Dp Leader Say Coalition Govt. Does Not Even Have The Indirect Approval Of The Electorate

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - With a government in office for just over 60 days, a feeling of discontentment with government is discernible.

While part of this can be attributed to a feeling of ever-present political apathy, the fact cannot be denied that a government formed without even an indirect approval by the electorate; an uneasy composition of coalition "partners" with very diverse manifestos and philosophies, and the absence of a governing accord contribute in no small measure to the feeling of dissatisfaction or inquietude one can sense daily in the community.

The Democratic Party is also of the belief that the talk of transparency, but in reality the often times disregard for such, only exacerbates the situation outlined above.

Partial information is even more damaging, as then all sorts of stories are conjured up.

There are many small steps that government can take as measures to promote transparency as part of the bigger objective of promoting integrity Read more

Wescott-Williams: “New Tax System Cannot Be Introduced Overnight”

St. Maarten —A new tax system cannot be introduced overnight, notes leader of the Democratic Party faction in Parliament MP Sarah Wescott-Williams, who said she intends to discuss this new tax system in a meeting with the Minister of Finance. MP Wescott-Williams pointed out that the need for introducing a new tax system has been in discussions for years but there must be consultations and there are a lot of different aspects to take into consideration.

While acknowledging that the new tax system cannot be introduced overnight, the DP leader said a start must be made Read more

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

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

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

DP: Country’s marketing seemingly at standstill

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten's tourism marketing in the Netherlands, the United States and Canada seems to be at a standstill with no representation in Europe and the expiration of the contracts for the North American market, according to Democratic Party (DP) Parliament fraction advisor Emil Lee.

Lee joined party leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams at Parliament House on Monday for a party press conference at which they discussed various issues the party is pursuing and is pushing for Parliament and the Gumbs Cabinet's attention.

Wescot-Williams said Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Claret Connor is still to explain how and why he will be reorganising, re-evaluating and revisiting the already established St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Government and Supervisory Boards must respect Parliament and provide the answers necessary.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament and Leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot Williams along with the President of the Democratic Party Board Emil Lee high-lighted several issues that they felt needs to be clarified.
Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams said on Monday during a press conference that the "Counterpart Policy" used by MP Cornelius de Weever was not the reason why the number two candidate of the DP Faction broke the first coalition Read more

Enviro conference draws small crowd

BELAIR--Despite the constant talk and emphasis on tackling the country's rapidly-growing garbage mountain, a half-day environmental conference, hosted by Island Vision Foundation, on "Waste Management: Sustainability, Markets, and Initiatives for Small Islands" was sparsely attended at Belair Community Centre on Friday afternoon.

Democratic Party leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams opened the conference Read more

Govt envisages lowering workers pay on sick days

PHILIPSBURG--Government is considering amending the current policy to lower compensation paid to workers on their sick days as a means of combating absenteeism.

In response to questions on this subject from Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams during the public plenary session of Parliament on the 2015 budget, Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs said the point of departure is that employees would get only a percentage of their salary paid to them when on sick leave.

"This can range from, for example, 90 per cent as of the second or third day of being sick, to for example 70 or 80 per cent after having been sick for a longer period," Gumbs said Read more

Slavery commemoration not in immediate danger

THE HAGUE--Funding for the annual commemoration of the Dutch slavery past in Amsterdam on July 1 is safe, at least for the next four years, said Minister of Education, Culture and Science Jet Bussemaker on Tuesday, denying media reports that the subsidy would end as per 2016.

Chairman of the National Institute for the Dutch Slavery Past and its Legacy NiNsee Franc Weerwind said in an article of the newspaper het Parool on Monday that the commemoration was on shaky grounds for 2016 and beyond because the Dutch Government planned to terminate the 50,000-euro annual subsidy after 2015.

Weerwind criticised the reported move by the Dutch Government Read more

Govt losing head tax on inter-island vessels

PHILIPSBURG--Government is losing an estimated US $600,000 annually from non-collection of the US $6 head tax from inter-island vessels. This figure was shared in Parliament on Tuesday, by United St. Maarten (US) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Frans Richardson. He gathered that figure from the industry.

Vessels operating especially ferry services to the neighbouring islands are getting away "scot-free" from making the payment of US $6 a person, because government does not have any collection mechanism in place to monitor and collect the fee.

This collection, in particular for Simpson Bay Lagoon where most of the traffic originates, should be carried out by Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority Corporation (SLAC), an entity of St Read more

Parliament establishes an ad hoc Integrity Committee

PHILIPSBURG--With integrity continuing to be the buzz word in St. Maarten, Parliament established its ad hoc committee on integrity Tuesday, but not without much discussion on the membership.

The establishment of the committee was recommended by Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams in a written proposal in January Read more

Parliament wants restart of Curaçao friars abuse probe

THE HAGUE--The Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament wants State Secretary of Safety and Justice Fred Teeven to persuade the Curaçao Government to reinitiate the investigation into the sexual and physical abuse of children by the Friars of Tilburg in Soto, Curaçao in the 1960s.

The move by the Second Chamber comes after various regional media in the Netherlands reported last Saturday that the investigating committee under the guidance of attorney-at-law and former Judge Ronald Koeijers wasn't active and in fact only existed on paper.

According to the regional newspapers, which published the story of the press agency de Persdienst, the committee has not followed-up on reports filed by several persons who said they were abused by a handful of friars at San Fernando, a boarding school in Soto for young orphans and children from broken families.

The newspapers, among others Brabants Dagblad and de Gelderlander, told the story of "Johnny," a 62-year-old Curaçao man whose real name was not disclosed Read more

Nigerian opposition candidate urges calm after election postponement

ABUJA--Nigerian opposition presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari called for calm in the country and cautioned against any violence following the election postponement, which he said was engineered by the ruling People's Democratic Party.
  Foreign powers are closely following events in Africa's biggest economy and have voiced concerns there could be a repetition of violence that followed 2011 elections when 800 people died and that a delay would stoke unrest in opposition strongholds.
  The poll will pit incumbent Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP against former military ruler Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in what is likely to be the most hotly contested election since the end of military rule in 1999 Read more

MPs to hear from Connor about harbour issues Tues

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies and its operations will take centre stage at a Central Committee meeting of Parliament with Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Claret Connor and Finance Minister Martin Hassink on Tuesday, February 10. The meeting, requested by the National Alliance (NA) and Democratic Party (DP) on February 10, starts at Parliament at 2:00pm in Parliament House.

The agenda for the meeting covers issues related to the harbour group, the past and future impacts of the company on the country, cruise passenger head tax, Dock Marteen (Deher) marina project; causeway Turn over Tax payment, cranes, dividend and payment for the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association Conference (FCCA).

Members of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams (DP), Silveria Jacobs and George Pantophlet (NA) requested answers to be provided orally in the meeting by the ministers on the "outcome between the harbour and Bobby's Marina" and if government had given the harbour the exclusive right of development for the area that the company claims in its case against the Deher's development.

Also, the MPs want to know when Parliament will receive the harbour's 2013 financial report, whether government promised to contribute to the FCCA conference and what did government actually contribute Read more

Housing board snubs Parliament

PHILIPSBURG--The Supervisory Board of St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) "declined" an invitation to meet with Members of Parliament (MPs) today, Monday, about recent developments at the foundation, says Democratic Party (DP) leader MP Sarah Wescot-Williams.

The invitation for the closed-door session was extended based on discussions in a closed- door session last week with foundation's management team members, who are on suspension due to alleged irregularities Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- As stakeholders, government included, desperately seek ways to mitigate the effects of the Caravanserai timeshare debacle, all eyes are on some type of protection for the consumers, those who bought timeshare from developers and property owners.
Clearly what we have now in terms of legislation does not sufficiently offer this protection, otherwise we would not be in the situation we are in today.
This latest fiasco from the timeshare buyers' perspective, continues to gnaw away at the image we desperately try to maintain and build on as a country Read more

Central Committee Meeting requested by DP and NA Factions about Port St. Maarten.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee of Parliament will meet in public session on February 10 at the request of the Democratic Party (DP) and National Alliance (NA) factions.
The Minister of Finance Hon. Martin Hassink and Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications Hon Read more

Central Committee Meeting Requested By Dp And Na Factions About Port St. Maarten

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The Central Committee of Parliament will meet in public session on February 10 at the request of the Democratic Party (DP) and National Alliance (NA) factions.

The Minister of Finance Hon. Martin Hassink and Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications Hon Read more