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Sarah: Bringing ordinance in line with civil code can be done ‘rather quickly’

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams says bringing the National Ordinance in line with the Civil Code to increase the legal drinking age from 16 to 18 can be done "rather quickly."

Independent MP Cornelius de Weever suggested that the legal age for cigarettes should also be addressed and not just that of alcohol.

The MPs were speaking during a session of Parliament's Permanent Committee of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs (CECYSA) on Thursday Read more

Procedure started to hear VDC informants

THE HAGUE--Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP) wants to start the procedure to get informants of the Curaçao Security and Intelligence Service VDC to The Hague for a closed-door hearing.

Van Raak submitted a request on Wednesday during a procedural meeting of the Second Chamber’s Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations to start a written procedure to get the input of other committee members on his proposal.

Van Raak wants the support of the Second Chamber to send a request to Curaçao Prime Minister Ivar Asjes, under whose authority VDC resorts Read more

Sarah opts out of Parlatino meetings

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams has "opted out" of attending meetings of the Latin American Parliament Parlatino slated for May.

Wescot-Williams said at a DP press conference at Parliament House on Monday that she had decided not to attend the meetings.

She called for Parliament "to discuss the effectiveness of the meetings" and the benefit to the country Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament representing the Democratic Party faction Sarah Wescot Williams and the party's advisor Emil Lee told reporters on Monday that they are not amused by the request sent by the State Council to St Read more

> PHILIPSBURG:--- Democratic Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams has dispatched a letter to the Council of Ministers through the chair of Parliament on the draft integrity law that was discusses last week in a central committee of parliamemt. Below is press release from the DP MP along with the letter sent to the Government of St Read more

A Peculiar Request By The Council Of State Of The Dutch Kingdom...

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Much of the past weeks has been spent deliberating the draft national ordinance to establish an integrity chamber for St. Maarten.

While some have argued against this draft ordinance (law), stating to be in favor of our "own thing", fact is that the draft as presented to Parliament and dealt with in central committee meetings of Parliament is "our own".

It is totally up to the Parliament of St. Maarten to reject, amend and or pass this law, if a majority of the 15 members wishes to do so.

The draft ordinance establishing an integrity chamber for St Read more

US lawmakers' bill holds key to Pacific trade deal

WASHINGTON--Senior U.S. lawmakers reached agreement on Thursday on a bill to give the White House "fast track" authority to negotiate a trade pact with 11 other Pacific nations that is central to President Barack Obama's strategic shift toward Asia.
  The agreement, over six months in the making, sets the stage for a tough legislative battle over the rules for Obama's proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The pact would connect a dozen economies by cutting trade barriers and harmonizing standards covering two-fifths of the world economy and a third of global trade.
  The bill gives lawmakers the right to set negotiating objectives, but would restrict them to a yes-or-no vote on trade deals such as the TPP, a potential legacy-defining achievement for President Obama.
  The Obama administration announced in late 2009 that it was entering TPP negotiations with Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam Read more

Sarah calls for govt’s stance on CBCS issue

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams has issued a call to the Marcel Gumbs' Cabinet "to show leadership by providing government's stance" on the halting of renovation work on the Central Bank of Curaçao and St Read more

Parliament Adjourns Meeting About Integrity Chamber

Minister Richardson: “Passing this law strengthens our position”

St. Maarten– The parliament is dragging its feet, or at least taking its time, with the handling of the draft ordinance for the establishment of the Integrity Chamber. Yesterday’s continuation of Wednesday’s meeting was adjourned until Monday morning at 10 a.m. at the request of coalition members Tamara Leonard, Cornelius de Weever and Johan Leonard.

Justice Minister Dennis Richardson warned the parliament to move forward with the legislation, Next week Sunday Richardson and Prime Minister Gumbs travel to the Netherlands for discussions with Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Kingdom Relations Minister Ronald Plasterk about the looming instruction.

“It could come to the point that Rutte pushed the instruction, even if we get an advice from the Council of State that is positive for St Read more

Obama concedes Congress role on Iran deal

WASHINGTON--U.S. President Barack Obama conceded on Tuesday that Congress will have the power to review a nuclear deal with Iran, reluctantly giving in to pressure from Republicans and some in his own party after they crafted a rare compromise demanding a say.

The role for the Republican-controlled Congress injects a new element of uncertainty into the delicate final stages of negotiations between major powers and Iran aimed at curbing Tehran's nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

Since a preliminary agreement was reached in Switzerland on April 2, the White House had stepped up its lobbying to persuade Democratic senators not to support the bipartisan bill that would give Congress oversight of a final deal, saying it could threaten what Obama hopes will be a legacy-defining foreign-policy achievement Read more

Broad support for corruption probe Curaçao, St. Maarten

THE HAGUE--The Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament voted on Tuesday for the motion by Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP) and André Bosman of the liberal democratic VVD party calling for an investigation of the flow of money between criminal organisations and the governments of Curaçao and St. Maarten.

A broad majority of the Second Chamber voted in favour of the motion, which Van Raak presented during a short follow-up meeting last week Wednesday, following the general debate with Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk on March 31 about the level of governance in the Dutch Caribbean countries.

The motion called on the Dutch Government to facilitate an investigation into the (illegal) flow of money between the under- and upper-world in Curaçao and St Read more

Guenter Grass, author of The Tin Drum, dies at 87

BERLIN--German novelist Guenter Grass, the Nobel Prize-winning author of "The Tin Drum", an epic treatment of the Nazi era, died on Monday at the age of 87, his publishers said.

A broad-shouldered man with a drooping moustache, Grass spurned the German tradition of keeping a cool intellectual distance, insisting that a writer's duty was to be at the frontline of moral and political debate. For many, he was the voice of a German generation that came of age in World War Two and bore the burden of their parents' guilt for the atrocities of the Nazis.

The independent German Cultural Council called him "more than a writer .. Read more

MPs still have reservations about Integrity Chamber

~ Meyers: Independence only choice ~

PHILIPSBURG--Several Members of Parliament (MPs) made it crystal clear on Monday that if the proposed Integrity Chamber stagnates the growth of the country and hampers St. Maarteners from prospering, the law to establish the chamber will not receive their support.

Chief among those speaking out about the draft law was coalition member MP Franklin Meyers (United People's (UP) party) Read more

St. Maarten should seek to have its own Attorney General --- Current Attorney General does not work in the interest of St. Maarten --- Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson.

style="text-align: center;">Ruling Majority totally against draft ordinance.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson did not mingle with words on Monday morning when he was responding to questions regarding the draft ordinance to establish the integrity chamber on St. Maarten.
On the question as to who is responsible for justice on St. Maarten, Minister Richardson said that the Minister of Justice is responsible for justice in each country, however, he made clear that St Read more

Nigerians vote for powerful governors in state elections

LAGOS--The final stage of Nigeria's election will begin on Saturday with state governorship polls, two weeks after a presidential vote saw an incumbent leader unseated at the ballot box for the first time.
  The 36 governors are among the most powerful politicians in Africa's biggest oil producer and top economy, controlling budgets larger than those of small African nations and wielding influence that can decide who goes on presidential tickets. Voting starts at 8 a.m.
  With so much at stake, candidates in past polls have often played dirty, snatching ballot boxes, manipulating voter turn-out and engaging in thuggery and intimidation.
  Muhammadu Buhari beat President Goodluck Jonathan last month with 15.4 million votes against 13.3 million, in a vote that was considered free and less violent than past polls Read more

Integrity chamber law now to be handled on Monday

PHILIPSBURG--Parliament will continue its handling of the draft national ordinance to establish an Integrity Chamber on Monday starting at 10:00am. The Central Committee meeting resumed on Friday morning after its suspension on Wednesday evening, but was suspended again after coalition Members of Parliament (MPs) requested time to compare the draft law with the version suggested by the Dutch Government.

MP Tamara Leonard (United People's (UP) party) made the request for time to review the two versions to Parliament Chairman Dr Read more

Integrity Chamber Meets Resistance From Coalition

St. Maarten – The draft ordinance for the establishment of St. Maarten’s Integrity Chamber met with unexpected opposition from within the governing coalition yesterday. Members of the opposition also expressed their doubts. Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs said that he is facing a May 5 deadline. On that date, the Dutch Council of State renders judgment on the advice the Kingdom Council of Ministers has requested about a looming instruction for St Read more

Motion calls for corruption probe St. Maarten, Curaçao

THE HAGUE--The Dutch Government has no objections to a motion of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament calling for an investigation of the flow of money between criminal organisations and the governments of Curaçao and St. Maarten.

In fact, Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk suggested expanding the motion of Members of Parliament (MPs) Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP) and André Bosman of the liberal democratic VVD party to include drug smuggling and trafficking in women in the investigation.

Van Raak and Bosman requested the Dutch Government to facilitate an investigation into the (illegal) flow of money between the underworld and upperworld in Curaçao and St Read more

Mp Lake As Minister Gave Advise To Soab On Smhdf Confirms Pm Gumbs In Parliament

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The House of Parliament met in a public plenary session on Tuesday afternoon.

This session was the continuation of the initial meeting that was held on December 22nd of last year.

The meeting was at the request of the National Alliance, the Democratic Party and the USP, and dealt with among others, the request to the Governments Accountants Bureau SOAB to carry out a forensic investigation into the operations of the St Read more

Mp Wescot-Williams Call For Attention To Tertiary Education

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Tertiary education from a macro perspective should be given more attention on St. Maarten, Member of Parliament and leader of the Democratic Party, the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams told journalists at a press conference recently.

In addressing that subject she also commended the University of St Read more

Iran president views nuclear deal as start of new relationship with world

BEIRUT/JERUSALEM--Iran's president said on Friday that a framework for a nuclear deal was just the first step toward building a new relationship with the world, after Iranians greeted the announcement of the accord with celebrations in the streets.
  U.S. President Barack Obama also hailed what he called a "historic understanding," although diplomats cautioned that hard work lies ahead to strike a final deal. That work will include efforts by Obama to sell an eventual accord to critics at home, and to close ally Israel, which denounced the interim agreement and pressed for more safeguards in coming negotiations.
  The tentative agreement, struck on Thursday after eight days of talks between Iran and six world powers in Lausanne, Switzerland, clears the way for a settlement to allay Western fears that Iran could build an atomic bomb, with economic sanctions on Tehran being lifted in return Read more

Bosman’s statement about De Weever was illegitimate

~ Court rejects demand for rectification, compensation ~

THE HAGUE--The Court in The Hague has qualified the statement of Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament André Bosman of the liberal democratic VVD party about Member of the St. Maarten Parliament Cornelius de Weever as "illegitimate." However, Bosman does not have to rectify his statement and does not have to pay damages.

The Court deemed a rectification in the newspapers no longer appropriate considering the time that has passed since Bosman's statement, which initially appeared in the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf on September 29, 2014, and was repeated in The Daily Herald, Today newspaper and Amigoe one day later.

In the De Telegraaf article Bosman was quoted as saying that De Weever had been "simply bought" by United People's (UP) party leader Theo Heyliger to leave the Democratic Party (DP) and support the UP Read more

Plenary Session of Parliament scheduled for Tuesday about the SCHDF.

>PHILIPSBURG:---  The House of Parliament will meet in a public plenary session on April 7. This session is the continuation of the initial session that was held on December 22, 2014. On March 24, the meeting was called, but was adjourned and is now being reconvened.

The plenary session is set for Tuesday at 2.00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is the request to the Governments Accountants Bureau SOAB to carry out a forensic investigation into the operations of the St Read more

Buhari wins historic landslide in Nigeria

ABUJA--Three decades after seizing power in a military coup, Muhammadu Buhari became the first Nigerian to oust a president through the ballot box, putting him in charge of Africa's biggest economy and one of its most turbulent democracies.
  As the scale of this weekend's electoral landslide became clear, President Goodluck Jonathan called Buhari on Tuesday to concede defeat to the opposition leader, Buhari's camp said, an unprecedented step that should help to defuse anger among Jonathan's supporters.
  In the religiously mixed northern city of Kaduna, where 800 people were killed in violence after the last elections in 2011, Buhari supporters streamed onto the streets, waving flags, dancing and singing in celebration.
  There was no word from Jonathan himself Read more