SXMElections.com

style="text-align: center;">St. Maarten and its people will continue to fight for their rights

PHILIPSBURG:--- Organizers of the Peoples United for True Democracy (PUTD) began gathering on the Pondfill just after 1pm on Sunday as they prepared for the march they organized to protest against the instruction the Kingdom Council of Ministers gave to Governor Holiday on September 17th, 2014. The Kingdom Council instructed the Governor of St. Maarten not to sign any Landsbesluit to appoint Ministers that are appointed by the current coalition government.

The march which was scheduled to take off from the vicinity of the WIFOL building on the Pondfill on Sunday afternoon left the location close to 3pm as buses were circling in the various districts to pick up people who wanted to participate in the march deemed as protecting the country and its people's democratic rights.
Despite the delay and several publications in the newspapers, radios, and the social media just about 100 persons attended the march, included were several members from the UP party including its leader Theodore Heyliger, MP Lloyd Richardson and MP Franklyn Meyers, children and even some workers from the brothels on the island were among those that marched down the Pondfill road to the Government Administration Building.
As the marchers marched they chanted they wanted freedom, justice and respect Read more

Tamara Leonard Condemns Instruction From Dutch

St. Maarten —“ The recent instruction from the Dutch Government to Governor Eugene Holiday to carry out an invasive screening of candidate ministers in addition to the mandated security screening has put the governor yet again in a very awkward position where he has to choose between truly representing the people of St. Maarten and the one-sided interest of the Dutch Government,” says United People’s (UP) party Member of Parliament Tamara Leonard.

“This instruction goes against a number of fundamental rights and freedom guaranteed to the people of St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Transparency International: Dutch corruption mechanisms insufficient

PHILIPSBURG:--- The UP Faction would hereby like to make one thing abundantly clear to the general population and Kingdom partners: The issue with the instruction given to Governor Holiday regarding expanded screening criteria to be executed by appointees of the Dutch government, is not about 'having something to hide' Read more

Mp Tamara Leonard – Governor Put In Awkward Position By Dutch Government

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – The recent instruction from the Dutch Government to Governor Eugene Holiday to carry out an invasive screening of candidate ministers in addition to the mandated security screening has put the governor yet again in a very awkward position where he has to choose between truly representing the people of St. Maarten and the one-sided interest of the Dutch Government, says United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament Tamara Leonard.

"This instruction goes against a number of fundamental rights and freedom guaranteed to the people of St Read more

>ATLANTA/ST. MAARTEN:--- In the midst of the many global threats, terrorist acts, violence, crime and corruption; bravery, tenacity, courage and resilience are especially essential for leaders in our societies. Consequently, the visionary and president of Victorious Living, Dr. N. Erna Mae Francis-Cotton, in a recent press release saluted 17 year old Malala Yousafzai on recently winning the Nobel Peace Prize, especially as the world community celebrated The United Nations' International Day of the Girl Child on October 11th.
Malala Yousafzai was born on July 12, 1997, in Mingora, Pakistan and proves that we must be courageous in the midst of opposition and threats Read more

Holiday says MPs play critical role to foster good governance

~ MPs sworn in ~

HARBOUR VIEW--The fifteen Members of Parliament (MPs) elected during the August 29 Parliamentary Elections took their oaths to serve in the presence of Governor Eugene Holiday on Friday.

Sworn in were United People's (UP) party MPs Theo Heyliger, Franklin Meyers, Silvio Matser, Tamara Leonard, Maurice Lake, Lloyd Richardson and Johan "Janchi Leonard; Democratic Party (DP) MPs Sarah Wescot-Williams and Cornelius de Weever; United St Read more

15 New Mps Take The Oath Friday

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The swearing in ceremony of the 15 parliamentarians to govern the country for the period 2014/2018 took place on Friday morning.

The ceremony was held at the Governor's office at Harbor View. Taking the oath were members of the National Alliance William Marlin, Silveria Jacobs, George Pantophlet and Christopher Emanuel, the United People Party, Theo Heyliger, Dr Read more

Havana sees no sign Obama will change policy on Cuba

HAVANA--Cuba has received no indication the Obama administration might change U.S. policy toward Cuba despite increasing support within the United States for closer ties, a top Cuban official said on Wednesday.

"We don't have those indications (of any policy change)," Josefina Vidal, chief of the Cuban foreign ministry's U.S. division, told reporters in Havana after attending a forum discussing the U.S Read more

UP willing to install neutral committee

~Law firm weighs in~

PHILIPSBURG--Sulvaran and Peterson law firm, which represents the United People's (UP) party led by Member of Parliament Theo Heyliger, has weighed in on the vote-buying case involving UP.

The firm said UP was willing to call a neutral committee when it takes office to "tackle this matter with all the political parties." The aim will be to "separate fact and fiction and, if necessary, to make recommendations."

The firm said, "Finding a correct balance with this topic will in itself be a challenge," but noted that it was something "local politics itself will have to tackle first Read more

PVV submits law to send back criminal ‘Antilleans’

THE HAGUE--The Party for Freedom PVV in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Wednesday submitted an initiative law which aims to send persons from Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten who have been convicted of a crime back to their island.

An expulsion law is needed to "protect" the Dutch society against the excessive and often violent, criminal behaviour of persons from the islands, contended PVV Members of Parliament (MPs) Sietse Fritsma and Machiel de Graaf, the initiative takers of the law proposal.

The law proposal puts the protection of victims of violence, robberies and other severe crimes in the centre by expelling violent and trouble-causing Dutch Caribbean persons, Fritsma and De Graaf stated in the explanatory note Read more

Dutch Send Supervisor Integrity And Reinforcements To The Island

Debate about Kingdom Relations-budget in The Hague

THE HAGUE  – Assistance for the Public Prosecutor’s Office to fight white collar criminality,  border control under the supervision of the Netherlands and the appointment of a Supervisor Integrity. These are the three pillars of an action plan Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk announced yesterday in the debate about the budget for Kingdom Relations in the Second Chamber in The Hague.

Plasterk said during the debate that the situation in St Read more

Speech Of Sxm Managing Director, Regina Labega At The Opening Ceremony Of The Safety And Security Conference And Exhibition, Westin Resort And Spa, Sept. 30, 2014

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Ladies and Gentlemen. Good morning.

"The sky is the limit only for those who aren't afraid to fly..." Thus said Captain Shekhar Gupta of AeroSoftCorp. He certainly was not referring to any of you here today, because I would like to believe that you are not afraid to fly.

You will also recall this other famous saying by an anonymous author: "To most people, the sky is the limit (but) to those who love aviation, the sky is home." I know it is your love for aviation that has brought you here today, so welcome home.

Welcome to our Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition, which we are holding this year as part of the ongoing celebrations of the 70th anniversary of SXM Airport Read more

Reaction To Pwc Integrity Report: Dutch Want Criminal Investigation (Into The Government Of St. Maarten)

THE HAGUE – Justice has to initiate a large-scale criminal investigation into the “utterly corrupt” government of Sint Maarten. “The Second Chamber demands this, now that the controversial politician Theo Heyliger is grabbing the absolute power on the island,” the Telegraaf reported yesterday.

A majority of VVD, Socialist Party, CDA and PVV wants action according to the newspaper, after it appears from an investigation by consultant PricewaterhouseCoopers that the complete government apparatus is rife with cronyism Read more

Second Chamber calls for intervention in St. Maarten

THE HAGUE--The Dutch media reported on Monday that there is majority support in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament for intervention through a large criminal investigation of "St. Maarten's corrupt government." Dutch politicians are especially worried now that the United People's (UP) party of Theo Heyliger is about to take power.

Two major Dutch newspapers, De Telegraaf and Trouw, reported on Monday morning on PricewaterhouseCoopers' (PwC's) Integrity Inquiry report on St Read more

Local Poem Selected For Choral Music Performance In The Netherlands

St. Maarten – Newly created music to Drisana Deborah Jack’s poetry will be performed at the 55th anniversary concert of the Delft Ars Vocalis Chamber Choir in the Netherlands, according to Jack’s publisher HNP.

Dutch composers Rita Hijmans and Anke Brouwer selected Jack’s poem “I dare you” and its Dutch translation from a long list of verse proposed by Ars Vocalis to four composers that it commissioned to create “new musical composition” for its anniversary concert.

“I am very intrigued by the notion of interpreting the poetry into music for a choir,” said Jack, a leading local poet and artist Read more

Usm And Vlf Offer Eft Classes To General Public

St. Maarten – The University of St. Martin in its efforts to meet the growing needs of the community of St. Maarten, is now embarking upon an adult education class, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) in collaboration with Victorious Living Foundation.

“The EFT course provides the participant with the history, science and practical application of EFT so that he/she may utilize these techniques to overcome physical, emotional, or psychological pain, trauma, or other challenges in his or her life Read more

>GREAT BAY:--- Newly created music to Drisana Deborah Jack's poetry will be performed at the 55th anniversary concert of the Delft Ars Vocalis Chamber Choir in the Netherlands, said Jack's publisher HNP.
Dutch composers Rita Hijmans and Anke Brouwer selected Jack's poem "I dare you" and its Dutch translation from a long list of verse proposed by Ars Vocalis to four composers that it commissioned to create "new musical composition" for its anniversary concert.
"I am very intrigued by the notion of interpreting the poetry into music for a choir," said Jack, a leading St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The University of St. Martin in its efforts to meet the growing needs of the community of St. Maarten, is now embarking upon an adult education class, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) in collaboration with Victorious Living Foundation.
The EFT course provides the participant with the history, science and practical application of EFT so that he/she may utilize these techniques to overcome physical, emotional, or psychological pain, trauma, or other challenges in his or her life Read more

Usm And Vlf Offer Emotional Freedom Techniques To General Public

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten- The University of St. Martin in its efforts to meet the growing needs of the community of St. Maarten, is now embarking upon an adult education class, Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) in collaboration with Victorious Living Foundation.

The EFT course provides the participant with the history, science and practical application of EFT so that he/she may utilize these techniques to overcome physical, emotional, or psychological pain, trauma, or other challenges in his or her life.

This course is relevant to persons who have never heard the term Emotional Freedom Techniques and those who have an awareness of this practice.

The participant will encounter both an individual and group participatory format that will enable him/her to apply the techniques learned immediately to improve his/her life.

The course is being taught by Dr Read more

St. Martin Poetry Selected By Dutch Composers For Choral Music Performance In Netherlands

GREAT BAY, St. Martin — Newly created music to Drisana Deborah Jack's poetry will be performed at the 55th anniversary concert of the Delft Ars Vocalis Chamber Choir in the Netherlands, said Jack's publisher HNP.

Dutch composers Rita Hijmans and Anke Brouwer selected Jack's poem "I dare you" and its Dutch translation from a long list of verse proposed by Ars Vocalis to four composers that it commissioned to create "new musical composition" for its anniversary concert.

"I am very intrigued by the notion of interpreting the poetry into music for a choir," said Jack, a leading St Read more

Ronald Plasterk: “Buying Votes Undermines St. Maarten’S Democratic Character”

THE HAGUE – Socialist Party parliamentarian Ronald van Raak received predictable answers from Minister Ronald Plasterk to his questions about the election fraud trial in St. Maarten. “It is not up to the minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations to comment on court rulings,” the minister wrote, though he also noted that buying and selling votes undermines St. Maarten’s democratic character.

Van Raak posed questions to Plasterk on August 27, two days before the parliamentary elections in St Read more

‘Vote-buying undermines St. Maarten’s democracy’

THE HAGUE--The reported trading of votes in St. Maarten is worrisome and has an undermining effect on the country's democracy.

That is what Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk stated on Monday in response to written questions submitted by Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP).

Van Raak sought clarity on August 27, two days prior to the elections, after reading in the local media that the Court of First Instance had declared admissible the Prosecutor's Office's cases against five persons involved in the selling and buying of votes on behalf of the United People's (UP) party in the September 2010 election.

Van Raak had asked the minister's opinion on the court's decision and the accusation of the judge that the Prosecutor's Office was guilty of "class justice" by only prosecuting the five suspects in question, and to leave the management of UP in peace despite evidence that pointed in their direction Read more

First hearing in sports coach paedophilia case

PHILIPSBURG--Thursday saw the first appearance in the Court of First Instance of E.Y., the 49-year-old basketball coach who is suspected of sexually abusing minors.

The hearing was pro-forma, as the prosecutor was not ready to proceed and Y.'s lawyer had investigation requests.

The prosecutor read out that Y. had currently been charged with two offences: the rape of an underage boy on April 2, 2014, after he had groomed the child on the Internet, using Facebook, and persuaded him to meet up for a one-to-one coaching session, and the second charge being a series of rapes of another underage boy, between August 2013 and February 2014, where he had groomed the child in a similar manner.

The prosecutor added that the investigation is still ongoing, and that "multiple further allegations are being investigated."

As the case would not be heard before the end of Y.'s current period of pre-trial detention, the prosecutor asked for this detention to be extended.

Y.'s lawyer, Brenda Brooks, in a manner that would have befitted an American court room drama, complained of receiving the summons of the accused at too short notice, something that was seconded by the judge.

She asked for the immediate release of her client, who "denies all involvement and has fully cooperated with the investigation." She stated the prosecution was "desperately looking for evidence that is not available."

She stated her client's image had been damaged by the case, that he would have "no life" after the case and that he would do anything to prove his innocence.

She stated that there were a number of discrepancies, and demanded that victims and witnesses be further questioned on behalf of the prosecution.

The prosecutor responded that the statements of the victims were exceptionally detailed, and apart from those, there were evidential files from Facebook and medical statements to back up accounts of the witnesses, as well as a statement from the basketball team to state it was not normal for Y Read more

Ukraine, pro-Russian rebels reach ceasefire deal

MINSK--Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels reached a ceasefire agreement on Friday, the first step toward ending fighting in eastern Ukraine that has caused the worst standoff between Moscow and the West since the Cold War ended.

The ceasefire deal was struck in the Belarussian capital Minsk along with a deal allowing for prisoner exchanges, deliveries of humanitarian aid and the withdrawal of heavy weapons after five months of a conflict that has killed more than 2,600 people.

Despite some initial shelling in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk after the truce began at 6 p.m., the ceasefire appeared to be holding Read more