Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
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St. Maarten Governing Program In Final Stages
St. Maarten – The workgroup charges with drafting the governing program for the coalition of National Alliance, Democratic Party and United St. Maarten party exports to complete its tasks by the end of the week. The draft will first be presented to the leaders of the three coalition parties Read more
PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the National Alliance (NA) Member of Parliament (MP) William Marlin expects to complete his tasks of forming a new government that will work in the best interest of the people of St Read more
Departing Politicians Become A Burden For The Treasury
Political pensions could cost country St. Maarten $4 million
St. Maarten – The change of government could cost the country over the next two years more than $4 million if all departing ministers and not re-elected members of parliament claim the political pension they are entitled to by law. To put this number in perspective: on a national budget of 440 million guilders (about $245 million), it represents 1.6 percent of total expenditures.
Four ministers (Patricia Lourens, Martin Hassink, Dennis and Ted Richardson) are not expected to return in the new cabinet Read more
Prime minister tenders resignation of Cabinet
HARBOUR VIEW--Prime Minister Wescot-Williams has tendered the resignation of the entire Wescot-Williams III Cabinet to Governor Eugene Holiday. The governor, according to a statement from his Cabinet, has informed the prime minister that he will consider her request.
The governor also reiterated his call to the ministers and the minister plenipotentiary in The Hague to continue their duties in the interest of St Read more
MPs close off fourth year of Parliament
PHILIPSBURG--The 2013-2014 parliamentary year closed on Monday with several Members of Parliament (MPs) taking the opportunity to give a farewell speech outlining their accomplishments, hopes for the new parliamentary year and for the incoming government.
Based on the Constitution, the parliamentary year must close before the second Tuesday in September – the official opening of the new parliamentary year. The opening will take place today, Tuesday, at Parliament House, with Governor Eugene Holiday delivering the traditional governor's speech containing government's plans for the coming year.
At Monday's session, outgoing independent MP Romain Laville said being an MP has been "one of the greatest experiences" he has had in life Read more
Motion passed to restrict outgoing ministers’ actions
PHILIPSBURG--A motion calling on Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams to inform individual ministers of the Wescot-Williams III Cabinet "to not make any long-term policy, financial and/or decisions of such a nature as granting lands in long lease, bus and taxi licences, concessions, hiring and placement of personnel in crucial functions" was adopted by a majority of Members of Parliament (MPs) in the closing meeting of the 2013-2014 parliamentary year on Monday.
The motion was presented by MP Roy Marlin (Democratic Party (DP)) and also signed by six other MPs.
The motion further called on the ministers to refrain from making any decision on the waste-to-energy concession or any other decision "that may obstruct or encumber the incoming government from functioning adequately during the next governing term."
The motion also requested the prime minister to inform the individual ministers who are shareholder's representatives of government-owned companies "to instruct management and boards of these companies to refrain from entering into long-term agreements and sign contracts that may negatively affect or bind these companies for a long term."
The motion was presented by MP Roy Marlin after he requested an addition to an agenda of the plenary session of Parliament Read more
Gracita Arrindell Closes Parliamentary Year
St. Maarten – Parliament President Gracita Arrindell closed off the parliamentary year 2013-2014 yesterday morning in a meeting MPs used to express countless thank you’s and also to express their respect for each other. Highlight of the meeting was an initiative by the departing MP Roy Marlin, who tabled a motion that asks the prime minister to “inform†the ministers of her cabinet not to enter into any long-term commitments during their last weeks in office Read more
New Mps Officially Formalized By Central Voting Bureau, Names Of Mps To Be Published
PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten -The results of the 2014 Parliamentary election which was held on August 29th, have been formalized.
In adherence with the Electoral Law, the results will now have to be published in the National Gazette and the elected members of Parliament officially informed.
The elected MPs will also have to advise the Central Voting Bureau if they will accept the position of member of Parliament for St. Maarten.
This was announced on Monday afternoon during a public meeting of the Central Voting Bureau which is chaired by Attorney Jason Rogers.
Fifteen (15) members of Parliament were elected on Friday August 29th from four political parties Read more
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
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 Anywhereâ€
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
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
‘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
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
Candidate #11 On The National Alliance Slate Says "Thank You"
PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Candidate #11 on the National Alliance slate, Mr. Cedric Peterson would like to take this opportunity to express his sincerest gratitude to the people of St. Maarten.
A statement from the first-time political candidate reads:"I am truly grateful to my family, friends and supporters for their generous contributions of time, energy, money and effort to my campaign during the recent Parliamentary elections.
The people of St 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
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