SXMElections.com

SHTA welcomes, outlines tasks at hand for new government

~ Narrows in on finances, govt-owned companies ~

PHILIPSBURG--The St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA) has issued a statement welcoming new Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs and the newly appointed ministers, amidst what it says has been a time of widespread lack of trust in St. Maarten's unstable government. The largest business representative on the island has taken notice of the increased discussion of late – both in and out of the media – about the instability of the Dutchside's government and the damage it is doing to the economy.

"The lack of trust in our current governing system has led to a widespread belief that transparency and integrity are seriously lacking Read more

Bahamas authorities investigate alleged rape of Jamaican detainee

NASSAU, Bahamas--The Bahamas government says it is prepared to let the "chips fall where they may" after an immigration officer was placed on administrative leave with immediate effect "pending investigation of a sexual assault alleged by a detainee who is a Jamaican citizen."

Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell told a news conference that while he would not speak "more to this matter" he was nonetheless prepared to allow the "chips [to – Ed.] fall where they may."

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration said that "a diplomatic note .. Read more

Education for children who urgently need special education

Dear Editor,

Please allow me some space in your newspaper to address the Government and Parliament of St. Maarten and Ronald Plasterk, Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations.

St. Maarten Government, Parliament and Minister Plasterk, my name is Reinder Torrenga and I'm a proud father of a daughter with Down syndrome. This is not the first time I need to use the media to speak about my frustration and make a plea to our Council of Ministers and the parliament of our country St Read more

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Russia growls across border as Lithuania readies for euro

KYBARTAI, Lithuania--Geopolitics plague Lithuanians at this frozen Russian border post, where a return trip by car can mean 48 hours of queuing. It is a reminder for some of why the former Soviet republic will cement its move to the West by joining the euro zone next month.

Tensions with Moscow have simmered ever since Lithuania became the first republic to declare independence from the Soviet Union in 1990, although only 6 percent of the population are Russian speakers, far fewer than in its Baltic neighbours Read more

Henry Lynch suspended as Housing Foundation Director

~ Lake called to correct 'erroneous' statements ~

BELVEDERE--St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) Director Henry Lynch has been placed on non-active duty as of December 12 by the foundation's supervisory board pending the outcome of "an independent forensic investigation" by Government Accountant Bureau SOAB "into certain business and management activities" of SMHDF and of St. Maarten Housing Finance Foundation (SMHFF).

However, that investigation is now on hold due to the intervention of Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Maurice Lake Read more

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Jamaica PM under fire for multi-million NHT spending

KINGSTON, Jamaica--Jamaica's Prime Minister Portia Simpson-Miller is facing increasing pressure from the Parliamentary Opposition and local interest groups to dismiss the board of the state-owned housing agency, the National Housing Trust (NHT), following its decision to purchase a cash-strapped tourist attraction called the Outameni Experience.

The debacle began in late October when news broke that the NHT had acquired the nine-acre property for J $180 million (US $1.6 million) nearly two years earlier Read more

Leeward Islands lose in misplaced-ball match

JAMAICA--Leeward Islands cricket coach Ridley Jacobs reported a bizarre situation in which the match ball was misplaced by the umpires during the tea interval when Jamaica Franchise took on the Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the West Indies Cricket Board Professional Cricket League 4-day match in Jamaica over the weekend.

The umpires were Jamaican Christopher Taylor and Trinidad and Tobago Danesh Ramdhanie.

A disappointed Jacobs explained, "The ball that we were bowling with was 16-overs and the ball they came back out with was 34-overs – that's a big difference Read more

Families of the Disappeared suffer as Northern Ireland drags feet on past

GLENAVY, Northern Ireland--As Brendan Megraw's coffin was lowered into his family grave 36 years after he was kidnapped and shot by the IRA, the mourners at the cemetery felt relief but also anger at Northern Ireland's reluctance to investigate its past.

Among those gathered at the graveside were relatives of a dozen other people "disappeared" by the Irish Republican Army in the 1970s and 80s Read more

Mexico says evidence now proves missing students were burned up

MEXICO CITY--Mexican authorities on Sunday said that mounting evidence and initial DNA tests confirmed that 43 trainee teachers who were abducted by corrupt police 10 weeks ago were incinerated at a garbage dump by drug gang members.
  Attorney General Jesus Murillo told reporters that one of the students had been identified by experts in Austria from a bone fragment in a bag of ash and bits of burned tire found in a river where drug gang members said they tossed the students remains.
  "This scientific proof confirms that the remains found at the scene coincide with the evidence of the investigation," Murillo said Read more

ICC prosecutor withdraws charges against Kenyan president

AMSTERDAM/NAIROBI--Prosecutors dropped charges of crimes against humanity against Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday, marking a failure for the International Criminal Court in the highest-profile case in its 11-year history.

Judges in The Hague had on Wednesday given prosecutors a week to decide whether to proceed against Kenyatta, who was accused of fomenting ethnic violence after the 2007 election, or withdraw the charges.

Prosecutors have said Kenyatta, the first sitting president to have attended a session of the court, used his powers to obstruct the investigation, especially since becoming head of state last year Read more

Caravanserai timeshare owners lose injunction against Alegria

BEACON HILL--Timeshare owners at Caravanserai Beach Resort have lost the injunction they had filed against the property's new owner, Alegria Real Estate BV, concerning ownership rights.

The Court of First Instance ruled in the injunction on Friday, and stated that Timeshare Owners at Caravanserai Association (TOCA) had no case against Alegria, because association members had not closed timeshare agreements with Alegria or with the former resort owner, but with Endless Vacation NV.

As a result, TOCA was ordered to pay Alegria's legal fees, which were estimated at NAf Read more

Immigrants to lose medical aid under pending law amendment

PHILIPSBURG--Immigrants, whether they hold permanent residence or temporary residence, will see their possibility of accessing medical and financial aid disappear if Parliament passes the draft National Ordinance on improving financial management of social security and care. The ordinance's general goal is cost savings for government.

The draft law is not yet in Parliament's hands, but an overview of it was given to Members of Parliament (MPs) by representatives of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour VSA in a public Central Committee meeting on Friday.

The draft ordinance has as its motives introduction of measures to generate income for the Sickness Fund, protecting the country's budget, measures for improved management of health care-spending, improving the quality of care and a stepwise approach to National Health Reform.

To achieve those motives, changes are required to multiple existing legislations – Financial Assistance Ordinance, Medical Aid Ordinance, Social Health and Insurance SZV Ordinance and Sickness Insurance Ordinance.

Proposed change to the Financial Assistance Ordinance seeks to adjust the regulation to coincide with the ordinance regulating admittance and expulsion of immigrants LTU Read more

Plasterk prefers cooperation to new instruction for St. Maarten

THE HAGUE--Issuing another instruction to St. Maarten, this time in the area of Justice, does not have the preference of Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk. He would rather strengthen St. Maarten's Justice System and improve integrity together with the local government, he told the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Wednesday.

"That doesn't have my preference," Plasterk replied to the question of Member of the Second Chamber Roelof van Laar of the Labour Party PvdA, who asked the minister whether a new instruction for St Read more

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De Weever again seeks retraction from Bosman

THE HAGUE/PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten attorney-at-law Jairo Bloem by letter dated November 10, 2014, has reminded Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament André Bosman of the liberal democratic VVD party of his demand to retract his "slanderous" statements in relation to his client caretaker Minister Cornelius de Weever.

Mid-October 2014, Bloem sent an open letter to Bosman asking him to do the "honourable thing" and to retract his "erroneous and defaming remarks." On October 1, during the handling of the 2015 draft Kingdom Relations budget in the Second Chamber he stated that De Weever was "simply bought" by United People's Party (UP) Leader Theo Heyliger to join the UP in Parliament as an independent member.

On behalf of his client, Bloem asked Bosman to refrain from making such remarks in the future Read more

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Editorial - Shape up

Once again there was no quorum for a scheduled plenary session of the Parliament of St. Maarten (see related article). On this occasion it regarded formalising the Intellectual Property Bureau, which may not seem like an urgent matter but is no doubt important for whoever is in need of its services.

Moreover, for Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Minister Ted Richardson it was an obvious waste of precious time. Only six of the 15 elected representatives signed in for the meeting, two fewer than required.

Of the five opposition members, US leader Frans Richardson and NA's Christophe Emmanuel were present Read more

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A Minute With: Sean Hannity on 'disconcerting' election, matchmaking

LOS ANGELES--Sean Hannity, the longtime Fox News Channel anchor and strong voice for American conservatives, is used to taking criticism from all comers, but it was his own unhappiness with his flabby self last year that pushed him to take up a new fight - that of "street" martial artist.

"It's a tough, tough workout," the 52-year-old said of his regimen of jiu-jitsu, blade and firearm training. "It's also really great self-defense ... I'm building muscles that I've never had before."

Hannity, whose eponymous weeknight show averages 1.7 million viewers and ranks in the top five of cable news programs, spoke to Reuters about the upcoming U.S Read more

Cuban economists press for deeper reforms

HAVANA--Some of Cuba's best-known economists are openly questioning the very core of the Soviet-style command economy and saying market reforms under way are too modest to boost weak growth.
  Emboldened by freer debate in the country, they are increasingly vocal in criticizing rigid instructions coming down from the top and the uneven management of policies across the economy, from banking to agriculture Read more

Mosquito fogging moved up to Oct 28

PHILIPSBURG--Mosquito fogging, which had been set to commence Saturday, November 1, will now begin sooner, October 28, Collective Preventive Services (CPS) has announced. Taking place throughout the country as part of a regular vector control programme, the fogging will start in the Simpson Bay and Cole Bay areas.

On October 28, Cupecoy, Maho, Blue Mall, Sapphire, Low Lands, Beacon Hill and Airport Boulevard will be fogged from 5:00am to 7:00am, and the Simpson Bay area including the bridge and yacht club area, as well as Pelican Keys and Welfare Road from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

On October 29, Cole Bay areas near the border, roundabout, Cole Bay Villas, Union Road, Harold Jack will be fogged 5:00am to 7:00am; and Cole Bay Welfare Road, Windsor Road, Cape Bay west of the Cemetery, Cole Bay Lagoon and Orange Grove at 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

A complete schedule will soon be published on the Government Information page of both daily newspapers, outlining dates, times and neighbourhoods Read more

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Mosquito fogging is moved up to Oct. 28

PHILIPSBURG--Mosquito fogging, which had been set to commence Saturday, November 1, now will begin sooner, on October 28, Collective Preventive Services (CPS) has announced.

Taking place throughout the country as part of a regular vector control programme, the fogging will start in the Simpson Bay and Cole Bay areas.

On October 28, Cupecoy, Maho, Blue Mall, Sapphire, Lowlands, Beacon Hill and Airport Boulevard will be fogged from 5:00am to 7:00am; and the Simpson Bay area, including the bridge and yacht club area, as well as Pelican Keys and Welfare Road from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

On October 29, Cole Bay areas near the border, roundabout, Cole Bay Villas, Union Road and Harold Jack's Place will be fogged 5:00am to 7:00am; and Cole Bay Welfare Road, Windsor Road, Cay Bay west of the cemetery, Cole Bay Lagoon and Orange Grove from 5:00pm to 7:00pm.

A complete schedule will be published soon on the Government Information page of both daily newspapers, outlining dates, times and neighbourhoods Read more

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North Korea unexpectedly releases US citizen Fowle

WASHINGTON--North Korea has freed Jeffrey Fowle, one of three Americans detained by the country, and he is being flown home to his family in Ohio, the White House said on Tuesday.

Spokesman Josh Earnest said the United States welcomed the move, but pressed Pyongyang to free the two remaining Americans. "While this is a positive decision ... we remain focused on the continued detention of Kenneth Bae and Matthew Miller and again call on the DPRK to immediately release them," Earnest said, referring to the country's official name of Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

The United States will continue to work actively on those cases, he added.

Fowle, 56, a street repair worker from Miamisburg, Ohio, was arrested in May for leaving a Bible at a sailor's club in the North Korean city of Chongjin, where he was traveling as a tourist Read more

Why Saleh is wrong

Dear Editor,

I have much respect for Professor Jaime Saleh, former Governor of the Netherlands Antilles. However, I was very disappointed by his presentation here in Statia on October 4, 2014, on invitation of the Statia DP.

My disappointment stems from the fact that Mr. Saleh seemed not in touch with what is going on in Statia today; he spoke of his days as governor when he walked the streets here and met the local people and listened to their concerns; that would have been a good place to start on this latest trip also Read more

Ferrier resigns from DP, against Sarah supporting UP coalition

~ Richelda feels deceived, doesn't support Sarah ~

PHILIPSBURG--Former President of the Democratic Party (DP) and candidate in the August 29 parliamentary election Michael Ferrier has tendered his resignation from DP over the move by party leader Sarah Wescot-Williams to join the United People's (UP) party-led coalition.

DP candidate Richelda Rodriguez-Emmanuel in an email responding to Ferrier's resignation said she still couldn't "get over the feeling of anger, deception, disappointment and disbelief" to put in any form of communication Read more

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Editorial - Not for too long

There can be little doubt anymore that the announced UP/De Weever government will become a reality, now that UP leader Theodore Heyliger has been appointed "formateur" and a governing accord has been signed (see related article) Read more

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Global seafloor map reveals details of Earth's depths

WASHINGTON-- Scientists have devised a new map of the Earth's seafloor using satellite data, revealing massive underwater scars and thousands of previously uncharted sea mountains residing in some of the deepest, most remote reaches of the world's oceans.

The researchers said on Thursday they used gravity measurements of the seafloor from radar equipment aboard the European Space Agency's CryoSat-2 satellite and NASA's Jason-1 satellite to capture underwater geological features in unprecedented detail.

"The pull of gravity reflects the topography and tectonics of the seafloor," said David Sandwell, a geophysicist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego who led the study.

University of Sydney geophysicist Dietmar Müller, another of the researchers, said about 71 percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water and roughly 90 percent of the seafloor is uncharted by survey ships that employ acoustic beams to map the depths.

"We know much more about the topography of Mars than we know about Earth's seafloor," Müller said Read more