SXMElections.com

No automatic granting of island’s preference

THE HAGUE--The wish of a government within the Dutch Kingdom to appoint a representative of its choice in the Council of State for the Kingdom (Raad van State voor het Koninkrijk) isn’t automatically honoured.

Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk stated this on Thursday in a letter to the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament in response to written questions submitted by Members of the Second Chamber Wassila Hachchi of the Democratic Party D66 and Madeleine van Toorenburg of the Christian Democratic Party CDA.

Hachchi and Van Toorenburg sought clarification from the minister following a publication in the Dutch regional PZC newspaper of July 17 this year Read more

Parliamentarians irked at De Weever’s ‘condescending’ remarks in meeting

~ De Weever will offer 'no apologies' for telling truth ~

PHILIPSBURG--Several Members of Parliament (MPs) condemned on Wednesday the manner in which Minister of Health, Labour and Social Affairs VSA Cornelius de Weever addressed Parliament during the Central Committee meeting, with some MPs saying the minister had been "condescending," "disrespectful" and 'sarcastic."

De Weever responded by saying he had "sat quietly" and "took it all" from MPs in his three years going to Parliament to answer questions, while watching some MPs put on a "grand performance." De Weever said he would not sit and allow anyone to "play politics" with the work his ministry had done Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson confirmed to SMN News that the Minister of Justice and Security of the Netherlands have been delaying and or refusing to grant St. Maarten necessary assistance for the Landsrecherche (National Detectives) that is lacking in manpower to investigate cases that have been pending for years. When asked if he is satisfied with the functioning of the Prosecutor's Office and the Attorney General of St. Maarten that have cases as long as four years to investigate and prosecute and to date nothing has happened Read more

ST. PETERS:--- The >OSPP was forced to cancel their first ever political town hall meeting that was scheduled to be held on Thursday, July 31, 2014 at the Salvation Army Hall in Cole Bay. This cancellation was due to an electrical problem that existed in the building of the Salvation Army. Thereafter, NV GEBE emergency personnel were summoned to the building and after some searching they were able to put back on the electricity Read more

PHILPSBURG:--- Members of the Democratic Party stood by their leader Sarah Wescot Williams on Thursday when they shed light and their shared their views on many issues affecting St. Maarten. Member of Parliament Roy Marlin in his remarks said he was the one that met with Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson to establish the guidelines for the political campaign Read more