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Editorial - Not too much

Judging by his statements in Parliament, the cabinet headed by Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs will be diligent about tackling misspending within the public sector. In answering questions during the 2015 budget debate on, for example, the use by officials of credit cards, cell phones and rental cars, he did not hide his disapproval of the apparently excessive cost involved, nor his intention to do something about it.

That must have sounded like music to the ears of many who have grown wary of watching obvious waste of taxpayers' hard-earned money year after year, while essential collective needs cannot be addressed properly due to lack of funds Read more

Corruption protest in Kenya's Maasai region turns deadly

NAROK, Kenya--One person was killed and several injured on Monday when Kenyan police clashed with Maasais protesting against a local governor they accuse of misappropriating tourism funds from the Maasai Mara game reserve, an official said.

Police fired shots and teargas as thousands of people from the Maasai ethnic group, clad in traditional red cloaks, marched to the governor's office in Narok town, the administrative centre of the sprawling Maasai Mara park, witnesses said.

Narok County Commissioner Kassim Farah, an official appointed by the president, said: "Only one protestor was killed by a bullet Read more

RCI and Sapphire Beach relationship ‘suspended’

CUPECOY--Timeshare owners at Sapphire Beach Club and Resort have been informed unexpectedly by popular timeshare exchange network RCI that the property "has been placed on suspension status and we must suspend your privileges in both the RCI Weeks and RCI Points Programs" effective immediately.

The suspension apparently is tied to the property's multiple maintenance issues, although no reason was specified in the letter.

According to a confidential source, RCI suspended the working relationship with Sapphire as a result of numerous complaints concerning maintenance issues, allowing for three months to rectify the situation Read more

The Emilio Wilson Estate St. Maarten’s Heritage in peril

Dear Editor,

A number of people have called me over the past two days to express their frustration regarding the most recent turn of events in what some are now calling the Emilio Wilson Estate Saga.

The news as featured in the local media announcing that Rain Forest Adventures (RFA) has obtained or will soon obtain the long lease to Emilio Wilson Estate is of course extremely worrisome. The Honourable Prime Minister Gumbs' (a gentleman I hold in high regard) statement in the media yesterday that "no long-lease has been granted to Rain Forest Adventures" and that he has "not signed anything for or granted anything" does nothing to decrease my concerns Read more

Gumbs: No long-lease granted to Rainforest

PHILIPSBURG--No long-lease has been granted to Rainforest Adventures for Plantation Industry and Golden Rock (commonly called Emilio Wilson Estate). This was confirmed by Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs via the Press Secretariat.

Gumbs has "not signed anything for or granted anything" to Rainforest Adventures, according the statement issued on Wednesday morning Read more

St. Maarten to seek inclusion in UNESCO’s World Memory

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten wants to submit at least two projects for possible nomination in the Memory of the World (MoW) project of United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Project consultant of UNESCO Elizabeth Watson is currently in St. Maarten meeting with organizations to discuss the MoW, and possible nominations and submissions from St. Maarten.

"Documentary heritage reflects the diversity of languages, peoples and cultures. It is the mirror of the world and its memory Read more

Ministry calls off search and rescue for missing ASL aircraft

GUYANA--Despite an intensive 21 days of aerial and ground searches in mountainous and densely forested terrain in Region Eight for the ASL Britten Norman Islander, the aircraft and its occupants have still not been found.

As such, a decision was taken on Monday, January 19, to end the search.

8R-GHE disappeared on routine shuttle operation Mahdia to Karisparu on December 28, 2014, with Captain Nicky Yakesh Persaud (27) and cargo handler David Bisnauth (51).

After the aircraft was reported overdue, five aircraft conducted reconnaissance over the Mahdia, Kaietuer, Karisparu and Taffy areas following the most probable track that the aircraft would have flown.

Three helicopters were deployed followed by an ASL Cessna Caravan and 11 GDF Special Forces officers on that day.

The Rescue Coordination Centre was established and supported by Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn; Major Mike Charles; Captain Gerry Gouveia along with several agencies including, GDF, Guyana Police Force, GGMC, CDC, Ministry of Health, Guyana Forestry Commission, Air Services Ltd, CJIAC, Civil Aviation Department – Suriname, CGX and the GCAA.

Information-gathering and planning was done from this centre and coordinated for execution by the sub centre established at Mahdia.search3.

During the last 21 days, extensive searches were conducted by three helicopters and two fixed-winged aircraft from a base established at Mahdia, to locations identified as high-probability areas determined as a result of sightings and more than 20 interviews with miners, villagers and relatives.

Over 230 hours were flown by the helicopters and fixed-winged aircraft over the Blackwater Creek basin, North Fork, Konawaruk River, Ebini, Eagle, Mowasi, Glendor mountains and the Kurungiku mountain range, including "Toucan Face" "Twin Towers" and Toucan Valley Read more

Court issues eviction order of Caravanserai apartment

BEACON HILL--The Court of First Instance on Friday ordered two owners of a timeshare unit at Caravanserai Beach Resort in Beacon Hill to vacate the apartment and hand over the keys to Caravanserai's new owner, Alegria Real Estate BV.

Alegria had filed the injunction against the couple as they held no long-lease rights to the unit they were occupying. Alegria's claim was not contested in court.

The judge ordered the defendants to vacate their timeshare unit within two days upon receipt of the verdict, hand over the keys and make the property available to Alegria.

The new owner would be entitled to seek assistance of the "strong arm of police and justice" to enforce eviction, when necessary, the judge added Read more

Independent Member of Parliament De Weever reacts to SMMC article.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Cornelius de Weever is disappointed with the manner in which the Director of St. Maarten Medical Center Kees Klarenbeek addressed the issue of the current tariffs at the SMMC, which had been addressed by MP De Weever when he was Minister of Public Health since November 2011.
MP De Weever stated that the SMMC has been declared a central hospital just like SEHOS, whereby the tariffs were increased and included additional services which were not previously offered by SMMC such as cardiology Read more

Independent Member Of Parliament De Weever Reacts To Smmc Article

GREAT BAY, St. Martin - Independent Member of Parliament Cornelius de Weever is disappointed with the manner in which the Director of St. Maarten Medical Center Kees Klarenbeek addressed the issue of the current tariffs at the SMMC, which had been addressed by MP De Weever when he was Minister of Public Health since November 2011.

MP De Weever stated that the SMMC has been declared a central hospital just like SEHOS, whereby the tariffs were increased and included additional services which were not previously offered by SMMC such as cardiology Read more

Today’S Predictions For The New Year: Still No Waste-To-Energy Plant, No Plastic Bag-Ban, No New Hospital

St. Maarten / By Hilbert Haar – “It seems almost too easy: predict what will and what will not happen in St. Maarten in any given year.” that was the first sentence of the article we published exactly a year ago about our predictions for the New Year – and it is still true. Our headline read “Emilio Wilson estate purchase but no waste-to-energy plant.” Needless to say, both predictions were on the mark.

The Today newspaper made its first predictions in 2010, when we looked ahead at 2011 Read more

A long weekend in…Guyana!

Guyana was not a destination I had ever considered visiting, especially not just for a (long) weekend. But when the opportunity arose, on a Wednesday, to fly to Guyana the next day and stay until the Monday, I didn't have to think about it too long. I was going to take this chance to explore a new country!

Insel Air had kindly invited some journalists on its inaugural flight from St. Maarten, via Curaçao to Georgetown. The schedule was arranged in such a way that the flights connected perfectly, with a minimum waiting time in Curaçao Read more