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Mps Pepper Ministers With Questions In Budget Debate

Independent MP Leona Marlin-Romeo (standing) speaks in the budget debate on Monday.

 PHILIPSBURG--The 2016 draft budget was tabled in Parliament by Finance Minister Richard Gibson on Monday morning in Parliament House. Members of Parliament (MPs), who had up to 90 minutes to speak, peppered the Council of Ministers with a barrage of questions spanning from the budget and Government policies to general topics of interest.

  The seven Ministers, who all made presentations about the working of their Ministries on Monday, will be back in Parliament today, Tuesday, starting at 2:00pm to deliver answers to the questions from MPs Read more

Opinion: The Spirit Of Giving

Sometimes, initiatives that may have started with the best of intentions are raising eyebrows. Such is the case with the “giving back to the community” initiative of parliamentarian Leona Marlin-Romeo – and we’d like to place this in the context of 2016 – an election year.

We are all familiar with the vote buying scandal dating back to 2010 when a couple of police officers sold their vote for $300 a pop to the United People’s party Read more

Constitutional Court Rules On Alexander’S Petition

By Today Newspaper

St. Maarten News – The Constitutional Court will take a decision on Friday morning about the petition Lisa Alexander filed about the election date. The court is in session on Friday to handle the review of the Integrity Chamber-legislation.

At the beginning of this hearing, at 9 a.m., the court will rule on Alexander’s petition.

“His Excellency Governor Eugene Holiday’s attempt to cancel the national decree of October 29 is unconstitutional,” Lisa Alexander said in a press statement on December 15 of last year Read more

Constitutional Court Rules On Alexander’S Petition

St. Maarten News – The Constitutional Court will take a decision on Friday morning about the petition Lisa Alexander filed about the election date. The court is in session on Friday to handle the review of the Integrity Chamber-legislation.

At the beginning of this hearing, at 9 a.m., the court will rule on Alexander’s petition.

“His Excellency Governor Eugene Holiday’s attempt to cancel the national decree of October 29 is unconstitutional,” Lisa Alexander said in a press statement on December 15 of last year Read more

Lisa Alexander: Canceling National Decree Is Unconstitutional”

St. Maarten – “His Excellency Governor Eugene Holiday’s attempt to cancel the national decree of October 29 is unconstitutional,” Lisa Alexander said in a press statement last night. “There is absolutely no provision in the Constitution that gives the governor the authority to cancel a published National Dissolution Decree. This decree affects the fundamental rights of the citizens of St Read more

Mp Johan Leonard About The Cause Of Ship Jumping: Our Party Leaders Blatantly Disrespect Their Members

MP Heyliger is still smiling after the severe criticism from his fellow-faction member Johan Leonard (left). Photo Today / Milton Pieters

St. Maarten – The attitude of party leaders is the main reason for ship jumping, United People’s party MP Johan Leonard said yesterday morning in an unexpected sharp attack on UP-leader Theo Heyliger Read more

Seven New Political Parties Report For 2016 Elections

St. Maarten – An astonishing number of seven new political parties reported to the offices of the Electoral Council yesterday to submit their request to be registered for the February 9 elections. Among them is the St. Maarten Christian Party, led by Pastor Wycliffe Smith. On the other hand, the party of European Dutch residents did not show up, reportedly because they did not have enough time to prepare their documentation.

With the seven new parties – if they get all their formalities in order – the field for the elections will consist of eleven and possibly twelve parties Read more

Winners And Losers: Who Will Survive The Polls In February?

St. Maarten / By Hilbert Haar – February 9, 2016 is crunch day for politicians and those who aspire to become one. The parliamentary elections – for some mysterious reason perceived by some as ‘snap elections’, whatever that may be – will give voters the opportunity to speak their mind about the constitutional drama that concluded on Wednesday when the ministers of the Marcel Gumbs cabinet tendered their resignation and Governor Drs Read more

Independent Mp Leona Marlin-Romeo Invited To Join New Coalition

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - With the expected snap elections now just around the corner, the independent members of Parliament have been giving the electorate more insight into the inner workings that led them to becoming independent members of Parliament.

Seemingly Independent Member of Parliament, the Honorable Leona Marlin-Romeo was asked by the leader of the United St Read more

“Criminal Organizations Are Killing Each Other”

Justice Minister Dennis Richardson about rising crime:

St. Maarten – The recent hike in crime can be attributed to criminal organizations fighting over territory and killing each other, Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson said at the Council of Ministers press briefing yesterday. The minister has taken notice of the crime situation and would rather focus on crime prevention efforts then contributing more money to capturing and locking up criminals. In a meeting with the police on Monday, the minister was informed that in 2014 there were ten murders while this year there are seven thus far Read more

De Weever cancels NA meeting, cites safety, security challenges

PHILIPSBURG--Second Deputy Chairman Cornelius de Weever has cancelled the Parliament meeting called by the new National Alliance (NA)-led coalition for today, Thursday, at 6:00pm citing in a letter to Members of Parliament (MPs) “the current safety and security challenges.”

The new coalition had decided to bypass submitting a request for a Parliament meeting to De Weever and had instead sent out on convocation letter on Wednesday to all MPs directly to attend an “urgent meeting” today.

The meeting had as its main agenda point the appointment of a chairperson, and a second deputy chairperson.

The letter, signed by the eight MPs of the new coalition, stated “in view of the recent developments” during meetings of Parliament, they have “all agreed” that today’s meeting would be chaired by MP George Pantophlet (NA).

De Weever in his letter to the MPs this afternoon said he took note of meeting time Read more

Sarah elected new Parliament Chair in spite of De Weever’s cancellation

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams is again at the helm of Parliament. She was elected Parliament Chairwoman by the new National Alliance (NA)-led coalition in an extraordinary meeting of Parliament on Thursday evening Read more

Government has ‘autonomous right’ to dissolve Parliament

~ Governor wrote in 2013 letter ~

PHILIPSBURG--“The right to dissolve Parliament by national decree is a constitutional and autonomous right of the Government,” wrote Governor Eugene Holiday in a letter dated May 16, 2013, to then-Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams when she tried to stopped the then-National Alliance (NA)-led Council of Ministers from invoking Article 59 of the Constitution.

The letter came to light this week as political tension intensified between the newest NA-led coalition with a majority in Parliament and the UP/De Weever/Marlin-Romeo-supported Council of Ministers, after the crumbling of the United People’s (UP) party-led coalition.

The current Marcel Gumbs Cabinet has held tight to the view that it is its right to dissolve Parliament in the face of the shifted majority in Parliament Read more

Chair Aborts Meeting Within Sixty Seconds: New Majority Calls Action Mp De Weever Illegal

St. Maarten – Acting as the second vice president of Parliament, independent MP Cornelius de Weever wrong-footed parliament yesterday morning by opening and closing a meeting designed to appoint a new chair within sixty seconds after which he “ran out of the hall,” according to Democratic Party MP Sarah Wescot-Williams.

De Weever called on article 37 of the rules of order, after remarking that the cabinet had submitted a national decree to dissolve parliament Read more

New coalition calls Parliament meeting for today at 6:00pm

PHILIPSBURG--The new National Alliance (NA)-led coalition has decided to bypass submitting a request for a meeting of Parliament to Second Deputy Parliament Chairman Cornelius de Weever, and instead has sent out a convocation letter directly to all Members of Parliament (MPs) to attend an “urgent meeting” today, Thursday, in Parliament House, starting at 6:00pm.

The meeting has as its main agenda point the appointment of a chairperson and a second vice-chairperson Read more

Protest against Ministers draws only a small crowd

PHILIPSBURG--The angry sentiments expressed on radio and in some quarters of the community against the Marcel Gumbs Cabinet for not resigning in the face of the September 30 motion of no confidence passed by the new National Alliance (NA)-led coalition did not translate into a large turnout for the protest in front of the Government Administration Building on Wednesday morning.

Some people on the scene are planning to return to the site again today, Thursday, for similar action Read more

Protest against ministers draws only small crowd

PHILIPSBURG--The angry sentiments expressed on radio and in some quarters of the community against the Marcel Gumbs Cabinet for not resigning in the face of the September 30 motion of no confidence passed by the new National Alliance (NA)-led coalition did not translate into a big turnout for the protest in front of the Government Administration Building on Wednesday morning Read more

President of Parliament Dr. Lloyd Richardson makes position available

President of Parliament Dr. Lloyd Richardson makes position available  

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – On Monday, 12th October, President of Parliament Hon. Dr. Lloyd Richardson, made his position to Parliament by informing the Secretariat of the House of Parliament Read more

New coalition says De Weever acted illegally, calls for urgent meeting

PHILIPSBURG--Second Vice-Chairman of Parliament Cornelius de Weever performed an “illegal act” when he chaired Tuesday’s plenary session of Parliament and closed it swiftly without giving Members of Parliament (MPs) the possibility to react, say representatives of the new coalition in Parliament.

After De Weever closed the session they submitted a request for an urgent meeting of Parliament to talk about his “illegal act” as well as “the consequences for the functioning of Parliament and for the representation of the people of St Read more

New coalition wants ministers to resign before talks on stability

PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs’ invitation to faction leaders in Parliament to meet separately with him today, Wednesday, in an attempt to get “support for solutions for stability in government” has been rebuffed by members of the new coalition in Parliament.

In response to Gumbs’ invitation to meet, faction leaders Members of Parliament (MPs) William Marlin (National Alliance), Sarah Wescot-Williams (Democratic Party), Frans Richardson (United St Read more

Sams, Connor have no plans to resign

Ernest Sams and Claret Connor

PHILIPSBURG--Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Ernest Sams says there’s “no truth whatsoever” to the rampant talk in the community on Tuesday about his supposed plan to resign from his post. 

  His colleague Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Claret Connor has also batted down similar talk saying: “I respect this office and I will not get into any public debate” on “public melee.”

  The country, he continued, is “already dealing with the impasse” between Parliament and the

  Connor, who has been a minister since December 2014, added, “I was born and raised in Philipsburg Read more

De Weever seeks legal advice, suspends Parliament meeting

PHILIPSBURG--Second Deputy Parliament Chairman Cornelius de Weever took charge of one of the shortest Parliament meetings in the country's history on Tuesday and effectively thwarted the new coalition's move to appoint a new chairperson and two deputy chairpersons of Parliament.
  The meeting for which nine Members of Parliament (MPs) signed in, lasted approximately a minute and nine seconds Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- On Monday, 12th October, President of Parliament Hon. Dr. Lloyd Richardson, made his position to Parliament by informing the Secretariat of the House of Parliament.

“Given the present and still ongoing political developments, I hereby inform you that I have made the seat of President of the Parliament of Sint Maarten available to whomsoever the Parliament sees fit to assume said post.

“I would also like to thank the members of the Presidium for their untiring cooperation, the secretariat for their unrelenting support, the employees and other related staff for the manner in which they all performed their duties during this period of transition.

“The seat of President of Parliament was not an aspiration of mine, nonetheless my willingness to serve where my country's need of me was the greatest has been and continues to be my passion.

“That being said, I would like to take this moment in our country's history to say to all primarily responsible, that our people, our collective reputation, our country's stability and future are riding perilously on the outcome of these talks Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- Vice President of Parliament Hon. Cornelius de Weever on Tuesday morning during a plenary session of the House of Parliament, closed the meeting based on Article 37 of the Rules of Order in order to seek legal advice regarding the Council of Ministers decision to dissolve Parliament and hold new elections.
The plenary session was related to the appointment of the President and two Vice Presidents of Parliament.

This meeting of the House was initially requested by the National Alliance Faction Members of Parliament (MPs) W.V Read more