SXMElections.com

~ Says budget full of vanity projects ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel and MP Claudius Buncamper of the USP faction on Tuesday were critical of the 2021 budget presented by the UP/NA Coalition government, condemning it as a roadmap of vanity projects with no realistic options to solve the issues that matter to people most.

"On top of being nine months late, this budget is remarkable for what it doesn't mention, the MPs said Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

~ Says financial controller had limited info ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Sunday called for an update on the Ombudsmans inquiry into the awarding of garbage contracts to five companies for the next five years. He said though the Minister of VROMI has gone quiet on the issue, it remains unresolved with several questions unanswered.
The MP explained that at least two companies filed complaints at the Ombudsman who in turn contacted the Minister with several inquiries based on those concerns Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

~ Asks if corporate changes at PJIA imminent ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prime Minister of St. Maarten has to finally tell the truth and lay it all out on the table for the people of St. Maarten, says Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel after what he called an embarrassing showing by the PM and the Minister of Finance in the Netherlands. He said the message from the Kingdom Council of Ministers was clear and to the point: No, go home.
MP Emmanuel said that after trying to go around State Secretary Knops to get the agreed-upon liquidity support, the Prime Minister of St Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

~ Asks what Knops specifically wants with PJIA ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Friday said that while he can empathize with the position the Prime Minister finds herself in after the Kingdom Council of Ministers decided to hold off on releasing liquidity support, it is, unfortunately, a reflection of her weakness as a leader, no cohesion in the coalition and the results of her government playing dangerous games with the Dutch. I have warned this government to be direct, to be forthcoming, to be honest Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG:--- Using airport employees as a political football and for sound-bites is unbecoming, but very typical of the opportunistic method of operations by the governing National Alliance (NA)-United People (UP) coalition. Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel over the weekend said he was astonished to hear the Prime Minister and the President of Parliament mention the airport employees in Parliament last Thursday, in what he says was a transparent ploy at playing politics with peoples emotions and lives Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG:---Independent MP Christophe Emmanuel said that it is his opinion that the board of SMMC outright lied to the Minister of VSA Omar Ottley when it stated that the Australian national it brought in to run SMMC was here on an evaluation only. The board knew full well what its intentions were until the plan got exposed, the MP said.
MP Emmanuel highlighted last week that the board was going to appoint Grant Muddle, an Australian, as Director of the St Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

~ Questions if Knops using PJIA for liquidity support ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Thursday called on Minister Silveria Jacobs to explain to the public why the cooperation agreement with Schiphol Airport is being renewed after two years of performance failure by Schiphol and demands that basically would lead to the complete takeover of the airport Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

~ Questions entire vacancy timeline ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Tuesday revealed that the newly appointed Australian Director of the St. Maarten Medical Center Dr. Grant Muddle had what he called a messy history at his previous hospital tenure and called for the reversal of the decision to appoint him post-haste.

If this is the same person, reverse the decision not only on those grounds but for the simple fact that this nonsense of appointing people from half way across the world over our own qualified people must stop, MP Emmanuel said Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent MP Christophe Emmanuel on Tuesday said he is still awaiting answers from Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs to questions he submitted since February 18, 2021, on issues surrounding the St. Maarten Festival Village. Issues, he said, that has since raised many rumors of possible fraudulent actions, underhanded deals, and other suspicious acts being committed at the facility by the board and other third parties.

He said it would behoove the PM to provide the answers to some 40 questions that he submitted to begin to shed light on the operations of a facility that has dissolved into a public eyesore Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

~ Says Alliance clearly not for its voters ~

PHILIPSBURG;--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Friday said it is unbelievable that the Prime Minister of St. Maarten, an educator by profession, would openly label government as an equal opportunity employer when discussing qualified St. Maarteners getting first preference over non-St. Maarteners with employment. This is the ultimate betrayal of our people and everyone who voted for the National Alliance and who anticipated being prioritized by that party, the MP said.
The MP was reacting to Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs explanation about what is happening at the Fire Department with the hiring of a Dutchman as Head of Repression Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

~ Says insulting of civil servants a norm ~

According to Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel, the Minister of Education Rodolphe Samuel only threw fuel on the fire and made a situation worse by questioning the integrity of civil servants in his Ministry and maintaining his position of placing a non-St. Maartener above a St Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Tuesday called on Minister of Education Rodolph Samuel to explain his reason behind relieving the local acting Secretary-General of the Department of Public Education of her position and replacing her with a non-St. Maarten national in government service.
The MP stressed that he has nothing against the person appointed and does not want his concerns misconstrued as anti-immigrant, but called the situation yet another example of this government treating St Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

~ Also questions imminent hire at Fire Department ~

Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel wants the Minister of Public Health Richard Panneflek and Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs to explain to the public why an Australian is being recruited for the Director position at St Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG:--- We are in the month of April and the country is still without a national budget 2021, said Independent Member of Parliament Christopher Emmanuel on Wednesday, adding that the Minister of Finance has gone completely silent on when the budget will reach Parliament for debate.

In the meantime, Emmanuel stressed, the government is pressuring civil servants to work on reforms and other initiatives that have to be funded from the same budget Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG;--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Tuesday questioned why Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs is running from answering yes or no on the question of the UN petition on decolonization.

Emmanuel noted that every time the Prime Minister is addressing the subject she uses a word salad to confuse the people and never gives a clear answer about where she stands on the petition.

I have asked the Prime Minister, in Parliament and publicly to tell the people if she supports the petition yes or no Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

~ Still waiting on Finance Minister ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- A statement on St. Maartens liquidity position by Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs and a non-statement by Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion on the same subject, is resulting in more confusion from the NA/UP government, said Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Tuesday, adding that the game of making general and empty statements by government continues to do a disservice to the country.

MP Emmanuel pointed out that on Monday, as quoted in The Daily Herald, the Prime Minister boastfully said that the country is not flat on its back when it comes to finances and that we do have for sure enough liquidity for us to continue to have this discussion Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Quality Sweepers And Maintenance B.V. Files Complaint At Ombudsman.

Questions solid waste tender 2021-2026 procedures, process and guidelines

PHILIPSBURG:--- St. Maarten-based local cleaning company Quality Sweepers and Maintenance B.V. (QSM) has filed an official complaint at St. Maarten Ombudsman. QSM was one of the 23 companies that participated in the Solid Waste Tender 2021- 2026 held on February 2nd, 2021.
The publication of a press release by MP Christopher Emmanuel on February 21, 2021, raised many doubts and questions, resulting in QSM losing all confidence in the bidding process and procedures Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

~ PMs words betray current positions ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel has called the spinning of the government in the aftermath of the Council of State advice on the COHO as typically deceitful and said the Prime Minister of St. Maarten leads the pack when it comes to compulsive lying and political spinning.

At the same time, the MP reiterated his own position that St. Maarten should not entertain COHO in any way shape or form. It will never get my support Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

~ Says govt an embarrassment onto itself ~

Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Tuesday had only four words in response to reports that the Council of State has determined that the COHO is in contravention of the Kingdom Statuut: I told you so. And Ive been telling the government and the people of St. Maarten so since November 2020. This government is careless and an embarrassment unto itself.
MP Emmanuel is the only Member of Parliament who has vehemently stated his position against the COHO and the only MP to vote against the three laws cutting income and benefits of civil servants and workers at government-owned entities Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Emmanuel And Usp Congratulates Garrick Richardson.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Friday said the appointment of Garrick Richardson as Secretary-General of Parliament was well deserved, and that Richardson is an efficient professional with whom he has had the pleasure of working.

Richardson was appointed on March 19 after holding the position in an acting capacity for some time. MP Emmanuel said Richardson has an extensive and impressive education and professional background.

Richardson holds a Masters Degree of Law, a Masters Degree of Legislation and a Bachelors of Law from the University of Tilburg and Hoogeschool Leiden Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

Emmanuel: Prime Minister Must Explain Her Position On Petition.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs must explain her position on the petition submitted to the United Nations and added that the Chairperson of Parliament Rolando Brison as well as the initiator of the petition Grisha Marten-Heyliger, is busy undermining their own initiative.

MP Emmanuel reminded all Parliamentary factions that he had forewarned that they were playing a dangerous game with the Dutch government Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG: --- Minister of VROMI Egbert Doran said at the Council of Ministers press briefing that the procurement for the solid waste contracts has come to an end. Doran said 5 contractors were awarded 5-year contracts for the period 2021 to 2026, these contractors will begin their work on April 1st, 2021.
The Minister said that the procurement was publicly tendered on February 2nd 2021since the current contracts will be coming to an end on March 31st. Doran explained that the ministry prepared new multi-annual contracts that will cover the duration of the 5-year contracts that were awarded for the period 2021 to 2026 Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

~ Says Marcel Gumbs a failure for St. Maarten ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Tuesday said that considering the lack of progress on Trust Fund projects for St. Maarten, the entire construct of the Trust Fund Steering Committee should be re-evaluated. He also questioned if the three members of this committee will be replaced considering the slow progress on St Read more

---

Candidates in this article:

~ And US $4.2 million owed to Sheriff Security ~

Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel has written to Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs about the St. Maarten Festival Village and, according to the MP, the public eyesore it has become as well as general operation questions surrounding the government foundation that runs the Festival Village, Stichting Overheids Gebouwen (SOG) Read more

---

Candidates in this article: