Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
Sarah: Bringing ordinance in line with civil code can be done ‘rather quickly’
PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams says bringing the National Ordinance in line with the Civil Code to increase the legal drinking age from 16 to 18 can be done "rather quickly."
Independent MP Cornelius de Weever suggested that the legal age for cigarettes should also be addressed and not just that of alcohol.
The MPs were speaking during a session of Parliament's Permanent Committee of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs (CECYSA) on Thursday Read more
MPs to discuss Harbour security contract May 7
PHILIPSBURG--Members of Parliament (MPs) will continue to seek answers about the hefty security contract signed between St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies and Checkmate Security in a meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament in Parliament House on Thursday, May 7, starting at 2:00pm. Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Claret Connor is invited for the meeting.
The meeting originally was scheduled for today, Wednesday, but has been postponed due to the minister being ill.
The meeting was requested by opposition National Alliance (NA) MPs William Marlin, Silveria Jacobs, Christophe Emmanuel and George Pantophlet on March 5 Read more
MPs still have reservations about Integrity Chamber
~ Meyers: Independence only choice ~
PHILIPSBURG--Several Members of Parliament (MPs) made it crystal clear on Monday that if the proposed Integrity Chamber stagnates the growth of the country and hampers St. Maarteners from prospering, the law to establish the chamber will not receive their support.
Chief among those speaking out about the draft law was coalition member MP Franklin Meyers (United People's (UP) party) Read more
Voting Bureau petitioned court twice to allow inmates to vote
~ Says it's up to MPs to amend laws ~
PHILIPSBURG--The Central Voting Bureau petitioned the court twice prior to the August 29, 2014, parliamentary election to legally allow inmates who were registered to vote in another district to cast their ballot at the polling station at the prison and to allow a prison official to vouch for the identity of inmates who did not have identification cards.
The issues at the polling station at the prison were amongst several electoral concerns broached during a meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on Wednesday.
Central Voting Bureau Chairman Jason Rogers told Members of Parliament (MPs) that it was up to them to change the legislation to rectify this issue in future elections.
Rogers said "a number" of inmates initially had not been allowed to vote because, although they were in possession of their voting cards, they were assigned to vote in another district Read more
Sarah says ‘didn’t know’ meeting lacked quorum
PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams says she "didn't know" Monday's aborted Central Committee meeting to deal with the draft law to establish the integrity chamber did not have a quorum Read more