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NAf. 300,000 of MPs’ travel budget to be reallocated to fighting crime

PHILIPSBURG--Members of Parliament (MPs) are prepared to travel less to allow the Justice Ministry more funds to fight crime in the country.

Parliament has agreed in principle to cut NAf. 300,000 from its travel budget and reallocate it to the cash strapped ministry. The shifting of the funds will only become reality after Parliament adopts a motion making the change to its budget.

Parliament Chairman Dr Read more

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Editorial - Wide open

The urgent Central Committee meeting on crime after the recent
fatal shooting of Police Offi cer Benjamin by armed robbers
on Front Street that started on Monday is scheduled to
continue today, Friday. It was still a closed-door session up to
Thursday night, despite criticism on that aspect from various
quarters, including opposition members.
What’s more, the Council of Ministers said it had not requested
that the encounter be confi dential, but this is how the invitation
from the legislature came Read more

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Dp Reflects On The What To Do Next: “Crime Has Broken This Island”

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The final salute, massive crowd turns out to pay last respects to Benjamin

By Judy H. Fitzpatrick

PHILIPSBURG--A massive crowd turned out to pay their last respects to murdered bike patrol leader Police Officer Gamali "Benji" Kwasi Benjamin, who was laid to rest on Thursday in a ceremony fit for a hero.

Scores of persons converged in Philipsburg to witness the ceremony, which attracted mourners from all over the island, including the disciplined services and dignitaries of both Dutch St. Maarten and French St. Martin, and from Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Hundreds of persons gathered in front of the Philipsburg Police Station to witness the military funeral service that was held on Thursday for fallen bike patrol Gamaili Kwasi Benjamin. Large buses were used to transport members of KPSM and officers from the other justice department to the Royal Funeral Home for those persons to pay their last respects to their fallen colleague Read more

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Silent March Honors Officer Benjamin

Emotions ran high and people were weeping and consoling each other on their way to the location Read more

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President Of Parliament Congratulates Police On Latest Arrest Of Robbery Suspect

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - President of the Parliament of St. Maarten Dr. Lloyd Richardson Tuesday morning stated that he is elated to hear about the success with the investigation into last Wednesday's fatal robbery of a jewelry store on Frontstreet which led to the death of police of police officer Gamali Benjamin.

On Monday the Parliament met behind closed doors to deliberate on possible solutions to address the problem of crime on the island.

Dr Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of Parliament ran for their lives on Wednesday when a bicycle patrol identified as officer Gamali Benjamin was shot in the vicinity of the Parliament Building in Philipsburg on Wednesday morning. Bystanders said some MP's tried to find cover as they beleive that the gunmen were coming after Members of Parliament. MP Sarah Wescot Williams, MP Theodore Heyliger, MP Franklin Meyers and MP Lloyd Richardson ran for cover in one of the private rooms of parliament SMN News was told Read more

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President Of Parliament Condemns Attack On Law Enforcement Official. Mps Prayers With Officer And Family

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The President of Parliament Hon. Dr. Lloyd Richardson on Wednesday condemned the attack on a Police Officer while he was carrying out his duty to the community.

The police officer was shot and seriously wounded as he and a colleague were responding to a call of an armed robbery at a jewellery store on Front Street Read more

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Parliament Meet On Health Care Wednesday

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Central Committee of Parliament met in public session on Wednesday.

Members of Parliament received a presentation on the National Ordinance on Public Health Care.

The presentation was made by a team from the department of Health headed by Drs. Fenna Arnell.

However members of Parliament had several questions as well as expressed areas of concern within health care. MP the Honorable Leona Romeo-Marlin was particularly concerned about the spread of infectious diseases.

DP leader the honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams in her remarks spoke about the complexities of the ordinance and its importance.

She also noted that the execution and monitoring of the legislation has been placed on a lower level in some cases, even below the legislation itself.

MP the Honorable Janchie Leonard also had various questions particularly in the area of control and enforcement.

As a former Police Officer the MP stated that this forms an integral part of the overall execution of the ordinance Read more

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How Credible is MP Leona Marlin? Problems brewing in Government.

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Parliament to co-sign letter on shelving of dispute regulation

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten Parliament will be a co-signer along with the legislatures of Curaçao and Aruba on a letter to the First and Second Chambers of the Dutch Parliament, seeking that body’s position on the Dutch Government in effect shelving the establishment of a dispute regulation, and a related body for the kingdom.

The letter, drafted by the Curaçao Parliament, came after last month’s Kingdom Conference -a meeting of the countries of the kingdom- saw the Dutch Government putting up a road block on the issue Read more

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Ombudsman registered 68 new complaints in 2014

PHILIPSBURG--The Ombudsman Bureau registered 68 new complaints in 2014 while four cases from 2012 and 24 from 2013 were handled last year. A total of 130 investigations were closed in 2014, of which 54 were new complaints registered from that year.

In 30 cases, the Ombudsman issued recommendations, according to the bureau's Year Report 2014. Some 26 to 43 per cent of the 62 recommendations were followed up by the year's end by government.

A highlight for the past year was Ombudsman Nilda Arduin making use of her competence provided for by law to inform Parliament immediately upon closing the investigation of a case regarding the findings and the decision.

By letter of June 10, 2014, the Ombudsman reported, pursuant to article 23 of the National Ordinance Ombudsman, to Parliament regarding the findings in a complaint filed by a resident against Kadaster and Hypotheekwezen (Land Titles and Mortgages) Read more

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Kingdom Council Of Ministers Decides About Instruction

St. Maarten / THE HAGUE – The Kingdom Council of Ministers met for the last time before the summer recess. On the agenda is, among other issues, the instruction to St. Maarten.

Financial supervisor Cft sent an advice to the council on July 3 to give the country an instruction. Cft-chairman Prof. Dr. Age Bakker already announced this option during a press conference on June 25.

St. Maarten should have settled its payment area with social insurance agency SZV and pension fund APS before the end of June to avoid the instruction.

However, the deadline passed and the parliament went on recess Read more

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CFT issues advice for targeted instruction

PHILIPSBURG/THE HAGUE--The Committee for Financial Supervision CFT has advised the Dutch Kingdom Council of Ministers to issue an instruction to the St. Maarten Government. That instruction is said to only cover the need for government to reach an agreement on the settling of arrears to the social funds.

CFT informed Parliament Chairman Dr. Lloyd Richardson of its advice to the Kingdom Council of Ministers in a letter dated July 3.

This advice for a targeted instruction comes as no surprise as CFT Chairman Age Bakker had announced in a June 25 press conference in St Read more

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Emancipation celebrated at historic Emilio Wilson Estate

CUL DE SAC--St. Maarten's families, dignitaries and artistes gathered for the main Emancipation Day Celebration and Cultural Manifestation, celebrating 152 years since the emancipation proclamation, under the theme “Emancipation from Within-The Voice of Our People” at Emilio Wilson Park on Wednesday, July 1.

The day’s commemorations and celebrations started with an Ecumenical Service at St. Martin of Tours Roman Catholic Church and two Symbolic Wreath Laying Ceremonies by the country’s leaders at the One Tete Lohkay and Freedom Fighters monuments Read more

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Emancipation Day 2015 Celebrated On St. Maarten Wednesday

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Under the theme, "Emancipation from within, the Voice of Our People," Emancipation was observed yesterday, July 1st.

The day started with a reenactment of Diamond Hill Estate run at 12 mid night marking the official of the day. However, the day climaxed with several activities at the Emilio Wilson Park on Wednesday afternoon.

Those activities include among others, speeches by government officials.

Prior to this, several drums bands dressed in their attire, including Generation New Status marched from Marigot Hill to the park.

It was the 4th time that residents had the opportunity to officially observe the day as a holiday.

On hand for the occasion at the Emilio Wilson Park were among others, Members of Parliament, the Prime Minister of St Read more

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Answers To Parliamentary Questions On Gebe To Be Sent To Parliament Says Prime Minister

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Prime Minister the Honorable Marcel Gumbs Tuesday made public which he sent to the Chairman of Parliament in his capacity as Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure.

In his letter to the Chairman of Parliament Dr. Read more

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