SXMElections.com

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

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Editorial - Something has to give

The latest news last night in the ongoing constitutional saga was that the “new majority” has organised a Parliament meeting of its own to elect a new president, vice-president and second vice-president in place of those of the former UP-led coalition. This obviously will not be a “regular” meeting called by the secretariat on the instruction of the current chairperson and the legality of any decisions taken consequently will no doubt be questioned by those who favour dissolving the legislature and going back to the polls.

When the same thing happened in Curaçao in 2012, the new majority’s gatherings created a situation where at one point there were two different persons claiming to be President of Parliament Read more

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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

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Marlin-Romeo resigns as Vice-Chair of Parliament

PHILIPSBURG--Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo has notified current Chairman of Parliament Dr. Lloyd Richardson and Secretaries-General (SGs) that effective immediately, the position she held as Vice-Chairperson is being made available.

Marlin-Romeo “duly notes that there is a new majority in Parliament and therefore, the appointment of the new chairmanship must transpire,” a press release said Read more

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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

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Editorial - Deadlocked for now

Anybody expecting that the Parliament session on Tuesday to elect a new President and two Vice-Presidents might lead to some breakthrough in the current constitutional impasse between the new majority and the Gumbs cabinet was disappointed. Although both President Dr. Lloyd Richardson and First Vice-President Leona Marlin-Romeo had publicly made their positions available, they were not present and Second Vice-President Cornelius de Weever, part of the same former UP-led coalition, closed the proceedings as soon as they had begun, saying he needed legal clarification due to the Council of Ministers having passed a national decree to dissolve the legislature and hold snap elections.

The incoming NA/DP/UPS/Matser/Lake coalition did not appreciate this and called for an urgent new meeting about De Weever’s “illegal act” and its impact on the country’s democratic representation Read more

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Dennis says decision is being prepared on political situation

PHILIPSBURG--Deputy Prime Minister Dennis Richardson said on Tuesday that a decision is being prepared on the current political situation.

Richardson was acting in that capacity yesterday as Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs was ill at home. Richardson declined to divulge details of the decision being prepared, but he said Gumbs was “very clear” on his position about not resigning and about wanting new elections to be held.

Richardson said also that the Council of Ministers had received a second advice on the matter, but he declined to say from whom the advice had been received and what the conclusions of the advice were Read more

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Holiday: ‘No basis not to form new govt. based on new majority’

HARBOUR VIEW--A new Government can be formed in St. Maarten based on the new majority in Parliament.

This is the position of Governor Eugene Holiday, conveyed in a press release on Monday, after having concluded his consultations with parties on the recent political developments.

Holiday said that, having reviewed the correspondence received and following completion of the consultations regarding the current political developments, he had informed parties that “there is no basis not to form a new Government based on the new majority in Parliament.”

Holiday said members of the Gumbs cabinet had not yet made their positions available Read more

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Sarah confirms she will assume Chairmanship of Parliament

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams confirmed on Friday that she will be assuming the position of the new Chairperson of Parliament.

DP forms part of the new eight-seat-majority coalition in Parliament Read more

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Open letter to Parliament

Dear Editor,

Please allow me some space in your newspaper to address the chairman of the house of parliament, the honourable Lloyd Richardson and the honourable members of parliament of country Sint Maarten.

Ladies and gentlemen, please permit me to draw your kind attention to the following problem taking place here on this lovely twin island of St Read more

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Minister to answer MPs’ dump questions by Friday

PHILIPSBURG--New Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Claret Connor has confirmed with Parliament that answers to the pertinent questions about the landfill, as discussed in the urgent plenary session on Friday, can be expected on Friday, September 25.

Therefore, another follow-up plenary session scheduled tentatively for Thursday, October 1, depending on the status of these answers, should be able to go forward as planned Read more

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MPs question Dennis on Zebec settlement at Port

~ Sarah’s call for more speaker’s time voted down ~

PHILIPSBURG--Members of Parliament (MPs) fired off numerous questions seeking clarity on the Harbour’s settlement with Zebec Development during an emergency meeting on Monday.

The meeting was adjourned after the first round of questions to give Deputy Prime Minister Dennis Richardson a chance to obtain answers. The meeting will continue at 2:00pm today, Tuesday.

A proposal by Democratic Party (DP) MP Sarah Wescot-Williams at the start of the meeting for the speaking time to be increased to 30 minutes in the first round and 20 minutes in the second round was voted down with eight MPs voting against the proposal and six voting for it.

The vote was called after United People’s (UP) party MP Franklin Meyers said he opposed Wescot-Williams’ proposal Read more

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Prime minister’s travel plans halt meeting about Zebec settlement

PHILIPSBURG--The “urgent” meeting of Parliament requested by opposition parties – National Alliance (NA) and Democratic Party (DP) about the out-of-court settlement reached by St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies and developer Zebec has stalled before it could get started.

The meeting cannot be held this week, an official Parliament meeting week, because of an already packed Parliament schedule and due to the travel of Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs from Wednesday, September 16, until Sunday, September 27, 2015.

DP leader Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams is not amused that yet another urgently requested meeting of Parliament has not been scheduled by Parliament Chairman Dr Read more

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Ambassador Braakhuis discusses Cuba developments, possibilities

PHILIPSBURG--Dutch Ambassador to Cuba Norbert Braakhuis addressed a full room of attendees at University of St. Martin on Thursday night in an informative lecture focussing on the economic and political facets that have shaped Cuba, and what the cumulative changes the country has been experiencing and those it is expected to experience can mean for the Caribbean region.

A diverse group of stakeholders was in attendance, including ministers, Government officials, lawyers and key private sector leaders and representatives.

Braakhuis also announced that a Kingdom trade mission was planned and that he would facilitate local stakeholders in making connections there Read more

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New judge welcomed

PHILIPSBURG--Judge Sander van Rijen was welcomed officially as a member of the Joint Court of Justice on Friday, amongst an array of Justice officials and dignitaries, including Acting Governor Reynold Groeneveldt, Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, Justice Minister Dennis Richardson and President of Parliament Lloyd Richardson.

Van Rijen was introduced to the assembly by President of the Common Court of Justice Evert van der Poel.

Van der Poel, Attorney General Guus Schram and St Read more

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Achievements and lack thereof highlighted as MPs close year

PHILIPSBURG--The achievements or lack thereof in the first Parliamentary year of the second Parliament came into focus as Members of Parliament (MPs) closed off the 2014-2015 legislative year in Parliament House on Monday. The 2015-2016 year opens today, Tuesday, with much pomp and ceremony.

The call to work together was issued by fraction leaders representing the coalition partners while the two opposition fraction leaders MP William Marlin (National Alliance) and Sarah Wescot-Williams (Democratic Party) were straightforward with their criticism about lack of action by the United People’s (UP) party-led coalition.

Destiny impaired

UP fraction leader MP Franklin Meyers laid the blame for the country’s stagnated growth and development in the past year at the door of The Hague saying that government and Parliament have spent the past year battling instructions and financial constraints due to financial supervision Read more

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Parliament grappling with old draft Antillean laws

PHILIPSBURG--Almost five years after becoming a country within the Dutch Kingdom, Parliament has yet to determine which of the pending laws taken over from the former Netherlands Antilles should still be handled.

On Thursday afternoon, four such laws were on the agenda of a Central Committee meeting of Parliament. These laws were the amendments to the national ordinances related to admissions and expulsions, notaries and administrative jurisdiction and the national ordinance related to September 27, 1968 in Brussels about civil affairs.

After an hour of back and forth discussion with Justice Minister Dennis Richardson and Members of Parliament (MPs), it was decided to suspend the meeting pending a review of all pending laws from the Antillean Parliament Read more

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Dominica female football team stranded by Erika received St. Maarten hospitality

PHILIPSBURG- - The Dominica Female Football Team of 25-strong got stranded here on Thursday, the day Tropical Storm Erika passed well south of the country.  The team travelled to the Dominican Republic for an activity and on their way back to Dominica they landed in Sint Maarten the day the storm passed their island.
  The team spent several days here since the passing of Erika because of the devastation caused by the storm back in the Commonwealth of Dominica.  Since last Thursday was very limited air travel to the island, due to damage assessments that needed to be carried out to the different airstrips prior to any resumption of commercial travel to the country.
  The Dominica Female Football Team have been received a good dose of Sint Maarten Hospitality while on the island.
  Loyd Paul and Shanka Serrant, were instrumental in coordinating accommodations, meals and transportation while they were here on the island, and at the same time worked tirelessly to get the team back home to family and friends.
  President of Parliament Hon Read more

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Editorial - Well-intended gesture

The decision in principle to transfer 300,000 guilders of Parliament’s travel budget to the Justice Ministry for the fight against crime (see Tuesday paper) is certainly a sympathetic move in light of two recent shootings in Philipsburg, one of which resulted in the death of a police officer. On the other hand, it also sounds familiar.

In January 2014 the legislature passed a motion to slice its NAf Read more

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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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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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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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