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More Preperations Needed For Ipko 2016

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Permanent Committee of Kingdom Affairs and Inter-parliamentary Relations of St. Maarten, met last week to discuss the preparations for the upcoming IPKO meetings which are scheduled to take place on St. Maarten in January of 2016.

The last IPKO talks between the Dutch Parliament and that of Aruba, Curacao and St. Maarten had many bumps.

There was even talk of a boycott of the next meeting in January, a situation that has increased the level of difficulty for the host country which happens to be St Read more

Seventy Ideas To Enhance Fight Against Crime: Parliament Sends Money To Justice Ministry

President of Parliament Dr. Lloyd Richardson. Photo contributed

St. Maarten – The parliament will transfer 300,000 guilders of its travel budget to the Ministry of Justice as one of the measures to enhance the security and safety of the country, President of Parliament Dr. Lloyd Richardson says.

The parliament discussed close to 70 points with the Council of Ministers in its closed-door meetings last week, following the killing of Police Officer Gamali Benjamin Read more

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

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

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The President of Parliament Hon. Dr. Lloyd Richardson disclosed on Sunday that one of the measures to enhance the security and safety of the country will be a transfer of Naf.300,000 from the parliament travel budget to the Ministry of Justice.
Close to 70 points were discussed with respect to how to fight crime, and Read more

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

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

From left: Hasani Ellis, Sarah Wescot-Williams and Emil Lee at yesterday’ press conference Read more

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

style="text-align: center;">St. Maarten Community Turned out in large numbers to pay tribute the fallen cop who died in the line of his duties.

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

Silent March Honors Officer Benjamin

Workers and officers take part in a silent march to show their solidarity with Officer Gamali Benjamin. Photo Today / Milton Pieters St. Maarten – More than 200 people marched the streets of Philipsburg yesterday in solidarity with the injured police Officer Gamali Benjamin. Nagico Insurances closed its doors at 3 p.m. and staff members walked with police officers and supporters to the spot on the Front Street were Benjamin was gunned down on Wednesday.

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

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

style="text-align: center;">Bullets remains in Officer Benjamin brain, he is currently in a comatose state at SMMC.

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

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

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