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Plasterk mum on St. Maarten

THE HAGUE--Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk remained mum on the outcome of Friday’s Kingdom Council of Ministers meeting and a possible decision regarding the Integrity Chamber for St. Maarten.

Plasterk would not confirm or deny whether a decision had been taken to impose the Integrity Chamber for St. Maarten through a General Measure of the Kingdom Government (“Algemene Maatregel van Rijksbestuur” AMvRB), a move that had been anticipated.

“I have very little to say on this matter at this time Read more

Editorial - Calm and stability

No news is good news, it is often said, and one can only hope that will prove the case for Friday's meeting of the Kingdom Council of Ministers when it comes to St. Maarten. After all, there was concern that a possible advice from the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT for a "targeted instruction" on settling the arrears to Social and Health Care SZV and the general pension APS would be acted on.

On top of that, some had expected the withdrawn draft general measure of kingdom governance to impose an Integrity Chamber on St Read more

Editorial - Reserve judgement

The UP-led coalition submitted its governing programme “Ready to Work for You” on Thursday. Better late than never, considering that it comes almost seven months after the Gumbs cabinet took office.

The question is also to what extent the policy intentions can be achieved in light of the current financial situation, with a looming instruction from the Kingdom Council of Ministers to settle the arrears totalling 189 million guilders to Social and Health Insurance SZV and the general pension fund APS Read more

Governing Programme presented to Gumbs

PHILIPSBURG--The United People’s (UP) party-led coalition submitted its 2014-2018 Governing Programme, titled “Ready To Work For You” to Government on Thursday. The presentation comes one day ahead of the coalition’s ninth month in office and almost seven months after the Marcel Gumbs cabinet took office.

UP deputy leader Member of Parliament (MP) Franklin Meyers, MP Tamara Leonard (UP) and independent MPs Leona Romeo-Marlin and Cornelius de Weever presented the Governing Programme to Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs and Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Minister Claret Connor on behalf of the UP/De Weever/Marlin-Romeo/United St Read more

Sarah concerned about Connor’s move from Tourism Ministry

PHILIPSBURG--A pending shuffling of portfolios in the Marcel Gumbs Cabinet, particularly the move of current Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Minister Claret Connor to the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI and the appointment of a new minister in Connor's place, has drawn concern from Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams.

She has termed the pending shuffle as "cabinet shake-up." She based her position on comments made by United People's (UP) party faction leader MP Franklin Meyers recently in a television interview.

Conner's post is tipped to be taken by a minister candidate proposed by coalition member independent MP Leona Marlin-Romeo Read more

Shake up in current cabinet – Where does this leave Coalition partner MP Frans Richardson?

>PHILIPSBURG:--- There seems to be an imminent shake up in the current Gumbs cabinet. SMN News wrote various articles mentioning that Minister Claret Connor will be removed from his post as Minister of TEATT and be placed at the Ministry of VROMI. On Wednesday evening the UPP faction leader and deputy leader Franklin Meyers announced that Minister Claret Connor will be moving to the Ministry of VROMI but the UPP deputy leader did not say how soon this will take place Read more

Cabinet Shake-Up At The Expense Of The People

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The shake-up in the cabinet of Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs seems imminent, as indicated by the faction leader of the UP Party and de facto coalition leader, MP Franklin Meyers, during an interview with Oral Gibbes recently.

Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT), Claret Conner will have to make place for an appointee of independent member LMR.

Looking at the governing accord of the UPP/CdW coalition (later joined by LMR), ministerial appointments will be "done collectively".

The faction of the DP is seriously concerned about the state of our tourism industry, for reasons which we have outlined on numerous occasions, such as lack of representation abroad, lack of funds, lack of direction, lack of real dialogue between partners and lack of investments in the tourism product in general.

We are facing critical times in our nation's main industry Read more

Education, Culture, Youth, Sports Ministry to develop 10 year plan

PHILIPSBURG--The Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports (ECYS) has started a strategic planning process to re-define its long term ambitions in order to remain responsive to the environment in which it operates, a press release said on Wednesday.

ECYS Minister Rita Bourne-Gumbs wants to develop a 10-year (2016-2026) Strategic Plan for the Ministry with operational procedures for the policy areas of education, culture, youth and sports.

The first step in the development of the document was a strategic kick-off session to align and synchronise the ideas of the 70 key stakeholders who were present.

The first strategic session, called "The future through your eyes," challenged the stakeholders to think outside of the box and in terms of collaboration both within and outside of the Ministry Read more

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

style="text-align: center;">GEBE Supervisory Board plans to file complaint against Maduro and Harley.

PHILIPSBURG: --- SMN News has landed its hands on some more documents relating to the dismissal of Romelio Maduro all of which was sent to the Council of Ministers on the decision taken by the Supervisory Board of Directors to dismiss the former Chief Operational Officer (COO) Romelio Maduro when they discovered that Maduro abused his position as the COO and head of the management team when he signed a contract with Alfred Harley under a company that is owned by his mother which is meant for inter-island purchasing and not consultancy.
On May 15th 2015, the supervisory board sent a letter to the Council of Ministers stating that they have taken a decision not to renew the working contract for Maduro Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs is calling on the populace to be extremely careful not to light any bush fires and not to throw out any lighted cigarettes which could easily ignite a fire. The extreme drought has heightened the threat for bush fires.
The Meteorological Department of Sint Maarten seasonal outlook for July and August says that rainfall is expected to be below-normal to near normal.
Present observations are indicating that there is a greater than 90 per cent chance that El Nino will continue through the fall Read more

Prime Minister Gumbs Calls On Community To Be Cautious Due To High Fire Threat Caused By Drought

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs is calling on the populace to be extremely careful not to light any bush fires and not to throw out any lighted cigarettes which could easily ignite a fire.

The extreme drought has heightened the threat for bush fires.

The Meteorological Department of Sint Maarten seasonal outlook for July and August says that rainfall is expected to be below-normal to near normal.

Present observations are indicating that there is a greater than 90 per cent chance that El Nino will continue through the fall Read more

EXCLUSIVE: Mysterious draft MOU signed by GEBE COO and GB Energy Surfaced --- PM Marcel Gumbs and MP Theodore Heyliger witnessed signing at DIVI Little Bay Hotel.

style="text-align: center;">Supervisory Board of Directors allegedly Cancelled MOU --- Will Prime Minister come forward with signed copies.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The much talked about Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was signed earlier this year by the former COO of GEBE Romelio Maduro and the President of the G. B Energy Pablo Porles has surfaced. However, SMN News only managed to retrieve the unsigned copy which is documented as “Privileged and Confidential.” The MOU which several Members of Parliament requested and to date cannot receive was signed on February 4th 2015 at the Divi Little Bay Hotel in the presence of Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, the shareholder representative of the Government of St Read more

Lopsided flight

Dear Editor,

I have taken note on the press release by the Board of the UPP, pertaining to the indecisiveness of MP Wescot-Williams.

While my political position was made clear last October, this certainly does not stop me from pointing the lack of readiness with this present government with UPP as the majority.

Today, elections have come and gone, oaths taken and still no governing program detailing government's plan of action for the specific term Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs on Friday morning received the 2014 Annual Report from the Corporate Governance Council (CGC).
During the discussions, both the Prime Minister and the members of the CGC pointed out the importance of the CGC for the Shareholder and Government Owned Companies.
Representing the CGC was Read more

St. Maarten's Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs: "Reparatory Justice Is Gaining Momentum"

GREAT BAY, St. Martin - St. Maarten Prime Minister, Hon. Marcel Gumbs, has made what might be the first direct statement here on Reparations by a leader of government on either part of the island, at the recent Emancipation Day Lecture.

"The movement for reparatory justice is gaining momentum and greater focus than ever before in the Caribbean region," said Prime Minister Gumbs at the University of St Read more

Gumbs supports Aruba's call for independent investigation

PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs has written to Aruba Prime Minister Mike Eman expressing support for Eman's call for an independent investigation in connection with the recent death of Aruban Mitch Henriquez (42) while in Dutch police custody in The Hague.

St. Maarten is prepared to support the inclusion of an Aruban on the independent commission, according to the letter sent on Thursday.

Gumbs expressed condolences on behalf of the government and people of St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---  Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs on Thursday forwarded a letter of support to the Prime Minister of Aruba Hon. Mike Eman in connection with the untimely death of Aruban citizen Mitch Henriquez (42).
Gumbs in his letter to the Aruban Prime Minister expressed his condolences on behalf of the Government and people of Sint Maarten to the family, friends, the Government and people of Aruba.
Prime Minister Gumbs also stated in his letter to Eman that the Government of Sint Maarten is prepared to support Aruba’s call for an independent investigation by a commission into the death of Mitch Henriquez.
Such a commission would investigate what transpired and hold those responsible by seeking justice.
Sint Maarten is also prepared to support the candidacy of an Aruban to be a part of the independent commission.
The letter was also copied to Aruba’s Minister Plenipotentiary in The Hague, the Netherlands Hon Read more

style="text-align: center;">Prime Minister allegedly lied to Parliament when he said he could not obtain documents -- Reliable Sources.

PHILIPSBURG:--- As the scandals at GEBE continues to surface SMN News managed to obtain some of the checks that were paid out to the owner of St. Maarten Service Provider Alfred Harley a former journalist on St. Maarten and former representative of UTS-St. Kitts and also the former executive director of SHTA (St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association.)
Harley told the newspaper he once worked for that he never collected any monies from GEBE however the checks written out to St Read more

Prime Minister Gumbs Supports Aruba In Call For An Independent Investigation Into The Death Of Henriquez

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs on Thursday forwarded a letter of support to the Prime Minister of Aruba Hon. Mike Eman in connection with the untimely death of Aruban citizen Mitch Henriquez (42).

Gumbs in his letter to the Aruban Prime Minister expressed his condolences on behalf of the Government and people of Sint Maarten to the family, friends, the Government and people of Aruba.

Prime Minister Gumbs also stated in his letter to Eman that the Government of Sint Maarten is prepared to support Aruba's call for an independent investigation by a commission into the death of Mitch Henriquez.

Such a commission would investigate what transpired and hold those responsible by seeking justice.

Sint Maarten is also prepared to support the candidacy of an Aruban to be a part of the independent commission.

The letter was also copied to Aruba's Minister Plenipotentiary in The Hague, the Netherlands Hon Read more

Editorial - Time running out

It appears a General Measure of Kingdom Governance to impose an Integrity Chamber on St. Maarten may have become unavoidable (see related story). The Dutch Government earlier had actually withdrawn this option and the related request for advice from the Council of State.

The latter was done based on a protocol signed between Ministers Ronald Plasterk of the Netherlands and Dennis Richardson of St. Maarten for the passing of a national ordinance to establish such a chamber by the end of June Read more

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

Sarah calls for urgent filling of open CFT post

PHILIPSBURG--“Government has really dropped the ball,” says Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams about the Marcel Gumbs Cabinet’s failure to find and appoint candidates to represent St Read more

Government completes purchase of Vorst land

CAY HILL--Government is now the owner of prime real estate in Cay Hill. The final payments for the Vorst land were approved by the Marcel Gumbs Cabinet last week Thursday. The land is being registered by the notary as Government's property.

The land was first negotiated as a lease by former Minister William Marlin Read more