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Gumbs cabinet seeking to dissolve Parliament and call new elections

~Gumbs: NAf. 150,000 available for new elections~

PHILIPSBURG--One day after Parliament passed a motion of no-confidence against the Gumbs Cabinet, the Council of Ministers is seeking to dissolve parliament and have new elections called on Tuesday, December 8.

  Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs announced at a press conference on Thursday that based on several legal advices received last night, the Council made a decision to use Article 59 of the constitution to dissolve parliament Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---  Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, who is also Minister of General Affairs and responsible for the Fire Department, commends the fire services for their Fire Prevention Month of activities that kicked off on October 1st under the theme: ‘Smoke Detectors Saves Lives.’
The month long activities includes a fire safety awareness workshop for all primary school third graders; installation of smoke detectors in selected houses in some districts; a lecture/workshop for architects and engineers; an open house and fire safety expo.
“Residents and homeowners should be familiar with ways to reduce the risk of fire, and also know how to respond in the event of a fire breaking out in your home Read more

New Elections will not solve the problems of Government Instability, instead it’s fighting fire with fire and would cost government unnecessary spending.

style="text-align: center;">Amending the constitution is the only solution, something government and parliamentarians will not do because its serves them best as is.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The notion that Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs and the other members of the council of ministers gave reporters on Thursday is nothing but farce when he said that the only thing that would bring the stability to the country is new elections Read more

Prime Minister Gumbs Commends Fire Dept. On Fire Prevention Month Activities

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, who is also Minister of General Affairs and responsible for the Fire Department, commends the fire services for their Fire Prevention Month of activities that kicked off on October 1st under the theme: ‘Smoke Detectors Saves Lives.’

The month long activities includes a fire safety awareness workshop for all primary school third graders; installation of smoke detectors in selected houses in some districts; a lecture/workshop for architects and engineers; an open house and fire safety expo.

“Residents and homeowners should be familiar with ways to reduce the risk of fire, and also know how to respond in the event of a fire breaking out in your home.  There are many things that household owners can do to help keep their families and their possessions safe from fires.

“The smoke detector that is being promoted during this one month period is one device to alert homeowners to a possible fire within the home Read more

Editorial - Left in limbo

What had been rumoured for months finally took place (see related stories). Three members of the UP-led coalition supported a motion of no-confidence by the opposition against the Council of Ministers, leaving it without majority backing in Parliament.

This means that, based on commonly accepted democratic principles, the Gumbs cabinet will have little choice but to step down en masse unless one of the eight legislators who voted to send them home has a sudden change of heart, which is highly improbable.

The good news is that there won’t be too many financial implications because most of the current public administrators have not been in office a whole year, the minimum to receive a special pension as such, while – who knows – some might even return, as has happened in the recent past too.

There is nevertheless enough reason for concern, especially regarding much-needed continuity in governance Read more

style="text-align: center;">Motion of No Confidence against Gumbs Cabinet passed, Eight MPs voted in favor --- UPP/ De Weever/LRM/USP Government falls

PHILIPSBURG:--- The government of St. Maarten is now in shambles. The UPP/ De Weever/ LRM and USP Government fell on Wednesday when three Members of Parliament supporting the current coalition voted in favor of a motion of no confidence against the Gumbs cabinet which was presented by MP Sarah Wescot Williams Read more

Parliament Gives Council Of Ministers Vote Of No-Confidence Wednesday

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The parliament of St. Maarten gave the Marcel Gumbs cabinet a motion of no-confidence on Wednesday afternoon.

The motion was read by the leader of the DP Sarah Wescot-Williams Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:----  Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs meeting with the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte last week during his working visit to the Netherlands, was an opportunity to discuss pertinent issues related to the relations between both countries within the Kingdom, Minister Plenipotentiary Josianne Fleming-Artsen said on Tuesday.

“Prime Minister Gumbs touched on all the current issues related to the country, and specifically regarding the Integrity Chamber and the instruction related to financial matters.

“Prime Minister Rutte responded with great respect Read more

Bouyon for Dominica Benefit Concert this coming Saturday

MARIGOT--The Dominica Foundation of St. Maarten/St. Martin will present the Bouyon for Dominica Benefit Concert this coming Saturday, October 3, to raise funds for the stricken nature island in its post-Erika aftermath.

The much anticipated concert with popular artistes from Dominica and St. Maarten/St. Martin will be held at Festival Village, Philipsburg, from 4:00pm to 3:00am.

The press conference on Monday not only announced the concert but also showed a preview of a documentary film made by MSR Cable TV cameraman Kitian Francis who went to Dominica with St Read more

>AIRPORT:--- Stagnating the expansion and projects at the Princess Juliana International Airport has taken yet another level. This time the Council of Ministers decided on August 19th 2015 that they will instruct Domain Affairs not to issue any more long lease land and or renew long lease for any land that the Operating Company of Princess Juliana International Airport (PJAIE) has and that all land must be given to the Holding of the Government owned company.
Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs dispatched a letter to the head of Domain Affairs on August 25th 2015 instructing the department head of the decision taken by the Council of Ministers on August 19th 2015 Read more

Gumbs stressed need for good relations during visit

THE HAGUE--St. Maarten Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs is satisfied with his first working visit to the Netherlands. “I got the message clearly across to the ministers that we want good relations and that the attitude of the Netherlands is not conducive to solid relations in the Kingdom.”

Gumbs’ main reason for paying an official visit to the Netherlands for the first time since his appointment in December 2014 was the invitation to attend final event of the 200th anniversary of the Dutch Kingdom which took place in Amsterdam on Saturday.

While in the Netherlands, Gumbs also made use of the opportunity to have a meeting with several of the Dutch Ministers, the Council of State and the Presidents of the First and Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament.

“It was a good week with good meetings,” he told The Daily Herald on Saturday, one day before travelling on to New York where he will join the Kingdom delegation for the United Nations’ General Assembly.

Gumbs said that he had made clear from the moment the current government took office that St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs visited the President of the Dutch Second Chamber of Parliament Anouchka van Miltenburg on Friday. The Second Chamber is also referred to as the House of Representatives.

Minister Plenipotentiary Fleming-Artsen stated over the weekend the visit to the President of the Dutch Second Chamber of Parliament was the last official visit that Prime Minister Gumbs had scheduled as part of his official working visit to the Netherlands.

“The Prime Minister spoke to the President of the Second Chamber about his efforts to promote the Kingdom of the Netherlands candidacy for the United Nations (UN) Security Council with respect to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) of nations who have seats in the UN General Assembly.

“Prime Minister Gumbs also explained to President Miltenburg that his efforts have been made even more difficult due to the constant stress in the relationship between Philipsburg and The Hague on a number of issues.

“The Prime Minister extended an invitation to President Miltenburg for her and the Dutch Inter-parliamentary delegation to meet with the Government during their visit to the country in January 2016,” Sint Maarten’s Minister Plenipotentiary Josianne Fleming-Artsen said over the weekend.

Anouchka van Miltenburg was elected President of Parliament (Speaker) on 25 September, 2012 Read more

>Airport:--- According to well-placed sources the supervisory board of the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE) will meet soon to further discuss the issues and letter sent to the chairman of the board regarding the Airport’s managing director Regina Labega. Earlier this week the Prime Minister of St. Maarten dispatched a letter to the board informing them that they have to dismiss Labega because she failed the screening process. However, Deputy Prime Minister Dennis Richardson clarified to SMN News that Labega has the rights to appeal the results of the screening.
SMN News further understands that while Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs sent a letter to the Supervisory Board to take action, that board cannot sanction or dismiss Labega, instead such decisions have to be taken by the Holding of PJIAE who would have a hard time firing or dismissing Regina Labega based on the five-year contract she signed.
According information provided to SMN News the contract Regina Labega signed with PJIAE did not state she is obliged to take any screening for the job she now holds Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister Plenipotentiary Josianne Fleming-Artsen accompanied Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs to the Dutch First Chamber of Parliament, also referred to as the Senate, on Thursday, where he met with President Ankie Broekers-Knol.
Minister Plenipotentiary Fleming-Artsen stated on Thursday that President Broekers-Knol was very interested in the relationship between the Netherlands and Sint Maarten, and this was one of the points that was discussed in the meeting.
“Several issues were discussed during the meeting between the Prime Minister and President Broekers-Knol Read more

CFT says ‘no’ to Government’s NAf. 25M budget amendment

PHILIPSBURG--It's a clear "no" from the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT to the Marcel Gumbs Cabinet on its proposed NAf. 25 million increase of the 2015 budget. The pending budget amendment seeks to move the total budget amount from NAf Read more

No autonomous authority for Dutch police in St. Maarten

THE HAGUE--The Dutch National Police will not have autonomous authority or tasks in St. Maarten. Dutch police officers, who will be dispatched to St. Maarten to strengthen the law enforcement sector, will be added to the Detective Cooperation Team RST under the existing legal framework.

Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk stated this on Thursday in response to written questions of Members of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Wassila Hachchi and Magda Berndsen-Jansen of the Democratic D66 Party.

Hachchi and Berndsen-Jansen sought clarity on August 20, following media reports on the visit of National Police Chief Gerard Bouman to St Read more

Maria Plantz tipped as country’s CFT rep

PHILIPSBURG--Committee for Financial Supervision CFT will soon have a member from St. Maarten. Tipped for the post is Corporate Legal Expert Maria van der Sluijs-Plantz.

The St. Maartener, who lives in the Netherlands, has already served the country as the vice chairwoman of the first Corporate Governance Council (CGC) that was established in 2010. She serves as Vice Chairman of Strategic Development at TMF Group Holding BV, a company that focuses on corporate compliance. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CFT Chairman Age Bakker said in a press conference on Thursday that a nominee to fill the vacant St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- During his working visit to the Netherlands, Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs met with Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders on Wednesday.
During the meeting a number of issues were discussed including an invitation to travel to New York City for a meeting of the United Nations (UN) Security Council.
All Prime Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- On the second day of his first working visit to Holland Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs met with the Vice-President of the Council of State for the Kingdom Piet-Hein Donner, where they exchanged views on current affairs.
Before becoming Prime Minister, Marcel Gumbs was an active member of the Council of Advice for Sint Maarten.
In a pleasant atmosphere, information was shared with respect to the position of Sint Maarten towards the current instructions that came from the Kingdom Council of Ministers.
Donner and Prime Minister Gumbs a discussed the National Ordinance to establish an Integrity Chamber, which has recently been brought to the Constitutional Court by the Ombudsman.
The Vice-President of the Council of State for the Kingdom Donnor, stressed the importance and need for a Kingdom dispute regulation and the need to improve communications between the four countries within the Kingdom and on all levels.
The Prime Minister’s delegation included St Read more

St. Maarten Prime Minister In The Netherlands For Talks With Kingdom Relations Minister

Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs is in the Netherlands for talks with Kingdom Relations Minister Ronald Plasterk. There is no information available about the content of these talks at this moment, but the photo seems to suggest that, after all the tensions that have marred the relationship between the Kingdom and St. Maarten, Gumbs and Plasterk now appear to be the best of friends Read more

St. Maarten Prime Minister In The Netherlands For Talks With Kingdom Relations Minister

Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs is in the Netherlands for talks with Kingdom Relations Minister Ronald Plasterk. There is no information available about the content of these talks at this moment, but the photo seems to suggest that, after all the tensions that have marred the relationship between the Kingdom and St. Maarten, Gumbs and Plasterk now appear to be the best of friends Read more

Mp Silveria Jacobs Embarrassed By Ministers’ Crude Language

St. Maarten – National Alliance MP Silveria Jacobs admonished Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs and Vice Prime Minister Dennis Richardson yesterday for the language they have used in public fora Read more

Prime Minister Gumbs Meets With Vice-President Of The Council Of State For The Kingdom Piet-Hein Donner

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – On the second day of his first working visit to Holland Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs met with the Vice-President of the Council of State for the Kingdom Piet-Hein Donner, where they exchanged views on current affairs.

Before becoming Prime Minister, Marcel Gumbs was an active member of the Council of Advice for Sint Maarten.

In a pleasant atmosphere, information was shared with respect to the position of Sint Maarten towards the current instructions that came from the Kingdom Council of Ministers Read more

Garbage Meeting Fizzles: Many Questions, No Answers And No Solutions

St. Maarten – At the end of a long meeting, finally there were some fireworks when opposition MP asked Vromi-Minister Claret Connor to answer one question: “Is there a contract with a company to build the waste-to-energy plant and how does this jive with your visit to a project in Miami?”

Minister Connor, who had just said that he would be able to inform the parliament on Monday when he would be able to answer the more than one hundred questions MPs had asked, did not bite Read more