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No quorum for budget amendment meeting

~ UP, Dr. Richardson, Illidge, De Weever absent ~

PHILIPSBURG--The public plenary session of Parliament on amendments to the 2014 budget was cancelled on Wednesday due to the lack of a quorum, as only seven Members of Parliament (MPs) were signed in.

Parliament Press Secretary Roddy Heyliger said in a press release last night that the session had been rescheduled to Friday at 10:00am.

At least eight MPs are needed for the meeting to proceed Read more

Minister Lake Commends SHTA on Level of Discussion and Approach to Issues.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry of VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake, says he would like to commend the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA) for its high level of discussion at its recent Annual General Meeting.

"We have to lift the bar, and the SHTA is one organization in our community that is doing that Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- With the current developments concerning the formation of a new government where incumbent Minister of Health and Labor also Member of Parliament (elect) Cornelius de Weever has led on the people of St. Maarten including his party leader and the leaders of the National Alliance and the United St. Maarten Party the question that comes to mind is "who really is making big mistakes"?
MP de Weever made everyone on St Read more

Minister Lake Commends Shta On Level Of Discussion And Approach To Issues

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry of VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake, says he would like to commend the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA) for its high level of discussion at its recent Annual General Meeting.

"We have to lift the bar, and the SHTA is one organization in our community that is doing that.

They also approach issues on a professional constructive level, and this is the type of approach that needs to be continued.

"Public-private partnership is the way to move our country forward Read more

Rumors Run Amok In Local Politics: Coalition May Fall Apart With De Weever’S Departure

Finance Minister Martin Hassink confers with National Alliance leader William Marlin while (from left) Frans Richardson and Romain Laville look on Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake stated on Tuesday that Ministry VROMI is working closely with Nature Foundation regarding the removal of Sargasso seaweed on certain beaches.

A backhoe has been in operation at a beach in Point Blanche which has seen a large amount of Sargasso seaweed come ashore.

Residents have been complaining about the smell and burning eyes that live at Ground Dove Apartments which is right next to the beach.

"I've had a very good working relationship with Nature Foundation Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake announced on Tuesday that he is in the process of visiting the different districts where it concerns trench cleaning works based on contracts that were signed earlier this year.

"I am very proud of the work that has been carried out by our young small business owners, the local contractors Read more

Minister Lake Follows-Up On Trench Cleaning Works And Job Creation

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake announced on Tuesday that he is in the process of visiting the different districts where it concerns trench cleaning works based on contracts that were signed earlier this year.

"I am very proud of the work that has been carried out by our young small business owners, the local contractors Read more

Two wrongs do not make right

Dear Editor,

It seems as if everyone tends to agree or raise their hands above their heads when it comes down to "what about when so and so did this or did that?" And then there was this in the editorial "the disturbing trend unfortunately can be seen throughout all sectors." The behaviour in traffic was mentioned as an example and I could not agree more, but permit me to remind your readers how too many of those who were vying for office expressed themselves during the recent held political campaign Read more

Vorst Land Deal Will Not Have Support Of Na Leader

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Member of Parliament and leader of the National Alliance, the Honorable William Marlin made clear last week, that his faction will not support the purchase of the Vorst family to the tune of 5.5 million guilders, as has been agreed upon by outgoing Minister responsibility for VROMI, Maurice Lake.

The leader of the National Alliance reaffirmed his decision during the Central Committee meeting last week handling the amendments to the 2014 budget.

The amendments to the budget also include the purchase of the property Read more

Minister Lake Prepares Legal Defense For Vorst-Controversy

St. Maarten – Vromi-Minister Maurice Lake says he is preparing for a legal battle about the Vorst property based on the outcome of Friday’s Central Committee.

“I am going to prepare myself legally because some parliamentarians are making this issue a personal one.  This is not about politics anymore. I have to defend myself now with the slandering of my name. I don’t have any butter on my head Read more

Lake ‘preparing for legal battle’

PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure Maurice Lake, who was heavily criticised for agreeing to purchase the Vorst Estate property for an "exorbitant price that can drive up the cost of real estate in St. Maarten," says he is preparing for a legal battle over this issue.

Lake was at the time responding to a meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament held on Friday, in which several Members of Parliament (MPs) said that he should be held personally liable for the agreement he had signed to purchase the Vorst Estate for way above the market value, and for the procedures he had followed in this process.

Lake, who issued a release about the matter following Friday's meeting of the Central Committee, said in a second release on Sunday that he will prepare himself legally as MPs were making the issue a personal one and he had to defend the "slandering" of his name Read more

Minister Lake to prepare for legal battle regarding Vorst property.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake says he is preparing for a legal battle regarding the Vorst property based on the outcome of the Central Committee meeting on Friday, September 19.

"I am going to prepare myself legally for this case because some Parliamentarians are making this issue a personal one Read more

Editorial - Term ahead

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has confirmed that financial supervision will stay in place until next year's evaluation of the consensus kingdom laws has been completed (see related article). With a new government to be installed on October 10, some might say that is a reassuring thought.

Moreover, the 2015 budget is in the final phases of preparation and must be balanced if it is to receive the required approval of the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT. The incoming NA/DP/US Party coalition has every right to set new policy and make changes to the final draft or even come with supplementary budgets later on, but the figures in terms of income and expenses will have to add up.

What happens after the summer of 2015 remains to be seen, but there are already those who wouldn't mind keeping CFT a bit longer, as it provides at least some safeguard against financial mismanagement to which the former Netherlands Antilles was no stranger Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry of VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake, on Friday morning was thanked by President of Rotary Club Sint Maarten Danny Ramchandani for his role in allowing the service club to have the responsibility of beautifying and maintaining the Simpson Bay Village Round-a-bout.

On Friday, Rotarian Ramchandani said: "On behalf of the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten I want to thank the 'back to basics' Honorable Minister Lake for believing in the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten and the service projects that Rotarians do on behalf of the community.

"We are very proud to display the Rotary International marquee on the roundabout Read more

Minister Lake says we need to stop the petty politics and raise the bar of professional politics with the people at heart.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake says he has taken note of the discussions in the Central Committee meeting of Friday, September 19 with respect to budget amendments.

"As the Minister of 'Back to Basics,' and as an elected representative of the people, my slogan for the new parliamentary year in parliament is going to be, 'Raise the bar, take our Country to the next level.'

"Traveling to Parlatino meetings needs to be prioritized Read more

Minister Lake Says We Need To Stop The Petty Politics And Raise The Bar Of Professional Politics With The People At Heart

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake says he has taken note of the discussions in the Central Committee meeting of Friday, September 19 with respect to budget amendments.

"As the Minister of 'Back to Basics,' and as an elected representative of the people, my slogan for the new parliamentary year in parliament is going to be, 'Raise the bar, take our Country to the next level.'

"Traveling to Parlatino meetings needs to be prioritized Read more

Minister Lake Happy Rotary Club Of Sint Maarten To Beautify And Maintain Simpson Bay Village Round-A-Bout

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry of VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake, on Friday morning was thanked by President of Rotary Club Sint Maarten Danny Ramchandani for his role in allowing the service club to have the responsibility of beautifying and maintaining the Simpson Bay Village Round-a-bout.

On Friday, Rotarian Ramchandani said: "On behalf of the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten I want to thank the 'back to basics' Honorable Minister Lake for believing in the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten and the service projects that Rotarians do on behalf of the community.

"We are very proud to display the Rotary International marquee on the roundabout Read more

Ministers Lake, Richardson And Other Stakeholder's Wrap-Up Tourist Directional Signs Project

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry of VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake and Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications Hon. Ted Richardson along with representatives of the St. Maarten Timeshare Association (SMTA) and St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies, on Tuesday wrapped-up the tourist directional signs project.

The brief ceremony took place at the Cay Hill round-a-bout in front of one of 90 signs that were erected throughout the country during the past months.

"This is a significant improvement for product development Read more

Minister Lake Pleased With Accomplishments On Energy Policy And Nv Gebe As 100% Wholly Owned By Sint Maarten

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake said on Thursday that three out of several accomplishments as Minister is the completion of a national Energy Policy for the country, the completion of the process of making NV GEBE 100 per cent wholly owned by country Sint Maarten, and the signing between NV GEBE and Government of a Street Light Management Agreement.

"One of my first task as Minister of Energy Affairs was working to make sure that country Sint Maarten would become 100 per cent shareholder of NV GEBE Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake said on Thursday that three out of several accomplishments as Minister is the completion of a national Energy Policy for the country, the completion of the process of making NV GEBE 100 per cent wholly owned by country Sint Maarten, and the signing between NV GEBE and Government of a Street Light Management Agreement.

"One of my first task as Minister of Energy Affairs was working to make sure that country Sint Maarten would become 100 per cent shareholder of NV GEBE Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake recently received a token of appreciation from senior citizens for his contribution.

Senior citizens representative Patsy Flanders thanked the Minister for assisting the seniors especially with the GEBE relief on utility bills, and also facilitating a donation for the placement of a railing and repairs to the kitchen at the John Larmonie Recreational Center on the Pondfill.

Flanders told the gathering that this was not about politics, but about recognizing this individual who had made a difference within the little amount of time he had in Government thereby accomplishing a lot for the country's seniors.

Minister Lake thanked the seniors for the token and told them that he will take his back to basics approach to Parliament and come with legislative initiatives that will benefit the country's seniors.

"During my tenure I worked in the interests of the people Read more

Minister Lake Thanked By Seniors

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake recently received a token of appreciation from senior citizens for his contribution.

Senior citizens representative Patsy Flanders thanked the Minister for assisting the seniors especially with the GEBE relief on utility bills, and also facilitating a donation for the placement of a railing and repairs to the kitchen at the John Larmonie Recreational Center on the Pondfill.

Flanders told the gathering that this was not about politics, but about recognizing this individual who had made a difference within the little amount of time he had in Government thereby accomplishing a lot for the country's seniors.

Minister Lake thanked the seniors for the token and told them that he will take his back to basics approach to Parliament and come with legislative initiatives that will benefit the country's seniors.

"During my tenure I worked in the interests of the people Read more

New Mps Officially Formalized By Central Voting Bureau, Names Of Mps To Be Published

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten -The results of the 2014 Parliamentary election which was held on August 29th, have been formalized.

In adherence with the Electoral Law, the results will now have to be published in the National Gazette and the elected members of Parliament officially informed.

The elected MPs will also have to advise the Central Voting Bureau if they will accept the position of member of Parliament for St. Maarten.

This was announced on Monday afternoon during a public meeting of the Central Voting Bureau which is chaired by Attorney Jason Rogers.

Fifteen (15) members of Parliament were elected on Friday August 29th from four political parties Read more