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>PHILIPSBURG:--- United People’s (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake says it is high time Government sits down with supermarkets and distributors of food products in the country to get a grasp on why consumer prices on the Dutch side are so high compared to the French side.
“The cost of living on St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- United People’s (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake is calling on Government to come up with creative financing ideas and to foster stronger more meaningful public-private partnerships. Such partnerships will increase the development of the economy and improve services for the entire country.
“The private sector has been the driving force for years as an essential pillar of the economy and to the economic achievements of our country Read more

Ebenezer Residents Want Clean Trenches

A scene from a trench in Ebenezer on Wednesday. Photo Today / Andrew Dick

St. Maarten – Residents from the Ebenezer District are disappointed that their trenches are filled with bush and debris. Grass and small threes can be seen budding from the bridge close to the Milton Peters College and behind in the trenches at the St. Maarten Academy PSVE. Daniela Richardson expressed her disappointment yesterday about the situation. She calls on public works to do something about it.

It is customary for the public works department to carry out major trench clean ups efforts before the beginning of the hurricane season Read more

Mp Lake Calls On Government To Foster Public-Private Partnership

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake is calling on Government to come up with creative financing ideas and to foster stronger more meaningful public-private partnerships. Such partnerships will increase the development of the economy and improve services for the entire country.

"The private sector has been the driving force for years as an essential pillar of the economy and to the economic achievements of our country Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:----  United People’s (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake congratulates Dr. Emiko Bird-Lake in her achievement of being the first Sint Maarten-born Cardiologist, adding that she is a role model for the nation’s youth.
MP Lake further added that he would like to see a better plan of action and incentives put in place by Government when it concerns local professionals returning home to work as well as those who are already here working on the island.
“We have a lot of local professionals who work in Government and the private sector who are still waiting to get some type of response or incentives from Government (especially from the Personnel Department) for returning back to the island after their studies to help build up this country.
“I am very concerned of this trend where we focus and give better incentives package for other professionals from abroad, rather than focus on what we can do for our own local professionals who come back home Read more

Up Mp Lake Congratulates Dr. Emiko Bird-Lake. Mp Calls For Better Incentives For Local Professionals

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake congratulates Dr. Emiko Bird-Lake in her achievement of being the first Sint Maarten-born Cardiologist, adding that she is a role model for the nation's youth.

MP Lake further added that he would like to see a better plan of action and incentives put in place by Government when it concerns local professionals returning home to work as well as those who are already here working on the island.

"We have a lot of local professionals who work in Government and the private sector who are still waiting to get some type of response or incentives from Government (especially from the Personnel Department) for returning back to the island after their studies to help build up this country.

"I am very concerned of this trend where we focus and give better incentives package for other professionals from abroad, rather than focus on what we can do for our own local professionals who come back home Read more

Up Mp Lake Congratulates Dr. Emiko Bird-Lake. Mp Calls For Better Incentives For Local Professionals

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake congratulates Dr. Emiko Bird-Lake in her achievement of being the first Sint Maarten-born Cardiologist, adding that she is a role model for the nation's youth.

MP Lake further added that he would like to see a better plan of action and incentives put in place by Government when it concerns local professionals returning home to work as well as those who are already here working on the island.

"We have a lot of local professionals who work in Government and the private sector who are still waiting to get some type of response or incentives from Government (especially from the Personnel Department) for returning back to the island after their studies to help build up this country.

"I am very concerned of this trend where we focus and give better incentives package for other professionals from abroad, rather than focus on what we can do for our own local professionals who come back home Read more

Only 6 Of 22 Motions Since 2012 Yielded Results: Motions Carry The Day – But Only In Parliament

St. Maarten – The motions Members of Parliament submit during the annual budget debate seldom yield results. This newspaper examined 28 motions a host of parliamentarians tabled since 2012. With 22 of them successive government did absolutely nothing. Six of them yielded (some) results.

When governments fail to execute motions, parliament never retaliates. In the Netherlands, a cabinet that refuses or neglects to execute a motion that is carried by a majority in parliament, could lead to a cabinet crisis Read more

Lakes seeks update on solid waste ordinance

PHILIPSBURG--United People’s (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake has asked government to give an update on the progress of the draft solid waste ordinance. The ordinance, which will serve as a cornerstone in the solution of the country’s solid waste woes, is said to still be in the Legal Affairs Department and dates to the time when Lake was a minister almost a year ago Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:----  United People’s (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake just returned back to the island and is glad that the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers were presented with the Governing Program.

“I am looking forward to the next six months to set priorities, pass and amend some laws that will better serve the people of St Read more

Mp Lake Seeks Update On Solid Waste Ordinance. Concerned About Nv Gebe Distractions

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake just returned back to the island and is glad that the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers were presented with the Governing Program.

"I am looking forward to the next six months to set priorities, pass and amend some laws that will better serve the people of St Read more

No Control On Right Of Long Lease By Council Of Ministers 

Former Minister Lake: “I am not aware of this”

St. Maarten – There is no control over the rules that apply to buying and selling rights of long lease by the Council of Ministers. This appears from a reaction by UP-MP Maurice Lake to questions from this newspaper about the long lease rights former Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus and her husband Claudius sold on December 10, 2013 to Sint Maarten Building Supplies (SBS).

Yesterday this newspaper revealed how the Buncampers sold the right of long lease to a piece of land on Pond Island opposite the Melford Hazel Sports Complex for $345,000 to Sint Maarten Building Supplies Read more

Mp Lake Sends Letter To Council Of Ministers Regarding Kadaster

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake is concerned about recent developments related to the Kadaster after the director was arrested, and therefore, has sent a letter to the Council of Ministers via the President of Parliament seeking information.

Lake added that the information he is seeking is to ensure the operational integrity and oversight of the Kadaster and Mortgages institution.

"As the previous Minister of VROMI, I would like to know the state of affairs with respect to Kadaster and the board Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:----  United People’s (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake is concerned about recent developments related to the Kadaster after the director was arrested, and therefore, has sent a letter to the Council of Ministers via the President of Parliament seeking information.

Lake added that the information he is seeking is to ensure the operational integrity and oversight of the Kadaster and Mortgages institution.

“As the previous Minister of VROMI, I would like to know the state of affairs with respect to Kadaster and the board Read more

Mp Lake Supports Mp Marlin's Stance On Promoting Nationalism, Patriotism And Cultural Retention

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Today's youth take signals from our generation, United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake said on Tuesday.

This is in connection with fellow MP Hon. Leona Marlin-Romeo call for the promotion of nationalism, patriotism and cultural retention.

"If it is important to us then it becomes important to them 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

Minister shares viewpoint, MPs to get GEBE answers Monday

PHILIPSBURG--Parliament’s plenary session on developments at utilities company GEBE, focusing on the ongoing dispute between the Supervisory Board and Chief Operations Officer (COO) and Managing Director Romelio Maduro about his position at the company, was adjourned to Monday afternoon, after Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Marcel Gumbs gave some perspective on Friday, but needed more documentation to answer questions posed by Members of Parliament (MPs).

The meeting was adjourned after Gumbs, as shareholder representative for the Government-owned company, gave a summarised overview of developments on the current dispute and questions were posed by National Alliance MPs William Marlin, Silveria Jacobs and Christophe Emmanuel Read more

EU Funding Available to Construct Waste Management Plant at Bellevue Border --- Deadline to Obtain EU Funds has to be completed by December 2015.

style="text-align: center;">What will this do to the MOU signed with GB Energy and GEBE?

PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of the French Executive Council met with members of Members of Parliament on Tuesday to discuss the usage of European funding that are available to both sides of the island.
Both President Aline Hanson and Vice President Guillaume Arnell told the Members of Parliament that the two sides of the island have to take matters seriously and work efficiently in order for the island to obtain the funding to construct some main projects, one being a waste management plant in the vicinity of Bellevue border Read more

Govt. back to drawing board with Integrity Chamber Law

PHILIPSBURG--Parliament has sent Government back to the drawing board with the controversial draft National Ordinance on the establishment of an Integrity Chamber for the country.

Parliament sending Government back to make changes was not unexpected, as the majority of MPs had voiced their discontent with the draft when it was tabled in the Central Committee of Parliament about two months ago.

The reworking of parts of the law means the deadline of June 30 for Parliament to handle the law as stated in a recent protocol with the Dutch Government will not be met Read more

Sarah calls for high priority for performing arts centre

PHILIPSBURG--"Put politics aside" and get moving on the development and construction of a preforming arts centre for St. Maarten was the call from Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams to her fellow MPs on Monday morning.

The arts centre should be "put as a high priority" by government and the money needs to be found for the project, Wescot-Williams said in the notification section of the plenary session of Parliament dealing with the Integrity Chamber.

Her call stemmed from the packed arts and cultural schedule in the just concluded weekend Read more

style="text-align: center;">Was St. Maarten’s Entities Consulted --- MP Leona Romeo Marlin.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of National Alliance and Member of Parliament William Marlin asked several questions regarding the protocol Minister Dennis Richardson signed on May 23rd with the Dutch Government on the establishment of an integrity chamber Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- United People’s (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake, says he has drafted a legislation agenda which he will be working on during the second half of 2015 after parliament returns from recess.
“Government has already started working on abolishing the Expat law in the public sector and making changes to the law for the private sector, and this will save Government approximately one million guilders Read more

Mp Lake Prepares Legislation Agenda For Second Half Of 2015

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake, says he has drafted a legislation agenda which he will be working on during the second half of 2015 after parliament returns from recess.

"Government has already started working on abolishing the Expat law in the public sector and making changes to the law for the private sector, and this will save Government approximately one million guilders Read more

What’s is in it for me? Gearing up to a new era of colonialism and nepotism

Dear Editor,

Lately, our representatives seem to worry a lot, and sometimes rightly so, about the Dutch (post) colonial powers. Some of our MP's are calling for independence while presenting themselves as the last of the Mohicans. So far, the apogee of this independence rhetoric came to light when an MP was quoted as saying that he rather "die on his feet than live on his knees." The MP was quick to forget that Dutch PM Rutte already indicated that independence is just a phone call away (i).

So why so much noise? It is nothing more than putting up smokescreens in order to dr0ive the attention from the real problem, namely the new era of (corporate) colonialism and nepotism which is upon us Read more