SXMElections.com

Solutions To Save Our Local University

Dear Editor,

As an Educator teaching 25 years at the University of St. Martin (USM), I would like to humbly give my advice and solution to the Minister of Education on how to save our University of St. Martin. I fully understand the situation our Government is being confronted with. The shortage of income for this year and the coming years for the entire country is something we all have to face and therefore it is impossible at this point and time to commit to any type of monetary assistance to the University, but we need to be creative in seeking a solution.

This is where creative financing comes into the picture within Government Read more

We Have A Long Way To Go In 2017

Mr. Editor,

I foresee 2017 as a very challenging year for St. Maarten in which it is going to define the future of our beautiful island and our leaders. We are right now in the eye of the storm, which is January where there is calm before the storm.

Mr. Editor, this letter is not to scare our people, but to prepare them for the hard and uncertain times we’re living in. These are times where we have to stay strong for the tough times that lie ahead of us. The good thing about going through the eye of the storm is that the tough times don’t last forever because we are resilient people that rise above these times.  But as good leaders we have to prepare our people and trust God during these difficult times Read more

My Person Of The Year 2016: The Ombudsman

Dear Editor,

I would like to congratulate all the person(s) who have been nominated by the different media houses on St. Maarten.

I believe any person(s) or organization that had been nominated as Person of the Year should play a key role within the public, private sectors and community in general.

As a Community Spirited person, if I had to vote for the Person(s) of the Year, I would have selected the Ombudsman and her team as the Person of the Year for 2016.

The Ombudsman was very active in all areas of the public by educating and explaining Government, Parliament and the general public of their roles within the community Read more

Time To Take Gebe To Another Level To Better Serve The Community

As a community-spirited person, I am not here to criticize or pass the blame, but to address the issues and come with solutions. NV GEBE needs to start thinking like a consumer and put themselves in the people’s position and address the issues as soon as possible with a permanent solution.

As we all know, load shedding should be something of the past. This is why the new Board and Management have accepted the challenge and now is the time to turn our local company around with a strategic plan for the next 5 to 10 years.

I have gotten so many calls from local business persons, acquaintances about what’s the issue with this constant load shedding Read more

Implement Short And Long-Term Solutions To Ease Traffic Situation On Both Sides

As the high tourist season is here and Christmas is just around the corner, I would like to advise both the Dutch and French Governments to start implementing short and long-term solutions to ease the traffic situation on both sides of the island.

I think it is high time we address our traffic bottlenecks with quick wins to ease the traffic congestion for the tourists during the Christmas season.

On the Dutch side, a short-term solution is to make the Ring Road drivable by fixing the road all around the pond and put proper signs from the Soualiga Roundabout, behind Ketty’s Snack to inform motorists they can use this alternative route to ease the traffic flow on the Pond fill.

You will be amazed that a lot of motorists don’t know the road is open for vehicular traffic, but the road needs to be fixed as soon as possible of potholes for the Christmas season.

Another short-term solution is to make a filter lane by the intersection by Zagersgut before you reach the bridge by the Seventh Day Adventist Church Read more

Implement Short And Long-Term Solutions To Ease Traffic Situation On Both Sides

As the high tourist season is here and Christmas is just around the corner, I would like to advise both the Dutch and French Governments to start implementing short and long-term solutions to ease the traffic situation on both sides of the island.

I think it is high time we address our traffic bottlenecks with quick wins to ease the traffic congestion for the tourists during the Christmas season.

On the Dutch side, a short-term solution is to make the Ring Road drivable by fixing the road all around the pond and put proper signs from the Soualiga Roundabout, behind Ketty’s Snack to inform motorists they can use this alternative route to ease the traffic flow on the Pond fill.

You will be amazed that a lot of motorists don’t know the road is open for vehicular traffic, but the road needs to be fixed as soon as possible of potholes for the Christmas season.

Another short-term solution is to make a filter lane by the intersection by Zagersgut before you reach the bridge by the Seventh Day Adventist Church Read more

Start Making Firm Decisions And Governing In The General Interest Of Our People

As a former Member of Parliament, I must say that our ancestors must be turning over in their graves with the type of leadership and cooperation we displayed during our St. Martin Day Celebration by boycotting the people’s celebration.

France and Holland must be smiling to see the recent dispute between the French and Dutch local Governments where they are fighting over the border lines in which it is documented and written in the Dutch Side Cadastre registry. There is a court case decision on this.

The Captain Oliver dispute where the judge – based on the French documents – said that the water rights is owned by the Island Government of St Read more

Usm Should Be National University

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Member of Parliament Maurice Lake would like to see the University become our National University, and for Government and the Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the SHTA and the entire community to support their regular classes and culture classes.

When I heard the University was offering to the general public classes about our own culture and history, I said that this is a great opportunity for Government and the Chamber of Commerce to assist the University by sending our civil servants in the Hospitality field, Ambassadors of our island and representatives of the business community to such a course to enhance our hospitality product and to better promote culture of our beautiful island.

We just had the Minister of Economics Affairs informing the public about 450 plus directors licenses that were given out during her term Read more

Mp Maurice Lake: Calls For Govt. To Treat Civil Servants Better

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Member of Parliament Maurice Lake said St. Maarten is at a crossroad right now and Government has to start taking care of our local people and professionals such as the Fire Department, VKS, Casino Controllers, Prison Guards, cleaners, Immigration, Police and civil servants.

The sad part is they are not asking for much only to revise their “Functie Book” which includes their salary structure, safety, hiring of extra personnel and insurance Read more

Mullet Pond Listed As A Protected Ramsar Site Wetland Of International Importance

~ First Such Site for St. Maarten ~

MULLET BAY, Sint Maarten — One of Sint Maarten’s most important wetlands, Mullet Pond, has been listed and protected as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Treaty last week, marking a significant advancement in the conservation of wetland biodiversity on the island.

The Ramsar Convention, signed in Iran in 1971, is a global commitment to maintain the ecological character of global wetland areas, including in the wider Caribbean region.

The Nature Foundation, the VROMI Ministry, EPIC, the Department of Foreign Relations, the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Ramsar Europe Secretariat have been working for almost four years to have Mullet Pond listed as a Ramsar site of global importance;

“We have been working so hard for such a long time to first get the political commitment followed by the application process to get the area listed under the Ramsar Treaty Read more

Mp Maurice Lake Lobbies For Sucker Garden Speedbumps

SUCKER GARDEN – The simple things make the biggest difference in a community and this is why independent Member of Parliament (MP) and United St. Maarten Party USP candidate Maurice Lake has taken the need for two speedbumps on Arch Road in Sucker Garden to VROMI Minister Angel Meyers. “Sucker Garden is a forgotten area which needs Government’s full attention to upgrade and beautify Read more

Frans Calls On Pm To ‘Shut Gibson Up’

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Leader of the United St. Maarten (US) party MP Frans Richardson on Monday night urged Prime Minister of St. Maarten William Marlin to finally “put to bed and shut up” Minister of Finance Richard Gibson who, according to Richardson, is “becoming rude and bold in this country.”

Marlin and Gibson

Richardson tore into Gibson during the USp’s public meeting on Monday night, chastising him for not taking care of workers in his places of business for many years, but quick to talk down colleague MP’s of the current coalition government Read more

Mp Maurice Lake To Present Motion On Usm

PHILIPSBURG – Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake will present a motion in Parliament regarding the University of St. Martin (USM).

The motion aims at providing a solid foundation to further develop and enhance the quality of tertiary education. “USM should be first of all declared our national university of higher learning Read more

Mp Maurice Lake Commends Meyers On Sewage Connection And Trench Work

St Peters, Sint Maarten — Independent Member of Parliament Maurice Lake commends Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Angel Meyers for executing the very important project of connecting the homes on St. Peters Road to the sewage line and for upgrading the trench behind St. Maarten Academy School. Sewage has been a big issue in St Read more

Pray For Peace In These Difficult Times

On Thursday evening, we were shocked to hear that a truck struck more than 75 people killing them during Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, France, and injuring dozens more.

I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the bereaved. Many innocent people have been killed during the past weeks throughout the world due to hate.

We need to respect each other, respect all people and live together in harmony.  I pray for peace as we go through these difficult times Read more

Port St. Maarten And Sir Richard Branson-Virgin Group Discuss Investments

PORT ST. MAARTEN – Port St. Maarten Management met with Sir Richard Branson on Wednesday.  Sir Branson is one of Great Britain’s highest profile billionaires with his Virgin Group holding more than 60 companies serving more than 60 million customers worldwide.  Branson was accompanied by Virgin Executives Tom Mc Alphin and Craig Milan as well as other staff members.

Sir Branson plans to launch his own cruise line called Virgin Cruises in 2020.  Virgin Cruises aims to deliver a unique and differentiated approach to cruise tourism for the millennial traveler.

The first three ships will set sail from Port of Miami in 2020 and offer a true Virgin experience with multiple entertainment spaces, advanced customer technology and Virgin-designed cabins.

Port St Read more

Mp Lake Looking For Action This Week From New Supervisory Board And Completing Appointment Of All Chief Executives

Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake, who just returned from the IPKO Meetings in Holland would like to congratulate the new board members of NV GEBE, and is looking forward for the new board members to hit the “ground running” this week and bring back stability and a sense of direction to get things done in order for the utility company to move forward. “GEBE is in dire need of leadership and a sense of direction to start getting the company back on track to start serving the people of St Read more

Mp Lake Sets Record Straight With The Situation On Genip Road

Saturday, Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake, who is also a resident of St. Peters, came back from Holland attending the IPKO meetings and as my brother picks me up from the airport, I read in the front page of the Daily Herald’s newspaper about the garbage situation at Genip Road St. Peters. I decided to go directly to Genip Road straight from the airport to speak to the residents about the situation. As I spoke to the residents, it was about cutting down of an aki tree which grows in the trench on Genip Road, obstructing a resident drive way in which the person who planted the tree was very upset that VROMI instructed the local cleaning company in the area to cut down the tree which was full of aki fruit. The person stated he didn’t mind if they would have trimmed the tree or let the aki ripe first and then trim the tree. That’s the main reason they blocked the road with garbage debris and not what the newspaper had reported about this being an uncollected garbage issue.  This is far from the truth, and I call on the Herald to print a correction. Reporting the facts and right news and communicating with the residents before printing it in the newspaper should be the process to follow.  Giving the impression that this was an uncollected garbage issue in the district makes the waste haulage company look bad, and this doesn’t have anything to do with the garbage collection company Read more

Up Party Board Refutes Mp Lake Statement On Payment Of Dues

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten – The Board of the United People’s Party (UP) has taken note of a statement made by Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake on Sunday at a press conference concerning the payment of party dues.

UP candidates who ran in the 2014 parliamentary elections were asked to make a monthly contribution to the party in the form of dues in order to cover the costs of campaign material for the candidates.

Each candidate signed the automatic bank transfer authorization, but if MP Lake had looked carefully at his bank statements, he would have noticed that nothing was deducted from his bank account.

MP Maurice Lake also has not officially resigned from the UP Party as we have nothing officially on file.

The UP Board emphatically states that the Party has not received any dues paid in cash or by cheque or via bank transfer into the UP Party bank account since Lake has been an MP.

The UP Board finds it very strange that MP Lake would make such a public statement when he knows that it is baseless Read more

Maurice Lake Será Candidato Del Usp

Traducido por Máximo Castro

Maurice Lake, miembro independiente del Parlamento

PHILIPSBURG.- Maurice Lake, miembro independiente del Parlamento anunció el domingo su candidatura con el Partido Unido St Read more

Mp Lake Joins The United St Maarten Party

~ ” MP Matser is welcome to join the USP ” Leader of USp Frans Richardson said ~

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – MP the Honorable < Read more

Mp Lake Calls For Action Regarding Waste Haulers, And Landfill Management

As a Member of Parliament (MP), I have a responsibility towards the people of St. Maarten who I represent. And this responsibility also includes passing on my observations to the Government that I support with the result of action being taken to remedy situations in the general interest of the people.

I have been observing the transition phase of the five waste haulers where it concerns picking up the garbage for the past weeks. I also have been walking around in the different districts, talking to the residents, communicating with some waste haulers about the garbage situation, and listening to the different radio/television programs, and especially taking note of the residents’ comments and concerns.

I also have heard of the comments on Facebook and have taken note of these as well, about the garbage situation Read more

Lake Calls On Meyers To Inform Gebe Workers About Current Developments Asap

Member of Parliament Hon. Maurice Lake

PHILIPSBURG – Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake said Minister in charge of GEBE Angel Meyers should call a general assembly of all GEBE workers at Belair Community Center to update them about developments at the company, as soon as possible.

Lake stated that the workers and the public had a right to up to date information about their company Read more

Mp Lake Calls For Energy Policy To Be Put Into Action

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — “We need to step up to the plate now and start practicing what we preach in our National Energy Policy. We are two steps behind because of the constant changes in Government and GEBE’s sense of direction and leadership,” said independent Member of Parliament Maurice Lake.

“One of my priorities of supporting this Coalition of Eight is finalizing the Waste-to-Energy Project to address the huge landfill situation, and recycling of garbage Read more