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PHILIPSBURG:--- At the end of every school year, students are evaluated and promoted or not promoted based on their performance during the year. Conversely, at the end of a parliamentary year, Members of Parliament are not evaluated yet they continue in Parliament without anyone questioning their achievements, their performance or their competency to function as a parliamentarian.

I have observed that in several countries around the world, political and interest groups are developing report cards for parliamentarians Read more

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President Of Parliament Sarah Wescot Presented With Reusable Canvas Bags Proposal By Creative Hands.

~ Students learn of Plastic Bag ban initiative. ~

Philipsburg, St. Maarten, August 15th, 2017 – Simran Hotwani & Celine Mayeko-Coklee of Creative Hands recently met with President of Parliament, Sarah Wescot Williams, to share their proposal on eliminating the use of plastic bags through the use of individually-designed reusable canvas shopping bags.

The students learnt of the MP’s proposal to ban plastic bags and were elated to share their project that supports this initiative with the Chairlady of Parliament.

Creative Hands is a student-developed, non-profit organization that aims to encourage youths to artistically solve some of the island’s current issues, such as pollution.

MP Wescot  has been working on a draft initiate law to amend the   police ordinance to ban the use of plastic bags Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Simran Hotwani & Celine Mayeko-Coklee of Creative Hands recently met with President of Parliament, Sarah Wescot Williams, to share their proposal on eliminating the use of plastic bags through the use of individually-designed reusable canvas shopping bags.
The students learned of the MP’s proposal to ban plastic bags and were elated to share their project that supports this initiative with the Chairlady of Parliament.

Creative Hands is a student-developed, non-profit organization that aims to encourage youths to artistically solve some of the island’s current issues, such as pollution.

MP Wescot has been working on a draft initiate law to amend the police ordinance to ban the use of plastic bags Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Simran Hotwani & Celine Mayeko-Coklee of Creative Hands recently met with President of Parliament, Sarah Wescot Williams, to share their proposal on eliminating the use of plastic bags through the use of individually-designed reusable canvas shopping bags.
The students learned of the MP’s proposal to ban plastic bags and were elated to share their project that supports this initiative with the Chairlady of Parliament.

Creative Hands is a student-developed, non-profit organization that aims to encourage youths to artistically solve some of the island’s current issues, such as pollution.

MP Wescot has been working on a draft initiate law to amend the police ordinance to ban the use of plastic bags Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:---  St. Maarten Lion’s Club president, A. Busby and Lion members Gumbs, Boirard and Johnson recently held discussions with the President of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams, regarding Lion’s Club focus on the youth for this lionistic year. Central to this theme are the topics of drug and alcohol use and abuse and cyber bullying.

Bringing the permit ordinance that regards the sale of alcohol to minors in synch with the legal age of 18 was again a topic of discussion as was the need for a broad discussion on (cyber) bullying.

It was explained by the President of Parliament that tabling the initiative law to amend the permit ordinance as presented by the Minister of ECYS in her former capacity of MP, was still possible, but needs to be done by the NA faction in Parliament.

On the topic of bullying, the President of Parliament expressed her opinion that Parliament would gladly collaborate through hearings etc Read more

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Smmc Hosts Appreciation Celebration Event For Oncology Patients

CAYHILL- On Saturday August 5th, the SMMC hosted an appreciation celebration event for their heroes, current and former oncology patients. The theme of the event was an ‘Appreciation Celebration; Surviving the Odds’.

The purpose of this celebration was to commemorate their patients and all that they have overcome. A small team of the Outpatient department felt a great need to celebrate their patients by involving all those that they have helped along the journey. The preparations for this event begun earlier in the year, with the initial idea brought forth almost two years previously.

Coincidentally, this year marks 20 years since the hospital first started oncology treatments for patients in need Read more

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I would like to commend Member of Parliament, the Honorable Ardwell Irion, for presenting a proposal to Parliament that would make MPs more accountable and transparent, particularly towards their voters and the public in general. In the next Annual Parliamentary Report, we should be able to see how each MP voted on a law or a motion.

I also concur with MP Irion that Parliament’s website also needs upgrading Read more

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CAYHILL:--- On Saturday, August 5th, the SMMC hosted an appreciation celebration event for their heroes, current, and former oncology patients. The theme of the event was an ‘Appreciation Celebration; Surviving the Odds’.
The purpose of this celebration was to commemorate their patients and all that they have overcome. A small team of the Outpatient department felt a great need to celebrate their patients by involving all those that they have helped along the journey. The preparations for this event begun earlier in the year, with the initial idea brought forth almost two years previously.
Coincidentally, this year marks 20 years since the hospital first started oncology treatments for patients in need Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- "My day was made", to use a colloquial expression, with the announcement by our Finance Minister that my proposal as approved in 2 unanimous motions of Parliament regarding the English language was being followed up upon by the government of St. Maarten.

The first motion on this topic was of September 17, 2015, and instructs the government to come up with "a plan to establish English as the first and 'mother tongue' language for St. Maarten.
The motion continued to ask for a plan to accomplish the aforementioned, with specific attention for the promotion of the English language in the civil service of St Read more

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Sarah: Winair’S Success: A Story Of Fighting For What You Believe In.

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — It is with a great feeling of satisfaction that I took note of the publication regarding Winair’s performance for the fiscal year 2016 and I wish to add my words of congratulations to the board of supervisory directors, the management and staff for this accomplishment.

What a turnaround, if one looks back just a few years to the then outlook for this airline company.

Over the past few years, achievements by our national airline Winair have been steadily coming in and time and time again, I had to think of those early days when Winair was inherited from the Netherlands Antilles, bruised and in serious debt Read more

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Organic Law can work for St. Martin – people have to come together in the interest of the country.

Marigot:---- Dignitaries that attended the Bastille Day celebration on Friday braved the rain and walked from the Catholic Church to the Collectivity of St. Martin with their umbrellas to lay wreaths at the memorial site in the garden of the Collectivity of St. Martin after which they moved to the Marigot waterfront where the official speeches were pronounced as St. Martin celebrated the annual Bastille Day and its 10th anniversary since gaining their new status.
Those that joined the French dignitaries for the annual celebration where Governor Eugene Holiday along with First Lady Marie- Louise, President of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams and Deputy Prime Minister Rafael Boasman.
Wreaths were laid by the representatives of the veterans, President of the Collectivity Daniel Gibbes, Senator Guillaume Arnel, Deputy Claire Javois, and Sous Prefette Anne Laubies.
President Daniel Gibbs said that an audit will be done for the Collectivity both for the staff and finances in order for his government to execute the projects they committed themselves to Read more

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Sint Maarten Delegation Participates In Tripartite And Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (Ipko) In The Netherlands

HOLLAND — From June 14-16, 2017 delegations from the Parliaments of the Netherlands, Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten met in The Hague, Netherlands for the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (IPKO).

Topics such as climate change and energy, youth, education, economic opportunities within the Kingdom, health care, discrimination and integrity were discussed and information was exchanged on these topics by the four parliamentary delegations. Furthermore the delegations informed one another about the state of affairs of the execution of the Paris Agreement and the latest developments surrounding the fast ferry connections between the islands Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- From June 14-16, 2017 delegations from the Parliaments of the Netherlands, Curaçao, Aruba and Sint Maarten met in The Hague, Netherlands for the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (IPKO).
Topics such as climate change and energy, youth, education, economic opportunities within the Kingdom, health care, discrimination, and integrity were discussed and information was exchanged on these topics by the four parliamentary delegations. Furthermore, the delegations informed one another about the state of affairs of the execution of the Paris Agreement and the latest developments surrounding the fast ferry connections between the islands Read more

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PANAMA/PHILIPSBURG:--- On June 9th and 10th, a delegation comprising of Members of Parliament of Sint Maarten headed by President of Parliament Mrs. Sarah A. Wescot-Williams attended the 33rd General Assembly of the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino) in Panama City, Republic of Panama.
The Assembly started with the raising of the Parlatino flag and singing of the Parlatino anthem Read more

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A Critical Look At Parliament’S Budget

Parliament needs to be transparent with its budget! During budget debates members of parliament pose numerous questions, some critical, many political, concerning government’s budgeting and spending, but no one raises questions about parliament’s budget and parliament’s spending. The reason for this is because parliament’s budget is camouflaged among the budgets of the High Councils of State. Furthermore, according to the Compatibility Ordinance and the Rules of Order of Parliament the budget of Parliament is drafted by the Secretariat of Parliament, approved by the Presidium and then sent to the Minister of Finance to be included in the national budget Read more

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Sint Maarten Nature Foundation Presents To Parliament Guiding Document For Single Use Plastic Ban And Petition On Great Bay Landfill

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Cole Bay- On Friday the 2nd of July the Director of the Sint Maarten Nature Foundation Tadzio Bervoets and Nature Foundation Projects Officer Melanie Meijer Zu-Schlochtern met with the President of Parliament the Honourable Sarah Wescot-Williams to present her the Nature Foundation’s Document outlining the steps necessary to have Sint Maarten move towards a ban of single use plastic bags Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Parliament needs to be transparent with its budget! During budget debates, members of parliament pose numerous questions, some critical, many political, concerning government’s budgeting and spending, but no one raises questions about parliament’s budget and parliament’s spending. The reason for this is because parliament’s budget is camouflaged among the budgets of the High Councils of State. Furthermore, according to the Compatibility Ordinance and the Rules of Order of Parliament the budget of Parliament is drafted by the Secretariat of Parliament, approved by the Presidium and then sent to the Minister of Finance to be included in the national budget Read more

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Cole Bay:---- On Friday the 2nd of July the Director of the Sint Maarten Nature Foundation Tadzio Bervoets and Nature Foundation Projects Officer Melanie Meijer Zu-Schlochtern met with the President of Parliament the Honourable Sarah Wescot-Williams to present her the Nature Foundation’s Document outlining the steps necessary to have Sint Maarten move towards a ban of single-use plastic bags Read more

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Is Parliament Boycotting The Code Of Ethics?

In addition to boycotting the establishing of the Integrity Chamber, Parliament appears to also be boycotting the formalization of a code of conduct.

Last week, the Chairlady of Parliament had to cancel the meeting of the Central Committee because there was no quorum when the second agenda point, namely a parliamentary code of conduct, was to be discussed. Isn’t it odd that there was a quorum for the first agenda point i.e. the Anti-Poverty Platform, but after a short break, only seven members of parliament remained for the continuation of this meeting!

Despite the Chairlady’s request for at least one member to come back inside the meeting hall and despite the official thirty minutes wait to see if any of the MPs outside of the meeting hall would adhere to her request, the meeting had to be called off, due to a lack of quorum Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- In addition to boycotting the establishing of the Integrity Chamber, Parliament appears to also be boycotting the formalization of a code of conduct. Last week, the Chairlady of Parliament had to cancel the meeting of the Central Committee because there was no quorum when the second agenda point, namely a parliamentary code of conduct, was to be discussed. Isn’t it odd that there was a quorum for the first agenda point i.e. the Anti-Poverty Platform, but after a short break, only seven members of parliament remained for the continuation of this meeting! Despite the Chairlady’s request for at least one member to come back inside the meeting hall and despite the official thirty minutes wait to see if any of the MP’s outside of the meeting hall would adhere to her request, the meeting had to be called off, due to a lack of quorum Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Are government and parliament waiting until the next election comes around or until the next ship jumper presents him or herself in parliament to start working on electoral reform again? Any electoral change involving the constitution requires the input and blessing from the Kingdom government which includes the governments of the Netherlands, Aruba, and Curacao. On the other hand, according to our constitution, amendments to election-related ordinances such the Election Ordinance, the National Ordinance Registration and Finances of Political Parties only require “a majority of at least two-thirds of the votes cast by the serving members” (art Read more

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“I am proud to be a Guyanese but I chose St. Maarten as my home”

PHILIPSBURG:--- About 1,500 persons witnessed the grand opening of Motorworld state of the art showroom which officially opened on Friday, May 26th, 2017 (On Guyana’s 51st Independence.”)
Among those that attend the grand and spectacular ceremony were dignitaries from both sides of the island, Prime Minister William Marlin, Governor Eugene Holiday,  President of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams President of the Collectivity of St Read more

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Is Parliament Serious About Independence?

Last week Wednesday, the Central Committee of Parliament, once again, invited the Independence for St. Martin Foundation (ISMF) to give a presentation regarding holding a referendum to determine whether the people of Sint Maarten desire to become independent or not. This is the fourth time that the ISMF was in parliament presenting its case. The first presentation was held in March 2016. Hereafter, the Central Committee reconvened, in September 2016, to give the ISMF the opportunity to answer questions that the MPs had posed in the first round in March Read more

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Ismf Believes Parliament Will Do The Right Thing

PHILIPSBURG – Following its presentation to Parliament on Wednesday, May 17, the Independence for St. Martin Foundation (ISMF) said it is encouraged by the response of the legislative body to its call for a constitutional referendum.

“Parliament is the only authority that can convene a referendum and even though, as President of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams pointed out, a new constitutional status is not specifically mentioned in the constitution as one of the reasons for a referendum, it is now for Parliament to do the right thing and allow the people of St Read more

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