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style="text-align: center;">My fellow St. Maarteners,

I want to address you now directly, after a week of political turmoil which has culminated in a constitutional crisis. The outcome of this crisis will determine the democratic future of St. Maarten. So it is extremely important that everyone, young and old, understand what it constitutes.

The legal nature of this crisis however is very complicated, although for some of us it seems to be so simple. You may have followed the discussions in the press Read more

Opinion: Something’S Brewing

We know since last night that Governor Holiday sent a letter to Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs. We do not know the content of this letter, but there is no doubt that this will come out some time today.

The past couple of days, two political parties have come out with press conferences where they made their positions clear. The National Alliance nor the Democratic Party fear elections, they say.

Do they really want elections? Not really Read more

In Case Governor Signs Decree To Dissolve Parliament: Dp Proposes Interim Cabinet And Elections After One Year

From left: DP treasurer Giselle York, MP Sarah Wescot-Williams and policy advisor Emil Lee. Photo today / Hilbert Haar

St. Maarten – In case Governor Holiday decides to sign the decree to dissolve parliament and elections follow on December 8, the Democratic Party proposes to annul the current motion, to let the new majority choose “a capable Council of Ministers” and to set the date for the elections one year from the appointment of this council Read more

Moving Send-Off For Late Telem Group Employee Kenneth Blijden

POND ISLAND, St. Maarten – Family and colleagues gave a moving send-off to late TelEm Group employee, Mr. Kenneth Blijden, during a memorial service at the Royal Funeral Home, Sucker Garden, Thursday.

Mr. Blijden passed away at the St. Martin’s home last week following illness and having clocked more than 30 years in the service of TelEm.

Sister, Carmen van den Akker-Blijden thanked everyone for turning out in impressive numbers to say a final farewell to her brother, who she admitted could be “difficult” at times, although everyone knew his heart was in the right place.

Among those in attendance was Prime Minister, Marcel Gumbs and Mrs Read more

Dp "Snap Elections Will Not Bring Stability. Electoral Reform Critical"

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The DP shares the concerns of the general public on the current political crisis that faces our nation.  Clearly the country needs to see fundamental changes. 

However, new elections will only result in a shuffling of the cast of characters in Parliament, but without changes to the electoral laws, we will only be treating the symptoms of our political instability but will fail to address the root causes of seat jumping, leveraging of parliamentary seats for personal gain, buying and selling of votes, and political cronyism.

While a certain amount of growing pains are to be expected, clearly there has been more pain than growth in the first few years of our young country.    There is a saying…”if you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got.”  The country needs real change, fundamental changes Read more

>MP Maurice Lake was also contacted and met with the Deputy Leader of the UPP last week ----DP has proposal ready in the event the Governor decides to call for new elections.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot Williams admitted on Thursday when she was asked by SMN News if someone contacted her on October 1st 2015, one day after the motion of no confidence was passed in parliament against the Gumbs cabinet where the person who called her made her an offer to join the UPP party in order for them to remain in government Read more

Plenary session of Parliament to appoint new President and Vice Presidents set for October 13

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The House of Parliament will meet in a plenary session on October 13 to appoint the President and two Vice Presidents.

The public Plenary Session is set for Tuesday, at 9.00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg. The agenda point is the appointment of the President and Vice Presidents of Parliament.

This meeting of the House was requested by the National Alliance Faction Members of Parliament (MPs) W.V Read more

Editorial - Unfortunate chapter

While Dutch Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Minister Ronald Plasterk says it’s up to St. Maarten to solve its current political, constitutional crisis (see related article), the problem could very well end up on the table of The Hague. After all, a Governor who believes a decision by Government goes against the interest of the kingdom’s guarantee function must submit it to the Crown and by extension the Kingdom Council of Ministers for annulment.

Whether this has been done already with the Gumbs cabinet’s draft national decree to dissolve Parliament and call early elections is not known, but other than signing it that seems to be the only alternative Read more

Plenary session of Parliament to appoint new President and Vice Presidents set for October 13.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will meet in a plenary session on October 13 to appoint the President and two Vice Presidents.

The public Plenary Session is set for Tuesday, at 9.00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is the appointment of the President and Vice Presidents of Parliament.

This meeting of the House was requested by the National Alliance Faction Members of Parliament (MPs) W.V Read more

Prof. Van Rijn In 2012: “The Wish Of Parliament Prevails”

St. Maarten – Prof. Arjen van Rijn offered a different opinion about the position of parliament and government in an article in the Nederlands Juristenblad of December 7, 2012 that shows that constitutional law is not black and white. While Van Rijn advised the Marcel Gumbs cabinet this past weekend that its right to dissolve the parliament is autonomous and cannot be limited by parliament, in 2012 he wrote “If there is a serious clash between parliament and government and the tensions need to find a way out, then the wish of the parliament obviously prevails as the body with the most direct democratic legitimacy.”

Van Rijn refers in this article also to the situation in Curacao, where the majority of parliament sent home the Schotte-cabinet immediately Read more

Sarah: Refusing to resign is breach of country’s constitutional legal system

~ Govt. asked for Van Rijn’s opinion after the fact ~

PHILIPSBURG--The refusal of the Gumbs cabinet members to tender their resignations after no longer enjoying the support of the country’s highest legislative body is a breach of St. Maarten’s constitutional legal system.

This was the firm statement from Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams on Sunday in reaction to statements by Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs that he and the rest of the minister would not resign Read more

Gumbs vows not to resign

PHILIPSBURG--Feeling strengthened by the opinion of constitutional law expert Professor Arjen van Rijn and convinced that the St. Maarten Constitution must be upheld, St. Maarten Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs has decided not to resign, and neither will the rest of the Council of Ministers.

“As Prime Minister I have the responsibility to protect the Constitution and to carry it out the way it was written Read more

William to meet Governor today

PHILIPSBURG--National Alliance (NA) leader Member of Parliament (MP) William Marlin will be meeting with Governor Eugene Holiday today, Monday, on the formation of the new majority coalition in Parliament.

  The meeting is on request of Governor Holiday Read more

Governor will not sign Resolution to call new elections --- What type of stand-off do we have now? (UPDATED)

style="text-align: center;">Several Candidates selected to be screened for Ministerial Posts.

PHILIPSBURG:--- According to information provided to SMN News the Governor of St. Maarten drs. Eugene Holiday convoked Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs to his office on Friday where he informed him that he will not be signing the resolution for new elections since there is a majority in Parliament Read more

Sarah: Elections will not solve ship-jumping issue

~ Cabinet should resign immediately ~

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams said on Friday that calling early elections will not solve the issue of Members of Parliament (MPs) switching their support from one party to another Read more

Sarah confirms she will assume Chairmanship of Parliament

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams confirmed on Friday that she will be assuming the position of the new Chairperson of Parliament.

DP forms part of the new eight-seat-majority coalition in Parliament Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- Leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot Williams told members of the media at the Democratic Party bi-monthly press conference on Friday that calling for early elections is unconstitutional and that members of the current cabinet that got a motion of no confidence from the majority in parliament should have tendered their resignation already Read more

Dp Leader Outlines Reasons That Destroyed Their Confidence In The Council Of Ministers

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The council of ministers experienced a motion of no confidence against them this Wednesday during a meeting of Parliament.

The motion was initially supported by the opposition National Alliance and the DP factions in parliament however it turned out that the motion was supported by additional members who were thought to be supporters of the current coalition government Read more

New Elections For St. Maarten Possible December 8

From left: Ministers Rafael Boasman, Rita Bourne-Gumbs, Marcel Gumbs, Dennis Richardson, Martin Hassink and Claret Connor during what could be their last press conference. Photo Today / Hilbert Haar

Council of Ministers hits back and dissolves parliament

St Read more

Opinion: “Self Above Country” 101

Who said politics is boring? The conspirators in parliament had their first laugh on Wednesday when they lured all MPs to the House of Representatives with an irresistible agenda point – the remarks made by Attorney-General Guus Schram about the ties between the criminal underworld and St. Maarten’s legitimate society. Then followed an agenda point about the situation at the government-owned companies, in particular the airport.

But those who thought that the opposition intended to wash the ears of airport director Regina Labega were in for a nasty surprise Read more

Editorial - Eyes on the ball

It appears St. Maarten is again caught in a “Mexican standoff,” as NA leader William Marlin called it back in 2013 when much of the cabinet with his party’s signature wanted to dissolve Parliament and call early elections after losing its majority support Read more

Sarah: Dismissed ministers cannot turn around to dissolve Parliament

~ Ministers should resign ~

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams says ministers who are dismissed cannot “turn around and dissolve Parliament.”

She was reacting to news that the Gumbs cabinet, against whom a motion of no confidence was passed on Wednesday, had submitted a National Decree to Governor Eugene Holiday on Thursday to dissolve Parliament and call new elections Read more

>PHILIPSBURG: --- Information reaching SMN News states that the eight members of parliament who voted a motion of no confidence against the current Gumbs cabinet already have candidates that will fill the Ministries.
SMN News learnt that Leader of the National Alliance William Marlin will become the next Prime Minister of St Read more

St. Maarten Government Falls Again: Fifth Cabinet In Five Years In The Making

UP-leader Theo Heyliger (left) and MP Silvio Matser on 10-10-14 when they were still political allies. Now the political marriage is over: “I cannot take the internal abuse anymore,” Matser said yesterday Read more