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>PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the Democratic Party and Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams said in a press statement that as a country that has known our share of disasters, it is heart wrenching to see the reports and scenes coming out of Dominica, as this island was battered by torrential rains, flooding and mudslides, associated with TS Erika Read more

Parliament not fully utilizing the forum of its committees to debate matters that affect the people of St. Maarten.

>PHILIPSBURG:---It was a progressive step when the parliament of St. Maarten in its wisdom decided to keep meetings of the parliamentary committees open. However, by not calling meetings of these committees as often as is possible and desirable, the purpose of these committees is defeated, said leader of the Democratic Party and Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams.
The work of these committees is to a large extent determined by the members of parliament who chair these committees Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- While residents throughout St. Maarten were anxiously following the developments with TS Erika last week, another outcry came from those persons affected by the recent fire on the landfill (dump). The effects, such as the smoke and fumes of this fire could be felt and sensed a great distance away from the Philipsburg area, said Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams.
Understandably, the people of St Read more

Remembering Frank Mingo: “A Force To Be Reckoned With”

Frank Mingo holding his one of his sons on vacation. Photo contributed

St. Maarten / By Andrew Dick – The late Frank Mingo was a force to be reckoned with says Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs who served with him in the Netherlands Antilles Parliament prior to October 10, 2010.  Born in Aruba on February 1948, Frank Elliot Mingo was also known as Frankie or Pappie, the son of Clara Hunt and Frank Emmanuel Mingo Sr Read more

More Preperations Needed For Ipko 2016

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Permanent Committee of Kingdom Affairs and Inter-parliamentary Relations of St. Maarten, met last week to discuss the preparations for the upcoming IPKO meetings which are scheduled to take place on St. Maarten in January of 2016.

The last IPKO talks between the Dutch Parliament and that of Aruba, Curacao and St. Maarten had many bumps.

There was even talk of a boycott of the next meeting in January, a situation that has increased the level of difficulty for the host country which happens to be St Read more

Bouman Visit May Have Been Part Of A Greater Plan Ponders Dp Leader

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Leader of the Democratic party of St. Maarten MP the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams this week stated that the visit of the Chief of the Dutch Police Force Gerard Bouman to the island, may have part of a greater plan to paint a negative picture of St. Maarten, giving credence to the perceived view of an urgent need for the creation of an integrity chamber for St Read more

Only National Alliance Votes Against Ordinance: Parliament Establishes Integrity Chamber

St. Maarten – After everything was said and done yesterday, only the opposition faction of the National Alliance voted against the establishment of the Integrity Chamber. The United People’s party faction, having voiced serious opposition against the Dutch pressure on St. Maarten, withdrew all of the amendments it proposed to the law in June, and went along with a strategic proposal from opposition MP Sarah Wescot-Williams to accept the proposal the government put on the table Read more

Will the UP Faction die standing or will they live on their knees? Coalition buckled to the Dutch instead of safeguarding country’s autonomy.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The United Peoples Party, who has the majority in Parliament seem to have wasted their summer recess to put together some 16 amendments they wanted the Minister of Justice to change in the protocol he signed on June 2nd 2015 to avoid the Kingdom from placing St. Maarten under higher supervision. Based on what transpired in the Parliament of St. Maarten on Monday it is clear that the coalition including the faction leader of the UPP Franklin Meyers chose to live on his knees rather than dying standing when he opted to vote in favor of the draft law that was signed by Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson early June.
SMN News got hold of the draft document containing the amendments the UPP wanted before they vote in favor of the protocol, which they put aside on Monday simply to appease the Dutch Read more

Dutch Government wants to impose instruction on St. Maarten when it comes to establishing an Integrity Chamber --- Kingdom Council of State now has to decide.

style="text-align: center;">Ten MPs voted in favor of draft law to establish Integrity Chamber --- DP Faction Leader spearheaded the drafting and finalizing of law

PHILIPSBURG:--- St. Maarten has to brace itself for a possible instruction in order to establish an integrity chamber on St. Maarten. Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson submitted the document to the Parliament of St. Maarten on Monday where the Dutch Government want Kingdom Council of State to grant them permission to impose a Kingdom measure on St Read more

Editorial - It’s about time

Increasing the pensionable age from 60 to 62 was mentioned again, this time by DP leader Sarah Wescot-Williams (see Friday paper). All over the world similar steps are being taken to safeguard the funds in question.

With today's advanced medical treatment folks are simply living longer Read more

Gumbs apologises for suicide comments

PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs has issued an apology Friday for comments he made about suicide at the Council of Ministers Press Briefing on Wednesday. The Cabinet's Press Secretariat attributed "his outburst to frustration with what he has called the ongoing destructive conduct of certain media and community elements."

An emotional Gumbs on Wednesday heavily condemned persons, who he believes continue to paint the island black with negative comments Read more

NA and DP Requested that second agenda point be added to Monday's Public Meeting.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Democratic Party Faction and National Alliance submitted a request to the chairman of Parliament requesting that he place a second agenda point be placed on Monday's meeting. In a joint press release issued by both factions states the following they submitted a  request was made today (Friday) by the opposition factions NA and DP Read more

Dp Reflects On The What To Do Next: “Crime Has Broken This Island”

From left: Hasani Ellis, Sarah Wescot-Williams and Emil Lee at yesterday’ press conference Read more

DP: Govt misleading MPs, public on pension age hike

PHILIPSBURG--The Democratic Party (DP) has sent a letter to Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs on the increase of the pension age to 62.

In a press release on Wednesday, DP Leader Sarah Wescot-Williams said the party believes government is misleading parliament and the people of St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- In a letter dispatched to Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, the Democratic Party points out what in the party’s belief is a case of misleading parliament and the people of St. Maarten.
The decision to raise the pension age to 62 has been taken quite some time ago by the
(former) government of St Read more

Democratic Party Questions Government On The Pension Age Increase To 62 Years

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - In a letter dispatched to Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, the Democratic Party points out what in the party's belief is a case of misleading parliament and the people of St. Maarten.

The decision to raise the pension age to 62 has been taken quite some time ago by the (former) government of St Read more

Wescot-Williams About Tourism Authority: “Government Believes It Can Fool All The People, All Of The Time”

St. Maarten – Is a letter Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Claret Connor sent to parliament on June 22 “a scam”? Democratic Party MP Sarah Wescot-Williams asks that question in a press statement about the fledgling St Read more

Silent March Honors Officer Benjamin

Workers and officers take part in a silent march to show their solidarity with Officer Gamali Benjamin. Photo Today / Milton Pieters St. Maarten – More than 200 people marched the streets of Philipsburg yesterday in solidarity with the injured police Officer Gamali Benjamin. Nagico Insurances closed its doors at 3 p.m. and staff members walked with police officers and supporters to the spot on the Front Street were Benjamin was gunned down on Wednesday.

Emotions ran high and people were weeping and consoling each other on their way to the location Read more

DP and NA say meeting on crime should not have been closed door

~ Concerned about financing for proposals ~

PHILIPSBURG--National Alliance (NA) and the Democratic Party (DP) said in a joint statement on Tuesday that the information shared during Monday’s urgent meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on crime did not warrant a closed-door session.

NA and DP said they had not immediately protested the calling of the meeting in a closed door session to give Government “the benefit of the doubt” as it pertains to the sensitivity of the information being shared and possible ramifications it might have on the outcome of the case.

The parties noted that the “information shared by the Council of Ministers, however, was not such that the public needed to be sheltered from the reality.”

The two parties said there had been repeated calls on Government for open communication with the public to put an end to speculation Read more

DP supports call for statue of slain cop

~ Weighs in on crime ~

PHILIPSBURG--The Democratic Party (DP) supports a call made by the general police union NAPB for a statue to be erected of bike patrol officer Gamali “Benji” Benjamin, who was gunned down at the scene of a robbery at a Front Street jewellery store on Wednesday, August 5 Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday August 7th 2015, the Department of Community Development, Family & Humanitarian Affairs (CDFHA) honored members of various NGOs and Community Councils that successfully completed the Capacity Building Program that took place in 2014, with a continuation in 2015 with accredited courses at the University of St. Martin.

Sixty Four (64) participants successfully completed the program which was originally sponsored by USONA and the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development & Labor.

The primary objective of the Capacity Building Program is to offer support and to enhance the skills and performance of NGOs and Community Councils Read more

Cdfha Hosts Award Ceremony For Ngos & Community Councils

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten — On Friday August 7th 2015, the Department of Community Development, Family & Humanitarian Affairs (CDFHA) honored members of various NGOs and Community Councils that successfully completed the Capacity Building Program that took place in 2014, with a continuation in 2015 with accredited courses at the University of St. Martin.

Sixty Four (64) participants successfully completed the program which was originally sponsored by USONA and the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development & Labor.

The primary objective of the Capacity Building Program is to offer support and to enhance the skills and performance of NGOs and Community Councils.

The training was given free of charge and focused on "Financial Management", "Subsidy Ordinance", "Governance", "Tax administration for NGOs", "Program Development", "Marketing & Public Relations" and "Strategic Alliance Formation".

Reverend Baptiste did the Invocation and Ms Read more

Sarah raises concerns about Tourism Authority

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams has raised concerns about Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Claret Connor’s apparent plans to disband the existing foundation governing the St Read more

NA, DP call on Government to rework Governing Programme

PHILIPSBURG--Opposition National Alliance (NA) and Democratic Party (DP) have called on Government to rework the “Ready to Work for You” Governing Programme of the United People’s (UP) party-led coalition into “an executable and accountable programme.”

Debating the Governing Programme in Parliament would “inevitably lead to much rhetoric, but little substance,” said the two parties Read more