Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
Sarah: Coalition ‘suddenly lost interest’ in Integrity Chamber
PHILIPSBURG--It appears, said Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams, that the Marcel Gumbs Cabinet and by extension the governing coalition have "suddenly lost interest" in the establishment of an integrity chamber for the country.
"It is revealing that suddenly the urgency is no longer there for our own 'thing,'" the MP said.
She has drawn this conclusion from the response of Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs to her inquiry Thursday about the timeframe for the tabling of the draft national law to establish the integrity chamber in Parliament.
Gumbs, in an immediate response on Thursday to Parliament President Dr Read more
PHILIPSBURG: --- Member of Parliament Christopher Emmanuel is calling on the Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson who travelled to the Netherlands last weekend to meet with the (Raad van State) Council of State and Minister of Interior Affairs Ronald Plasterk to further discuss the draft integrity law that was discussed in parliament and higher supervision that the Kingdom wants to impose on St Read more
PHILIPSBURG:--- DP Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams said based on the response she got from the Prime Minister of St Read more
Lake calling for MPs to ‘get on board’ with integrity chamber
PHILIPSBURG--"Get on-board" to approve the "home-grown" draft ordinance to establish an integrity chamber for St. Maarten "after certain changes are made." This was the call issued by United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake to his "fellow colleagues" in Parliament.
He said in a press statement if the ordinance is left hanging ".. Read more
Sarah: Bringing ordinance in line with civil code can be done ‘rather quickly’
PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams says bringing the National Ordinance in line with the Civil Code to increase the legal drinking age from 16 to 18 can be done "rather quickly."
Independent MP Cornelius de Weever suggested that the legal age for cigarettes should also be addressed and not just that of alcohol.
The MPs were speaking during a session of Parliament's Permanent Committee of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs (CECYSA) on Thursday Read more
Sarah opts out of Parlatino meetings
PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams has "opted out" of attending meetings of the Latin American Parliament Parlatino slated for May.
Wescot-Williams said at a DP press conference at Parliament House on Monday that she had decided not to attend the meetings.
She called for Parliament "to discuss the effectiveness of the meetings" and the benefit to the country Read more
Sarah calls for govt’s stance on CBCS issue
PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams has issued a call to the Marcel Gumbs' Cabinet "to show leadership by providing government's stance" on the halting of renovation work on the Central Bank of Curaçao and St Read more
"I guess, according to some, it would be "politically incorrect" of me to question the saga unfolding at the Central Bank of Curacao and St Read more
Parliament Adjourns Meeting About Integrity Chamber
Minister Richardson: “Passing this law strengthens our positionâ€
St. Maarten– The parliament is dragging its feet, or at least taking its time, with the handling of the draft ordinance for the establishment of the Integrity Chamber. Yesterday’s continuation of Wednesday’s meeting was adjourned until Monday morning at 10 a.m. at the request of coalition members Tamara Leonard, Cornelius de Weever and Johan Leonard.
Justice Minister Dennis Richardson warned the parliament to move forward with the legislation, Next week Sunday Richardson and Prime Minister Gumbs travel to the Netherlands for discussions with Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Kingdom Relations Minister Ronald Plasterk about the looming instruction.
“It could come to the point that Rutte pushed the instruction, even if we get an advice from the Council of State that is positive for St Read more
Mp Wescot-Williams Seeks Information On Governing Programme
PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The governing programme was once again addressed by leader of the Democratic and Member of Parliament, the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams during the Parliamentary meeting handling the draft National Ordinance for the establishment of an Integrity Chamber.
Whilst addressing that subject, Read more Candidates in this article:
MPs still have reservations about Integrity Chamber
~ Meyers: Independence only choice ~
PHILIPSBURG--Several Members of Parliament (MPs) made it crystal clear on Monday that if the proposed Integrity Chamber stagnates the growth of the country and hampers St. Maarteners from prospering, the law to establish the chamber will not receive their support.
Chief among those speaking out about the draft law was coalition member MP Franklin Meyers (United People's (UP) party) Read more
St. Maarten should seek to have its own Attorney General --- Current Attorney General does not work in the interest of St. Maarten --- Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson did not mingle with words on Monday morning when he was responding to questions regarding the draft ordinance to establish the integrity chamber on St. Maarten.On the question as to who is responsible for justice on St. Maarten, Minister Richardson said that the Minister of Justice is responsible for justice in each country, however, he made clear that St Read more
Stop peeing on our legs please!
Dear Editor,
Politicians are peeing on our legs and telling us that it is raining! For heaven's sake, when will all of this deception cease? When will these slick politicians come to the realization that they are cornered by the Dutch and the only way out of this sticky situation is to come clean with the public. Let us face it, there is no other way! But, more and more politicians are devising ways to cope with their tricks, because what had seem so real is now beginning to crumble - their weak spot is dangling as the band-aid is almost broken.
Plain and simple: the country cannot continue being run like the Wild Wild West anymore Read more
‘St. Maarten still uncooperative to solve Saba, Statia dilemmas’
THE HAGUE--The St. Maarten Government is still uncooperative in certain areas of the relations with St. Eustatius and Saba. Areas include (double) taxation of goods for the two smaller islands, the medical evacuation of patients and the airport taxes.
Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk stated this in a letter that he sent to the Dutch Parliament on Thursday. The letter, which was released on Friday, dealt with a number of obstacles in the relations between St Read more
Integrity chamber law now to be handled on Monday
PHILIPSBURG--Parliament will continue its handling of the draft national ordinance to establish an Integrity Chamber on Monday starting at 10:00am. The Central Committee meeting resumed on Friday morning after its suspension on Wednesday evening, but was suspended again after coalition Members of Parliament (MPs) requested time to compare the draft law with the version suggested by the Dutch Government.
MP Tamara Leonard (United People's (UP) party) made the request for time to review the two versions to Parliament Chairman Dr Read more
Central Committee meeting to further discuss the Integrity Chamber Ordinance Adjourned to Monday.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of Parliament mostly from the governing coalition requested that the chairman of Parliament adjourn the central committee meeting that was supposed to continue on Friday morning to discuss the draft ordinance to establish an Integrity Chamber on St. Maarten. The Members of Parliament from the governing coalition wanted more time to study the additional documents that were presented to them on Friday morning Read more
Implementation Counterpart Policy Is Still Far Away
Ministry publishes rules in National Gazette
St. Maarten – The labor department will deny work permits to companies that refuse to hire “a counterpart found suitable by the department and made available to the employer.†This is one of the rules laid down in the counterpart policy the government published in the National Gazette last week. It will still take some time though, before the private sector is going to feel the effects of the controversial counterpart policy because the ministry first wants to do a pilot project that will last one year from the moment it begins.
“The quality of the execution of the policy by the labor department is a determining factor for the success of the counterpart policy Read more
Integrity Chamber Meets Resistance From Coalition
St. Maarten – The draft ordinance for the establishment of St. Maarten’s Integrity Chamber met with unexpected opposition from within the governing coalition yesterday. Members of the opposition also expressed their doubts. Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs said that he is facing a May 5 deadline. On that date, the Dutch Council of State renders judgment on the advice the Kingdom Council of Ministers has requested about a looming instruction for St Read more
Halley land saga heard by Petitions Committee
~ 'Something wrong,' way forward to be determined ~
PHILIPSBURG--Marlon Halley, supported in particular by community spokesperson Yvette Halley, had the transfer of land rights plaguing him heard by Members of Parliament on Thursday during a Petitions Committee meeting at Parliament House.
The meeting was the result of a petition submitted March 4 that called for Parliament to thoroughly investigate "fishy business" surrounding the land deal that entailed government taking ownership of the land where Marlon Halley has operated a business for some 28 years, and long-leasing it to developers without his knowing Read more
Heated Debate by Members of Parliament as to how they will deal with the Petition sent to Parliament regarding the Simpson Bay Development.
MPs share concerns on integrity chamber, but open to discussion
~ Expect more answers on Friday ~
PHILIPSBURG--"Looking forward to further discussion" was the point Members of Parliament (MPs) reached on Wednesday night after hearing answers to shared main points of concern given by Justice Minister Dennis Richardson during a public meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on the draft National Ordinance for the establishment of an Integrity Chamber for St. Maarten.
Although many individual questions had been posed, paired with statements of concern about what the Ordinance will mean for St Read more
Voting Bureau petitioned court twice to allow inmates to vote
~ Says it's up to MPs to amend laws ~
PHILIPSBURG--The Central Voting Bureau petitioned the court twice prior to the August 29, 2014, parliamentary election to legally allow inmates who were registered to vote in another district to cast their ballot at the polling station at the prison and to allow a prison official to vouch for the identity of inmates who did not have identification cards.
The issues at the polling station at the prison were amongst several electoral concerns broached during a meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on Wednesday.
Central Voting Bureau Chairman Jason Rogers told Members of Parliament (MPs) that it was up to them to change the legislation to rectify this issue in future elections.
Rogers said "a number" of inmates initially had not been allowed to vote because, although they were in possession of their voting cards, they were assigned to vote in another district Read more