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Male And Female Patients Placed In The Same Ward At St. Maarten Hospital

St. Maarten News —It has become quite obvious that the St. Maarten Medical Center is in dire need of space for patients since they are currently placing male and female patients in the same ward. When the institution was contacted, they informed this newspaper that they need to get the questions submitted to them on this issue in writing before they can give a comment on the issue.

The former United People’s Party leader Theo Heyliger had said in his campaign during the last elections that he would have had the new hospital built urgently Read more

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Up Elects New Board Members For 2016-2018

St. Maarten News —The United People’s Party (UP) Congress elected a new board for the party board period 2016-2018 on June 25 at the Belair Community Center.

The persons who have been appointed to the board positions are: President Silvia Meyers-Olivacee; Vice President Tatiana Arrindell; Treasurer Earl Wyatt; Assistance Treasurer Armand Meda; Secretary General Kenneth Serrant; Secretary Gina Illidge; and Assistant Secretary Solange Apon.

“We had a very good turnout at the party congress and everybody in attendance was upbeat and ready for the September 2016 parliamentary polls.  I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of the Leader of the UP Party Member of Parliament Theodore Heyliger to thank all members and new members who came out to this very important congress,” UP President Silvia Meyers-Olivacee said on Sunday.

“The UP Party Board has a lot of planning and preparations to carry out in the coming weeks with parliamentary elections a little over three months away.  Thanks once again for everybody’s support,” The UP Party in a press release said it will continue to be the visionary party, placing special emphasis on the social and economic development of the country.

“The objective is to ensure that all people in our society feel a part of our community where there are ample opportunities to sustain our families and live comfortably and happily Read more

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May-Ling Chun Joins Up

UP-leader Theo Heyliger shakes with his candidate May-Ling Chun. Photo contributed

St. Maarten News – Long time tourism and hospitality professional May-Ling Chun will contest the September 26 parliamentary elections with the United People’s (UP) party Read more

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One Year After Appeal No New Date For Vote Buying Trial

St. Maarten News – While the parliament engaged this week in a rather senseless second round of debate about – mostly – the term vote buying, the election fraud case that rocked St. Maarten in 2014 and led to accusations of class justice has seemingly come to a complete standstill.

In August 2014, the Court in First Instance ruled that the prosecutor’s office had called upon itself “the semblance of class justice” by prosecuting four police officers and a representative of the United People’s party for selling and buying votes ahead of the 2010 parliamentary elections, while UP-leader Theo Heyliger was not dragged into court Read more

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Theo Heyliger Criticizes Government For Repeated Power Outages

Some Gebe generators are in a bad condition. Photo Today / Hilbert Haar

St. Maarten News – The seemingly extensive mechanical and other problems faced by the Gebe power plant are taking a toll on the economy and putting additional stress on residents, United People’s party leader MP Theo Heyliger said in a press statement.

“Residents and businesses have had to deal with frequent power outages for going on two weeks and there has been no clear indication from government about what is going on Read more

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Mp Frans Richardson Sounds The Alarm: Social Media Messages: Kill The Prime Minister

St. Maarten News – Messages on social media suggest killing the prime minister, members of parliament and their corrupted friends, MP Frans Richardson said during a meeting of parliament about vote buying. While Richardson considered there threats far more important than the issue of vote buying, no other MP even reacted to his statement.

“I am going to protect myself and my family,” Richardson said Read more

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St. Maarten Parliament Debates Sale New Government Building

Plenty of questions but no new insights

St.  Maarten News – Parliament debated the purchase of the new government administration building in a meeting yesterday afternoon but it did not provide any new insights. Minister of General Affairs William Marlin answered a plethora of questions that mostly covered issues so far in the past that they have lost their significance or that addresses issues that are already public knowledge.

Marlin said that at this moment there is no accurate assessment of the office space the government will still need outside of the new building after departments have moved in by September Read more

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Tax Attorney Max Pandt About The Panama Papers “Don’T Blame The Companies, But Blame The Legislators”

Tax attorney Max Pandt. Photo Today / Hilbert Haar

St. Maarten News – by Hilbert Haar – That the name of St. Maarten will surface one day from the by now infamous Panama papers is unlikely, says tax attorney Max Pandt, whose activities as a trust service provider have withered over the years. Nevertheless, Pandt has clear ideas about the ins and outs of offshore activities and the reason companies use such constructions: to pay as little taxes as the law allows.

In the recent past, one company with local links established in Panama has surfaced: Octavio Holdings, Inc Read more

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Opinion: The Spirit Of Giving

Sometimes, initiatives that may have started with the best of intentions are raising eyebrows. Such is the case with the “giving back to the community” initiative of parliamentarian Leona Marlin-Romeo – and we’d like to place this in the context of 2016 – an election year.

We are all familiar with the vote buying scandal dating back to 2010 when a couple of police officers sold their vote for $300 a pop to the United People’s party Read more

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Casinos Major Contributors To Increased State Revenue

St. Maarten News: The government projects an increase in state revenue of 3.1 percent this year compared to (still budgeted) 2015-revenue of 445 million guilders. The real revenue in 2014 was 422 million, but this year the government expects to pull in 458.9 million.

Most of this income stems from taxes – 363.8 million, but that is not where the increase comes from, since the budgeted tax-revenue in 2015 was slightly higher at 364.8 million. In 2014, tax-revenue was 352.4 million.

The bulk of the increase has to come from the casinos Read more

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Up-Leader Commends Police For Arrest Robbery-Suspects

St. Maarten News – Leader of the United People’s Party (UP) and Member of Parliament (MP) Theo Heyliger and the party-board “commend the men and women of the Sint Maarten police force for their successes within the past two weeks that led to several dangerous armed robbers being taken off the streets,” the party said in a press statement.

“We have taken note of the recent joint operation between the Gendarmes and our local police force that resulted in the apprehension of four suspects who are thought to be responsible for armed robberies committed on both sides of the island,” the UP said in a press statement.

“These robbers are suspected of aggressive and violent robberies.  Thanks to the cooperation between both law enforcement agencies of the French and Dutch sides, an end has been brought to this group.  This is a result of the Police Cooperation Treaty that exists to fight cross-border crime.”

“Everybody has a role to play in fighting crime.  It cannot be left up to the men and women in blue.  They need the help of the community to fight crime effectively, and therefore every law-abiding member of the community has to be the eyes and ears of our police force if we really want to take a big bite out of crime,” the release states.

“At the same time, our men and women in blue also need to have the necessary tools and protections for them and their families.  They put their lives on the line every day for our community and for our visitors.  We must ensure that they are taken care of for the sacrifice that they make every day in serving our community – to protect and serve,” the UP stated.  

An urgent Central Committee meeting requested by UP MPs Franklin Meyers and Tamara Leonard and independent MP Leona Marlin-Romeo about the status of insurance coverage for police officers and their families; has been scheduled for this Friday at 10 a.m Read more

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Heyliger Predicts Gloom And Doom

UP-leader hints at election delay and casino licenses

St. Maarten News – Governor Eugène Holiday may have said September 26 is the final date for elections in the December 14 national decree, but United People’s (UP) party leader Member of Parliament (MP) Theo Heyliger says there is “a huge possibility” the Coalition of Eight, at least by mid-year, will request “yet another postponement” of the ballot.

The postponement of the elections, issuance of at least new two casino licenses, the formation of new marketing firms, rather than the implementation of the tourism authority, the non-institution of the Integrity Chamber and the resulting silence of the Dutch Government are among the top ten things that will happen in 2016, Heyliger said in a press release..

“The National Alliance leader said in a past Council of Ministers press conference he will seek the support of the kingdom government on electoral reform Read more

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Theo Heyliger Distributes Pencil Cases Again

St. Maarten News – UP-leader Theo Heyliger once again visited several elementary schools, giving away pencil cases to students who annually look forward to this gesture. As customary a motto is printed on the pencil cases which serves as a motivation for the students Read more

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Former Pm Marcel Gumbs Reacts To Dr. Martha “Not Possible To Revoke Dissolution Decree”

St. Maarten / By Hilbert Haar – “I think that not all the facts were presented to him,” former Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs told this newspaper yesterday in a reaction to the interview with Dr. Rutsel Martha. “He is a good friend and very clever, though somewhat controversial, but his specialty is not in constitutional law.”

Gumbs said that he had acquired advice from three constitutional experts – professors Arjen van Rijn, Tijn Kortmann and Joop van den Berg Read more

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St. Maarten Port Inaugurates Gottwald Crane

On the left is the boom of the Terex Gottwald Model 6 Crane and the CMA CGM Container Vessel, the largest to dock at Port St. Maarten, MV Marseille. Photo contributed

St. Maarten – During the inauguration on Saturday of the newly acquired Terex Gottwald Model 6 Crane, and the welcome ceremony for the CMA CGM Marseille Container Cargo Vessel – the largest vessel to operate at Port St. Maarten Cargo Facility – the buzz coming from various stakeholders was about the strategic investments that have been made by Port St Read more

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Mp Johan Leonard About The Cause Of Ship Jumping: Our Party Leaders Blatantly Disrespect Their Members

MP Heyliger is still smiling after the severe criticism from his fellow-faction member Johan Leonard (left). Photo Today / Milton Pieters

St. Maarten – The attitude of party leaders is the main reason for ship jumping, United People’s party MP Johan Leonard said yesterday morning in an unexpected sharp attack on UP-leader Theo Heyliger Read more

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Winners And Losers: Who Will Survive The Polls In February?

St. Maarten / By Hilbert Haar – February 9, 2016 is crunch day for politicians and those who aspire to become one. The parliamentary elections – for some mysterious reason perceived by some as ‘snap elections’, whatever that may be – will give voters the opportunity to speak their mind about the constitutional drama that concluded on Wednesday when the ministers of the Marcel Gumbs cabinet tendered their resignation and Governor Drs Read more

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“Principles And Values” Directed Maurice Lake’S Decision

Ex-Vromi Minister Maurice Lake.

St. Maarten – In a statement that runs almost 2,000 words, now independent MP Maurice Lake has defended himself against accusations by United People’s party leader Theo Heyliger that “power, position and ministry and others have manipulated him to break the government for self-interest.”

Lake says that he has known Heyliger for 25 years as a friend and for 15 years as his advisor.

“I have three Master’s Degrees and work hard for my family for everything I got in life and never asked Theo Heyliger for nothing in life Read more

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Colade-Investigation Targets Regina Labega And Badejo

St. Maarten – The office of the public prosecutor confirmed in a brief press release that on Thursday house searches were conducted by the National Detective agency on five locations. The press release labels “R.L., F.A.A.B. and E.F.” as suspects in the so-called Colade-investigation.

Behind the initials are airport director Regina Labega, author Fabian Badejo and Erica Fortuna, reportedly a business partner of his. Attorney Cor Merx said on Thursday that the home of Labega’s sister has been searched twice Read more

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No Class Justice At St. Maarten’S Prosecutor’S Office

St. Maarten – The Public Prosecutor’s Office in St. Maarten does not deal with high officials differently than with other citizens. That is the main conclusion of the Law Enforcement Council following the investigation concerning possible class justice by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in St. Maarten. The reason for the investigation was the ruling of the Court of First Instance in the so-called “Masbangu” case, in which the court ruled that the prosecutor’s office, had created the semblance of class justice Read more

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Where Is Theo?

Theo Heyliger – File photo

Dear Editor,

?With all the commotion going on…where is Theo? His silence is deafening.

Is he backing the Government’s fight for new elections now? Is he ready? Curious to know.

Michael J Read more

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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

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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

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Parliament Goes All Out Against Attorney-General Schram “His Remarks Are As Bad As The Crimes He Fights”

MP William Marlin: “The AG insults everybody in St. Maarten.” Photo Today / Leo Brown

St. Maarten – Parliament unanimously make minced meat of the remarks Attorney-General Guus Schram made on September 11 during the installation of Judge Sander van Rijen and demanded his resignation (see related story on our front page).

“I do not want to get into a debate with the attorney-general,” National Alliance faction leader William Marlin said Read more

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