SXMElections.com

Voting Is Showing Politicians Their ‘Report Card,’ Says Residents

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Voters in today’s election say they are deciding to hold their leaders accountable by going to the polls. More than 20,000 people could cast the vote in Monday’s parliamentary election, the second in two years.

For resident Jefferson George, voting today meant exercising his right and guaranteeing himself a say in how the island is run.

“Now that I vote I can have a say, I can complain. If I didn’t vote, I would just have to accept what they give,” George told 721news.com.

He was among the trickle of voters trooping into the Raoul Illidge Sports Complex in Cay Hill after 1:00pm Read more

Frans Calls On Pm To ‘Shut Gibson Up’

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Leader of the United St. Maarten (US) party MP Frans Richardson on Monday night urged Prime Minister of St. Maarten William Marlin to finally “put to bed and shut up” Minister of Finance Richard Gibson who, according to Richardson, is “becoming rude and bold in this country.”

Marlin and Gibson

Richardson tore into Gibson during the USp’s public meeting on Monday night, chastising him for not taking care of workers in his places of business for many years, but quick to talk down colleague MP’s of the current coalition government Read more

Chinese To Develop 326-Room Hotel, 450 Apartments In Belair

Source: The Daily Herald

POND ISLAND–A 326-room hotel with a showroom and 450 executive apartments will be constructed on the Belair beachfront by a Chinese public-private venture. Plans for the “Pearl of China” project have already approved by Government and the ground-breaking for the project is slated for September 17, and should take some two years to complete.

This multi-million dollar project, for which the Chinese bought the land that was for the shelved Barbaron development, was announced by Finance Minister Richard Gibson Sr Read more

Los Chinos Construirán 326 Habitaciones De Hotel Y 450 Apartamentos En Belair

Traducido por Máximo Castro

POND ISLAND.– Un hotel de 326 habitaciones con una sala de exposición y 450 apartamentos ejecutivos serán construidos frente a la playa de Belair, por una empresa público-privada china. Los planes para el proyecto “Perla de China” ya ha aprobado por el Gobierno y el primer picazo para el inicio de la construcción del proyecto está programado para el 17 de septiembre y la construcción de este proyecto está planificado a terminarse en dos años.

Este proyecto de varios millones de dólares, para el que los chinos compraron la tierra, fue anunciado por el ministro de Finanzas Richard Gibson Sr Read more

Gov’T Will Have Final Say In Appointment Of Board Members To Government Owned Companies

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The Council of Ministers will now have the final say in the selection of board members for government owned companies and foundations. Minister Richard Gibson said this decision was taken by the Council of Ministers this week, due to the wanton appointment of board members to government owned companies with little or no input from the Council of Ministers.

“A decision was taken going forward that all appointees to all government corporations, foundations, will not take place without the consent and approval of the Council of Ministers,” Minister Gibson announced.

Minister Gibson suggested that the appointment of board members for quite some time has been done with no input from the government which is the main shareholder and that it was time this practice stopped.

“We have seen a tendency of people being appointed to government boards…that the Council of Ministers sit back and have no say in Read more

Sxm Has Balanced Budget For 2017

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — St. Maarten has a balanced budget for 2017, announced Minister of Finance Richard Gibson at the Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday. “For the first time in history, St. Maarten has presented a balanced budget for 2017 according to the stipulations in the law.

That budget has been presented to the Council of Ministers and it has been passed (Tuesday) by the Council of Ministers,” he said Read more