SXMElections.com

Maria Plantz tipped as country’s CFT rep

PHILIPSBURG--Committee for Financial Supervision CFT will soon have a member from St. Maarten. Tipped for the post is Corporate Legal Expert Maria van der Sluijs-Plantz.

The St. Maartener, who lives in the Netherlands, has already served the country as the vice chairwoman of the first Corporate Governance Council (CGC) that was established in 2010. She serves as Vice Chairman of Strategic Development at TMF Group Holding BV, a company that focuses on corporate compliance. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

CFT Chairman Age Bakker said in a press conference on Thursday that a nominee to fill the vacant St Read more

More than 700 pilgrims die in crush in worst haj disaster for 25 years

MINA, Saudi Arabia--At least 717 pilgrims from around the world were killed on Thursday in a crush outside the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi authorities said, in the worst disaster to strike the annual haj pilgrimage for 25 years.
  At least 863 others were injured. Saudi King Salman said he had ordered a review of haj plans after the disaster, in which two large groups of pilgrims arrived together at a crossroads in Mina, a few kilometres east of Mecca, on their way to performing the "stoning of the devil" ritual at Jamarat.
  Thursday's disaster was the worst to occur at the pilgrimage since July 1990, when 1,426 pilgrims suffocated in a tunnel near Mecca Read more

Open letter to Parliament

Dear Editor,

Please allow me some space in your newspaper to address the chairman of the house of parliament, the honourable Lloyd Richardson and the honourable members of parliament of country Sint Maarten.

Ladies and gentlemen, please permit me to draw your kind attention to the following problem taking place here on this lovely twin island of St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- During his working visit to the Netherlands, Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs met with Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs Bert Koenders on Wednesday.
During the meeting a number of issues were discussed including an invitation to travel to New York City for a meeting of the United Nations (UN) Security Council.
All Prime Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- United People’s (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake has mixed feelings about Tuesdays Parliament meeting with respect to the agreement between ZEBEC and the St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies.
“No matter the agreement is legal and according to the law but if you look at it from an ethical and moral point of view I have mixed feelings Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- On the second day of his first working visit to Holland Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs met with the Vice-President of the Council of State for the Kingdom Piet-Hein Donner, where they exchanged views on current affairs.
Before becoming Prime Minister, Marcel Gumbs was an active member of the Council of Advice for Sint Maarten.
In a pleasant atmosphere, information was shared with respect to the position of Sint Maarten towards the current instructions that came from the Kingdom Council of Ministers.
Donner and Prime Minister Gumbs a discussed the National Ordinance to establish an Integrity Chamber, which has recently been brought to the Constitutional Court by the Ombudsman.
The Vice-President of the Council of State for the Kingdom Donnor, stressed the importance and need for a Kingdom dispute regulation and the need to improve communications between the four countries within the Kingdom and on all levels.
The Prime Minister’s delegation included St Read more

St. Maarten Prime Minister In The Netherlands For Talks With Kingdom Relations Minister

Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs is in the Netherlands for talks with Kingdom Relations Minister Ronald Plasterk. There is no information available about the content of these talks at this moment, but the photo seems to suggest that, after all the tensions that have marred the relationship between the Kingdom and St. Maarten, Gumbs and Plasterk now appear to be the best of friends Read more

St. Maarten Prime Minister In The Netherlands For Talks With Kingdom Relations Minister

Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs is in the Netherlands for talks with Kingdom Relations Minister Ronald Plasterk. There is no information available about the content of these talks at this moment, but the photo seems to suggest that, after all the tensions that have marred the relationship between the Kingdom and St. Maarten, Gumbs and Plasterk now appear to be the best of friends Read more

Mp Marlin Wants To Talk About Dress Code

St. Maarten – There are zero journalist here. They are boycotting this meeting of parliament,” National Alliance faction leader William Marlin said yesterday afternoon during the debate about the deal the harbor made with developer Zebec Read more

Mp Marlin Wants To Talk About Dress Code

St. Maarten – There are zero journalist here. They are boycotting this meeting of parliament,” National Alliance faction leader William Marlin said yesterday afternoon during the debate about the deal the harbor made with developer Zebec Read more

Meeting About Zebec-Deal Continues: Opposition Questions Deal, Coalition Praises Harbor

St. Maarten – Parliament will have to wait until this afternoon for answers to the questions it posed yesterday in a public meeting about the settlement between the Harbor Group of Companies and real estate developer Zebec over the failed Harbor Village project.

As Today reported on Monday, September 14, social insurance agency SZV borrowed the harbor $10 million on a short 3-month loan to settle the dispute with Zebec.

Yesterday’s meeting did not bring anything new to light Read more

Meeting About Zebec-Deal Continues: Opposition Questions Deal, Coalition Praises Harbor

St. Maarten – Parliament will have to wait until this afternoon for answers to the questions it posed yesterday in a public meeting about the settlement between the Harbor Group of Companies and real estate developer Zebec over the failed Harbor Village project.

As Today reported on Monday, September 14, social insurance agency SZV borrowed the harbor $10 million on a short 3-month loan to settle the dispute with Zebec.

Yesterday’s meeting did not bring anything new to light Read more

Mp Silveria Jacobs Embarrassed By Ministers’ Crude Language

St. Maarten – National Alliance MP Silveria Jacobs admonished Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs and Vice Prime Minister Dennis Richardson yesterday for the language they have used in public fora Read more

NA: Marlin’s waste-to-energy plan called for zero investment

PHILIPSBURG--The still-pending waste-to-energy (WTE) plant would have cost taxpayers “a total of zero investment” under the plan left behind by National Alliance (NA) leader Member of Parliament William Marlin after his tenure as Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI in 2012-2013, said the NA board in a press statement on Wednesday.

The terms of reference were designed so that the WTE supplier would be granted a concession for 20-25 years and utilities company GEBE would buy the energy produced by the WTE plant, said the board as they chided United People’s (UP) party Member of Parliament Theo Heyliger for saying in Parliament recently that projects require investment.

“So you see, MP Heyliger, you are not correct Read more

Statia meets with UN, starts process for more autonomy

NEW YORK/ORANJESTAD--The St. Eustatius Government delegation that met with the United Nations (UN) Decolonisation Committee in New York this week has decided to proceed with the process to gather international support for the island to be placed back on the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories (NSGTs). Drafting a St. Eustatius Constitution is part of that process.

Also, a white paper on St. Eustatius’ present status as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS), including examples of the Dutch Government’s neglect of its responsibilities, will be prepared, as well as a draft UN resolution for re-inscription on the list of NSGTs.

The Statia delegation that met with the UN this week consisted of Commissioner of Constitutional Affairs Reginald Zaandam, Progressive Labour Party (PLP) party leader and Island Council Member Clyde van Putten, and United People’s Coalition (UPC) leader in the Island Council Reuben Merkman and advisor Xavier Blackman.  

During the constructive exploratory consultations at the UN in the past days, the delegation discussed the process of having St Read more

Colombia, FARC vow to end 50-year war within six months

HAVANA--Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and the top FARC rebel commander pledged on Wednesday to end their 50-year war within the next six months, sealing their pact with a handshake likely to stand as a lasting image in the South American nation.
  Santos and FARC rebel leader Rodrigo Londono, better known by the nom de guerre Timochenko, also agreed the leftist guerrillas would lay down arms within 60 days of signing the deal, which now has an official deadline of March 23, 2016 Read more

Should have known

Dear Editor,

It is a very high standard, but a very basic tenement of management. The fact is that a settlement of this size is catastrophic for the harbour.

I disagree with your editorial of “costly mistake” – there is no such thing. There is only accountability when it involves transactions of this magnitude. It is irrelevant whether he knew or not – He is the Director – and should have known.

Mr. Mingo needs to resign immediately. Anything short of that is the typical nepotism and favouritism that has been protecting “Teflon” Mark Mingo, and is a direct insult to all my former colleagues that were shown the door for far less costly “should have knowns.”

Allard Stamm,

Former Director EDC – ousted because "I should have known" that Don Hughes would protest a retail facility at the Harbour, and unlike Mr Read more

Celta stun Barcelona 4-1, Real's Benzema hits double to sink Bilbao

BARCELONA-- A Karim Benzema brace gave Real Madrid a 2-1 victory at Athletic Bilbao and lifted them to the top of La Liga on goal difference ahead of Celta Vigo, who thrashed Barcelona 4-1 on Wednesday with Iago Aspas hitting a double.
  The Frenchman took full advantage of a poor backpass by Mikel San Jose and fired home to put Real ahead after 19 minutes.
  Bilbao showed typical fighting spirit and a fine diving header from Sabin Merino ended Real keeper Keylor Navas' record unbeaten start to the season after 67 minutes, but they were only level for three minutes.
  Benzema, a threat all night to the Athletic rearguard, was quickest to an Isco cross and knocked it in from close range.
  Real and Celta now have 13 points after five games while Barcelona are a point behind.
  After disappointing spells at Liverpool and Sevilla, Aspas is back to his best this season having returned to Celta and struck clinical finishes in either half against a Barcelona side who were far from their normal dominant selves.
  Nolito, a former Barcelona youth player, fired his fifth goal in as many games to put Celta ahead after 25 minutes with a pinpoint curling drive from the left of the area Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the Democratic Party and Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Wlliams said in a press release that she took note of the presentation to government of the initial report by the tripartite group, consisting of VSA ministry, St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) and SZV. This report is in keeping with the protocol signed by these entities in March 2015, the basis of this protocol being to put SMMC back on a solid footing Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- During the tenure of former Minister William Marlin of the National Alliance, the Waste to Energy Plant would have cost the people of St. Maarten a total of ZERO investment. The terms of reference was designed as such that the WTE supplier would be granted a concession for 20 to 25 years where GEBE would buy the Energy generated by the WTE plant Read more

>POINTE BLANCHE:---  Port St. Maarten Security as well as several law enforcement agency representatives from St. Maarten recently attended a Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) security conference where a strategic security alliance has been formed.
RCCL allowed a team of security and law enforcement professionals from country St. Maarten to speak at a security conference held by Global Security for the company’s security staff. This conference is held twice a year, and this is the first time that a port destination has been included as speaker at the conference.

The St Read more

Prime Minister Gumbs Meets With Vice-President Of The Council Of State For The Kingdom Piet-Hein Donner

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – On the second day of his first working visit to Holland Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs met with the Vice-President of the Council of State for the Kingdom Piet-Hein Donner, where they exchanged views on current affairs.

Before becoming Prime Minister, Marcel Gumbs was an active member of the Council of Advice for Sint Maarten.

In a pleasant atmosphere, information was shared with respect to the position of Sint Maarten towards the current instructions that came from the Kingdom Council of Ministers Read more

It’S All About Negotiations Mp Heyliger

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - During the tenure of former Minister William Marlin of the National Alliance, the Waste to Energy plant would have cost the people of St. Maarten a total of ZERO investment.

The terms of reference was designed as such that the WTE supplier would be granted a concession for 20 to 25 years where GEBE would buy the Energy generated by the WTE plant.

So you see MP Heyliger, you are not correct Read more

S.E.L. Maduro & Sons Donates Bullet Proof Vests To The Police

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - In the aftermath of Police Bike Patrol Officer Gamali Benjamin’s tragic demise, S.E.L. Maduro & Sons, in keeping with its pledge to the Police Force, has donated 10 bulletproof vests to Chief Inspector Rudolph C. Bloeiman and Chief Inspector Ricardo V. Henson.

The vests are specifically for the Bike Patrol unit who are considered “Ambassadors” of St. Maarten.

Raquel Coupland Wathey, General Manager of S.E.L. Maduro and Sons, said: “The safety of our officers is very important to us as a business and members of the community Read more