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Dutch Send Supervisor Integrity And Reinforcements To The Island

Debate about Kingdom Relations-budget in The Hague

THE HAGUE  – Assistance for the Public Prosecutor’s Office to fight white collar criminality,  border control under the supervision of the Netherlands and the appointment of a Supervisor Integrity. These are the three pillars of an action plan Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk announced yesterday in the debate about the budget for Kingdom Relations in the Second Chamber in The Hague.

Plasterk said during the debate that the situation in St Read more

Up Party Says It Will Not Accept Any Dutch Interference

St. Maarten – The board of the United Peoples Party (UP) strongly believes “that the recent rhetoric of the Liberal Democratic VVD party and Socialist Party (SP) in the Netherlands is exactly that, rhetoric, but nonetheless infringes on the fundamentals of St. Maarten’s parliamentary democracy,” the party stated in a press release.

“The people have clearly spoken and the support our party and its leadership serves testimony to the confidence the people of St Read more

Prime Minister Has Nothing But Smooth Answers To Integrity Questions

St. Maarten – Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams had nothing but smooth answers to questions about the PricewaterhouseCoopers integrity report yesterday but then, her term in office comes to an end just eight days from now and from the way things stand now, she will not have to deal with it from an executive position anymore.

Wescot-Williams said that the government is ready to take over the recommendations from the PWC-integrity report, adding that the new government that will soon take office also ought to get an opportunity to react to it Read more

Thompson Concerned About Economic And Environmental Sustainability

St. Maarten –Rueben Thompson of the United St. Maarten party expressed his concerns for St. Maarten’s future environmental and economic sustainability under the governance of current Minister of Vromi Maurice Lake and the newly-formed UP coalition, which will constitute the new government, saying, “We’re slaughtering the goose that lays the golden egg.”

“I’m very concerned about the plans for the protection of our natural and cultural heritage Read more

Donor Szv Officially Hands Over Mobile Health Services Bus To Vsa

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (VSA) and by extention the people of St. Maarten are officially the proud new owners of the Mobile Health Services bus which was donated by Social Health Insurances (SZV).

The official signing of the transfer documents and keys were handed over by the Deputy Director/COO of SZV, Mr. Willemsberg to Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (VSA) Cornelius de Weever on Thursday afternoon.

Tomorrow the bus will receive its L- license plate and become officially registered as a government vehicle and maintained as such by Facility Management under the supervision of Department Head Rignald Martina.

"SZV looks forward to working together with the Ministry of VSA to ensure sustainability of the project Read more

Up Calls On The Nation To Take Part In Breast Cancer Awareness Activities For The Month Of October

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – The board of the United People's Party (UP) is calling on the Sint Maarten community to take part in various Breast Cancer Awareness activities that will be held for the month of October.

Countries around the world hold activities to help increase attention and support for the awareness, early detection and treatment as well as palliative care of this disease.

A Breast Cancer Awareness march organized by community based organizations is planned on Friday, October 3rd starting at the Festival Village in Philipsburg at 4.30pm Read more

Minister De Weever Continues The Tradition Of Balding His Head To Support Breast Cancer Awareness

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - In solidarity with people undergoing treatment for breast cancer, Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour Cornelius de Weever continues to honor his tradition of balding his head.

On October 1st breast cancer survivor and founder of Still Beautiful Foundation, Marcellina Loblack shaved his head.

Each year Minister de Weever takes part in this breast cancer awareness initiative to support and encourage breast cancer awareness

"October, Breast Cancer Awareness month provides an opportunity for us all to focus on breast cancer and its impact on those affected by the disease as well as raise awareness about the importance of early detection of breast cancer.

In honor of those who we have lost to breast cancer, to those who are struggling with it, and to the survivors I encourage everyone to come out to the activities organized by the Positive Foundation and Elektralytes Foundation this month.

Raising awareness about breast cancer has come a long way.

With the efforts initiated by the Ministry and more importantly by the various NGO's such as Positive Foundation and the Elektralytes, people and especially women on the island are becoming more proactive in getting regular check-ups Read more

Editorial - First things first

Reports received by The Daily Herald that a change was being made to the casino policy were confirmed by outgoing Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams during Wednesday's weekly press briefing (see related article). Answers to further inquiries from this newspaper also were provided last night by the cabinet chief of the responsible Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Ted Richardson.

It's an interesting development especially because it regards gaming activities, always a sensitive subject Read more

Jamaica government says tackling crime not only a matter for law enforcement

KINGSTON, Jamaica--The Jamaica government is calling on nationals to re-think their position that the solution to crime and violence is a matter only for law enforcement.

"Law enforcement has an important role to play, but if we think it is only law enforcement that is going to fix our crime problem, then we are seriously mistaken. The truth of the matter is...when you look at the root causes of crime, it starts with the family," said National Security Minister, Peter Bunting, who said there needed to be a deepened understanding among Jamaicans of the causes of crime and violence affecting the island.

Bunting, addressing the launch of a Unite for Change forum and First Responders and Violence Interrupters training, said the understanding is needed in order to identify and put in place strategies aimed at fighting the scourge.

He said it is hoped that through the Unite for Change programme, the quest for a better understanding of the issues surrounding crime and violence will be achieved and a number of misconceptions will be removed from the thinking of Jamaicans.

"A part of the Unite for Change initiative is really working to deepen our understanding of the causes of violence, because if you don't understand what is causing it...you will end up just treating the symptoms and not curing the disease."

Bunting said one of the strategies being employed by his Ministry in curbing crime and violence is the use of "softer policing," where members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) are dressed in a more civilian-friendly manner, instead of looking as if they are on a mission to confront.

"When we talk about changing culture, we recognize that the first place we have to start is with the Police Read more

UP answers Dutch MPs’ statements, claims would infringe on democracy

~ Calls statements rhetoric~

PHILIPSBURG--The board of the United Peoples (UP) party says it "strongly believes" that the recent statements made by members of the liberal democratic VVD party and Socialist Party (SP) in the Netherlands is "rhetoric," and it "infringes on the fundamentals of St. Maarten's Parliamentary democracy."

The VVD and SP had been very critical of in particular UP leader Theo Heyliger, with both saying they would be calling for an instruction to have a criminal investigation focusing on Heyliger, during the handling of the draft 2015 budget of Kingdom Relations in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Wednesday.

UP said in a press release on Wednesday that St Read more

Policy expanded to grant four new casino licences

~ Airport and Harbour to get licences ~

PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Ted Richardson has expanded the casino policy to grant four additional casino licences – two for land-based casinos and two for vessels, the minister's Chef de Cabinet Ludwig Ouenniche told The Daily Herald last night.

The Harbour Group of Companies and Princess Juliana International Airport SXM already have submitted applications for casino licences, according to a press release from the minister's cabinet Read more

Plasterk wants intervention in St. Maarten justice system

THE HAGUE--A special white-collar crime unit from the Netherlands at the Philipsburg Prosecutor's Office, an Integrity Officer appointed by the Dutch Government, more direct supervision of The Hague on immigration and border protection through the strengthening of the Royal Dutch Marechaussee, National Detectives/RST, Customs Department, the Royal Dutch Navy and the St. Maarten Police Force.

These are the measures that Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk will be proposing for St Read more

PvdA suggests broad-based business Cabinet St. Maarten

THE HAGUE--A national unity government or a broadly carried business Cabinet serving the best interest of the St. Maarten people while at the same time allowing an in-depth criminal investigation into the vote-buying and the process of the recent Parliamentary elections – that is what Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Roelof van Laar of the Labour Party PvdA will be bringing forward during the handling of the draft 2015 budget of Kingdom Relations in the Second Chamber today, Wednesday.

Van Laar's suggestion is a more moderate solution to the integrity problems in the St Read more

Minister de Weever Attended Council of Ministers Meeting on Tuesday --- Ministry fully functional.

style="text-align: center;">No political talks took place

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Health, Labor and Social Affairs Cornelius de Weever attended the Council of Ministers meeting on Tuesday, confirmed Prime Minister of St. Maarten Sarah Wescot Williams Read more

Minister of TEATT Broadens Casino License Policy – PM.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams confirmed on Wednesday when she was asked if the current caretaker government made changes to the casino license policy in order to grant three more stand-alone casino licenses. Wescot Williams told reporters she did hear something to that effect on the streets and she asked the Minister of TEATT about it and he told her that the casino licensing policy has been expanded Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The task ahead for St. Maarten is daunting said Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams when addressing the media on Wednesday during the Council of Ministers weekly press briefing. She said St. Maarten will do what is necessary to implement the recommendations given in the PWC integrity report which the Kingdom Council mandated the Governor of St Read more

Mobile Health Services Bus Has Arrived

St. Maarten – A mobile health bus service has been introduced on the island and Health Minister Cornelius de Weever notes that the introduction of this service brings the island one step closer to a healthier St. Maarten through increased access to health care services.

“Preventative care is highly important for managing the health of the people of St Read more

Pwc-Integrity Report: Ministers Meddle In Day To Day Operations Of Their Departments

St. Maarten – Senior public officials throughout the government have failed consistently to set the tone that exemplifies the highest standards of personal and professional integrity. This is among the findings PricewaterhouseCoopers researchers have included in their integrity inquiry into the functioning of the Government of St. Maarten.

The report contains a stunning collection of examples that show how ministers and high-ranking civil servants alike use their clout to frustrate the functioning of departments Read more

Editorial - More of that

PvdA member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Roelof van Laar has suggested a national unity government or broadly-based business cabinet for St. Maarten, while an in-depth inquiry is conducted into vote-buying and the recent elections (see related article). This is seen as a more moderate alternative to an instruction for a criminal investigation as advocated by VVD and SP.

The reality is that the only known case of reported vote-buying by UP in fact already has gone to court Read more

Olympic swimming champ Phelps arrested on drunken driving charge

WASHINGTON-- American swimmer Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time, was arrested for drunken driving early on Tuesday after speeding and then crossing the double-lane lines inside a Baltimore tunnel, police said.

The 18-time Olympic gold medalist later apologized for the incident, saying he was "deeply sorry to everyone I have let down."

Police said Phelps, 29, was clocked by radar around 1:40 a.m. traveling 84 miles per hour (135 kph) in a 45-mph (72-kph) zone Read more

King Yen Tae Kwon Do is moving

Grandmaster Theo Liu has held weekly training sessions at the Prins Willem Alexander School in St. Peters for nearly 15 years. As the school is closing and will be replaced, training will now be held from 5:00 to 8:00pm Thursdays and 4:00 to 7:00pm Sundays at Helmich Snijder Hillside Christian School at the Grape Fruit Road. "It's important Tae kwon do continues in St. Peters especially for those children that don't have transportation," said Liu. The Grandmaster also conducts training sessions in Middle Region at the Sister Marie Laurens School Read more

Integrity report: Transfer SLAC back to government

THE HAGUE/PHILIPSBURG--The regulatory functions of the Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority Corporation (SLAC) should be transferred back to government to create a level playing field for the sector and avoid a distortion of competition.

This is one of the recommendations of the PricewaterhouseCoopers Inquiry Team that scrutinised the functioning of integrity in the St. Maarten government. The inquiry report, ordered by the Kingdom Council of Ministers through St. Maarten Governor Eugene Holiday, was released on Friday.

The Integrity Team observed that the 2009 acquisition of SLAC by the St Read more

VVD, SP to call for probe of Theo in today’s debate

THE HAGUE--The liberal democratic VVD party and Socialist Party (SP) will be calling for an instruction to have a criminal investigation focusing on United People's (UP) party leader Theo Heyliger, during the handling of the draft 2015 budget of Kingdom Relations in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament today, Wednesday.

If it were up to Second Chamber Member André Bosman of the liberal democratic VVD party, there would be an instruction from the Kingdom government for such an investigation sooner rather than later.

"Everything has to be geared towards realising that Read more

Mobile Health Services bus here

PHILIPSBURG--The Mobile Health Services Bus was transported from the Port of Galisbay to the Fire Department on Monday by representatives of the Health Ministry's Collective Prevention Services (CPS) and Social and Health Care Insurance SZV.

The bus will be stationed at the Fire Department when there is no outreach activity taking place.

The bus is equipped with medical testing and examination facilities that will facilitate the delivery of preventive care. It will be used to strengthen the existing programmes that are executed by CPS and broaden the scope of service delivery, a press release said Read more