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NAPB says failure to ratify police structure has resulted in instability

~ Union will work with incoming minister ~

PHILIPSBURG--The failure of government to ratify and introduce the new police structure almost four years since St. Maarten assumed its new constitutional structure has resulted in "instability, unrest and infighting" between personnel in the Police Force, says NAPB police union president Ethelwoldus Josepha.

NAPB has been lobbying for a number of benefits and rights for officers over the years with little progress, but Josepha said the union would be working with whoever the incoming minister and relevant officials would be.

"Over the last four years, different meetings were kept with the two different ministers of justice with the idea to have the police structure ratified and implemented Read more

Judge allows witnesses to be heard in Bada Bing case

PHILIPSBURG--Judge Koos van de Ven has allowed a number of witnesses to be heard on behalf of the defence in the so-called "Orca" case. The Court announced its decision on a number of the defence's requests for additional investigations and the hearing of witnesses during a brief session on Tuesday morning.

The suspects did not appear in Court, but were represented by their respective lawyers. It is not known when the actual court case will be heard, most likely in March or April 2015.

In the trial, Member of Parliament (MP) Patrick Illidge (48) will be charged with accepting bribes from Bada Bing and Lunteren N.V Read more

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Judge to decide Tuesday on Bada Bing witnesses

PHILIPSBURG--Judge Koos van de Ven decided on Thursday to adjourn the preliminary hearing in the so-called "Orca" trial until next week Tuesday, to consider requests of the defence for additional investigations and the hearing of witnesses.

It is not yet known when the actual court case will be heard, but in any case not before mid-January 2015; most likely in March or April 2015.

In the trial, Member of Parliament (MP) Patrick Illidge (48) will be charged with accepting bribes from Bada Bing and Lunteren N.V Read more

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Court orders government to purchase Vorst property

PHILIPSBURG--The Court of First Instance on Thursday ordered Country St. Maarten to honour the agreement closed between Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure VROMI Maurice Lake and members of the Vorst family to purchase their property in Cay Hill against payment of US $5.5 million.

Six members of the Vorst family had initiated summary proceedings against government on June 5, because it had failed to adhere to several agreements to purchase their property.

The Vorst family, represented by attorney-at-law Jairo Bloem, had requested the Court to order Country St Read more

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NA concerned about errors by notaries

PHILIPSBURG--The National Alliance has expressed concern about what appears to be a growing number of errors being made by notaries practising in the country.

Whether the errors were an oversight or were being done deliberately, they should not occur as they can have serious consequences National Alliance (NA) Leader Member of Parliament (MP) William Marlin said in a press release on Sunday.

Marlin alluded to two recent cases brought before the court which found that errors had been made by notaries in the respective sales of Caravanserai Resort and in the former Pelican Resort Read more

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Sale of Pelican Resort declared null and void

PHILIPSBURG--The Court of First Instance on Tuesday declared null and void the disputed December 16, 2010, auction of Pelican Resort and Club.

In the court case on the merits, the former owners of Pelican Resort, now Simpson Bay Resort, successfully challenged the legality of the auction, which was called after the owners of the resort fell behind with their mortgage payments.

Lender Quantum Investment Trust (QIT) auctioned off the resort in a public auction on which it submitted the only and winning bid and became the owner of the resort, after which QIT transferred ownership to Simpson Bay Resort Owner Company B.V Read more

Youth empowerment: Innovation

Dear Editor,

St. Maarten, under the leadership of the Democratic Party, is working rigorously towards creating a society where people of different cultures and religions can live together with mutual trust. To build a civilized society based on similar norms and employment opportunities it is essential to create a platform for integration and personal development.

Based on the diversity of cultures and nationalities that exist, St Read more

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Editorial - Costly error?

The questions posed by Member of Parliament Johan "Janchi" Leonard (UP) about Winair (see Friday paper) deserve an answer. If indeed the government-owned carrier owes US $4.1 million to a company in Guadeloupe for wet-leasing an ATR plane, the former policeman's concern is understandable.

After all, St. Maarten is the airline's majority shareholder, while St. Eustatius and Saba each have minority interest Read more

Woman mauled to death by pit bulls

LAMAHA SPRINGS, Guyana--Joan Carter (51) died Tuesday, August 5, after she was viciously attacked by two pit bulls at her Lamaha Springs home.

The woman's brother-in-law Leslie Thomside told iNews he found her dead on her knees at the door of the apartment. Thomside is now considering "putting the dogs down" even though they pose no threat to him or his wife [Carter's sister – Ed.] and serve as a form of security for them.

Thomside explained that his sister-in-law would be in the dogs' company whenever he or his wife is at home Read more