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Ceremonies Held To Remember Victims In St. Martin, France

MARIGOT--Two ceremonies were held in St. Martin on Monday to remember the victims of the wave of violence that swept through St. Martin last week and the latest terrorist attack in Nice, France, where 84 persons lost their lives.

  There was a gathering in the garden of Hotel de la Collectivité at midday, where Territorial Council President Aline Hanson, Préfète Anne Laubies and Police aux Frontières (PAF) Commandant Jean-Luc Deras lit candles Read more

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‘Musical Chairs’ movie sends powerful message

MARIGOT--St. Maarten/St. Martin Alliance for Equality (SAFE) hosted a successful screening of the very entertaining movie “Musical Chairs” at the Cultural Center in Sandy Ground on Wednesday evening.

The event produced a good turnout from a diverse public representing both French and Dutch sides. Elected officials present included First Vice-President and Senator of the Collectivité of St. Martin Guillaume Arnell, Second Vice-President of the Collectivité Ramona Connor and Territorial Councillor René-Jean Duret Read more

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SNSM sea rescue RIB christened at marina

MARIGOT--The volunteers of French-side sea rescue service SNSM savoured an uplifting moment Friday evening when their second-hand semi-rigid inflatable boat (RIB) was christened officially at a ceremony on the shore next to Marina Fort Louis in front of elected officials and many invited guests.

The yellow RIB came into view with its crew just before the ceremony began, followed by the lifeboats SNSM 269 from St. Barths and Rescue 2 from the St. Maarten Sea Rescue Foundation, both vessels sounding their horns for the celebratory occasion before tying up to the entrance dock.

The 12-metre-long 3.62-metre-wide RIB named Rescue Star is powered by two 275-horsepower outboard engines and in calm sea conditions can reach speeds of 35-40 knots Read more

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Majority adopts Urban Code at Council meeting

MARIGOT--The majority party adopted the new Urban Code at the year’s last Territorial Council meeting on Thursday despite the Opposition voicing several concerns before abstaining on the vote. The Code will now come into effect on March 1, 2015.

The vote followed the public meeting and presentation on December 4 with the specialist and editor of the Code, Philippe Baffert. On December 5 technicians correlated the Urban Code project with the Plan Local Urbanisme (PLU) and on December 9 the urbanism commission harmonised further aspects of the Code.

Since April 2012 St Read more

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Fiscal non-residents to be taxed at rate of residents

MARIGOT--The Territorial Council at a plenary session on Thursday, November 20, re-voted and adopted the deliberation already decided at the last session on October 30, whereby fiscal non-residents living in St. Martin less than five years will be taxed at the same rate as residents if receiving at least 75 per cent of their income derived from St. Martin. This income tax will be paid in 2016 based on declaration of 2015 revenue.

The re-vote was necessary due to the omission of when the new law would go into effect.

Although the motion was passed by the majority Opposition Leader Daniel Gibbs argued the decision circumvents the five-year residency rule stated in the Organic Law and is therefore illegal.

"The condition of the five-year rule is obligatory in the organic law," he insisted Read more

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Préfecture confirms list of Senatorial candidates

MARIGOT--The Préfecture officially confirmed last night the list of candidates who will contest the September 28 election for senator of St. Martin. The deadline to declare candidacy was 6:00pm Friday.

The list has seven candidates, more than first expected. They are as follows: First Vice-President Guillaume Arnell (substitute Aline Hanson), Territorial Councillor René-Jean Duret (substitute Rosette Gumbs-Lake), President of Economic, Social and Cultural Council Georges Gumbs (substitute Carole Gumbs), Union for Democracy (UD) member Dominique Aubert (substitute Dominique Riboud), Territorial Councillor Alain Gros-Desormeaux (substitute Rollande Questel), Grand Case district representative Patricia Chance-Duzant (substitute Steven Patrick) and Boniface Hodge (substitute Marise Dixon).

The second election for the St Read more

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