SXMElections.com

Richardson to Schram: Prove underworld claims or ‘shut up’

PHILIPSBURG--Justice Minister Dennis Richardson minced no words when he publicly called on Attorney-General Guus Schram to prove his claims about the mixing of the so-called underworld with civil society.

Richardson said in Monday's plenary session of Parliament that Schram should prove his claims or "shut the hell up."

Richardson was reacting to comments made by the Attorney-General on Friday at the swearing-in of a new judge for the Court of First Instance. Schram said, "The Friendly Island has lost its innocence."

He said another threat existed in St Read more

Ambassador Braakhuis discusses Cuba developments, possibilities

PHILIPSBURG--Dutch Ambassador to Cuba Norbert Braakhuis addressed a full room of attendees at University of St. Martin on Thursday night in an informative lecture focussing on the economic and political facets that have shaped Cuba, and what the cumulative changes the country has been experiencing and those it is expected to experience can mean for the Caribbean region.

A diverse group of stakeholders was in attendance, including ministers, Government officials, lawyers and key private sector leaders and representatives.

Braakhuis also announced that a Kingdom trade mission was planned and that he would facilitate local stakeholders in making connections there Read more

Achievements and lack thereof highlighted as MPs close year

PHILIPSBURG--The achievements or lack thereof in the first Parliamentary year of the second Parliament came into focus as Members of Parliament (MPs) closed off the 2014-2015 legislative year in Parliament House on Monday. The 2015-2016 year opens today, Tuesday, with much pomp and ceremony.

The call to work together was issued by fraction leaders representing the coalition partners while the two opposition fraction leaders MP William Marlin (National Alliance) and Sarah Wescot-Williams (Democratic Party) were straightforward with their criticism about lack of action by the United People’s (UP) party-led coalition.

Destiny impaired

UP fraction leader MP Franklin Meyers laid the blame for the country’s stagnated growth and development in the past year at the door of The Hague saying that government and Parliament have spent the past year battling instructions and financial constraints due to financial supervision Read more

Faction leaders outline their achievement and failures during parliamentary year 2014 -2015.

>PHILIPSBURG:---- Faction leader of the United Peoples Party Franklin Meyers in his remarks during the closing of parliamentary year 2014-2015 said that the moment the UPP and MP De Weever formed the coalition that formed the current government they got all sorts of pressure from the Dutch Government (Kingdom Partners) which includes an instruction Read more

New Ministers Take Oath Of Office On Monday: Boasman And Sams Complete Cabinet

Rafael Boasman is the new minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor. File photo Pearl FM

St. Maarten – Rafael Boasman will be sworn in as the new minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor next week Monday. E.V. Sams will become Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication. Claret Connor, who held this position, will move to the Ministry of Public Housing, Urban Planning, Environment and Infrastructure.

The cabinet of Governor Drs Read more

Country has 1,612 registered physically, mentally challenged

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten has a total of 1,612 persons registered as physically or mentally challenged, based on figures ad interim Health Minister Rita Bourne-Gumbs presented to Parliament in a Central Committee meeting on Wednesday.

Bourne-Gumbs was in Parliament for the continuation of the meeting on the national ordinance on public health that deals specifically with preventing and containing infectious diseases, health protocols and other related topics. The meeting originally started on August 5, but was suspended to give the ministry’s team time to research answers to questions posed by Members of Parliament (MPs).

The figures given by the minister date to 2011, and estimated the number of differently-abled persons living at home at 1,582 Read more

Kingdom Committee supportive of law to digitize court process

PHILIPSBURG--The draft Kingdom law to allow the digitization of court processes has the support of the Parliament’s Permanent Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Affairs and Kingdom Relations. The draft law was before the committee on Tuesday and after getting the nod of approval was forwarded to the Central Committee of Parliament for further handling.

Committee Chairwoman Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams (Democratic Party) explained that the law amends several other Kingdom laws to allow for the digitization in the courts across the Kingdom Read more

Neonatal Screening

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten - A meeting is being requested by the Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo to discuss the implementation of a mandatory neonatal screening for all babies born on Sint Maarten.

What is Neonatal Screening?

It is referred to as the Neonatal heel prick screening tests or as the Guthrie tests Read more

Only National Alliance Votes Against Ordinance: Parliament Establishes Integrity Chamber

St. Maarten – After everything was said and done yesterday, only the opposition faction of the National Alliance voted against the establishment of the Integrity Chamber. The United People’s party faction, having voiced serious opposition against the Dutch pressure on St. Maarten, withdrew all of the amendments it proposed to the law in June, and went along with a strategic proposal from opposition MP Sarah Wescot-Williams to accept the proposal the government put on the table Read more

Mp Marlin-Romeo Initiates Small Claims Court Proposal

St. Maarten – Independent MP Leona Marlin-Romeo has requested a meeting to discuss the establishment of a small claims court. Attorney Reynold Groeneveldt has prepared a proposal to this end. Marlin-Romeo supports this initiative that allows this court to handle claims up to 5,000 guilders.

“In every community there are persons who have claims for relatively small amounts of money Read more

>PHILIPSBURG (PARLIAMENT/Independent Faction):--- Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo will be requesting a meeting of Parliament to discuss and mandate the Minister of Finance to implore upon the Central Bank to take up their responsibility and assume the tasks of receiving and resolving complaints brought by consumers and, in some cases, small businesses against banks, insurers and/or other financial services providers.

“In our system the Central Bank is supposed to regulate and supervise institutions that offer financial services Read more

Mp Leona Marlin-Romeo Wants Minister Of Finance To Get Central Bank Involved In Receiving And Resolving Complaints

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo will be requesting a meeting of Parliament to discuss and mandate the Minister of Finance to implore upon the Central Bank to take up their responsibility and assume the tasks of receiving and resolving complaints brought by consumers and, in some cases, small businesses against banks, insurers and/or other financial services providers.

“In our system the Central Bank is supposed to regulate and supervise institutions that offer financial services Read more

Leona requests meeting to move forward with Small Claims Court

PHILIPSBURG--Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo has requested a Parliament meeting to discuss the introduction of a Small Claims Court for the country based on Article 862 of the Code of Civil Procedures. The framework proposal for this court was presented to Parliament by Attorney Reynold Groeneveldt earlier this year.

The Small Claims Court will handle claims up to NAf Read more

MP Leona Marlin-Romeo request a meeting about moving forward on Small Claims Court for the Country.

>PHILIPSBURG (PARLIAMENT/Independent Faction):---  Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo is requesting a meeting to discuss a proposal prepared by attorney Reynold Groeneveldt to introduce a Small Claims Court for Sint Maarten according to article 862 of the Code of Civil Procedures.

The MP is supporting this initiative as it allows claims up to ANG Read more

Mp Leona Marlin-Romeo Request A Meeting About Moving Forward On Small Claims Court For The Country

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten– Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo is requesting a meeting to discuss a proposal prepared by attorney Reynold Groeneveldt to introduce a Small Claims Court for Sint Maarten according to article 862 of the Code of Civil Procedures.

The MP is supporting this initiative as it allows claims up to ANG Read more

MP’s claim that Police Officers want Minister of Justice out of Office.

>PHILIPSBURG: --- At least two Members of Parliament namely Leona Marlin Romeo and Christopher Emmanuel advised the Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson to go and speak with the regular police officers in order for him to know how they feel about him Read more

>PHILIPSBURG/MARIGOT:---- The Sint Maarten Sickle Cell Foundation represented by Vanessa Mathew, Kurt Sprott, Leona Marlin-Romeo, and Richard Marlin, all joined the Northern side Sickle Cell Association in its first walk-a-thon to bring about the awareness of the disease on Sunday August 9th.
Over 100 supporters participated in the event which made it quite a success Read more

Mp Marlin-Romeo Defends Adopt-A-School Program

St. Maarten – Independent Member of Parliament Leona Marlin-Romeo firmly supports the adopt-a-school program that is part of the governing program and dismisses criticism of the idea.

“Irrespective of the feedback it is imperative for all to start thinking outside the box and embrace creative solutions to assist in remedying the challenges that we face,” she said in a press statement last night.

“By no means does this program imply that government is relinquishing its responsibility to the education system. It creates the opportunity for businesses to be socially responsible and allow them to make a contribution.”

Big businesses come to Sint Maarten and receive tax breaks for a certain number of years as an incentive, Marlin-Romeo pointed out Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- United People’s (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake said on Thursday that Government is not getting away from its responsibility by getting the private sector more involved in the maintenance of public schools.
MP Lake pointed out that some people in the community are interpreting the “Adopt-A-School” plan in the “Ready to Work for You” 2014-2015 Governing Programme of the UP-led coalition the wrong way.
“It's nothing new Read more

Up Mp Lake Says Government Not Getting Away From Its Responsibility On Public Schools

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake said on Thursday that Government is not getting away from its responsibility by getting the private sector more involved in the maintenance of public schools.

MP Lake pointed out that some people in the community are interpreting the "Adopt-A-School" plan in the "Ready to Work for You" 2014-2015 Governing Programme of the UP-led coalition the wrong way.

"It's nothing new Read more

Parliament Meet On Health Care Wednesday

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Central Committee of Parliament met in public session on Wednesday.

Members of Parliament received a presentation on the National Ordinance on Public Health Care.

The presentation was made by a team from the department of Health headed by Drs. Fenna Arnell.

However members of Parliament had several questions as well as expressed areas of concern within health care. MP the Honorable Leona Romeo-Marlin was particularly concerned about the spread of infectious diseases.

DP leader the honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams in her remarks spoke about the complexities of the ordinance and its importance.

She also noted that the execution and monitoring of the legislation has been placed on a lower level in some cases, even below the legislation itself.

MP the Honorable Janchie Leonard also had various questions particularly in the area of control and enforcement.

As a former Police Officer the MP stated that this forms an integral part of the overall execution of the ordinance Read more

Elshot says education issues are not addressed in governing programme

PHILIPSBURG--The recently submitted governing programme failed to address some critical issues in the country's education system, according to Windward Islands Teachers Union (WITU) President Claire Elshot.

She said on Tuesday that the governing programme "is lacking" when it comes to addressing issues in education. She said "a lot" had not been "dealt with" in the programme, particularly with regard to personnel.

"What they outlined was with regard to the infrastructure and buildings, but nothing with regard to the care of the students and teachers," Elshot said.

She said the union and its members were concerned about the constant "deterioration" and "weakening" of educators' health care package, whereby medication was being substituted with generic ones.

The union is also concerned about the elimination of the early retirement or VUT package for retirement and authorities' failure to increase teachers' vacation allowance equal to the amount paid in other parts of the Dutch Kingdom Read more

Holding Public Office is indeed a family Affair on St. Maarten.

style="text-align: center;">Former Purchasing Officer of GEBE to take over Ministry of TEATT.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Ernest Sams the uncle in law of Member of Parliament Leona Romeo Marlin will be taking over the Ministry of TEATT as Minister Claret Conner moves over to the Ministry of VROMI. SMN News published months ago that Sams is the candidate that was selected and will be appointed by Member of Parliament Leona Marlin Romeo who is now an independent member of parliament Read more

>PHILIPSBURG (PARLIAMENT/Independent Faction):--- – Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo on Tuesday said that much have been said about the Adopt a School program, some negative and others positive.

“Irrespective of the feedback it is imperative for all to start thinking outside the box and embrace creative solutions to assist in remedying the challenges that we face in Sint Maarten.

“Hence, by no means does this imply that government is relinquishing its responsibility to the education system of the country Read more