SXMElections.com

Five to go on trial in Buncamper case

PHILIPSBURG--Not only United People's (UP) party member Maria Buncamper-Molanus will stand trial for tax fraud, fraud and participation in a criminal organisation. Four other suspects, among them also her husband Claudius Buncamper, have been summoned to appear in the Court of First Instance for a pro forma/pre-trial hearing in this case scheduled for January 7, 2015.

The case against Buncamper-Molanus (47), her husband, Claudius Buncamper (51), notary F.E.G Read more

Former Minister To Court In January: Buncamper-Molanus Charged With Membership Criminal Organization

St. Maarten – Tax fraud, forgery and participation in a criminal organization; these are the charges the Public Prosecutor’s Office has brought against Former Minister of Public Health, Social Affairs and Labor Maria Buncamper-Molanus. She has been summoned to appear in court for a pro forma hearing on Wednesday, January 7 of next year.

The charge for membership of a criminal organization suggests that there are more suspects, but a press release from the prosecutor’s office on Friday did not elaborate on this possibility Read more

Maria to stand trial for ‘tax fraud’ and participation in criminal organisation

~ Pre-trial set for Jan. 7 ~

PHILIPSBURG--United People's (UP) party member Maria Buncamper-Molanus will stand trial for tax fraud, fraud and participation in a criminal organisation.

The pro forma/pre-trial hearing in this case is scheduled for January 7, 2014, Prosecutor Tineke Kamps announced in a press statement on Friday.

Kamps said the Prosecution Service stuck to its word to take a decision about the prosecution in the Buncamper-Molanus investigation before December 1 Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The public prosecutor has taken close to four years to decide whether or not they will prosecute former Minister of Public Health Maria Buncamper-Molanus who sold the economic rights of government long lease land. The Buncamper case made headlines when several media houses including SMN News dug deep and found that Maria Buncamper sold the economic rights for long lease land she obtained from government Read more

Editorial - For the future

It will be interesting to see whether a Central Committee meeting called for Tuesday (see related article) leads to anything tangible. Three Members of Parliament (MPs) of the incoming UP/De Weever/Marlin-Romeo coalition want to discuss “discrepancies” surrounding the August 29 election.

Of course, objections were handled already during the customary post-election session of the Main Voting Bureau, when votes listed as invalid were re-examined and, where applicable, added to the tallies of the respective politicians Read more

Editorial - Sooner rather than later

That just about anything is possible in local politics was proven again over these last few days, as DP leader Sarah Wescot-Williams and US Party number two candidate Leona Marlin-Romeo signed up for the incoming UP/De Weever coalition Read more

Theo Heyliger Confirms He Is The Next Prime Minister Of St. Maarten

St. Maarten – United People’s party leader Theo Heyliger confirmed in the Oral Gibbes Live TV-program on Monday that he will be the country’s next Prime Minister. While others on the UP-list may also take up a post in the new cabinet, Heyliger’s move makes it certain that the controversial candidate Maria Buncamper-Molanus will become a Member of Parliament.

If, as is to be expected, Franklin Meyers becomes the new minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs, Jules James will return to parliament for a second 4-year term.

“I made a promise to the population of St Read more

Editorial - Not for too long

There can be little doubt anymore that the announced UP/De Weever government will become a reality, now that UP leader Theodore Heyliger has been appointed "formateur" and a governing accord has been signed (see related article) Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- In mid March 2014, Benjamin & Parker (www.b-parker.com), initiated onsite certification sessions for the online course "Efficiency Auditing", a new science to secure corporate workflow effectiveness and corporate financial waste, in association with PCMI under management of Mr. Robert Budike. The course had a particular characteristic as it emphasized the Colombian method of efficiency and risk management applications, after considering its thoroughness and security scrutiny safeguards to contain operation and financial high impact incidents Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Chairman of the Central Voting Bureau denied most of the requests submitted to him to do a total recount of all the votes. Leader of the Social Reform Party Jacinto Mock submitted a written request stating that the Central Voting Bureau did not visit all 20 polling stations, that all voters did not receive their voting cards and that some voters did not speak the English language Read more

‘Janchi’ re-elected, in spite of tie with Buncamper-Molanus

PHILIPSBURG--Incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) Johan "Janchi" Leonard (United People's (UP) party) can be considered the big winner after the validation of the votes from the August 29 Parliamentary Elections by the Central Voting Bureau on Wednesday. Leonard was short two votes to be re-elected to Parliament. He received those votes when the bureau reviewed ballots deemed invalid by the polling station on election night.

Leonard (UP #7) is an MP-elect for UP, in spite of the tie with former Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus (UP #21), because of his placement on the party's list of candidates Read more

Johan Leonard Squeezes Past Buncamper-Molanus Into Parliament

“Mister 7-UP” sends rival home

St. Maarten – Maria Buncamper-Molanus will not become a member of the new Parliament after all. After the Central Voting Bureau had scrutinized yesterday all the ballots the twenty polling stations had deemed invalid, it found two valid votes that went to Johan Leonard Read more

Central Voting Bureau Meets, Friday's Invalid Votes Recounted

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Main Voting Bureau meet on Wednesday morning at the Government Administration Building to conduct an analysis of Friday's voting exercise.

The members of the Bureau recounted the votes cast on Friday during the first Parliamentary Election for Country St. Maarten.

This was based on numerous complaints filed by candidates of the various political parties that took part in the Parliamentary elections with the exception of the OSPP party.

MP Johan "Janchie" Leornard of the UP party and Jacinto Mock of the Social Reform Party, filed official complaints with the Central Voting Bureau.

During the recount session on Wednesday there was a fierce race between former Minister Maria Buncamper Molanus and MP Johan "Janchie" Leonard Read more

Heyliger: UP parliamentarians to be ‘formidable’ opposition

PHILIPSBURG--Developments over the past days will see the United People's (UP) party playing its role in Parliament from the opposition benches. UP party Leader Member of Parliament Theo Heyliger said the party and its Members of Parliament (MPs) "will be a formidable force to be reckoned with when it comes to the role of keeping the government in check."

"We are ready to govern, to hold in check and control the decision of the coalition government that is in the making Read more

Rotary Club Of St. Maarten Presents Leg Press To The White & Yellow Cross Foundation

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The Rotary Club of St. Maarten presented a Leg Press to the White and Yellow Cross Foundation. Funds for purchase of the Leg Press were raised by the Rotary Club of St. Maarten courtesy of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line.

All departments of the White and Yellow Cross Foundation, which includes the St. Martin's Home, will use the Leg Press.

Pictured (see attached picture) from left to right (standing): Jeffrey "Soc" Sochrin, Macfolda Gumbs, Department Manager of the St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- As the countdown for the 2014 Parliamentary Elections begins with just four more days before voters of this great nation head to the polling station to cast their votes for the country's first Parliamentary Election. SMN News thought it fitting to remind the voters of some of the things that transpired within the last four years since St. Maarten obtained its country status, most of which caused the Dutch to use their power and microscope to force an integrity investigation on St Read more

Up-Candidate Suspect In Money-Laundering Investigation: Prosecution Gets Three Months For Buncamper-Molanus Probe

St. Maarten – United People’s party candidate number 21, Maria Buncamper-Molanus remains the subject of a criminal investigation. The Judge of instruction decided yesterday that the prosecutor’s office has to complete the investigation into suspicions of money laundering within three months Read more

Authorities have till Nov. 6 to make decision on Buncamper-Molanus

PHILIPSBURG--The Prosecutor's Office has been given until November 6 to indicate whether or not it will pursue a case against former Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus for the sale of the economic rights for a piece of government long-lease land, that was granted to a company owned by her and her husband.

Buncamper-Molanus resigned in December 2011, when it was made public that she had sold the economic rights and she was faced with a motion of no-confidence in Parliament Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson confirmed to SMN News that the Minister of Justice and Security of the Netherlands have been delaying and or refusing to grant St. Maarten necessary assistance for the Landsrecherche (National Detectives) that is lacking in manpower to investigate cases that have been pending for years. When asked if he is satisfied with the functioning of the Prosecutor's Office and the Attorney General of St. Maarten that have cases as long as four years to investigate and prosecute and to date nothing has happened Read more

The Campaign Promises Of 2010: Second Hospital-Plan Is Already Four Years Old

St. Maarten – The campaign promises are flying far and wide again in the run-up to the August 29 elections. How did our political parties do in 2010? What did they promise and what became of it? Let’s begin with an obvious example: the claim by the United People’s party (UP) – “We ready for our new medical center.” On September 15, 2010, the final campaign meeting of the UP took place on the grounds of the still unfinished ring road. Gerrit Schotte, leader of Movementu Futuro Kòrsou who was to become the first Prime Minister of Curacao before he got entangled in a web of scandals, endorsed the UP and lit up the meeting with his presence. UP-leader Theo Heyliger made his entrée in a carnivalesque atmosphere, dancing to the podium while cameras flashed and supporters wanted pictures with him Read more

 Up-Candidate Wants End To Possible Prosecution: Maria Buncamper-Molanus To Court On Monday

St. Maarten – The Judge of Instruction will handle the request by United People’s party candidate Maria Buncamper-Molanus to terminate a possible criminal investigation against her on Monday afternoon. The hearing takes place behind closed doors. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has consistently declared since December 2010 that it intends to investigate possible criminal aspects of a lease land deal Buncamper and her husband Claudius did in 2008 Read more