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Anti-Corruption Team Seeks To Restore Trust In Community

By Alita Singh (The Daily Herald)

PHILIPSBURG –In recent months St. Maarten has seen a rapid number of raids and cases targeting everything from bribery and money laundering to vote-buying. The pace of these cases has had many in the community questioning if the underbelly of the country, oft talked about in hushed tones, is finally becoming exposed.

The thrust behind these cases, the most recent being the “Emerald” investigation that has so far netted one suspect, is the Team Bestrijding Ondermijning (TBO) or the Anti-Corruption Taskforce Read more

Maria Buncamper Molanus On Working With Usp

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - “There is no fundamental difference between the Democratic Party, the United People’s Party and the United St. Maarten Party as far as their ideology is concerned” stated former Minister of VSA, the number five candidate on the slate of the USP, Maria Buncamper Molanus Read more

Usp Welcomes Maria Who Will Focus On Economy, Jobs  

“Can’t devalue her knowledge, experience” – Frans

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The United St. Maarten Party (USP) on Friday announced that former Commissioner and Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus will be contesting the September 26 Parliamentary Election as a candidate on the USP slate Read more

Maria Candidate On Us Party Slate

PHILIPSBURG--Former Health and Labour Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus has signed on with the United St. Maarten Party (US Party) as a candidate for the September 26 Parliamentary Elections. She contested the 2014 elections Read more

“Can’t devalue her knowledge, experience” - Frans

PHILIPSBURG:---The United St. Maarten Party (USP) on Friday announced that former Commissioner and Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus will be contesting the September 26 Parliamentary Election as a candidate on the USP slate Read more

Frans Touts Second Chances For Those Who Have Lots To Contribute

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Leader of the United St. Maarten Party (USP) Member of Parliament Frans Richardson dismissed jabs against his party as a party for “ship jumpers” by focusing on the fact that the individuals targeted still have lots to contribute to the country Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the United St. Maarten Party (USP) Member of Parliament Frans Richardson dismissed jabs against his party as a party for “ship jumpers” by focusing on the fact that the individuals targeted still have lots to contribute to the country Read more

Maria: It Was A Mistake Not To Be Fearful Of Our Justice System

By Michael R. Granger

PHILIPSBURG--When she forced the hand of the Prosecutor’s Office in 2014, to bring the “melee” to a close through the judicial system, former Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus at that point had no reason to be fearful of the Justice system.

Read more

Mp Frankie Meyers Passionate As He Asked The Minister Of Justice To Tell Parliament Of Vote Buying.

UPP being used as poster child when it comes to vote buying.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Franklin Meyers did not mingle with words on Monday when he asked the Minister of Justice Edison Kirindongo to give Parliament a clear definition of what is considered Vote Buying since in their (UPP) view it is very broad.
MP Meyers said the main reason they called for the meeting is because of the recent arrest of MP Silvio Meyers who was arrested and kept in custody for several days on the accusation of vote buying and after he was released the Prosecutors Office in a press release calling on members of the community to contact them if they were approached to sell their votes Read more

Buncampers Guilty Of Tax Fraud And Forgery

~Sentenced to 12 months conditional imprisonment~

By Today Newspaper

GREAT BAY – Former Public Health Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus and her husband Claudius, head of infrastructure management at the Vromi-ministry, have been found guilty of tax fraud to the tune of 80,000 guilders and forgery. The court imposed on both a conditional prison sentence of 12 months and 240 hours of community service.

The court sentenced retired notary Francis Gijsbertha for his role in the Eco Green scam to 240 hours of community service Read more

Acquittal Of Money Laundering Charges

By Today Newspaper

GREAT BAY – The Court in First Instance acquitted former Public Health Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus and her husband Claudius of several charges. The first one concerns the sale and purchase agreement of December 19, 2013, whereby Eco Green sold the right of long lease to the parcel of land on Pond Island for $345,000 to St Read more

Buncamper-Molanus “Should Have Set The Right Example”

By Today Newspaper

GREAT BAY – Maria Buncamper-Molanus was “a well-known politician in St. Maarten who should have set the right example,” the Court in First Instance notes in its ruling that convicts the former minister to a 1-year conditional prison sentence and 240 hours of community service.

Claudius Buncamper – punished likewise – was on the receiving end of a similar reproach: “From a civil servant, we expected a more exemplary behavior.”

The court held against the Buncampers also the way they treated St Read more

Complete Acquittal For Figurehead Walters

By Today Newspaper

GREAT BAY – Oniel Theodore Walters, the man who was used to serve the needs of the main suspects Maria Buncamper-Molanus and Claudius Buncamper in the Eco Green trial was acquitted of all charges yesterday.

Walters, who posed as the director of the bogus company Eco-Green, was according to co-suspect notary Gijsbertha “a figurehead.”

“The evidence does not show unmistakably that the suspect was aware that the documents that were presented to him for signing were fakes or that he was in fact cooperating with a fake construction with tax evasion as its objective,” the court ruled.

Furthermore, the ruling points out that Walters could not know or understand that what he was getting involved in was illegal.

“He may have understood that co-suspect Buncamper wanted to help him with a little job based on a promise he made to his father Read more

Fake Land Transfer To Eco Green Designed To Duck Income Tax

By Today Newspaper

GREAT BAY – Former Public Health Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus and her husband Claudius told the court at the Eco Green trial that they had trusted the advice from (now retired) notary Gijsbertha when they set up the construction with the bogus company Eco Green and that they had no reason to be concerned about its legality.

The court rejected this argument in its ruling yesterday Read more

Prosecution Demanded Prison Time For The Buncampers And Co-Defendants.

decided to drop money laundering charge due to prosecutor’s misconduct.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The prosecution requested that the Buncamper’s namely Maria Buncamper Molanus and Claudius Buncamper be sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, six of which suspended and a three year probation be placed on the couple. As for notary Gijsbertha the prosecution demanded 15 months prison sentence, five of which suspended also with a three year probation.
For Ivan Haverthong the prosecution demanded 12 months imprisonment, four of which suspended along with a three year probation Read more

Buncamper Case In Court Wednesday And Thursday

PHILIPSBURG--The criminal cases against Claudius (52) and Maria Buncamper-Molanus (48) concerning an alleged illegal land deal will be heard by a judge at the Court of First Instance on Wednesday and Thursday.

Read more

Opinion: Politician Tears Of The Crocodile Variety

To see former Prime Minister Gerrit Schotte close to tears at the end of his trial in Curacao seems completely out of character. But there it is: even the outwardly toughest nut will crack sooner or later.

Schotte’s tears are of course of the crocodile variety. To say at the end of proceedings where he has steadfastly refused to answer any question something like, “Punish me, but not my wife,” is coming a bit late in the day.

Why did Schotte not won up to what he has been accused off? After all, his “punish me” remark is the clearest indication so far that Schotte is at least guilty of something Read more