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MPs to get answers about housing foundation in Jan.

PHILIPSBURG--Members of Parliament (MPs) will have to wait until mid-January for answers about the suspension of St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) Director Henry Lynch and two other members of the management team. Prime Minister/Ad Interim Housing Minister Marcel Gumbs said he required time to gather the facts about the investigation ordered by the foundation's supervisory board and the other actions leading to the suspensions.

Gumbs, who had only been in office for a mere 72 hours, was before Parliament on Monday in an urgent plenary session requested by opposition MPs Sarah Wescot-Williams (Democratic Party), Frans Richardson (United St Read more

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Editorial - Wrong address?

Today's Parliament meeting regarding the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) promises to be an interesting one. Last week the public learned that the Supervisory Board had requested that government accountant bureau SOAB carry out an "independent forensic investigation" and had placed director Henry Lynch plus two other managers on non-active duty pending its outcome.

However, then still VROMI minister and shareholder representative Maurice Lake intervened and put the probe on hold, saying the board's decision had been premature and not in keeping with proper procedure Read more

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MPs meet today about Housing Foundation

PHILIPSBURG--The St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation supervisory board's request made to Government Accounting Bureau SOAB to carry out a forensic investigation into the foundation's operations will be one of the issues Members of Parliament (MPs) will discuss today, Monday, in an urgent plenary session of Parliament in the House of Parliament starting at 10:00am.

The meeting is open to the public.

New Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, who is ad interim Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI, has been requested by Parliament to be present for the meeting.

MPs also will discuss with Gumbs former VROMI Minister Maurice Lake's request to SOAB to halt the investigation and the board's decision to suspend three members of the management team, including foundation director Henry Lynch.

This urgent plenary session was requested by National Alliance MPs William Marlin and Christophe Emmanuel, Democratic Party MP Sarah Wescot-Williams, and United St Read more

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Leona calls for meeting about Housing Foundation suspensions

PHILIPSBURG--Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo wants to get to the bottom of the issues at St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation that led to the supervisory board suspending with pay three members of the management team, including Foundation Director Henry Lynch.

Marlin-Romeo called on fellow MPs on Wednesday to help her convene a meeting of parliament with the three suspended members Read more

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Henry Lynch suspended as Housing Foundation Director

~ Lake called to correct 'erroneous' statements ~

BELVEDERE--St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) Director Henry Lynch has been placed on non-active duty as of December 12 by the foundation's supervisory board pending the outcome of "an independent forensic investigation" by Government Accountant Bureau SOAB "into certain business and management activities" of SMHDF and of St. Maarten Housing Finance Foundation (SMHFF).

However, that investigation is now on hold due to the intervention of Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Maurice Lake Read more

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Wrecks removed in lagoon cleanup

SIMPSON BAY--Nature Foundation focused on the removal of wrecks and major garbage from Simpson Bay lagoon during Saturday’s lagoon cleanup organised by the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI together with St. Maarten Marine Trades Association (SMMTA).

With the assistance of the Maritime Affairs Department many wrecks were removed within the lagoon, including those which were damaged by Hurricane Gonzalo and were wrecked to the side of t Read more

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Harbour fails to halt construction of Dock Maarten ultra-yacht pier

~ Files for appeal against permit ~

POINTE BLANCHE--St. Maarten Harbour Holding Company (SHHC) NV has failed in its efforts to put a halt to plans of Dock Maarten NV to construct a marina with a pier to accommodate ultra- and giga-yachts with lengths of more than 100 metres.

SHHC had filed an injunction with the Court of First Instance on November 17 in its efforts to halt construction of the pier at the marina at Battery Point in Pointe Blanche.

The Dock Maarten extension started in October with the initial phase of expanding a breakwater originally built in 1984 Read more

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Belair beach property plans include paved beach access

PHILIPSBURG--A site plan of the future residential complex on the property directly in front of the Belair beach, detailing the development plans which include paved public access to the beach, and a copy of the permit were made available to the press for viewing on Thursday, December 4.

The press conference was called to address widespread property development questions – brought to the foreground due to the December 1 blocking of the entryway to the beach ¬– by Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure VROMI Maurice Lake.

VROMI Secretary General Louis Brown and Permit Department head Angel Meyers also were on hand to explain the plans Read more

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Beach entry technically reopens, need for legislation highlighted

BELAIR--Property development representatives technically have reopened the entryway to the Belair beach after it had been closed off on the morning of December 1, preventing public access to the beach.

However, the “No trespassing” and “Private property” signs remain, and another one even has been added since Tuesday, on a tree directly in line with the only entryway, a footpath (see Tuesday edition of The Daily Herald).

The newly-fixed fence has been drawn back to technically allow foot access, although this can be considered a “mental barrier,” according to the Beach Access Policy Read more

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Access to Belair Beach shut over disagreement

A shut and repaired gate and fence closing off access to the Belair beach is clearly marked with “No trespassing” and “Private property” signs.

 BELAIR--The entryway to the Belair beach was shut off yesterday, December 1, in a move spurred by the owners upset about the planting of palm trees on the beach.

It would appear, based on the “For sale” signs up until recently and the newly-repaired fence and gate, that the property directly in front of the shore was sold to new owners who did not know the rule that beaches have to be accessible to the public.

However, the property was taken off of the market and is still under the same ownership, as confirmed by Tendal Real Estate which had advertised the property for sale.

The owners, the Pavan family, live in Venezuela Read more

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USM honours faculty and staff at 25th anniversary celebration

~ Special award for Danny's parents, Smith ~

PHILIPSBURG--University of St. Martin (USM) honoured a long list of staffers and faculty for their efforts in moulding students over the years during its 25th anniversary celebrations on Friday evening.

A special award was presented to Vice President of USM Foundation and the institution's first Director Pastor Wycliffe Smith, as well as to the parents of Treasurer of USM Foundation Danny Ramchandani, for allowing their only son to come to St Read more

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