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SMHDF Meeting of Parliament to continue early next year.

style="text-align: center;">MPs want documentation and clarity the suspension of Henry Lynch and Emilio Kalmera

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Parliament of St. Maarten called an emergency meeting on Monday to seek clarity on what exactly transpired at the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) where two members of the management team were suspended pending the outcome of an investigation that was to be commissioned by the SOAB. However, former Minister of Housing Maurice Lake who was also a former board member of SMHDF stopped the SOAB from conducting the investigation claiming that legal procedures were not followed and that the board of SMHDF does not have a full board Read more

Urgent Plenary Session of Parliament scheduled for Monday about Housing Foundation.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- A plenary session of the House of Parliament is scheduled for December 22nd regarding the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF).
The plenary session is set for Monday at 10:00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.
The agenda is concerning the request made to the Governments Accounting Bureau SOAB to carry out a forensic investigation in to the operations of the SMHDF; the decision of the board of the SMHDF to suspend several members of the management team and the request of the former Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Hon Read more

style="text-align: center;">Marcel Gumbs second Prime Minister since St. Maarten became a country

PHILIPSBURG:--- Five of the seven required Ministers were sworn in on Friday. Former Senator of the Netherlands Antilles Marcel Gumbs was sworn in as the second Prime Minister of Country St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- In my opinion, it can and specifically in the case of the formation of the council of ministers, following a regular election.
The Governor has in this particular matter taken it upon himself (and we know why of course) to direct the process.
The government of the country is the responsibility of Parliament. When something seems awry, which it does, parliament has the responsibility to query the formation of a government for the country.
It should never be the case, that candidate ministers are publicly hung out to dry; taken down like sitting ducks, and all this on the basis of information that is somehow attained, because those who should apprise the people of the process, are mum.
Mostly, persons selected for ministerial positions are those who have postulated themselves in an election, unless there is a case of exceptional expertise in one or more particular areas and needed because of circumstances that warrant such Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Caretaker Prime Minister and Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams dispatched an email to the President of Parliament with several questions to caretaker Minister Maurice Lake. Wescot Williams said in her email that the island has been gripped again with another saga this time involving a government owned entity Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- For the second consecutive year, Prime Minister and Member of Parliament of St. Maarten, Sarah Wescot-Williams has placed amongst the Top 100 Powerful Women, an annual selection of 100 women by the monthly Dutch magazine OPZIJ.
Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams placed in the category "Politics", along with 9 other women, who together share the spotlight with 90 other women in 9 different categories.
The Prime Minister was informed of her placement by letter dated September 16th, from the Editor-in-Chief, Mrs Read more

>GREAT BAY:--- Minister of Public Health Social Development & Labor, Cornelius de Weever has notified the leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot-Williams that he has now officially resigned from the party.
Minister De Weever informed the leader that due to the manner in which she and/or the DP publicly tried to portray me in a negative light, I have decided to reconsider my future with the DP and hereby RESIGN my affiliation with the Democratic Party Read more

>GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- The Council of Ministers received the College financieel toezicht (Cft) delegation on Thursday morning, December 4, 2014, to discuss the finances of country Sint Maarten, in particular the status of affairs of the budget 2014 and the draft budget of 2015. Cft was represented by Chairman Mr. Age Bakker, Member upon proposal of Curaçao Mr. Alberto Romero, Member upon proposal of the Netherlands Mrs. Sybilla Dekker, new Member upon proposal of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba Mr Read more

>PANAMA/PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday, December 3rd, Member of Parliament and DP leader, Sarah Wescot-Williams attended her first Parlatino committee meeting in Panama Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Caretaker Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams did not waste any time on Friday after she read the press statement issued by caretaker Minister Maurice Lake. In a letter sent to the various media house Wescot Williams outlined what she said on Tuesday to Minister Lake in the Council of Ministers meeting and what she stated on Wednesday during the weekly press conference, below is the letter from caretaker Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams.

Dear Minister Lake/Dear Maurice,

In my opinion, we have arrived at a sad state of affairs when persons can not express their own view(s) Read more

style="text-align: center;">DP Expelled MP De Weever from Democratic Party

PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot Williams sent an official letter to the leader of the UPP Theodore Heyliger informing him that she has withdrawn her support from his coalition government.
The letter sent to Heyliger is dated November 18th, 2014 Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Caretaker Prime Minister the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams joined in commemorative Thanksgiving Lunches at the St. Maarten Senior Citizens Recreational Center in Hope Estate on Thursday. The events also recognized various businesses and members of the community that contributed to various programs centered on the enrichment of the lives of senior citizens Read more

style="text-align: center;">UPP candidates fuming because they got no Ministerial Positions

PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the United Peoples Party (UPP) and formateur Theodore Heyliger has shuffled the deck of cards again as he tries to form the next government Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Caretaker Prime Minister the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams attended the launch of the African Caribbean Heritage Alliance ACHA at the Belair Community Center on Thursday. The ACHA is an organization founded with the vision to create unity and linkages amongst people of African decent living in St. Maarten and between Africa and the Caribbean in general Read more

style="text-align: left;">PHILIPSBURG:--- Caretaker Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams announced at the Council of Ministers weekly press briefing on Wednesday that the Vorst family has submitted a new proposal for the sale of their property located in Cay Hill. Wescot Williams said that the new proposal submitted to government is one million dollars less than the first proposal Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The 9th annual Crystal Pineapple Awards Gala Event, held on Friday November 21st 2014, by the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA), was an outstanding and spectacular event. The evening saw 19 persons receive awards in the categories of Accommodations, Trade, and Community Service, as well as 6 persons /organizations in the extraordinary categories. The SHTA extends congratulations to all the nominees and winners of the 9th annual Crystal Pineapple Awards.
Guests were treated to a visual oasis of black & white with purple accents by Glitter Events who was contracted to transform the venue into a magical ambiance suitable only for St, Maarten's best and brightest stars in the Tourism arena.
The gala event was held at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino which has been the host venue for many years to the event Read more

style="text-align: center;">Central Committee meeting to be held on November 24th

PHILIPSBURG:--- Vice President of Parliament Leona Marlin Romeo finds herself in a very compromising position now that the President of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams have resigned from the position of the chair Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Many persons on St. Maarten are still reeling from the devastation suffered due to the torrential weather system that battered our island on November 7th and 8th.
The individual and collective losses are greater than many can imagine and the cost to infrastructure comes at a time when the country can ill-afford such.
It is therefore understandable that persons are calling on government for assistance and that yet others point fingers in all directions.The weather reporting has also been much criticized.
My heart goes out to the many persons who lost possessions during the torrential rains Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- As 12th highest vote getter out of 90 candidates and 3rd highest vote getter in the DP, I have been requested many times to comment on the current political situation, I felt that making comments before things were clear could be disruptive to the formation process. Now that Sarah Wescot-Williams, leader of the DP, has made the position of the DP clear, I believe it is reasonable to make a statement.
As the dust settles, I would propose that opposition forms a united coalition since providing quality opposition in Parliament is a critical part of any properly functioning democracy Read more

Chairlady of Parliament Wescot Williams Resigns from Parliament effective immediately --- MP Lloyd Richardson heading to become an Independent Member of Parliament.

style="text-align: center;"> Is there still a Government in Place? Where does MP Leona Marlin stand?

PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot Williams read her letter of resignation from the position as chairlady of Parliament which she said is effective immediately Read more

style="text-align: center;">Formateur Shuffled the pack again this time appointing Petrus Leroy De Weever as Minister of VSA, the Doc was fooled.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot Williams was fully played by formateur Theodore Heyliger and Democratic Party member Cornelius de Weever Read more

style="text-align: center;">People of St. Maarten need to rise up and protect their heritage and culture – PM

PHILIPSBURG:--- The official and traditional St. Martin's Day celebration that was hosted by the French side did not see much Members of Parliament from the Dutch side. Even the ten seat majority in parliament did not show their faces on Tuesday at the church service that was held at the Methodist Church. In attendance were Member of Parliament Leona Marlin Romeo, Minister/Member of Parliament Maurice Lake and Minister/ Member of Parliament Cornelius de Weever along with Prime Minister/ President of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams Read more

No Quorum to hold Parliamentary Meeting.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The public meeting of Parliament called on Monday was postponed for the second time since the Parliament of St. Maarten did not have a quorum to continue the meeting. Those present were the President of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams, MP Cornelius de Weever, MP Johan Janhci Leonard, MP Leona Marlin and MP Lloyd Richardson.
The chairlady of Parliament announced at 3pm on Monday that there was no quorum to continue the meeting therefore she would have to reschedule the meeting within the next two days Read more

style="text-align: center;">Curacao Policy Advisor to be Appointed Minister of VSA by MP Lloyd Richardson

PHILIPSBURG:--- Two months and days after the August 29th Parliamentary Elections there is still no Government on St. Maarten and while the Governor of St. Maarten has extended the formation period for the UPP/De Weever/Marlin coalition to appoint a Ministerial cabinet Read more