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Country cannot balance budget yet new staff hired.

style="text-align: center;">Did Government cancel their contract with Cable TV for Wednesday? Is the media being muzzled?

PHILIPSBURG:--- The newly installed Gumbs cabinet has taken some radical decisions as to how they intend to deal with members of the media in the future. A press release from Gumbs press secretariat states that the Government of St. Maarten is the last county to establish a press secretariat, a department they said all other Caribbean nations such as St. Kitts have.
Having read the press release sent out by the press secretariat makes us wonder if St Read more

Answers Will Have To Wait Until Mid-January: Parliament Wants Clarity About Housing Foundation

St. Maarten – Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs answered the call to appear in Parliament as the acting minister of public housing within 72 hours after he was sworn in on Friday. Members of Parliament appreciated that, even though Gumbs sent them on their way with a flea in their ear, after listening to questions about the chaos of the St. Maarten Housing Development foundation for more than two hours.

The minister brought to mind the words he spoke on Friday in the constituting meeting where his team officially took over the reins: “The country needs tranquility, stability, civility and prosperity.”

Furthermore, Gumbs noted: “Integrity has been a buzz word this year Read more

Is the Dutch government guilty by association?

Dear Editor,

Now that the dust has blown over, we finally have a government even though the people didn't vote for them. The Kingdom Council of Ministers indirectly appoints a cabinet for St. Maarten, first time in the history of the kingdom, with the blessing of the leader of the UP, Mr. Theodore Heyliger.

The leader of the UP, MP Theodore Heyliger succumb to the pressure of the Dutch government by first withdrawing his name as a candidate for Prime Minister of St Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The leader of the UP, MP Theodore Heyliger succumb to the pressure of the Dutch government by first withdrawing his name as a candidate for Prime Minister of St. Maarten, a position that he stated during the campaign that he was ready and able to take on Read more

Lenny Preist Says Up Leader Bends Under Dutch Pressure

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The leader of the UP, MP Theodore Heyliger succumb to the pressure of the Dutch government by first withdrawing his name as a candidate for Prime Minister of St. Maarten, a position that he stated during the campaign that he was ready and able to take on.

The fact that he has not made himself available to assume the leadership of this country and to lead the government we consider this an act of treason Read more

Up Leader Mp Hon. Theo Heyliger On The Eve Of Christmas Message

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – My Fellow Sint Maarteners,

I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and best wishes for the season. This is a period of giving, sharing, and taking care of those less fortunate.

The weeks leading up to the eve of Christmas has seen various organizations and companies within our community giving back; sharing, and leaving behind goods and other items that they can use, the true values of good will to all men.

I praise those who would be working through the holiday season to serve and protect others, our Police, Fire Services and the Emergency Medical Services.

I praise those working around the clock at the St Read more

The Road To The Gumbs I Cabinet: “Peddling Seats To The Highest Bidder”

St. Maarten / By Hilbert Haar – When Governor Drs. Eugene Holiday administers the oath of office to the five ministers of the Gumbs I cabinet this afternoon, it marks the end of a tedious process that started during the night after the parliamentary elections on August 29. How did we get where we are today? A review.

To avoid any misunderstandings, the governor also administers the oath to the minister plenipotentiary today – but that is not a ‘real’ minister – it is the representative of St 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

Statement From The Honorable Prime Minister Marcel F.A. Gumbs

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with a great sense of pride and honor that I sit before you as Prime Minister of this greatest little country in the world. My entire life has been dedicated to service in one form or the other to St. Maarten. This latest chapter is just a continuation of that service. And now, it's time to work!

We hold no illusions of the task before us. St. Maarten is at a critical stage in its development and growth as a nation.

Our mission is clear: To ensure that St Read more

Speech Of The Governor Given At The Appointment And Swearing-In Ceremony Of The New Cabinet Of Ministers

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten - Chairman of Parliament, Prime-Minister, President of the Collectivity of Saint Martin,
Parliamentarians, Ministers Invited Guests, My fellow Sint Maarteners Good Afternoon.

The August 29, 2014, parliamentary elections set the stage for the transfer of executive responsibility for the governance of our beautiful country from one team of ministers to a new team of ministers. Today, 3 months and three weeks, later we have before us a new team of ministers.

It is the culmination of the official formation process amidst complex and tensed domestic and Kingdom circumstances.

During the formation which concluded today I consulted with various persons and named and worked with formateur Mr Read more

New Gumbs Cabinet to be sworn in on Friday

HARBOUR VIEW--St. Maarten finally will have a new cabinet as of 3:00pm Friday when six new ministers are sworn in by Governor Eugene Holiday at his office.

The cabinet will be headed by veteran politician Marcel Gumbs as Prime Minister. He will also be ad interim Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI.

Current Justice Minister Dennis Richardson will continue in his post as well as serving as ad interim Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour.

Finance Minister Martin Hassink also will continue in his post.

School Manager Rita A Read more

>HARBOUR VIEW:--- His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, received the final report of formateur Theodore Heyliger. The formateur has accepted the commission to form a new government that has a majority in Parliament and that consists of Ministers who are committed to the promotion of the wellbeing of Sint Maarten and dedicated to jointly execute the UP/I-2 Governing Accord, agreed upon by the coalition partners United People's Party, independent Member of Parliament Van Hugh C Read more

Governor Receives Final Formation Report Theodore Heyliger

HARBOUR VIEW, Sint Maarten – On December 17, 2014, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, received the final report of formateur Theodore Heyliger.

The formateur has accepted the commission to form a new government that has a majority in Parliament and that consists of Ministers who are committed to the promotion of the wellbeing of Sint Maarten and dedicated to jointly execute the UP/I-2 Governing Accord, agreed upon by the coalition partners United People's Party, independent Member of Parliament Van Hugh C Read more

Harbour Holding’S 2013 Financial Statements Show: Royal Rewards And Remarkable Loans

St. Maarten / By Hilbert Haar – Kingdom Relations Minister Ronald Plasterk wants to include the risks government-owned companies pose to St. Maarten in the assessment of the country’s budget by financial supervisor Cft. The Harbor group of Companies has always been reluctant to open its books for the government. This newspaper obtained a copy of the harbor’s 2013 financial statements and of the 2014 budget forecast.

The picture that emerges from this rich source of data is confusing and impressive at the same time Read more

EXCLUSIVE: More Trouble for UPP/De Weever/LRMarlin Coalition.

style="text-align: center;">Fifth Minister has problem with screening --- Three years of taxes were not paid. De Weever to appoint his sister as Minister of VSA --- Reliable Sources.

PHILIPSBURG:--- As the days go by there seems to be more trouble for the UPP/De Weever/LRMarlin coalition government when it comes to forming a government.
SMN News understands that a fifth candidate that was submitted to the governor did not fully pass the screening because that person who is currently acting as a caretaker Minister did not pay his taxes for at least three years Read more

style="text-align: center;">TODAY Newspaper Editor in Chief could have confirmed the screening reports by asking their Publisher.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Some of the candidates that ran on the UPP slate are enraged because they said they were treated like children when their party leader Theodore Heyliger interrogated them to see if any of them would have told him who leaked the screening results to SMN News Read more

Four minister candidates reportedly fail screening

PHILIPSBURG--It appears that efforts to put together a new cabinet have come up a few ministers short. Four of the minister candidates reportedly have failed the extensive screening to take up a post in what has been billed as the Marcel Gumbs Cabinet.

Those said to have failed the security and integrity screenings are finance minister candidate Richard Gibson Sr., health minister candidate Leroy de Weever, infrastructure minister candidate Peggy-Ann Brandon and deputy minister plenipotentiary candidate Lucas Berman.

According to people close to the issue, attorney and former minister in the Netherlands Antilles Gibson Sr Read more

Lucas Berman tipped to be next deputy minister plenipotentiary

PHILIPSBURG--Attorney Lucas Berman is said to be the candidate minister for the post of deputy minister plenipotentiary in The Hague.

Providing he passes the security and integrity screening, Berman will join the minister plenipotentiary in representing the country in the Netherlands, particularly at the meeting of the Kingdom Council of Ministers. Minister plenipotentiary is expected to be Josianne Artsen, who currently serves as deputy minister plenipotentiary.

Berman, a junior partner with Lexwell Attorneys-at-Law, was born in Toulouse, France, and was raised in the Netherlands Read more

Heyliger Asks For More Time To Form Government

St. Maarten – UP leader and formateur Theo Heyliger has asked and received more time to submit the final names of his cabinet to form the new government according to a press release from Governor Eugene Holiday.

The formateur originally had a November 30 deadline to submit the final list, but in a meeting with Governor Holiday yesterday, Heyliger made his request for additional time and was granted till December 16 Read more

Heyliger to now present final formation report on Dec. 16

HARBOUR VIEW--The process of searching through the lives of the minister candidates for the new Cabinet with a fine-tooth comb is in “its final stage,” but has not yet been completed. This has led Governor Eugene Holiday to grant formateur of the new Cabinet United People’s (UP) party leader Theo Heyliger a new deadline of December 16 to present his final report.

The screening of minister candidates covers a background review of personal and professional credentials, their financial position, fiscal compliance (tax and social security premiums), a judicial check for possible suspicious transactions, the security background and, if necessary, the health condition of the candidates.

The purpose of the screening is to assess the integrity, independence and solvency of the candidates, as well as the stability of the new government, according to a statement from the Governor’s Cabinet.

Member of Parliament Heyliger met with Holiday on Friday, ahead of his November 23 deadline for his final report, to give his progress report on the screening of the candidates for the posts of prime minister, ministers, minister plenipotentiary and acting minister plenipotentiary.

The current Wescot-Williams III Cabinet has remained in office as a caretaker government since the August 29 Parliamentary Elections.

This is the first time in St Read more

>HARBOUR VIEW:--- On Friday, November 28, 2014, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, met with and received a progress report from formateur Mr. Theo Heyliger.
During the meeting the formateur updated the Governor on the progress of and deliberated on the required information for the screening of the candidates for the posts of Prime Minister, Ministers, Minister Plenipotentiary and acting Minister Plenipotentiary Read more

Sarah withdraws her support from coalition

PHILIPSBURG--Just over a month after gaining the support of ten Members of Parliament (MPs), the United People's (UP) coalition has lost the support of one partner: Democratic Party (DP) leader MP Sarah Wescot-Williams.

The withdrawal of support for the coalition has been considered a foregone conclusion since earlier this month, after Wescot-Williams announced that her party's minister candidates had been passed over in favour of those submitted by DP parliamentarian Cornelius de Weever to formateur of the new cabinet UP leader Theo Heyliger Read more

DP moves to ‘expel’ De Weever from ranks

PHILIPSBURG--The Democratic Party (DP) has moved to expel Member of Parliament (MP) Cornelius de Weever from its ranks. The party has given De Weever until 5:00pm today, Friday, to appeal his expulsion if he so wishes.

De Weever, who is off-island, has not responded to requests for a comment on what he intends to do in the face of his pending expulsion.

De Weever was informed of his pending expulsion from St 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