SXMElections.com

I voted for improvement yet nothing has changed

Dear Editor,

Please allow me some space in your newspaper to address the United People’s party.

UP party, as a supporter of the united people’s party, I have a request in return for all my hard work and efforts in getting votes for the current government body.

It is only fair and understandable that while some other supporters/campaigners are benefitting from their input; Erno York has only received small but appreciated donations Read more

EXCLUSIVE: GEBE Management Team plans to use Company’s Statuut to vote a motion of No Confidence against CFO.

style="text-align: center;">Management Team of GEBE in Shambles, No CEO, No COO and now CFO in predicament.

PHILIPSBURG: --- The members of the management team of GEBE is planning to use the company's statuut to vote a motion of no confidence against the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Rene Gartner. That motion might come as early as today (Thursday) an insider at GEBE told SMN News.
The source said that none of the personnel could get along with Gartner and just recently he sent home the head of the finance department because he does not like or agrees with that person Read more

Up Board Denounces Statements On Smn-News Website

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The United People's Party (UP) board recently met to discuss a number of pressing issues inclusive of a recent statement found on the online news site SMN-News.

"We the board of the UP board would like to denounce a recent statement made on one of the local online media outlets Read more

>AMSTERDAM/PHILIPSBURG:--- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson is in the hot seat now that he has signed an agreement with the Minister of Interior and Foreign Affairs Ronald Plasterk to install an integrity chamber on St. Maarten, especially since Minister Richardson chose to place the Parliament of St. Maarten in an awkward position by placing a deadline on Parliament to approve the national ordinance by June 30th. Minister Richardson gave his Dutch counterpart the best part of the deal regarding the Integrity Chamber of St Read more

GEBE Supervisory Board sends home COO for Irregularities and Mismanagement – Reliable Sources --- Allegations against Gartner Proven, No Sanctions Taken (UPDATED)

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The supervisory board of GEBE dismissed the Chief Operations Officer (COO)Romelio Maduro of the company on Tuesday. According to information coming from a board member they had to take the decision when they found gross irregularities and mismanagement of the company. Maduro became COO about three years ago. No details of the irregularies or mismanagement have been disclosed.
Ever since Maduro took office the company have been making the news almost every week in a negative light.
Another person the supervisory board is looking at is the Chief Financial Officer Rene Gartner whom they were investigating for the abuse of the company's credit card.
SMN News wrote that story some weeks ago when the board found out that Gartner bought airline tickets to the Netherlands with GEBE credit cards for his personal use.

SMN News learnt that Maduro was called in on Monday where  he attended a short meeting with the Human Resources Manager and then left,  The source said that Maduro was informed of the Board's decision on Tuesday and since then he did not return to work up until Monday morning when he attended a short meeting then left the premises Read more

Meeting on Checkmate contract proves fruitless

Various Members of Parliament speak with Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Claret Connor and his support staff.

 

~ ‘Sensitive answers’ to be given in two weeks ~

 PHILIPSBURG--The meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament, which had been called by National Alliance (NA) Members of Parliament (MPs) seeking answers about a hefty rise in pay in a security contract signed between St Read more

Vote Buying Case Heads Back To Court — No Proof Of Class Justice 

St. Maarten – The vote buying case, commonly called the “Masbangu case” was referred back to the Court of first instance by the Court of Appeal in a verdict rendered yesterday. The case was dismissed by the Court of First Instance when the judge ruled that trying the persons who allegedly sold their votes and not trying the person to whom they are accused of selling their votes smacked of class justice.

The case concerns charges brought against four persons who were accused of selling their votes to the UP in 2010 and were brought before a judge in 2012, following which the case was postponed and continued on August 24th of last year, just after the 2014 elections Read more

Vote-buying case to go back to Court of First Instance for retrial

PHILIPSBURG--The Joint Court of Justice referred the so-called "Masbangu" case, involving selling or buying votes on behalf of United People's (UP) party in the September 2010 election, to the Court of First Instance on Tuesday for retrial.

The Court of First Instance declared the Prosecutor's Office's cases against these men inadmissible in August 2014, because it had failed to also investigate the roles of UP and its leadership in the scheme.

Initially, the case involved five suspects, but one of these persons passed away in June 2014.

The case concerns (former) officers of the then-Police Force of St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Court of Appeals has rendered its verdict on Tuesday ordering the Prosecutor's Office to conduct a complete retrial of the Masbangu (VOTE BUYING CASE). Press Prosecutor Tineke Kamps confirmed that the verdict was issued on Tuesday afternoon.
Kamps said although the case does not fall under her jurisdiction but that of the Solicitor General Taco Stein she understands that the court ruled that the verdict issued by the Court of First Instance was not correct therefore a complete retrial of the case involving the United Peoples Party and its leader Theodore Heyliger must take place Read more

Corallo says opening of Starz is ‘first step’ of ‘bigger project’

CUPECOY--The Atlantis Group inaugurated its Starz City concept and celebrated the rebranding of Atlantis Casino to Starz Casino on Friday.

The rebranding of the casino marks the "first step" of a bigger project that will include a hotel and commercial centre.

A large cross section of the community, including several dignitaries, attended the inauguration of Starz City. Atlantis World Group owner Francesco Corallo told The Daily Herald during the inauguration that plans were afoot to construct a 120-room hotel and commercial centre in the area.

"We have to upgrade our product and that is what I try to do myself with my small environment," Corallo said in a brief interview Read more

Survivors triumphant in Children, Grand Parade

Winning adult troupe Jasmine Philips’ Survivors dance their way through Front Street. (Darlene Hodge photo)

PHILIPSBURG--Survivors by Jasmine Philips won in both sections of the Children and Grand Carnival Parade held Thursday and the Labour Day Parade on Friday. Brightly coloured troupes in elaborate and diverse costumes once again danced their way to Carnival Village in the season’s annual highlights.

“The SCDF [St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation – Ed.] is very happy with the turnout of the Grand Carnival Parade 2015 Read more

style="text-align: center;">Construction of Hotel to start by September at "Starz City" ---  Francisco Corrallo

CUPECOY:--- Over three thousands persons across St. Maarten/ St. Martin were invited on Friday night to the grand opening of the newly rebranded Atlantis Casino. Businessman Francisco Corrallo told SMN News that the opening of the Starz Casino and more is a new beginning for the business he managed over the years Read more