SXMElections.com

Former Pm Marcel Gumbs Reacts To Dr. Martha “Not Possible To Revoke Dissolution Decree”

St. Maarten / By Hilbert Haar – “I think that not all the facts were presented to him,” former Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs told this newspaper yesterday in a reaction to the interview with Dr. Rutsel Martha. “He is a good friend and very clever, though somewhat controversial, but his specialty is not in constitutional law.”

Gumbs said that he had acquired advice from three constitutional experts – professors Arjen van Rijn, Tijn Kortmann and Joop van den Berg Read more

“Governor Holiday Made Gumbs Look Like A Fool”

Dr. Rutsel Martha: revoking dissolution decree perfectly legal

By Hilbert Haar – LONDON / GREAT BAY – The decision by the Marlin-cabinet to withdraw the October 29 dissolution decree and to replace it by another one that pushed the elections back to September of next year is perfectly legal. That is the opinion of Dr. Rutsel Martha, a former Minister of Justice in Curacao who is now based in London as an international legal consultant. From a distance, Dr. Martha has followed the political developments in St Read more

Mp Maurice Lake: Vital Role For Gebe In Renewable Energy

St. Maarten – Independent Member of Parliament Maurice Lake says he foresees GEBE playing a vital role in renewable energy in St. Maarten. “Based on the coalition of eight’s governing program, we will continue where the steering committee within government left off with the waste-to-energy plant discussions and review the latest draft agreement,” he said in a press statement.

Government is continuous and the previous Government should never have attempted changing plans that were in the best interest of the people, Lake noted. “Based on the shareholder’s meeting that took place yesterday, Gebe Management and supervisory board will inform the Council of Ministers about its current state of affairs.  The Minister of Vromi, who is shareholder representative of GEBE, needs to put as an agenda point the historical and current status of renewable energy.  We need to work towards the future by starting investments into renewable energy and alternative sources of energy through LPG/ LNG, also by promoting solar energy to the community in addition to having the necessary policies in place.”

Those who have invested in solar energy production in our community should be commended for taking the initiative on their own, Lake added. “All stakeholders, Gebe and government, need to put in place what is necessary for local solar energy producers to receive back what they contribute on a daily basis based on their solar energy investment and contribution to the electricity grid.  Gebe needs to adjust its meters to accommodate solar energy to residential homes Read more

Mp Lake Says Gebe Must Play Vital Role In Renewable Energy For St. Maarten

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Independent Member of Parliament Maurice Lake says he foresees GEBE playing a vital role in renewable energy in St. Maarten. â€œBased on the Coalition of Eight’s Governing Program, we will be continuing with where the Steering Committee within Government left off with the Waste to Energy Plant discussions and review the latest draft agreement,” he said. Government is continuous and the previous Government should never have attempted changing plans which was in the best interest of the people.  Based on the upcoming Shareholder’s meeting on December 15th, GEBE Management and Supervisory Board will inform the Council of Ministers about its current state of affairs.  The Minister of VROMI, who is Shareholder representative of GEBE, needs to put as an agenda point the historical and current status of renewable energy.  We need to work towards the future by starting investments into renewable energy and alternative sources of energy through LPG/ LNG, also by promoting solar energy to the community in addition to having the necessary policies in place, pointed out Lake.
 
“Those who have invested in solar energy production in our community should be commended for taking the initiative on their own.  All stakeholders, GEBE and Government, need to put in place what is necessary for local solar energy producers to receive back what they contribute on a daily basis based on their solar energy investment and contribution to the electricity grid.  GEBE needs to adjust their meters to accommodate solar energy to residential homes Read more

U.S. Ambassador To The Kingdom Of The Netherlands Visits The Dutch Caribbean

WILLEMSTAD, Curacao - U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands Timothy M. Broas, accompanied by Acting U.S. Consul General Hormazd Kanga, visited Curac¸ao, Sint Maarten, Saba, and Bonaire this week.

In Curac¸ao, Ambassador Broas met with Prime Minister Bernard “Ben” Whiteman and other government officials. His visit coincided with Curac¸ao Baseball Week, an event that brings local superstars of America’s national pastime back to Curac¸ao to inspire and train young baseball players on the island Read more

Dutch Quarter Upgrade Has Again Priority

St. Maarten – On June 2012 current Prime Minister William Marlin, then minister of Vromi. promised Dutch Quarter that the district would be “brand new” by the end of 2014. Why nothing happened? “The wrong people were in government,” Marlin said at yesterday’s Council of Ministers press briefing. “Right now, this project has priority again.”

St Read more

New Political Parties Balk At Postponement Of Elections

From left Peter Gittens, Daniel Ortega, Loekie Morales, Mercedes van der Waals-Wyatt and Wycliffe Smith. Photo contributed

St Read more

Prime Minister Marlin Meets With Vromi Personnel

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Prime Minister Hon. William Marlin met with Secretary General Luis Brown and representatives of the Ministry of VROMI on Wednesday November 25th, 2015.

This introductory meeting was held to further discuss the location of the sewage plant in Cole Bay among other matters of priority within the Ministry. Read more

Prime Minister Marlin Meets With Dutch Representative

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Prime Minister of Sint Maarten Hon. William Marlin on Friday November 27th, 2015, met with Head of the establishment of the Dutch Representation in Sint Maarten, drs. Gert Versluis.

The meeting was an introductory one, focused on current developments and other relevant matters. Read more

Pm Marlin: “First Electoral Reform” No Elections In February

Ministers Silveria Jacobs, William Marlin and Emil Lee (l.t.r.) at the first press briefing of the new cabinet Read more

Samuel And Richardson Return To Parliament

Rodolphe Samuel and Hyacinth Richardson (third and second from right) wait to be sworn in. Photo Today / Milton Pieters

St. Maarten – Rodolphe Samuel and Hyacinth Richardson took the empty seats of National Alliance faction leader William Marlin and Silveria Jacobs yesterday afternoon in parliament, after a small committee of three, consisting of MPs Leona Marlin-Romeo, Dr Read more

City Manager Announces Retirement Date, Service To Tallahassee Spans 25 Years

SISTER CITY TALLAHASSEE, united States of America - Tallahassee City Manager Anita Favors Thompson announced that she will retire effective November 20, 2015.

“When I became City Manager in 1997, I made the commitment to always put people first and to focus on providing the best services possible to meet the needs of our community,” Favors Thompson said.

“Through my 25 years working for the city and through challenges and accomplishments, I’ve never wavered in my belief that a city’s greatest asset is its people Read more

>MARIGOT/GREAT BAY:---- Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs will be the guest on Talking Point radio program on Friday, October 30, said Jacques “Billy D” Hamlet host and producer of the program.
According to Hamlet “The prime minister confirmed late Wednesday evening he will be my guest on the program Friday at 9am.”
Gumbs will be appearing on SOS Radio for the first since been nominated prime minister of St Read more

Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs On Sos Radio Friday

Marigot/Great Bay - Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs will be the guest on Talking Point radio program on Friday, October 30, said Jacques “Billy D” Hamlet host and producer of the program.

According to Hamlet “The prime minister confirmed late Wednesday evening he will be my guest on the program Friday at 9am.”

Gumbs will be appearing on SOS Radio for the first since been nominated prime minister of St Read more

“Saying That Elections Will Stop Ship Jumping Is Lying To Voters”

St. Maarten – Parliamentarians bitched and moaned about rules and regulations yesterday all the way until the final vote on the two motions the new majority presented yesterday morning. It was a losing battle for the opposition UP and its faithful independents and in the end, it did not change anything at all.

Independent MP Cornelius de Weever started with an attack on the new president of parliament, Sarah Wescot-Williams Read more

Motion adopted in Parliament to annul the LB to dissolve the Parliament of St. Maarten. PM Refused to attend meeting of Parliament and to submit documents.

style="text-align: center;">Motion to instruct Council of Ministers not to make decision that will affect the country passed.

PHILIPSBURG:--- After some severe resistance from the now minority in Parliament the new majority managed to pass two motions that they presented on Wednesday.
MP William Marlin tabled a motion to annul the Landsbesluit sent by Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs to the Governor of St Read more

Marcel Gumbs Cabinet Tenders Resignation On Wednesday

St. Maarten- The Council of Ministers will meet this coming Wednesday with Governor Drs. Eugene Holiday at the Governor’s Cabinet to tender its resignation.

At this meeting all ministers will make their positions available and the national decree to dissolve parliament will be signed by the governor and countersigned by Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, the prime minister’s cabinet states in a press release last night Read more

Gumbs cabinet expected to submit their resignation on Wednesday next week.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Reliable information reaching SMN News states that the ousted Prime Minister of St. Maarten Marcel Gumbs will be taking in the resignation of his cabinet latest Wednesday next week.
It is not yet known why the Prime Minister and the other Ministers making up his cabinet choose to stay a few more days in office after being notified of the Governor’s final decision on Wednesday.
SMN News could not reach Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs on Friday for a confirmation on whether or not he will submit the resignation of his cabinet or if he will wait for the police to knock on the doors of the Ministers to remove them from office forcefully.
Former Minister of Constitutional Affairs and also former Minister of Justice Roland Duncan told SMN News that the Gumbs cabinet has committed a criminal act and they can be held accountable for their actions Read more

>Harbour View:--- On October 22, 2015, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, requested Mr. William V. Marlin to form a new government as formateur.
As was communicated earlier, the Governor received a letter on September 30, 2015, from three members of Parliament, Mr. F. Richardson, Mr. S. Matser and Mr. M. Lake, in which they informed the Governor that they withdrew their support from the present coalition government. Subsequently the Governor was informed that the Parliament of Sint Maarten passed a motion of no-confidence against the current cabinet of ministers Read more

Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs: “I Will Not Back Down”

Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs (left) makes his position perfectly clear while Ministers Hassink, Sams and Connor look on. Photo Today / Andrew Dick

St. Maarten – “I will not back down,” Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs told this newspaper yesterday afternoon while he was walking back to the government building, where earlier yesterday he shed his light once more on the constitutional crisis that holds the country in a deadly embrace.

Professor Arjen van Rijn repeated yesterday in the Antilliaans Dagblad his firm position on the constitutional crisis: when the parliament hits, the cabinet is allowed to hit back Read more

Na Leader Questions Interpretation Of The Constitution By Council Of Ministers

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - National Alliance Leader MP the Honorable William Marlin took a critical look Sunday on the latest release form the Cabinet of the Governor as well as similar situations of the past.

The press conference of the “majority of 8” and which was held Sunday afternoon at the Parliament building was called for by the DP leader MP the honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams Read more

Mp Heyliger Raises Eyebrow At New Lake And Marlin Relationship

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Leader of the UP Party, MP the Honorable Theo Heyliger Monday broke his silence on the latest political developments plaguing the island and those before that also led to governmental turmoil.

The political leader who broke his silence on the Billy D Radio Program addressed many subjects, from the realities of being a Minister to trying to comply with the unrealistic demands of his members who have tasted power Read more

Governor’S Explosive 2013 Letter Supports Dissolution Parliament

Possible elections pushed back to February 2016

St. Maarten / By Hilbert Haar – Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs has sent an amended national decree to dissolve the parliament to Governor Drs. Eugène Holiday on Wednesday that would push elections back to February of next year. The amendment to the decree was necessary because the Electoral Council needs more time to give possible new parties the opportunity to register.

An explosive letter Governor Holiday wrote in May 2013 and to then Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams shows that, at that time, the governor supported the dissolution of parliament Read more

>Simpson Bay:--- An early Sunday morning shooting has left one person dead. The shooting took place shortly after 9am Sunday morning by Robbie’s Lottery located at La Palapa building in Simpson Bay. Persons on the scene said the victim that was shot dead seems to be an employee working for Robbie’s Lottery and he apparently got shot while trying to open the business place. However, that could not be confirmed by anyone. SMN News further learnt that the victim is of Latino decent.
SMN News contacted Police Spokesman Ricardo Henson for confirmation on the shooting, Henson who was on the scene of the shooting said “I am not giving you any information Read more