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Central Committee Meeting Requested By Dp And Na Factions About Port St. Maarten

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The Central Committee of Parliament will meet in public session on February 10 at the request of the Democratic Party (DP) and National Alliance (NA) factions.

The Minister of Finance Hon. Martin Hassink and Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications Hon Read more

Justice Minister Has No Knowledge Of Possible Replacement

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - According to reports on The Voice of St. Maarten News has learnt that Former head of the Coastguard Edson "Eddy" Kirindongo is tipped to be the next Justice Minister.

He will be replacing the current Justice Minister, the Honorable Dennis Richardson.

Although, it is still not clear as to when Kirindongo will take up the position, according to reports, he is currently being vetted, as the choice of Member of Parliament and leader of the United St. Maarten Read more

The illusion of Parliamentary Motions

Dear Editor,

On January 30, the budget of country St. Maarten was passed by Parliament after some marathon sessions, which were necessary if our country wanted to make the CFT deadline of January 31.

The CFT will now have to render its advice on the approved budget 2015. As is often the case, the closing part of the budget debate saw several motions being presented. Some motions were approved by a majority, others unanimously approved, and yet others rejected.

Five motions were presented and one amendment Read more

Kremlin talks on Ukraine yield little

DEBALTSEVE, Ukraine--The leaders of France and Germany flew out of Moscow in the dead of night after five hours of talks with Vladimir Putin on Friday, with little to announce to end fighting in Ukraine beyond a promise to keep talking.

None of the leaders spoke publicly after the meeting, which ended around midnight with President Francois Hollande and Chancellor Angela Merkel whisked straight from the Kremlin back to the airport. The French and German leaders had held similar late talks the night before with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, part of a last-ditch push for a breakthrough before EU leaders consider new financial sanctions against Russia next week.

European officials had played down expectations ahead of the Moscow talks, expressing doubt that Putin would compromise while pro-Russian rebels are advancing on the ground Read more

NAPB wants ‘function book’ finalised this year

PHILIPSBURG--General Police Union NAPB will be focusing on enhancing its communication with members and the public as well as pushing for government to finalise what is referred to as the police "function book."

The function book covers a range of areas such as the general police law, structure, placement plan and salary package amongst other things. NAPB President Ethelwoldus Josepha told The Daily Herald that officers have been awaiting the finalisation of these matters for in excess of four years and it is time that these issues are finalised once and for all.

"The function book is something I have to work on and the entire board of NAPB has to work on Read more

DP, CPA, OSPP still to submit donation list

~ Candidates urged to submit info by Feb. 13 ~

PHILIPSBURG--The Democratic Party (DP), Concordia Political Alliance (CPA) and One St. Maarten People Party (OSPP) have not yet submitted their donation registers for the August 29, 2014 Parliament Election to the Electoral Council Read more

Separate Ordinance To Regulate Timeshare Being Considered Say's Dp

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The meeting, requested by the DP faction in Parliament on the 2 draft time-share laws took place on Thursday, February 5th.

Unfortunately, Minister Conner was not able to attend, however the minister sent 2 advisors to assist at the meeting.

Also present was the Minister of Justice, within whose purview the civil code falls.

Parties agreed that we will work together to expeditiously respond to the advice of the Council of Advice Read more

D66, PvdA opposed on St Maarten intervention

THE HAGUE--The Dutch Labour Party PvdA and the democratic party D66 have contradicting views when it comes to the proposed intervention by the Kingdom Council of Ministers to tackle integrity violations in St. Maarten.

The PvdA is of the opinion that intervention by the Kingdom Government in the case of St. Maarten is merited because the country has offered insufficient redress to effectively deal with integrity violations in government.

PvdA Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Roelof van Laar made this clear during a public debate in The Hague on Thursday evening, organised by the Committee Kingdom Relations and the Kingdom Youth Parliament.

Member of the Second Chamber Wassila Hachchi of D66 condemned the extreme measure of the Kingdom Council of Ministers to start the procedure to impose a General Measure of the Kingdom Government ("Algemene Maatregel van Rijksbestuur AMvRB") to establish an Integrity Chamber for St Read more

Bosman, Van Raak sanction intervention by The Hague

THE HAGUE--Intervention of the Kingdom Government is painful and it might be experienced by some as unjust, but it is necessary because without help from the Netherlands, St. Maarten will not be able to tackle the integrity violations and clean up the dirty politics.

Members of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Ronald van Raak of the Socialist Party (SP) and André Bosman of the liberal democratic VVD party wholeheartedly supported the decision of the Kingdom Council of Ministers last Friday, to start the procedure to invoke a so-called General Measure of the Kingdom Government (“Algemene Maatregel van Rijksbestuur” AMvRB) to set up an Integrity Chamber for St Read more

Royal Netherlands Marines commander suspended after subordinates complain

Commander of the Netherlands Royal Marines in St. Maarten Patrick Wokke was suspended after what a source referred to as a “bullying campaign” against Wokke led to a complaint by subordinates.

POINTE BLANCHE--Commander of the Netherlands Royal Marines in St. Maarten Major Patrick Wokke has been suspended from his post with immediate effect after what a source referred to as “a bullying campaign to have the major removed from his position.” The suspension happened some three weeks ago.

It is the second time within a year that the Dutch Defence Forces have been accused of unfairly removing a popular leader from an organisation based in St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Of the eight registered political parties only three of them submitted their donation registers before February 1st as is stipulated in the National Ordinance registration and finances of political parties. These political parties are the Citizens for Positive Change, the United People's Party and the Social Reform Party Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- On January 30th the budget of country St. Maarten was passed by Parliament after some marathon sessions, which were necessary if our country wanted to make the CFT deadline of January 31st.
The CFT will now have to render its advice on the APPROVED budget 2015. As is often the case, the closing part of the budget debate saw several motions being presented. Some motions were approved by a majority, others unanimously approved, and yet others rejected.
Five motions were presented and one amendment Read more

Minister Connor: Government Still Committed To Timeshare Consumer Protection

St. Maarten – Government’s goal as it regards timeshare remains to establish timeshare consumer protection and meet the goal of bringing credibility to St. Maarten’s Timeshare product, Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Claret Connor reiterated on Tuesday.

He said government understands, full well, the messages it is receiving from timeshare members Read more

Local Alternative For Rain Forest

St. Maarten – He wrote a comprehensive plan for the sustainable development of the Emilio Wilson estate and brought it to the attention of former Vromi-Minister Maurice Lake, the former Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams and the former Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Ted Richardson Read more

Princess Heights Makes Going Green Profitable

St. Maarten – The Princess Heights boutique hotel in Dawn Beach is now among 2,300 hotels in 47 countries around the world to carry the Green Key eco-label. On Monday evening, the hotel celebrated the certification with a reception around the property’s pool.

General Manager Emil Lee said that initially he had no intention to get the hotel certified Read more

Carnival 2015 Queen Contestants Experience Cultural, History Tour

St. Maarten -The Carnival contestants of the Teen, Senior and Mature queen pageants were treated on Saturday to a day of culture and history for the first annual Royal Culture Tour organized by the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF). The brainchild of pageant coordinator Aishira Cicilia, the tour was organized to give all the contestants a more wholesome experience and for them to understand that through pageantry, they can learn and relay aspects of St. Maarten’s history and culture to others.

 

They started at the St Read more

Mp Sarah Wescot-Williams: “This Is A Slap In The Face Of St.Maarten”

St. Maarten – “Nothing Sint Maarten has done with respect to tackling integrity issues has made any difference for Minister Plasterk and his colleagues in the Dutch cabinet,” Democratic Party MP Sarah Wescot-Williams states in a press release, adding that an article-51 measure amounts to imposing higher supervision.

Wescot-Williams notes that Kingdom Relations Minister Plasterk “has been fencing with the measure for a long time” thereby “making it appear as if St Read more

Shana: European Style With The Benefits Of Fun Miles

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Fun Miles can now also be saved and redeemed at fashion retailer Shana, which has opened its doors in Back Street.

Shana is a young, trendy and globally booming fashion brand from Europe, with hip and affordable fashion and accessories for both men and women.

SHOW OFF YOUR SHANA OUTFIT AND WIN 5,000 FUN MILES
To celebrate the new partnership between Fun Miles and Shana, there is an exciting introduction campaign.

Fun Miles cardholders who shop at Shana in February and post a picture with their outfit on facebook.com/shanastmaarten, will have a chance to win no less than 5,000 Fun Miles.

ABOUT SHANA
Shana is a relatively new brand, which only started out in 2010 but already has hundreds of stores across the globe.

Its success formula is simple and effective: attractive fashion at attractive prices.

Shana proves that style does not have to break the bank Read more

Obama calls black golf trailblazer a 'legend'

WASHINGTON--Trailblazer Charlie Sifford was hailed as a "legend" by President Barack Obama and the "grandpa that I never had" by Tiger Woods as the golf world paused on Wednesday to remember the first black man to join the PGA Tour.

Sifford, who was well beyond his prime when, at the age of 38, he was accepted into the PGA in 1961, died on Tuesday in Cleveland at the age of 92. Obama, who awarded Sifford the Presidential Medal of Freedom last year, termed Sifford a "golf legend" and exalted him for "altering the course of the sport and the country he loved."

"Charlie was the first African-American to earn a PGA tour card - often facing indignity and injustice even as he faced the competition," Obama said in a statement Read more

>COLE BAY:--- The Sint Maarten Nature Foundation, with the assistance of the St. Eustatius National Parks Office STENAPA Statia National Marine Park, has started to provide fishermen with so-called pop-up devices, specialized pieces of equipment that prevent fish traps from being lost or poached.

The pop-up devices work by attaching them to ropes affixed to fish pots which are submerged for a set period of time Read more

First New Year’s Event SMPSA Friday Feb. 6th.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The board of the SMSPA would hereby like to invite the members and the prospective members of the seniors and pensioners association to the first New Years Event.

Come and hear our New Years message. Come and hear what we have on the program for this year 2015?

As one of the first topics we start this year with the health care for seniors in Sint Maarten. Too much complaints are reaching our board Read more

Dr. Nilda Arduin presents thesis to Minister of TEATT.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Dr. Nilda Arduin, an expert on Timeshare, presented her thesis, which was published in the Netherlands in 1993, to the Minister of TEATT, Mr. Claret Connor.

Dr. Arduin, a legal specialist on timeshare, is internationally known for her work and expertise on the legal aspects of timesharing. As a lawyer she has been consulted and advised governments, developers and timeshare owners on legal issues pertaining to the timeshare industry.
In 1995 she advised the government of Sint Maarten during the very difficult period of the Pelican Resort debacle just before Hurricane Luis hit Sint Maarten Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) representative Mr. Finn Bolding Thomsen poses at Divi Little Bay's Blue Flag information Board with Divi's Human Resources Manager Ms. Marije Lodewijks and Environmental Protection In the Caribbean's (EPIC) Project Manager/ Blue Flag National Operator Rueben J. Thompson during the Blue Flag inspection which took place at the resort this past week Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs on Tuesday met with Harald Linkels (left) of the firm Linkels & Partners who is offering corporate governance trainings for various entities. The Prime Minister was enthusiastic about relaying the information to the boards of the various government owened companies considering the fact that good corporate governance and integrity are closely related Read more