SXMElections.com

Prison Funding A Positive First Step, Says Van Dam

THE HAGUE--Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Chris van Dam of the Christian Democratic Party CDA is content with the allocation of thirty million euros by the Dutch government for the construction of a new prison and the improvement of detention facilities in St. Maarten.

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Statia Government And Plp Refute Claims Of Support For SneekS Trip To Netherlands

From left: Island Councilmembers Koos Sneek (independent) and Adelka Spanner (Democratic Party), Government Commissioner Marnix van Rij, and Progressive Labour Party Councilmembers Rechelline Leerdam, Clyde van Putten and Reuben Merkman. (File photo)

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The Democratic Party of St. Maarten that was led by MP Sarah Wescot Williams has been officially dissolved and removed from the National Ordinance of Registration and Finances of Political Parties.
The Electoral Council published its decision in the National Gazette Read more

Wuite Is Number 20 On Definitive D66 Slate

Jorien Wuite

THE HAGUE--Jorien Wuite from St. Maarten is number 20 on the definitive candidates list of the Dutch Read more

List Sneek Presents Its Action Plan 2020-2023

Nicolaas Koos Sneek

ST. EUSTATIUS--The recently formed List Sneek presented its action plan 2020-2023 to Government Commissioner in St. Eustatius Marnix van Rij. The one-man faction was formed after Island Councilman Nicolaas Koos Sneek resigned from the Democratic Party (DP) almost immediately after the Island Council election of October 21.

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Enquiry About Status Of Talks With St. Maarten

THE HAGUE--The Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament has enquired about the status of talks with St. Maarten regarding the third tranche of liquidity support and the associated conditions.

  The question about the status of the talks was part of a series of remarks and questions the Committee sent to State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops this week in relation to the liquidity support for Aruba, Curaao and St Read more

United Democratic Party Supports WuiteS Candidacy On Slate Of D66.

Philipsburg, St. Maarten, The United Democratic Party (UDP) is thrilled by the confirmation of its member and former Minister contesting the Dutch election in March 2021 on the slate of D66. While Jorien had to resign from the UDP, we support her all the way with this courageous endeavor.

Jorien Wuite in our opinion will be an asset to the D66 Read more

Caribbean Netherlands: More Leeway, Less Poverty

The Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament in session.

THE HAGUE--Parties that have published their election programme indicated that they want more manoeuvring space for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, but also more attention for the social minimum and poverty eradication.

We set a social minimum that secures a decent existence. Access to basic necessities such as medical care, drinking water and electricity are guaranteed, stated the green left party GroenLinks in its election programme Time for new realism.

The Labour Party PvdA wants the eradication of poverty to become a priority, and for rent and groceries to become affordable again Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The United Democratic Party (UDP) is thrilled by the confirmation of its member and former Minister contesting the Dutch election in March 2021 on the slate of D66. While Jorien had to resign from the UDP, we support her all the way with this courageous endeavor.
Jorien Wuite in our opinion will be an asset to the D66 Read more

Wuite To Run On D66 Slate

Former St. Maarten minister Jorien Wuite is running number 19 on the slate of the Dutch Democratic Party D66. She hopes to bring colour to the Second Chamber.

THE HAGUE--Former St. Maarten minister Read more

Spanner Wants End To Proxy Voting In Statia

Clockwise from left: State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops, a member of his delegation, DP leader and Island Council Member Adelka Spanner and Government Commissioner Marnix van Rij.

ST. EUSTATIUS--Democratic Party (DP) leader and Island Council Member Adelka Spanner wants to see an end to proxy voting in St. Eustatius. She conveyed her sentiments on this during a meeting with Dutch State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops during his recent visit to St Read more

Parliament Supports Aid For Islands, Asks If It Is Enough

Second chamber (file picture)

THE HAGUE--The VVD, CDA, D66 and GroenLinks parties in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament are content with the financial support the Dutch government is giving Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, but wondered whether the assistance is sufficient.

While the parties stated it was good to see that there is active support for the governments, entrepreneurs and dismissed employees in the Caribbean Netherlands, they did have a number of questions for State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops Read more

Ud Extends Us Election Congratulatory Message.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The United Democratic Party of Sint Maarten extends congratulations to President-Elect, Joe Biden, and Vice President-Elect Kamalah Harris of the United States of America.
To all the American people for massively exercising their fundamental democratic right to elect their President and Senate and House representatives: You have demonstrated that the power of the people is by the ballot.

History has been made showing that regardless of age, race, gender, ethnicity, barriers have been broken Read more

Ud Extends Us Election Congratulatory Message

Philipsburg — The United Democratic Party of Sint Maarten extends congratulations to President-Elect, Joe Biden and Vice President Elect Kamalah Harris of the United States of America. To all the American people for massively exercising their fundamental democratic right to elect their President and Senate and House representatives: You have demonstrated that the power of the people is by the ballot. History has been made showing that regardless of age, race, gender, ethnicity, barriers have been broken Read more

St. Eustatius Island Council Discusses SneekS Decision

Clockwise from left: Clyde van Putten (PLP), Rechelline Leerdam (PLP), Reuben Merkman (PLP), civil servant Militza Connell-Maduro, Government Commissioner Marnix van Rij, Councilwoman Adelka Spanner (DP) and Councilman Nicolaas Koos Sneek (Independent).

~ Debates Sneeks request to call faction the new Democratic Party ~

ST. EUSTATIUS--The decision of newly-elected Island Councilman Nicolaas Koos Sneek declaring himself independent from the Democratic Party (DP) on whose slate he was elected was discussed during an extraordinary meeting of the Island Council at V.A Read more

Koos Sneek Leaves Dp And Declares Himself Independent

Nicolaas Koos Sneek (left) speaking at the installation ceremony of the Island Council of St. Eustatius on Thursday, October 29, with leader of the Democratic Party (DP) councilwoman Adelka Spanner (right).

ST. EUSTATIUS--Island Councilman Nicolaas Koos Sneek declared himself an independent member of the newly-elected Island Council of St. Eustatius on Friday, October Read more

Sneek Declare Himself Independent Island Council Member

ORANJESTAD, Sint Eustatius — On Friday October 30th, elected Island Council member Koos Sneek has informed the Democratic Party and the chairman of the Island Council, Mr. Marnix van Rij, that he has declare himself independent island council member in the Island Council of St. Eustatius.

Sneek said: “This decision was for me not an easy one to take. The main reason for me to come to this decision was the difference of opinion between myself and the leader of the Democratic Party, Ms Read more

Heyliger Extends Congratulations To St. Eustatius Says: Free And Fair Elections Allow Democracy To Reign.

PHILIPSBURG, – Sint Maarten – Democracy at work, were the words, Member of Parliament, the Honorable Grisha Heyliger-Marten used to describe her sentiments after hearing the results of the Island Council elections on St. Eustatius yesterday October 21, 2020.

She said, Part of self-determination is the ability of a people to participate in free and fair elections where their elected officials can serve without fear of attack from forces within our external forces Read more

Over Two Thousand Eligible Voters To Vote In StatiaS Island Council Elections

Sint Eustatius – Over two thousand eligible voters on St. Eustatius will have the opportunity to cast their vote for a candidate of their choice, when the Island Council election is held in Statia on Wednesday, October 21st. Some Three political parties will be vying for the allotted five seats in the Island Council of the Public Entity of St. Eustatius.

Those political organizations are the United Peoples Coalition (UPC) of Elvin Henriquez, the St. Eustatius Democratic Party (DP) under the leadership of Aldelka Spanner and the Progressive Labor Party (PLP) spearheaded by Rechelline Leerdam Read more

Sint Eustatius Island Council Election 2020 First Ever Online Debate

ORANJESTAD, Sint Eustatius – Sint Eustatius Island Council Election 2020 is under edge with 2 more official days before the electorate goes to the polls to choose a new island council governing body on Wednesday, October 21st, 2020.

There will be 2 polling districts that will be available to all eligible voters on the island and that qualify to cast their ballot for the candidate of their choice.

JJosephaNews partnered with other news media to bring the first historic Sint Eustatius Island Council Election (ICE-2020) debates Read more

My colleagues and the people of St. Maarten a very pleasant good afternoon.
In commemorating October 10, 2010, instinctively as a public servant you start to think about your role. You are de facto part of the government and governing, so you reflect and look ahead from that premise. As public servants, however, there are times when you get so caught up in your bubble of working day and night for your people that occasionally you forget that the best gauge of information about your country is a five-minute discussion with any citizen Read more

Van Dam Wants Dutch-Appointed Prison Director

Member of the Second Chamber Chris van Dam of the CDA party. (File photo)

THE HAGUE--A Netherlands-appointed director should assume management at St. Maartens Pointe Blanche prison and prison management should be taken out of the hands of the St. Maarten Justice Minister, according to Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Chris van Dam of the Christian Democratic Party CDA.

He announced in an interview with The Daily Herald that he would relay this message during the handling of the 2021 Kingdom Relations budget in the Second Chamber on Tuesday Read more

No Parliamentary Supervision Of Caribbean Reform Entity

THE HAGUE – The Dutch government does not find it opportune to give a formal role to the Parliaments of Aruba, Curaao and St. Maarten in the supervision of the Caribbean Reform Entity, the body that will oversee the large reform exercise in the three countries.

Dutch State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops stated this in a lengthy document with answers to the long list of questions submitted by the various parties in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Read more

Lack Of Dutch Caribbean Countries Input In Proposed Entity Pointed Out

THE HAGUE – The Democratic Party D66, the green left party GroenLinks and the Labour Party PvdA in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament are concerned about the level of involvement that the governments and Parliaments of Aruba, Curaao and St. Maarten will have in the proposed Caribbean Reform Entity.

The parties, along with the Socialist Party (SP), are also very concerned about the vulnerable groups on the islands and how the strict conditions and the reform measures, which they do deem necessary, will adversely affect this part of society in terms of poverty and unemployment.

The parties expressed their concerns in a series of questions and remarks that the Second Chambers Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations sent to State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops this week Read more