SXMElections.com

GovernmentS Management Of Thecountry (Or Lack Thereof) A Growing Concern, Says Ud.

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – “The overall governing of the country and our constitutional future and relationships remain a major concern and should be continuous topics for the Parliament of St.Maarten,” stated the United Democratic Party (UD).

For the past weeks we have seen leaders, members and candidates of the political parties represented in this coalition government express views on a variety of issues which are in direct conflict with the modus operandi of the governing body and the parties themselves Read more

"Government's Management Of The Country (Or Lack Thereof) A Growing Concern", Says Ud.

PHILIPSBURG: --- "The overall governing of the country and our constitutional future and relationships remain a major concern and should be continuous topics for the Parliament of St.Maarten," stated the United Democratic Party (UD).

For the past weeks, we have seen leaders, members, and candidates of the political parties represented in this coalition government express views on a variety of issues that are in direct conflict with the modus operandi of the governing body and the parties themselves.

Under normal circumstances, this would be reason enough for the coalition parties to declare at best a lack of confidence in the ability of the St Read more

Dr Elections Are Always Turbulent: 1978, 1994 And 2020 The Most Tense

Santo Domingo, DR – Scholars of Dominican political processes point to the 1978 and 1994 elections as the most conflictive and dangerous for the democratic process that began in 1962 and had the interruption of the coup in 1963 and the civil revolt of 1965.

In 1978, the military followers of the then President Joaqun Balaguer openly participated in the campaign for reelection, reaching the point of displaying red scarves symbols of the Reformist Party on the tips of their bayonets, paralyzing the counting of votes on election day Read more

Majority Support For Motion To Take Over St. Maarten Prison

THE HAGUE--The Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Tuesday adopted the motion of Christian Democratic Partys CDAs Chris van Dam which requests that the Kingdom Council of Ministers take control of St. Maartens Pointe Blanche prison for five years.

Read more

Knops Says Redress To Build New Prison Is Still Possible

Dutch Minister of Justice and Security Ferd Grapperhaus (left) talks with Members of the Second Chamber before the start of Mondays debate. From right: Andr Bosman (VVD), Attje Kuiken (PvdA), Antje Diertens (D66) and Chris van Dam (CDA). (Suzanne Koelega photo)

Minister for Legal Protection Sander Dekker (left) and State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops (second from right) at the start of Mondays debate in the Second Chamber about law enforcement. (Suzanne Koelega photo)

THE HAGUE--Dutch State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops is giving the St Read more

Sint Maarten Anti-Poverty Platform/Sint Maarten Consumers Coalition.

Press conference Thursday June 11, 2020
Topic 1: How positive was the meeting of Chamber of Labor Unions with the Council of Ministers?
Topic 2: Protection of Registered Workers on Our Labor Market
Topic 3: Full implementation of human rights for all citizens
Topic 4: Maintaining the purchasing power of wages and salaries and the Cost of Living Adjustment
Topic 5: Kingdom Government and local government are co-authors of the Social pandemic
Topic 1: How positive was the meeting of Chamber of Labor Unions with the Council of Ministers?
Finally on Tuesday June 9th the Council of Ministers honored the request of the unified unions in the Windward Island Chamber of Labor Unions for a dialogue Read more

Second Chamber Fully Supports Loan Conditions

THE HAGUE – The Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament is in full support of setting conditions to the financial assistance for Aruba, Curaao and St. Maarten, it became clear during a plenary debate on Wednesday. Above all, Dutch funding should help the large group of needy persons on the islands and certainly not benefit the small group of the rich elite.

The poor man should not suffer. They need our help in this crisis situation. The broadest shoulders should carry the biggest weight, said Member of Parliament (MP) Nevin ztok of the green left party GroenLinks, who pointed out like many of her colleagues in the Second Chamber that the humanitarian urgency was high, and that a swift start of the reforms by the countries was needed to increase resilience and to realise growth.

In that sense, there was full support for the proposal of State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops to link the second tranche of liquidity support to Aruba, Curaao and St Read more

Newly appointed Knight in the Order of Orange Nassau Julian Woodley (centre) with Deputy Government Commissioner Alida Francis (left) and Government Commissioner Marnix van Rij (right).

ST. EUSTATIUS--Former Acting Island Governor of St. Eustatius, former Member of Parliament (MP) of the Netherlands Antilles and former Island Councilmember for the Democratic Party (DP) Julian Woodley (68) was appointed Knight in the Order of Orange Nassau in the name of King Willem-Alexander by State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops on Thursday, April 23.

The ceremony took place in VincentA Read more

Solidarity Is A Two-Way Street, Says Mp Van Dam

THE HAGUE – Solidarity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands is a lovely principle, but it needs to be mutual and equally invested in by all partners, according to Member of the Second Camber of the Dutch Parliament Chris van Dam of the Christian Democratic Party CDA.

One of the most beautiful articles in our Charter is article 36 which states that the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaao and St Read more

Solidarity Is A Two-Way Street, Says Mp Van Dam

THE HAGUE--Solidarity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands is a lovely principle, but it needs to be mutual and equally invested in by all partners, according to Member of the Second Camber of the Dutch Parliament Chris van Dam of the Christian Democratic Party CDA.

One of the most beautiful articles in our Charter is article 36 which states that the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaao and St Read more

Parliament Requests Reports On Pointe Blanche Prison

THE HAGUE--Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops and the Law Enforcement Council will be asked to provide an overview of the recommendations that have been made in the past years regarding the Pointe Blanche prison in St. Maarten.

The reviews are being requested by the Second Chambers Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations on the initiative of Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Chris van Dam of the Christian Democratic Party CDA Read more

Van Dam Asks About StatiaS Mass Layoff

THE HAGUE--Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Chris van Dam of the Christian Democratic Party CDA is seeking clarity on the mass layoff at the St. Eustatius oil storage terminal.

Van Dam submitted written questions to Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops and Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Cora van Nieuwenhuizen on Wednesday Read more

Van Dam: Ruling On Police Cells Reconfirms Unacceptable Situation

Chris van Dam (File photo)

THE HAGUE--The new slap on the wrist by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) which again has declared the detention of a suspect in a holding cell of the Philipsburg police station objectionable, reconfirms the unacceptable situation in St. Maarten, according to Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Chris van Dam of the Christian Democratic PartyRead more

Van Dam Has Deep Concerns About St. Maarten Police Cells

Chris van Dam

THE HAGUE--Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Chris van Dam of the Christian Democratic Party CDA has again expressed his deep concern about the conditions in the holding cells at the Philipsburg police station.

Van Dam on Thursday submitted a set of written questions to Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops and Minister for Legal Protection Sander Dekker about the December 17, 2019, decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to declare the detention of a detainee in a St Read more

Government Saves Millions Of Naf On Water Purchase.

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — “The amount of water that has to be purchased under the current ‘take or pay’ clauses of the purchasing agreements have resulted in substantial financial losses for the country. Seven Seas Water was approached to see if Sint Maarten could get some relief from the minimum take or pay clause and their response was both immediate and positive.” – Emil Lee, Minister VSA.

Emil Lee as the Minister of VSA, who is responsible for the supply of safe drinking water, began an investigation into the financial situation of the government’s position as owner of the public water supply as part of the post-Irma assessments Read more

Government Saves Millions Of Naf On Water Purchase.

PHILIPSBURG:--- “The amount of water that has to be purchased under the current ‘take or pay’ clauses of the purchasing agreements have resulted in substantial financial losses for the country. Seven Seas Water was approached to see if Sint Maarten could get some relief from the minimum take or pay clause and their response was both immediate and positive.” – Emil Lee, Minister VSA.
Emil Lee as the Minister of VSA, who is responsible for the supply of safe drinking water, began an investigation into the financial situation of the government’s position as owner of the public water supply as part of the post-Irma assessments Read more

Emil Lee Plans To Hold Ground Breaking For New General Hospital Despite The Lack Of Finances.

~ Says he will not heed the advice given by SZV Supervisory Board since it's all about votes ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Interim Minister of VSA Emil Lee is hell-bent on fooling the populace of St. Maarten in order to garner enough votes on Monday for his re-election. Lee plans to hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the New General Hospital on Friday despite not having the finances in place.
According to information provided to SMN News and the advice given by the Supervisory board of SZV to the Minister in 2017 Read more

William: Draft Law Short Term Contracts Watered Down To Primarily Benefit Businesses

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Former Prime Minister William Marlin says the draft national ordinance to amend the civil code to stem the abuse of short term labor contracts has been watered down to such an extent that the original intention of the law is no longer visible.

The current draft on the table, he adds, primarily benefits businesses and seems to make a mockery of the system Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Former Prime Minister William Marlin says the draft national ordinance to amend the civil code to stem the abuse of short-term labor contracts has been watered down to such an extent that the original intention of the law is no longer visible.

The current draft on the table, he adds, primarily benefits businesses and seems to make a mockery of the system Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Former Prime Minister William Marlin on Thursday attempted to clear the air on what he says are outright lies being planted in the community by members of the United Democrats to gain political mileage in the run-up to snap parliamentary elections.

Marlin made clear that his intention is to simply correct the lies being peddled by the party to gain sympathy from the electorate.

Members of the party have been using issues such as the container at the border, the 2017 St Read more

Marinka Gumbs: The Way I See It….

Is this what the former Prime Minister Mr. William Marlin resorted to?

I have mentioned this before on the Facebook post of a candidate on the NA, where I asked what was the added value in this so-called ‘scandal video’?
It is certainly old news that back in October 2014, I a member of the Democratic Party tendered my resignation, and seeing that this is/ was my prerogative, I gave full disclosure to my Leader and board of my reasons and stood firm of my decision.

This is not even news worthy, further more to belittle one self by forwarding this ‘scandal video’ to your contacts on whatsapp gives me pause.

So much happened since then, I not only reapplied to become a member of the Democratic Party, but postulated myself, and became the party’s President, in addition to running  as the Anchor, the #18 candidate in the September 26, 2016 Parliamentary Election.

My suggestion to you Mr Read more

Marinka Gumbs: The Way I See It….

As I ponder over the latest campaign rhetoric, coming out of the USP camp, I wonder about the use of some words and terms by the USP’s political leader. I want to give the author and the presenter of the latest USP release the benefit of the doubt, because surely had both these persons given any serious thought to the use of the word MANIPULATION, as an accusation directed to members of the United Democrats, the USP would have refrained from the word manipulation. Imagine, accusing others of manipulation and this coming from the one who is best known to have orchestrated the “Carnival Coupe” Read more

Dictatorship Of The Majority!

In the Daily Herald of Friday January 19th there was an article about the island council meeting in Statia held on the day before. In the article the reporter mentions that the faction of the Democratic party walked out the meeting. The reporter deemed it not necessary to also report on the reasons why the faction walked out the meeting or if it was not clear to him or her to seek clarity by the DP faction Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The leaders of six political parties submitted their lists to the Electoral Council on Friday paving the way for them to contest the upcoming Parliamentary Elections slated for February 26, 2018. They are SDM, SMCP, PPA, USP, NA and the UD.
The United People's Party and Democratic Party joined forces hoping to garner enough votes for a majority in Parliament Read more