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Israel undermines US peace effort, Abbas tells UN

UNITED NATIONS--Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday accused Israel of sabotaging U.S. efforts to broker peace and said Israeli security operations at the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem could lead to a religious war.
  In an address to the United Nations General Assembly before a ceremony for the raising of the Palestinian flag at U.N. headquarters in New York, Abbas said the Palestinian Authority no longer considered itself bound by the accords signed with Israel in the mid-1990s.
  Reiterating what the Palestinian Authority has been saying for at least half a decade, Abbas said the agreements would not apply as long as Israel supports settlements of Israelis in the West Bank and refuses to release Palestinian prisoners.
  "You are all aware that Israel undermined the efforts made by the administration of President Barack Obama in past years, most recently the efforts of Secretary of State John Kerry aimed at reaching a peace agreement through negotiations," Abbas told the 193-nation General Assembly.
  A senior U.S Read more

Tax-Compliance Measures Are Not Working

Cft: “Structural overhaul personnel costs necessary”

St. Maarten – Measures the government has put in place to increase tax compliance are not working. This appears from the reaction from financial supervisor Cft to the second execution report 2015. In the first half year, tax revenue fell 8 million guilders below budget. For the whole year, St. Maarten expects to collect 8.6 million guilders less than budgeted.

Nevertheless, the government wants to increase income levels for 2015 to 470 million guilders but, as this newspaper already reported last week, this does not have the approval of the financial supervisor.

“By taking additional measures St Read more

Victorious Catalan separatists claim independence mandate

BARCELONA--Separatists on Sunday won a clear majority of seats in Catalonia's parliament in an election that sets the region on a collision course with Spain's central government over independence.
  "Catalans have voted yes to independence," acting regional government head Artur Mas told supporters, with secessionist parties securing 72 out of 135 seats in the powerful region of 7.5 million people that includes Barcelona.
  The strong pro-independence showing dealt a blow to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, three months before a national election Read more

Celta stun Barcelona 4-1, Real's Benzema hits double to sink Bilbao

BARCELONA-- A Karim Benzema brace gave Real Madrid a 2-1 victory at Athletic Bilbao and lifted them to the top of La Liga on goal difference ahead of Celta Vigo, who thrashed Barcelona 4-1 on Wednesday with Iago Aspas hitting a double.
  The Frenchman took full advantage of a poor backpass by Mikel San Jose and fired home to put Real ahead after 19 minutes.
  Bilbao showed typical fighting spirit and a fine diving header from Sabin Merino ended Real keeper Keylor Navas' record unbeaten start to the season after 67 minutes, but they were only level for three minutes.
  Benzema, a threat all night to the Athletic rearguard, was quickest to an Isco cross and knocked it in from close range.
  Real and Celta now have 13 points after five games while Barcelona are a point behind.
  After disappointing spells at Liverpool and Sevilla, Aspas is back to his best this season having returned to Celta and struck clinical finishes in either half against a Barcelona side who were far from their normal dominant selves.
  Nolito, a former Barcelona youth player, fired his fifth goal in as many games to put Celta ahead after 25 minutes with a pinpoint curling drive from the left of the area Read more

Garbage Meeting Fizzles: Many Questions, No Answers And No Solutions

St. Maarten – At the end of a long meeting, finally there were some fireworks when opposition MP asked Vromi-Minister Claret Connor to answer one question: “Is there a contract with a company to build the waste-to-energy plant and how does this jive with your visit to a project in Miami?”

Minister Connor, who had just said that he would be able to inform the parliament on Monday when he would be able to answer the more than one hundred questions MPs had asked, did not bite Read more

Mp Heyliger: “The Dutch Keep Terrorizing Our Little Country” : Constitution Day Triggers Calls For Independence

St. Maarten – Parliament unanimously approved changes to several ordinances to establish the second Monday of October as Constitution Day, an official holiday. Under this legislation. Kingdom Day (December 15) will disappear from the local holiday-calendar. While approving the legislation was a formality, several MPs used the opportunity to express their sentiment about the country’s road towards independence.

“Moving towards the end goal – independence – it makes sense to move away from a day that celebrates that we are a part of the Kingdom,” National Alliance faction leader William Marlin said Read more

Dutch boycott Statia, D66 questions move

THE HAGUE/STATIA--The Dutch Government is boycotting working visits to St. Eustatius since final instruction was given to the island’s government. Member of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament Wassila Hachchi of the Democratic Party D66 is questioning the boycott.

Statia Commissioner of Constitutional Affairs Reginald Zaandam is fiercely objecting the stance by The Hague Read more

Your own conclusions

Dear Editor,

It has been a trying week – two major storms have passed us by without any damage or significant losses. Our Prime Minister, in taking charge made all the right moves in closing the country down avoiding possible loss of life in flooding and blowing projectiles. Even though some think the actions were unwarranted it still is better to err on the side of caution than to do nothing and wish you did.

The other decision taken by the PM was to declare or put a stop to our ministers meeting with Dutch civil servants Read more

US Senate Democrats stake out both sides of Iran deal

WASHINGTON--Senator Robert Menendez blasted the U.S.-led international nuclear deal with Iran on Tuesday, vowing to oppose it in defiance of President Barack Obama, who picked up much-needed support for the deal from two other Senate Democrats.
  As September voting on the agreement in the U.S. Congress neared, Menendez, a former Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman, became the second senior lawmaker from Obama's own party to announce he would vote to kill the pact with Tehran.
  "I will vote to disapprove the agreement and, if called upon, would vote to override a veto" by the president, Menendez said in a speech in his home state of New Jersey.
  Shortly later, Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, both of Rhode Island, announced that they would support the agreement Read more

Editorial - Perfect occasion

Today’s news that St. Maarten will host the 2015 Caribbean Sailing Association (CSA) conference is most welcome. Visiting yachts have become important contributors to the local tourism economy, due in part to the annual Heineken Regatta, construction or expansion of various marinas and the widening of the drawbridge channel.

The last few years have seen some less-than-positive developments like losing the boat charter show, but overall the destination remains relatively strong in terms of its marine industry Read more

‘Trigger happy’ suspects face 21 years for drive-by shootings

PHILIPSBURG--The Court of First Instance on Thursday heard the case against two men and a woman suspected of involvement in a number of shootings.

Suspects R.R.R. (26), aka “Reo” or “Yeyo,” and R.C.T.A. (32), aka “Flamingo,” faced charges of involvement in no less than six shooting incidents. A.’s girlfriend P.G. (24) was charged with being an accomplice to one of the shootings.

Both suspects faced charges of attempted murder, manslaughter and inflicting grievous bodily harm Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:----  Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, and Transport & Telecommunications Hon. Claret Connor, recently attended the 31st Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition (CANTO 2015) of the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication (CANTO) in Miami, Florida.
The conference and exhibition was held under the theme “Improving Lives through Broadband Innovation.”
The key note speaker, the Hon Read more

Minister Of Telecommunications Connor Attends 31St Canto 2015 About Improving Lives Through Broadband Innovation

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, and Transport & Telecommunications Hon. Claret Connor, recently attended the 31st Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition (CANTO 2015) of the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication (CANTO) in Miami, Florida.

The conference and exhibition was held under the theme "Improving Lives through Broadband Innovation."

The key note speaker, the Hon Read more

As peace talks advance, Colombia struggles to find its missing

CHAGUANI, Colombia--Swinging a pickaxe high above his head, the sweating former Marxist guerrilla brings it down sharply, breaking up hard-packed earth on a wooded hillside in central Colombia.
  "I know the grave was here," says the ex-combatant, Andres Martinez, wiping his brow as a forensic expert starts in with a shovel near the rural town of Chaguani.
  Though it's only mid-morning, the motley team of forensic staff, prison guards and ex-rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have already dug one trench in heavy rain, hoping to find the bones of a victim of the 50-year conflict Read more

Sarah disappointed in governing programme

~ Shows govt inadequate, unprepared ~

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams has given the coalition government a thumbs-down for its recently-released governing programme.

Wescot-Williams said on Sunday that her analysis of the document showed that government was “inadequate,” and “unprepared.”

“I cannot but express utter disappointment in the document that should have spelled out government’s vision for the remainder of this governing term,” Wescot-Williams said on Sunday Read more

>In a further reaction to the governing program 2014 -2018, " Ready to work for you", as received by Parliament from Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs , I cannot but express utter disappointment in the document that should have spelled out government's vision for the remainder of this governing term.

Considering that the government has presented the program to Parliament, I consider this the program of the Gumbs-cabinet Read more

Ebenezer Residents Want Clean Trenches

A scene from a trench in Ebenezer on Wednesday. Photo Today / Andrew Dick

St. Maarten – Residents from the Ebenezer District are disappointed that their trenches are filled with bush and debris. Grass and small threes can be seen budding from the bridge close to the Milton Peters College and behind in the trenches at the St. Maarten Academy PSVE. Daniela Richardson expressed her disappointment yesterday about the situation. She calls on public works to do something about it.

It is customary for the public works department to carry out major trench clean ups efforts before the beginning of the hurricane season Read more

Dutch Police Now Include Internet In Phone Taps

Whatsapp-messages are protected by privacy rules

St. Maarten – Dutch police now automatically intercept internet traffic when setting up a telephone tap, online magazine Computerworld reported yesterday. The news was buried in the justice ministry’s annual report which was published in May and has only now been made public, the website states.

In St. Maarten tapping IP-addresses, for instance to intercept email traffic, is technically possible, press prosecutor Karola van Nie told this newspaper yesterday Read more

11 Dutch Islands Where You Can Get Away From It All

HOLLAND - Looking for an island escape, but no time or money to head to the Caribbean? If you aren't too fussed about getting a tan, why not head to a Dutch island.

Fresh air, cycle paths, nature and long beaches – and most of the Dutch islands are only a short ferry ride away.

Pampus: an artificial island constructed in the late 19th century in the IJmeer lake, close to Amsterdam. One of four forts commissioned as part of the Stelling van Amsterdam (Defence Line of Amsterdam), it had the capacity to accommodate 200 men but was only fully utilised during WWI.

The Wadden Islands

Terschelling: with approximately 20,000 tourist beds, Terschelling is the largest and most visited Wadden Island.

Head west from the main town centre of West Terschelling to experience untamed nature and long white beaches.

In June, the island hosts the 10-day Oerol festival, attracting many visitors to the art and theatre performances taking place across the island.

Vlieland: smaller, less densely populated than the neighbouring islands, yet only 90 minutes by ferry from Harlingen in Friesland.

Vlieland entices visitors with its serenity and nature, extensive network of cycle paths, and the promise of 20% more sunny days than the mainland Read more

11 Dutch Islands Where You Can Get Away From It All

HOLLAND - Looking for an island escape, but no time or money to head to the Caribbean? If you aren't too fussed about getting a tan, why not head to a Dutch island.

Fresh air, cycle paths, nature and long beaches – and most of the Dutch islands are only a short ferry ride away.

Pampus: an artificial island constructed in the late 19th century in the IJmeer lake, close to Amsterdam. One of four forts commissioned as part of the Stelling van Amsterdam (Defence Line of Amsterdam), it had the capacity to accommodate 200 men but was only fully utilised during WWI.

The Wadden Islands

Terschelling: with approximately 20,000 tourist beds, Terschelling is the largest and most visited Wadden Island.

Head west from the main town centre of West Terschelling to experience untamed nature and long white beaches.

In June, the island hosts the 10-day Oerol festival, attracting many visitors to the art and theatre performances taking place across the island.

Vlieland: smaller, less densely populated than the neighbouring islands, yet only 90 minutes by ferry from Harlingen in Friesland.

Vlieland entices visitors with its serenity and nature, extensive network of cycle paths, and the promise of 20% more sunny days than the mainland Read more

Central Bank President warns against monetary union split

PHILIPSBURG--"I think it is ill-advised, at this juncture, to have a split in the monetary union," said Central Bank of Curaçao and St. Maarten President Emsley Tromp about the union shared by the two Dutch Caribbean countries since October 10, 2010.

However, the decision to split or stay together is purely "a political decision" Tromp told the press in St. Maarten on Thursday. He was in the country to present the Bank's Annual Report 2014.

Both past and present governments of Curaçao and St Read more

Independent Foundation calls for boycott of Dominican Republic

PHILIPSBURG--Independence for St. Martin Foundation (ISMF) has called for a boycott of travel to and importation of goods from the Dominican Republic, as it condemned the plight of loss of rights to citizenship and the stripping of citizenship going back some five generations from Haitians, and people of Haitian descent living in that country.

   Governments on the Dutch and French sides of the island are urged by the foundation, headed by rights activist José Lake Jr, “to condemn the atrocities that are being perpetrated in the Dominican Republic.”

In its press statement issued on Thursday, the foundation said it has aligned itself with the growing international call for a boycott of the Dominican Republic for travel and the importation of products made in that country.

The foundation urged the Caribbean Community CARICOM, the Organization of American States (OAS), the United Nations (UN) and other national and international bodies “to impose sanctions against the Dominican Republic until it reverses its ill-conceived policy of mass deportations of undocumented Haitian immigrants and of Dominicans of Haitian origin.”

The decision to approve the condemnation of the denationalization and forced deportation of tens of thousands of Dominicanos of Haitian descent was made in the foundation’s meeting of June 30.  

The foundation has been following “with great regret and outrage” the “unfolding human tragedy” in the Dominican Republic” brought about by “a misguided decision” of that country’s highest judicial entity, its Constitutional Court, in 2013.

“Contrary to what the government of the Dominican Republic is claiming, this whole issue has been one of human rights from the very start, and not of the sovereign rights of the country to regulate immigration,” said the foundation.

Unfortunately, the key legal points of the court decision “have disappeared in the current debate.” One of those points of the decision being retroactive to 1930 that gives “a perverse interpretation of the term ‘in-transit’ to mean anyone, who has been residing in the country without the necessary documents since 1929, and its defiant ignoring of the ruling of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on a similar case,” said the foundation Read more

Mp Jacobs To Tackle New Laws When Parliament Resumes From Summer Break

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Deputy Leader of the National Alliance, member of Parliament the Honorable Silveria Jacobs is bent on tackling a number of important issues when the Parliament of St. Maarten return to chambers at the end Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Now that the contract signed by the former Chief Operations Officer (COO) of GEBE Romelio Maduro and St. Maarten Service Provider is in public domain, the big question that are on the minds of several persons is if the Supervisory Board will hold the former COO liable who found it fit to bind the government owned company to pay a consultant $10,500.00 per month whether or not they provide work for GEBE, further to that will the Supervisory Board of Directors exonerate themselves from this contract since they claim not to know anything about the contract with St Read more