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Parliament committees to look into French/Dutch joint issues

Representatives of the French side Territorial Council with Members of Parliament in Parliament House on Tuesday.

PHILIPSBURG--A meeting between the French side Territorial Council and Members of Parliament (MPs) in Parliament House on Tuesday resulted in various topics discussed being sent to Parliament’s permanent committees for further deliberation and solution seeking.

Among the topics discussed was pensioners living on the French side, but who have contributed to the Dutch side’s General Pension Fund by working on the southern side of the island accessing their benefits Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- St. Maarten was not surprised at all when the UP party told their coalition partner the US party of MP Frans Richardson to take a hike but Dennis stays. The US party should have drawn their conclusion from the statement made by the honorable Prime Minister that Minister Richardson isn’t going anywhere Read more

Parliament Meets With Justice Minister And Pm On Integrity Chamber Protocol Monday

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The draft National Ordinance to establish the Integrity Chamber was the focus of debate Monday in the chambers of the Parliament of St. Maarten.

Present for the meeting were all members of Parliament including the Prime Minister and the Justice Minister. As was speculated, a motion of no confidence against the Justice Minister was not tabled by the leader of the US party MP Frans Richardson.

Discontent with the signing of the Integrity Chamber protocol was however unanimous however at varying levels.

Justice Minister Dennis Richardson advised the Parliament of St Read more

Take It Or Leave, Dennis Stays But You The Us Party May Go!

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – St. Maarten was not surprised at all when the UP party told their coalition partner the US party of MP Frans Richardson to take a hike but Dennis stays.

The US party should have drawn their conclusion from the statement made by the honorable Prime Minister that Minister Richardson isn't going anywhere.

According to the Prime Minister if Minister Richardson goes, then the entire cabinet is going and the Prime Minister would then have no choice but to dissolve the parliament of St Read more

UP does not support call for minister’s resignation

PHILIPSBURG--The United People's (UP) party does not support the call of coalition partner United St. Maarten Party (USP) for Justice Minister Dennis Richardson's resignation.

UP's stance is said to have been communicated to USP leader Member of Parliament Frans Richardson in a coalition meeting on Monday and was followed on Thursday evening with an official letter signed by UP fraction leader MP Franklin Meyers.

USP was informed that UP could not support the removal of the Justice Minister because this would only create turmoil for government and possibly have far-reaching consequences for the country.

St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Is it really the signing of the Integrity protocol why Minister Richardson must go!
I can imagine all of those voters of last election holding their head and bawling with shame knowing that they put this government in place. Don’t blame the politicians, blame yourself. You knew that if you put the same leaders back in office you could not have expected different results than what we are getting today.

Philipsburg:--- Many persons have not being paying much attention to the back and forth discussion regarding the establishment of an Integrity Chamber, especially not those ordinary citizens who are unemployed and those others who can’t make ends meet because of the high cost of living Read more

Does USP know something?

Everyone may think of United St. Maarten Party (USP) leader Frans Richardson what they want. Elected into Parliament on the slate of National Alliance (NA) in 2010, he left the party and kept his seat.

Together with the other independent parliamentarians Romain Laville and Patrick Illidge who had broken with respectively United People's (UP) party and NA, he orchestrated the so-called "Carnival coup" of 2012 to bring about a change in government that lasted one year.

Richardson then established USP, which earned two seats in its first election of September 2014 Read more

Justice Minister asked to resign by US Party

PHILIPSBURG--United St. Maarten Party (USP) has requested that Justice Minister Dennis Richardson resign. The request was presented in a letter to the minister delivered on Friday afternoon.

Minister Richardson did not confirm to The Daily Herald whether he had received the letter. He said he was “not commenting” on internal coalition or political parties’ matters.

Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs has indicated already that should the Justice Minister be faced with any vote of no confidence in Parliament the entire cabinet also would resign Read more

No decision by USP to remove minister

PHILIPSBURG--United St. Maarten Party (USP) has not made a decision to remove Justice Minister Dennis Richardson from his post.

Instead, party leader Member of Parliament (MP) Frans Richardson is set to meet the Justice Minister next week to discuss the agreement signed by the Minister with the Dutch Kingdom Government on the establishment of the Integrity Chamber for St Read more

USP to discuss possible removal of minister today

PHILIPSBURG--The possible removal of Justice Minister Dennis Richardson by the United St. Maarten Party (USP) will be discussed in a special meeting of the party’s board and advisors in the Parliament Building today, Thursday, at 6:30pm.

USP has been in control of the Justice portfolio since earlier this year, but is yet to place its own minister Read more

At least two donors exceeded donations

PHILIPSBURG--At least two donors to political parties have exceeded the legally stipulated financial donations to political parties.

Electoral Council Chairman Bert Hofman told The Daily Herald excess donations were made on at least three occasions.

Hofman declined to give the political parties that received the excess donations and the names of the donors. He explained that the parties and donors have not yet been officially informed by the council. That notification will be sent out this week.

In any calendar year based on Article 41 of National Ordinance on the Registration and Financing of Political Parties, donations made to the same political party by a person, company or institution shall not exceed a total sum or value of NAf Read more

USP submits report to Electoral Council

~ Fine still to be paid ~

PHILIPSBURG--The United St. Maarten Party (USP) submitted its overdue annual report and financial statements to the Electoral Council on Monday, bringing to a possible end the council's imposed NAf. 1,000 daily penalty for non-compliance.

Party President Cecil Nicholas told The Daily Herald the documents were submitted to the council's office, but the fine incurred so far of NAf Read more

MPs have not yet received harbour security answers

PHILIPSBURG—Members of Parliament (MPs) have not yet received the "sensitive answers" about the St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies' security contract, despite the receipt of these by Parliament's Secretariat since May 26. The delay in the dissemination is due to "administrative reasons," according to Democratic Party (DP) leader MP Sarah Wescot-Williams.

Speaking at a DP press conference in Parliament House on Monday, Wescot-Williams said she is patiently awaiting the answers to see if they satisfy her burning questions Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the United St. Maarten Party (USP) Frans Richardson confirmed to SMN News that his party submitted their documents to the Electoral Council on Monday. Leader of the United St. Maarten  Party (USP) told SMN News that his documents were delayed because the accountant that were handling the accounting did not complete the accounting in order for the party to submit its information to the Electoral Council on time Read more

Electoral Council Fines Frans Richardson’S Usp

St. Maarten – The Electoral Council has fined Frans Richardson’s United St. Maarten party (USp) for failing to submit financial reports. The fine is 1,000 guilders for each day the violation continues, with a maximum of 30,000 guilders.

“Despite numerous reminders before and after the deadline for registered political parties to submit their annual reports before April 1, the United St Read more

Electoral Council imposes daily penalty of NAf. 1,000 on USP

~ Several parties to return excess donations ~

PHILIPSBURG--The United St. Maarten Party (USP), led by Member of Parliament Frans Richardson, has already incurred NAf 2,000 in penalties as of Sunday from the Electoral Council for failing to submit its annual report and financial statements.

The party failed to comply with the National Ordinance on the registration and financing of political parties despite numerous reminders from the council before and after the deadline of April 1, for registered political parties to submit their annual reports.

“Therefore, USP has not complied with one of the most important legal obligations of political parties stipulated in the National Ordinance on Registration and Finances of Political Parties,” said the Electoral Council in a statement Sunday night.

On May 19, the Electoral Council sent a letter to USP leader MP Richardson and its board informing them that the council was considering issuing an order under penalty as is stipulated in Article 44 of the National Ordinance.

USP was granted the opportunity to respond to the Council’s impending order no later than Wednesday, May 27, as well as the opportunity to submit its annual report no later than Friday, May 29 Read more

style="text-align: center;">Several parties to return excess donations to donors.

PHILIPSBURG:---  Despite numerous reminders before and after the deadline for registered political parties to submit their annual reports before April 1, 2015 the United St. Maarten Party (USP) failed to submit its annual report and financial statements. Therefore, USP has not complied with one of the most important legal obligations of political parties stipulated in the National Ordinance on Registration and Finances of Political Parties.
On May 19, 2015, the Electoral Council sent a letter to USP leader, Frans Richardson and its board informing them that the Electoral Council was considering to issue an order under penalty as is stipulated in Article 44 of the aforementioned National Ordinance Read more