SXMElections.com

Raising The Bar In Parliament In 2017

The people of St. Maarten expect a higher level of functioning from our Parliament in the New Year. Following a trial and error period of six years, our MPs should begin to raise the bar in 2017.

We expect our MPs, while on the floor of Parliament, to stick to the business at hand and not be carried away by personal or emotional circumstances. According to article 53 of the Constitution, parliamentarians should refrain from debating and voting on issues related to their person, their spouses or family members to the second degree.

If MPs are not pleased with the way family members are treated, this should be handled privately and not addressed on the floor of Parliament Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The people of Sint Maarten expect a higher level of functioning from our Parliament in the New Year. Following a trial and error period of six years, our MP’s should begin to raise the bar in 2017.
We expect our MP’s, while on the floor of parliament, to stick to the business at hand and not be carried away by personal or emotional circumstances. According to article 53 of the Constitution, parliamentarians should refrain from debating and voting on issues related to their person, their spouses or family members to the second degree Read more

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Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG:--- For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, Isaiah 9:6. This prophecy was uttered by the Hebrew prophet Isaiah some 700 years before Jesus was born. Isaiah became a prophet, after the death of King Uzziah who reigned for fifty-two years. Under Uzziah’s reign, the land of Judah enjoyed a period of prosperity not known since the reign of King Solomon Read more

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Parliament And The Budget

Parliament’s website states that Parliament has two main tasks, namely to act as co-legislator and to exercise control over Government’s policies. The budget is an excellent example of co-legislation. It is drafted by the Government, but must be approved by Parliament in order for it to become a law.

On Monday, December 5, the Central Committee of Parliament, which consists of all fifteen members of Parliament, will meet to discuss the 2017 Budget of Country St Read more

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PHILIPSBURG – Parliament’s website states that Parliament has two main tasks, namely to act as co-legislator and to exercise control over Government’s policies. The budget is an excellent example of co-legislation. It is drafted by the Government but, must be approved by Parliament in order for it to become a law.
On Monday, December 5th the Central Committee of Parliament, which consists of all fifteen members of Parliament, will meet to discuss the 2017 Budget of Country Sint Maarten Read more

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PHILIPSBURG: ---Management and staff at utility company GEBE had their hands full Monday morning as over thirty persons showed up to express their displeasure with the constant power outages that have been plaguing the island. The protest was the brainchild of a disgruntled consumer who took to social media to begin a petition and organize the protest of like-minded individuals.
Tempers were especially frayed over this weekend’s outages, coming on the heels of a public announcement by GEBE’s management last week Wednesday morning that the problems with engine 19 had been resolved Read more

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Why All The Fuss About The Screening Of Ministers?

The fuss about the screening of candidate ministers has to do with the shroud of secrecy surrounding the screening process.

SMCP believes that if government were more transparent concerning the screening criteria as well as the process, there would be a lot less speculation concerning who passed and who failed the so-called screening test. Before accepting a ministerial nomination prospective ministers and their families should know what is expected of them.

The screening of ministers, dates back to pre-10-10-10, when the Island Council approved the law on the Promotion of the Integrity of Ministers Read more

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Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG:--- The fuss about the screening of candidate ministers, has to do with the shroud of secrecy surrounding the screening process. SMCP believes that if the government were more transparent concerning the screening criteria as well as the process there would be a lot less speculation concerning who passed and who failed the so-called screening test. Before accepting a ministerial nomination prospective ministers and their families should know what is expected of them.
The screening of ministers dates back to pre-10-10-10 when the Island Council approved the law on the Promotion of the Integrity of Ministers Read more

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Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG:--- We commend Prime Minster, William Marlin, for insisting that the Oyster Pond border dispute be brought to our Parliament which is indeed the direct representative of the people of Sint Maarten. After presenting the problem to Parliament his proposal should have been to request parliament to invoke article 67 of the State Regulation (Constitution) as suggested by MP Sarah Wescott-Williams Read more

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Should Parliamentarians Vote Their Conscience?

PHILIPSBURG – After our new parliamentarians are sworn in on Monday, October 31, they will be faced at some point during their tenure with having to vote their conscience.

A careful look at St. Maarten’s State Regulation, commonly called the Constitution, reveals that there is no such article or phrase in our law that charges parliamentarians to vote their conscience.

In the State Regulation of the former Netherlands Antilles, however, voting one’s conscience was regulated in article 61 which read: “the members of Parliament will vote in good conscience, without interference by or consultation with those who elected them.” This article was taken from the constitution of the Netherlands Read more

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Smcp Calls On Coalition To Present Governing Program To Parliament

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten -– The September 26 votes were counted, recounted and validated by the Main Voting Bureau on Tuesday October 11th 2016. The Sint Maarten Christian Party thanks the 848 voters who cast their votes based on the principles, norms and values that the party stands for.

These votes were definitely not bought but came from persons who genuinely believed in the stand that the party has taken to seek to govern Sint Maarten based on the Christian principles of honesty, integrity, transparency, accountability and compassion Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The September 26 votes were counted, recounted and validated by the Main Voting Bureau on Tuesday, October 11th, 2016. The Sint Maarten Christian Party thanks to the 848 voters who cast their votes based on the principles, norms, and values that the party stands for. These votes were definitely not bought but came from persons who genuinely believed in the stand that the party has taken to seek to govern Sint Maarten based on the Christian principles of honesty, integrity, transparency, accountability, and compassion Read more

Smcp Requests Recount At Key Polling Stations

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) has requested a recount of ballots cast in the September 26 Parliamentary election. The party fell short by 116 votes of earning a seat in the new Parliament set to have its first sitting on October 31, when the current Second Parliament is dissolved by ministerial decree.

Thank You & I Love You Sxm! One Island, One People!

After an enlightening campaign process and meeting great people out there, I would like to say thank you very much to the 135 people who saw fit to vote for me. I really appreciate your support.

I would also like to thank the 856 persons who saw fit to vote for the St. Maarten Christian Party (SMCP).

Our Leader Pastor Smith and all eight other candidates thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

I would like to thank my family and close friends, but in particular Ms Read more

Smcp Thanks Voters And Requests A Recount

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – The St. Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) wishes to thank the general public and particularly our 856 voters for your support and confidence in us during the 2016 Parliamentary Elections.

As a new party, we believe that we conducted a clean and transparent campaign that was focused on educating the electorate, demonstrating a zero tolerance towards vote buying and challenging our Parliamentarians to offer good representation to the People.

Preliminary results from the Main Voting Bureau indicate that we were 116 votes short of gaining a seat in Parliament Read more

Personal Votes Individual Candidates Sxm Parliamentary Election 2016

Click party name for total and Individual votes tally pdf

1 OSPP

2  UP

3  USp

4 SDM

5 Read more

Parties, Candidates Raise Issue With 200M Rule

PHILIPSBURG – Some parties and candidates have an issue with the supposed change of rule that allowed political parties and candidates to visit the polling station to campaign on Election Day.

Prime Minister William Marlin raised alarm about some political parties not adhering to the rules of polling day, which prohibit candidates or supporters to approach a polling station within 200m to campaign.

Speaking just after casting his ballot at the Milton Peters College (MPC), the Prime Minister suggested that the UP Party had persons at all the polling stations, even at the door.

“Congregating at the poll is actually not allowed even though my understanding is that particularly the UP Party has had several of their supporters in Middle Region even in front of the door of the polling station Read more

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Another Coalition Government For St. Maarten --- Stability Not Guaranteed With New Elections.

Alleged vote buying rampant on Monday.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The early elections called by the Governor St. Maarten, when it was requested by former Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, did not change anything for St. Maarten, instead it opens the door for more instability. Another very unfortunate situation the election called on September 26th created was vote buying by at least one particular political party who also even refused to comply with the laws laid down by the Minister of Justice Read more

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Up And Na Top Parliamentary Electoral Count Tuesday {Updated Results Inside}

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Residents of the island went to the polls on Monday to elect some 15 persons to the House of Assembly.

Out of a total of 22, 302, some 13, 068 persons made use of the opportunity to cast their votes at the island’s 20 polling stations.

However, there were 373 invalid votes. Nine political parties were vying for seats in the Parliament of St. Maarten. Up to after 3 am this morning, the votes were still being tallied at the Main Voting Bureau, which was located at the House of Parliament Read more

Voting Is Showing Politicians Their ‘Report Card,’ Says Residents

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Voters in today’s election say they are deciding to hold their leaders accountable by going to the polls. More than 20,000 people could cast the vote in Monday’s parliamentary election, the second in two years.

For resident Jefferson George, voting today meant exercising his right and guaranteeing himself a say in how the island is run.

“Now that I vote I can have a say, I can complain. If I didn’t vote, I would just have to accept what they give,” George told 721news.com.

He was among the trickle of voters trooping into the Raoul Illidge Sports Complex in Cay Hill after 1:00pm Read more

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It’S Election Day

By Alita Singh

PHILIPSBURG--The fate of the country of St. Maarten, just two weeks shy of its sixth birthday, and its 59,800 plus residents from more than 115 countries lies in the hands of 22,302 people. Those voters, privileged by birth or naturalisation with the Dutch nationality, head to the polls today, Election Day, to cast their ballots for one of the 125 candidates across the slates of nine political parties.

The number of eligible voters may change this morning when the Court of First Instance hands down its decisions on several petitions filed by people with Dutch nationality who registered in the Civil Registry after the Voters Register was closed on June 11 Read more

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Smcp Thanks The Community For Its Support Of The Party During This Election Season

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — On the eve of the all-important Parliamentary Elections of September 26, the St. Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) wishes to thank the general public for its support of the party during this election season.

Though, a new party, the warmth, love and support from the people of St. Maarten has been overwhelming and very encouraging.

We are truly heartened by the support from the people Read more

Smcp Presents Itself As ‘Alternative For Change’

MADAME ESTATE--A small but highly appreciative crowd gathered at the ITC parking lot on Friday evening, for St. Maarten Christian Party’s (SMCP’s) final election campaign meeting. In contrast with Wednesday’s public meeting at Belvedere, which was disrupted by people who saw it fit to throw rocks at the crowd, Friday’s meeting passed without incident.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The anticipation as to which political party will take over power will come to an end on Monday night into early Tuesday morning as voters on St. Maarten will be heading to the polls to cast their votes to elect 15 members of parliament.
Contesting the election are nine political parties, namely:- DP, NA, UP, USP, OSPP, PPA, SDM, SMCP and HOPE.
SMN News will be bringing you the live updates as it begin on Monday morning from the house of parliament.
At around 11pm readers of this news site could watch the life announcement that will be made by the main voting bureau, as well as the interviews given by those that postulated themselves for this year’s parliamentary election Read more