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Editorial - Put up or shut up

Parliamentarian Maurice Lake has a point (see Thursday paper). The persistent rumours that government is about to fall aren’t doing society much good.

As he is one of the persons being mentioned who might make such a political crisis a reality, his opinion definitely counts. After all, the Gumbs cabinet is backed by 10 of 15 seats in Parliament, which means no fewer than three current members of the UP-led coalition would have to withdraw their support.

That’s just not likely to happen, also considering the criticism, especially after the most recent election, on the practice of “jumping ship” for what seem rather opportunistic reasons Read more

Lake: Talk of Govt falling ‘distracting,’ non-productive

PHILIPSBURG--Government, its workers and civil society are constantly “distracted” and investors are becoming “weary with the ungrounded rumours about the fall of the current government,” said United People’s (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake on Wednesday.

Lake said in a press statement that he “strongly dismissed” talk circulating in the community that he plans to break with the current UP-led coalition and form a new one with MPs from the opposition and others from the current coalition Read more

style="text-align: center;">UP MP Lake says too much gossip destabilizing country, not enough on building the nation

GREAT BAY:--- United People’s (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) MauriceLake said on Wednesday that Government, its workers and civil society are constantly being distracted while investors become weary with the unfounded rumours about the fall of the current government.

UP MP Lake has strongly dismissed gossip that he plans to break with the current UP-led coalition and form a new one with MPs from the opposition and others from the current coalition.

“I want to make it abundantly clear, as I told my good friend Billie Dee from SOS Radio Station on Wednesday morning; no one speaks on behalf of Maurice Lake other than MauriceLake Read more

How Credible is MP Leona Marlin? Problems brewing in Government.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Leona Marlin Romeo in a radio interview on Tuesday said that the current coalition government is in-tact and that she is not part of any complot to break the UPP/De Weever/LMR/USP coalition government Read more

>ST. PETERS:---  United People’s (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) MauriceLake is coordinating assistance in the area of social and health for St. Peters resident Vincent Gumbs.

Gumbs lives in a one bedroom section of his home with his son Read more

Mp Lake Commends Corporate Partners For Coming To The Aid Of St. Peters Resident

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake is coordinating assistance in the area of social and health for St. Peters resident Vincent Gumbs.

Gumbs lives in a one bedroom section of his home with his son Read more

Up Mp Lake Says Too Much Gossip Destabilizing Country, Not Enough On Building The Nation

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake said on Wednesday that Government, its workers and civil society are constantly being distracted while investors become weary with the unfounded rumours about the fall of the current government.

UP MP Lake has strongly dismissed gossip that he plans to break with the current UP-led coalition and form a new one with MPs from the opposition and others from the current coalition.

"I want to make it abundantly clear, as I told my good friend Billie Dee from SOS Radio Station on Wednesday morning; no one speaks on behalf of Maurice Lake other than Maurice Lake Read more

UPP/De Weever/LMR/USP Coalition fall apart --- Master, and Lake pulls support.

style="text-align: center;">New Coalition Government in the making.

PHILIPSBURG:--- What appeared to be a rumor seemingly became a reality Tuesday night when it was announced on Online radio program that the current coalition government fell apart. According to information reaching SMN News states that Member of Parliament Silvio Matser, and Member of Parliament Maurice Lake has pulled their support from the current coalition and would join the National Alliance, Democratic Party and USP to form the next government Read more

Lake urges Govt. to look at food price build-up at supermarkets

PHILIPSBURG--United People’s (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake said it is “high time” government sits down with supermarkets and distributors of food products in the country to get a grasp on why consumer prices on the Dutch side are so high compared with the French side.

“The cost of living on St Read more

Editorial - Single market

That Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake is concerned about the cost of living on the island (see related story) is understandable. Particularly groceries are said to be quite expensive, certainly when compared to the relatively low average salaries.

Of course, there is the so-called basic necessity basket under government price control, but it regards a very limited range of goods that nowadays aren’t exactly, all considered, among the most healthy things to eat either Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- United People’s (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake says it is high time Government sits down with supermarkets and distributors of food products in the country to get a grasp on why consumer prices on the Dutch side are so high compared to the French side.
“The cost of living on St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- United People’s (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake is calling on Government to come up with creative financing ideas and to foster stronger more meaningful public-private partnerships. Such partnerships will increase the development of the economy and improve services for the entire country.
“The private sector has been the driving force for years as an essential pillar of the economy and to the economic achievements of our country 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

Mp Lake Calls On Government To Foster Public-Private Partnership

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake is calling on Government to come up with creative financing ideas and to foster stronger more meaningful public-private partnerships. Such partnerships will increase the development of the economy and improve services for the entire country.

"The private sector has been the driving force for years as an essential pillar of the economy and to the economic achievements of our country Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:----  United People’s (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake congratulates Dr. Emiko Bird-Lake in her achievement of being the first Sint Maarten-born Cardiologist, adding that she is a role model for the nation’s youth.
MP Lake further added that he would like to see a better plan of action and incentives put in place by Government when it concerns local professionals returning home to work as well as those who are already here working on the island.
“We have a lot of local professionals who work in Government and the private sector who are still waiting to get some type of response or incentives from Government (especially from the Personnel Department) for returning back to the island after their studies to help build up this country.
“I am very concerned of this trend where we focus and give better incentives package for other professionals from abroad, rather than focus on what we can do for our own local professionals who come back home Read more

Up Mp Lake Congratulates Dr. Emiko Bird-Lake. Mp Calls For Better Incentives For Local Professionals

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake congratulates Dr. Emiko Bird-Lake in her achievement of being the first Sint Maarten-born Cardiologist, adding that she is a role model for the nation's youth.

MP Lake further added that he would like to see a better plan of action and incentives put in place by Government when it concerns local professionals returning home to work as well as those who are already here working on the island.

"We have a lot of local professionals who work in Government and the private sector who are still waiting to get some type of response or incentives from Government (especially from the Personnel Department) for returning back to the island after their studies to help build up this country.

"I am very concerned of this trend where we focus and give better incentives package for other professionals from abroad, rather than focus on what we can do for our own local professionals who come back home Read more

Up Mp Lake Congratulates Dr. Emiko Bird-Lake. Mp Calls For Better Incentives For Local Professionals

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake congratulates Dr. Emiko Bird-Lake in her achievement of being the first Sint Maarten-born Cardiologist, adding that she is a role model for the nation's youth.

MP Lake further added that he would like to see a better plan of action and incentives put in place by Government when it concerns local professionals returning home to work as well as those who are already here working on the island.

"We have a lot of local professionals who work in Government and the private sector who are still waiting to get some type of response or incentives from Government (especially from the Personnel Department) for returning back to the island after their studies to help build up this country.

"I am very concerned of this trend where we focus and give better incentives package for other professionals from abroad, rather than focus on what we can do for our own local professionals who come back home Read more

Only 6 Of 22 Motions Since 2012 Yielded Results: Motions Carry The Day – But Only In Parliament

St. Maarten – The motions Members of Parliament submit during the annual budget debate seldom yield results. This newspaper examined 28 motions a host of parliamentarians tabled since 2012. With 22 of them successive government did absolutely nothing. Six of them yielded (some) results.

When governments fail to execute motions, parliament never retaliates. In the Netherlands, a cabinet that refuses or neglects to execute a motion that is carried by a majority in parliament, could lead to a cabinet crisis Read more

Lakes seeks update on solid waste ordinance

PHILIPSBURG--United People’s (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake has asked government to give an update on the progress of the draft solid waste ordinance. The ordinance, which will serve as a cornerstone in the solution of the country’s solid waste woes, is said to still be in the Legal Affairs Department and dates to the time when Lake was a minister almost a year ago Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:----  United People’s (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake just returned back to the island and is glad that the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers were presented with the Governing Program.

“I am looking forward to the next six months to set priorities, pass and amend some laws that will better serve the people of St Read more

Mp Lake Seeks Update On Solid Waste Ordinance. Concerned About Nv Gebe Distractions

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake just returned back to the island and is glad that the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers were presented with the Governing Program.

"I am looking forward to the next six months to set priorities, pass and amend some laws that will better serve the people of St Read more

No Control On Right Of Long Lease By Council Of Ministers 

Former Minister Lake: “I am not aware of this”

St. Maarten – There is no control over the rules that apply to buying and selling rights of long lease by the Council of Ministers. This appears from a reaction by UP-MP Maurice Lake to questions from this newspaper about the long lease rights former Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus and her husband Claudius sold on December 10, 2013 to Sint Maarten Building Supplies (SBS).

Yesterday this newspaper revealed how the Buncampers sold the right of long lease to a piece of land on Pond Island opposite the Melford Hazel Sports Complex for $345,000 to Sint Maarten Building Supplies Read more

Mp Lake Sends Letter To Council Of Ministers Regarding Kadaster

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake is concerned about recent developments related to the Kadaster after the director was arrested, and therefore, has sent a letter to the Council of Ministers via the President of Parliament seeking information.

Lake added that the information he is seeking is to ensure the operational integrity and oversight of the Kadaster and Mortgages institution.

"As the previous Minister of VROMI, I would like to know the state of affairs with respect to Kadaster and the board Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:----  United People’s (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake is concerned about recent developments related to the Kadaster after the director was arrested, and therefore, has sent a letter to the Council of Ministers via the President of Parliament seeking information.

Lake added that the information he is seeking is to ensure the operational integrity and oversight of the Kadaster and Mortgages institution.

“As the previous Minister of VROMI, I would like to know the state of affairs with respect to Kadaster and the board Read more