SXMElections.com

Mps Representing Sint Maarten At Health Care Conference Aruba

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – A delegation from Sint Maarten's Parliament is currently in Aruba attending the Health Care Conference Aruba (HCCA) which is being held from June 1-3 at the Renaissance Convention Center.

President of Parliament Hon. Dr. Lloyd Richardson, Vice President MP Hon. Cornelius de Weever, MP Hon 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

Champions crowned in School Soccer Tourney

BELVEDERE—Champions were crowned as the 23rd edition of the Interscholastic Soccer Tournament closed at the Cruyff Court in Belvedere, Saturday.  
  The tournament was organised by the St. Maarten Soccer Educational Foundation (SMSEF) and sponsored by the TelEm Group of Companies. The competition featured 44 teams representing 10 elementary schools plus five more schools feed into the combined teams.

11+Under
  Learning Unlimited Goal Machines were crowned the 11 and Under Division champions.  They defeated Sister  Regina Goal Getters 7 – 2.  Noah Ledee led Learning Unlimited with four goals and one assist.  Jan Lucas van der Plaas netted two and Oliver Hobgood one.  Devin Liao supported the strikers with two assists.
  William Mulder and Reshawn Eustase scored for Sister Regina.
   Leonald Connor bested Sister  Magda FC 5 – 1 to take third place.  Philando Parchment led the winning offence with three  goals and one assist Read more

‘Sensitive’ answers on harbour security contract now submitted

PHILIPSBURG--Written answers to “sensitive” questions posed by Parliament concerning the hefty rise in fees paid by St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies (SHGC) to Checkmate security company were submitted to Parliament on Tuesday, May 26, some days past the deadline of Thursday, May 21.

MPs will review the answers during the coming days and any form of follow-up is yet to be determined, pending the review. Although the answers had been submitted, Members of Parliament had not yet received them in hand by Wednesday, and six MPs being busy with meetings in the Netherlands at the moment probably will cause some more delay.

Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) and shareholder representative for the harbour Claret Connor said during a meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on the matter on Thursday, May 7, that due to the sensitivity of information he would provide specific answers to Parliament in writing within two weeks.

The long-awaited meeting on May 7, which already had been a postponement, ultimately proved fruitless and left MPs and Chairman Lloyd Richardson annoyed at its ineffectiveness Read more

Mp's Commit To Ensuring Matter Of Increasing Legal Drinking Age Is Handled

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Back on April 7th 2015, the Permanent Committee of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs (CECYSA) of Parliament, met with the St. Maarten Lions Club on where a presentation was made regarding underage drinking and parental responsibility.

The club started their awareness programme in March of last year.

During their presentation to Parliament in April, the club requested that MP's make amendments to the law in its current form that allows youngste Read more

Central Committee Meeting Requested By Na Faction About Port St. Maarten And Checkmate Security Contract

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – The Central Committee of Parliament will meet in public session on May 07 at the request of the National Alliance (NA) faction.

The Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications Hon. Claret Connor, has been invited to be present for the House session.

The Central Committee meeting is set for Thursday at 2.00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda is related to the previous and current contract signed between the Harbour Group of Companies and Checkmate Security, and the sudden hike in the contract sum for outside security services.

This meeting was requested by the NA faction Member of Parliament (MP) Hon Read more

Jenny Hanley from booth #15 wins Village Cook Out

PHILIPSBURG--Jenny Hanley of "How You Like It" booth #15 is the winner of the second annual Village Cook Out competition held at the St. Maarten Carnival Village on Sunday.

Organised by the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF), the competition was held during the Bounce and Splash Family Play Day event held at the Village.

Five booth holders, who were pre-selected, prepared their best versions of fried fish and oyster soup. The dishes were judged by a panel of three Read more

Sarah: Bringing ordinance in line with civil code can be done ‘rather quickly’

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams says bringing the National Ordinance in line with the Civil Code to increase the legal drinking age from 16 to 18 can be done "rather quickly."

Independent MP Cornelius de Weever suggested that the legal age for cigarettes should also be addressed and not just that of alcohol.

The MPs were speaking during a session of Parliament's Permanent Committee of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs (CECYSA) on Thursday Read more

MPs to discuss Harbour security contract May 7

PHILIPSBURG--Members of Parliament (MPs) will continue to seek answers about the hefty security contract signed between St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies and Checkmate Security in a meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament in Parliament House on Thursday, May 7, starting at 2:00pm. Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Claret Connor is invited for the meeting.

The meeting originally was scheduled for today, Wednesday, but has been postponed due to the minister being ill.

The meeting was requested by opposition National Alliance (NA) MPs William Marlin, Silveria Jacobs, Christophe Emmanuel and George Pantophlet on March 5 Read more

Central Committee Meeting requested by NA Faction about Port St. Maarten and Checkmate Security Contract

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee of Parliament will meet in public session on April 22 at the request of the National Alliance (NA) faction.

The Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications Hon. Claret Connor, has been invited to be present for the House session.

The Central Committee meeting is set for Wednesday at 2.00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda is related to the previous and current contract signed between the Harbour Group of Companies and Checkmate Security, and the sudden hike in the contract sum for outside security services.

This meeting was requested by the NA faction Member of Parliament (MP) Hon Read more

Central Committee Meeting Requested By Na Faction About Port St. Maarten And Checkmate Security Contract

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – The Central Committee of Parliament will meet in public session on April 22 at the request of the National Alliance (NA) faction.

The Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications Hon. Claret Connor, has been invited to be present for the House session.

The Central Committee meeting is set for Wednesday at 2.00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda is related to the previous and current contract signed between the Harbour Group of Companies and Checkmate Security, and the sudden hike in the contract sum for outside security services.

This meeting was requested by the NA faction Member of Parliament (MP) Hon Read more

MPs still have reservations about Integrity Chamber

~ Meyers: Independence only choice ~

PHILIPSBURG--Several Members of Parliament (MPs) made it crystal clear on Monday that if the proposed Integrity Chamber stagnates the growth of the country and hampers St. Maarteners from prospering, the law to establish the chamber will not receive their support.

Chief among those speaking out about the draft law was coalition member MP Franklin Meyers (United People's (UP) party) Read more

Halley land saga heard by Petitions Committee

~ 'Something wrong,' way forward to be determined ~

PHILIPSBURG--Marlon Halley, supported in particular by community spokesperson Yvette Halley, had the transfer of land rights plaguing him heard by Members of Parliament on Thursday during a Petitions Committee meeting at Parliament House.

The meeting was the result of a petition submitted March 4 that called for Parliament to thoroughly investigate "fishy business" surrounding the land deal that entailed government taking ownership of the land where Marlon Halley has operated a business for some 28 years, and long-leasing it to developers without his knowing Read more

Heated Debate by Members of Parliament as to how they will deal with the Petition sent to Parliament regarding the Simpson Bay Development.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Chairlady of the petitions committee of Parliament MP Leona Marlin-Romeo opened a pandora box on Thursday when she asked the Members of Parliament to establish how they will handle petitions sent to Parliament. While the debate on how the committee will handle petitions, the three residents of Simson Bay were sitting in Parliament to be heard Read more

MPs share concerns on integrity chamber, but open to discussion

~ Expect more answers on Friday ~

PHILIPSBURG--"Looking forward to further discussion" was the point Members of Parliament (MPs) reached on Wednesday night after hearing answers to shared main points of concern given by Justice Minister Dennis Richardson during a public meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on the draft National Ordinance for the establishment of an Integrity Chamber for St. Maarten.

Although many individual questions had been posed, paired with statements of concern about what the Ordinance will mean for St Read more

Voting Bureau petitioned court twice to allow inmates to vote

~ Says it's up to MPs to amend laws ~

PHILIPSBURG--The Central Voting Bureau petitioned the court twice prior to the August 29, 2014, parliamentary election to legally allow inmates who were registered to vote in another district to cast their ballot at the polling station at the prison and to allow a prison official to vouch for the identity of inmates who did not have identification cards.

The issues at the polling station at the prison were amongst several electoral concerns broached during a meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on Wednesday.

Central Voting Bureau Chairman Jason Rogers told Members of Parliament (MPs) that it was up to them to change the legislation to rectify this issue in future elections.

Rogers said "a number" of inmates initially had not been allowed to vote because, although they were in possession of their voting cards, they were assigned to vote in another district Read more

Prime Minister says draft law to Establish Integrity Chamber is not to please the Dutch Government.

style="text-align: center;">Parliament voted on a motion for Government to establish the recommendations in Integrity Reports --- PM

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs made clear to Parliament on Wednesday that the draft ordinance to establish the integrity chamber on St. Maarten is not to please the Dutch Government. Prime Minister Gumbs reminded the members of parliament that the parliament of St Read more

Lions Club lobby Parliament to hike drinking age from 16 to 18

~ To correct discrepancy in laws ~

PHILIPSBURG--The Lions Club, on Tuesday, called for an increase in the legal drinking age from 16 to 18, to correct a discrepancy in the laws and to curb drinking amongst youngsters.

The call was made during a meeting of Parliament's Permanent Committee of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs of Parliament and was supported by all Members of Parliament (MPs) present.

Melinda Hoeve of the Lions' Youth, Health, and Education (YHE) committee spoke of a discrepancy in the Penal Code and in the Licence Ordinance ("Vergunningslandsverordening"), as it relates to the sale of and serving of alcoholic beverages to minors.

While article 475 of the Penal Code prohibits the sale and serving of alcoholic beverages to minors under age 18 with a maximum prison sentence of six months or a NAf Read more

style="text-align: center;">MP Christopher Emmanuel wants to know how would the change be implemented, says KPSM understaffed.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of the Lions Club presented the project they launch late last year to curb under-age drinking on St. Maarten. The members of the Lions Club called on Members of Parliament to amend the legislation to increase drinking age from 16 to 18 Read more

Mp Silveria Jacobs Becomes New Na-Leader Next Year

St. Maarten – The leadership of the National alliance will transfer in 2016 from MP William Marlin to MP Silveria Jacobs, current party leader Marlin said yesterday in answer to a question from this newspaper Read more

NA calls for a ‘unified approach’ from Govt.

PHILIPSBURG--The United People’s (UP)-led coalition has failed to show exactly what it is ready for, as its election campaign “We Ready” stated, said National Alliance (NA) Members of Parliament on Wednesday. They called on the governing coalition to present a “unified approach,” to table its long-overdue governing programme and appoint the two missing ministers.

NA leader MP William Marlin said at a press conference in Parliament House on Wednesday that UP members had proven only they were ready to take care of themselves and “to cut more deals and use the infrastructure” for their own personal enterprises.

In his estimation, UP is not ready “to bring much needed changes” to the country’s infrastructure and to tackle social ills Read more

National Alliance Leader William Marlin Looking Forward To Supporting Party In Different Capacity

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Who will be leading the National Alliance in the next election? Will it be the party's current leader William Marlin or is it going to be the deputy leader Silveria Jacobs?

The answer became evident when the question was put to Mr Read more

William: NA leadership transition expected in 2016

PHILIPSBURG--The leadership of the National Alliance (NA) may transition from current party leader Member of Parliament William Marlin to now deputy leader MP Silveria Jacobs at the 2016 NA Party Congress.

Asked at a press conference on Wednesday in Parliament House if discussions on leadership transition have taken place considering the results of the September 2014 Parliamentary Election that saw Jacobs gain more votes than him, Marlin said "absolutely not." There has not been any discussion to that effect.

Marlin said the reason for this is that he told the party congress in 2014 that he was ready for a transition as it is not his intention to remain party leader "for ever and ever."

Jacobs was elected deputy leader of the party at the 2014 congress.

However, it will be "up to the congress" to decide in 2016 "to make the transition," he said.

Marlin claimed it was the indication from him about the desire to transition the leadership of the party that may have reflected in the results of the election Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the National Alliance William Marlin clarified on Wednesday when he was asked if he will lead his party in another parliamentary election. Marlin said that during the National Alliance congress in 2014 he along with the members of the National Alliance agreed that he will pass on the leadership of the party to its deputy leader Silveria Jacobs who was duly elected deputy leader Read more