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Former Pm Marcel Gumbs Reacts To Dr. Martha “Not Possible To Revoke Dissolution Decree”

St. Maarten / By Hilbert Haar – “I think that not all the facts were presented to him,” former Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs told this newspaper yesterday in a reaction to the interview with Dr. Rutsel Martha. “He is a good friend and very clever, though somewhat controversial, but his specialty is not in constitutional law.”

Gumbs said that he had acquired advice from three constitutional experts – professors Arjen van Rijn, Tijn Kortmann and Joop van den Berg Read more

St. Maarten Port Inaugurates Gottwald Crane

On the left is the boom of the Terex Gottwald Model 6 Crane and the CMA CGM Container Vessel, the largest to dock at Port St. Maarten, MV Marseille. Photo contributed

St. Maarten – During the inauguration on Saturday of the newly acquired Terex Gottwald Model 6 Crane, and the welcome ceremony for the CMA CGM Marseille Container Cargo Vessel – the largest vessel to operate at Port St. Maarten Cargo Facility – the buzz coming from various stakeholders was about the strategic investments that have been made by Port St Read more

Up Leader And Board Congratulates Saba On 40Th National Day

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – The United People's Party (UP) family, Leader and board extends congratulations to the people of Saba and the Government on their national ‘Saba Day’ celebration which is being celebrated today, Friday, December 4th, and over the Saba Day weekend, the UP Party Board President Sylvia Meyers said on Friday.

Leader of the UP Party and Member of Parliament Theodore Heyliger, has strong family ties with Saba.

“I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the people and Government of Saba on their 40th Saba Day celebration.  This is indeed a milestone for the little five square mile which is the highest point in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

“There are strong family bonds that exist between Saba and Sint Maarten.  Those bonds could never be broken because of the aforementioned.  The islands should continue to work together and develop.

“Sint Maarten already works closely together in the tourism field with the smaller islands such as Anguilla, St Read more

Mp Johan Leonard About The Cause Of Ship Jumping: Our Party Leaders Blatantly Disrespect Their Members

MP Heyliger is still smiling after the severe criticism from his fellow-faction member Johan Leonard (left). Photo Today / Milton Pieters

St. Maarten – The attitude of party leaders is the main reason for ship jumping, United People’s party MP Johan Leonard said yesterday morning in an unexpected sharp attack on UP-leader Theo Heyliger Read more

City Manager Announces Retirement Date, Service To Tallahassee Spans 25 Years

SISTER CITY TALLAHASSEE, united States of America - Tallahassee City Manager Anita Favors Thompson announced that she will retire effective November 20, 2015.

“When I became City Manager in 1997, I made the commitment to always put people first and to focus on providing the best services possible to meet the needs of our community,” Favors Thompson said.

“Through my 25 years working for the city and through challenges and accomplishments, I’ve never wavered in my belief that a city’s greatest asset is its people Read more

Up Board Extends Deepest Condolences To The People And Government Of The Republic Of France

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – The United People's Party (UP) family, Leader and board extends its deepest condolences to the people and Government of the Republic of France who experienced the worse terrorist attack on continental Europe in recent history, UP Party Board President Sylvia Meyers said on Monday.

“The UP family joins with our brethren on the north side of the island (Saint Martin) and the entire Sint Maarten community, in prayer for all those who have lost loved ones and to those who were injured, may the Almighty give them strength during this difficult period,” the UP Party Board President Sylvia Meyers concluded Read more

Winners And Losers: Who Will Survive The Polls In February?

St. Maarten / By Hilbert Haar – February 9, 2016 is crunch day for politicians and those who aspire to become one. The parliamentary elections – for some mysterious reason perceived by some as ‘snap elections’, whatever that may be – will give voters the opportunity to speak their mind about the constitutional drama that concluded on Wednesday when the ministers of the Marcel Gumbs cabinet tendered their resignation and Governor Drs Read more

“Principles And Values” Directed Maurice Lake’S Decision

Ex-Vromi Minister Maurice Lake.

St. Maarten – In a statement that runs almost 2,000 words, now independent MP Maurice Lake has defended himself against accusations by United People’s party leader Theo Heyliger that “power, position and ministry and others have manipulated him to break the government for self-interest.”

Lake says that he has known Heyliger for 25 years as a friend and for 15 years as his advisor.

“I have three Master’s Degrees and work hard for my family for everything I got in life and never asked Theo Heyliger for nothing in life Read more

Mp Heyliger Raises Eyebrow At New Lake And Marlin Relationship

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Leader of the UP Party, MP the Honorable Theo Heyliger Monday broke his silence on the latest political developments plaguing the island and those before that also led to governmental turmoil.

The political leader who broke his silence on the Billy D Radio Program addressed many subjects, from the realities of being a Minister to trying to comply with the unrealistic demands of his members who have tasted power Read more

>ST. PETERS:---- I have stated time and time again that at some point "somebody has to make a stand somewhere," to raise the bar and stop making decisions in the best interest of politics and self. Instead we need to start MAKING firm decisions in the best interest of our people and St. Maarten.
This was a very challenging three weeks for me personally with my family as my rock, where I ask God for strength and wisdom and his guidance to move St. Maarten forward. What I have learnt within these weeks is if you kneel before God you can stand before any man and speak the truth Read more

Colade-Investigation Targets Regina Labega And Badejo

St. Maarten – The office of the public prosecutor confirmed in a brief press release that on Thursday house searches were conducted by the National Detective agency on five locations. The press release labels “R.L., F.A.A.B. and E.F.” as suspects in the so-called Colade-investigation.

Behind the initials are airport director Regina Labega, author Fabian Badejo and Erica Fortuna, reportedly a business partner of his. Attorney Cor Merx said on Thursday that the home of Labega’s sister has been searched twice Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The eight Members of Parliament that now has the majority in Parliament told members of the media that the Governor of St. Maarten already made a clear decision on the current political situation. Leader of the National Alliance MP William Marlin said that the Governor Eugene Holiday clearly informed the Council of Ministers situation in 2013 is the same as the current situation because there is a majority in Parliament that are ready to form a government.
Marlin said the Governor told the Council of Ministers that the constitution of St Read more

EXCLUSIVE: APS and Government signed off on sweetheart deal ---- Corruption continues as current government tries to tell the people they want to end ship jumping

style="text-align: center;">APS got VORST land for a symbolic Guilder for housing development.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Gumbs cabinet proclaim they are doing all they can to stop ship jumping and to control the instability of government on St. Maarten by calling for new elections and not working on election reform which will be the only tool to curb the ship jumping. Certain Ministers told SMN News that what they are doing is not for their own interest instead they are protecting St. Maarten’s image.
SMN News is well known for exposing what takes place in government and while politicians are focusing on the bridge loan the Harbor obtained from SZV to settle the ZEBEC deal SMN News got something better Read more

Government has ‘autonomous right’ to dissolve Parliament

~ Governor wrote in 2013 letter ~

PHILIPSBURG--“The right to dissolve Parliament by national decree is a constitutional and autonomous right of the Government,” wrote Governor Eugene Holiday in a letter dated May 16, 2013, to then-Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams when she tried to stopped the then-National Alliance (NA)-led Council of Ministers from invoking Article 59 of the Constitution.

The letter came to light this week as political tension intensified between the newest NA-led coalition with a majority in Parliament and the UP/De Weever/Marlin-Romeo-supported Council of Ministers, after the crumbling of the United People’s (UP) party-led coalition.

The current Marcel Gumbs Cabinet has held tight to the view that it is its right to dissolve Parliament in the face of the shifted majority in Parliament Read more

style="text-align: center;">Says Governor must sign decree dissolving Parliament ~

PHILIPSBURG:---- United People (UP) party fraction leader MP Franklin Meyers on Thursday night stressed that at some point “somebody has to make a stand somewhere” to stem the tide of constant government instability and address a flawed constitution Read more

New coalition says De Weever acted illegally, calls for urgent meeting

PHILIPSBURG--Second Vice-Chairman of Parliament Cornelius de Weever performed an “illegal act” when he chaired Tuesday’s plenary session of Parliament and closed it swiftly without giving Members of Parliament (MPs) the possibility to react, say representatives of the new coalition in Parliament.

After De Weever closed the session they submitted a request for an urgent meeting of Parliament to talk about his “illegal act” as well as “the consequences for the functioning of Parliament and for the representation of the people of St Read more

De Weever seeks legal advice, suspends Parliament meeting

PHILIPSBURG--Second Deputy Parliament Chairman Cornelius de Weever took charge of one of the shortest Parliament meetings in the country's history on Tuesday and effectively thwarted the new coalition's move to appoint a new chairperson and two deputy chairpersons of Parliament.
  The meeting for which nine Members of Parliament (MPs) signed in, lasted approximately a minute and nine seconds Read more

No Class Justice At St. Maarten’S Prosecutor’S Office

St. Maarten – The Public Prosecutor’s Office in St. Maarten does not deal with high officials differently than with other citizens. That is the main conclusion of the Law Enforcement Council following the investigation concerning possible class justice by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in St. Maarten. The reason for the investigation was the ruling of the Court of First Instance in the so-called “Masbangu” case, in which the court ruled that the prosecutor’s office, had created the semblance of class justice Read more

Moving Send-Off For Late Telem Group Employee Kenneth Blijden

POND ISLAND, St. Maarten – Family and colleagues gave a moving send-off to late TelEm Group employee, Mr. Kenneth Blijden, during a memorial service at the Royal Funeral Home, Sucker Garden, Thursday.

Mr. Blijden passed away at the St. Martin’s home last week following illness and having clocked more than 30 years in the service of TelEm.

Sister, Carmen van den Akker-Blijden thanked everyone for turning out in impressive numbers to say a final farewell to her brother, who she admitted could be “difficult” at times, although everyone knew his heart was in the right place.

Among those in attendance was Prime Minister, Marcel Gumbs and Mrs Read more

>PHILIPSBURG: --- Member of Parliament Christopher Emmanuel has issued a strong call on the leader of the United Peoples Party Theodore Heyliger whom he said should practice what he preached in 2013 when the National Alliance led government wanted to call for new elections Read more

Where Is Theo?

Theo Heyliger – File photo

Dear Editor,

?With all the commotion going on…where is Theo? His silence is deafening.

Is he backing the Government’s fight for new elections now? Is he ready? Curious to know.

Michael J Read more

Sarah confirms she will assume Chairmanship of Parliament

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams confirmed on Friday that she will be assuming the position of the new Chairperson of Parliament.

DP forms part of the new eight-seat-majority coalition in Parliament Read more

We can’t leave people on islands in the hands of big criminals

Dear Editor,

It isn’t really a festive celebration, the anniversary of the new countries Curaçao and St. Maarten, which became autonomous countries within the Kingdom on October 10, 2010. Poverty has increased enormously, as well as the crime rate. The world of organised crime seems to have taken over the government by buying votes and bribing politicians. In a very short period, the governments of Curaçao and St. Maarten have fallen and nobody exactly knows why.

Last April, all political parties in the Dutch parliament voted in favour of a motion tabled by my VVD-colleague André Bosman and me calling for an investigation into the relationship between the criminal underworld and the legitimate society. That investigation mainly focuses on the relationship between politics and the (illegal) gambling industry where a lot of money is being laundered, possibly with involvement of Dutch companies Read more

Opinion: “Self Above Country” 101

Who said politics is boring? The conspirators in parliament had their first laugh on Wednesday when they lured all MPs to the House of Representatives with an irresistible agenda point – the remarks made by Attorney-General Guus Schram about the ties between the criminal underworld and St. Maarten’s legitimate society. Then followed an agenda point about the situation at the government-owned companies, in particular the airport.

But those who thought that the opposition intended to wash the ears of airport director Regina Labega were in for a nasty surprise Read more