Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
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
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.
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
Central Committee meeting to further discuss the Integrity Chamber Ordinance Adjourned to Monday.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of Parliament mostly from the governing coalition requested that the chairman of Parliament adjourn the central committee meeting that was supposed to continue on Friday morning to discuss the draft ordinance to establish an Integrity Chamber on St. Maarten. The Members of Parliament from the governing coalition wanted more time to study the additional documents that were presented to them on Friday morning Read more
Integrity Chamber Meets Resistance From Coalition
St. Maarten – The draft ordinance for the establishment of St. Maarten’s Integrity Chamber met with unexpected opposition from within the governing coalition yesterday. Members of the opposition also expressed their doubts. Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs said that he is facing a May 5 deadline. On that date, the Dutch Council of State renders judgment on the advice the Kingdom Council of Ministers has requested about a looming instruction for St 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.
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.
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
PHILIPSBURG: --- Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs informed Parliament on Tuesday that the government of St. Maarten is currently working on taking the supervisory board of the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) to court in order to obtain two audit reports Read more
Plenary Session of Parliament scheduled for Tuesday about the SCHDF.
The plenary session is set for Tuesday at 2.00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.
The agenda point is the request to the Governments Accountants Bureau SOAB to carry out a forensic investigation into the operations of the St Read more
Sarah says ‘didn’t know’ meeting lacked quorum
PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams says she "didn't know" Monday's aborted Central Committee meeting to deal with the draft law to establish the integrity chamber did not have a quorum Read more