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New Govt. Administration Building Opens, Ministers Have Relocated

~Govt. to save NAf. 350,000 to 400,000 monthly ~

POND ISLAND--After sitting unoccupied for eight years, the new Government Administration Building on Pond Island was opened during a ceremony held in front of the entrance on Friday.

Prime Minister William Marlin, Justice Minister Richard Gibson and representatives of Social and Health Insurances SZV and General Pension Fund Administrator APS cut the ribbon to declare the new government administration building open Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The long-awaited opening of the New Government building finally took place on Friday morning under the leadership of Prime Minister William Marlin who is heading the present coalition government. The soft opening ceremony did not go as smoothly as one would expect since it was supposed to be a glorious day for St. Maarten because a group of lawyers that have been on strike for the past three weeks showed up at the building demanding to the see the Minister of Justice.
However, when the ceremony got underway, Erno Labega the one that was spearheading the completion of the Government Building on Pond Island said that the time and work it took to get them to the opening ceremony is immense Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- A group of Attorneys headed by Gerald Hatzmaan showed up shortly before the opening ceremony at the New Government building began demanding to see the Minster of Justice Edison Kirindongo whom they said they had an appointment with for 9am Friday morning at his A.T. Illidge Road office but the Minister of Justice never showed up for the meeting. The lawyers marched through the gathering in their court gowns and stood at the entrance in front of all the invited guests as they waited for the Minister of Justice to meet with them.
According to Hansman and other lawyers who also spoke to the media said that they had a 9 am appointment with the Minister at his A.T Illidge Road office but when they reached there and waited for the Minister for some 45 minutes they were directed to the New Government Building where the opening ceremony was taking place by the staff of the Ministry of Justice Read more

Council Of Ministers To Move Into New Gov’T Building Friday

PHILIPSBURG – Government offices will begin moving into the new government administration building by Friday, September 23, announced Prime Minister William Marlin on Wednesday, September 21, during the Council of Ministers press briefing.

“We made a promise that we would complete the building and we would move in and we are doing so Read more

Jci Live Parliamentary Procedures Training

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - JCI LIVE Soualiga, a local chapter of the worldwide leadership training organization called Junior Chamber International, is continuously contributing to the development of our community through their sustainable projects.

On Saturday the 10th of September 2016 JCI LIVE Soualiga hosted a fundraiser in the form of a training on parliamentary procedures.

This training was given by former Prime Minister and JCI senator Mr. Marcel Gumbs and former Minister of Justice who is also a JCI senator Mr Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- JCI LIVE Soualiga, a local chapter of the worldwide leadership training organization called Junior Chamber International, is continuously contributing to the development of our community through their sustainable projects. On Saturday the 10th of September 2016 JCI LIVE Soualiga hosted a fundraiser in the form of a training on parliamentary procedures. This training was given by former Prime Minister and JCI senator Mr. Marcel Gumbs and former Minister of Justice who is also a JCI senator Mr Read more

“If getting St. Maarten a new hospital is against the law I am all the way behind it.’

PHILIPSBURG: --- The tripartite, consisting of the St. Maarten Medical Center, USZV, and the government of St. Maarten signed the Design, Build and Management contract with the contractor INSO on Monday. Among those at the ceremony were Prime Minister William Marlin, Minster of VSA Emil Lee, Kees Klarenbeek of SMMC and representatives of INSO.
Klareenbeek outlined the need for the new hospital which he said will provide more services which also included oncology and dialysis which is currently being offered at SMMC.
USZV Director Glen Carty said that finally, they have reached another step especially for USZV because the health insurance company pays approximately NAF20 to Naf 30M per year to other countries to provide health care for St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The developers of the Pearl Caribbean China held a forum at the Sonesta Great Bay Resort on Saturday morning prior to the groundbreaking ceremony which was held at Belair Beach. At the forum, the developers shared information about their company New Lifetown that have been doing in several countries such as Malaysia which generated a huge response, they also do business in South East Asia. The Chinese have placed lots of energy in creating the silk rope which enables them to conduct trade with several countries such as Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Netherlands where they have 500 projects and created 8,600 jobs Read more

Political Parties mostly involved in the peaceful protest at the groundbreaking site.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The chairman of New Lifetown Shuqiang Cui aka Trey called on the less than 50 persons that showed up at the Belair Beach where the groundbreaking ceremony for the Pearl Caribbean China was taking place Saturday afternoon to put their hands together and join them as they seek to develop St. Maarten and its economy with the Pearl Caribbean China Resort that will be constructed in Belair.
At Belair beach the protestors with no more than 50 persons bearing placards included the leader of the St Read more

Pm Marlin Addresses The Charlotte Brookson Academy Of The Performance Arts

~ First PTA meeting for the school year 2016/2017 ~

Philipsburg – Prime Minister Marlin was given the opportunity to address attendees which included parents, students and CBA’s faculty and staff informing all in attendance of his plans to assist the school.

With the plight of the academy having to relinquish their occupancy at the University of Sint Martin by October’s end, Ms. Claudette Labega of CBA’s board approached Prime Minister Marlin seeking his assistance for a possible solution.

Prime Minister Marlin stated that with the Council of Ministers and their staff being moved to the new Government Administration Building within the coming weeks, a decision was made to allow the temporary use of the upper level of the Government Building to be temporarily used by the Charlotte Brookson Academy to conduct their daily classes.

With regular classes being executed at this new location it ensures students of the Charlotte Brookson Academy continue their classes without interruptions Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Marlin was given the opportunity to address attendees which included parents, students and CBA’s faculty and staff informing all in attendance of his plans to assist the school.
With the plight of the academy having to relinquish their occupancy at the University of Sint Martin by October’s end, Ms. Claudette Labega of CBA’s board approached Prime Minister Marlin seeking his assistance for a possible solution.
Prime Minister Marlin stated that with the Council of Ministers and their staff being moved to the new Government Administration Building within the coming weeks, a decision was made to allow the temporary use of the upper level of the Government Building to be temporarily used by the Charlotte Brookson Academy to conduct their daily classes.
With regular classes being executed at this new location it ensures students of the Charlotte Brookson Academy continue their classes without interruptions Read more

Marlin Guest At Guyanese Association Meeting Today

PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister William Marlin will be a guest at the St. Maarten Guyanese Association meeting at the association’s office at 158B Back Street, today Wednesday, September 14, from 7:00pm to 8:00pm.

  Marlin will be addressing the meeting and will also be fielding questions from attendees. President of the St. Maarten Guyanese Association Neville Mars is encouraging the entire Guyanese community in St Read more

Frans Calls On Pm To 'Shut Gibson Up'

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Leader of the United St. Maarten (US) party MP Frans Richardson on Monday night urged Prime Minister of St. Maarten William Marlin to finally "put to bed and shut up" Minister of Finance Richard Gibson who, according to Richardson, is "becoming rude and bold in this country."

Richardson tore into Gibson during the USp's public meeting on Monday night, chastising him for not taking care of workers in his places of business for many years, but quick to talk down colleague MP's of the current coalition government Read more

Frans Calls On Pm To ‘Shut Gibson Up’

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Leader of the United St. Maarten (US) party MP Frans Richardson on Monday night urged Prime Minister of St. Maarten William Marlin to finally “put to bed and shut up” Minister of Finance Richard Gibson who, according to Richardson, is “becoming rude and bold in this country.”

Marlin and Gibson

Richardson tore into Gibson during the USp’s public meeting on Monday night, chastising him for not taking care of workers in his places of business for many years, but quick to talk down colleague MP’s of the current coalition government Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the United St. Maarten (US) party MP Frans Richardson on Monday night urged Prime Minister of St. Maarten William Marlin to finally "put to bed and shut up" Minister of Finance Richard Gibson who, according to Richardson, is "becoming rude and bold in this country."

Richardson tore into Gibson during the USp's public meeting on Monday night, chastising him for not taking care of workers in his places of business for many years, but quick to talk down colleague MP's of the current coalition government Read more

The rate of change in the world today conceivably has never been faster. Many of the old systems applied to growth and development are rapidly changing into new forms too different to be fully understood.
The old pattern of a few countries mining the rest of the world for raw materials and reseeding just enough with goods and services to successfully repeat the cycle has been replaced by something else. Global growth and development are no longer almost solely reliant upon the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and one or two other global financial institutions; it now includes significant support from developing countries that once were the countries being mined as a raw material resource.
China is perhaps the indisputable leader of this new growth and development group Read more

Union Keeps Justice Minister In The Dark And Meets With Prime Minister Instead

PHILIPSBURG--Prison Guards at the Pointe Blanche prison continued their industrial action and marched to the Government Administration Building to meet with Prime Minister William Marlin.

Read more

Refused to meet with Prime Minister William Marlin.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The office of the Windward Island Civil Servant Union (WICSU) PSU was packed to its capacity on Thursday morning when all prison guards and prison workers abandoned their posts at the Pointe Blanche Prison to meet with their unions, namely, the ABVO, NAPB, and the WICSU to discuss their grievances.
Even though a large number of prison guards reported sick and is on lengthy sick leave, most of them managed to attend the meeting that was called by the union to address the concerns of the prison workers.
While the prison guards and their union representatives did not speak to the media as they claim they were in a meeting, they also refused to even welcome Prime Minister William Marlin who left his office and went to the WICSU office to gather information and probably find solutions to the crisis but one of the prison workers that was dressed full uniform and some others asked the Prime Minister who invited him to the meeting, in response Prime Minister William Marlin said he was not invited but felt it was necessary for him to reach out to the unions and their members Read more

Marlin: Govt. Will Be Blamed If Protest Scares Off Chinese

PHILIPSBURG--Should protest against the Pearl of China project in Belair beachfront scare off Chinese investors, who are ready to pump millions of dollars into the development, it’s the current Government that will have to shoulder the blame for allowing such “a big project to get away,” said Prime Minister William Marlin on Wednesday.

Marlin was reacting to the negative backlash the announcement of the 326-room hotel with showroom and 450 apartments targeting Chinese investors has received from the public.

“Interesting would be that if the announcement comes that because of the protest that others are planning to engaging on, that these people say you know what Antigua is not too far from St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister William Marlin did not mingle with words when addressed the media on Wednesday at the Council of Minster's press briefing and to also bring clarity on the project that will be constructed in Belair by Chinese investors.
Marlin said certain reporters that attended the Town Hall event last week Thursday at USM to cover it as an assignment used their time to post negative statements about the announcement of the project on Facebook Read more

Smmta Addresses Concerns On Lagoon Transfer To Ministers

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten Marine Trades Association (SMMTA) has submitted a letter to both Prime Minister William Marlin and Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Ingrid Arrindell about its concerns about the possible transfer of all the waters of Simpson Bay and Simpson Bay Lagoon directly to Port St. Maarten.

Read more

Chinese To Develop 326-Room Hotel, 450 Apartments In Belair

Source: The Daily Herald

POND ISLAND–A 326-room hotel with a showroom and 450 executive apartments will be constructed on the Belair beachfront by a Chinese public-private venture. Plans for the “Pearl of China” project have already approved by Government and the ground-breaking for the project is slated for September 17, and should take some two years to complete.

This multi-million dollar project, for which the Chinese bought the land that was for the shelved Barbaron development, was announced by Finance Minister Richard Gibson Sr Read more

Los Chinos Construirán 326 Habitaciones De Hotel Y 450 Apartamentos En Belair

Traducido por Máximo Castro

POND ISLAND.– Un hotel de 326 habitaciones con una sala de exposición y 450 apartamentos ejecutivos serán construidos frente a la playa de Belair, por una empresa público-privada china. Los planes para el proyecto “Perla de China” ya ha aprobado por el Gobierno y el primer picazo para el inicio de la construcción del proyecto está programado para el 17 de septiembre y la construcción de este proyecto está planificado a terminarse en dos años.

Este proyecto de varios millones de dólares, para el que los chinos compraron la tierra, fue anunciado por el ministro de Finanzas Richard Gibson Sr Read more

Chinese to invest in St. Maarten to boost tourism economy.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr. who is contesting the Parliamentary Elections on September 26th kicked off his political campaign Thursday night with a town hall meeting that was held at the University of St. Martin.
Gibson who has been in office close to nine months managed to present the two balanced budgets both 2016 and 2017, the latter for the first time in history the budget was presented and approved on time.
On Thursday night, Gibson brought forward the stark reality to those that attended the town hall meeting what St Read more