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Aps Releases List Of Speakers For Pension Seminar.

Finance Minister to deliver opening remarks

PHILIPSBURG:--- St. Maarten’s general pension fund, APS has released the program for its 2017 pension seminar, scheduled for May 19 upcoming.

The event, which will carry the theme “Your Future is Our Day to Day” kicks off with the registration and seating of attendees, as early as 12.30 p.m. Invited guests are asked to register at the entrance of the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, after which they have the option of being driven or walk to the nearby conference area, Maho Room.

Following the welcoming of those in attendance by MC Rachael Geerlings, the purpose of the seminar as well as the rules applicable during the seminar will be explained Read more

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Mp Franklin Meyers Plans To Publish Names Of Businesses That Were Tested Positive For E-Coli And Legionella.

Minister refuses to provide the names to Parliament stating it is not good for business.

PHILIPSBURG:--- At the closing of the public meeting of parliament on Friday where Minister of Public Health Emil Lee returned to answer questions that were posed to him by Members of Parliament. MP Meyers stated that since the Minister did not answer his question where he asked for the names of the businesses that were tested positive for E-coli, he intends to make that information known to the public since he has the information and in his view the members of the public including tourist must know where there are health risks.
Minister of VSA Emil Lee in his response to the question from the get-go said that 15% of the businesses that were tested showed that they had E-coli in their water Read more

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Exclusive:--- Pearl Of China Project Delayed Due To Clause In Deed. Negotiations Taking Place To Resolve The Issue.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Pearl of China Project which was scheduled to start during the month of March 2017 has been delayed due to a clause that is in the deed for the land the developers purchased. SMN News learned that the original owner of the property Rudy Noos placed a clause (restriction) in the deed for the property where it states that no developer can construct more than a certain amount of units on the property.
According to information SMN News received is that the developer just recently discovered restriction that is in the deed and they are busy trying to work around restriction to see how quickly they could have the setback regulated in order for them to begin construction Read more

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GREAT BAY (DCOMM):---On Friday, March 31, the Council of Ministers hosted an Information Session to the Secretaries General of the seven different Ministries and their Management Team, the Staff of the Ministers cabinet, and the Staff of the Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.

The main agenda points of the session were the Governing Program; integrity and the plans of the Dutch Government towards establishing an Integrity Chamber on Sint Maarten and their recent appointment of a Dutch Integrity Quartermaster and an update on the budget 2017.

The Council found it essential to inform the key leaders and advisors of the organization in person about these key matters.
While the Prime Minister, William Marlin, spoke on the issues of the Governing Program and Integrity, the Minister of Finance, Richard Gibson Sr., elaborated on the budget.

At the same time, both Ministers stressed the importance of the role of each civil servant in the process of making Sint Maarten great Read more

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Exclusive: Will The Parliament Of St. Maarten Fail The People, Prosecutor Office Already Turned A Blind Eye.

What actions will Parliament take when they are being lied to by Ministers?

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday, April 6th 2017, the Minister of VSA Emil Lee told the Parliament of St. Maarten that he did not give the director of SZV Glen Carty permission to spend money from the AOV funds to construct the new hospital, instead he said the decision was taken by the Minister of General Affairs (Prime Minister William Marlin and Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr.) a blatant lie told to the members of Parliament.
The two letters sent by the Director of SZV Glen Carty to Minister Emil Lee and his response will be published under this article for sake of transparency.
SMN News got hold of the letters Minister of VSA Emil Lee sent to SZV director Glen Carty dated August 5th, 2016 informing Carty that the Council of Ministers gave him the approval to use the AOV funds to create a capital reserve fund to the tune of NAF 144M for the construction of the New General Hospital including consultant fees Read more

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GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication, Mellissa Arrindell-Doncher, joined her colleague Ministers in her first Council of Ministers meeting on Tuesday, April 4.

The meeting was adjourned for the Ministers to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Minister Arrindell-Doncher and resumed after.

At the onset, Minister co-signed her first national decree which contained the so-called ‘vervangingsregeling’, which regulates which minister replaces another minister when he / she is unable to execute his / her responsibilities; this can, for example, be related to illness, travel on behalf of government, or vacation.

With a complete Council of Ministers consisting of seven ministers, the replacement overview is now as follows:
Prime Minister / Minister of General Affairs, Mr Read more

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Mp’S Fires More Questions To Minister Of Vsa On Gag Order Through An Mb To Inspectorate.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of VSA Emil Lee provided some answers to the questions that was posed to him last week in the public meeting of parliament regarding health care on St. Maarten.
The Minister told parliament that he was not a signatory to the agreement signed between SZV and SMMC and therefore he could not provide parliament with that document Read more

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Rotary Club Of St. Maarten Celebrates Its 45Th Anniversary.

GIBSON NAMED PAUL HARRIS FELLOW

PHILIPSBURG_---– The Rotary Club of Sint Maarten celebrated its 45th anniversary with a special dinner celebration at Moomba Restaurant in Maho on Thursday, March 29, 2017. To commemorate the occasion the Rotary Club awarded a Paul Harris Fellow to its only remaining charter member, Richard Gibson Read more

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Airport: --- Minister of Health Emil Lee returned to St. Maarten on Tuesday with the marketing director of Health City Cayman Islands Shomari Scot after USZV and Health City has reached a short-term agreement to treat a backlog of patients.
At the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIEA) Prime Minister William Marlin and Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr also welcomed the Minister of Health and Scott to St Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- On Monday 13th March 2017 the Minister of Finance from Sint Maarten, the Honorable Richard Gibson Sr. met with the Minister of Finance from Curacao, the Honorable Kenneth Gijsbertha to discuss vital financial matters that affect both Sint Maarten and Curacao.

Some topics addressed during this meeting were: the management of the Central Bank of Curacao and Sint Maarten (CBCS), the de-risking trends within our financial institutions, the division of assets of the former Netherlands Antilles, Sint Maarten and Curacao’s possible participation in the pilot project organized by the United States and the upcoming IMF Meeting in Washington, to take place in April of this year Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Last week, Prime Minister of St. Maarten, Mr. William Marlin, the Minister Plenipotentiary, Mrs. Henrietta Doran-York, the Secretary General of the Ministry of General Affairs, Mr Read more

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Parliament Of St. Maarten Passes Motion To Deem Protocol On Integrity Chamber Null And Void.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The parliament of St. Maarten unanimously passed a motion on Monday to deem the protocol signed in May 2015 by former Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson and the Minister of Interior and Overseas Affairs Ronald Plasterk on the establishment of the Integrity Chamber.
The motion cited that the signed protocol which was also passed by the then majority in parliament that since the protocol did not get the approval of the Ombudsman and it was also thrown out by the Constitutional Court makes it null and void.
The motion passed on Monday will be sent to government and parliament of countries Aruba and Curacao, the island councils of the BES islands and Bonaire.
Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr in his presentation said that the Minister of Justice of St Read more

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St. Maarten Parliament Passes A Law That Infringes On The Rights Of The People --- Mp Frans Richardson.

Kingdom must respect, PM, Parliament and its people.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Frans Richardson in his opening remarks on the floor of parliament on Thursday afternoon during the discussion on the appointment of a Quartermaster by the Minister of Interior and Foreign Affairs Ronald Plasterk said it’s a shame that the Kingdom has stopped so low when they chose not to inform the Prime Minister of St Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The country St. Maarten did not receive its share of monies from the division of assets which is due to St. Maarten since the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010. In responding to a question posed by SMN News Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr said that St. Maarten is supposed to collect NAF67M, some seven million from the SAO foundation which is now dormant Read more

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Minister of Finance met with Council General of China to discuss Pearl of China and other matters.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister William Marlin expressed his concerns to the family of the 14-year-old boy who was badly injured during the year-end celebrations when a firecracker exploded in his hand leaving him severely injured.
Marlin said on December 30th, 2016 he along with the Minister of VROMI spend most of the day regulating some issues with Firefly, yet someone managed to bring in fireworks and sold them illegally Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The newly sworn in Council of Ministers held their first meeting at the Government Building on Thursday morning December 22nd. Attending the meeting were Prime Minister William Marlin, Minister of Finance Richard Gibson, Minister of Public Health Social Development and Labor Affairs Emil Lee, Minister of Education Culture Youth & Sports Silveria Jacobs and Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Christophe Emmanuel.

In its first meeting, the Council of Ministers took the decision amongst others, to grant all Civil Servants “half day off” on December 23rd and 30th where the service permits Read more

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Exclusive: Sls Threatens Uszv And Government That They Will Not Be Accepting Uszv Cards For Civil Servants Due To Outstanding Debts Amounting To Naf.139, 000.00.

USZV and Government have until January 15th to settle the debt or face litigation.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Laboratory Services (SLS) has dispatched a letter through its legal representatives to the Minister of VSA Emil Lee, and Director of USZV Glen Carty which was also copied to the Prime Minister of St. Maarten William Marlin and Minister of Finance Richard Gibson (Country St Read more

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Finance Minister Advised Vromi Minister To Work Hard And Accept Critics.

2016 budget ended with a small surplus.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr welcomed the Minister of VROMI Christopher Emmanuel to the Council of Ministers, he also told Minister Emmanuel to be prepared to be criticized and to also work hard Read more

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PHILIPSBURG: --- During the first live press briefing on Wednesday Prime Minister William Marlin informed the people of St. Maarten that the screening process for the Ministry of TEATT is not yet completed but hopefully that process will be completed shortly. Marlin said that in the meantime, the Minister of Justice Raphael Boasman will be responsible for that Ministry until the new Minister takes office.
However, Minister Boasman has left the island shortly after the swearing in ceremony for the Netherlands for a period of two weeks, therefore, the Prime Minister will be responsible for the Ministry of General Affairs, Justice and TEATT until Minister Boasman returns.
The Prime Minister also introduced the new council of ministers, namely Minister of Finance Richard Gibson, returning Minister of VSA who was not present  at the opening of the weekly press briefing Emil Lee, Minister of Education, Minister of Justice Raphael Boasman, and Minister of VROMI Christopher Emmanuel and Minister of EYS Silveria Jacobs.
Marlin said that he hopes that the coalition partners will give this government a full four-year mandate which would give the island some stability.
Marlin outlined some of the things the government has been doing, and of the things they have high on their agenda are affordable housing and he plans to support the Minister of VROMI with whatever plans the SMHDF and the Ministry come up with to provide more affordable home.
Another priority for the government is the country’s infrastructure which is affecting the visitors of the island and residents Read more

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Eyebrows being raised as to where police and prosecution found manpower and tools to investigate cyber crimes?

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday extended the pretrial detention for well-known teacher and unionist Claire Elshot who was arrested on Sunday evening for allegedly threatening an employee of the Court of First Instance. The employee it is understood is a court recorder and is also a neighbor of Elshot who recently opened the ACE foundation in Cole Bay with the assistance of NAGICO.
SMN News learned that the courthouse employee and her relatives refused to use their entrance and instead have been using the narrow entrance leading to the ACE Foundation Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr made clear during the budget hearing on Tuesday that Parliament should hire a legal translator to translate the budget and other documents for Members of Parliament. He said government paid for the translation of the 2016 budget and this year the request to translate the 2017 budget was submitted late and the translation is in the process Read more

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Finance Minister Should Forget About Curbing Online Shopping --- St. Martin Is A Siamese Twin.

Give the people a grace period to regulate their taxes.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Christopher Emmanuel urged the Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr to stop is plan in curbing online shopping since there is not much that can be done to curb or stop residents from shopping online Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Rumors are circulating on social media (Facebook) and throughout the community claiming that the current coalition agreement between the National Alliance (NA), the United St. Maarten People’s Party (USP) and the Democratic Party (DP) fell through and that talks are currently taking place between the United Peoples Party (UPP), United St Read more

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Aps Makes Presentations To Finance Minister.

Cul-de-Sac:--- The offices of the general pension fund, APS, were on Monday the venue for several presentations made to St. Maarten’s Minister of Finance, Richard Gibson Sr., by officials of the pension fund.
The presentations marked the minister’s first official visit to the APS offices, during which the latter was welcomed by APS Chairman of the board Franklyn Richards and Director Nadya van Putten Read more

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