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Ministers Meet In New Building

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - On Thursday, September 19, the Council of Ministers convened their first Council of Ministers meeting since moving into the New Government Administration Building at Soualiga Road. The inauguration of the Building took place on Friday September 16. With the exception of Minister Irania Arrindell,  who is attending the FCCA Conference in Puerto Rico, all Ministers were present for this historic moment.

In picture clockwise: Prime Minister / Minister William Marlin; Minister Silveria Jacobs, Minister Emil Lee, Minister Richard Gibson Sr., Minister Edson Kirindongo, Minister Angel Meyers supported by the Secretary General of the Council of Ministers, Ms Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The two political parties that got five seats each in parliament did not waste any time in forming a government. The leaders and deputy leaders of the two parties namely William Marlin and Silveria Jacobs from the National Alliance along with Theodore Heyliger and Franklin Meyers from the United Peoples Party signed a coalition agreement shortly after the results were announced.
Up to early Tuesday morning neither of the party leaders could be reached for a comment but SMN News managed to obtain a photograph of the four political leaders and deputy leaders holding up the signed documents. Sources told SMN News that Marlin announced the news in a Whatsapp chat to all his party members and promised to explain them the reasons for his decision in a meeting later today at 1pm Read more

Voting Is Showing Politicians Their ‘Report Card,’ Says Residents

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Voters in today’s election say they are deciding to hold their leaders accountable by going to the polls. More than 20,000 people could cast the vote in Monday’s parliamentary election, the second in two years.

For resident Jefferson George, voting today meant exercising his right and guaranteeing himself a say in how the island is run.

“Now that I vote I can have a say, I can complain. If I didn’t vote, I would just have to accept what they give,” George told 721news.com.

He was among the trickle of voters trooping into the Raoul Illidge Sports Complex in Cay Hill after 1:00pm Read more

Designs Unveiled For Aps Welgelegen Homes, Young Professionals To Benefit From Affordable Housing

CUL-DE-SAC, St. Maarten -  Plans for the construction of affordable housing units on a parcel of land at Welgelegen in Cay Hill, are now steps closer to being realized following a symbolic groundbreaking event, held on Friday afternoon.

Present for the occasion were finance minister Richard Gibson, VROMI minister Angel Meyers, APS board chairman Franklyn Richards, APS board member Guilliano Saturnilia, APS director Nadya van Putten, APS Manager Finance and Investments George Willems and APS project manager Kendra Arnell, along with architects David Morrison and John Baker and Ron Daal on behalf of the engineering consulting firm, ICE Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Plans for the construction of affordable housing units on a parcel of land at Welgelegen in Cay Hill, are now steps closer to being realized following a symbolic groundbreaking event, held on Friday afternoon.

Present for the occasion were finance minister Richard Gibson, VROMI minister Angel Meyers, APS board chairman Franklyn Richards, APS board member Guilliano Saturnilia, APS director Nadya van Putten, APS Manager Finance and Investments George Willems and APS project manager Kendra Arnell, along with architects David Morrison and John Baker and Ron Daal on behalf of the engineering consulting firm, ICE.

During the event, designs of the housing project were shown on site, before proceeding with the customary placing of shovels in the ground.

The project is being spearheaded by St Read more

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

The Grand Finale- Bigger And Better with an All-Star Panel.

Concordia:---- Recent guests on Fresh with the Y2X Crew, Jennifer Richardson da Silva of NA, May- Ling Chun of UP, Marinka Gumbs of DP, Angelina Williams of PPA, Anna Rabess-Richardson of USP, Mulrose Toulon of the St 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

DEED, SALE, AND PURCHASE AGREEMENT SIGNED

PHILIPSBURG:---  With a deed signed before a notary as well as a purchase and sale agreement reached between parties concerned, the way has been paved for the construction of new parking facilities in Philipsburg.
The long anticipated facilities are a project of the general pension fund, APS, which signed the deed to the area where the facilities are to be constructed, on Thursday. Earlier a sale and purchase agreement was also signed by APS with the government of St Read more

Gibson: 2M In Casino Taxes Collected, Promise Kept To Not Increase Road Tax

PHILIPSBURG--Finance Minister Richard Gibson said on Wednesday that Government has again proven that a promise made is a promise kept, with the recent collection of NAf. 2 million of arrears in casino taxes.

Read more

PHILIPSBURG:---Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr announced on Wednesday at the Council of Minister's press briefing that he made a promise when he first took office almost nine months ago and he can now report that the promise he made when he reported to parliament is a promise he kept. Gibson said that when he reported to parliament regarding the legislation the former government had prepared to increase the number plate fees, he told parliament that he would scrap that legislation and go after the casinos so that they could pay their dues, instead of shifting the burden on the entire population.
The finance Minister said an agreement was signed on Tuesday with the Receivers office Read more

Urgent Parliament Meeting Requested On Pearl Of China

PHILIPSBURG--An urgent public meeting of Parliament has been requested by three Members of Parliament about the Pearl of China project slated for the Belair beachfront.

The request comes two days after the symbolic ground-breaking, about three weeks following the announcement by Finance Minister Richard Gibson Sr. of the 326-room hotel with showroom and 450 executive apartments and less than a week before the September 26 Parliamentary election 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

Court Reinforced With Three Criminal Judges

PHILIPSBURG--Three new judges were officially installed during an extraordinary sitting of the Joint Court of Justice at the Courthouse on Friday. An audience consisting of Acting Governor Reynold Groeneveldt, Minister of Finance and Acting Minister of Justice Richard Gibson, officials of the Court, the Prosecutor’s Office, the Police Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Deputy Prime Minister Richard Gibson Sr confirmed on Wednesday when asked by reporters if the groundbreaking for the China Pearl of the Caribbean will be held on September 17th as scheduled. Gibson said based on his knowledge the ceremony will take place as he sees no reason to stop it. He further explained that the developer is busy with the invitations.
Ever since the Minister of Finance announced that St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr. announced on Wednesday at the Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday that he travelled to the Washington United States last week, along with the Minister of Finance of Curacao where they met with the ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands who reported to him that the United States is prepared to work with the Dutch Caribbean Islands in finding a solution to the de-risking issues that are affected by correspondent banking issues mostly known as de-risking that affects the entire Caribbean.
Minister Gibson said in his announcement said that correspondent banks have been terminating their relationships with local banks making it impossible for some countries to make cross-border payments.
Gibson said prior to that meeting they also had a meeting with the department of Justice of the United States, the White House, and IMF and some other departments to discuss the said issues which led to the meeting held last week Read more

Update: Frans: Na Manifesto Contradicts Gibson’S Stance On Indirect Tax

PHILIPSBURG--The National Alliance (NA) Manifesto and the stand of its Finance Minister Richard Gibson Sr. contradicts each other on tax reform, said United St. Maarten Party (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

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