Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
~UPP, PFP, and NA supports the signing of agreement and COHO
PHILIPSBURG: --- The coalition partners that are supporting the government of St. Maarten give the Prime Minister of St. Maarten its blessings in the form of a verbal declaration to go ahead and sign the COHO law. The leader of the UPP faction was the first to give the Prime Minister the declaration State Secretary Raymond Knops wants when he demanded that she gets such prior to the December 18th meeting.
UPP supports the signing of COHO Law.
After making her position known, the UPP MP and Faction Leader Grisha Heyliger Marten gave the declaration that the State Secretary Raymond Knops is looking for, thereby Heyliger Martin then said I am sure of our Prime Minister of St Read more
Irion Counters Cft Letter That Govt.S Financial Management Is Inadequate
PHILIPSBURG--Finance Minister Ardwell Irion said on Wednesday that his ministry has made several improvements in a relatively short period of time, countering statements by the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT that governments financial management is severely inadequate.
Jacobs Holds Info Session On Cost- Cutting Measures With Civil Servants
Silveria Jacobs
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of General Affairs Silveria Jacobs on November 6, held a virtual information session for civil servants to provide an update concerning governments cost-cutting measures as per the conditions for further liquidity support from the Netherlands.
The conditions, among other things, are a 12.5 per cent per cent reduction on the total salary package and employment benefits of civil servants, as well as a 25 per cent reduction on the total salary package and employment benefits of Members of Parliament and Ministers.
In its efforts to meet the second tranche conditions set by the Dutch government, St Read more
2021 Plates Ordered, Solution For Future
File photo of the 2019 number plates, which were still used in 2020 due to the COVID-19 crisis (file photo).
PHILIPSBURG--Motorists in the country will get new number plates for their vehicles in 2021. Finance Minister Ardwell Irion said government is still looking into the possible solutions that can be used in the place of n Read more
~ State Secretary did not respond to St. Maarten~
PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister of St. Maarten Silveria Jacobs said on Wednesday that there is still no agreement with the Dutch Government with regards the continued financial support. Jacobs said discussions are ongoing with the CFT and that St. Maartens Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion just last week sent another proposal to the CFT which would avoid the government from cutting the salaries of civil servants.Jacobs explained that St Read more
Article 25 Trumps Article 16 Of The Kingdom Law On Financial Supervision.
The conclusion I have come to after reading a letter dated October 19, 2020 sent by the Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion to State Raymond Knops is that article 25 of the Kingdom Law on Financial Supervision trumps articles 16 of the same Law. A text from the advices of the Department of Judicial Affairs and Legislation from the Ministry of General Affairs both from St Read more
PHILIPSBURG:--- The plan presented by the Minister of TEATT Ludmilla de Weever to the parliament of St. Maarten last week is just the Ministers big idea says Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion. Irion made the statement at the Council of Minister's press conference on Wednesday when he was asked by SMN News if he could provide further details on the tax abolishment that was part of the plan Read more
Mps Calls On Government To Reopen All Ports Now To Rebound Economy.
PHILIPSBURG:--- I told you so, says Member of Parliament Omar Ottley when he was pushing the government to begin rapid testing as visitors arrive on the island for the COVID-19 tests. Ottley told the Ministers that attended the parliament meeting on Wednesday that they to reopen all business on St. Maarten so that money could circulate Read more
Dutch Still Refuses Entertain Discussion On Cre, Knops Blackmail Continues.
PHILIPSBURG: --- Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs confirmed that the Dutch government still refuses to entertain any form of discussions on the law to establish the Caribbean Reform Entity (CRE). Jacobs said that the same goes for Curacao and Aruba. She said as soon as the Dutch government decides to reopen the discussion St. Maarten will be ready as they did send a number of changes to the law to ensure that this new entity does not trample on the autonomy of the countries Read more
Knops Asked Irion To Withdraw Bond-Issue
THE HAGUE--Dutch State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops last week asked St. Maarten Finance Minister Ardwell Irion to cease the procedure of floating a NAf. 75 million bond on the local capital market to raise funds to cover governments operational costs.
Knops made his request in a letter that he sent to Irion last week Read more
Irion Wants Suspension Of Naf. 75 Million Bond
Finance Minister Ardwell Irion
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion announced on Monday that he has requested that the Central Bank of Curaao and St. Maarten (CBCS) suspend the local auction of a bond of NAf Read more
Minister Of Finance Suspends Bond, Blackmailed By State Secretary Knops.
PHILIPSBURG:---The Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion has requested the CBCS to suspend (cancel) the auction (bond). Sint Maarten is currently in discussions with the Netherlands regarding the refinancing of a loan, which is scheduled to mature on October 21st, 2020. Sint Maarten has opted to accept the proposal of the Netherlands as outlined in their letter of October 16th, 2020, which will result in the postponement of the maturity date and avoid a technical default Read more
Minister Of Finance Suspends Bond, Blackmailed By State Secretary Knops. (Updated)
Irion Says Floating Bond Not A Violation, Cft Asked To Clarify
Finance Minister Ardwell Irion.
PHILIPSBURG--One hundred per cent inaccurate, was the description used by Finance Minister Ardwell Irion on Wednesday, to describe statements made by the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT regarding the floating of a NAf Read more
PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion said on Wednesday that the CFT made wrongful statements in their letter of October 12th regarding St. Maartens intention to float a bond for NAF 75M. Irion said that while the articles in the CFT regulation are vague, he said article 16 pertains to capital expenditures which St. Maarten is adhering to Read more
~Kingdom Council of Ministers have to allow St. Maarten to float bonds~
PHILIPSBURG:--- The chairman of the CFT dispatched a letter to the Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion informing him that he is not allowed to float a bond with the Central Bank.The letter sent on October 12th states that on October 9th was informed of the Ministers decision to float a bond for NAF 75M from the country to attract the domestic market.Article 16 of Curaao and Sint Maarten Financial Supervision Act (Rft) sets out the procedure and criteria for taking out loans Read more
Several Govt. Departments To Be Relocated To Btp Building
The BTP building on Cannegieter Street.
PHILIPSBURG--In an effort to further save on cost, several government departments will be relocated to the vacant floors of the Bureau Telecommunications and Post (BTP) building on Cannegieter Street, saving government between US $30,000 and $40,000 monthly, Finance Minister Ardwell IrionRead more Candidates in this article:
PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion announced on Wednesday that the government of St. Maarten submitted a request with the Central Bank to float a bond in order to get out of its financial crisis. The Minister further explained that the government of St. Maarten continues with its efforts to cut costs and increase its revenues Read more
Representatives of Qredits with Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion (third left), Stephane Habichdobinger of Procontech (fourth left) and TEATT Minister Ludmila de Weever (fifth left) Read more
Small Businesses Receive Financial Assistance Through The Enterprise Support Project
PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Entrepreneurs Lesley and Shirly Bruce of Kennys Car Rental & Management N.V. and Stephane Habichdobinger of Procontech are all smiles as the first small business owners to receive direct financial assistance of the Enterprise Support Project. Both had applied via Qredits and on Wednesday, September 29 th were acknowledged in the presence of Minister of Finance Irion Ardwell, Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications Ludmila de Weever and NRPB Director Claret Connor.
Each business opted for the projects Assets and Repair package and will only have to repay 35 percent of the total amount received Read more
Soab Gives Positive Report For Ssrp Income, Unemployment Programmes
Ardwell Irion.
~ All persons registered received assistance ~
PHILIPSBURG--Governments Accounting Bureau SOAB has returned a positive report to Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion on the St Read more
~All persons registered received assistance~
PHILIPSBURG:---The Governments accounting Bureau (SOAB) has returned a positive report to Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion on the St. Maarten Stimulus and Relief Program (SSRP - income and unemployment support programs for April, May, and June 2020), providing a clear indication that the programs initiated by Minister Irion are functioning and being managed properly Read more
~Government yield huge savings with cuts in phone bills.~
PHILIPSBURG:---Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion announced on Wednesday at the Council of Ministers press briefing that discussions with the Dutch Government regarding the funding for the SSRP and the conditions that the Dutch imposed on St. Maarten.Irion said on Tuesday a meeting was held with the CFT and the government were informed that the cuts they made are not being recognized as cuts instead they must dig deep into the salaries of civil servants as requested by the Dutch Government Read more
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Thursday, September 17, the Council of Ministers held a cooperation meeting with the Collectivit of Saint Martin at the Government Administration Building. Although this meeting was planned since earlier in the week, both governments are elated with the outcome of the unity march of Wednesday, September 16, that took place at the Cole Bay/Bellevue border checkpoint which led to the lifting of the border controls at the Bellevue and French Quarter checkpoints.
Present during the meeting were Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs, Ministers Egbert Doran, Anna Richardson, Ardwell Irion, Ludmila de Weever, drs Read more