Unbiased look at the Sint Maarten Elections
~ Former minister neglected projects ~
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs has blamed former ministerial neglect for the delays in the rebuilding of schools and the library. She said her main concern is not where companies come from, but that the work is done well and on time.
ECYS Minister Melissa Gumbs (left) with Rohith Mahtani of Klass Electronics.
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs has announced the pr Read more
In casual mode, from left: St. Maarten President of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams, Justice Minister Nathalie Tackling, VROMI Minister Patrice Gumbs, and ECYS Minster Melissa Gumbs.
PHILIPSBURG--A new naval base that will take over from the temporary facilities in Point Blanche and installation of a Coast Guard radar for 24/7 monitoring of maritime traffic are part of new developments to bolster safety and security in St Read more
A screen grab of the altercation between the bus driver and student.
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Education, Culture Youth and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs has requested a thorough investigation into an incident involving a school bus driver and a student outside a school bus on Tuesday.
A video of the incident that was circulating widely on social media on Tuesday captioned bus driver vs student shows the school bus driver holding the student by his top against the school bus and pushing him away from the bus Read more
ECYS Minister Melissa Gumbs. File photo.
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs on Wednesday provided an update of the state of affairs Read more
Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina (above, back row, third right), Minister of Education, Culture, Youth & Sports Melissa Gumbs (above, centre right), Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams (above, back row, centre right), several government officials and civil servants, programme stakeholders, community leaders and parenting advocates came together on Friday in support of the Positive Parenting Support Program Read more
New Testament Baptist Church
PHILIPSBURG-Some 25 years ago, the first public Thanksgiving Service was held on December 5th, 1999, following the decision of the then Executive Council on December 1st 1999, to mark the passage of the Atlantic hurricane season without significant incident or impact to St. Maarten.
According to a release from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports (ECYS), In understanding and respecting the multiple religious practices on the island and ensuring that all are present to participate in this moment of Thanksgiving for carrying us through another safe Hurricane season Read more
Eugene Hoogstad
PHILIPSBURG--Some 83 per cent of those who voted for Party for Progress (PFP) in January said they will vote for the party again in the upcoming snap election, the highest percentage in the recent poll by independent researcher and consultant Eugene Hoogstad.
The Democratic Party (DP) is the second highest in the polls results at 71%, while National Alliance (NA) came in third at 68%.
Unified Resilient St Read more
Audience member Carlvin Brooks asks a question about the role and future of the islands university, during Fridays session at USM. The candidates who attended the session signed a pledge to publicly support USMs advancement.
PHILIPSBURG--University of St. Martin (USM) Dean of Academic Affairs Dr. Gale Rigobert urged the countrys leaders to support the advancement of the university, declaring, USM cannot continue to be held hostage by its past.
She made the remarks to candidates vying for seats in the upcoming St Read more
An urgent request for a closed-door Central Committee meeting to discuss the latest developments at the TelEm Group was submitted to Parliament on Thursday by Democratic Party (DP) MP Grisha Heyliger-Marten, Party for Progress Read more
From left: First Vice Chairperson of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel, Chairperson of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams and second Vice Chair of Parliament Melissa Gumbs.
~ Emmanuel First Vice Chair, Gumbs Second Vice Chair ~
PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams made history on Saturday when she became the first person to be unanimously elected to serve as Chairperson of the Parliament of St Read more
From left: NOW leader Christophe Emmanuel, DP leader Sarah Wescot-Williams, URSM leader Dr. Luc Mercelina and PFP leader Melissa Gumbs.
PHILIPSBURG--The Unified Resilient St Read more
Minister of Justice Anna Richardson signing the justice legislative package during Wednesday's ceremony.
PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Justice Anna Richardson co-signed the justice legislative package at the Government Administration Building on Wednesday, December 27.
The official signing of the national decrees solidified the legal position of officers and established essential structures for human resources management in the Ministry of Justice.
The signing encompassed the national decree containing general measures for the legal position of officers with police tasks, the new police salary scales and the national decree to enact the legal position and approved function book.
In her address, Richardson acknowledged the challenges faced on the journey to this point and expressed her pleasure in bringing it to a successful conclusion Read more
PHILIPSBURG--Parliament on Thursday unanimously approved the 2023 budget amendment as well as passed two motions tabled by United Peoples (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Rolando Brison.
Only eight of the 15 MPs were present for Thursdays public meeting of Parliament in which the budget amendment was voted upon. Present were United Peoples (UP) party MPs Brison and Sidharth Cookie Bijlani, Party for Progress (PFP) MP Melissa Gumbs, National Alliance (NA) MPs George Pantophlet, Angelique Romou, Hyacinth Richardson and William Marlin and independent MP Ludmila de Weever Read more
Party for Progress, led by Melissa Gumbs (centre), presented 10 candidates for the January 11, 2024, elections.
PHILIPSBURG--In presenting the Party for Progress (PFP) 2024-2028 manifesto, titled Five for the Future: Working Today to Transform Tomorrow, party leader Melissa Gumbs said: We have prepared this document under what remains the PFPs central vision and intended governing theme of improving quality of life for all on St Read more
PHILIPSBURG--Party for Progress (PFP) Member of Parliament (MP) Melissa Gumbs submitted a brief letter to Prime Minister Read more
MP Ludmila de Wever, standing, about to sign in for the meeting, which could not be held due to no quorum, on Thursday morning.
PHILIPSBURG--Thursdays scheduled meeting of Parliament to approve the composition of the delegation to participate in the Inter-Parliamentary Kingdom Consultations IPKO and Tripartite, did not take place due to a lack of quorum.
IPKO Is scheduled to be held in The Hague, Netherlands from May 31 to June 5.
Chairperson of Parliament Sidharth Cookie Bijlani opened a gathering of Parliament, and told MPs present that the meeting was not able to start as there had been no quorum Read more
PHILIPSBURGThe Party for Progress (PFP) faction in Parliament is requesting information from Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Egbert Doran regarding the 2022-2025 District Cleaning Tendering and Awarding Process. PFP believes there is reason to suspect fraud being committed.
A March 31, 2023, letter to the minister, signed by Members of Parliament (MPs) Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson said there are valid concerns of fraud and/or corruption related to this tendering process, similar to the concerns expressed in the Ombudsmans 2022 Systemic Investigation Report into the garbage collection tendering process Read more
MPs preparing to vote on the motion during Thursdays meeting.
~ Pass motion to this effect ~
PHILIPSBURG--Taking legal action against the persons who demolished the Diamond Estate ruins, rebuilding the historical site at the offenders expense and having government expedite efforts for the area and the remaining rubble to be placed on the protected monument list were among the actions Members of Parliament (MPs) want to see executed in a motion passed on Thursday.
The motion, which was tabled by United Peoples (UP) party MP Rolando Brison, was passed by 10 MPs voting in favour and none against Read more
From left: PFP MP Raeyhon Peterson, independent MP Ludmila de Weever and PFP MP Read more
PHILIPSBURG--Independent Members of Parliament (MPs) Solange Ludmila Duncan and Grisha Heyliger-Marten, as well as Party for Progress (PFP) MP Read more
The Simpson Bay Bridge.
PHILIPSBURG--The newly appointed Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation & Telecommunication (TEATT) Leo Lambriex priority of widening the Simpson Bay Bridge raised concerns with the Party for Progress (PFP) Read more
St. Maarten MPs Melissa Gumbs (left) and Sarah Wescot-Williams during Wednesdays IPKO meeting. (Otti Thomas photo)
THE HAGUE--There will always be tensions wi Read more