By Hilbert Haar Buying votes to win a seat in parliament is of course an unhealthy practice. So why do political candidates keep doing this? Everybody ought to know that the answer to that question is straightforward: money. As a member of parliament, you get a royal salary and you don’t even have to show up for work or to keep the promises you made during the election campaign. If membership of parliament paid just one dollar per year and you would not even get that dollar if you dared not showing up for meetings, nobody would touch that job…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG — Former politician Akeem Arrindell did not only lose his seat in parliament during the August 2024 elections, he has now also lost the right to work as a police officer for a period of six years, lost his passive voting rights for the same period of time and has to repay the salary he received during his tenure in parliament – a whopping 75,372 guilders ($42,107) or go to prison for one year if he does not come up with the money. All this appears from a ruling the court of appeals handed down recently. Arrindell’s tainted history…
By Tom Clifford There are various economic bellwethers, GDP growth, borrowings, energy usage, but my most reliable is to inquire about the economy with those whose job it is to transport us. Taxi drivers. This is my where the rubber meets the road. They are the best barometer of economic activity; if they are busy, chances that the economy is doing well. People have money to spend, disposable income. If they are struggling, then the chances are the economy is not performing with all pistons firing. They are also great entertainers and good readers of humanity. They can crack a…
By Tom Clifford The US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States hopes to deploy more resources, especially troops and aircraft, to tackle drug trafficking in the region. He also added that he hopes more countries in the Caribbean will accept US troops on their soil. Speaking on Wednesday in the Dominican Republic, which has authorized the temporary deployment of US personnel, Hegseth said he was hoping other countries would agree to a US military presence. “A model that we hope to expand with other countries that want to associate with us to ensure that the drug terrorists ……
By Tom Clifford I am not a musician. I cannot read music. But, like all humans, I can appreciate music and I have been moved by it. Jimmy Cliff, who has died at the age of 81, was one of the most prominent and beloved proponents of reggae music. His cause of death was a seizure followed by pneumonia. His gift, apart from his extraordinary talent, was that he made the genre accessible to a wider audience. And he stood for decency in the face of corruption. He was an artist who was deeply admired. He helped to bring the…
From our Correspondent in St. Barths Saint-Barthélemy’s Rémy-de-Haenen Airport is preparing for one of its busiest periods of the year as the Holiday Season officially begins on Thursday with Thanksgiving. Managing Director Fabrice Danet said the airport saw record-breaking traffic last year, with more than a dozen days exceeding 200 aircraft movements—including a peak of 303 before year’s end. He and his team are ready for similar momentum this season. “It is always fascinating to watch how traffic builds from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve,” said Danet, who noted that the number of days topping 200 movements more than doubled…
By Tom Clifford With so many ships in dock, the roads were busier than usual. I had to be in Simpson Bay by 10am. Past nine, the clock was ticking. My driver and I were stuck in traffic. She had a solution, she volunteered, and then, before I could reply, detoured by negotiating a warren of narrow back streets. “Where in Simpson Bay?’’ she inquired. “Welfare Road” I said, hanging on to my seatbelt. “It’s a big road,’’ she said. “Hold on. It’s Commodore Suites.’’ “Ah, why didn’t you tell me. Everyone knows where they are.’’ Just a few minutes…
By Terrance Rey Once upon a time, working in the hospitality industry on St. Maarten was a path to progress. Waiters, bartenders, maids, and casino attendants took pride in their work — and they were rewarded for it. Their tips were theirs. In fact, some built their houses with the tips they earned serving tourists, one plate or one drink at a time. Fast forward to today, and that story has changed — for the worse. Many restaurants, hotels, and casinos now include a 15% “service charge” in the bill, claiming it’s for the staff. But in reality, those tips…
By Tom Clifford I am not a food critic. I could never admonish a naughty carrot or petulant potato or castigate a bean for being unappetizing on my plate. But settings where food is digested, cafes, restaurants, shops, fast-food outlets, now they have been of interest to me in the past. The Chinese and Japanese had given me a perspective on this that I thought was unshakeable. The pleasures of lunch, dim sum being served from a trolley in Hong Kong, and sushi in a Tokyo establishment at night were the pinnacle, I believed, of eating out. This is admittedly…
By Tom Clifford The taxi driver almost passed it. She’d been there before but the modest entrance continues to catch her out, she exclaimed after a quick application of the brakes. It had been raining. The muddy path leading to our destination, set back from the busy road, was slippery. It seemed strangely fitting. As if keeping with tradition. I was stepping back in time to be a guest of heritage. The Old House in the French Quarter gives the visitor a precious insight into the story and culture of the island. It is basic. No fancy entrance, as the…
