By Hilbert Haar The idea to introduce a 7.5 percent tax on online purchases has triggered many questions. According to Minister Ardwell Irion (Finance) such a tax would “level the playing field” and encourage consumers to buy locally, rather than through the internet. Currently this tax is merely a suggestion, it is not a proposal written in stone. The minister’s argument is that local retailers pay a 5 percent turnover tax on sales, while this tax is obviously not imposed on online retailers. So if a local retailer sells a product for $100, the company will have to fork over…
Author: The Publisher
By Terrance Rey There are several parallels from Sint Maarten’s past with what is now happening around the establishment of COHO, the Caribbean Agency for Reforms and Development. The Netherlands has lent millions in liquidity support to Sint Maarten during the pandemic. But that is a development that cannot be sustained for long. Within Europe, the Netherlands must also provide the necessary liquidity support to partner countries within the European Union. However, that is billions of euros. Of course, the Netherlands could not leave the islands within the Kingdom to their fate during the pandemic. But in the past, it…
PHILIPSBURG – With an eye to redirect Sint Maarten’s limited resources into initiatives that would deepen cooperative ties between the Dutch Caribbean and other islands in the region, Party for Progress (PFP) leader and Member of Parliament (MP) Melissa Gumbs on Friday submitted a proposal to Parliament that would end the body’s membership to the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino). “Parliament, and by extension the country and people of Sint Maarten, spend US $30,000 in annual membership fees plus a travel budget of NAf. 497,700 per year. However, after nearly 11 years as a member, there has not been a measurable…
SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) – As of October 1st, 2021, the banned travel countries list will be eliminated, and these countries will be placed in a new ‘very high risk,’ category that will have the following requirements. Travelers originating from these countries must be fully vaccinated; and must provide valid proof of a negative PCR test not older than 48-hours before departure on last leg to destination Sint Maarten. With respect to non-vaccinated travelers, these persons are required to provide valid proof of a negative PCR test not older than 24-hours before departure on last leg to the destination. Once the…
PHILIPSBURG — Ombudsman Gwendolien Mossel has started a Systemic Investigation into the collection of solid waste tender 2021-2026. On 25 and 31 March 2021 respectively, complaints were filed with the Ombudsman against the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure (VROMI) by two bidders that participated in the collection of the solid waste tendering process, who both expressed concerns regarding the credibility, reliability, and transparency of same. At least two other bidders did not file official complaints with the Ombudsman, however, via their legal representatives, expressed similar sentiments about the tender process to the Minster of VROMI. Complainant’s…
PHILIPSBURG — State Secretary Drs. Raymond Knops (Kingdom Relations) is at the center of a controversy after the Dutch newspaper NRC reported that he used the services of civil servants to solve a private issue. Four members of parliament have asked Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Minister Kajsa Ollengren (Home Affairs) questions about this issue, wondering whether Knops can still function as “Mister Good Governance” towards the Kingdom’s Caribbean countries. In 2010 Knops bought a parcel of land in the municipality Horst aan de Maas in the province of Limburg. He paid for 750 square meters but when the Cadastre…
PHILIPSBURG — Saba and Statia have jointly selected Anguilla-based Blues and Blues as the preferred operator of a ferry connection between the two islands, St. Maarten and St. Kitts. The service could be operational as early as November 1, the two public entities announced in a press release. Parties are still working on the details of a Public Service Obligation (PSO)-agreement. As soon as this process is completed, the service is good to go. The Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management subsidizes the first two years of the ferry-service with an amount of €2 million ($2.35 million). Blues and…
PHILIPSBURG — Banco di Caribe has been sold to the Curacao-based United Group Holdings for an undisclosed amount of cash, the Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten (CBCS) announced in a press release. The Central Bank of Aruba was quick to react with a press release of its own, claiming that obtaining a direct or indirect interest in Banco di Caribe Aruba requires the approval from the Central Bank of Aruba. Article 17 of the national ordinance supervision credit systems prohibits private citizens and legal entities to obtain a qualified participation in a credit institution without prior approval from…
THE HAGUE — Outgoing Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigrid Kaag stepped down in the night from Wednesday to Thursday after a majority of the Dutch parliament supported a motion of disapproval against her because of the messy evacuation of embassy staff and Afghans from Afghanistan. Kaag stays on as faction- and party-leader for D66. The motion obtained a majority because coalition-partner Christian Union (CU) voted in favor. In the negotiations about the formation of a new government, Kaag has steadfastly refused to take part in an administration with the CU. In June, she compared the CU to “a rusty car”,…
PHILIPSBURG — The Association of St. Maarten Penal Law Scholars has approached Minister of Justice Anna Richardson with questions about the deployment of Curacao-based prosecutors, judges, judges of instruction, registrars and police officers that are associate with the TBO (Team Bestrijding Ondermijning) – the anti-corruption task force. The association’s chairman Cor Merx, secretary Safira Ibrahim and treasurer A. Richardson wonder whether the minister and the parliament are aware of the organization and whether TBO-staff operates in St. Maarten with or without the minister’s permission. “It is every time a mystery which crimes fall under undermining criminality but you can be…
