PHILIPSBURG — The Chamber of Commerce has announced its proposal to dissolve more than 500 businesses and thereby taking them off their registry. The complete list of affected businesses has been published in the National Gazette of September 3. All of the 531 listed companies have outstanding fees and 36 companies have no director, it appears from the Chamber-publication. Both circumstances – outstanding fees and not having a director – are reasons for the Chamber to dissolve the companies. If these circumstances still exist six weeks after the publication of the list, the chamber will dissolve the companies. That the…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG — On Friday, September 3, 2021 the recently appointed new members and substitute members of the Central Voting Bureau were sworn in by His Excellency Governor drs. Eugene B. Holiday at his cabinet. These members and substitute members are: Nancy Guishard-Joubert as the chair, Nathalie Tackling as the deputy chair, Ingrid Gumbs-Arrindell as a member and Sandy Offringa and Mario Gumbs as substitute members. Besides the newly appointed members and substitute members, the Central Voting Bureau currently also comprises of two previously appointed members namely Mercedez James and Anastacio Baker. In accordance with article 12 of the Electoral Ordinance…
PHILIPSBURG — The financial situation of St. Maarten’s social security funds is untenable, financial supervisor Cft writes in a reaction to the country’s second execution report for the year 2021. The deficits at the ZV-fund (healthcare insurance), the OV-fund (accident insurance) and the FZOG-fund (healthcare insurance for retired civil servants) increased in 2020 to 291 million guilders (approximately $162.5 million). This is an increase of 21 percent compared to 2019, the Cft points out. The expected total deficit of these funds for 2021 is 328 million guilders ($183.2 million). “This is an untenable situation that requires immediate and drastic measures.…
PHILIPSBURG — Bureau Telecommunication and Post (BTP)-director Anthony Carty has been suspended for the duration of the criminal investigation against him that started back in 2019. After the completion of the investigation, the Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication will take a decision about Carty’s future. This appears from the relevant national decree that was published in the National Gazette on September 3. Carty’s suspension went into effect per August 13. The suspension is based on article 3 of the National Ordinance that regulates BTP. This article states that the BTP-director is appointed, suspended and dismissed based on…
PHILIPSBURG — The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the tourism industry to its knees, but the latest numbers issued by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) show that St. Maarten is getting out of this slump in a hurry. Out of 24 destinations that reported international arrivals in 2021, twenty reported declines. Of the seven destinations reporting stay-over visitors for the period January-July 2021, Aruba reported 76.5 percent growth, closely followed by St. Maarten with 70 percent. The Dominican Republic also did well with an increase of 58.8 percent. But four other destinations were less fortunate. Anguilla reported a dramatic decline of…
PHILIPSBURG — To describe Winair as a tough old bird may sound a bit disrespectful but there is no question that the company is tough as nails. Faced with the umpteenth crisis in its now 60-year existence, the airline is hell-bent on coming out of it stronger than ever. This is not to say that the challenges Winair is facing are easy to overcome; far from it. But the company has been down in the doldrums before and it fought its way back to health with a vengeance. Nevertheless, the data Winair presented at its most recent shareholders meeting are…
PHILIPSBURG — “Formal equality does not equate material equality.” That is one of the conclusions of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination after the evaluation of the Dutch 22nd to 24th periodic report. During a meeting about these reports, Committee-experts asked questions about the Dutch national framework for tackling racial discrimination, racial profiling by police officers, the Dutch colonial legacy and its role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The committee expressed its concern that the economic support the Kingdom provided to its Caribbean countries is linked to conditions and that this support is less favorable that what…
Philipsburg – On Wednesday, August 25, 2021, Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs held an introductory meeting with Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ballast Nedam International Projects B.V., Mr. Roy van Eijsden. Ballast Nedam International Projects B.V. (BNIP) was chosen as the General Contractor for the Airport Terminal Reconstruction Project and officially signed the agreement with PJIAE N.V. on Tuesday, August 24. Also present at this meeting were Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PJIAE N.V., Mr. Brian Mingo, Director of National Recovery Program Bureau, Mr. Claret Connor and Deputy Director of National Recovery Program Bureau, Mr. Abel Knottnerus. Prime Minister Jacobs stated,…
~ Suggests Areas for Improvement of this Vital Service to Renters and Landlords Alike ~ Philipsburg — During the 2021 budget debates, MP Wescot-Williams questioned how the Rental Tribunal “rent committee” was performing in general and during the pandemic and the economic downturn in particular. Hence, the MP has decided to follow up on this matter via a meeting of Parliament as the Rental Tribunal is subsided by the Government of St. Maarten. “For the deliberations in Parliament, we received from Government a detailed report of the Rental Tribunal. However, this report in itself has not in my opinion received…
PHILIPSBURG — Today, Thursday, August 26, 2021, former Senior Manager of Port St. Maarten Roger Lawrence was ceremoniously sworn in as Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication (TEATT) at the cabinet of His Excellency Governor Eugene Holiday. Lawrence was put forth by the United People’s (UP) party as candidate minister after former Minister of TEATT Ludmila de Weever accepted her seat in Parliament. Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs stated, “I welcome Minister Lawrence to the Council of Ministers and trust that the good rapport had during the screening process will set the tone for continued cooperation and cohesion in…
