PHILIPSBURG — After the change of government in 2019 nothing has been done about plans to transform the country’s tax system. “The current government does not consider fiscal transformation opportune,” the Court in First Instance writes in a ruling about a dispute between BearingPoint and country St. Maarten. BearingPoint Consulting demanded in summary proceedings that the government signs agreements for the execution of an ICT-contract for the tax administration worth 15 million guilders. But the court denied this: “A ruling to abide by the ICT-agreements cannot lead to anything. That is not in the interest of both parties, also not…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG — The Court in First Instance sentenced the former branch manager of the courthouse in Philipsburg, Maritsa James-Christina (63) to 27 months in prison for embezzling more than $1.1 million from the court and for forgery. She also has to pay the Constitutional Court 50,000 guilders. Her husband Reginald James (67) was sentenced to 240 hours of community service for money laundering. The prosecution charged James-Christina with the embezzlement of $1,153,770 from the Common Court of Justice (later adjusted to $921,475) and another 153,679 guilders ($85,850) from the Constitutional Court between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2017 (the…
PHILIPSBURG — The grievances the Public Prosecutor has filed at the Supreme Court in the cassation against the decision by the Common Court of Justice to deny permission for a civil inquiry at the Harbor Group of Companies show that former harbor director Mark Mingo was “sacrificed” for “more rotten apples involved in activities at the harbor,” Mingo’s attorney Cor Merx confirmed. The Public Prosecutor wants to have this investigated, but the Common Court does not see the need to do this, says Merx. “The Supreme Court now has to come up with a final decision. The names of Theo…
PHILIPSBURG — The Common Court of Justice has set December 9 as the date for the continuation of the appeal in the Pompeii-trial against Etienne ‘Toochie’ Meyers, Dulcea Felomina Florentina and Louealla Marinella Abigail Rog. The decision is a victory for attorney Cor Merx who obtained the right to hear fifteen witnesses that were not heard during the handling of the case in the Court in First Instance. In April 2018 the Court in First Instance sentenced Meyers and Florentina for human trafficking, exploitation of prostitutes, illegal employment and deprivation of liberty in two brothels: El Capitan in Sucker Garden…
PHILIPSBURG — The Pro Soualiga Foundation initiated a “completely redundant” lawsuit against the State of the Netherlands, the Court in First Instance ruled on Friday, adding that the foundation does not have any urgent interest in its demands against the Netherlands. The court declared the claims inadmissible and ordered Pro Soualiga to pay 1,500 guilders for the costs of the procedure. Pro Soualiga, represented by the foundation’s board members Renate Brison and Denicio Brison, demanded in summary proceedings that the court order the Netherlands to provide the UN-resolution that states that article 73 of the UN-Charter can no longer be…
PHILIPSBURG -– Prime Minister Silveria E. Jacobs questions follow-through from the Netherlands on liquidity support and requests Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte’s intervention to address unnecessary delays and have the loan agreement for the liquidity support sent to St. Maarten without any further delays. St. Maarten has largely complied with all the conditions placed by the government of the Netherlands, and thus, the current delay is inexplicable. In March 2021, the first delay of the fifth tranche of liquidity support was due to the questions of the Kingdom Council of Ministers (RMR) surrounding the support for this trajectory…
PHILIPSBURG — To date, US $1.7 million has been disbursed to enterprises within the St. Maarten small business community who have taken advantage of the combination grant/loan financial assistance offered through the Enterprise Support Project (ESP). The US $35 million relief initiative is being implemented by the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) and is funded by the Government of the Netherlands through the Sint Maarten Trust Fund. The project, launched in August 2020, has seen interest from a wide range of sectors including architectural services, e-commerce, restaurants, tour companies, and physiotherapy clinics. Disbursed money has supported businesses in purchasing necessary…
Dear Editor, In response to a question about holding Ministers personally liable for impacting government’s coffers, Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion (NA) stated: “I personally believe that former Ministers must be held accountable by making an example out of them, if not this trend will continue.” Irion said that over the years, he has seen several cases where government is held responsible for the decisions of former Ministers. This is correct. Holding Ministers accountable and personally liable for depleting government’s coffers is indeed long overdue. The timing of Irion’s remarks is remarkable: one day after the final judgment in Henderson…
FOGA, Sucker Garden – The construction of a new sewerage pumping station at Foga with a pressure line to the A. Th. Illidge Road wastewater treatment plant is one of three major projects to directly benefit the people of St. Maarten via a US $2 million fine levied against construction company Windward Roads Infrastructure N.V. by the Prosecutor’s Office OM SXM. Construction of the new sewerage pumping station, behind Melford Hazel Sports Complex, starts Monday, May 3, 2021. The new pumping station will move sewerage from Sucker Garden neighborhood to the wastewater treatment plant. The US $2 million fine is…
PHILIPSBURG — The Porto Cupecoy Owners Association has to pay $353,100 to Invest Assured Management and Consulting because it terminated the management contract with Invest unlawfully. The Court in First Instance declared its decision executable with immediate effect. Invest and its director William Charles Olliver managed Porto Cupecoy since 2009 and the owners association still renewed the contract for five years in 2018. But the relationship between the two parties soured at breakneck speed in January 2020 when Olliver balked at the suggestion to let an unnamed casino handle the association’s payroll. Attorney Roy Moes is the chairman of the…
