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…
Author: The Publisher
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…
PHILIPSBURG — The Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations intends to hire three advisors on a one-year contract for the development of a waste processing strategy in St. Maarten. The ministry has opened vacancies for a legal, a technical and a financial advisor. In salary alone, these advisors will cost between $186,480 and $336,980 in the first year. Applicants have until May 15 to express their interest in these high-paying jobs.
PHILIPSBURG -– Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic, and Transportation (TEATT) Ludmila de Weever has decided to take up her seat in Parliament. “After careful consideration during this delicate time and after close consultation with the many who keep St. Maarten’s best interests at heart, I decided to accept the parliamentary seat in accordance with article 105, paragraph 2 of the Electoral Ordinance,” Minister De Weever stated. On April 21st the Central Voting Bureau (CVB) informed the minister that she was elected to Parliament and had the option of choosing to take up her seat. Minister de Weever notified the…
PHILIPSBURG — NAGICO Holdings Limited today announced that it has appointed Mr. Marlon Matser as Chairman, succeeding Mr. Imran Amjad who served as Chairman since January 2014 and will remain on the Board. Four independent directors from diverse backgrounds were appointed to join the Company’s Board. With the new additions, the Board now has seven members. “Born and raised in St. Maarten, Mr. Matser is a recognized leader in the accounting industry with a solid background of management experience, he has held various Board positions in the Caribbean region previously. Mr. Matser will provide NAGICO valuable insight and perspective,” said…
PHILIPSBURG — The office of the Ombudsman has submitted three national ordinances that regulate salary cuts for employees in the (semi) public sector for review to the Constitutional Court. The Ombudsman asks the court to void these ordinances completely or in part. The Ombudsman contests the ordinances, that were approved by the Parliament of St. Maarten, based on conflicts with Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution. Article 15 states that everyone is entitled to the undisturbed enjoyment of his property. The Ombudsman points out in a press release that salary, pensions and employment benefits fall under the definition of…
~ Information on how to use and get the most out of StMaartenNews.com ~ – Register for the Free Newsletter at https://stmaartennews.com/registration. You will not only become a member of the website but also receive the free email newsletter. Send us an email via info@stmaartennews.com if you do not receive the email newsletter. – Buy a subscription to gain access to the articles behind the paywall. You can do this online at https://stmaartennews.com/subscriptions. You will get the free newsletter via email as well. – When registering add your smartphone number to receive news updates via Whatsapp as well. If you…
By Hilbert Haar Well, well. The politicians that have been bashing airport CEO Brian Mingo for months have gotten their way – for now. Down the road the decision by the airport-holding to terminate its contract with Mingo could prove to be very costly. Related article: Airport holding fires CEO Brian Mingo So now what? Mingo has been put on inactive duty immediately, leaving the airport in the hands of his Chief Operating Officer Michel Hyman and Chief Financial Officer Leendert van der Meiden. Hyman will most likely take on the role of acting CEO (like he did from May…
~ A regrettable decision ~ PHILIPSBURG — In a shareholders meeting on Wednesday, the airport’s holding company (PJIAH) dismissed the operational company’s (PJIAE) Chief Executive Officer Brian Mingo per June 6. The shareholders relieved Mingo with immediate effect of his duties. The holding previously asked Mingo to step down per January 4 in a letter dated December 3, 2020. But Mingo did not go anywhere and in the months that followed he became the target of political attacks by, in particular, independent MP Christophe Emmanuel and USp-faction leader Claudius Buncamper. The letter that asked Mingo to resign was signed by…
