PHILIPSBURG — Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs must explain her position on the petition submitted to the United Nations and added that the Chairperson of Parliament Rolando Brison as well as the initiator of the petition Grisha Marten-Heyliger, is busy undermining their own initiative. MP Emmanuel reminded all Parliamentary factions that he had forewarned that they were playing a dangerous game with the Dutch government. He said the Prime Minister of St. Maarten will now have to explain how or if government will proceed with the Caribbean Reform Entity (COHO) after…
Author: The Publisher
~ As of March 31st, 2021, the current contracts for the island-wide solid waste collection program will be coming to an end. ~ POND ISLAND — In accordance with article 47 of the National Accountability Ordinance “Comptabiliteit Landsverordening”, the procurement of services was publicly tendered on February 2nd, 2021, for the services of collection and transportation of solid waste to continue throughout the various districts. The Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure, (Ministry of VROMI) has prepared new multi-annual contracts to cover these services. The new contracts will commence on April 1st, 2021, and will last for…
PHILIPSBURG — The Choharis-petition to the special rapporteur of the United Nations has drawn widespread criticism, but the backers of this initiative – eleven of the fifteen members of Parliament – are sticking to their guns. But its proponents, led by UP-faction leader Grisha Heyliger-Marten are sending mixed signals about the relationship they want with the Netherlands. On November 20, 2020, Parliament approved a motion with the support of eleven MPs. The Party for Progress faction (Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson) and the UD (MP Sarah Wescot-Williams) voted against it. US party member of parliament Akeem Arrindell did not support…
PHILIPSBURG – Member of Parliament for the Party for Progress faction (PFP) Raeyhon Peterson has expressed his concerns for the complete disregard for the Constitution that is being displayed by the chairpersons of Parliament. MP Peterson was referring to the petition backed by twelve members of Parliament to the United Nations (UN) to “investigate systematic discrimination and racism perpetrated against the people of Sint Maarten.” “It is very alarming to see that the chairpersons are using the usual spin-tactic and fear-mongering to deliberately give the public false information, just to defend the illegality of their actions,” Peterson said. “I find…
The explanatory notes (memorie van toelichting) of the new law for the admission and expulsion of foreigners describe why a person should have an income of 36,000 ANG to bring in a spouse as follows. “Twee personen onderhouden op een bruto-salaris van ANG 2.000,= is zo goed als onmogelijk. Het is dan ook onverantwoord om de norm van ANG 2.000,= bruto inkomen per maand te blijven hanteren.” What this means – and now decreed in black and white as part of a ministerial resolution – and subsequent reasoning why the minimum income has to be 36,000 guilders – is that…
PHILIPSBURG – “Disrespectful to the floor of Parliament.” That’s what Member of Parliament for the Party for Progress faction (PFP) Raeyhon Peterson had to say about the recent conduct of some MPs on the floor of Parliament. The MP raised his concerns in the Central Committee meeting on the update on the reconstruction of the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA). This meeting has been adjourned for the third time and is expected to continue within the next month. During this meeting some MPs, including PFP faction leader MP Melissa Gumbs, raised their concerns to the chairwoman on the information of…
By Hilbert Haar There is a strong similarity between the war on drugs and the fight against corruption and money laundering. Sure, if you throw enough resources at it, the occasional drugs transport will be intercepted and the occasional drug lord will be arrested. But you do not eradicate the drugs trade. The same is true for corruption. It happens everywhere: in Asia, in the United States, in the Netherlands and – yes – also in St. Maarten. Locally, there is a by now impressive list of people in positions of power with sticky fingers. Given the nature of…
PHILIPSBURG — “We have to make sure that St. Maarten safeguards its legal residents,” MP Claudius Buncamper said during a Central Committee meeting last week where Justice Minister Anna Richardson provided an update on immigration matters. “What is the added value of the Dutch assistance with border control when we see the large stream of illegals and of drug and weapons that keeps coming in?” Buncamper asked. MP William Marlin would later pose the same question. Buncamper referred to a law that carries a maximum fine of 100,000 guilders ($55,866) for companies that employ undocumented workers. “How often has that…
PHILIPSBURG — Just two members of Parliament keep insisting that the Brian Mingo has to be fired from his position as CEO of the Princess Juliana International Airport Exploitation company: Claudius Buncamper (United St. Maarten party) and Christophe Emmanuel (independent). This became clear during Friday’s Central Committee meeting of Parliament where Minister Ludmilla de Weever and Mingo provided updates about the situation at the airport.
Steering Committee Agrees on the Importance of Maintaining Focus on Rehabilitating Critical Infrastructure March 5, 2021—The Steering Committee of the Sint Maarten Recovery, Reconstruction and Resilience Trust Fund met virtually and was joined by Prime Minister Jacobs, Minister of Finance Irion of Sint Maarten and State Secretary Knops of the Netherlands in a High Level Meeting. The High Level Meeting focused in particular on the sustainability of projects critical for Sint Maarten’s development. It also discussed practical implementation timelines, human capacity and funding. Participants agreed that the reconstruction of the Princess Juliana International Airport is critical to Sint Maarten’ and…
