THE HAGUE – The government of Prime Minister Dick Schoof collapsed last week after PVV-leader Geert Wilders withdrew his support. The first realistic option for elections is October 29, according to the Dutch electoral council. Wilders promised the creation of “the most severe” immigration policy ever, but even though the minister that had to deal with the issue, Marjolein Faber, is a member of the PVV, she has not delivered anything during her tenure. Wilders blamed his coalition partners for the delays and said that he could no longer support the government. He demanded that his coalition partners signed an…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG -– Sustainable aviation has a lot of potential for the Caribbean part of the Dutch Kingdom but a switch from conventional kerosene-powered planes to battery-electric and hydrogen-fueled ones requires serious investments and the Dutch government is not ready to commit to such a venture. This appears from a letter outgoing Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management Barry Madlener sent to the Second Chamber, hours before his departure. “Flying electric has a lot of potential in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom and could contribute to a better connectivity between the islands,” Madlener wrote. ”At this moment there is no…
Dear Editor, Oh, how the mighty voice of “five-star representation” has fallen silent. MP Sjamira Rosenberg once captivated Sint Maarten’s parliamentary stage with what seemed to be a relentless pursuit of justice. During the budget debates under former Justice Minister Anna Richardson, she was a whirlwind of questions—probing everything from inmate welfare to judicial operations, questionable appointments, slow LB’s with dramatic fervor. When Minister Lyndon Lewis assumed office, she unleashed a barrage of questions, each one reinforcing her image as the justice champion. But now, with Minister Nathalee Tackling at the helm and Rosenberg comfortably seated within the coalition, the…
PHILIPSBURG -– When there is a claim of $97 million at stake, defendants and their attorneys get very creative and they begin to use every available option to delay court procedures. This is for instance the case with the claim of real estate developer Zebec – a company of the Gioia-brothers – against Ocean Drive Properties, Danny Ramchandani, Peter Mirpuri, the St. Maarten Quarter Development Company and – last but not least – Pointe Blanche-resident Theo Heyliger. In a ruling dated May 27, the court established that there is no group-liability, “in the sense that Ramchandani, Mirpuri and Heyliger have…
By Hilbert Haar The battle of former Secretary-General Hensley Plantijn with the government over his dismissal is a rather painful example of how not to do things. It becomes even more painful when media reports suggest that Plantijn prevailed in court because the government chose not to show up for an appeal hearing. As our review of the court rulings shows, that no-show claim has no merit. The Governor, who was the right person to address this case, was represented in court by his attorney. The Council of Appeal for Civil Servants Affairs decided to give both parties the opportunity…
~ China’s investments in Europe rise for the first time in a decade—with Hungary leading a new wave of Chinese investment ~ By Tom Clifford in Beijing China has redirected its financial strategy for Europe just as investments by Beijing into the continent have grown for the first time in nearly a decade, two key reports show. The figures, released on Tuesday, coincided with a keynote speech by President Xi Xinping emphasizing the importance of domestic manufacturing. The year 2024 saw investments into Europe from Beijing increase for the first time since 2016, the reports say. Crucially the traditional powerhouses,…
By Tom Clifford in Beijing Rat people. A terrible term but it denotes young people who have given up on chasing the economic dream. They are cutting themselves off and staying in their rooms. They are disillusioned with the treadmill of long hours and poor salaries. Lying flat is also another term that describes the same condition. It became so prominent on social media, especially after the COVID pandemic, that it sparked alarm in Beijing as the central government tried to boost its stalling economy. But the rat people are not just lying flat or giving up. They are doing things…
PHILIPSBURG — The unjustified dismissal of Hensley Plantijn as Secretary-General at the Ministry of General Affairs has triggered a lot of debate between those who support Plantijn and those who oppose him. The issue came to light after René Zwart wrote on his web site Dossierkoninkrijksrelaties.nl that the Council of Appeal of the Court for Civil Servant Affairs had annulled Plantijn’s dismissal because the country had failed to contest his appeal. However, a careful study of the court ruling shows this is not correct. So what happened? Plantijn worked since 2011 as Advisor for the Minister of General Affairs (who…
Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, I am writing with deep concern regarding a troubling photograph circulating publicly, depicting disgraced former MP Theo Heyliger, currently serving a five-year sentence for bribery and money laundering at Pointe Blanche Prison, holding a cell phone in his cell. This shocking image raises serious questions about the integrity of our prison system, the enforcement of regulations, and the potential misuse of influence, particularly given Heyliger’s wife, Grisha Heyliger-Marten, is the current Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport, and Telecommunications (TEATT). The presence of a cell phone in Heyliger’s cell is a clear violation of…
A bit late but still a good question. Why did St. Maarten never put money aside for the loans it received from the Netherlands back in 2010? Why indeed? It is tempting to suspect that St. Maarten never intended to repay those loans. If that is true, it makes our country a highly unreliable kingdom partner. Another possible explanation is that bookkeeping is not our country’s strongest point. Financial supervisor Cft has advised the government for years to improve its financial management. The most heard excuse for lack of progress: lack of capacity. The last known number of civil servants…
