~ TelEm threatens collective layoffs if no agreement with the union can be reached ~ POND ISLAND — In a letter dated June 1, 2020, CEO of the Sint Maarten Telecommunication Operating Company N.V. (TelEm), Kendall Dupersoy, informed the board of the St. Maarten Telecommunications Union that the St. Maarten government as the ultimate shareholder has instructed the company to adjust the labor conditions of its employees resulting in a decrease of 12.5%. This has to be implemented ultimately July 1, 2020 and has to remain in effect until further notice, according to the letter. “As you are also aware…
Author: The Publisher
~ Why is the French side border controls still in place? What are they looking for? How long will it last? ~ From our French side Correspondent GREAT BAY — It has been exactly two weeks since the government on the Dutch side in the South in Great Bay decided to cease all border controls into Sint Maarten at all the frontiers. On Saturday, May 16, 2020, Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs announced that “it was decided that based on the efforts of the government to properly contain the virus, leading to a decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases on…
PHILIPSBURG – It is currently unclear how long the French side of the island will keep its border controls in place but one thing is certain: according to a report in FaxInfo, children living on the Dutch side are not welcome in schools on the French side. Rumor has it that the border controls could remain in place for at least a year. Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs lifted the border controls from the Dutch side per Sunday, May 17. Containers blocking the border crossing in Oyster Pond were removed, but it did not take French authorities long before they replaced…
PHILIPSBURG — On Friday, May 29th, 2020, Member of Parliament Claudius Buncamper sent an email to the President of Parliament, MP Rolando Brison, requesting an urgent meeting regarding the still pending NRPB programs and projects. The email suggests that it is imperative that the Prime Minister is invited to the meeting, accompanied by the NRPB directorate and any other support staff desired by the prime minister. MP Buncamper’s request was supported by MP Akeem Arrindell (USP), MP Sarah Wescot-Williams (UD), MP Melissa Gumbs (PFP), MP Raeyhon Peterson (PFP), and MP Christophe Emmanuel (NA). The meeting serves to allow the Prime…
PHILIPSBURG – The local economy is coming back to life with a bang after Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs allowed the reopening of most businesses per May 30 with the publication of the “regulation of May 29, 2020, to establish phase 3.” The complete text of the regulation can be found on the government website (sintmaartengov.org) under the official publications tab. Scroll through the 2020 tab to AB 2020, no. 31: “Regeling van 29 mei 2020 tot het vaststellen van fase 3 en wijziging bijlage.” Or just download it from here. While the curfew remains in place from 11 p.m. until…
PHILIPSBURG – “The humiliation of May 20 puts serious pressure on kingdom-relations. It has only resulted in bitterness.” That is one of the statements former parliamentarian and former chairman of the lobby group for Caribbean Dutch citizens John Leerdam makes in three different columns about the effect of the corona-virus crisis on Aruba, Curacao and St. Maarten. Leerdam paints a bleak picture of the relationship between the Kingdom and its territories in the Caribbean. He notes that a report about poverty on Curacao in the NOS-Journaal on April 20 brings to mind Victor Hugo’s historical novel Les Misérables, published in…
PHILIPSBURG – Parliamentarian Claudius Buncamper has asked Finance Minister Ardwell Irion in a letter dated May 27 whether measures will be taken “to slow down or stop the flight of foreign currency.” MP Buncamper states in his letter that the Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten “placed a stoppage to allow funds larger than 150,000 guilders to leave the country at once.” The Central Bank suspended the issuance of foreign exchange licenses for money transfers to other countries on March 23. Such licenses are required for transfers that exceed 150,000 guilders ($83,800). “Transfers for which no license is required…
Recently, businessman and political commentator, Michael J. Ferrier, wrote a letter to the editor asking “We are all in this together, right?” and in his article, he referenced an opinion piece published in the ANTILIAANS DAGBLAD by Aruban columnist Armand Hessels called Opinie Aruba: Stel je eens voor… With his permission, we have been asked to publish an English version of his column on our news site. Imagine that you have studied hard and as a result enjoy a good salary. With this income, you bought a humble cunucu house and a fuel-efficient car and even have money to spare…
POND ISLAND — The Unified Unions of Sint Maarten submitted today Thursday, May 28, 2020, a counter-proposal to the Council of Minister regarding the 12.5% cuts on personnel salaries, vacation allowance, etc.. In its counterproposal the unions are requesting the following: 1. 100% vacation allowance pay for 2020 (unions are willing to negotiate a 50% of the Cost of Living Adjustment from 2012-2019 pending the outcome of St. Maarten’s economic performance and Government’s financial position during said period 2021-2022); 2. A poverty line study to be initiated in collaboration with USM and the Consumer’s Coalition by July 1st, 2020, to…
Dear Honorable Minister Ardwell Irion, We are a group of concerned teachers who have taken note of the proposed cuts by the government. While everyone would love for our finances to be stable, we acknowledge the limitations of our coffers. Therefore, it is reasonable to accept our current salaries as we move forward and half of our vacation pay for 2020 and 2021. Additionally, we would like to propose that the vacation pay be reimbursed in the year 2022 by 200%. Of course, we are hoping that these cuts will be in collaboration with the other operational and material cuts…
