PHILIPSBURG — On Saturday, October 10, 2020, the Police Force of St. Maarten is celebrating its 10th anniversary. On the occasion of this Police Day (‘Korpsdag’), the police union, NAPB (Nederlandse Antillen Politiebond), is extending the following message to all police officers. 2020 has been a difficult year for law enforcement. It started out as a hero for COVID-19. All of a sudden everything changes, because of the actions of one (1) person. And certainly, we are condemning those actions of those people, but I am seeing police officers now second-guessing their job or positions they took. Let me just…
Author: The Publisher
By Hilbert Haar The tragic story of Caulette Julien who died at the Mental Health Foundation on August 25 after spending almost three weeks in solitary confinement has triggered many questions that are still waiting for answers. These questions focus on the qualifications of interim director Kitty Pelswijk, on the cause of Julien’s death and on the rules that apply to locking up psychiatric clients in a tiny cell. I have not been able to find any local legislation that is relevant to the latter topic. Related article: Psychiatric patient dead in solitary confinement Entrepreneurs have a tendency to assume…
CAY HILL — Before the late Caulette Julien was locked up in the isolation cell of the Mental Health Foundation, another woman was in this cell. 29-year old F.L. was released on April 6th this year after three months in solitary confinement and taken to the airport to be deported. Things got out of hand at Princess Juliana International Airport. The woman panicked. According to witnesses, she had been taken to the airport from the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) in Cay Hill by police officer Winston Amarello, the husband of Dr. Kitty Amarello-Pelswijk, the current interim director of the MHF.…
by Emsley D. Tromp In a letter dated October 6, 2020, to the Chairperson of Parliament Ms. A. Pauletta, Prime Minister E. Rhuggenaath on the one hand, and in a recent press conference, the leader of the MAN party, Dr. I. Martina, on the other hand practiced the art of the impossible. They led us to believe that an agreement had been reached with the Netherlands regarding the financing of the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic. Subsequently, the Dutch junior minister for Kingdom Affairs R. Knops debunked the position taken by both Messrs. Rhuggenaath and Martina by stating that while…
PHILIPSBURG — A report in the daily media of a verdict from the Supreme Court that referred to the Time Share Ordinance of St. Maarten has prompted United St. Maarten Party (USP) Member of Parliament (MP) and faction leader, Claudius “Toontje” Buncamper to question the Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (TEATT), the honorable Ludmila de Weever on the exact whereabouts of the ordinance. In his letter to the Minister, MP Buncamper stated that “to this day there is no clear indication where the law is and when it will pass. Research has shown that the law was…
CAY HILL — Inspecteurs van de Inspectie Volksgezondheid, Sociale Ontwikkeling en Arbeid (VSA) hebben gisteren een audit uitgevoerd bij de Mental Health Foundation en zullen vanmiddag doorgaan met het controleren van personeel op naleving van beleid binnen de instelling. De inspectie maakt geen melding van een onderzoek naar het overlijden van een 43-jarige patiënt. Zes weken nadat Caulette Julien op 25 augustus levenloos werd aangetroffen in de isolatiecel van de Mental Health Foundation, is de doodsoorzaak niet vastgesteld. Voordat ze werd opgenomen in de instelling in Cay Hill, was er geen bewijs dat Julien lichamelijk verzwakt was. Voor een afspraak…
By Hilbert Haar That opportunity makes the thief became once more clear from the case of a man who scammed Social and Health Insurances SZV in three years time for almost $190,000 – thus creating a handsome but illicit net monthly salary of more than $5,000 for himself without doing any real work. Read first: Local businessman sentenced for selling SZV doctor cards As we all know – or at least should know – integrity is doing the right thing when nobody is watching. The SZV-scammer did of course exactly the opposite. While it is not in my DNA to…
~ Public Prosecutor: Nothing but an “ordinary fraudster” ~ PHILIPSBURG – The Court in First Instance sentenced Danny Wigley last week to 15 months of imprisonment, with 10 months suspended, for forgery and for scamming Social and Health Insurances SZV. The 51-year old, who was not present during the court hearing, also has to repay two amounts: $18,850 and 306,208 guilders ($171,065). If the defendant does not pay he has to go to jail for 365 days (for the lower amount) and for 540 days (18 months) for the larger amount. According to the public prosecutor, Wigley was the go-to…
PHILIPSBURG — Health Inspectors from the Inspectorate of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA) performed an audit at the Mental Health Foundation yesterday, and will continue to audit personnel for compliance with workplace policies this afternoon. The Inspectorate does not mention any investigation into the death of a 43-year-old patient. Six weeks after Caulette Julien was found lifeless in the isolation cell of the Mental Health Foundation on August 25 the cause of death has not been determined. Prior to her admission to the Cay Hill institution, there was no evidence that Julien was physically debilitated. For an appointment…
PHILIPSBURG — Legislators will soon debate a proposal by Faction Leader for the United People’s Party in Parliament, MP Grisha Heyliger-Marten, to add vitamin supplements to the SZV package for Senior Citizens, fulfilling a campaign promise and pledge to do more for the elderly. Her goal is for the legislation to contribute to the health of senior citizens in particular, while bringing them much needed financial relief as well. MP Heyliger-Marten said Wednesday the timing of her proposal coincides with the still ongoing fight against the Corona Virus COVID-19. “We continue to hear from medical experts that because the immune…
