PHILIPSBURG — The board of the United People (UP) party on Friday said that the hearsay trial of party founder Theo Heyliger resulted in a hearsay verdict, and hopes Heyliger’s legal team appeal the verdict forthwith. “We are disappointed, but the fight is not over,” the board said. The board in its response to the verdict in the Larimar Case maintained its position that despite years of creating negative and false impressions about Heyliger, the prosecutor’s office did not present any physical evidence of wrong-doing. Instead, the board said, what the prosecutor and now judge went with the “gospel word”…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG — The executive board of the Dutch St. Maarten Taxi Association (DSTA) has issued a press statement counteracting the public allegations made by President of Parliament, MP Rolando Brison, and “comedian” Andrew Dick in his Late Night show, in regards to the association’s activities on behalf of its members relaying important information and questions to government regarding the stimulus package. The press statement reads as follows: The whole world is dealing with a global pandemic, and St. Maarten is no different. Unfortunately, at this time, the President of Parliament, MP Rolando Brison, chose to lay a vicious public attack…
WILLEMSTAD/PHILIPSBURG — Het Gerecht in Eerste Aanleg van Sint Maarten in de zogeheten Larimar-zaak heeft de politicus TH veroordeeld tot een gevangenisstaf van 60 maanden voor het aannemen van bijna 4 miljoen dollar aan steekpenningen en het witwassen van percelen grond. H. nam deze steekpenningen aan van verschillende bedrijven, in ruil voor overheidsopdrachten en om de relatie goed te houden. De consultant M., die hierbij fungeerde als tussenpersoon, kreeg 36 maanden. Zijn straf is lager omdat hij als kroongetuige met justitie heeft meegewerkt om deze zaak op te lossen. De ex-directeur, B., van een bouwbedrijf is veroordeeld tot een gevangenisstraf…
THE HAGUE – “The vulnerability of the economies of the Caribbean islands is significant, not only because of the dependency on tourism but – in the case of St. Maarten – also because of the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, and because in the past sufficient structure-strengthening measures have not been taken,” State Secretary Raymond Knops (Kingdom Relations) writes in a letter to the Second Chamber. The letter contains answers to questions about liquidity support for Aruba, Curacao and St. Maarten. The first stage of liquidity funding was for emergency support. Aruba received 42.8 million guilders, Curacao 105 million,…
PHILIPSBURG – Justice Minister Anna E. Richardson met with Correctional Officers and Management of the Prison and House of Detention in Point Blanche on Wednesday, May 13. The meeting, requested by Correctional Officers, served as an opportunity for them to express challenges and grievances that they have been faced with at the various detention centers. Since her appointment, the Minister and her support staff have been diligently working to address a number of challenges within the Ministry of Justice, with the detention centers and their staff well-being being a high priority. After hearing their concerns, the Minister reassured the officers…
~ Re-iterates areas of priority ~ PHILIPSBURG—Faction Leader of the United People (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Grisha Heyliger-Marten on Tuesday said she was unimpressed with answers given to Parliament by airport CEO Brian Mingo regarding Princess Juliana International Airport’s financial situation, its reconstruction post-Irma, and the resignation of the Airport CFO. She said Mingo’s answers to various questions posed by MP’s in the Parliament meeting held this past Tuesday, showed a lack of interest, and at times no sense of urgency when it came to the agenda point up for discussion. “We are discussing St. Maarten’s premier port…
PHILIPSBURG – In August 2019, less than two years after Hurricane Irma, the VROMI Ministry eagerly approved a permit to allow Sunwing’s plan to build Planet Hollywood St. Maarten Beach Resort on the location of the destroyed Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort and Casino. It was welcome news at the time, but now the administrative court has declared an appeal against the building permit justified. The ruling brings the construction of the project to a grinding halt and makes opening sometime in 2021 an illusion. On April 9, 2019 construction company Balaclava received its building permit for Planet Hollywood. Steven…
PHILIPSBURG – The Central Bank of Curacao and Sint Maarten (CBCS) has put Chairman of Parliament, MP Rolando Brison, firmly in his place with a response to a letter he sent on April 21 in which he demanded “urgent action” from the bank. Interim president José Jardim picks Brison’s arguments apart one at a time, beginning with a quote from the American economist and chess grandmaster Kenneth Rogoff: “The whole point of not relying on debt excessively in normal times is precisely to be able to use debt massively and without hesitation in situations like this.” Jardim writes that this…
~ Motion passed to have supervisory board evaluate CEO within four weeks ~ PHILIPSBURG – The current state of affairs related to the reconstruction of the airport is “an embarrassment,” airport-director Brian Mingo “is lying to the parliament,” and the airport “is failing to properly manage the reconstruction.” Those are some of the sentiments members of parliament expressed during a rather contentious meeting with Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs and airport director Brian Mingo. At the end of a lengthy meeting, UP-MP Rolando Brison tabled a motion that got the support of most MPs, with the exception of MP Sarah Wescot-Williams…
People of St. Maarten here and abroad, I hereby address you as Prime Minister and Chair of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), in an update for today, Monday, May 11, 2020, as part of the process to keep the community of St. Maarten informed about the latest developments and the Government’s COVID-19 containment, mitigation and response measures. I would like to take this time, one day post Mother’s Day, to wish each and every mother, mother figure, and a person who makes an impact on our youth, a Happy Mother’s Day. Know that you are appreciated every day and that I’m very happy we had the…
