Today, August 22, 2024, we witness the signing of a letter of intent by a new coalition to govern our beloved Country of St. Maarten. This marks yet another chapter in our political history, which has seen numerous governments since 10-10-10. The recent snap parliamentary elections, called by the Honorable Prime Minister Luc Mercelina and held on August 19th, 2024, resulted in no single party securing an absolute majority. However, in a commendable display of unity, four parties have come together to form a coalition with a combined majority of nine seats. The Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM), Democratic…
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~ Political Scientist Julio Romney “Cautiously optimistic”~ PHILIPSBURG – Four political parties have agreed to form the next government of St. Maarten: Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM), the Democratic Party (DP), Party for Progress (PFP) and Soualiga Action Movement (SAM). This was announced on Thursday August 22. According to the agreement, URSM will hold the portfolios of Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs; Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour VSA; and Minister Plenipotentiary. The DP will hold Minister of Finance and Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT). The DP will also receive the…
PHILIPSBURG — Election results can be brutal for parties and for individual candidates. The August 19 elections were no different. The National Alliance remained its position as the largest party by a slim margin, but compared to its results in January it still lost a stunning 1,200 votes, a decline of 34.6 percent. The United People’s party (UP) did not fare much better; it lost the support of 771 voters (38 percent). Both parties also lost a seat in parliament. The NA now has three, the UP just two. In terms of percentages, the Democratic Party led the way with…
The people have spoken!I would like to thank everyone who supported me during this election campaign. Many of you who know me, know I always keep it real. For me it is back to business as usual. My number is +17215880800 and as usual you all can call or whatsapp me day or night.I also have a foundation called the TREY Foundation. So I welcome you all to make a donation to my foundation, which is pro e-commerce and encourages anyone and everyone to set up their own online business to help generate a side income.Continue to follow me with…
From our correspondent PHILIPSBURG — The result of Monday’s parliamentary elections leaves much to be desired. There were a lot of losers but no clear winners. The fifteen available seats in parliament are now split between seven parties. Remarkable the coalition that was sent home by the opposition after only seventeen days in office actually emerged with one additional seat, while the National Alliance (NA) and the United Peoples party (UP) had to make do with 3 and 2 seats respectively. The new king of the castle seems to be Dr. Luc Mercelina, leader of the Unified Resilient St. Maarten…
PHILIPSBURG — In a surprising turn of events, the National Alliance has retained its position as the largest party in the August 19 snap elections with 2264 votes, despite losing one of its seats in the Parliament of St. Maarten. The party, led by former Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs, now holds 3 out of the 15 seats, down from the 4 seats it secured in the January elections. The election results mark a significant shift within the National Alliance (NA), as Silveria Jacobs failed to secure her seat. This loss comes as a major blow to the party, given Jacobs’…
GREAT BAY — The sight of the MV Island Scout, an offshore supply ship, on the Great Bay Beach had bewildered onlookers and motorists alike. What is this really large sea vessel doing on one of the island’s pristine beaches in the heart of Philipsburg? The story behind this vessel and what it was doing in the waters of St. Maarten may surprise you. Paul Ellinger, Ship Inspector at St. Maarten’s Shipping and Maritime Inspectorate explained that five crew members on the vessel were rescued before the ship ended up on the shores of Great Bay. It all started with…
St. Maarten, August 15, 2024 – Hyacinth Richardson, the #11 candidate on the National Alliance (NA) slate, has released a comprehensive manifesto detailing his strategic vision for the future of St. Maarten. As the island approaches the crucial elections on August 19, 2024, Richardson’s platform highlights a transformative agenda aimed at ensuring sustainable development, advancing technology, and enhancing the quality of life for all citizens. Constitutional and Foreign Affairs:Richardson emphasizes the importance of solidifying St. Maarten’s autonomy by realizing a National Development Plan focused on achieving a high standard of living for all inhabitants. He advocates for advantageous foreign…
PHILIPSBURG — Member of Parliament and leader of the National Alliance Silveria Jacobs wants answers from Prime Minister Luc Mercelina about the situation at utilities company GEBE and about the energy crisis that has resulted in endless power cuts during the past couple of weeks. In a letter to PM Mercelina, MP Jacobs questions the recruitment of a new management team by the supervisory board of directors. “The recruitment was in its final stages in May; has it been completed?” she asked. Jacobs refers to Mercelina’s energy crisis address in which he suggested interim appointments for the new management team.…
PHILIPSBURG — The TelEm Group of Companies is still in a bind due to its dispute with the Israeli telecom giant MER over a payment of more than $3 million. This story goes back to June 30, 2017, when TelEm signed a contract worth $15.7 million with MER Sint Maarten BV for the construction of a fiber optic network. More than two years later, on October 17, 2019, TelEm canceled the contract, citing deficiencies and delays in the execution of the work. MER maintained that the cancellation was unlawful. On January 20, 2022, the International Court of Arbitration of the…
