HARBOUR VIEW, PHILIPSBURG — On November, 2024, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten received the final report from formateur L. Mercelina on the formation of his second government. The formateur has accepted the commission to form a new government which has the support of a majority in Parliament comprised of the fractions of URSM, DP, PFP and SAM. The new government consists of Ministers who are committed to the promotion of the wellbeing of Sint Maarten. It will conceive of a government program after the swearing in of the new ministers. Candidates for the various portfolios have been vetted…
Author: The Publisher
WILLEMSTAD/PHILIPSBURG – The Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS), in close cooperation with the Governments of Curaçao and Sint Maarten and with the aim of safeguarding the interests of policyholders and other creditors, has recently made important progress on the ENNIA Group resolution (the “ENNIA Resolution”). Following the signing of an ENNIA Resolution Heads of Agreement by the CBCS and the governments of Curaçao and Sint Maarten on April 11, 2024 (the “Heads of Agreement”), an addendum was agreed upon by the parties on October 9, 2024, further elaborating on aspects of the ENNIA Resolution. This addendum in…
By Hilbert Haar Once upon a time, former parliamentarian Rolando Brison wanted to “give Mullet Bay back to the people.” Nothing of the sort happened, of course, and now its rightful owner Sun Resorts has decided to put the property up for sale. The government of St. Maarten has a so-called matching option: it could buy Mullet Bay for the price offered by the highest bidder, plus 5 percent. I wonder with many others what the future of Mullet Bay will look like after it has been sold. Its real worth is still a mystery, so the price could go…
PHILIPSBURG – Leader of the United People’s Party (UP) and Member of Parliament, Hon. Omar E.C. Ottley, has criticized “politicians who prioritize tax breaks and bailouts for the wealthy over relief for St. Maarten’s most vulnerable citizens.” He said the recent vote against the GEBE Motion by Leader of the Democratic Party and President of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams and Prime Minister Dr Luc Mercelina is part of a pattern of favouring tax breaks and bailouts for the wealthy at the expense of the most vulnerable people of St. Maarten. Ottley highlighted a pattern of selective governance that benefits powerful institutions…
PHILIPSBURG/ORANJESTAD — Prudential Tax Services and its team of associates have achieved a significant victory on behalf of a client in a high-stakes tax dispute involving a former construction company Director and complex transactions by the former business partner. Originally facing potential liability exceeding Afl. 500,000, the client’s disputed amount was successfully reduced below Afl. 10,000, thanks to the effective defense and strategic approach led by Prudential’s tax and risk experts. The case centered around a situation in which the client faced scrutiny due to business activities conducted by the business partner in the name of a company that had…
By Hilbert Haar PHILIPSBURG — The parliament of St. Maarten approved the solution for the Ennia group of companies in October but not everybody is happy with the decision. Five parliamentarians voted against the decision, among them PfP-MP Ludmila de Weever. De Weever stated in a three-part video that she considers the decision hasty. “It was a rushed decision and not a good one.” In a way the parliament bent to the will of the Netherlands that threatened with higher interest-rates on Covid-loans if it voted against the solution. De Weever wonders whether that pressure could have something to do…
Dear Editor, I am writing to bring to your attention a matter of serious concern regarding what will be another illegal sale of Mullet Bay and hence bring the attention to the questionable sales of Cupy Coy in 1956 and Mullet Bay in 1957. I do believe everything happens for a reason and every bad deed brings more bad Karma to Sint Maarten and its people and it needs to stop. It has come to my attention in my research, that both Cupy Coy or Cul Ricard now known as Cupecoy in 1956 and Mullet Pond Lands now known as…
GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten— November marks the second annual Financial Literacy Month in Sint Maarten, a time dedicated to equipping citizens with essential financial knowledge to navigate life’s economic challenges. Member of Parliament Ardwell Irion, Chair of the Finance Committee, encourages all citizens, alongside schools and businesses, to actively participate in financial literacy workshops hosted by the government this month. Established during Irion’s tenure as Minister of Finance last year, Financial Literacy Month aims to build a financially resilient Sint Maarten through education and community support. “Financial literacy is more than a personal advantage; it is a foundation for a…
~ Members of Parliament Sjamira Roseburg and Ardwell Irion Call for Comprehensive Crime Prevention Policy ~ PHILIPSBURG – Members of Parliament Sjamira Roseburg and Ardwell Irion submitted a motion urging the Minister of Justice to comply with the Crime Prevention Funds ordinance and develop a comprehensive crime prevention policy for Sint Maarten. The motion addresses the pressing need for a strategic approach to combat rising crime rates and ensure public safety. Key points of the motion include: Development of a legally compliant Crime Prevention policy plan to be included in the 2025 Budget submission. Implementation of a structured Crime Fund…
GREAT BAY (October, 2024)—France and the Netherlands must not be allowed to hide “behind farcical colonial structures like ‘country within the Kingdom,’ ‘Caribbean municipalities,’ ‘overseas territories,’ or ‘collectivities’ under the guise of ‘good governance,’ in the Caribbean,” said St. Martin author, educator, Dr. Rhoda Arrindell. Dr. Arrindell was an invited presenter at the Baku Initiative Group conference on International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights in Geneva, Switzerland. On October 21, 2024, Arrindell spoke on the continuing consequences of colonialism. “More specifically, I addressed the related situation on St. Martin, a 37-square-mile Caribbean island, divided by France (Saint Martin) and…
