Part 3 in a multi-part series about US Pre-Clearance for St. Maarten and the SXM Airport. Read the nuts and bolts of pre-clearance and what it will take to make things happen in this third installment. A review.
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG – There has been nothing but silence from outgoing Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson about the standing of the Princess Juliana International Airport with the American Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), but a few days ago, during the general assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a specialized organization of the United Nations, the Netherlands obtained a seat on the ICAO-council for the next three years, thus giving the Kingdom direct influence on aviation matters. Infrastructure Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen attended the 40th ICAO Assembly in Montreal last week to make the case for the Dutch candidacy…
Is there a cure for the seemingly never-ending battle between an obstinate parliament – that sends the government home – and an evenly stubborn Council of Ministers that reacts by invoking Article 59 of the Constitution and thereby dissolving the parliament and calling for new elections? The topic certainly has the attention of at least some citizens. Antonio Aventurin for instance, opened this can of worms on his Facebook-page by suggesting two changes to Article 59. Currently, this article says: 1. The parliament can be dissolved by national decree. 2. The decision to dissolve includes the obligation for a new…
PHILIPSBURG — Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication the Honorable Stuart Johnson wrapped up his Europe work visit by attending the Monaco Yacht Show 2019 last week. This year’s event has been hailed by the organizers and attendees alike as the largest mega-yacht show and has fittingly received significant attention from Marine Industry service providers around the globe. Johnson was the invited as the “Chief Guest” for the event, and participated in a roundtable discussion at the ACREW IMM Crew Lounge with several Mega Yacht Captains, other stakeholders in the Yachting Industry, Port de Plaisance St. Maarten’s Yacht…
PHILIPSBURG – The St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce Board is requesting urgent action by the House of Parliament and the Caretaker Government with respect to pending Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Legislation and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) Regulations which are currently pending handling in Parliament. The board in an urgent meeting on Sunday crafted a letter to the President of Parliament Hon. William Marlin with respect to the aforementioned. In August the Chamber of Commerce & Industry met with the Minister of Justice regarding the draft AML and CFT legislation. On two separate occasions, the Chamber was invited to the…
Harbour View – On September 30, 2019, the Governor of Sint Maarten, His Excellency drs. E.B. Holiday, requested the fraction leader of the National Alliance, Ms. Silveria Jacobs, to form an interim government as formateur. The Governor held consultations between September 24 and 30, 2019 with the leaders of the political parties that hold seats in Parliament, (the National Alliance, the United St. Maarten Party, the St. Maarten Christian Party and the United Democrats), with the independent Members of Parliament C. Brownbill en L. Mercelina as well as with the vice chairperson of the Council of Advice. These consultations were a…
PORT ST. MAARTEN, Monday, September 30, 2019 – Port St. Maarten is expected to see a shift in the cruise market by receiving overall 10.6 per cent less cruise calls for the period November 1, 2019 to April 30, 2020 when compared with figures for the same period in 2018-2019. For the same period, Port St. Maarten anticipates 416 cruise calls (November 1, 2019 to April 30, 2020) with approximately 1,049,419 cruise passengers compared to 466 cruise calls (November 1, 2018 to April 30, 2019) and 1,239,707 cruise passengers. Port St. Maarten will be embarking on new investment plans within the…
PHILIPSBURG — During last Thursday’s public meeting of Parliament, the Chair of Parliament, William Marlin, requested Deputy Prime Minister, Wycliffe Smith, to leave and get the written answers to the questions posed by Members of Parliament concerning the state of affairs at the Princess Julian International Airport and to return to Parliament with them in an hour’s time. Smith was also asked to return with advisors Claret Conner and Abel Knottnerus from the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB). Chairman William Marlin then adjourned the public meeting at 3:00 pm and promised to reconvene the meeting in an hour’s time, upon…
~ Says previous coalition put country at risk ~ PHILIPSBURG — Vice President of Parliament and USP Faction Leader MP Rolando Brison on Sunday said amendments to the FATF laws which have been prepared for months will be presented soon and that the previous UD/SMCP coalition completely dropped the ball on the issue. Brison said the former Chairlady of Parliament recently confirmed what his faction has said all along: “Rather than work in the best interest of the country and allow these laws to be handled, she danced around it and didn’t convene a meeting to debate the issue to…
~ Happy to be moving on with life ~ PHILIPBURG — Former Managing Director of the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) Henry Lynch on September 27, 2019, was finally able to close a challenging chapter in his life when the SMHDF failed in its appeal regarding his dismissal as Director of the foundation. Officially dismissed from the SMHDF on February 4, 2015, Lynch, represented by attorney Cindy Marica, eventually won damages against the SMHDF when the Court of First Instance on June 1, 2016, declared his dismissal unlawful and ordered SMHDF to pay damages to Lynch. This verdict was…
