PHILIPSBURG — The board of the United People (UP) party on Monday said that despite months of creating negative and false impressions about its founder Theo Heyliger, the prosecutor’s office did not present any physical evidence of wrong-doing by Heyliger in the so-called Larimar case. Instead, the board said, what the prosecutor managed to do was put nefarious dealings among Dutch contractors operating on St. Maarten and their efforts to manipulate the system on full display. The UP board said while charges against Heyliger are frivolous and with no grounds, the person that the prosecutor made into a “crown witness”…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG -– Starting today, Monday, March 9, five defendants are in court for one of the largest bribery scandals in St. Maarten’s history. While the charges have yet to be proven, the names of the defendants have inspired the court to handle the case in the Belair Community Center – not only because of the number of defendants, but also because of the expected high turnout of spectators. Theo Heyliger, the founder and former leader of the United People’s party (UP) stands trial together with his stepfather George Pelgrim, former Windward Roads director Janhendrik Boekaar, Ronald Elferink and Ronald Maasdam.…
By Cdr. Bud Slabbaert Many Caribbean economies find themselves already in a difficult situation with low growth, high debt, fiscal deficits, and low domestic private sector investments. Because of the current developments around the spread of the novel coronavirus around the world, economies worldwide will be dealing with an unforeseen shock. While action is taken to contain and mitigate the outbreak, a global recession is likely, and the Caribbean will also be affected. Global recessions are known to have an impact over a two-year period. Now is the time to be prepared for what comes thereafter. January 23, 2020 -…
PHILIPSBURG – The governments of Curacao and St. Maarten have to appoint one or two “international heavyweights” to strengthen the management of the Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten (CBCS). That at least is the opinion of several lobby organization in Curacao’s international financial service industry, expressed in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Eugène Rhuggenaath and Finance Minister Kenneth Gijsbertha. The signatories to the letter are the International Financial Services Association (CIFA) and Curacao International Financial Center (CIFC), the Chamber of Commerce and the Curacao Business Association (VBC). The Antilliaans Dagblad reported about the letter that is –…
PHILIPSBURG – The Foundation for Catholic Education in St. Maarten (SKOS) has survived an attempt by the St. Catharina Foundation to kick it off the property where the St. Joseph School is located. The Court in First Instance ruled that SKOS is entitled to put an attachment for the purpose of delivery on the school grounds on Front Street in Philipsburg – thus preventing the Catharina Foundation from selling the property for $1.7 million to a third party. The dispute between the two foundations finds its roots in an agreement they signed back in 1990, the year when the Catharina…
PHILIPSBURG – De Windward Islands Bank (WIB) has prevailed in a lengthy legal battle against travel agency Travel Planners over the payment of the 1 percent foreign exchange license fee for bank transfers to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). In 2017 the Court in First Instance ruled that the WIB was not allowed to charge this fee to Travel Planners but the Court of Appeal has now overruled this decision. The troubles for Travel Planners started back in 2012 when the Central bank decided that the bank account of the IATA in St. Maarten was no longer a resident-account.…
PHILIPSBURG/WASHINGTON — The Sint Maarten Trust Fund steering committee gave the final go-ahead to start the reconstruction of the Princess Juliana Airport on Sint Maarten. USD$72 million from the Trust Fund, financed by the Netherlands, is allocated for the reconstruction. The European Investment Bank is also contributing with a loan of USD$50 million. “I am very pleased that we were able to approve the governance conditions for the airport. Now the reconstruction of the airport can start and we can ensure that the resources are spent responsibly and sustainably”, said Frans Weekers, the representative of the Netherlands of the Trust…
PHILIPSBURG -– The Law Enforcement Council is positive about the way in which the Sint Maarten Police Force KPSM has taken up part of the recommendations by the Council with regard to the Integrated Professional Skills Training (“Integrale beroepsvaardigheden training”). According to the Council, not only does the police force benefit from this training, but other organizations within the judicial chain such as Customs, Immigration Service and the Prison and Detention Center profit as well as they are also allowed to participate. Through this training, structural attention is paid to the use of (proportional) force by and against police officers…
PHILIPSBURG – The Court in First Instance sentenced former Member of Parliament and leader of the United St. Maarten party (USp) Frans Richardson on January 29 to 3 years of imprisonment. The court also took away Richardson’s passive voting rights (the right to be elected) for a period of five years. The verdict marks the end of the Emerald-investigation into bribery and fraud. StMaartenNews.com brings you an analysis of the court verdict. The court found Richardson guilty of accepting bribes to the tune of $370,000, of money laundering and of tax fraud. The verdict reveals how the former director of…
PHILIPSBURG — Utility company GEBE has been commissioned by the Minister of VROMI to provide the boardwalk in Philipsburg with new lighting. From Walter Plantz Square to Bobby’s Marina, the ornamental lamp posts are being removed and replaced with galvanized steel supports. In total it concerns 46 lampposts, over a distance of almost two kilometers. It is a difficult job for GEBE employees: no one knows exactly where the power lines run, there are no drawings, and the wiring is cast in concrete. This morning, electricians have traced a line that, seen from Walter Plantz Square, runs to the second…
