POND ISLAND – On Monday September 9, Sint Maarten’s 12.5 per cent share of United Telecommunications Services (UTS) was acquired by Liberty Latin America Ltd. (LLA). The governments of Curaçao and St. Maarten held stakes in UTS of 87.5 per cent and 12.5 per cent, respectively. In March this year, LLA acquired Curaçao’s 87.5 per cent of UTS and the acquisition of the remaining 12.5 per cent now results in LLA owning 100 per cent of UTS. Minister Geerlings said that the sale of shares means an additional cash flow for government which will be used mainly to pay off…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG — The board of the United St. Maarten Party (USP) on Monday asked the population of St. Maarten to be keenly aware of one simple fact: government broke government. The party board responded to what it called “veiled attempts to spin facts” by care-taker Prime Minister Leona Marlin-Romeo to blame her government’s collapse on others to justify forcing a face-saving election on the population of St. Maarten. The USP board stressed that the faction leader of the United Democrats (UD) MP Franklin Meyers broke government two weeks ago when he pulled his support (verbally and in writing) from the…
~ allowing the voters of Sint Maarten the opportunity to decide ~ PHILIPSBURG – On Monday September 23rd, Prime Minister Leona Romeo Marlin and the Council of Ministers held a press conference in which the Prime Minister elucidated on the decision of the Council of Ministers. Prime Minister Romeo Marlin stated, “Good morning to my colleagues, the press, and a hearty good morning to the people of Sint Maarten. In my last press briefing, I indicated that once the Governor was back we would address the political impasse and seek further clarity and once known, I would then inform the…
By Hilbert Haar That St. Maarten is its own worst enemy has become clear once more with another series of ship-jumping. First MP Franklin Meyers declared himself independent from the United Democrats and now MPs Luc Mercelina and Chanel Brownbill have followed his example. The lifespan of a government since 10-10-10 is now around fourteen months – and I’ve never heard a politician say that this is ridiculous and irresponsible. Every country gets the government it deserves but St. Maarten’s makers and shakers are seemingly unable to make up their minds; we’re heading for the ninth government in just nine…
PHILIPSBURG – The chaos is complete in St. Maarten’s political arena after two United Democrats MPs – Luc Mercelina and Chanel Brownbill – withdrew their support for the UD/St. Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) coalition government, and declared themselves independent, thereby following the example set by UD-stalwart Franklin Meyers a few weeks earlier. The Council of Minister has in the meantime voted for invoking article 59 of the Constitution to dissolve the Parliament and to call new elections. Only newly appointed VROMI-Minister Chris Wever voted against this decision. The National Alliance and the United St. Maarten party issued press statements that…
PHILIPSBURG — Both Chairpersons of Parliament, MP Sarah Wescot-Williams (UD) and MP Claude “Chacho” Peterson (SMCP), have tendered their resignations effective immediately as chairs of Parliament. “Having learnt of the latest political developments,” MP Wescot-Williams wrote in her resignation letter, “I hereby tender my resignation as Chairperson of Parliament, thanking the members of Parliament for their cooperation during my tenure.” MP Peterson, who is the 2nd Vice President of Parliament, was quick to also submit his resignation as well. In his resignation letter, MP Peterson wrote: “In light of the new shift in Parliament causing the loss of the majority…
PHILIPSBURG — “I am a servant of the people with St. Maarten first and foremost at heart.” writes MP Luc Mercelina in a press statement. “It pains me to see what our country is going through now politically but it also behooves me to do something about it as an elected representative of the people.” The country is in a political vacuum that is doing no one any good presently, states Mercelina in his press statement.” There is no majority support for the government for two weeks.” According to Mercelina there has been no tangible evidence, two years after hurricane…
PHILIPSBURG — “When I gave the support to this current coalition, I stood by in support even in moments of dismay and never left the coalition. However, recent developments caused uncertainty in the country, with the government no longer having the support of a majority in Parliament.” So begins a press statement issued by MP Chanel Brownbill in light of the day’s speedy developments. “In the weeks since the government lost its majority support, there has been no plan presented to me or my colleagues as to how the country will be able to move forward from the uncertainty created.…
PHILIPSBURG — The Parliamentary factions of the National Alliance (NA) and United St. Maarten (US) party via a joint press release informed the general public that the NA and USP could no longer sit by and allow the country to go through the turmoil caused by the decision of the former faction leader of the United Democrats (UD) Franklin Meyers to pull his support from his own government, the UD/SMCP coalition. As such, a broader coalition has been formed with likeminded representatives of the people who are truly putting St. Maarten first. While the impasse was not of our making,…
PORT ST. MAARTEN – Representatives from Port St. Maarten recently returned from a successful Seatrade Europe Cruise & River Cruise Convention in Hamburg, Germany. The Port of St. Maarten continues to enjoy significant interests from its stakeholders in the country’s cruise product. Cruise destinations present attending the convention were cautioned by the cruise industry about the importance of enhancing the destination as a whole and the cruise passenger experience as the industry continues to evolve. “As I have stated before, Sint Maarten has one of the closest relationships with the cruise industry. The destination has kept a proactive working relationship…
