PHILIPSBURG — The opposition benches remained empty on Monday morning when parliament was supposed to examine the credentials of substitute MP Jules James. Due to a lack of quorum, the meeting could not take place. It seems that a new political storm is brewing, just when suspended MP Theo Heyliger announced in a rather cryptic message that he steps down as leader of the United Democrats. Heyliger remains in pretrial detention in Bonaire. In a letter to UD board member Marinka Gumbs, dated March 21, Heyliger stated that he resigns immediately as leader of the party. The letter was signed…
Author: The Publisher
~ Driver of a car steps out with knife in back ~ MARIGOT — At present, Gendarmes have the intersection of Rue de la Republique and Boulevard de France closed off and the surrounding premises secured as they conduct investigations into an apparent stabbing. A driver of a car stopped at the intersection and stepped out of the car with a knife in his back. A diner having breakfast at L’Express immediately called an ambulance for the driver and he was driven away to the hospital. Police from the Gendarmerie came and immediately secured the area. It is possible that…
PHIIPSBURG — Governor Drs. Eugene Holiday was within his rights when he refused Dutch citizenship to the former President of the Collectivité de Saint Martin, Louis Constant Fleming, it appears from a ruling by the Court in First Instance earlier this month. The reason for the refusal is that Fleming failed to state in his so-called option-declaration that he settled a case with the public prosecutor on the French side for a conditional fine of €10,000 ($11,300 at the current rate of exchange) in 2017. Soualigapost.com reported last year about Fleming’s out of court settlement. In 2009, Semsamar – a…
PHILIPSBURG — Gamblers who put their money on number games whereby the numbers are drawn with bingo balls could have a problem on their hands. Minister Stuart Johnson (Tourism and Economic Affairs) told the Central Committee of Parliament last week that the bingo balls lottery companies in St. Maarten use for their draws have not been calibrated since 2009. For players this potentially means that their already slim chances of hitting a jackpot are even further diminished if lottery operators have tampered with the weight of the bingo balls. An infamous example of how this works stems from the so-called…
By Hilbert Haar I was waiting for it and it finally happened. Members of Parliament have begun to describe the transfer of bribery-suspect Theo Heyliger to a prison in Bonaire as kidnapping – the K-word. Asked for his opinion about the extension of Heyliger’s detention by sixty days, Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson was wise enough to evade the question by saying that he stands with his party leader and that his thoughts are with Heyliger’s family and kids. In the meantime, the United Democrats seem to be using Heyliger’s spouse Grisha Marten as the battering ram…
BELAIR — CIBC FirstCaribbean recently held it First in Business Seminar at Belair Community Center on Thursday, March 14th, 2019. According to Garth Sherwood, Country Manager CIBC FirstCaribbean, the aim was to provide business owners in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector with an opportunity to help grow their business by facilitating a forum that provides important information. “Time has come to provide the MSME community with an opportunity to grow their business, not only by providing you with working capital assistance when necessary but also by facilitating a forum that provides important information that can assist in facilitating an…
SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) – For years the quality of the Sint Maarten prison cells has been up for discussion. One of the locations that was heavily criticized are the Philipsburg Police Station cells. One of the sources that pointed out the shortcomings of the facility is the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT). They came out with a report in which they made several recommendations, the Cabinet of the Ministry of Justice said on Thursday. Today we are happy to report that over 70% of the recommendations have been followed and concluded with success. The cells have all…
~ Young employees praise supervisor for training ~ DUTCH QUARTER — The Minister responsible for Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Miklos Giterson has announced that the Dutch Quarter sewerage project is progressing well. The project which is funded by the European Union Funds is expected to be completed by August this year. This project is expected to include beautification of the Dutch Quarter main road and the connection of all sewerage lines and street lights. The Minister has indicated that there has been some challenges with the private land owners but the Ministry of Public works are looking…
PHILIPSBURG — Between 2015 and 2018 the country was involved in 1,182 court cases at a cost of 521,709 guilders, Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin said in answer to questions from members of the parliamentary committee on Wednesday. Four ministers appeared in parliament to answer questions posed a day earlier by several MPs. The first to show up was Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Stuart Johnson. He told MP Jurendy Doran that the inspection department is responsible for weights and measures and that his ministry had no money to establish a dedicated calibration department as Doran had demanded. To Doran’s…
PHILIPSBURG — The Ministry of Justice has 144 critical vacancies, Minister Cornelius de Weever told the Central Committee of Parliament on Wednesday evening. The majority of those vacancies are at the police force (60), customs (29) and the prison (28). The ministry was most recently involved in twelve court cases, winning two and losing five while the remaining cases are still ongoing. The financial consequences of implementing the function book could in a worst case scenario be 12 million guilders. MP Christophe Emmanuel criticized the capital investment budget of the justice ministry; with 17 million it pales compared to the…
