POND ISLAND – Minister Geerlings is presenting his Tax Transformation plan to all key stakeholders on Sint Maarten. On May 23 and June 10th, the Minister of Finance Hon. Perry Geerlings presented the Government’s Tax Transformation Plan to the Social Economic Council (SER). During the Minister’s presentation, Geerlings highlighted the urgent need for tax transformation and the way in which the transformation is planned to be carried out. The SER actively advises the government on policies to sustainably develop Sint Maarten, with the aim of achieving an improved quality of life for the people of the country. The SER represents…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG – United Democrats rookie MP Luc Mercelina tabled a motion of no-confidence against Public Health Minister Emil Lee during the budget debate on Friday. The motion has the support of all seven members of the opposition, so when it comes to a vote when the debate continues on Tuesday it is likely to pass. “It is not about the person, it is about the country,” Mercelina said. His motion reads like a lengthy yet feeble indictment against Minister Lee. It begins with the reproach that the minister has presented “no evidence of restoring a strong social fabric” after Hurricane…
By Hilbert Haar It is hard to tell what drives rookie MP Luc Mercelina. His announcement of what he called a “constitutional revolution” must have raised some eyebrows – at least among those who were paying attention – because the ten points he put forward have nothing to do with the constitution. But what is clear from this ill-advised presentation is that Mercelina resents the influence of the Dutch government on St. Maarten’s affairs. Truth be told, there are times that I think the Dutch could do a better job in the interest of St. Maarten too. But what does…
By Hilbert Haar Frans presents motion to send Geerlings home. When I read that headline I scratched my head in wonder. And no, it is not my place to criticize the decision of any newspaper editor to allow such a headline – but it did make me wonder. During all the years I have worked in St. Maarten I became familiar with the habit of addressing politicians by their first name in newspaper headlines. Sarah this, William that. Louie, George …. the list is not endless, but quite long. I never followed that practice as the editor of the Today…
PHILIPSBURG – For the second time in less than half a year the opposition has announced a motion of no confidence against a minister in the UD/SMCP cabinet. During the budget debate on Wednesday United St. Maarten party (USp) MP Frans Richardson tabled a motion that demands the immediate departure of Finance Minister Perry Geerlings. In February, the opposition parties National Alliance and USp tabled a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin. That motion failed to get majority support in parliament. In the absence of UD-leader Theo Heyliger, who was arrested on February 19 – the vote…
Dubs State Secretary Raymond Knops the “President of Sint Maarten”. PHILIPSBURG — Instead of delving his time into discussing allocations in the 2019 National Budget, MP William Marlin on Tuesday broke his silence and expressed his sentiments on the “gradual and accelerated take over by the Dutch government of the country”, imputing it to the Council of Ministers. “But what we see happening is a gradual and accelerated takeover of our country by the Dutch Government…And who’s facilitating it? The Council of Ministers,” he said during the parliament meeting. He also stated that hurricane Irma was used by the Dutch…
By Hilbert Haar A salary cut for members of parliament is part of the debate about the draft 2019 budget. It is obviously an inevitable measure though it is more meaningful as a symbolical gesture than it is in terms of cost cutting. A ten percent cut will save the country just 370,000 guilders per year. Two parliamentarians have so far said something about this issue. MP Luc Mercelina said that he has “no problem contributing” thereby suggesting that he would vote in favor of a salary cut. However, he said almost in the same sentence that he does have…
PHILIPSBURG –Minister of Finance Perry Geerlings painted a dramatic picture of the country’s financial position during the handling of the draft 2019 budget on Monday. “An example of the way of thinking in St. Maarten is that we like to spend money we don’t have,” he said. But we have a budget with a 71 million guilders deficit and we are dependent on loans from the Netherlands for liquidity support that enable us to execute the budget and to keep the government functioning.” Geerlings pointed out that 85 percent of the country’s expenditures are fixed obligations. The collective sector will…
PHILIPSBURG – MP Luc Mercelina (United Democrats) repeated his objections against the introduction of a National Health Insurance (NHI) plan during the handling of the draft 2019 budget in parliament on Monday. “This will become the nightmare of our country,” he said. Mercelina said that St. Maarten should meet ten requirements to make national health insurance a success – and that the country does not meet any of them. The MP listed ten conditions he came up with: the country has to be rich (St. Maarten isn’t), it has to be well-organized, have a low percentage of illegals and a…
PHILIPSBURG — President of Parliament, Sarah Wescot-Williams, during the opening of the budget presentation on Monday morning, June 24, 2019, as a notification, informed Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin that Parliament will be sending her a letter regarding the issue of the passport of suspended member of Parliament, Theodore Heyliger. The Prime Minister was present for the budget presentation in Parliament as she waited to take the word to give her elucidation on the budget of the ministry of General Affairs. “I wish to use this opportunity, considering in my opinion the urgency of the matter, to inform the Prime Minister…
