WILLEMSTAD — The Court in First Instance has forbidden Elvis de Andrade and the political party Union i Progreso (UP) to make a video that contains threats against Minister Charles Cooper (Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning) publicly accessible. The party has to remove the video from its Facebook-page. The UP published the unabridged text of the court verdict on its Facebook-page on June 13. Cooper initiated a lawsuit against De Andrade because of the threats. In the video, De Andrade holds up a bull’s eye with bullet holes and says among other things about Cooper: “He is a dirty thief…
Author: The Publisher
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Dear Editor, A while back at the Cigar Bar, seeing our conditions, the boys decided to discuss health care systems, on St. Maarten and around the world. Some said the health care system on the French side was boss, while on the Dutch side—not so much, or far from, in some instances. Though we have to consider the particular cases and not the grass is greener on the other side. For only those who have gone through the system and the degree of the condition of the patient can really tell. We even looked at some countries that have free…
PHILIPSBURG — The National Alliance faction is pushing for transparency regarding the recent changes to the parliamentary schedule about N.V. GEBE. In a letter to President of Parliament, Sarah Wescot-Williams, Members of Parliament Silveria Jacobs and Cloyd Marlin questioned the postponement of the crucial meetings originally set for Friday, June 14, 2024, and the decision to reschedule them behind closed doors to Monday, June 17, 2024. “Why can’t the public be informed along the way?” asked the MPs. “The Prime Minister and other ministers have emphasized the urgency of these meetings, so it’s essential for the public to be kept…
Letter to the Editor by Tadzio Bervoets As St. Maarten grapples with an ongoing power crisis, the call for robust solutions has never been more urgent. Recent discussions by our Prime Minister about reaching out to the World Bank and the Dutch government for financial assistance underscore the critical need for substantial investment in our energy infrastructure. This juncture presents a golden opportunity to pivot towards sustainable energy solutions, rather than pouring funds into antiquated, polluting technologies that the world is steadily moving away from. In the short term, we must unfortunately rely on the same outdated, fossil fuel-dependent technology…
PHILIPSBURG — The much anticipated public session organized by NV GEBE on Friday, June 7th, 2024, quickly saw tension grew as PR spokesperson, Paula Gordon, announced to the 60+ guests present that live broadcasting of the company’s ‘candid conversations’ with the public via Facebook would not be allowed. Radio personality Jeffrey Sochrin, aka Dr. Soc, expressed his frustration about the ban on recording the meeting. Nevertheless, hundreds found solace on Facebook via the manual but real-time reporting of a number of citizen reporters, including Melanie Choisy. Acting manager Troy Washington explained to the sixty attendees that GEBE has been facing…
PHILIPSBURG — The Supreme Court in The Hague has confirmed the conviction of former parliamentarian Frans Richardson for accepting bribes and committing money laundering and tax fraud. The verdict issued by the Common Court of Justice on June 6, 2022, has now become irrevocable: 20 months in prison (with a deduction for time already served) and a 5 year ban on his right to be elected. Richardson is the founder of the United St. Maarten party (USp) and a former member of the National Alliance (NA). In the 2020 elections Richardson lost his seat in parliament and in the January…
Dear Editor, I observe Mr. Olivier Arrindell embarking on the process of founding his own political party and initiating his campaign. As I reflect on how he has captivated the hearts and minds of many in St. Maarten, I find myself pondering how this happened. A significant number of people attribute this phenomenon to a failing education system, suggesting that this is why so many are willing to support Mr. Arrindell. However, I do not entirely agree that our education system has failed us. At the primary level, the FBE system has indeed fallen short, primarily in my opinion it…
The situation on St. Maarten regarding the ongoing energy crisis with NV GEBE, the island’s utility company, highlights severe challenges that are affecting daily life on the island. The power outages, blackouts, and load shedding have caused significant disruptions, as outlined by the Acting Prime Minister and Acting Minister of VROMI, Veronica Jansen-Webster. See: Acting Prime Minister and Acting Minister of VROMI Veronica Jansen-Webster on the GEBE Energy Crisis In an interesting juxtaposition, the fictitious island of St. Tosia is used as a metaphor to illustrate the dysfunctional approach to crisis management that can be seen in St. Maarten. St.…
PHILIPSBURG — Former Member of Parliament and Engineer, Claude ‘Chacho’ Peterson, has decided to run as a candidate in the upcoming snap elections on August 19th, 2024, with the Soualiga Action Movement (SAM) led by former Member of Parliament and Minister, Frankie Meyers. Former MP Chacho Peterson: “Frankie and I have kept in touch over the years since being in a parliamentary coalition together in 2018-2019. Frankie was always true to his word towards me and this created a bond based on mutual respect, a love for St. Maarten and a love for politics. Many times over the years we…
By Hilbert Haar The issues NV GEBE is experiencing to the dismay of many of its clients is not something that fell unexpectedly out of the blue sky. On the contrary, the issues the country has with its energy production are all well documented in a report that was published on August 22, 2014: The National Energy Policy for country St. Maarten. The policy was an initiative of the Ministry of Public Housing, Urban Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) and the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) cooperated with it. The 40-page report paints a vivid picture…
