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…
Author: The Publisher
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…
Utilities company NV GEBE had to do something quick to answer to the growing frustration about the power cuts that have been plaguing everybody’s life on St. Maarten these days. So, they put out a press release. See: https://news.sx/business/general-public-statement-nv-gebe The attempt of putting customers at ease this way is not going to work. At least, that is what we believe, and we will explain why this is so. Based on the press release, two diesel generators are past their technical lifespan of thirty years, and they produce – when working – 18 percent of total demand. These generators are described…
PHILIPSBURG — The detrimental situation at utilities company GEBE has triggered a fierce debate on social media on Saturday in which former Finance Minister Ardwell Irion, former GEBE-director Jerome Chittick and even former Public Health Minister Emil Lee took part.See: https://www.facebook.com/StMaartenNewsOnline/posts/pfbid02ec5Egpi73zAnN46fb96za7xeeoiLyr43mmVrFjSyJG6tBmoUHBefSz9aY1bFvbxRl Lee probably made the most valuable contribution by stating: “The blame game is not productive. The focus needs to be on what the solutions are. We have spent enough time ignoring the problem. St. Maarten needs to make some hard decisions, quickly.” MP Irion claims in a Facebook-post that the current level of power cuts at GEBE only became…
~ Minister Lewis Meets with the Point Blanche Prison Inmates Association ~ Hopes to Address Urgent Issues at Point Blanche Prison in the Short Term ~ POINTE BLANCHE — On Friday 31 May 2024, the Honorable Minister of Justice, Lyndon Lewis and his cabinet staff visited the Point Blanche Prison, where he engaged in a significant discussion with the Inmates Association, including President Mr. Danzell Richardson, Vice President Mr. Dante Ottley, Treasurer Mr. Theo Heyliger, Advisor Mr. Joceidi Grell, and Secretary Mr. Vincent Hanley. The meeting focused on several pressing issues affecting the facility’s operations and the well-being of its…
Colombian educated Certified Risk Analyst, Terence Jandroep CRA CQA CLA, contemplated the constant energy blackouts that has created significant losses to the Small & Medium Size Enterprises and explains how losses are unnoticeable accrued. Sales and Energy synergy A company with a sales level of $ 300,000 per year and opens 6 times a week, could be interpreted that the sales volume was acquired with an energy intensity of 2,496 hours (312 days x 8 hours) per year. This formula illustrates that the energy supply is aligned with the sales volumes. This example establishes that the company achieves average sales…
PHILIPSBURG — Three diesel engines, or 30 percent of the total, have exceeded their technical lifespan of thirty years, Utilities Company GEBE stated in a press release in an attempt to clarify the issues it is facing with seemingly never-ending power cuts or, in GEBE-lingo: load shedding. The three units represent 18 percent of GEBE’s operational capacity. “They are still operational and serve as peak shavers to meet daily demand but they are less efficient and unreliable,” the press release states. “They are a primary cause of reduced efficiency.” The company points the finger to climate change and rising temperatures…
Editorial Yes, we missed it too, but an alert by Renate and Denicio Brison pointed our noses on to the facts: the national decree announcing elections for August 19 contains a painful omission that seems to be impossible to repair without breaking the law. Read the related article here: Will elections have to be postponed again? Maybe readers know this already: new political parties that want to contest elections have to register with the Electoral Council more than six weeks before postulation day. Because the May 27 decree sets postulation day at July 2 this is not possible because the…
