PHILIPSBURG — Former harbor-director Mark Ming took the harbor holding company and country Sint Maarten to court in an attempt to get his job back and to claim compensation for damages he suffered because of his dismissal in 2020. But the Court in First Instance did not go along; it rejected all of Mingo’s claims and ordered him to pay the cost both parties incurred for the procedure, an amount of 48,000 guilders, or $26,815 US dollars. The court ruled that Mingo’s dismissal was justified. His tenure at the port began more than twenty years ago, on September 1, 2002.…
Author: The Publisher
THE HAGUE –– No more kingdom conferences. That is the conclusion drawn from a letter Home Affairs Minister Frank Rijkaart sent to the Dutch senate. Answering a question from the senate committee kingdom relations about the status of a motion former MP Ronald van Raak tabled in 2019 together with former MP Jorien Wuite, Minister Rijkaart wrote: “Earlier it has been decided to make the motion the subject of a kingdom conference. It is now clear that this (conference) will not take place.” In July 2022 a significant majority of the Second Chamber supported the motion that asked the government…
By Erwin Dormoy The Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) will receive €1.4 million from the Netherlands to address urgent capacity gaps identified in the General Audit Chamber’s critical review of St. Maarten’s building permit system. VROMI Minister Patrice Gumbs announced the funding as part of the Ministry’s formal response to the audit, acknowledging longstanding shortages in technical expertise, staffing, and structural support that have hampered the permitting process for years. The Audit Chamber’s report, officially handed over to the Minister during a meeting focused on transparency and reform, paints a stark picture: outdated legislation, fragmented…
By Hilbert Haar Buying votes to win a seat in parliament is of course an unhealthy practice. So why do political candidates keep doing this? Everybody ought to know that the answer to that question is straightforward: money. As a member of parliament, you get a royal salary and you don’t even have to show up for work or to keep the promises you made during the election campaign. If membership of parliament paid just one dollar per year and you would not even get that dollar if you dared not showing up for meetings, nobody would touch that job…
PHILIPSBURG — Former politician Akeem Arrindell did not only lose his seat in parliament during the August 2024 elections, he has now also lost the right to work as a police officer for a period of six years, lost his passive voting rights for the same period of time and has to repay the salary he received during his tenure in parliament – a whopping 75,372 guilders ($42,107) or go to prison for one year if he does not come up with the money. All this appears from a ruling the court of appeals handed down recently. Arrindell’s tainted history…
By Tom Clifford There are various economic bellwethers, GDP growth, borrowings, energy usage, but my most reliable is to inquire about the economy with those whose job it is to transport us. Taxi drivers. This is my where the rubber meets the road. They are the best barometer of economic activity; if they are busy, chances that the economy is doing well. People have money to spend, disposable income. If they are struggling, then the chances are the economy is not performing with all pistons firing. They are also great entertainers and good readers of humanity. They can crack a…
By Tom Clifford The US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States hopes to deploy more resources, especially troops and aircraft, to tackle drug trafficking in the region. He also added that he hopes more countries in the Caribbean will accept US troops on their soil. Speaking on Wednesday in the Dominican Republic, which has authorized the temporary deployment of US personnel, Hegseth said he was hoping other countries would agree to a US military presence. “A model that we hope to expand with other countries that want to associate with us to ensure that the drug terrorists ……
By Tom Clifford I am not a musician. I cannot read music. But, like all humans, I can appreciate music and I have been moved by it. Jimmy Cliff, who has died at the age of 81, was one of the most prominent and beloved proponents of reggae music. His cause of death was a seizure followed by pneumonia. His gift, apart from his extraordinary talent, was that he made the genre accessible to a wider audience. And he stood for decency in the face of corruption. He was an artist who was deeply admired. He helped to bring the…
From our Correspondent in St. Barths Saint-Barthélemy’s Rémy-de-Haenen Airport is preparing for one of its busiest periods of the year as the Holiday Season officially begins on Thursday with Thanksgiving. Managing Director Fabrice Danet said the airport saw record-breaking traffic last year, with more than a dozen days exceeding 200 aircraft movements—including a peak of 303 before year’s end. He and his team are ready for similar momentum this season. “It is always fascinating to watch how traffic builds from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve,” said Danet, who noted that the number of days topping 200 movements more than doubled…
By Tom Clifford With so many ships in dock, the roads were busier than usual. I had to be in Simpson Bay by 10am. Past nine, the clock was ticking. My driver and I were stuck in traffic. She had a solution, she volunteered, and then, before I could reply, detoured by negotiating a warren of narrow back streets. “Where in Simpson Bay?’’ she inquired. “Welfare Road” I said, hanging on to my seatbelt. “It’s a big road,’’ she said. “Hold on. It’s Commodore Suites.’’ “Ah, why didn’t you tell me. Everyone knows where they are.’’ Just a few minutes…
