AIRPORT – An external financier that is active in the field of airport financing around the world is offering PJIA Airport the possibility of financing to the tune of $260 million US Dollars. This would provide the airport company with the much needed financial support and alleviation for their rehabilitation plans of the airport terminal building. Presently, the refurbishing of the ground floor level of the terminal building is well on its way to be fully operational by January 1st, 2019. With the recent official news from the World Bank and the rumors that the Dutch want to take over…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG – It is not like the Netherlands wants to take over the complete management of the airport in exchange for financing of the airport’s rehabilitation, but the Dutch do want to have somebody on the inside. This appears from a report by the World Bank. The “vital rehabilitation” of the airport, improved governance and “measures that will strengthen the airport’s ability to function resiliently in the future” all cost money. According to the World Bank, St. Maarten has made a commitment to make these measures a reality. While Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin recently denied that the Netherlands will take…
PHILIPSBURG — On Thursday, November 15th at approximately 03.15 p.m. a female identified with initials D.P.G. was arrested by the police bike-patrol in the vicinity of Burger Madness on the Board Walk for illegally peddling items to mainly tourists visiting the island. The female in question does not have a permit to do so and on various occasions was warned by police to refrain from selling items illegally and should apply for a permit. This suspect cooperated totally with officers during the arrest. The bag containing items the suspect was selling was also confiscated as evidence. After the arrest by…
By Hilbert Haar Justified complaints about the situation at the Pointe Blanche prison – by inmates but also by attorneys, the Law Enforcement Council and the Progress Committee – are almost as old as the prison itself. Former Justice Minister Leo Chance once told me a couple of years ago jokingly that he had built the Pointe Blanche prison for his friends. “I did not know it of course at the time, but that’s where they ended up.” It remains unclear whether the conditions in the prison were as bad at that time as they are today. The fact remains…
KRALENDIJK – After the Island Council of Bonaire approved the 22-page governing agreement with the Netherlands, State Secretary Raymond Knops and Lt. Governor Edison Rijna signed the document on behalf of both parties. The agreement is in place for the next four years and aims to strengthen the local administration and the civil service; it also makes funding available for projects that will benefit the island and its population. The agreement is a notch or two below the Dutch intervention in Statia, where the Island Council and the Executive Council were relieved of their duties and where kingdom representative Mike…
PHILIPSBURG – The government signed an agreement with State Secretary Raymond Knops (Kingdom Relations) on October 19 to “shortly introduce a series of measures to improve the state of the Pointe Blanche prison.” This appears from answers Knops provided to questions posed by GreenLeft parliamentarian Nevin Özütok. Knops’ answers show that St. Maarten has repeatedly failed to stick to agreements it made in the past with the Netherlands about the prison. “After Hurricane Irma, the Netherlands has provided assistance for the prison from the reconstruction funds. There were agreements attached to this assistance and during the past year I have…
~ Ministry to develop national spatial data infrastructure plan for St. Maarten ~ POND ISLAND — Last week, VROMI Minister Miklos Giterson, along with his Secretary General Louis Brown, attended the Latin America GeoSpatial Forum in Mexico City. The forum, which was held from November 6 to 8, 2018, saw representatives from over 40 countries gathered under the theme “GeoSpatial Information: Making a Difference for Millions”. The forum is the largest regional conference on geospatial information and technologies and it provided a platform to meet and network with regional leaders and experts from the geospatial domain, the minister explained during…
Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, 14 November, 2018 – The Algemeen Pensioenfonds Sint Maarten (APS) was represented at the 31st Annual St. Maarten’s Day Around the Island Relay Race. Team APS has participated for 3 consecutive years. APS encourages persons of all ages (young and old) to part-take in this exciting and fun event. It isn’t about winning a medal for Team APS, however, it is accomplishing a goal together as a team, fostering teamwork and supporting one another with every stride. Team APS looks forward to participating in the 32nd Annual St. Maarten’s Day Around the Island Relay Race.
PHILIPSBURG/ST. EUSTATIUS—The visit of the Dutch State Secretary of Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops is not expected to include a meet with the Leader of the Progressive Labor Party Clyde van Putten during his visit this weekend for the Statia Day celebrations. In an invited comment, Van Putten said that although he has learnt of the State Secretary’s visit to St. Eustatius for the island celebrations, he is not aware of any scheduled meeting with the Dutch State Secretary. “I am not aware of any meeting and have not been contacted by the Dutch State Secretary or his representative about any…
By Rhoda Arrindell, PhD One day in 1982, I wrote an essay entitled “Waarom St. Maarten onafhankelijk moet worden” for Mr. Bijnsdorp’s Dutch class. Though I hated the class (not because of the teacher, but because I hated writing essays in Dutch), I was proud of that essay and my performance. Not only was I pleased with my good mark, but, for the first time, I had written on a topic I felt passionate about. You see, I believed then at the age of 16, as I do now, that independence is the only way for the people of St.…
