PHILIPSBURG – The Court in First Instance sentenced Juan Linzey on Wednesday morning to 36 months of imprisonment for ill-treatment, human smuggling, promoting prostitution and employing people who were without a valid title on the island. Of the sentence, 12 months are suspended. The court also seized cash worth approximately $5,518 in dollar, euro and guilder denominations. At the trial on March 28, the public prosecutor demanded a prison term of 36 months with 6 months suspended. The court arrived at a slightly lower sentence because it concluded from the statements from women who worked as prostitutes at the Linzey’s…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG – Minister Emil Lee (Public Health) has negotiated an amendment to the contract with public drinking water supplier Seven Seas, in close cooperation with VROMI-Minister Miklos Giterson, Finance Minister Mike Ferrier and utilities company GEBE. The amendment will save the country approximately 4 million guilders ($2.2 million) per year for the next three years. In 2016 the government amended the pay or take contract with Seven Seas under which the country was obliged to take 18,500 cubic meters of water per day instead of 15,500 cubic meters. The change went into effect in 2016. Under the pay or take…
Great Bay — What was designed to be the first specialty concert organized by the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) last evening may end up being one of the main attractions in future carnival related events. It was dubbed as the ‘Soulful Company’ with the sole purpose of attracting a mixture of party-goers with a star studded line up. As ironic as it may seem, it all started with local vocalist Malaika Maxwell, who had the honor and pleasure of sharing the stage with Oswald Clerveus, singer, song writer and composer Phylissia Ross and the legendary reggae singer Maxi…
PHILIPSBURG — Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Jorien Wuite traveled to Curacao on Friday, April 13th and returned on Monday, 16th. The primary purpose of the visit was to support students of the Hillside Christian School who, after winning the local competition of UNICEF’s Children’s Rights Film Festival, were invited to participate in the regional finals among the Dutch Caribbean. The Minister acknowledges that UNICEF has been instrumental in the recovery process of St. Maarten; contributing in a number of programs to protect and encourage the healing and well-being of St. Maarten children in the aftermath of hurricane…
MARIGOT – Alain Richardson, leader of the political party En Marche vers le Progrès (On the way to progress) has to give up his seat in the Territorial Council because of campaign financing violations. Ramona Connor will replace him. Jules Charville (Generation Hope) was punished for a different violation but the ruling against him does not include that he has to leave the Territorial Council. Richardson’s campaign account shows that he exceed the maximum amount allowed under the law by a mere €625 ($769 at the current rate). But that was enough for the Commission Nationale des Comptes de campagne…
POND ISLAND — It was that time of the year again when Calypsonians had the opportunity to launch lyrical attacks on politicians in the manner that suited them. But of the 17 that took to the stage last evening, only 10 have advanced to the finals where they will challenge Alberto Arrindell, aka Fish da Mega Boss for the crown on April 26th. “They better come better than tonight in the finals” said the reigning King who was not required to compete in the eliminations said at the conclusion of the competition. Those making the final cut is the 10…
As a young country with its many political challenges, there is a need to understand the various mechanisms and tools available in a democracy laid down in our Constitution. The past seven and a half years have proven that certain provisions of the Constitution require further interpretation. The good news is that Sint Maarten does not have to reinvent the wheel, as we can learn from the experiences of other countries, and certainly from the countries within the Dutch Kingdom, of which we form part. After research and due deliberation it is up to the elected representatives of the people,…
PHILIPSBURG – In August it will be fifteen years ago that broadcast veteran Francis Carty went on air for the first time with his Good morning Mr. Governor column. It triggered an angry reaction from Lt. Governor Franklin Richards. “He felt personally attacked,” Carty remembers. “He told Glen: I am going to throw your brother off the radio if he continues like this. Glen told him: knowing my brother I would not do that, because it would make matters only worse.” Carty, who turns 71 in June, was not to be defeated. “In my next Good morning Mr. Governor I…
PHILIPSBURG –Finance Minister Mike Ferrier, as the owner of automotive retailer NAPA, has built quite a reputation with his often funny radio commercials. In his most recent commercial, broadcast on Oasis 96.3 FM, Ferrier goes all out against everything that is wrong in St. Maarten – not as the Minister of Finance or the owner of NAPA, but simply on personal title. The commercial runs for 1 minute and 40 seconds and Ferrier maintains a blistering tempo with his statement. It begins with observations about Hurricane Irma. “It kicked us in the gut, slapped us in the face and tried…
by Wycliffe Smith “It’s already six weeks after the elections and still no government in place!” This is the comment, the cry or even the complaint one hears from people who are anxious to know what is going on. Well, a new government is actually the final result of a parliamentary election. So let us walk through the multiple steps that must be taken before a new Council of Ministers can be sworn in. Immediately after the February 26th election, a step was added, which was skipped after most of the previous elections and that is the phase of the…
