… and gave work to a LOCAL company. SO WHAT!! This is OUR country!!! So Emmanuel gave out land on the ring road. So what! I will say it again, so what! Didn’t Claret Connor give out 10.000 square meters of land on the ring road to Chamber of Commerce when he was leaving office, although there was a motion from parliament instructing him not to do it? I don’t recall any motion as such being levied against Emmanuel. So until his last day in office, being January 15th, 2018 he was authorized to issue land! It has been said…
Author: The Publisher
GREAT BAY — Former Prime Minister William Marlin in a press release on Sunday expressed hope that residents who are in need will soon receive the 12 container homes he had ordered, when he had been in office, for persons who lost their residences during hurricane Irma. The homes are sturdy 20 foot collapsible containers that are fully isolated and can be assembled in five minutes with a crane. To erect, the containers have to be pulled up by a crane and locked into position and are ready to occupy. They are equipped with windows, an entrance door and electrical…
GREAT BAY — Former Prime Minister William Marlin says the 2018 Belt and Road Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean, which is scheduled for Sint Maarten in July, can be a significant boost for the country, which is still reeling from the effects of hurricanes Irma and Maria in September last year. He said however, that given the impact of the September hurricanes, it is imperative that mechanisms be put in place to ensure the safety and security of delegates to the forum. Some 400 persons including an estimated 200 developers and business persons from China as well as…
PHILIPSBURG – When Hurricane Irma destroyed Tess Verheij’s Artcraftcafé’s location in Old Street on September 6 of last year, the artist was heartbroken. But she bounced back, revived her art classes and found a new location for her gallery on Front Street. On Saturday evening a large crowd of art lovers turned out for the opening of Verheij’s post-Irma exhibition. Among the guests was Minister Jorien Wuite (Education, Culture, Youth and Sport); outside, sound story performer Ernesto Arrundell and his wife played their instruments, creating a boisterous atmosphere designed to shake off the memories of the monster hurricane that changed…
by Koos Sneek Slowly also by me it sinks in that Statia does not have an elected island council and an executive council anymore. This ultimate measure, which was taken last in The Netherlands in 1951 whereby the municipality Finsterwolde was stripped of its local government, appeared to be unavoidable. The coalition, who claimed that they saw it coming long time, did not do anything to avoid it. One may wonder if this was because of a particular strategy or just simply stupidity. A small group of supporters protested in a silent march the measure taken by The Hague on…
PHILIPSBURG/THE NETHERLANDS — Mrs. M.Th. Hoogland becomes a deputy member of the Common Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten and Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. She is being deployed for three months as a judge on Sint Maarten to help with the removal of the backlog in cases that have arisen because of the temporary absence of court sessions after Hurricane Irma. The Kingdom Council has decided to nominate her for appointment on the proposal of Minister Dekker for Legal Protection, also on behalf of his counterparts from Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten. Mrs. Hoogland (1962) starts as…
PHILIPSBURG – The Judge of Instruction ruled on Friday that the arrests of USp-leader Frans Richardson and Windward Roads director Janhendrik Boekhaar are legitimate. The public prosecutor extended the detention of the two suspects by eight days. Richardson was arrested on Wednesday by officers of the anti corruption unit TBO on suspicion of taking bribes, tax fraud and membership of a criminal organization. That organization’s objective was the recruitment of votes for Richardson. Boekhaar was arrested on the same day as a suspect in an investigation into the bribery of civil servants, politicians and people working in the construction sector.…
GREAT BAY — Former Prime Minister William Marlin says government seems to be deliberately holding back the immediate roof repair program initiated by the former government, delaying the mending of the roofs of many residents who are still struggling with tarpaulins on their homes. Marlin said the former National Alliance-led government had approved 3 million guilders for immediate roof repairs and he insisted that the program should have already started. A private donor had also promised to make 2 million guilders available, which was supposed to have been channelled via a foundation. “The present government has been holding back on…
PHILIPSBURG – The Crime Fund received in 2016 almost 1.3 million guilders from the verdict in the Bientu-case whereby Robbie’s Lottery owner Robbie dos Santos was sentenced to a 2-year conditional prison sentence for money laundering, forgery and tax fraud. The public prosecutor also confiscated 72.5 million guilders and most of that money stayed in Curacao. The contribution to St. Maarten’s Crime Fund in 2016 appears from a highly critical report published by the General Audit Chamber – Quick Scan Crime Prevention Fund. The report criticizes the way the ministry of justice manages the fund and questions the way it…
PHILIPSBURG – The Parliament approved on Thursday the ministerial regulation that authorizes Finance Minister Mike Ferrier to enter into a 50-million guilders ($27.9 million) loan agreement with the Netherlands. The money will be used to shore up the country’s collapsed liquidity-position. With the approval of financial supervisor Cft, the government will also free up 21.7 million guilders ($12.1 million) from the capital investment budget for liquidity support. The parliament handled the matter in two sessions: at 10 a.m. in a central committee meeting and at noon in a public meeting of parliament. There was little discussion about the need to…
