PHILIPSBURG – These are probably the first elections in a long, long time without huge political billboards all over the island. Whether this is because parties fear a backlash from voters if they dare spending money on billboards or because their financial backers don’t have any money to give is anybody’s guess. The result is that the campaign for elections that are just a bit more than ten days away, takes place on social media and at the usual boisterous public meetings parties host in the districts. Candidates for the United Democrats have been quite active on social media. MP…
Author: The Publisher
AIRPORT–Finance Minister Michael “Mike” Ferrier along with three civil servants head to the Netherlands today, Tuesday, via Curacao. Ferrier, a pilot, will fly a privately owned aircraft from Princess Juliana International Airport to Hato International to connect to Royal Dutch Airline KLM. “This is the quickest and cheapest and most cost effective way to Holland” Ferrier told The Daily Herald before departure. The plane belongs to a company owned by a pilot friend of Ferrier, and comes with no cost to government. “We use each other’s airplane and have an ongoing agreement that calls for the pickup of direct cost…
Philipsburg — It is being rumored that the Sint Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) is an off-shoot of the DP, a satellite of the NA and that it is financed by the UPP. After the merger of UPP and DP into the UD, we are hearing that SMCP will work together with the UD after the election. As SMCP will not count its chickens before they are hatched, it is time to put these rumors to rest and to let the people know how SMCP started and who really is behind this Party. SMCP was founded in November of 2015 in…
Marigot — Not even the prevailing weather conditions could have prevented revellers from turning up to witness the third night of entertainment as part of the festivities to celebrate Carnival on the French side of the island last evening. The overwhelming turn-out may be attributed to the location of the new venue on the Marigot Waterfront which was more accessible to the residents in and around the City, especially those without personal transportation as well as those from the outlying areas. With the staging of the ‘We Showdown’ concert, the Festivites Carnalalesque De Saint Martin (FCDSM), was able to put…
GREAT BAY — Former St. Maarten Prime Minister William Marlin believes that the move by The Hague to dissolve the St. Eustatius Island Council, send the Executive Council and Acting Island Governor home and replace them with a Dutch Government-appointed Commissioner, is a dangerous precedent. “It is sad that in the 21st Century, we still have this form of colonial developments in the region and so close to home where the elected representatives of an island is put aside by others”, Marlin said on Sunday, while responding to a question on the radio programme Breakfast with de Robert on The…
GREAT BAY — Former Prime Minister and National Alliance candidate for the upcoming parliamentary election, William Marlin says housing in the reconstruction phase of the country, will be one of the top priorities that the party will continue to focus on in the new governing period. Marlin said in a press release on Monday that the urgent need for proper and affordable housing and the improvement of communities have become clearer as the various communities are canvassed. Making affordable housing available for persons to own their own homes and proving economical options for persons interested in renting are areas that…
Lisa Alexander, the Constitutional Lady. Lisa Alexander, to ensure Equality, Justice and Fairness for All, stand in line, vote number nine.
PHILIPSBURG –The concept of a ring road first became an issue in May 2009, when the section ROB of what was then the VROM (Public Housing, Urban Planning and Environment) department published a notice announcing its plans to fill in part of the Great Salt Pond for the construction of a ring road. Eight years later, the ring road still has not become a reality, but the pond has lost a significant part of its retention capacity. The grounds are now used in part as a public parking area, but the VROMI-ministry has always been keen on prohibiting the parking…
MARIGOT — A group representing the Saint Martin Chinese Association turned out to be the most unusual aspect of the children’s costume parade that took place Sunday afternoon in Marigot, French Saint Martin. The well-rehearsed routine by the mixed group was an attention grabber among the six participants. However, the parade which started shortly after 3pm by the Bellevue Roundabout and concluded at the Festival Arena was not without the group’s of energetic kids all attired for the occasion. Leading the procession was the reigning carnival queens. To add the Midas touch was a float with the words Make Saint…
GREAT BAY — Former Prime Minister and number 23 candidate on the National Alliance slate, William Marlin, is calling on authorities to extend the period within which voters can pick up their voting cards from polling substations within the various districts. He also urges authorities to, in extending the time, also seriously consider opening the polling substations after hours as well as on weekends to better accommodate persons who work late and those available only on the weekend. Voters in some districts were given just five days, 5th of February to 9th of February (9am to 5pm), to collect their…
