GREAT BAY — National Alliance #23 candidate William Marlin said in a press release on Monday that the timing of the detention of United St. Maarten party leader Member of Parliament Frans Richardson is strange and seems to be intended to influence the outcome of the February 26, snap parliamentary elections. “It should not be seen as any coincidence”, Marlin said. He alluded to a similar untimely detention of Member of Parliament Silvio Matser in March 2016, in the middle of a crucial debate of the country’s draft budget. At the time of his arrest Matser had been a member…
Author: The Publisher
GREAT BAY — Former Prime Minister William Marlin says the recent trip to Europe by Minister of Finance Michael Ferrier and Interim Prime Minister Leona Marlin Romeo was a total waste of tax payers’ monies as the 50 million guilders loan agreement signed days ago between St. Maarten and the Netherlands, was already brokered by the National Alliance-led government, while it had been in office. “It was nothing but a pleasure trip for public relations purposes, wasting tax payers monies, while taking credit for the hard work put in by the National Alliance-led government”, Marlin said in a press release…
PHILIPSBURG – “Around every election the prosecutor’s office of St. Maarten receives indications that voters are bribed to cast their vote for a particular party or person,” the Prosecutor’s Office writes in a press release, adding that it will be “extra vigilant” in cooperation with the National Detective Agency during the period until the elections for indications of bribery and the buying of votes. The prosecutor’s office points out that buying of selling votes is prohibited under article 2:44 of the penal code of St. Maarten. The maximum penalty is 2 years of imprisonment and in certain cases the court…
… 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…
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.…
