PHILIPSBURG – Recent accusations that Minister Lee is delaying the payments to truckers, heavy equipment operators and workers that are cleaning up the island after hurricane Irma, are simply not correct, Lee said in a press statement. “The accusations are a shameful attempt to look for a scapegoat that allows them to diffuse blame as well as serving a political objective of tarnishing the reputation of Minister Lee.” “I have absolutely no problem paying companies or workers that have participated in cleaning up the island. I am not the cause of delaying payments to the cleanup crews. Actually, the sooner…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG – During the month of October, Be The Change Foundation, through their online crowd funding platform, raised a total of USD$500 for Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) Foundation’s project to plant native species around St. Maarten, following the disastrous effects Hurricane Irma wreaked on the island’s biodiversity. Prior to Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the Foundation conducted assessments to better understand what native plants need to be introduced to each of three sites (Cay Bay, Sentry Hill and Little Key) to increase biodiversity. Funds raised by Be The Change donors will be used to help source more plants to…
Elton Jones made an interesting observation in his opinion piece submitted to us which we published as a column on our website under the title “Vengeance”. He wrote and we quote: “It appears that the previous coalition members had assigned their signature to an agreement to dissolve Parliament should there be instability caused by ‘ship jumping'”. So as the Dutch saying goes ‘afspraak is afspraak’. Agreement is agreement. Certain coalition members of the NA-DP-USp combination did not live up to that agreement and therefore per the agreement, Parliament was dissolved after a ‘ship jumper’ caused the government to be given…
Philipsburg — On Thursday November 2nd and Friday November 3rd a total of 59 inmates that were housed at the Point Blanche Prison were relocated to detention centers in Curacao and the Netherlands. 28 of these inmates were relocated to Curacao and the remaining 31 relocated to the Netherlands. The relocation of these inmates is in connection with repairs and reconstruction work which has to be done at the Point Blanche prison due to the damage caused by hurricane Irma. The relocation of the inmates was previously announced to the public via a press release sent out by Norman Serphos…
When I sat down last week to put an article together it was with certainty that by this week we would have been placed under curatorship by the colonial masters, based on their expressions and an antiquated law. However today reality is completely different, as our (mis) leaders depending on which side you take, have taken the charade a bit further and we are now on the threshold of no responsible or respectable governance. Anything done regardless of the good intentions in a haphazard and improper way will continue to fail and fail miserably. This country within a country experiment…
POND ISLAND — Dean of Academics at the University of St. Martin, Mrs. Genève Phillip-Durham, is no longer employed with or affiliated with the University of St. Martin as of October 31st, 2017. So began an email message to our newsdesk containing a 3-page scan of a resignation letter from Mrs Genève Phillip-Durham herself addressed to the board of USM. The resignation goes into immediate effect and reads as follows…
Philipsburg – The Dominica Foundation St. Maarten (DFS) invited all Dominicans residing on St. Maarten/St. Martin to join them as they celebrated Dominica 39Th Independence Anniversary. The celebration was held on Sunday, November 5th, 2017, with activities kicking off with a church service at the Roman Catholic Church in Philipsburg at 8am. All Dominicans were encouraged to attend wearing their traditional/folklore outfit. Click here to read the further details of this invitation…
PHILIPSBURG — In a press release issued Sunday, November 5th, 2017, the Parliament of Sint Maarten announced that on Friday, November 3, several Members of Parliament participated in a Masterclass on “The art of legislative drafting”. This Masterclass focused on the principles of legislation, legislative stakeholders and the legislative process in its entirety. Members of Parliament also gained more insight on how to prepare a “white paper” as preparation to the drafting of a national ordinance. The Masterclass was provided by Mr. Luciano Milliard who is the Vice-Rector for Governance and Policy Affairs at the University of Aruba. Mr. Milliard…
Philipsburg — The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Primary School (MLK) receives special educational packages from the Tzu Chi Foundation on Friday morning. “Just a few weeks ago I promised that the foundation would return to our school and support us yet again,” remarked Stuart Johnson School Manager of MLK. “I am elated to reaffirm compliments of the foundation that a promise made is a promise kept.” Johnson added. Each student received a package containing educational support materials such as a copybook, pencil case, pens, glue, tape and otherwise. Johnson thanked the foundation for their contribution and looks forward to…
Philipsburg — The President of Parliament, Sarah Wescot-Williams has convened an urgent meeting of Parliament to hear from Government what the financial outlook of the country is. The President of Parliament has asked that the Minister of Finance appears in Parliament and provides: The liquidity position of Government. The reserves of Government. The budget depletion. The commitments of Government for the remaining months of 2017. “As President I convened this meeting due to the alarming signals coming from the community; USM, school boards, other creditors of Government. I wonder how secured salaries, payment to contractors, bus drivers, and other obligations…
