ORANJESTAD – The remarks island council member Clyde van Putten made during a congress in Curacao whereby he said that Dutch soldiers would be burned and killed in the streets, have met with criticism in Statia too. “I am extremely saddened by these statements, because they categorically don’t reflect my values and the values of the people of Statia, independent island council member Rueben Merkman wrote on Friday in a letter to the chair of the Dutch Senate, Anneke Broekers-Knol. “As a people and island we are grateful to the Dutch military for all that they have done and continue…
Author: The Publisher
MARIGOT – The French part of St. Martin is not subject to conditions for receiving financial aid from France, the way the Dutch government has put demands on Dutch St. Maarten. “If there is any obligation to be put in place to receive the necessary help, we will do it in partnership with France,” Daniel Gibbs, President of the Collectivité said at a press conference on Saturday afternoon. Reconstruction in partnership “Reconstruction will be subject to a certain number of rules and regulations,” Gibbs said. “I, as the President of the Collectivité, have certain competences in the field of urban…
PORT ST. MAARTEN – Port St. Maarten Management is encouraging the local business community in this post-Hurricane Irma era to attend the Caribbean’s largest Cruise Conference and Trade Show, the 24th Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), which is taking place from October 23 to 27. Country Sint Maarten has to project itself once again that it is a viable cruise destination to visit. There are now four cruise berths that are ready for the first cruise ship visits. Port St. Maarten is already collaborating with other very important stakeholders such as the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau (STB), the St. Maarten Chamber of…
Harbour View — SZV would like to invite all registered employers to visit the Employer Desk to report their post Irma status before Wednesday October 18th. Employers will have the opportunity to fill in the post-Irma survey that SZV is conducting currently in order to gain information of employer’s current financial situation. Payments and declarations of premiums for the months of August and September should be paid and submitted before October 31, 2017. The payment of the social premiums is still mandatory, however considering the post hurricane circumstances SZV is prepared to work together with the employers towards meeting feasible…
I’ve lived on this island my entire life. Sint Maarten is the only place I call home. From attending school, being a “good” Methodist, exploring different beaches, watching and admiring the hills, hearing ‘You Thelma granddaughter right’, this is the island I know. However, this country (Sint Maarten) has been driving me crazy for the last month and change. Post Irma showed the true colours of every politician, high governing board and persons who consider themselves as “high and respectable” in the community. As a holder of a Dutch passport, coming from a country within the Kingdom of The Netherlands,…
In most IT textbooks new topics are often introduced with case studies. As a matter of fact, when I was introduced to Business Continuity Planning it was through a case study discussing the effects of Super Storm Sandy on the northeastern coast of the United States. While Hurricane Irma was far more powerful than Super Storm Sandy and the effects were much worse, this was not only because of the strength of the hurricane but also due to a lack of adequate business continuity plans. The extensive and destructive force of Irma left the local governments and businesses on both…
Dear editor, St. Maarten has survived what is termed as a super storm; the experts agree it is the most powerful storm ever recording in the Atlantic hurricane belt. Collectively we who have escaped with the bare minimum or are lucky enough to still have a place to call home empathize with those who have lost family, friends, acquaintances or have been left homeless, penniless, jobless and displaced. Our own service providers like Gebe, TelEm, the airport, the port and UTS were exceptional even though they too had lost homes. They came out to serve some ingrates who only complain…
GREAT BAY – Transparency, fairness and accountability should be the guiding elements of the relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts,” Ombudsman Dr. Nilda Arduin says. She is asking the public to file substantial complaints about relief, recovery and rebuilding promptly to her office. The Ombudsman will apply a fast track investigation to these complaints. “It is clear that we are in a state of crisis,” the Ombudsman says. “It should be obvious that business as usual cannot apply at this stage.” The focus of the Ombudsman office will therefore be on monitoring relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts. This will get priority…
MP Sarah Wescot-Williams hits the nail on the head with her letter to the Kingdom Council of Ministers, though we can imagine that some readers might feel that the letter is a form of humiliating groveling. But nobody can fault her analysis. Like us, she does not see the connection between the transparent execution of reconstruction projects and the establishment of the Integrity Chamber. Like us, she figures that an effective control mechanism can address this issue more effective and much faster. We have suggested earlier teaming up a Dutch High Commissioner with a local expert like Ronald Halman, the…
GREAT BAY – “Cut the link between financial support and conditions that are not directly related to the transparent, effective and efficient spending of the reconstruction support from the Netherlands; establish those conditions now.” That is the plea Democratic Party MP and president of parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams made in a letter she addressed on Friday as a private person to the chairman of the kingdom Council of Ministers, Prime Minister Mark Rutte. The Netherlands wants St. Maarten to establish legislation for the establishment of the Integrity Chamber by October 31 – a practical impossibility – and to deploy the Royal…
