By Hilbert Haar GREAT BAY – On October 20, Minister Ingrid Arrindell (Tourism and Economic Affairs) held a farewell speech at the Council of Ministers press briefing. During this address she said, among other things that Avireps was appointed as St. Maarten’s Marketing Firm for the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxemburg) for three years “and that Spring O’Brien would do similar marketing in the United States starting in November.” Minister Arrindell made incorrect claim Today learned from confidential sources that Spring Obrien does not have a contract for these marketing activities – at least, not yet, and November is already halfway…
Author: The Publisher
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Dear Editor, President-elect Donald Trump is the change that I would like to see happen in St. Maarten one day. The elite establishment government believes that only they are smart and have the rights to tell people how to think. Mr. Trump teaches people to believe in themselves and to think independently. This is the same mentality that establishes a real change in life. This is exactly what St. Maarten needs to change. First, we had Brexit in Great Britain and now we had a repudiation of the Obama and Hillary Clinton ideology of shut your mouth and do what…
What is it with our outgoing minister of tourism and economic affairs? First there was the confusion about the appointment of Rolando Brison as the director of the Tourism Authority, now there is another blooper surrounding destination marketing in the United States. With the high season switching into high gear, there is not even a contract with the American Marketing Firm, while Minister Arrindell said in October that these activities would begin this month. The company that was going to do the job has ‘no comment’ on the current situation – a solid indication that something is seriously amiss. That…
GREAT BAY- For the fourth straight year, a female photographer has won the very attractive cash prize for the top photograph in the Aviation Photographic Competition, Toppix. Toppix aviation photo contest Bernie Verhoeven achieved notoriety four years ago after winning the first competition and her image which occupies a permanent spot above the doors of the arrival hall at the Princess Juliana International Airport is a timely reminder. She did it again in the second competition, but that time the winning image was shot by Ricardo Benjamin. Because he was not present at the time of the announcement – a…
Dear Editor, In the wake of the decision taken by parliament to back the decision taken by the Council of Ministers not to attend our St. Maarten Day (Not that of France nor Holland), I want to share my opinion and observation on this entire matter. The right to fight for water rights of St. Maarten that the French might want to claim is a good fight but, the fact that it took the French side authorities to trigger the Dutch side to take such a stand is to me up until now a pity to say the least. Standing…
Dear Editor, As a former Member of Parliament, I must say that our ancestors must be turning over in their graves with the type of leadership and cooperation we displayed during our St. Martin Day Celebration by boycotting the people’s celebration. France and Holland must be smiling to see the recent dispute between the French and Dutch local governments where they are fighting over the border lines that are documented and registered in the Dutch side Cadastre registry. There is a court case decision on this. In the Captain Oliver’s dispute the judge said that based on French documents the…
Dear Editor, The three words I used as the heading for this article are well known to the French especially as they were key words or a motto mentioned during the French Revolution. I want to focus on the word fraternity or some might say brotherhood and whatever comes out of it. This brings me to the purpose for using it which is the action that was taken by the French authorities to invade Captain Oliver’s Restaurant and Marina and arresting the owner because of so called outstanding taxes. Taxes to whom? I believe there is a real agenda which…
Philipsburg — In a press statement released on Sunday, November 13th, 2016, DP Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams laments the fact that the National Alliance (NA) and United People’s (UP) parties thumbed their noses at the people of St. Maarten/St. Martin on their day with what she terms “their silly boycott”. “Their silly boycott is bad enough; that the Governor would fall for their silliness is highly questionable, but that the chairperson of parliament, Mr. Claret Connor would compromise the office of chairperson is regrettable.” “The Chairperson of Parliament by law represents parliament, not any faction or coalition of factions. The Parliament…
GREAT BAY – For threatening a man who was with his ex-girlfriend, ill-treating him and stealing his bag and his shoes, Jean Joel Michel Jerome Hodge was sentenced to a 3-month prison sentence in the Court in First Instance yesterday. In September 2007, the Appeals Court sentenced Hodge to 15 years for the manslaughter on Kemar Lloyd Grayson on May 13, 2006. The men got into a deadly altercation after a minor traffic accident. He was released after serving two-third of his sentence, but his early release is now potentially in jeopardy. The latest incident took place on April 23,…
GREAT BAY – The second new cruise vessel on its inaugural call for the month of November is Thomson Discovery (TUI Discovery) which will dock today. In the summer of 2016, Thomson Cruises (TUI) the Discovery, its newest and one of its biggest ships joined its fleet. TUI Discovery is the second of five new cruise ships that will be making its inaugural call this month to the destination. Port St. Maarten Management continues to be proactive by attracting new vessels to the destination and at the same time diversifying the country’s tourism market between American and European cruise passengers. …
