Dear Editor, Our government has presented its governing program some six month after the elections which really was a continuation of the previous government not withstanding a few changed names. Government programs by nature are expected to inspire confidence in the business and investment community and pride and trust in our people. It primarily sets out a vision to where we are going and a path on how we intend to get there. It is mostly based on people before all else including consideration for party affiliation or party color. One of the points highlighted from the program is the…
Author: The Publisher
Not even six months ago pro bono attorneys disturbed the inauguration of the new Government Administration Building to stage a protest against the non-payment of their invoices. Now the attorneys are ready to take to the streets again over the same issue. When pro bono attorneys go on strike, those who are unable to afford a lawyer in a criminal case feel the consequences. By not paying these attorneys the government is hurting its own population. Apparently the justice ministry and the finance ministry are blaming each other for this situation. Instead of playing this blame game, they could of…
GREAT BAY – Attorneys handling pro bono cases are threatening to go on strike for the second time in six months if the government does not pay their outstanding invoices dating back to December of last year, attorney Geert Hatzmann said. “It is the same old song. The ministry of justice blames to ministry of finance and vice versa,” Hatzmann said. “That is however not our concern. We demand that out outstanding invoices will be paid no later than March 31. If that does not happen we will go on strike on April 1 (is that not an appropriate date?)…
GREAT BAY – Two 22-year-old men, identified as Jeff Stephane (photo far left) and Samuel Blaise (photo left) drowned on Saturday around 4 p.m. during a swim at Mullet Bay Beach. The Coast Guard retrieved their bodies on Sunday, after earlier searches on Saturday had yielded no results. According to the police, one of the swimmers had called for help and the other one went into the water to help him. Shortly afterwards they both disappeared underwater. Police officers, ambulance personnel and the Coast Guard went to the scene on Saturday. Clothing and car keys belonging to the swimmers were…
GREAT BAY — Prime Minister William Marlin his wife and Education Minister was among the audience at the interview and debating competition for the teens, senior and mature delegates that competing in the Miss TelCel Queen Pageant. Teen delegates at Miss TelCel Queen Pageant Debate. Senior delegates at Miss TelCel Queen Pageant Debate. Mature delegates at Miss TelCel Queen Pageant Debate. Read the full story in Monday’s edition of the TODAY Newspaper. Click here to register to read the complete digital newspaper online. Click here to register.
Old sins have long shadows, the saying goes and this applies seamlessly to the court case that involved the former director of the tourist bureau and two other suspects. The complaint at the basis of this court case was filed on November 26, 2010 and when the trial begins on May 10, 6 years and 5 months will have elapsed. Some of the charges are about actions that took place in December 2008. Why did it take so long? The public prosecutor said two years ago that at the time of the complaint the National Detective Agency had been overwhelmed…
GREAT BAY – The Ministry of Education, through the Inspectorate of Culture, Youth and Sport, has partnered with the Leo Club of the St. Maarten Lions Club to embark on a drug and alcohol awareness campaign, with its main objective to curb the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol use among our youth. This initiative came about through recent findings within the Ministry of Education has realized that the number of reports of drug and alcohol use among minors are increasing instead decreasing. Our reports also indicate that younger students in our primary schools are also indulging in drugs…
Awareness How do you bring about awareness that question popped into our head when we read that the ministry of education and the Leo Club are going to tackle the always interesting issue of drugs and alcohol awareness. Obviously, the initiative is not meant to make youngsters aware that there are drugs and alcohol available in abundance on the island. The objective is to tell them to stay away from drugs and alcohol. But how do you do that? It is easy to give cheap advice. Don’t do drugs. Don’t get drunk. Simple and straightforward. But here is the thing…
GREAT BAY – The public prosecutor has charged former airport-director Regina Labega, author Fabian Badejo and a third suspect, Erica F. of membership of a criminal organization that embezzled money from the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau. Other activities of this organization were filing incorrect tax returns for wage, profit and income taxes, forgery, money laundering and fraud. Trial date set for May 10 Yesterday there was a pro forma hearing in the Court in First Instance. Only Labega appeared. The court set the date for the trial at May 10 – 6 years and 5 months after the former head…
Dear Editor, Through its work, Transparency International (TI), a global organization, hopes to realize a world in which government, business, civil society and the daily lives of people will be free of corruption. Upon a country’s request, TI assesses its weaknesses and strengths with regard to integrity and good governance. Assessments were conducted for the Netherlands in 2012, for Curaçao in 2013 and for St. Maarten in 2015. To be able to assess a country’s integrity, TI looks at several pillars such as the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government, the public sector, law enforcement agencies, etc. For the…
