GREAT BAY – Governor Drs. Eugène Holiday requested National Alliance-leader William Marlin yesterday to form a new government as formateur. The governor expects the final report no later than October 27. The Governor, considering the results of the September 26 elections, held consultations between September 27 and 30, with the leaders of the political parties that obtained seats in parliament – the United People’s Party, the National Alliance, the United St. Maarten party and the Democratic Party – and with the vice chairperson of the Council of Advice and the chairperson of the Main Voting Bureau. During the consultation the…
Author: The Publisher
GREAT BAY – The Democratic Party, the United St. Maarten party and the five parties that did not win a seat in last week’s elections have petitioned the Central Voting Bureau with a request for a total recount of the ballots of all polling stations. The Central Voting Bureau meets this morning at 10 a.m. The seven political parties motivate their request with eight arguments. The first one being that voters “were not allowed to be present in several of the voting stations, thereby obstructing their right to voice objections.” In one particular voting station, the parties write in a…
GREAT BAY – At the request of several readers we publish an overview of all the candidates that took part in last week Monday’s elections and the votes they won – from the highest vote getter (Theo Heyliger with 1,426) to the lowest (Johan Zwart with zero votes). Take note of the man in the very last position. It is certain that he is one of the candidates that did not vote for himself. Ironically, he is the last man in both lists of all candidates from the highest to the lowest vote getter and in alphabetical order. All candidates…
It’s Going To Be Four Long Years At least, that is what we hope! We can be optimistic because even losing parties such as the HOPE party are happy with this new NA-UP formation, which – according to HOPE – clearly has gotten the mandate of the people and will guarantee a much more stable government that will last the full four years. At least, that is what we hope! “This is an important condition to be able to reach sustainable development.” HOPE states in a press release. “An unstable government brings an unstable economy which has devastating consequences for us…
One thing is certain – one day we are all called to leave this earth but for radio-journalist Samuel Allen Jr. that call came far too early, just two weeks after his 48th birthday. We remember standing next to him in November 2013, when he reported live about the arrival of King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima at the (now old) Government Administration Building. As the royal couple passed by, Allen told his listeners as if this was the most natural thing to happen, “Yes, here comes Maxima, and I believe she is looking straight at me now.” It was funny…
GREAT BAY- PJD2 Radio personality Samuel Allen Jr is no longer with us. Allen who had to be airlifted to the Dominican Republic on Friday afternoon after suffering from a stroke died while he was receiving treatment early last Saturday morning. He celebrated his 48th birthday on September 17. It was quite a scene outside the Intensive Care Unit at the St Maarten Medical Center when members of the local media converged. They were not there to capture breaking news, instead they were there to hear good news on the state of Allen’s medical condition after he suffered a stroke last…
Yes, St. Maarten should be worried about Trump, but not for the reasons you think As the saying goes; if the US sneezes, St. Maarten catches a cold. Our economy is inextricably linked to that of the United States, home to most of our tourist visitors and provider of the majority of our imported goods. Even our culture has become increasingly influenced by signals from the north, not only because of American visitors and investors, but also by way of the mass media, starting with cable TV in the nineties and of course the internet in the 21st century. History…
Dear Editor, HOPE congratulates all the elected representatives to be sworn in as Members of Parliament and wishes them and the new to be sworn in ministers, much strength in their endeavors to govern our Island in the direction of sustainable development. We hope that all decision-making will be done through the good governance principles, in dialogue with the people and taking into account the regional and international development realities. The Parliament (the Legislative branch of government) is autonomous from the government (the ministers or executive branch) and has the task to make and amend laws (legislation) and also has…
WILLEMSTAD – The elections that were scheduled to take place today in Curacao have been postponed until Wednesday October 5 because of Tropical Storm Matthew that passes close by Curacao today, Elisa Koek reports on Caribisch Netwerk. The head of the Central Voting Bureau, Raymond Pacheco Römer and Prime Minister Ben Whiteman made the announcement yesterday afternoon during a press conference. Mathew became a hurricane yesterday. According to Yogi Coffie of the Meteorological service the hurricane passed Curacao last night around 8 p.m. at a distance of a bit more than 200 kilometers. The Government of Curacao has warned that…
ORANJESTAD – During its visit to Aruba Wednesday and Thursday the Board of financial supervision Aruba (CAft) advised to ensure by means of a 2016 budget amendment as announced by the government as well as a Modification Memorandum that the 2016 and 2017 budgets will remain within the deficit norm in conformity with the National Ordinance on temporary financial supervision (LAft). This in light of the economic growth figures that are lower than previously expected. Recent Aruba Central Bank figures show that both the real and the nominal economic growth have been stagnant for some time. The promised 2016 budget…
