PHILIPSBURG — Shemira Hernandez, Candidate No. 13 on the National Alliance list, has a bold vision for the future of Sint Maarten. Her passion lies in seeing the island flourish, particularly in the tourism and recreation sectors, which she believes are the backbone of the local economy. With the slogan “Innovate to Elevate,” Hernandez is determined to bring a fresh perspective to how the island can reach new heights, benefiting both locals and visitors alike. Hernandez’s passion for tourism and her understanding of the industry were honed during her studies in the Netherlands, where she learned the importance of adaptability…
Author: The Publisher
By Andre Huie PHILIPSBURG — Several political candidates contesting the St. Maarten August 19 elections have been speaking on the severe load shedding St. Maarteners have been experiencing over the past few months and are calling for solutions. The power and water company GEBE has been experiencing major power generation issues in recent months, triggering frequent power outages and constant complaints from consumers, especially business owners, some of whom have invested in generators to help solve their power problems. Candidate for the Soualiga Action Movement (SAM) Claude “Chacho” Peterson, who himself is an engineer, is proposing adding a renewable energy…
By Andre Huie PHILIPSBURG — Some candidates contesting the August 19 snap parliamentary elections in St. Maarten are calling for electoral reform to help minimize defection of parliamentarians that often times lead to the collapse of coalition governments. This snap election comes just six months after voters in St. Maarten would have voted in January 2024 after a member of parliament withdrew his support from the coalition government, forcing Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina to call fresh elections, 17 days into the new government taking office. Leader of the Soualiga Action Movement Franklyn Meyers, suggested that St. Maarten should adopt…
PHILIPSBURG — Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs made clear during a meeting of Parliament in June that the Outline Agreement as a solution for troubled insurance company ENNIA is not the best solution for St. Maarten. In a reaction to the letter she received from the Central Bank, the minister stated that she is waiting for Parliament to tell her what to do. Related link: CoM Press Briefing August 7th 2024 That remark seems to fly in the face of a suggestion by former Finance Minister Ardwell Irion during the June-meeting: “If you say that this is not the best solution,…
By WENDELL MOORE At the moment we do not teach Civics in our Schools. Some Educators will argue that Civics is taught as part of the subject called Social Studies. First off, we need to define what is Civics and what it teaches to our students to earn its own curriculum. The definition of Civics is the study of the rights and duties of Citizens: the study of Citizenship is also called Civics because it teaches you about the rights granted to Citizens as well as their responsibilities: such as serving on Juries, Voting, Laws, Taxes and engaging in the…
PHILIPSBURG — The Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten (CBCS) wants to finalize the restructuring of troubled insurance company ENNIA by December 1 of this year but it is unable to do so without approval of the so-called Outline Agreement by the Parliament of St. Maarten. Without St. Maarten’s approval, the CBCS has no other choice but to file for the bankruptcy of ENNIA, President Richard Doornbosch and Executive Director Jose Jardim write in a letter to outgoing Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs. Minister Gumbs criticized the proposed solution during a meeting of parliament that took place on June 29.…
By Cdr. Bud Slabbaert What would happen if an entire tourism destination was dedicated to expressing tourism legacy in a new way? Wanting to explore the potential for developing a bolder, and more distinctive concept for tourism destination services and products. Conceived as model to explore future directions with innovative features and enhanced by promotion language that reflect the destination’s unique products and professional services. The new concept may be a radical demonstration of the power of an avant-garde brand that will appear as the tourism destination of tomorrow. Does it sound like a politician’s biddle-boo diddley squat? It doesn’t…
Philipsburg, St. Maarten – In a proactive response to the ongoing energy crisis that has significantly impacted the business community, particularly micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), Member of Parliament Ardwell Irion and National Alliance candidate Edsel Gumbs recently engaged in a fruitful discussion with the management of Qredits. The meeting focused on the severe repercussions businesses have faced, including revenue loss due to food spoilage, waste, inability to service clients, and disruptions in operational preparations. Recognizing the urgent need for support, MP Irion and Mr. Gumbs, a former loan officer and communications manager of Qredits, championed the introduction of…
By Andre Huie PHILIPSBURG — National Alliance candidate number 17 Carlita Guy has a passion to see the St. Maarten economy thrive and return to the pinnacle it once was. An entrepreneur herself, Guy, in an interview with StMaartenNews.com, spoke passionately about the taxation inequality between small and medium enterprises and larger businesses on the island. “I don’t believe in small businesses paying TOT (turnover tax) while a business that is profiting in the 5 digits and higher can be exempted for 10 years. That is a something that has piqued my interest to bring understanding to me because as…
PHILIPSBURG — The administrative court gave the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) four weeks to take a decision about a request from EZ Air for a FACOP (Foreign Air Operator Certificate). EZ Air, doing business under the name Z Air, applied on August 2, 2023, for a FACOP but so far the ministry has not taken a decision. The Curacao-based airline, established in 2000 by Captain René Winkel, initiated two lawsuits to settle the matter; one against country St. Maarten and one against the minister of TEATT. A FACOP would enable the airline to fly to…
