By Hilbert Haar I have more than once expressed my amazement about the huge number of tax warrants our tax inspectorate issues on a regular basis. Hundreds of them and they all have one characteristic in common: current residence unknown. So the tax inspectorate knows that it does not know where a certain tax payer is hanging out, but it still insists on issuing tax warrants that contain the order to comply with its contents within two days. Maybe you wonder how often the people and businesses that are on the receiving end of these warrants step up to the…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG — In December 2022, journalist Hilbert Haar was diagnosed with vascular dementia, or cognitive impairment. Main cause: years of sleep apnea, a disorder general practitioners seldom consider, mainly because patients report vague complaints that are oftentimes associated with a burnout. Patients who suffer from sleep apnea stop breathing more than once during their sleep, for several seconds. This results in a shortage of oxygen supply to the brain – with all its consequences. Vascular dementia is a process that can be halted, according to some medical professionals. It is also reversible provided it is diagnosed at an early stage.…
PHILIPSBURG — There are 136 current verdicts, Minister of Justice Anna Richardson told the parliamentary Justice Committee recently. This means that 136 criminals who have a prison sentence to their name, are still waiting to serve that sentence. This is due to the lack of capacity at the Pointe Blanche prison. The prison currently has forty cells with a maximum occupancy of two inmates per cell. Minister Richardson said that it is “a sad reality” that verdicts are outpacing the available detention capacity. This is due to measures aimed at tackling capacity issues, the minister explained. These measures limit the…
PHILIPSBURG — Member of Parliament and Leader of the United People’s UP Party MP Rolando Brison says he echoes the sentiment of so many who are tired of the continuous grandstanding by MP Sarah Wescot-Williams, who has been in government for so long and was part of creating so many of the problems we have today; Questioning things Parliament’s motion regarding Mullet Bay, which she ran away from voting on, the progress of the new General Hospital, electoral reforms and many other issues her failures in leadership helped create today. He says despite being reputably branded as the “Do-Nothing” Party…
PHILIPSBURG — On Wednesday January 25th, Natasha Manuela, Managing Director of Prudential Tax Services, was interviewed on the Wendell Moore’s radio show about taxes — encouraging the public to file their taxes and educating on the importance of doing so. “It is compulsory by law that you have to file your income taxes,” says Natasha Manuela. “Because of you’re expenditures you are eligible to get refunds, but if you don’t file, you lose that obligation. And there’s a fine of NAF 5000 if you do not file.” Not only is there a fine to pay, but not having your taxes…
Dear Editor, After previously shining the light on ‘Call Centers’ as an avenue to diversify the economy, the topic today will surround ‘Trade Fairs’. See related article: Call centers as a way to diversify our economy A trade fair and/or exhibition is a congregation of showrooms where different vendors are under one roof. Fair and exhibitions constitute the means of presenting goods and/or services with the intention to attract the visitor’s attention which in turn would be grasping their interest in the goods or products displayed. Sint Maarten is already a major hub throughout the Caribbean region with the plus…
~ The Committee to Elect Cloyd Ohndhae Marlin to the Parliament of St. Maarten Hosts A Successful Planning Meeting ~ PHILIPSBURG — A core group of community leaders came together on Sunday, February 12, to form a powerful ‘Committee to Elect Cloyd Ohndhae Marlin to the Parliament of St. Maarten.’ The atmosphere was filled with excitement as cheers were heard from a distance. Cloyd ‘Ohndhae’ Marlin opened the meeting with a word of welcome, followed by Benjamin Bell former St. Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) candidate, who blessed the meeting with a word of prayer, as well as the St. Maarten…
PHILIPSBURG — “We need to stop talking about tax reform and start reform,” independent MP Ludmila de Weever said in a meeting of parliament with Finance Minister Ardwell Irion. We need reform that empowers our country and most importantly our people, the MP said. De Weever pointed out that in 2010 the profit tax in both St. Maarten and Curacao was 34.5 percent. In the meantime, Curacao has lowered this tax to 22 percent. “In St. Maarten it has stayed on the same level.” ‘Out tax system is a little bit absurd,” MP de Weever continued. “The minister has done…
ORANJESTAD — Politics and corruption seem to be like Siamese twins, not only in St. Maarten but certainly also in Aruba where, according to a report by Caribisch Netwerk, currently six politicians are involved in corruption scandals. The cherry on this cake is the news that the Supreme Court has confirmed the verdict against former AVP-Minister Paul Croes. Croes has now been irrevocably sentenced to 3 years of imprisonment and an 8-year ban on working as a politician. The corruption-charges against Croes are about fiddling with work permits. On the day the Supreme Court confirmed the verdict against Croes, the…
KINGSTON — Eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt is not the only one who has been scammed by an employee of the Jamaica-based company Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL). There are thirty other potential victims and the total losses for these SSL-investors add up to $1.2 billion, according to a January 18-report by Chris Hatler in Runner’s World. Hatler wrote that the investigation into wrongdoings at SSL focused on a long-time employee. That employee has now been identified as Jean-Ann Panton who started working at SSL on April 1, 1997. She is currently client relationship manager. Panton made a voluntary…
