PHILIPSBURG — Low cost carrier Frontier Airlines will begin nonstop services from Princess Juliana International Airport to Luis Muňoz International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on June 3. Frontier is already flying from St. Maarten to Orlando once a week. “We’re thrilled to offer this convenient, affordable new intra-island service between St. Maarten and San Juan. This is part of our new focus on underserved and overpriced routes,” said Frontier’s Vice president of network and operations design Josh Flyr in a press statement. “This new service will provide a low-cost option for local residents seeking to travel between the…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG — The Oranje Fund is inviting candidates for its 2024 Appeltjes van Oranje program. Three winners will each receive a cash prize of 25,000 Euros and a bronze statuette crafted by Princess Beatrix during a ceremony at Noordeinde Palace from Queen Maxima. Applications should be submitted no later than February 23. This year’s theme is Fighting Loneliness Together. Projects should focus on bringing people, participants and volunteers together on an equal footing to actively reduce the impact of loneliness, the Oranje Fund states in a press release. The release points out that loneliness affects one in ten people -…
PHILIPSBURG — Governor Ajamu Baly has appointed Dr. Nilda Arduin and Drs. Candida Joseph RO EMIA as informateurs and requested that they submit their report by February 2. A press release from the Governor’s office labels the coalition agreement signed by four political parties (URSM, NOW, DP and PfP) as “preliminary.” The Governor has asked the two informateurs to pay specific attention to seven issues during their assignment. Top of the list is the sustainability of public finances, in connection with the reliability of collection and the simplification of the tax system. Another issue is law enforcement, in particular “the…
~ MP Rolando Brison has stepped down as leader of the United People’s Party ~ United People’s Party Expresses Profound Gratitude to the Resilient People of St. Maarten PHILIPSBURG — In the wake of the recently held Parliamentary Election on January 11, 2024, the United People’s Party (UP) says it is grateful for the overwhelming support received from the electorate. In a press release issued Friday, January 19, the UP Party Board stated, “The Board of the United People’s Party extends its deepest and most heartfelt thanks to the people of St. Maarten for their unwavering support and resilience.” “Thanks…
PHILIPSBURG — The four parties that signed a coalition agreement – URSM, NOW, PFP and DP – have warned the outgoing government against taking any decisions that could be perceived as departure policy. “All decisions made from now up to the change in government need to be part of the continuity of things, and not new decisions,” the parties write in a press release. The release mentions six examples in particular: the permanent appointment of civil servants who have been in acting positions for less than three years, the appointment of cabinet members as civil servants, the issuance of land…
PHILIPSBURG — Justice Bob Wit passed away aged 71, the Caribbean Court of Justice stated in a press release dated January 6. Wit served at the court since its establishment in 2005 until he retired in December 2023 for health reasons. Wit was also the first President of St. Maarten’s Constitutional Court. The President of the Caribbean Court of Justice, Justice Adrian Saunders expressed his sorrow at the news of Wit’s passing. “It is a sad day for the court. Justice Wit and I worked together since 2005 when we formed part of the inaugural bench. He was the lone…
PHILIPSBURG — The four parties that have signed a coalition agreement – URSM, DP, PFP and NOW – will present no later than February 3 a document in which they align their respective manifestos. Before taking office, the four parties will also present a clear and detailed governing program. This appears from the agreement the four parties signed just two days after the elections, on January 13. To find common ground and to address potential pain points, the coalition partners intend to hire an as yet unidentified third party. The coalition agreement gives the position of prime minister and the…
By Hilbert Haar If you thought that the government and its elected officials are careful when they are spending your tax-dollars I invite you to think again, because these people are a lot, but not careful. The General Audit Chamber took a look at how politicians are spending money on travel, accommodation and undisclosed stuff and they also looked at how useful St. Maarten’s membership of Parlatino is. That politicians have to travel on occasion is not the issue here. The question is: do they have to travel first class, the most expensive option when it comes to buying airline…
PHILIPSBURG — The Parliament spends hundreds of thousands of guilders each year on its membership of Parlatino without showing any tangible results. This appears from an audit of the General Audit Chamber into the effectiveness of the Parlatino-membership. The annual Parlatino membership fee totals 702,000 guilders ($392,179) and parliamentarians spent more than 2.1 million guilders ($1,173,184) a year on travel and accommodation to attend meetings of this organization. The Audit Chamber surveyed parliamentarians about the effectiveness of the Parlatino-membership. Seven out of fifteen MPs responded. Six out of these seven agree to setting criteria for specific flight classes and for…
PHILIPSBURG — The General Audit Chamber’s audit into public sector travel contains a handful of recommendations aimed at improving accountability. Among them is the establishment of a national decree containing general measures (Lbham) about accommodation expenses and travel insurance for civil servants. The Chamber furthermore recommends to make economy class the standard for traveling, to split the per diem into travel and lodging and meals and incidentals and to require the return of unspent per diem. In 2022, the year covered by the audit, government and parliament spent 1.24 million guilders ($692,737) on travel and accommodation. This was an increase…
