GHANA/ST. MAARTEN — On October 14, 2023, in a momentous display of cultural and spiritual significance, former Pastor and Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport of Sint Maarten, Wycliffe Smith, was installed as a chieftain in Ahwerase, Ghana. The appointment, which took place during the Odwira Festival, was upon the recommendation of the Global United Christian Congress of Africa and the Diaspora (GUCCAD). Prior to his installation, Smith met with the Paramount Chief and other tribal leaders to acquaint himself with the duties and ceremonial importance of his new role. The day of the installation was a vivid tapestry…
Author: The Publisher
Sint Maarten – The Board of the United People’s (UP) Party strongly condemns the malicious rhetoric and disingenuous statements peddled by individuals willing to deceive the people of Sint Maarten for their gain. It is crucial to address these actions that serve as a distraction from the real issues facing our nation. The Board has taken note of the various levels of slander, gossip, and dishonesty perpetuated by individuals, some of whom have thankfully severed ties with the United People’s Party. The UP Party is a party of inclusion and firmly believes in giving life to truth. We must guide our…
PHIIPSBURG — Emiko Bird-Lake has been appointed as Acting Governor. The Kingdom Council of Ministers approved her nomination for the position on Friday. Bird-Lake was born in St. Maarten in 1971. She studied medicine at Leiden University and specialized as a cardiologist at the Free University Medical Center in Amsterdam. She currently works as a cardiologist at the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) and the Saba Cares medical center. Bird-Lake is coordinator of the intensive care department at the SMMC; she is a medical advisor and board member of the St. Maarten Heart and Stroke Foundation and a member of…
WILLEMSTAD — Maduro & Curiel’s Bank (MCB) settled the so-called dollar-swiping case with the Public Prosecutor’s Office for 25 million guilders (close to $14 million). Because of the settlement, the bank will not be prosecuted for its role in this activity. Between 2007 and 2015 Venezuelans pinned purchases on a large scale outside of their country with special credit cards. “In reality they did not buy anything but in exchange for their payments they received American dollars in cash,” the Prosecutor’s Office states in a press release. These dollars were worth multiple times their face value in Venezuela. “This way…
WILLEMSTAD – Ennia’s Chief Executive Officer Lesley Ann Harms-Brodie has urged Central Bank President Richard Doornbosch and Minister of Finance Javier Silvania to keep Elisabeth Grimm on board for the Ennia dossier, the Antilliaans Dagblad reports. Grimm is on loan from the Dutch Central Bank and functions as division manager resolution at the Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten (CBCS). She is considered as the ultimate expert on the dispute between Ennia and its majority shareholder Hushang Ansary. The Antilliaans Dagblad reported already in April that Doornbosch intended to terminate Grimm’s contract even though there was still no replacement.…
PHILIPSBURG — St. Maarten will issue a bond loan of 60,854,000 guilders against 3.4 percent interest on November 10. The duration of the loan is 20 years. The subscription to the loan opens on November 2 for the Dutch Agency of the General Treasury. The public will have until Friday November 3 at 10 a.m. to subscribe via all commercial banks in Curacao and St. Maarten. After the subscription closes the Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten (CBCS) will announce the issue price. Parties that subscribed above the issue price will receive their full share. The remaining amount of…
WILLEMSTAD — Ennia and its supervisor CBCS want a ruling from the Supreme Court in The Hague about the dispute with Ennia’s majority shareholder Hushang Ansary and others, the Antilliaans Dagblad reports. In an interim ruling dated September 12, the appeals court held that Ansary is liable for the payment of 250 million guilders ($139.6 million) in damages. An earlier court ruling mentioned a liability of more than a billion guilders but the appeals court ruled that, to determine the exact damages, requires an appraisal of Mullet Bay in St. Maarten. Ennia and the Central Bank (CBCS) are of the…
PHILIPSBURG — The intention to sell a small part of Mullet Bay aims to cover “huge debts” at its formal owner Sun Resorts, Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion said at Wednesday’s press briefing. Irion said that the proceeds of the sale are earmarked for funding the operations of Sun Resorts on Mullet Bay. The Sun Resorts-debts are due to unpaid taxes, social premiums, insurances, consultants and utility bills. The previous management of the resort failed to pay these dues. Together with Prime Minister Jacobs, Minister Irion met on Tuesday with Sun Resorts’ current management – Geomaly Martes and Mike Alexander…
WILLEMSTAD — Opposition party Partido Alternativa Real (PAR) wants to start an Article-15 procedure to force the Prosecutor’s Office to prosecute those who are responsible for the damages inflicted on insurance company Ennia. Party leader Quincy Girigorie confirmed this initiative to the Antilliaans Dagblad. Girigorie is a jurist and was minister of justice in the previous government. According to the prosecutor’s office a criminal investigation started some time ago but it has not been completed yet. The investigation is conducted by the Detective Cooperation Team (RST) under the responsibility of the Central Team of the prosecutor’s office. The Central Bank…
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA — More than eighteen years after her disappearance, Joran van der Sloot confessed to an American judge that he killed 18-year old Natalee Holloway on May 30, 2005 on a beach in Aruba. The confession is part of a plea deal. In 2010, Van der Sloot extorted money from Holloway’s mother Beth in exchange for information about what happened to her daughter. His information was bogus and on June 10, 2010, he was indicted on charges of extortion and wire fraud. His confession to the extortion and to the murder gave Van der Sloot a reduced sentence of…
