Homeless by choice
By Hilbert Haar My life as a global nomad began on June 26 when I stepped on a plane in Grand Case headed for Paris. Reality did not kick in immediately: I traveled with my wife Myriam from Paris to Amsterdam with the Thalys, then moved on to Lelystad where my daughters live. Ever since I have left my beloved St. Maarten I have been in the three cities More...
The presumption of innocence
By Hilbert Haar The presumption of innocence is a crucial component of our judicial system. You are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If you are not happy with a court ruling you are free to appeal More...
A liberating experience
By Hilbert Haar We’re getting closer to the beginning of our big trip towards Asia. St. Maarten is in the rearview mirror, after we left the island at the end of June. It is still weird not to be involved in what’s More...
Caribbean aviation taxes may cause economic strangulation
by Cdr. Bud Slabbaert If an airport in the Caribbean wishes to be an international hub, or even a regional hub, it is probably well advised to drop departure taxes and other passenger taxes. Passenger taxation is More...
Understanding our Parliamentary Democracy Government: The nullifying of the political crises/dilemma
By Political Analyst, Julio R. Romney Knowledge is understanding – with the swearing in of the Council of Ministers on June 25, 2018, the ruling United Democrats/Sint Maarten Christian Party (UD/SMCP) coalition More...
The big To-Do about failing Caribbean airlift
by Cdr. Bud Slabbaert In past three weeks, politicians and industry leaders at a number of summits in the Caribbean have expressed the urgent need for better air connections and more reasonable prices. Sorry folks. More...
Conversations while swimming
by Chris Morvan The woman I’m talking to is almost naked and so am I. So is everyone else in the vicinity, for that matter. But the woman and I can’t see much. Just each other’s head, really, and arms wafting More...
Shouting sweet nothings
by Chris Morvan Half time during a World Cup game and I repair to what people euphemistically call the restroom. This is a smart new sports bar and they’ve got more TV screens than a small African country, bigger More...
To boldly go… up Cay Hill at more than 5mph
by Chris Morvan I was talking to a friend about traffic the other day and mentioned someone who works in the Little Bay area but lives in Cupecoy. “He must be crazy,” I found myself saying. “Even on a good More...
It’s not the winning that counts
by Chris Morvan You can tell when the World Cup is on because suddenly the world goes Brazilian. People who you know for a fact have never been within 1,000 miles of Rio de Janeiro have got that distinctive flag More...
