Prime Minister Jacobs not concerned: “I think we still have a majority”
PHILIPSBURG — The National Alliance-United People’s party governing coalition continues discussions with members of parliament about their willingness to leave the opposition benches. But Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs declined to comment on these developments during Wednesday’s Council of Ministers press briefing. Asked whether she supported More...
Audit Chamber doubts whether lowering rental costs is feasible
PHILIPSBURG — “We question if the goals set forth in the country package are realistic,” the General Audit Chamber states in its audit on the possibilities of rent reduction for government. Prime Minister More...
Ombudsman: Garbage collection-tender was not fair and not transparent
PHILIPSBURG — The public tender for the collection of solid waste for the period 2021-2026 was “neither fair nor transparent,” the office of the Ombudsman concludes in a report about its systemic More...
New debate about double turnover tax on fuel prices
PHILIPSBURG — Eight years ago, financial expert Emilio Kalmera pointed out how the government abuses the turnover tax-system by applying this levy twice to the price of gasoline and diesel: once to the wholesale More...
Kingdom decides Friday about retraction of salary-cut for civil servants
PHILIPSBURG — The Kingdom Council of Ministers decides next Friday, June 24, whether St. Maarten gets permission to terminate the 12.5 percent pay-cut for civil servants. For a positive outcome, the government More...
Conditions for retracting 12.5 percent salary cut remain a mystery
PHILIPSBURG — The Kingdom Council of Ministers will take a decision about the eight conditions St. Maarten will have to meet in exchange for permission to drop the 12.5 percent salary cut for government employees More...
Acting Governor Groeneveldt unexpectedly passes away
PHILIPSBURG — Acting Governor Reynold Groeneveldt unexpectedly passed away on Tuesday, May 24, 2022. News of his passing soon spread quickly throughout the legal community on the island. “With his passing, More...
Road tax disappears unlawfully into general budget
PHILIPSBURG — In 2009 a detailed draft report estimated there was a road network maintenance backlog worth at least 360 million guilders ($201.1 million). During the following twelve to thirteen years, the More...
Cft advises the introduction of casino- and import taxes
PHILIPSBURG — Financial supervisor Cft is highly critical of St. Maarten’s budget for the year 2022. Because tax revenue is falling 12 million guilders ($6.7 million) behind 2019-levels, the Cft advises More...
DCOMM media policy triggers widespread criticism
PHILIPSBURG -- The Department of Communications has published a media policy that is going to affect journalists who want to attend the weekly press briefing of the Council of Ministers, government press conferences, More...
