Cracks in the coalition
By Hilbert Haar The Indian Merchants Association (IMA) is among the private sector organizations that chose the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA) not even a week ago “to speak on its behalf for continued representation and information.” But only a few days later the IMA broke ranks and issued a press release of its own under More...
Just do it
By Hilbert Haar To write that these are challenging times qualifies as the understatement of the century. But here we are, smack in the middle of an unprecedented crisis that has turned all of our lives upside down. More...
A nightmare scenario
By Hilbert Haar For anybody who thought St. Maarten would be able to weather the corona-virus crisis on its own, José Jardim, the interim president of the Central Bank presented some sobering numbers during a press More...
After Social Distancing, let’s talk Economic Rapprochement for the island
Not all catastrophes produce a Renaissance. It is striking how big the problems for the private sector already are. The middle class, the backbone of the economy, is in danger of collapsing under the pressure of More...
We are all in the same boat
By Hilbert Haar We are all in the same boat and it is now a matter of rowing in the same direction. That’s the conclusion of an analysis published in the Antilliaans Dagblad (AD). The analysis is – like everything More...
The crown witness
By Hilbert Haar Did Theo Heyliger get a fair trial? Not according to his attorney Eldon Sulvaran and certainly not according to the United People’s party-founder’s diehard supporters either. For the defense, More...
Will Minister Gordon’s new work permit policy do any good?
By Hilbert Haar Minister Pamela Gordon-Carty is not the first one to come up with measures to protect the local labor market. Her work permit policy that went into effect on February 7 has met with instant resistance More...
Protect Your Money
By Hilbert Haar When Girobank accountholders in Curacao panicked and started a run on the bank, the Central Bank was quick to point out that all deposits up to 10,000 guilders (just over $5,500) were safe and that More...
Tempest in a teapot
[PUBLISHER’S NOTE: It has been brought to our attention that certain information published in our opinion piece written by Hilbert Haar are incorrect. First of all, the Facebook-video by labor department head More...
Does a Facebook-rant justify disciplinary measures?
PHILIPSBURG – Peggy Ann Dros-Richardson, since time immemorial head of the Labor Department is in some serious trouble after she ranted about her job in a Facebook-video. The government has issued a warning letter More...
