(In)stability
By Hilbert Haar Back in the day, I do not exactly remember the year, the Democratic Party came up with a lofty election slogan: Country above self. This may seem logical to well-meaning citizens but it is badly understood by at least some politicians. The four-party coalition government of Dr. Luc Mercelina has not even had the opportunity to do anything More...
Government takes control of carnival organization
PHILIPSBURG -- The organization of carnival will from now on be under the control of a newly established St. Maarten Carnival and Planning Committee it appears from the restructuring policy for carnival published More...
The Pirate Society
By Hilbert Haar My publisher Terrance Rey posed the question whether we can be both a socialist and a capitalist country. Interesting question. American politicians tend to use socialism as a derogatory term, accusing More...
Will St. Maarten finally leave the monetary union?
PHILIPSBURG — The Social Economic Council advised the government more than ten years ago, in February 2013 to leave the monetary union with Curacao as soon as possible. Politicians may have read the advice, More...
Laughing all the way to the bank
By Hilbert Haar Much has been said but little has been done about the generous pension plans for politicians who miss the cut during an election – and it is costing the country, and by extension the tax payers, More...
The art of critical thinking
By Hilbert Haar Is it the role of the media to educate as some politicians seem to think? I strongly disagree with that idea. Schools educate. Parents, if you’re lucky, educate as well. Serious news media inform. Back More...
Department of Statistics optimistic
~ It is highly anticipated that the country will surpass the 2016 record in the coming years ~ By Hilbert Haar Our tourism industry is not out of the woods yet, not by a long shot. This appears from data provided More...
Wasteful spending
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 More...
The old normal
By Hilbert Haar Nothing surprises me anymore about politics in St. Maarten so the coalition-agreement the URSM signed with the DP, NOW and PFP did not come like a bat out of hell either. The four parties have eight More...
Bold promises
By Hilbert Haar It will take some time before the Netherlands has a new government – with or without Geert Wilders, leader of the PVV (Party for Freedom) and winner of the Dutch elections. Wilders has to More...
