A star is born
By Hilbert Haar MP Grisha Heyliger-Marten dealt a quick blow to her political adversaries after she was voted out of her position as chairlady of parliament. She cut all ties with the United People’s party (UP), More...
Stooges
By Hilbert Haar StMaartenNews.com publisher Terrance Rey wrote an interesting column for dossierkoninkrijksrelaties.nl about the phenomenon of stooges in St. Maarten. I’d like to add a few elements to his observations. A More...
Village politics
By Hilbert Haar With the Silveria Jacobs government teetering on the brink of collapse, the question arises why governments apparently fall so easily in St. Maarten. The short answer is: village politics. Our little More...
How MP Brison orchestrated his own downfall
By Hilbert Haar Democracy at its finest. That is how my publisher Terrance Rey describes the outcome of what was basically a vote of no confidence against the chairlady of parliament, Grisha Heyliger-Marten. I More...
Quality journalism
By Hilbert Haar It is official. The government has published its house rules and procedures for the live Council of Ministers press briefing as well as its media accreditation policy in the National Gazette of More...
Sympathy for the Devil
By Hilbert Haar Wrestling through a press release issued by MP Rolando Brison, leader of the United People’s party (UP), a couple of things stand out. First of all this statement: “The constitution can never More...
Identify your customer
By Hilbert Haar The Financial Action Task Force aims to inspire countries to take adequate measures against money laundering and the financing of terrorism. In March 2022 the organization updated its recommendations. More...
Does the goal justify the means?
By Hilbert Haar The jungle of rules facing foreign entrepreneurs in St. Maarten has a long history. The fear of a European invasion after the Second World War inspired local legislators to establish already in More...
A missed opportunity
By Hilbert Haar Maybe it is just me but I was severely scratching my head when I read the questions in the survey launched by Prime Minister Jacobs as part of her electoral reform campaign. I mean, if you intend More...
When opportunity knocks
By Hilbert Haar Our story about the Pott rum factory shows that it is possible to have foreign investors come to the island that offer meaningful employment to locals. But the complaint is more often than not, More...
