Notaries refuse to sign deeds for the transfer of lease land
PHILIPSBURG -- Civil law notaries refuse to sign deeds for the transfer of lease land because the government does not have a policy in place that is in line with the so-called Didam-arrest, Ombudsman Gwendolien More...
Ombudsman asked to investigate fairness of tax system
PHILIPSBURG — Citizen John A. Richardson has approached the Ombudsman in an open letter with a request to investigate the fairness of St. Maarten’s fiscal system. The letter addresses in particular the More...
Open Letter to the Ombudsman of Country Sint Maarten requesting an investigation into Taxes in Sint Maarten
Generally speaking the task of the Ombudsman purports among others to investigate individual complaints against government. I believe that in this instance this threshold is met. The scope of taxation affects everyone More...
Ombudsman closes file on Over the Bank dispute
PHILIPSBURG — The Ombudsman will not pursue further investigation of the issuance of long lease rights in the Over the Bank area. It sent a notice of termination to VROMI-Minister Egbert Doran. In a press More...
Ombudsman gives VROMI-ministry bad report card
PHILIPSBURG — The Ministry of Public Housing, Urban Planning, Environment and infrastructure (VROMI) gets a very bad report card in the 2021 annual report of the Ombudsman. “The Ombudsman continues to be More...
PFP: VROMI Minister is playing stalling tactics to avoid accountability
PHILIPSBURG – Party for Progress (PFP) Members of Parliament (MPs) Melissa Gumbs and Raeyhon Peterson are not surprised by the deliberate stalling tactics played by the Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, More...
Court declares cost-cutting ordinances constitutional
PHILIPSBURG – After careful consideration the Constitutional Court has rejected the Ombudsman’s request to void three temporary national ordinances that regulate cuts in the labor conditions for civil servants, More...
Controversy about Vineyard Heights triggers integrity-row
PHILIPSBURG -- The controversy over the Over the Bank - Vineyard Heights housing development is affecting Minister Egbert Doran (VROMI) and Ombudsman Gwendolien Mossel, as well as the 54 applicants who applied for More...
Ombudsman starts systemic investigation into collection of solid waste tender 2021-2026
PHILIPSBURG — Ombudsman Gwendolien Mossel has started a Systemic Investigation into the collection of solid waste tender 2021-2026. On 25 and 31 March 2021 respectively, complaints were filed with the Ombudsman More...
Ombudman submits austerity measures for review to Constitutional Court
PHILIPSBURG — The office of the Ombudsman has submitted three national ordinances that regulate salary cuts for employees in the (semi) public sector for review to the Constitutional Court. The Ombudsman asks More...