So now the discussion is not about the improper behavior of MP Patrick Illidge during a meeting at the Cadastre office but about the factual reporting in this newspaper on Tuesday. To be exact: about the use of a four-letter word in a quotation attri
The justice ministry placed focuses on its successes yesterday, and while we’re sure that will good for morale, we believe that there also needs to be some time devoted to the failings of the system and how those can be repaired. For example while
There is no doubt that President of the Collectivité Alain Richardson is an ideological man. That fact is obvious from the way he mixes convoluted terms into every speech he makes to prove that he has vision and that he wants to take his people some
That at least one union leader objects to plans to raise the retirement age is understandable, but we think that a national discussion about this issue is still warranted. In fact we would argue that is an absolute necessity. We are sure that there a
Personality politics is still very much alive in St. Maarten and was most recently made evident by Independent Member of Parliament Frans Richardson’s rant aimed at the President of the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association Emil Lee. That t
Economic data put out by the Department of Statistics on Monday reveals some good news – prices on basic goods fell in June and inflation has fallen. This no doubt means that people had a little bit of extra change in their pockets. That’s money
The decision by Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) to investigate making Dutch and French official languages represents multiple opportunities for St. Maarten. On the hand the study could allow an enterprising linguist an opport
Justice Minister Roland Duncan took a clear position in yesterday’s Central Committee meeting on all issues related to the Pointe Blanche prison and its residents. The minister made it clear that the Inmates Association has some introspection to d
The economy did not fare well at all in 2011. According to the Central Bank it contracted by 1.5 percent – a stark contrast with the previous government that initially based its 2011 budget on the assumption that the economy would grow. While this
A historic moment it was indeed: the first report about a systemic investigation produced by the Bureau Ombudsman since its inception on October 10, 2010. Unfortunately this report, about perceived irregularities at the Cadastre is surrounded by the
Promises flowed freely in the Dr. A.C. Wathey Legislative Hall on Wednesday and now fill the pages of this newspaper. But nearly two years after an election and yes even just a month in office promises are not what the people of this country are look
Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Silveria Jacobs is obviously on the right side of history and the right side of the manner in which emancipation/freedom should be celebrated. The minister also makes it clear for all to see in her stat
The figures released by the Department of Statistics on Monday should give the just over one month old “Government that is working for the people” a clear idea of what their priorities should be in the coming period – getting the economy moving
Telem has woken to the statement that time and technology waits for no man and no company. The recognition jumps out for all to see from the statement the company’s management issued on Sunday about the ongoing restructuring. In one line it points
St. Maarten’s lack of reporting on trafficking in persons may have been understandable in 2010 because the country was newly born and officials here needed to get a clear understanding of their role and the commitments they have to meet. To hear in
That the previous government was going to allow for the construction of a theme park in the Emilio Wilson Estate is in itself no news. The Island Council placed the estate on the Monument list in 2007 and solemnly pledged to protect it for future gen
Contractor Volker Stevin has found an interesting way to communicate with the community about the progress of the causeway across the lagoon project by opening a Facebook page. This offers visitors the opportunity to express their opinion, but also
The fact that the University of St. Martin is still in some financial trouble is no great surprise. In fact it’s become a recurring theme. What is news is that things now really seem to be getting better with the finances and the university’s lea
The leader of the Man party in Curacao Charles Cooper is proving to be the stabilizing force in that country’s governing coalition. A few months ago he was the one to take things calmly when Pueblo Soberano leader Helmin Wiels was lashing out at th
The defendant in the Jamal Samuel shooting showed up in court dressed to the teens: dress pants, shirt and tie and shiny shoes. This was the main player in a family drama for which there is no consolation. The defendant shot his brother, thereby robb
The stunt independent MP Romain Laville pulled on Monday night is rather unique in the political history of St. Maarten. His anger towards MP Jules James culminated in verbal threats to shoot and kill his adversary. Now Laville has apologized in p
Louis Mussington may be out of the race to be St. Martin’s delegate in the French parliament, but he’s not leaving the scene quietly. Instead he’s chosen to somewhat throw his lot behind Guillame Arnell’s candidacy by stating that a victory f
The drama around the Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten just keeps getting bigger and bigger. The latest scene is the request by the board to suspend the director Emsley Tromp. The Government of St. Maarten will respond soon, and likely so will
Don’t lose your driver’s license. That is the message the understandable government wants to send to people with its proposal for higher fees for getting a driver’s license that is lost. While the proposal seems on the up and up, we’re a bi
We cannot understand why some continue to make slavery in the Americas and its end a matter of skin color. It is historic fact that slavery has existed in many forms and been experienced by many ethnic groups for millennia. The lesson of those many m
National Alliance Member of Parliament George Pantophlet has raised the matter of government owned companies paying dividends to its shareholders with the new finance minister Roland Tuitt. This is no surprise considering that the MP has consistently
Editorial, St. Maarten News - Posted by admin on June 1, 2012
The prosecutor’s office had some good news to report yesterday for more than one reason. First there is the announcement that the Eric Yuan Sam murder is drawing to a close after the investigation was reopened last month. The underlying cause
The police force suffered a severe blow in the Court in First Instance yesterday due to the acquittal of a defendant who stood accused of drunk driving, ill-treating a policeman and resisting arrest. The judge ruled on all counts in favor of the d
Kingdom Relations Minister Spies sent a strong warning to the Schotte-government in Curacao yesterday. The outgoing minister is not amused by the gaping hole in the country’s 2011 budget and she is apparently even less amused about the way financ
Maybe it comes like too little too late, but we think that the comments from the Bar Association about article 28 the parliament dropped from the new Criminal Code are still worth considering. Our parliament basically wants to lock up lifers and thr
The trial of Brooks Tower project leader Evelyn H. offered plenty of courtroom drama yesterday. The career civil servant is looking at a mild sentence but the damage the whole affair has done to her life is devastating. That damage is beyond repair
There are two versions about the reason for the strike at the Pointe Blanche prison and they don’t match. Given the limited communication coming from the prison management, we tend to believe what the attorney for the Inmates Association told this
When members of parliament are sworn in they promise to always uphold the constitution, aka the State Regulation. That should not be an empty promise, but MPs created an interesting situation by bringing up cockfighting yesterday during the debate ab
Tomorrow the parliament will deal with the legislation to make July 1 – Emancipation Day – a national holiday. As we have pointed out on more than one occasion, doing so could be meaningful. Slavery was awful, it should never have happened, but i
The new government has been duly installed yesterday and many citizens are now wondering whether the new team will bring about a change for the better. Surely, we must give the new team at least a little bit of time to get used to the jobs at hand,
