St. Martin News Network

Poor turn out at Information Session held for Political Candidates --- Elected Officials can lose their seat if they don’t comply with financial administration.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The information session held on Wednesday night at the University of St. Martin (USM) for political candidates received a very poor turn out.
Information that was shared on Wednesday night was to inform all candidates that are contesting the 2014 Parliamentary Elections how they need to document their finances which has to be submitted to the Electoral Council by the end of September 2014 (one month after the August 29th election).
Speakers at the information se...

Four Suspects in the Assassination of MP Helmin Wiels to go before Courts next week.

WILLEMSTAD, Curacao:--- The four suspects that were arrested last week in the assassination of MP Helmin Wiels are expected to appear in court next Monday, said Prosecutor Guillano Schoop. Schoop identified the suspects as E.K., C.P., N.F., and D.D. Schoop told SMN News on Wednesday that only one of the suspects E.K. gave investigators a statement on his role in the high day assassination on May 5th, 2013. He said the others maintained their right to remain silent but yet gav...

Government yet to take decision on Vorst Estate Purchase --- Price is too high says PM.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams announced during the Council of Ministers weekly press briefing on Wednesday that the Council of Ministers is yet to take a decision on the purchase of the Vorst Estate. Wescot Williams said government feels that the purchase price is too high and they have to find a solution to the problem created by one Minister.

The Minister of VROMI Maurice Lake purchased 11,100 square meters of land from the Vorst family for 5.5 million...

Minister De Weever warns Politicians not to harass his workers for political mileage.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Cornelius de Weever sent a strong warning to all politicians who have been calling and visiting civil servants at the department of Social Affairs to get favors for their supporters. Minister de Weever refused to name the polit...

Amendment to Civil Code Ready --- Abuse of short term contracts regulated.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Labor Cornelius de Weever announced on Wednesday that the amendment of the Civil Code is now finalized and that the document which has a lot to with the Ministry of Justice now has to follow the chain before it can be implemented.
Minister de Weever...

At 60 and counting, DP reflects on past contributors to the building of the St. Maarten nation.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Democratic Party (DP) of St. Maarten during 2014 is celebrating its 60th anniversary with reflecting on the past decades and recognizing the invaluable contribution that the party and its members, past and present, have made to the development of this nation.

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A conversation with the people!

COLE BAY:--- The OSPP believes strongly that the people must have a say in determining the direction that this country is going. We don't believe in the politicians talking down to the people during those public meetings and not giving the people the opportunity to question their...

Prime Minister Wescot-Williams Presented with, Signs Copies of Practical Guide for Visitors to St. Maarten.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Tuesday July 29th the Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams on Tuesday was presented with the recently published "Welkom op St. Maarten" guide for people from Dutch Speaking Countries interested in traveling to St. Maarten. The Prime...

Study on HIV/AIDS, Family Planning Completed.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The study conducted by department of Social Affairs on HIV/AIDS and family planning has been completed. Policy Advisor of the department Rose Fleming presented the completed study to Minister of Social Affairs Cornelius de Weever on Wednesday.
Ms. Fleming told repo...

DP "walking the integrity walk".

PHILIPSBURG:--- On initiative of Emil Lee, candidate #4 on the Democratic Party list, the Open Government Partnership agreement has been endorsed by the DP and all candidates on the 2014 slate.

"Open and transparent government is not solely a state that St. Maarten should aspire, ...

Carnival Troupe Leaders and other Participants were not paid --- Where is the monies?

PHILIPSBURG:--- Several persons that participated in the 2014 Carnival are at their wits end because the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) did not pay them their prize monies.
Gordon Yee, with the troupe "45 Years of Sweetness" won the best troupe of the year, he ...

Political Parties Given Two Days to remove all Political Paraphernalia from round-a-bouts.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The six political parties contesting the 2014 Parliamentary Elections were given two days in which they must remove all political paraphernalia from all round-a-bouts on St. Maarten.
Reliable sources told SMN News that Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson held tal...