St. Maarten Private Eye - Constitutional Change

Good governance and transparency = New Status

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 01:50:11 -0700

PPA Leader talks about conflict of interest
Written by Gracita R. Arrindell
Wednesday, 11 June 2008 19:16

We read with great interest the news reports and the editorials concerning the public spectacle at the Island Council meeting Monday considering the clearly impermissible and improper conduct by Commissioner Maria Buncamper-Molanus and her spouse.

However, the most disappointing part of the meeting was the continuing role of the Lt. Governor who uses every opportunity to prevent and delay any effort to call the DP to order.

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Draft Organic Laws

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:04:49 -0700

Last week I noticed this story about the Organic Laws for the new Country St. Maarten. These laws are the foundation laws of how the government and country St. Maarten will operate in the future and it seems to me that very few are really paying attention and that we the public are not being adequately informed or involved. These laws will decide if we get change, I mean real change, in how our island is governed.

According to the article, a variety of draft laws covering areas such as Rules of Order for Parliament and an Ombudsman have already been dealt with. (Does this mean approved by the Exco?) Searching the Country SXM website I can find no documents on these laws and the documents that are listed appear not to be available. One I would love to read has the title 'A New Electoral System: A More Powerful and Dynamic Government?

I would like to make an appeal here to all Civil Servants, Lawyers and Politicians to send us these 'dealt' with laws via email on PDF so we can post and discuss them. (sxmpemail at gmail). SXM does not have a civil rights organization and I don't think we should trust in the opposition to make sure that the needed changes and reforms in governance are included. Mainly because they are really not capable and secondly because they expect or hope to be in office next time around.

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St. Maarten's Corporate Governance

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 04:52:05 -0700

One of hte main holdups with constitutional change negotiations is the issue of corporate governance. I think we all know our present government would like to continue being able to use our public owned companies as private bank accounts for those projects they can political and media mileage out of, or for jobs for party favorites, friends and family.

Maria's husband is on the board of Telem, a highly questionable appointment in itself, they are both on the board of their Sky is the Limit foundation. At least the governor of the NA is asking questions, which is more than our own lame ass governor 'Mr Good Governance' Richards is doing.

Telem Sky is the Limit donation - 31st May 2008

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Tax Talk

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 08:47:32 -0700

In a previous edition of the “Today” newspaper of March 29, 2008, a headline read “Verdonk: The Netherlands also responsible for bankruptcy Antilles”. But it is clear from the date of the Dutch document that follows, that the contents were forwarded to the local politicians and even some politicians on federal level. In 1990, the Netherlands amended their tax legislation to bring it more in line with the realities of the time. The present bankruptcy ordinance was written in 1931. The collection laws were written in the 1940’s. In spite of the booming economy, most businesses have their assets registered in offshore companies in other territories. The present collection legislature is not geared toward reality. The local government has not seen it fit for the last 25 years to invest in personnel, training and systems. The Island Council has not seen it fit to rewrite the Collection ordinance of 1970 in spite of the difficulties faced by the Receiver’s Office. The inability to ammend or lack of interest to rewrite the Collection ordinance of 1970, has cost the society immensely. There is no money to pay for infrastructural improvements, the environment is being destroyed, poverty and crime is on the rise. See below:

Sarah's Photo Op success

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:13:48 -0700

Sarah's trip last week to Holland was hailed with a front page headline by the Today as a success, unfortunately neither the article or the editorial that went with it could tell us what the success was.

I can see two things that could be reported as a success, the first being that Sarah was able to meet with lots of important people, the second being the photo op mileage gained from the trip.

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Not if but what. - SXM New Status

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:36:51 -0800

"Change is important, but not at all costs" and Change in (SXM) attitudes likely"

The headlines yesterday about Sarah's new attitude towards the Kingdom (Holland and Curacao in particular) put me in a blogging frame of mind. Someone beat me to it though, sort of, with this comment in Voodoo's previous post titled Vanity, Pride and Thin Skins. The writer is pretty much on target with my thoughts on the matter. There are a few things I want to add though, and because I think this story deserves a fresh blog page I will put them below here instead of in a comment there. I have also added links to related news on the Daily Herald website these past few days.

St. Maarten needs a New Status and to be free of Curacao, I fully support this and I think most people can agree with this point. The issue here is not whether St. Maarten will get New Status, but what form will it take. It's about vanity, pride and ego over rationality, practicality and wisdom.

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Constitutional Change

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 09:33:21 -0700