Election results never make everybody happy. The UP’s victory turned to nothing real quick, when the other three parties signed an agreement before the sun came up on Saturday, August 30. But in politics like in life – it is what it is. One di
As an ambassador for mindfulness, it is my task to enlighten you to the benefits of taking up a mindful practice. Today, I encourage you to hug someone with complete awareness as you lean in, feel the size of the person, the warmth or coolness, the p
One of the poorly understood concepts among the Members of our Parliament – okay, among some of these members – is the role of the media. Yesterday, during the public meeting held on the occasion of the closure of the parliamentary year, we heard
Are candidates that are elected to Parliament who do not win enough votes to win a seat on their own, enslaved to the party they belong to? This seems to be the gist of the opinion of Ed Gumbs, elsewhere in this newspaper. We disagree. The system
Dear Editor, After yesterday’s press briefing and statements made by Leona Marlin about coming out victorious on leading the pack of wolves, I am wondering really in this coalition partnership, who really is leading the pack? Oh and by the wa
We’re not confident that the explanation Economic Affairs Minister Ted Richardson gave at the end of last week about his reasons for lifting the moratorium on car rental licenses is solid. It feels too much like departure policy - a decision taken
The last word has not been said yet about the voters register. That people did not receive their voting cards – a much-heard complaint –seems to be for a large party due to inaccuracies in the systems, or in the way these systems are understood a
Dear Editor, After reading certain statements made in the media by representatives of the Democratic Party of St. Maarten this week, I had to express my feelings and beliefs to those same representatives and the fellow members and supporters of th
When one sits or walks to practice mindfulness, there is a pivotal part of the practice than promotes kindness. As you sit with full attention to feeling your breath in your body, as you ride the breath from inhalation to exhalation and your mind sta
The results of Friday’s elections asked for a coalition government, and there were four possibilities, to know: UP/NA (11 seats), UP/USp or UP/DP (each 9 seats) and NA/DP/USp (8 seats). The election campaign clearly showed NA/DP/USp campaigning
Now that the dust has settled, the votes have been counted and the jobs have been divided the electorate will be scratching its collective heads and wonder: where to now? Are we going to get the change we voted for? Are we getting what we voted for p
With the birth of a new government that does not include the United People’s party, the fate of Vromi-Minister Maurice Lake could take a turn for the worse concerning his potential personal liability for the overpriced purchase of the Vorst Estate
That the supporters, not to mention the leadership of the United People’s Party are disappointed about the developments that followed the results of Friday’s elections is understandable, but it does not mean that the UP could not have seen this c
Dear Editor, Let me congratulate all the new parliamentarians. This is your chance to make a clear contrast about yourself than those parliamentarians who were before you. The people of St. Martin are the big losers. Let me explain why, second tim
Are coalition governments bad for a country as Miguel Arrindell writes elsewhere on this page? This is not necessarily so, but the success of such a government depends on the willingness of coalition partners to work together and to listen to each ot
Dear Editor, While watching the political debate on TV Sunday night, I taught I was watching a first-grade question and answer class. All candidates were seated in a row about six inches apart. If one only moved their elbows a little, they would b
Dear Editor, Thank God for the persons who had the good sense to incorporate the following statement as the first line of the preamble of our constitution. WE, THE PEOPLE OF SINT MAARTEN CONFIRMING that we recognize the guiding principles of Al
St. Maarten - Politicians are not top of the class when it comes to abiding by the rules and that is no secret. The general permit Justice Minister Dennis Richardson published on July 14 states for instance that it is prohibited to place campaign mat
The attempt by the United People’s party to obtain a copy of the voters register stranded yesterday on formal grounds – the attorneys dragged the wrong parties to court. Maybe there will be a second attempt today, but the lawsuit seems to be pret
Mindfulness is paying attention nonjudgmentally. Mindfulness promotes morality, kindness, and the ability to stay with your body, so hence make better decisions for your person and others around you. Our minds are constantly on a journey weaving betw
Dear Editor, I see the need for mentoring our young people, call it a Big Brother/Sister program if you like - the investment of an adult's time, resources, energy, in the life of young people. I call it living life with an impressionable pre-teen
By Cdr. Bud Slabbaert Residents of St. Maarten know themselves who they are and believe in what they are. Others know what they read about St. Maarten and that’s what they tend to believe in. Are the media to blame for what they read? No! The ev
Dear Editor, Please allow me the use of your esteem daily to pose the following questions to the leader of the United People’s Party: Can the leader of the UP tell the citizens of Country St. Maarten, which political party, while in governmen
Dear Editor, Over the years I have seen our leaders propose several solutions to help alleviate traffic congestion. Some of the solutions include stop lights, round-a-bouts, bridges, a moratorium on bringing in cars and tunnels. Several of them we
The Wit-report confirms something everybody knows: St. Maarten's Parliament is not functioning as it should. This does not mean that all parliamentarians are slackers, or that all parliamentarians are taking their jobs way too lightly. We know the ex
Dear Editor, For years a family in Great Bay has held in captivity some iguanas. On various occasions I’ve tried to contact the Nature Foundation as well as some animal rescue foundations to remind them about the situation and make a plea to d
Dear editor, After the publication of my first article on “Open Government” the topic has triggered many responses. Please allow me to continue on the platform of Open Government, and I ask the public to be open-minded and decide who they woul
Is there anybody out there still able to follow the political points of view about the purchase of the Vorst Estate? We certainly have trouble making sense of the reaction from Vromi-Minister Lake after the court sentenced the government to come up w
Opinion, St. Maarten News - Posted by admin on August 25, 2014
Dear Editor, I will quote from the Daily Herald paper regarding the Daily Herald and the report of the Integrity Committee (your paper from last Friday) and you may tell the public (in a note under this article) that what is quoted by your paper a
Of the reactions to my article of last weekend published in Today under the heading "Left Behind" the prevailing ones were: 1) government must immediately correct the great injustice caused to this young Sint Maarten student and 2) don’t co
Any parliamentarian worth his or her salt will fight the legalization of marijuana tooth and nail. One of the responsibilities of a parliamentarian is to help uphold the constitution. (Case in point: Chapter 2, Article 18 - 1. It shall be the
Mindfulness is tuning into your inside as you operate on the outside. It is the validating of your experience as you have it. It is acknowledging and accepting things as they are or noticing that you do not accept things as they are. Just imagine
Of the reactions to my article of last weekend published in Today under the heading Left Behind the prevailing ones were: 1) government must immediately correct the great injustice caused to this young Sint Maarten student and 2) don’t count on
Dear Editor, In February of 2013 Member of Parliament Frans Richardson called to assure me that he believes in and fully supports the efforts of Sint Maarten Pride Foundation, Epic and the Emilio Wilson Estate Foundation to safeguard and properly
Having been in courts already three times to defend myself on the matter surrounding my settlement package as the former Director for Postal Services St. Maarten NV (PSS) Office, both Government and PSS are taking me back to courts for a fourth time
