~ Coalition voted against holding Ennia management and Central Bank accountable for the lack of oversight in the Ennia saga.~

PHILIPSBURG: --- Fourteen Members of Parliament who attended the final day of the 2025 budget debate voted in favor of the budget on Friday evening.
The Members of Parliament, in their motivation speech, made clear that they will be keeping an eye on the Council of Ministers even though they all supported the budget of 2025.
The amendments to the 2025 budget were all approved.
Besides the passing of the country’s budget, six were also approved of the nine motions presented in parliament, while three were rejected.
Members of Parliament voted against the motion to begin working on a referendum by December 2027; this motion was presented by Member of Parliament Ardwell Irion; they rejected the motions submitted by MP Egbert Jurendy Doran, which are the motion that would have gthe overnment enforce the law on compulsory education and having all four year old attend school despite their date of birth, and the motion to hold the management of Ennia and the Central bank for the lack over proper oversight.

MARIGOT: --- EDF St. Martin and Guadeloupe announced on Friday that the island may be experiencing load-shedding as of tonight and will continue into mid-next week.
EDF said in its announcement that one of its engines at the Galisbay power plant had been damaged; therefore, it is likely that the power supply will be disrupted.
EDF Archipel Guadeloupe said on Friday. The power system operator may “have to carry out load shedding” but did not specify whether any particular sector of the territory would be particularly affected.

A still fragile electricity system
EDF is urging the population to limit their electricity consumption as the territory enters the New Year. Its electricity system is still in crisis due to aging installations at the Galisbay power plant, which provide too little power to meet growing consumption.
The construction of a new power plant is overdue, while additional generators will be commissioned at the beginning of February, with a production capacity of 10 MW. As EDF announced in November, these are “temporary power plants” that will provide additional production for 2 years.

~The motion tied with seven votes for and seven against.~

PHILIPSBURG: --- The motion for the government of St. Maarten to prepare for a referendum by December 2027 was shot down by the coalition partners of parliament. Former Member of Parliament and now Minister of ECYS Mellisa Gumbs explained to parliament that the matter of referendum and self-determination was discussed with the committee on parliament's constitutional affairs and said that the matter of referendum is the responsibility of the parliament and not the government of St. Maarten.
Member of Parliament Ardwell Irion, the motion's author, urged his colleagues to support the motion since he is a St. Maarten who believes in prosperity and empowerment. He said that it is time for the decision as to self-determination should be placed back in the hands of the people.
Member of Parliament Sarah Wescott Williams said that parliament had already started the discussion through the CCAD committee of parliament. Wescot Williams said matters of the referendum are in the hands of parliament and should be handled by parliament and not pawned off to the government, which is against article 92 of the constitution of St. Maarten.
SAM leader Franklyn Meyers said the articles of incorporation of the SAM party have in its first article to seek complete independence. He said he has been a long-time politician, and he, too, can recognize a curve ball when he sees one.
UPP leader Omar Ottley, in his motivation, said that at some point, people have to decide their future, and instead of going back to the beginning, he would change where it ends.
Ottley said the Netherlands had already abolished the legislation on the referendum.
Other members of parliament that also said they were in favor of independence but could not support the motion are Sjamira Roseburg, Viren Kotai, Dimar Labega, Veronica Jansen Webster, and Cris Wever.
Members of Parliament sitting on the Opposition benches have all decided to support the motion since the motion is for the government to begin preparations for the referendum. Those who support the motion are Members of Parliament Lyndon Lewis, Omar Ottley, Egbert Jurendy Doran, Darryl York, Ardwell Irion, Francisco Lacroes, and Franklyn Meyers. Those against are  MPS Sarah Wescot Williams, Viren Kotai, Dimar Labega, Veronica Jansen Webster, Raeyhon Peterson, Cris Wever, and Sjamira Roseburg, while MP Ludimilla De Weever were not in attendance.
After the voting, the motion was tied by seven members voting for and seven against.
Based on the rules of order, this motion would have to be discussed again and put up for voting. `

PHILIPSBURG:---  Serious concerns have been raised about the financial commitments and transparency surrounding the government’s support for the upcoming Soul Beach Music Festival, following revelations made during the 2025 budget debate by Minister of TEATT Grisha Heyliger-Marten.

During the debate, Minister Heyliger-Marten confirmed that Soul Beach was allocated NAf 500,000 from unused funds of 2024, despite previous government statements about financial constraints and being "bankrupt." The Minister also indicated that an additional NAf 200,000 may be covered by sponsorships from anchor companies, but if those funds are not secured, they will come directly from the government’s festival budget.

Key Questions on Subsidy Legalities and Compliance

Concerns have been raised about whether Soul Beach Music Festival has a legal foundation to request subsidies under the subsidy ordinance and whether proper legal procedures were followed. This is particularly troubling as long-standing local events like Carnival and Regatta have faced significant delays and challenges in securing their own funding. For example:

Carnival organizers are still waiting for their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Regatta organizers have not received their allocated funds for 2024 and 2025.

SXM Festival is similarly awaiting financial commitments.

Fairness and consistency in supporting local events, which are critical to Sint Maarten’s cultural and economic landscape, have been highlighted as areas of concern.

Additional Costs and Unfunded Commitments

Information reaching this media house has revealed that Soul Beach organizers requested several additional concessions from the government, including:

Waivers for Festival Village fees.

Securing a second venue for the Comedy Club, which the government would be responsible for financing.

Turnover tax exemptions (not granted by the Council of Ministers).

Extra police security, which is not currently budgeted would require a budget amendment.

These requests, if granted, could significantly inflate the festival’s cost, potentially exceeding six million guilders.

Impact on Local Events and Sponsors

Concerns have also been raised about the heavy sponsorship demands for Soul Beach, which may negatively impact traditional local events such as Carnival and Regatta. Sint Maarten’s pool of sponsors is limited, and diverting resources to support international events could undermine local cultural festivals that already struggle to secure adequate funding.

Call for Transparency and Accountability

Calls have been made for full disclosure of the agreement between the government and Soul Beach organizers. Transparency is crucial to maintaining public trust and ensuring that government funds are allocated equitably and effectively.

Conclusion

As the debate continues, close attention will be paid to the government’s handling of the Soul Beach Music Festival, particularly regarding its adherence to legal and financial protocols. The public deserves clarity on how their tax dollars are being spent and whether priority is being given to the events that matter most to Sint Maarten’s people.