THE HAGUE--Dutch State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops considers it highly unlikely that the Caribbean Netherlands islands Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba will at any point become autonomous countries like Curaçao, Aruba and St. Maarten.

From left: MHF Board President Dr. Felix Holiday, MHF Interim Director Eileen Healy and SZV official Glen A. Carty.

PHILIPSBURG--Mental Health Foundation (MHF) and Social and Health Insurances (SZV) signed a budget agreement on Monday to maintain quality service for patients covering the years 2019 and 2020.

  The budget agreement provides MHF with SZV funding that would cover the actual cost of services provided to SZV-insured patients. The agreement includes quality indicators for services provided by MHF.

  “Both parties are content with the outcome of the agreement, which benefit clients by improving the quality of services,” it was stated in a press release on Thursday.

  The agreement was signed by MHF Board President Dr. Felix Holiday, MHF Board Secretary Erika van de Horst and SZV Director Glen A. Carty.

  SZV and MHF have been working together for many years to provide and maintain quality care for MHF clients. In the past, MHF would encounter financial constraints, as actual cost incurred would be higher than projected budgets. SZV recognises the importance of adequate mental health care services for residents and its insured.

  “As a social and health insurance provider, SZV’s interest is to work together with local health care service providers in finding solutions to maintain access to quality medical care,” the release said.

  The signing of the agreement comes at an opportune moment for MHF, which is also celebrating Nurses Week.

  “The hardworking nurses and support staff of the MHF will now be able to look forward to a long-overdue salary adjustment. For SZV, the signing of the agreement is timely, in light of SZV’s May health awareness month theme: Mental Health. The MHF is an important stakeholder in providing the necessary care for residents with mental health care needs,” it was stated in the release.

  Quality indicators and operations will be reviewed by MHF and SZV on an annual basis. The budget allocation review will take place every two years.

  MHF presently employs 43 staff members. In support of the established quality indicators and nursing staff, MHF is confident that the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Affairs VSA will soon approve permits for an urgently-needed psychiatrist for St. Maarten.

Some reading in Thursday’s paper that three opposition motions were passed in Parliament may have wondered if government was about to fall. After all, voting across the aisle isn’t exactly common nowadays.

However, some coalition members supporting the motions because they agree with their content showed maturity. Even though they nominated the Romeo-Marlin Cabinet, these elected representatives apparently believe a push in the areas mentioned is needed.

As explained, motions are simply wishes expressed by the legislature. They may “instruct” ministers to do certain things, but that doesn’t automatically mean these will become reality.

There are always considerations such as possible legal issues, monetary constraints, etc. What’s more, any financial consequences would have to be included in the amended draft 2019 budget to be handled next week.

The latter’s approval is obviously crucial to obtaining still-much-needed liquidity support from the Netherlands. Dutch State Secretary of Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops recently said that parliamentarians following the example of public administrators in Willemstad who took a 10 per cent salary cut has been added to the conditions for such.

While perhaps hard to swallow, the handsomely-paid people’s representatives would do well to demonstrate the same maturity as with the motions on Thursday by making this sacrifice on behalf of the population and approving the already-very-late budget so that St. Maarten is able to move ahead in its recovery process.

Roadside vendors have been advised by the Ministries of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) and Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI (see related story) to remove their booth structures by 5:00pm Monday, May 13. Their permits were issued for the Carnival period that ended with the burning of King Momo on Tuesday night.

Those who fail to comply with the deadline or other conditions set risk not qualifying for a spot in 2020, which is a practical enforcement tool rather than the added administrative burden of a fine or other sanction. After all, the sale of food and drink appears to be rather profitable, judging by the interest.

In any case, booth-holders inside Carnival Village were generally satisfied after the golden anniversary edition. Most of those interviewed on Voice of St. Maarten reported being tired but happy with the bigger-than-usual crowds, including the one who won free rent next year.

Even if you are not a fan and – for example – refuse to use the 2019 vehicle number plates with the Carnival 50 slogan, there is no denying that the close-to-three-week event not only brings visitors but creates economic activity. Think of all the persons and businesses involved in making parade costumes, road-pieces and floats alone.

Although tourism ultimately provides practically the entire population’s livelihood, not everyone may be able to make use of entrepreneurial opportunities offered by the mainstay hospitality industry. The Dutch side’s maximum cultural celebration gives locals the chance to honestly earn an extra buck and that too is important.

GEORGE’S, Grenada--Grenada has become the fifth shareholder government of struggling regional airline LIAT, joining Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

  Minister of Trade, Industry and Caribbean Community CARICOM Affairs Oliver Joseph made the announcement at the government’s weekly conference on Tuesday, saying that Grenada had pledged its continued support.

  Grenada’s investment in the Antigua-based airline comes as regional governments work on a plan to save the over-island-hopping carrier from going under.

  Joseph said the island would provide funding under a Minimum Revenue Guarantee (MRG) framework – which the shareholders have been pushing for from islands that benefit from LIAT’s service. Under the MRG model, governments would pay a minimum guaranteed amount to LIAT if passenger numbers on flights fell short.

  “That is a model we think is fair if we want to keep the LIAT flying,” the CARICOM Affairs Minister said.

  “When we look at the figures, the number of passengers LIAT brings to Grenada … of course the multiplier effect is great. LIAT brings in thousands of visitors to Grenada every year and therefore, from an economic and social point of view, Grenada had to support LIAT, because not supporting LIAT would have been a loss of revenue and economic development to our country.”

  Meanwhile, Chairman of the LIAT shareholder governments, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves of St. Vincent and the Grenadines says that despite reports out of Antigua that founder of the Virgin Group Sir Richard Branson has expressed interest in investing millions of dollars in the cash-strapped airline, he has received no formal expression of interest.

  Chief of Staff within the Office of the Prime Minister in Antigua and Barbuda, Lionel Hurst told reporters following a Cabinet meeting last week that the British business magnate, investor and philanthropist had proposed investing several million dollars to “wet lease several aircraft.”

  “They would fly from Fort Lauderdale, [Florida – Ed.], to Jamaica, Haiti and down into Antigua and Barbados. The whole idea is to enlarge LIAT, rather than collapse LIAT or making it a smaller entity,” Hurst had said.

  However, Prime Minister Gonsalves told a radio station in St. Vincent on Tuesday that he knew nothing about that.

  “As the chairman of the shareholders, I have not been made aware of that; nobody has contacted me about that,” he said. “Whether Branson said so in an off-hand way or in a serious manner, I don’t know … I don’t usually jump like that when rich people make a suggestion until I see something really meaningful,” he said.

  The Vincentian leader acknowledged that LIAT had in the past explored the idea of expanding to other destinations, but that had been put on the backburner because the airline was struggling with its core markets.

  However, he said, “You may well have to expand to make some more money. And if you are expanding to make more money, you might need to find a partner in the jet service area, but I’m not giving legs to what you and I have read about what the minister from Antigua said with relation to Sir Richard Branson, because I don’t know anything official.” ~ Caribbean360 ~

WASHINGTON, United States--The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a multi-million-dollar special grant facility to support operations that help countries in Latin America and the Caribbean integrate migrants into local communities and contribute to their development.

WASHINGTON--Top U.S. and Chinese trade negotiators concluded the first of two days of talks on Thursday to rescue a trade deal that is close to collapsing as Washington prepares to go ahead with plans to hike tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars of goods imported from China.

WASHINGTON--Billionaire entrepreneur Jeff Bezos unveiled on Thursday a mockup of a lunar lander being built by his Blue Origin rocket company and touted his moon goals in a strategy aimed at capitalizing on the Trump administration's renewed push to establish a lunar outpost in just five years.

LONDON--Hollywood star Will Smith was reluctant at first to play Genie in the live-action remake of Disney's "Aladdin" as it meant following in the big footsteps of late comedian Robin Williams who voiced the character in the 1992 animated film.

AMSTERDAM--As a green-skinned alien in the blockbuster movie "Avengers: Endgame", actress Zoe Saldana hopes she can promote a clear message - that time's up on old-fashioned female stereotypes.

SACRAMENTO, California--In her presidential pitch to voters, U.S. Senator Kamala Harris touts as a signature accomplishment the $20 billion relief settlement she secured as California attorney general for homeowners hit hard by the foreclosure crisis.

WASHINGTON--Donald Trump Jr. is unlikely to comply with a U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee subpoena to testify about his contacts with Russia, two congressional sources said on Thursday as the president publicly defended his eldest son.

VATICAN CITY--Pope Francis issued a landmark decree on Thursday making bishops directly accountable for sexual abuse or covering it up, requiring clerics to report any cases to Church superiors and allowing anyone to complain directly to the Vatican if needed.

PRETORIA--The African National Congress (ANC) was headed toward victory in South Africa's election on Friday, partial results showed, though the party was on course for its worst performance in a national poll in its 25 years in government.
  At press time, ballots in 72 percent of 22,925 voting districts had been counted. The tallies put the ANC on 57 percent in the parliamentary race, with the main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) on 22 percent and the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) on 10 percent.

VALENCIA, Spain-- A hat-trick from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and an Alexandre Lacazette strike booked Arsenal's place in the Europa League final with a 4-2 win at Valencia on Thursday to seal an emphatic 7-3 aggregate victory.

MADRID- - Roger Federer survived two match points against French maverick Gael Monfils to extend his claycourt comeback and reach the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open on Thursday.

Dear Editor,

  The title above has led to the introduction of this piece of writing, so that lay-people can understand the terminologies of the different types of business organizations on the island. A Private sector business is one owned by the person who created it with an objective to make a profit. A Public sector organization is owned by the population, or the citizens of the state – the taxpayers.

  A Public Corporation and other public service agencies are created by an Act of parliament by a minister responsible for the trading activity with the general public. These organizations are managed by a board appointed by the minister, for the daily operation on behalf of the public. The board must be held responsible for the way they make use of public funds. State corporations and public service agencies are established to provide essential goods and services to the population not for a big profit, but what the public could afford to pay for them.

  The people running the operations must not be self-selected: have no political affiliation, knowledgeable, honest, helpful, and not professional business people. Transparency is very important for public sector organizations.

  Non-profit organizations including Foundations are part of the private sector businesses. These organizations are owned by their members. Housing Foundation is a typical example of this group.

  Abraham Maslow, a famous psychologist in the 1940s, created the hierarchy of needs. He listed the top three basic needs in his book for human survival as: food, clothing, and shelter. Shelter-housing is an enormous challenge for the government these days. Homelessness is on the rise and required urgent attention to provide more affordable homes to people at a very low cost.

  The Housing sector is too important to be in the hands of a “Foundation”. A foundation is not a public corporation, or a public service agency. The public must have a say in advising the board, the minister, and parliament on important issues affecting the tenants in the housing scheme.

  A sole proprietorship business is owned by one individual, and is part of the private sector organizations. A partnership is owned by the partners who created it, and is part of the private sector businesses. Private and public limited liability companies are owned by the shareholders, and are also part of the private sector organizations.

  Public Corporations and other public service agencies are owned by the public or the taxpayers in the country. They are created by the government in an act of parliament to provide important goods and services to the population at a low cost. In the case of housing, the board responsible to the minister must publish issues affecting the public and provide financial report to the minister for the public to be aware of what is taking place in the housing scheme. They must provide the result of the trading to show how much money has been available, and how it has been used. The board must have an independent committee to question parliament on general matters pertaining to the service operation in the public.

  Housing is an important service to the community, and must be under government and the public control. It should not be left in private hands such as a foundation, because human lives and essential services are at risk, especially now that the hurricane season is approaching. The government is the major shareholder in these corporations and service agencies. Therefore, the price of house rent shouldn’t be so high.

  Tenants are actually paying more for rent for public housing than their basic monthly salary. For the elderly, rent is almost twice their pension allowances. This shouldn’t be! A balance must be met between not for profitable gains, but for a basic need of the community.

  In closing, public corporations are not created as profit-oriented organizations, and must keep proper records to show their financial positions to the public.

Joseph Harvey

Dear Queenie,

  My husband doesn’t mind for me to spend time away from home with my friends during the day, but he says dinnertime and the evening and the weekend are supposed to be for family and I should stay home with him.

  He also is suspicious of what we are doing when I go out with my friends.

  Most of my friends have jobs and I also work part-time, so the evening or the weekend is the only time we can do anything together.

  Queenie, I don’t think this should be a problem. Do you?—Uncertain wife

Dear Wife,

  That depends on how often you leave your husband alone to spend time with your friends, but he seems to be somewhat insecure and controlling, to say the least.

  If you cannot work this out with him by talking it over with him, perhaps a professional marriage counsellor could help him understand your point of view, if you can persuade your husband to go with you for counselling. And if he will not go with you, go by yourself for help in understanding your situation and learning to cope with your husband’s attitude.