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style="text-align: center;">Sir Richard Branson Commends Islands on Shark and Ocean Conservation Efforts

Bimini- Political Leaders, Government Representatives and Conservationists from the Dutch Caribbean attended a high-level Caribbean Shark Conservation Leadership Retreat in Bimini, Bahamas last week, where significant discussions were held regarding the conservation of Sharks and Rays and the protection of the Ocean Environment in the wider-Caribbean Region. The Retreat, hosted by the PEW Charitable Trust; former President of Costa Rica and co-chair of the Global Ocean's Commission Jose-Maria Figures; and well-known businessman and environmental steward Sir Richard Branson, brought together conservation and political leaders, filmmakers and scientists from around the wider Caribbean region in order to discuss the protection and conservation of sharks and the Marine Environment.

During the event the delegates from the Dutch Caribbean; Commissioner Chris Johnson of Saba, Commissioner Carlisle Tearr from St Read more

Editorial - No ifs, no buts

Concerns expressed by the Democratic Party (DP) parliamentarians in Tuesday's paper regarding a perceived lack of tourism marketing should not go unnoticed. As stated before, there is currently no representation in Europe and contracts for the all-important North American continent apparently expired.

The opposition members have a point when questioning why and how Economic Affairs Minister Claret Connor is – as he stated – reorganising, reviewing and revisiting the already established St Read more

EU patience frays as Greek PM refuses "blackmail"

BRUSSELS/ATHENS--A war of words between Greece and EU paymaster Germany escalated on Tuesday with Athens' new leftist prime minister rejecting what he called "blackmail" to extend an international bailout and vowing to rush through laws to reverse labour reforms.

A source close to the government said Greece intends to ask on Wednesday for an extension for up to six months of a loan agreement with the euro zone, on conditions to be negotiated. The source drew a distinction between a loan agreement and the full bailout programme which the government insists is dead.

However hardline German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble dismissed the Greek gambit, telling broadcaster ZDF: "It's not about extending a credit programme but about whether this bailout programme will be fulfilled, yes or no."

Financial markets held their nerve after the latest talks among euro zone finance ministers broke down late on Monday and EU partners gave Greece until the end of the week to request an extension or lose financial assistance Read more

Gumbs formally rejects The Hague intervention

~ Warns that measures will create social unrest ~

THE HAGUE--St. Maarten Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs has informed the Dutch government formally that his government cannot agree with the current proposal of the Kingdom Council of Ministers to impose the installation of an Integrity Chamber for St. Maarten.

Gumbs stated in separate letters dated February 9 to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in his capacity as Chairman of the Kingdom Council of Ministers and to Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk that the proposed General Measure of the Kingdom Government ("Algemene Maatregel van Rijksbestuur" AMvRB) was "in violation" of the Kingdom Charter and "disproportionate," that it "undermined St Read more

New Government Coming To St. Kitts

Premier Vance Amory’s seat is one of only two to be officially called.

By Felicia J. Persaud

News Americas, CHARLESTOWN, Nevis, Tues. Feb. 17, 2015: The opposition coalition, Team Unity, in St. Kitts/Nevis has claimed victory in Monday’s elections even though the country’s Supervisor of Elections of the Electoral Commission, Raphael Archibald, refused to announce the final results of the election at 5 a.m. this morning.  The country’s supervisor of elections told media personnel earlier this morning that there will be no more public results released and it could be “days” before the results were made official because there were reports of discrepancies in the elections where less than 16,000 votes were cast.

  Sources told NAN exclusively this morning that from a voter tally witnessed by their agents, that the opposition coalition, Team Unity, had won enough seats to take the reins of power from the 20-year ruling St Read more

Island Gems helps Animal Defenders

PHILIPSBURG--Island Gems Charity Foundation presented a cheque to Animal Defenders SXM recently to assist with neuter operations, vaccinations and other medical cost for stray animals.

The cheque for NAf. 900 was written to a veterinary clinic in keeping with Island Gems' policy of not giving money directly to any organisation. Island Gems prefers to pay for services or buy necessary items.

"We are all delighted and very thankful to the Island Gems Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Kooyman is pleased to announce a special guest for their upcoming Home Improvement Fair. Miss MAKITA - Maria Alejandra Montoya, spokes model of MAKITA brand Industrial power tools and Accessories will be live at the Kooyman Home Improvement Fair on Saturday February 28th.
The Kooyman team will welcome vendors and other top suppliers such as AIR MASTER Windows & Doors, MAPEI Adhesives, Sealants and Building Products, GLOBAL Professional High End paint manufacturer, and MAKITA Power Tools as well as local suppliers such as, Rollfix, SBS, City Furniture, Paradise Pools, WIB and more.
The event will feature a series of live product demonstrations, expert advice and estimates Read more

Princess Heights Awarded Prestigious Green Key Eco-Label Certification.

>PHILIPSBURG:---- The Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) awarded Princess Heights Luxury Boutique Condo Hotel with the first and only Green Key Eco-label certification in St. Maarten, solidifying St. Maarten's reputation as a destination that is serious about the environment.
"Here at Princess Heights, we've been using Green Key guidelines as a model for best practices for many years," said Emil Lee, General Manager of Princess Heights Read more

style="text-align: center;">Cycle One class assisted with establishing in-school recycling program

PHILIPSBURG:--- In its efforts to continue to bring environmental and conservation awareness into schools the Nature Foundation recently gave a presentation to the cycle one class of the Asha Stevens Christian Hillside School focused on the importance of Recycling Read more

Island Gems Helps Animal Defenders

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten -- Island Gems Charity Foundation recently presented a cheque to Animal Defenders SXM to assist with neuter operations, vaccinations and other medical costs for the stray animals.

The cheque for NAf 900 was written to a vet clinic in keeping with Island Gems policy of not giving money to any organization directly, preferring to pay for services or buy necessary items.

"We are all delighted and very thankful to the Island Gems Read more

Presentation On The Importance Of Recycling Given At Christian Hillside School, Cycle One Class Assisted With Establishing In-School Recycling Program

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - In its efforts to continue to bring environmental and conservation awareness into schools the Nature Foundation recently gave a presentation to the cycle one class of the Asha Stevens Christian Hillside School focused on the importance of Recycling.

Nature Foundation Office Manager Marisa Dyer-Brandy explai Read more

DP: Country’s marketing seemingly at standstill

PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten's tourism marketing in the Netherlands, the United States and Canada seems to be at a standstill with no representation in Europe and the expiration of the contracts for the North American market, according to Democratic Party (DP) Parliament fraction advisor Emil Lee.

Lee joined party leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams at Parliament House on Monday for a party press conference at which they discussed various issues the party is pursuing and is pushing for Parliament and the Gumbs Cabinet's attention.

Wescot-Williams said Tourism and Economic Affairs Minister Claret Connor is still to explain how and why he will be reorganising, re-evaluating and revisiting the already established St Read more

‘Non-existent’ pipe caused sewage spill into marina

OYSTER POND--A mystery overflow pipe that does not feature in the sewage and drainage plans of Etablissement des Eaux et Assainissement de St. Martin (EEASM) was the cause of the recent sewage spill into the pond at Captain Oliver's Marina, EEASM president Louis Fleming disclosed Monday.

"The pipe has now been blocked by the maintenance company Général des Eaux and there should not be any re-occurrence," Fleming said Read more

SXM talks preclearance, Open Skies at conference

AIRPORT--The possibility of an Open Skies agreement and the establishment of United States preclearance at SXM Princess Juliana International Airport were among the issues discussed by the St. Maarten delegation at the Routes Americas 2015 Conference, held in Denver, Colorado, February 1-3.

An SXM Airport press release said the St. Maarten delegation had been led by Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Claret Connor and comprised SXM Airport Managing Director Regina LaBega, Operations Manager Michel Hyman and Marketing and Customer Service Acting Manager Suzy Kartokromo.

According to US State Department former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State John Byerly, a keynote speaker at the conference, Open Skies generated more than US $4 billion in revenues for the United States last year, SXM Airport said.

Byerly highlighted Chile as being at the forefront of air service liberalisation, which he stressed reaps significant economic benefits as a result.

Open Skies fosters competition and without doubt enhances the quality of service, he added Read more

Minister Connor congratulates Zaandam as new SHTA Director

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Tourism Claret Connor on Monday congratulated Anenda Zaandam on her appointment as Executive Director of the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA).
The SHTA announced Zaandam's appointment to the post last week.

Minister Connor congratulated the SHTA on its selection of a young professional to the post Read more

style="text-align: center;">Government and Supervisory Boards must respect Parliament and provide the answers necessary.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament and Leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot Williams along with the President of the Democratic Party Board Emil Lee high-lighted several issues that they felt needs to be clarified.
Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams said on Monday during a press conference that the "Counterpart Policy" used by MP Cornelius de Weever was not the reason why the number two candidate of the DP Faction broke the first coalition Read more

Low Turnout, High Disappointment At Miss West Indies

St. Maarten -Guadeloupe’s Alex Rabolion is the new Ms. West Indies Queen after beating out thirteen other delegates to win the coveted crown on Sunday morning in Galisby. The 26-year old beautician was one of the early favorites heading into the pageant that was held at Carnival Village in French St. Martin on Valentine’s Day.

However she faced stiff competition from audience darlings, Ms. St. Lucia- Oneka Mckoy, Ms. Bahamas-Chantel O’Brian and Ms. US Virgin Islands-  Temisha Libert Read more

Mp Silveria Jacobs Elected Chair Of Education Committee

St. Maarten – MP Silveria Jacobs has been elected as the Chair of the Committee for Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs (CECYSA) of Parliament and MP Tamara Leonard has been elected as Vice Chair.

The Committee for Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs (CECYSA) of Parliament met on Friday morning to elect a new chair and vice chair on the request of a majority of members.

The committee increased by an additional three members and now consists of eight Members of Parliament (MPs)—MP Silveria Jacobs, MP Sarah Wescott Williams, MP Tamara Leonard, MP Christopher Emmanuel, MP Maurice Lake, MP Leona Marlin-Romeo, MP Johan Leonard and MP Van Hugh de Weever.

MP Silveria Jacobs was re-elected as Chair, and MP Tamara Leonard was elected as Vice Chair both by unanimous vote by all seven members present Read more

Government Launches Official Facebook Page

GREATBAY—The Government of St. Maarten has embraced social media by launching its Official Facebook page– “Government of Sint Maarten”– to the local populace and the rest of the world.

A government information service press release yesterday announced “The goal of the Government’s Facebook page is to gain wider exposure to a new demographic in the world of social media with information such as press releases, public notices, pictures and or videos of government related events Read more

Minister Connor Congratulates Zaandam As New Shta Director

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Minister of Tourism Claret Connor on Monday congratulated Anenda Zaandam on her appointment as Executive Director of the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA).

The SHTA announced Zaandam's appointment to the post last week.

Minister Connor congratulated the SHTA on its selection of a young professional to the post Read more

Shujah's Pick Of Books For "The 'Readingist' Month" Of The Year

MARIGOT, St. Martin — When I first glanced at the Facebook post from Nehesi House at the end of January, about February being "the readingist month" of the year, I had to laugh because that is a big statement to make without any backup information.

I was about to call Lasana right away, for proof, since he always drills me about evidence and having "multiple sources" when I find some new historical information. Nehesi House is the Facebook page of House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP). Lasana Sekou is a poet and projects director of HNP Read more

Establish the van Hugh Law

Dear Editor,

Our youth are crying for help and all their pleas are falling on deaf ears. A major crime is committed and unfortunately some youths are involved and the entire nation is in uproar. We must do something for our young people. They are going astray. Then the blame game starts, from the parents to the teachers and eventually the government, but at the end of the day nothing is done to help our young people. The 2015 budget was passed recently; what youth programmes were presented to the public?

Every year we have hundreds of young people completing our secondary schools and who cannot find employment Read more

Danish police kill 22-year-old suspected of Copenhagen shootings

COPENHAGEN--Police shot dead a 22-year-old Danish-born gunman on Sunday after he killed two people at a Copenhagen synagogue and an event promoting free speech in actions possibly inspired by an attack on the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, authorities said.

Spy chief Jens Madsen said the gunman was known to intelligence services prior to the shooting and had probably acted alone. Police said he had a record of violence, gang-related activities and weapons possession.

Two civilians - a synagogue guard and a film-maker - were killed and five police were wounded in the two separate attacks in the Danish capital on Saturday and Sunday Read more

Marlin-Romeo requests meeting on beach policy

PHILIPSBURG--The beach policy and maintaining public access to the beaches are the bases for independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo's request for a meeting of Parliament's Permanent Committee for Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication.

The MP seeks "immediate change" to the policy to include and clearly stipulate that natural and manmade beaches are public domain, are not owned by any establishment or vendor, and beaches must have proper road access for emergency vehicles.

All vendors or establishments providing beach services should stack their beach chairs and umbrellas and "provide them only on a needed basis" to guests and non-guests of establishments, she said in a press statement Sunday.

Chairs and umbrellas should be picked up after use and restacked.

Non-guests should be charged a fee.

The MP wants it stipulated in business licences that not all beach chairs must be placed on the beach at the same time.

Her call for the meeting stems from the public outcry about beachfront property owners restricting access to some beaches via their private property.

Committee Chairman United St Read more