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High Court Backs Same-Sex Marriage

Celebrating the outcome.

THE HAGUE--Same-sex couples are now permitted to marry immediately in Aruba and Curaao, as decided by the High Court in the Netherlands on Friday. It affirmed an earlier ruling by the Joint Court of Justice for the Dutch Caribbean.

The latter determined on December 6, 2022, that marriages between people of the same sex must be permitted in Aruba and Curaao. Both governments turned to the High Court, which has now rejected their appeals.

The case was brought by Fundacion Orguyo Aruba and Human Rights Caribbean (HRC) in Curaao Read more

Victim Support Services Report On Six Months Service

On July 10th, Victim Support Services St. Maarten hosted a presentation for the Honorable Minister of Justice Lyndon Lewis and various stakeholders, reviewing the organization’s services over the past six months.

Victim Support Services St. Maarten provides optimal assistance to individuals affected by serious assaults, human trafficking, or severe accidents.

Minister Lewis delivered an introductory speech, emphasizing his unwavering commitment to the organization Read more

Prime Minister Dr. Luc MercelinaS Meets New State Secretary Mr. Zsolt Szab

The Hague The Honorable Prime Minister of St. Maarten, Dr. Luc Mercelina, has successfully concluded a historic and successful meeting with Mr. Zsolt Szab, the newly appointed State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations of The Netherlands. This significant event marks the first official meeting of Mr. Szab in his new role, highlighting the pivotal importance of the relationship between St Read more

4 Graduate With Geds, 2 After Vocational Training

Master of Ceremonies Alex Lindo addressing the graduates.

 ST. EUSTATIUS--New Challenges Foundation (NCF) held a graduation ceremony at William and Christine Flanders Community Centre on July 3 for four students who received their General Educational Development (GED) diplomas and two who completed vocational training.

This celebration is a testament to the power of second chances, said NCF Director Francine Foe at the ceremony. Our graduates have shown that with grit, determination and the right support, anyone can overcome adversity and achieve their dreams.

The ceremonys theme Dont Watch the Clock, Do What It Does, Keep Going was a fitting tribute to the graduates, emphasising the importance of perseverance, resilience and staying focused.

The ceremony started with a rousing rendition of the St Read more

Mp Emmanuel Had An Electricity Solution Since 2016

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Tuesday said that had political maturity prevailed in 2017, St. Maarten would have had a groundbreaking project to establish a state-of-the-art waste processing plant with an integrated energy-generating component. This initiative would have been a pivotal move towards enhancing environmental sustainability and energy efficiency on the island.

There was an approved Council of Ministers decision for a proposal Read more

Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina Meets With The Mayor Of The Hague

The Hague The Honorable Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina, held a significant meeting with the Mayor of The Hague, Jan Hendrikus Cornelis van Zanen during his important working visit to The Netherlands. The discussions focused on critical issues affecting students from Sint Maarten, including housing and technical assistance for professionals.

Housing for Students

One of the key topics discussed was the urgent need for housing solutions for Sint Maarten students studying in The Hague Read more

Draft Legislation For Crime Fund, Presented To Minister Of Justice, Lyndon Lewis

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The Ministry of Justice reached a significant milestone, as the Minister of Justice, Lyndon C. J. Lewis, was presented with the draft legislation for the Crime Fund. This development marks a crucial step towards modernizing and improving the management, supervision, and accountability of the Crime Fund, an area identified as lacking in the current, outdated legislation. This initiative is also a part of the broader country package measure aimed at enhancing the efficiency and oversight of the Crime Fund.

The draft legislation was prepared by a dedicated group of civil servants, who undertook this project as their final assignment to achieve certification as legislative lawyers, a program offered to them by the Caribbean Center for Legislation.

The Minister of Justice expressed profound gratitude to the civil servants for their hard work and dedication Read more

Minister Of Justice Lyndon Lewis Addresses Increase In Gun Violence

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten The Minister of Justice Lyndon Lewis has issued a statement addressing the recent increase in gun violence on the island. This follows a series of troubling incidents that have raised concerns within the community.

“The KPSM has begun their investigation into the recent surge in gun violence,” said Minister Lewis Read more

Lewis Condemns Gun Violence, Says Culprits Will Face Full Extent Of Law

The wave of fear in the community intensified on Monday when news started circulating that a fourth shooting had occurred, this time on Bush Road. The shooting occurred around 3:20am. A male was injured. He was transported to St Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) and had been undergoing treatment. His condition was listed as serious, but stable. Mondays shooting followed three shootings in two districts on Saturday: two in Dutch Quarter and one in Simpson Bay in which three males were injured and nursing gunshot wounds in SMMC Read more

Reunification Of Ana Carolina Lazaro Cuevas And Her Children.

Good day to the people of Sint Maarten.

Today, I extend my heartfelt strength and love to the people of the Cayman Islands, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, Grenada, and the Carriacou Island. Additionally, I wish a happy Fourth of July to all American citizens residing in Sint Maarten.

Turning to today’s topic, I want to address the recent return of Miss Anna Carolina Lazaro Cuevas, who was reunited with her children yesterday, July 3rd, 2024. There has been considerable discussion surrounding this event, and I would like to provide some clarity.

Ms Read more

GovT Asks Pjiae To Pay Overdue Passenger Security Fees Enacted By Law Since 2019

GREAT BAY The Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport, and Telecommunication (TEATT), Grisha Heyliger-Marten, has requested the Princess Juliana International Airport operating company (PJIAE), to make overdue payments to government derived from the security fee of one dollar per passenger, established by law since 2019 as a critical financial support to enhance the Ministrys civil aviation activities.

Heyliger-Marten explained the importance of this fee when she said: The contributions from the security fee are vital for our civil aviation activities, which ensure the safety and security of our airport operations.

Besides, achieving Category 1 status is a top priority, and continued support from PJIAE, which will also benefit from it, is essential to realizing this goal.

According to the Minister, previous administrations were apparently preoccupied with introducing other levies that threatened to cripple the economy Read more

A Message From Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina On Hurricane BerylS Impact

Philipsburg — “Hurricane Beryl has tested our resilience in the Caribbean region, but in the face of this adversity, our unity and strength shine through,” declared Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina.

He added, “You are not just enduring this storm; you are standing together, stronger than ever.”

“I urge everyone to extend a helping hand to those in distress and I wholeheartedly applaud our local community initiatives to support those affected,” emphasized Prime Minister Mercelina Read more

Szv Hosted Workshop On Managing Pension Benefits And Holistic Health & Wellness

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten SZV Social and Health Insurance hosted a workshop for a mixed group of persons on retirement and preparing for retirement on Friday, May 31, in collaboration with the St. Maarten Library. The workshop, held at the St. Maartens Library satellite location in Belvedere, aimed to empower participants with information and practical tips about managing their pension benefits, maintaining health and wellness while on retirement, eating and sleeping well, and taking care of their brain health.

SZV’s Manager of Pension & Cessantia, Renatto Rodriguez, alongside Corporate Communications Manager Charonne Holder, provided tips and reminders to improve financial planning before and during retirement and important administrative obligations when receiving AOV pension benefits from SZV Read more

Pfp: Reaction To Supreme Court Opinion

Failures to Protect Constitution and Autonomy of Country Sint Maarten

PHILIPSBURG – Disappointed was the sentiment within the Party for Progress (PFP) after the Supreme Court in the Netherlands issued their opinion on the Braam case in Curacao. The disappointment, however, is not with the opinion that has been issued, but with the fact that St. Maartens democratic process was interfered with by the Cabinet of the Governor Read more

Vng Caribbean Desk Set To Launch On July 1

 HAZERSWOUDE-DORP--The Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations BZK and the Association of Dutch Municipalities VNG have come together to open the VNG Caribbean Desk for the Caribbean Netherlands, which will serve as a central point of contact for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. The VNG Caribbean Desk will open on Monday, July 1, 2024, and is co-financed by BZK.

VNG Chairperson Sharon Dijksma and BZK Ministry Kingdom Relations Director-general Roald Lapperre announced the VNG Caribbean Desk during the annual VNG congress at a large plant nursery in HazersWoude-Dorp in the Netherlands on Tuesday, June 25.

With the launch of the Caribbean Desk, VNG wants to further contribute to increasing support to the public entities Bonaire, St Read more

Mp Christophe Emmanuel: Alliance Utter Failure On GebeContinues With No Solutions Offered

Leader of the Nation Opportunity Wealth party (NOW) MP Christophe Emmanuel on Tuesday said in a stunning display of hypocrisy and incompetence, the National Alliance MPs have once again demonstrated their utter lack of credibility on the critical issue of GEBE.

For four long years, while they held the reins of government, they stood idly by as GEBE deteriorated Read more

Chris Says GovtS Reliance On GebeFor Power Crisis Solution Problematic

~ Lack of renewable energy solution glaring ~

MP Christophe Emmanuel, the lone Member of Parliament to propose a solution to the GEBE power crisis, stated on Tuesday that he must distance himself from the St. Maarten government’s approach to dealing with the matter. The MP said he is critical of the method because the government relies too heavily on information provided by GEBE and the lack of a plan to finally shift to renewable energy sources. GEBE lies to the people of St. Maarten to protect itself Read more

Vromi State Of Affairs Minister Patrice Gumbs Provides Comprehensive Update

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Minister of VROMI and Deputy Prime Minister Patrice Gumbs issued a media statement on Tuesday, 25 June 2024, where he provided a comprehensive update on the state of affairs within the Ministry of VROMI and what his Cabinet has been and will continue to work on following his swearing in.

The Ministry of VROMI has faced challenges for many years, Gumbs stated Read more

Schedule For Postulation Day

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The Central Voting Bureau is pleased to announce the schedule for Postulation Day, Tuesday, July 2nd, 2024, at the House of Parliament.

On Postulation Day, representatives or deputy representatives from each political party will formally submit their candidate lists to the Central Voting Bureau for the parliamentary election of August 19th, 2024. To facilitate an orderly process, each party has selected a specific time slot for submission, as listed below Read more

Minister Lewis Meets With Halt Foundation Representatives

THE NETHERLANDS — On Monday, June 24, 2024, the Honorable Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Lyndon Lewis, accompanied by his delegation in the Hague, the Netherlands, held an introductory meeting with representatives from the Halt Het Alternative (The alternative) foundation, Ms Read more

Junior Ranger Program For Nature Kicks Off At Nature Foundation

The Nature Foundation Sint Maarten is thrilled to announce the successful launch of its newest iteration of a Junior Ranger Program, which commenced last Saturday, June 22 with great enthusiasm and participation from the selected rangers. This program, part of the CORENA project, aims to engage young nature enthusiasts and foster a deeper appreciation for the environment.

The inaugural event took place at Mullet Bay, where the seven selected junior rangers, all 12 years old, gathered to embark on their first adventure Read more

Dr. Rhoda Arrindell Represents One St. Martin Association At The Big Conference At The Un

GREAT BAY, St. Martin Dr. Rhoda Arrindell, president of the One St. Martin Association (One SXM), was the sole delegate from St. Martin at the BIG international conference on decolonization in New York last week.

Arrindell was an invited speaker at the conference, Towards Independence and Fundamental Freedoms: The Role of the C-24 in Ending Colonialism, hosted by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG) at the United Nations headquarters in New York City.

Arrindell read the One SXM statement on June 20, highlighting the associations ongoing campaign to bring awareness to the St Read more

Sandbar To Buccaneer Run Will Take Place This Saturday 29Th June 2024

The St. Maarten Road Runners is proud to present its second edition of the Sandbar to Buccaneer Run which will take place this Saturday 29th June 2024.

This event is sponsored and made possible by the Buccaneer Beach Bar, Sandbar, Sunset Beach Bar and Motorworld.

In line with the mission and vision of the St. Maarten Road Runners to continuously promote a healthy lifestyle for all, this event caters to kids and as well as adults.

The Sandbar to Buccaneer Run is a little different than the usual events and consists of 2 different races which can be chosen from.

Race number 1 consists of an individual run of a distance of 5km which starts at Sand Bar SXM and finishes at Buccaneer Beach Bar Read more

The Point Blanche Prison Invests In New Medical Equipment To Enhance Healthcare Services

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten In a significant move to address longstanding concerns about the quality of medical services, the Point Blanche Prison of Sint Maarten has purchased a comprehensive range of new medical equipment via the Sint Maarten Diagnostic Center. This investment is a pivotal step toward improving the healthcare facilities and ensuring that both inmates and staff receive the highest standard of medical care.

The new equipment, which includes essential diagnostic and treatment instruments, such as an otoscope, mobile BP apparatus, AED equipment, portable blood pressure, temperature and glucose meters, emergency crash kits, medication cabinets and more, aims to upgrade the prison’s healthcare capabilities significantly Read more