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In Light Of Global Financial Market Expectations Cbcs Reduces The Pledging Rate

Willemstad/Philipsburg The Centrale Bank van Curaao en Sint Maarten (CBCS) decided to ease its monetary policy stance by reducing the pledging rate1 by 0.50 percentage point to 5.25%. This decision is based on the solid and stable foreign exchange position and import coverage in the monetary union, and the expected reduction of the federal funds rate. However, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the CBCS will continue monitoring the domestic and international economic developments closely, particularly the key indicators for monetary policy in the union, and will adjust its policy if necessary.

According to the latest projection, the deficit on the current account of the balance of payments of the monetary union is expected to drop from 15.8% of GDP in 2023 to 13.9% in 2024, due mainly to an increase in net current transfers from abroad, stated executive director, Dr Read more

Lewis Receives Quality Inspection Report ForPublic Schools: Urgent Improvements Needed

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — A comprehensive Quality Inspection Report has been conducted and presented to Demissionair Minister of Education Lyndon Lewis by the Inspectorate of Education. The report, finalized in June 2024, examines the quality of education in public schools across St. Maarten and provides detailed recommendations for improvement.

The inspection, which took place between October 2023 and March 2024, included lesson observations, interviews, and desk research Read more

Lewis Announces Subsidy ForSt. Maarten Folksong Project

Anastacia Larmonie

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Demissionaire Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport Lyndon Lewis has announced the approval of an incidental subsidy for the amount of ANG 129,682.08, which will be used to produce a book of original St. Maarten folksongs, record these songs, and document the process, including interviews with renowned music educator Mrs Read more

Isaiah Peterson Awarded 2024 President Of Parliament Award.

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten During the reception on the occasion of the new Parliamentary Year, a youth is awarded the President of Parliament Award for exemplary behavior, leadership skills as well as their contribution to thecommunity. On Tuesday, September 10, 2024, the Hon. President of Parliament, Mrs. Sarah A.Wescot-Williams announced Mr Read more

Island Initiatives To Restore Coral Reefs

Each of the six islandsAruba, Bonaire, Curaao, Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Maartenhas taken unique and proactive measures to address the challenges facing their reefs. The restoration efforts by local nature conservation organizations were presented during the recent Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) Reef Restoration Workshop and are critical in ensuring the health and longevity of these underwater treasures for many years to come.

Aruba: Building a Future for Coral Reefs

Arubas reef restoration efforts are spearheaded by the Aruba Conservation Foundation (ACF), which has been actively working to revive and sustain the island’s coral ecosystems Read more

Eoc Meets To Debrief On The Passing Of Tropical Storm Ernesto

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) met at the Government Administration Building on Wednesday to debrief on the national response to the passing of Tropical Storm Ernesto, the fifth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.

The meeting was chaired by the honorable Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina.

Each Emergency Support Function (ESF) which makes up the essential core of the countrys national disaster system present for the meeting gave a presentation.

Fire Chief/Disaster Coordinator Clive Richardson said that the passing of Tropical Storm Ernesto tested all areas and levels of emergency response.

Richardson said the passing for the storm allowed the individual ESFs to fine tune their emergency response mechanisms in preparation for the next system.

The 10 ESFs are: ESF-1 NV GEBE (Water & Energy), ESF-2 Bureau Telecommunication and Post (BTP), ESF-3 Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Public Works, Transport & Logistics), ESF-4 Fire Department, ESF-5 Police, ESF-6 Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, ESF-7 Department of Social Development (Evacuation, Shelters, Relief & Mass Care), ESF-8 Department of Communication, ESF-9 Governmental Affairs, and ESF-10 Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Telecommunication and Transport (Airport, Port & Hotels).

The Office of Disaster Management (ODM) which falls under the Fire Department (Ministry of General Affairs) headed by Fire Chief/Disaster Coordinator Clive Richardson, is appealing to all residents and businesses to remain vigilant and to maintain a state of readiness as the nation is now in the peak period of the hurricane season.

The remaining storm names for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season are: Francine, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Milton, Nadine, Oscar, Patty, Rafael, Sara, Tony, Valerie, and William.

The community is urged to learn more about hurricane hazards and how to prepare for a storm/hurricane strike by visiting the Government website: www.sintmaartengov.org/hurricane where you will be able to download your Hurricane Season Readiness Guide and Hurricane Tracking Chart.

Listen to the Government Radio station SXMGOV 107.9FM – for official information and news before, during and after a hurricane Read more

Governor Baly Starts Consultations As A Result Of 2024 Snap Election

HARBOUR VIEW, PHILIPSBURG On Tuesday August 20, 2024, the Governor of Sint Maarten, His Excellency A.G. Baly, LL.M. was informed by the chairperson of the Central Voting Bureau about the proceedings of the August 19, 2024 parliamentary elections. The Governor has also received the preliminary results of said parliamentary elections.

Based on the preliminary results, the Governor has commenced the consultations with various stakeholders to gather information on the process regarding the formation of a new government Read more

Caretaker Minister Of Justice Meets WithNewly Formed Customs Management Team

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — On Wednesday, August 21, 2024, Caretaker Minister of Justice, Lyndon Lewis, held a meeting with the newly appointed management team of the Customs Department. The meeting included Mr. Anthony Doran, who has resumed his position as Head of Customs, and Mr. Rogerrel Mauricia.

During this important meeting, Minister Lewis engaged with the new leadership to discuss the strategic direction and priorities for the Customs Department Read more

Launch Entrepreneurship Development Program

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten -The Sint Maarten Entrepreneurship Development Center (SEDC)Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of the first Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP).

The four-week EDP is designed to equip aspiring and existing entrepreneurs with essential business skills Read more

Mp Emmanuel: Ennia Debacle Turning Out To Be Financial Genocide Upon St. Maarten

~ Questions why BES, Suriname linked to St. Maarten ~

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — In a scathing rebuke, Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Thursday accused the former National Alliance government and the Central Bank of Curaao and St. Maarten (CBCS) of committing financial genocide by burdening the people of St. Maarten with the disastrous Ennia bailout agreement. Emmanuel’s remarks followed revelations made by Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs, exposing hidden terms that would further drain St Read more

Mp Gumbs Submits Draft Financial Legislation To Minister Finance

Manifesto Dealbreaker Point Met

PHILISPBURG Party for Progress member of Parliament Melissa Gumbs submitted draft legislation to the Honorable Minister of Finance, Marinka Gumbs, on Thursday, 15 August 2024 Read more

The Much-Needed Justice Academy For Country Sint Maarten

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — As the new school year begins, marking the reopening of schools across Sint Maarten after the summer break, I, Paco Isenia, candidate #14 for the upcoming parliamentary elections on August 19th 2024 under the Unified Resilient Sint Maarten Movement (URSM), emphasize the critical importance of education for all students Read more

Ryan James Pushes For Support On A Pensioner Allowance

Candidate # 6 on the N.O.W. party Ryan James continues to advocate for seniors and press home that their well-being is of utmost importance and that begins with an additional government allowance.

Many seniors I have spoken with believe that the pension allowance does not meet their needs, and they struggle to make ends meet. Consequently, they desire an increase of their old age pension.

He went on to outline some key points to consider regarding the potential benefits of this approach:

Potential Benefits

An increase of the old age pension would directly increase the amount of money available to retirees, enhancing their purchasing power and helping them cover living expenses, healthcare costs, and other needs. Many seniors live on fixed incomes and struggle to make ends meet Read more

Minister Vromi Gumbs Signs Trenching Contracts, Continues To Address Outstanding Projects

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The signing of the four contracts marks the end of three years of irregular cleaning and maintenance of the trenches and waterways. The previous contracts ended on December 31st 2021. A public tender was carried out between 2022 and 2023, but was not fulfilled due to concerns of the previous administration related to the results of the tendering process. Upon taking office, Gumbs decided to review the file, in close consultation with legal advisors and the Ministry, i.e Read more

Mobilizing Resources To Combat Crime On The Island And What It Means For Its Members

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — In light of the recent surge in criminal activities on our island, the union is committed to utilizing every available resource to address and combat crime effectively. Over the past few months, our community has been significantly impacted by the actions of various individuals perpetrating these offenses. As the upcoming election and also threat of a storm approaches, ensuring the safety and security of our island is paramount.

We recognize that a collaborative effort is essential to safeguarding our community Read more

Press Statement By Minfin Marinka Gumbs Vital Updates On The Ennia Saga

Esteemed citizens of St. Maarten, today it is imperative that I provide you with an update on this Ennia Saga. Since my last appearance in Parliament, I have continued to carefully investigate the outline agreement and also explore alternative solutions. My intention was to go to parliament again this week to provide answers to the questions posed; however, due to an error in the date provided by Parliament, which led to a misunderstanding, the meeting will be rescheduled. However aside from answering the questions it is vital that I provide you the residents of Sint Maarten and specifically the Sint Maarten ennia policy holders with an update.

My main focus remains on two groups: the Sint Maarten policyholders and country Sint Maarten Read more

Winners Of 7 Lucky Classroom Material Projects Announced!

PHILLIPSBURG-– Member of Parliament Richinel Brug announced in a press statement Thursday morning the winners of his Lucky 7 Classroom Material project.

I am thrilled to announce the winners of the Lucky 7 Classroom Material project! Congratulations to Mr. Charles Rollan, Ms. Tiffany Richardson, Ms. Beverley Orr, Ms. Allison Harry (Teacher Mars), Ms Read more

Buncamper Praise Plan To Turn Courthouse Into National Heritage Center In Philipsburg

~ Wants more protection for monuments ~

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports has initiated a significant cultural initiative led by Minister Lyndon Lewis: the establishment of a National Heritage Center in Philipsburg, with the historic Courthouse serving as its centerpiece. This development signifies a major step in preserving and showcasing our rich heritage and history.

The decision to repurpose the Court House as the National Heritage Center has garnered enthusiastic support, particularly from the Deputy Leader of the National Opportunity Wealth Party (NOW), Claudius Buncamper Read more

Nrpb Clarifies Misinformation About Public Tender For Repair Works

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Questions have been recently raised about a foreign company being awarded a contract by the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) to repair twelve (12) school gyms, but much of the information circulating regarding the process has been misleading or inaccurate.

The NRPB finds it unfortunate that some have implied a breach of integrity by its staff, as by law the organization and its personnel have strictly adhered to the World Banks rules when awarding contracts, selecting the most suitable bidder for the job Read more

Emmanuel: Waste To Energy Will Solve Energy And Landfill Crisis, Create Jobs

We should not move in the opposite direction of the world

The islands growing waste and energy crisis not only threatens its ecological health and the overall economy, but the very well-being of its residents. To address this, St. Maarten should be turning to an innovative solution: waste-to-energy (WtE) technology. This technology promises not only to manage waste sustainably but also to generate clean energy, reduce landfill volumes, and create hundreds of jobs, providing a much-needed economic boost.

MP Christophe Emmanuel, leader of the Nation Opportunity Wealth (NOW) Party, the driving force behind the EnviroGreen Project initiated in 2016, has long championed the waste-to-energy solution Read more

Lewis Announces Air Conditioning Units For Four Elementary Schools

PHILPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Minister of Education, Mr. Lyndon Lewis, has announced the purchase of air conditioning units for four elementary schools in St. Maarten. This significant step underscores Minister Lewiss commitment to fulfilling his promises to both the schools and their union, ensuring that the well-being of students and educators remains a top priority.

The four schools are Martin Luther King Jr School, Dr Read more

Grisha Wants Gebe To Introduce Special Tariff For All Seniors

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication, Grisha Heyliger-Marten, wants GEBE to establish a special discounted electricity tariff for the islands senior citizens aged 60 and above.

Dubbed Tariff 60, the Minister has asked the utility company to review the current system in which some seniors benefit from reduced rates while others do not Read more

Great Salt Pond (Flood) Pump Fixed

SUCKERGARDEN, Sint Maarten — The Ministry of VROMI is proud to announce that one of the two flood pumps, used to manage water levels in the Great Salt Pond has been fixed. On initiative of Division VROMI Yard, headed by Head Contract Manager- Special Assignment VROMI – Yard Ms. Lia Dania, together with Mr. Marvin Brown diesel mechanic VROMI Yard and the contractor Corporan Truck & Mechanical Services N.V. a team has been busy, working to repair one of the two pumps.

The level of the Great Salt Pond was managed by using a smaller pump, which wasnt designed to accommodate this purpose Read more

Prime Minister And Officials Hail Breakthrough In Legal Helpdesk Initiative

Philipsburg — The Honorable Prime Minister Mr. Luc Mercelina, Minister of VSA Mrs. Veronica Jansen-Webster, and Member of Parliament Ms. Sjamira Roseburg convened to discuss the remarkable progress of the legal helpdesk initiative championed by MP Roseburg. “This initiative is making tremendous strides,” Prime Minister Mercelina stated Read more