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El Ministro De Salud Pblica Ottley Presenta Ncd Map A Las Partes Interesadas

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) El Ministerio de Salud Pblica, Desarrollo Social y Trabajo (Ministry VSA) finaliz un nuevo plan estratgico de 10 aos para enfermedades crnicas.

Se denomina Plan de Accin Multisectorial para la Prevencin y el Control de las Enfermedades No Transmisibles (MAP ENT) 2021-2030. El NCD MAP fue presentado a los Ministerios de Educacin, Cultura, Juventud y Deportes, El Ministerio de Vivienda Pblica, Medio Ambiente, Planificacin Territorial e Infraestructura, y al Ministerio de Finanzas por el Ministro de VSA Excmo Read more

Sarah Insists On Answers From Minister Doran Regarding Mullet Bay

AlsoInquiresRegarding the Mullet Bay Inquiry to Give Mullet Bay Back to the People.

Philipsburg, St. Maarten, 10 November 2021 With the Mullet Bay beach very much in the news lately, MP Sarah Wescot-Williams is attempting to get answers to her questions which were evaded by the Minister of VROMI in the public meetings dealing with Governments policies on the granting of long lease land.

In her letter to the Minister, the MP reminded the Minister of her attempts to get some clarity with respect to what is taking place at Mullet Bay beach Read more

Frontier Airlines Announces Plans To Begin St Maarten Service This Summer With Nonstop Miami And Orlando Flights

SAINT MAARTEN  Low-fare carrier Frontier Airlines (NASDAQ: ULCC) today announced plans to begin service at Princess Juliana International Airport(SXM) in St. Maarten with nonstop Miami and Orlando flights beginning in July 2021.

Were overjoyed to add St Maarten to our route map this summer with nonstop Miami and Orlando flights,said Daniel Shurz, Senior Vice President of Commercial, Frontier Airlines. St. Maarten is a premier vacation destination known for its sun-filled outdoor activities and amazing scenery Read more

Minister Of General Affairs Silveria Jacobs Initiates National Food Bank Project

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – On March 14, 2020, St. Maarten closed its borders, due to the effects of COVID-19 and a partial restriction was announced. With the island still bearing the effects of the pandemic such as business
closures, the economy has drastically declined and it is further projected to have continued adverse effects on the major economic pillar, tourism.

The government of St. Maarten has, for the short-term, initiated food boxes for persons in need. Due to the overwhelming need for sustenance, lack of capacity and limited resources, a more sustainable plan is warranted to support vulnerable groups Read more

Islandpreneur Live 2020 Attracts 650 People In 35+ Countries

Organizers to start Islandpreneur Network based on the overwhelmingly positive feedback.

Great Bay, St. Maarten Islandpreneur Live 2020 was a success. This 3 day virtual summit attracted 650 registrants from more than 35+ countries,  of which the majority were Caribbean countries.  Unexpected, were those who attended the summit from India, Brazil, Morocco, and Austria. A world map highlighting where registrants came from and a listing of the countries were shared on the last day of the summit.

Hosted by Ife Badejo of Produce Wealth Revolution (PWR) Agency, this summit was designed to empower Caribbean entrepreneurs to thrive in the digital world and be more resilient.  The organizing team included Dwayne Griffith, Chief Impact Officer of PWR Agency, Kerai Kreative Style who focused on strategic marketing, and Optimize Curacao who designed the website and managed its search engine optimization (SEO).  Shekina Dare from Central Bank van Curacao en Sint Maarten, played an improtant role as well in the organization of the event, helping to secure speakers Read more

Regional Laboratories Prepare To Detect And Respond To New And Emerging Diseases

KINGSTON, Jamaica - “Public health laboratories play a critical role in the fight against communicable diseases, specifically vector-borne diseases, to better prepare the Region to detect and respond to new and emerging threats,” stated Dr Karen Polson-Edwards, Acting Director, Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control at CARPHA.

Dr Polson-Edwards was speaking at the opening of a two-day technical and policy forum for laboratory directors from 19 English and Dutch speaking public health laboratories across the Region Read more

Disease Burden Growing As Vector Insects Adapt To Climate Change

KINGSTON, Jamaica – There were surprised gasps when University of the West Indies (UWI) Professor John Agard told journalists at an Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) meeting in late November 2016 that mosquitoes were not only living longer, but were “breeding in septic tanks underground”.

For many, it explained why months of fogging at the height of Zika and Chikungunya outbreaks had done little to reduce mosquito populations in their various countries Read more

Caribbean Stakes Future On Climate-Smart Agriculture

GEORGETOWN, Guyana – As Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries continue to build on the momentum of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement and the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP22) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Marrakech in 2016, special emphasis is being placed on agriculture as outlined in their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs).

The historic climate agreement was approved on Dec. 12, 2015 at COP21. INDCs is the term used under the UNFCCC for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that all countries which are party to the convention were asked to publish in the lead up to the conference.

In their INDCs, the countries of CARICOM, a 15-member regional grouping, have prioritized adaptation in the agricultural sector, given the need to support food security.

They are now shifting their focus from climate planning to action and implementation Read more

Antigua & Barbuda In Strong Position To Accelerate Renewable Energy Deployment

ST JOHN’S, Antigua — Developing Antigua and Barbuda’s abundant renewable energy resources will enable the country to meet a large share of its energy demand sustainably with renewables, according to a report released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

Renewables Readiness Assessment: Antigua and Barbuda presents clear and practical steps for the country to maximise its renewable resources, primarily wind and solar, set new targets for renewable energy deployment, and strengthen energy efficiency measures in the country.

“Antigua and Barbuda has already surpassed its 2030 target of 15 percent of renewables in the electricity sector as part of its efforts to mitigate climate change, ensure greater energy security and chart a path for sustainable economic growth,” said IRENA Director-General Adnan Z Read more

Press Release Regarding Oyster Bay Beach Resort's Infinity Restaurant And Fête De La Cuisine Organizer Henri Brookson Handed Over A Cheque To The Shta For The Culinary Team

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - This Friday at Oyster Bay Beach Resort's Infinity Restaurant, Fête de la cuisine organizer Henri Brookson handed over a $1,758.57 cheque to the Sint Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association. The donation was the result of a collaboration between Fête de la Cuisine and Oyster Bay Beach Resort Infinity Restaurant to donating 50% on the net proceeds of the night’s event, to enable Sint Maarten to send our culinary team to the regional Taste of the Caribbean culinary contest Read more

Proposed Energy Strategy For Saint Lucia

CASTRIES, Saint Lucia - A new energy roadmap released today reveals a sustainable, reliable, cost-effective, and equitable electricity future for Saint Lucia. The Government of Saint Lucia (GoSL) and St. Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) with independent analysis from Rocky Mountain Institute – Carbon War Room (RMI-CWR), and Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI) produced a joint strategy, with feedback from the public. The findings reveal opportunities for new investments and ownership structures to benefit customers Read more

Szv Hosts Info Session With Smspa

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten - Social & Health Insurances SZV recently hosted an information session for the board of the Sint Maarten Seniors and Pensioners Association, members of Home away from Home foundation and Meals on wheels foundation.

SZV presented the operational roadmap of the departments Care procurement, Labor & Health, Medical referrals, Medical claims and Pension.

The session highlighted the correlation between the departments and the services of SZV independently and as a whole Read more

Ministry Vsa Continues With The War Against Mosquitoes

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Emil Lee, Minister of public health, social development, and Labor said that the war against mosquitoes is multi-faceted, and that as of September 9 2016, 54 Zika cases have been confirmed on the Dutch side.

The collective Prevention Services has been tirelessly repeating the message to the public on how to prevent mosquito breeding areas.

“The collective Prevention Services (CPS) has been going out together with volunteers to various neighborhoods, and it’s disturbing to see that we keep on finding many of the same problems.

For example , we found some cistern overflows unscreened, multiple water collection spots like empty bottles, and yards with many tires, all of which are perfect breeding grounds for mosquitos” said the Minister.

He further informed that that citizens who are active and report active breeding sites are an important part of the war against mosquitoes.

The Ministry of VSA has been creating a map that shows incidents of where zika is being discovered, as well as trying to track mosquito populations for a better idea of where resources need to be allocated said the Minister.

“When the Ministry receives information from citizens regarding active mosquito sites, that’s when they go and do targeted fogging in the area which was reported Read more

Academy Closes Year By Graduating 81

CUL DE SAC, St. Maarten - St. Maarten Academy’s academic campus closed the calendar year with a bang by graduating 81 of its students who successfully completed their CSEC examinations, offered by the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) in May/June.

The ceremony was held on December 16, 2015 at the Belair Community Centre under the theme, “Education: The Passport to Our Future”.

Clifford Francois emerged as valedictorian and recapped the years of hard work that brought him and his fellow graduates the successes they have achieved Read more

Emil Lee Attends Open Government Partnership Summit On Behalf Of Dp

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The DP was represented at the recent OGP Summit by Emil Lee.   Unfortunately, due to the current political crisis, DP Party Leader and Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams had to cancel her planned attendance. According to MP Sarah Wescot Williams, “The DP supports having St Maarten apply for membership to the OGP.  In order for St Maarten to become a member, there are a number of requirement with which St Maarten would need to comply.  Although St Maarten doesn’t currently qualify for membership, this provides the country with an excellent road map to follow in our path towards becoming more open.  There is an undeniable connection between the degree of openness and the level of prosperity of any country.  The more open and transparent the government, the more the people participate in and benefit from the economy.  We felt that this conference was such a valuable learning experience that Emil and I funded the trip at our personal expense.”According to Emil Lee, “the amazing thing for St Maarten is that we don’t need to reinvent the wheel.  Many countries have similar problems to St Maarten.  Many have issues with how to make the budgeting process more transparent and inclusive.  How to make procurement and government contracts less susceptible to corruption?  By participating in OGP, St Maarten can benefit from all of the experiences and work of other countries.”Use of Confidentiality Clauses: A great exampleAccording to Lee, “In St Maarten, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the use of confidentiality clauses in contracts with government and government owned companies.  There are countries where the contracts are not even legally binding until they have been placed on line for anyone to review.  Additionally, there are clear guidelines for what items are able to be covered by confidentiality clauses.  Pricing and financial information typically does not quality as items that would be able to be shrouded by confidentiality clauses.  This clause is usually reserved for proprietary processes and trade secrets.”OGP SummitThe OGP or Open Government Partnership hosts the OGP Global Summit every two years in the Country of the current Chair, this year in Mexico City.  Representatives from government, academic institutions, civil society and multilateral organizations come together to exchange experiences and share best practices and major developments in open government.OGP Mission:“OGP’s vision is that more governments become sustainably more transparent, more accountable, and more responsive to their own citizens, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of governance, as well as the quality of services that citizens receive Read more

Climate Change And The Caribbean

PORT OD SPAIN, Trinidad - This debate surrounding our climate has polarized the world into two different groups for a long time; some theorists maintain that an intrinsic characteristic of climate is that it changes while a large percent of others support the theory that global warming is anthropogenic or caused by human action.

There is however, scientific consensus that the Earth's climate system is warming, with average temperature rising somewhere between 0.4 and 0.8°C over the past 100 years Read more

Minister Of Telecommunications Connor Attends 31St Canto 2015 About Improving Lives Through Broadband Innovation

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, and Transport & Telecommunications Hon. Claret Connor, recently attended the 31st Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition (CANTO 2015) of the Caribbean Association of National Telecommunication (CANTO) in Miami, Florida.

The conference and exhibition was held under the theme "Improving Lives through Broadband Innovation."

The key note speaker, the Hon Read more

Multi-Annual Programme Caribbean Netherlands 2015- 2018

BES Islands - The Public Entity of Saba has indicated during the CN Week that, as for matters relating to content which specifically concern Saba, the Multi-Annual programme (MAP) underlines the importance of the island's further development.

Many projects in the area of economic development, children's rights and poverty reduction are either in progress or will be launched. Therefore the MAP is a basis for a joint effort, the Netherlands and Saba, to increase Saba's level of provision.

The Public Entity has also expressed the wish to evaluate the CN Week and to engage a more bilateral conversation with the Netherlands.

Finally, Saba is appreciative of the investment assignment which the MAP entails but it has underlined that a decision on structural financing of the maintenance costs has not yet been reached.

Introduction
This is an initial integrated Multi-Annual Programme of the Cabinet and Executive Councils Read more

Multi-Annual Programme Caribbean Netherlands 2015- 2018

BES Islands - The Public Entity of Saba has indicated during the CN Week that, as for matters relating to content which specifically concern Saba, the Multi-Annual programme (MAP) underlines the importance of the island's further development.

Many projects in the area of economic development, children's rights and poverty reduction are either in progress or will be launched. Therefore the MAP is a basis for a joint effort, the Netherlands and Saba, to increase Saba's level of provision.

The Public Entity has also expressed the wish to evaluate the CN Week and to engage a more bilateral conversation with the Netherlands.

Finally, Saba is appreciative of the investment assignment which the MAP entails but it has underlined that a decision on structural financing of the maintenance costs has not yet been reached.

Introduction
This is an initial integrated Multi-Annual Programme of the Cabinet and Executive Councils Read more

Water Front Project Will Not Serve Its Purpose

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Former Councilor and leader of the MAP Party, Louis Mussington is of the opinion that the ongoing development at the Water Front in Marigot will not serve its purpose.

Up to this point in time, acco Read more

Water Front Project Will Not Serve Its Purpose

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Former Councilor and leader of the MAP Party, Louis Mussington is of the opinion that the ongoing development at the Water Front in Marigot will not serve its purpose.

Up to this point in time, acco Read more

Mussington Calls For University To Be Established On St. Martin

MARIGOT, St. Martin - Former Councilor and leader of the MAP Party on French St. Maarten educator, Louis Mussington is advocating that a Branch of the University in Guadeloupe be established on the island.

Speaking to our news department, Mr Read more

Map Party Preparing For 2017 Elections

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Whilst March 2017 seems far away, the MAP Party of the French side is hoping to have been fully organized in March 2016 for the Territorial elections.

The election is slated to be held in March of 2017, and according to leader of the MAP former Counc Read more

Caribbean Netherlands Week: Still A Good Result

BES Islands - From June 8th to 12th, the Netherlands Caribbean week (CN-week) took place in The Hague.

Priorities during this week were as stated before: poverty alleviation, children's rights and promoting the economic development.

Multi-annual Programme (MAP) and development plans for each island
Since taking office as Kingdom Representative, Gilbert Isabella travels regularly between the islands and to The Hague to share his findings and experiences from the Caribbean Netherlands and to bring the views of the island governments to the attention.

He speaks regularly with various Ministers, State Secretaries and civil servants, with special attention to the problems which arise on the islands Read more