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St. Maarten Carnival Director Mike Granger Looks Back

SCDF-Director Mike Granger. Photo contributed.

“We are not a bunch of know-it-alls”

St. Maarten News – “Much of the growth and success of Carnival over the last five years can be attributed to the fact that young, local entrepreneurs were given an opportunity to be part of Carnivals in the various facets of the festival,” says Mike Granger, director of the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation SCDF. “Across the board, key aspects of Carnival are now managed by young adults.”

With the conclusion of Carnival 2016, the public has been heaping praise on the SCDF for its steadfast stance on putting local artists and entrepreneurs first in Carnival, Granger notes Read more

Karaoke With Your Carnival Queen

PHILIPSBURG – Posh Productions in collaboration with Cactus Diner in Sucker Garden, will be hosting a Karaoke evening on March 31.

Anna Rabbess-Richardson and Martha Thewet have partnered and hope to make this a memorable event for everyone who attends.

“The idea came out of brain storming with different partners in the private sector business, where we all thought it would be a great idea to provide these ladies with an event that will add some fun ambience. It goes without saying that pageantry comes with a level of stress as these courageous ladies prepare themselves to give it their best performance during the upcoming carnival season,” said the partners in a statement.

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Up next!!!!!!!!!!??????????????????

Posted by Anna Rabess-Richardson on Monday, March 28, 2016

“We are happy to have partnered up with local companies like Medicosmetics, Manrique Capriles & Sons, T’s Closet, Eagle Tours, Purrfect Bath & Body Essentials, and of course the hosting venue: Cactus Bar & Restaurant Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- Last Friday, Posh Productions hosted its first Corporate Cocktail Pageant Presentation for Corporate St. Maarten. This very “posh” evening was hosted at Princess Port de Plaisance and was well attended by the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, the Honorable Rita Bourne-Gumbs and representatives of various businesses on the island.
Posh Productions recognizes the general perceptions and reservations many institutions and individuals have about pageantry. Often times, pageantry is perceived as not serving much purpose or holding any value, but quite to the contrary, pageantry has significant importance for our community and serves as a pillar for growth throughout the world Read more

Be The Change Presents Donation To St Maarten Aids Foundation

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Be the Change recently presented a check in the amount $1141.00 to the St Maarten AIDS Foundation.

The Foundation was the spotlighted organization of Be the Change for the month of June.

The funds will be used to continue to offer free HIV testing to the community. Rajesh Chintaman and Rebecca Low accepted the check on behalf of the AIDS Foundation.

Chintaman thanked Be the Change for its support and commitment to community work and awareness.

St Read more

Norissa Richards is new Mature Carnival Queen

Mature Carnival Queen 2015 Norissa Richards (centre) with runner-up Lisette Carty (right) and second runner-up Micheline Warner. Photos by Fiona Van Kampen.

CARNIVAL VILLAGE--Norissa Richards was crowned the new Mature Carnival Queen in a packed Carnival Village on Monday night. First runner-up was Lisette Carty and Micheline Warner named as second runner-up by judges Grace Bleijden, Ife Badejo, Clara Reyes, Anushka Lopes and head judge Nzinga Lake. Masters of Ceremonies were Chet Euton and Gina Bruni.

The event started with an introductory dance in which the candidates wore red evening wear before stripping off their dresses to reveal tight lycra suits Read more

Carnival 2015 officially open

CARNIVAL VILLAGE--Carnival has started! The official opening by Minister of Culture Rita Bourne-Gumbs, who “unlocked” the door to the village with a large golden key, took place on Thursday evening.

A parade had led the way to the official opening, which saw hundreds of people in the streets of Philipsburg dance to the tunes of bands and deejays in the official opening Jump-up for the 46th St. Maarten Carnival.

The route of the jump-up was lined with people and near to Carnival Village a number of booths were selling snacks and drinks.

The jump-up arrived at the Village shortly before 11:30pm Read more

Teen, Senior Queen contestants vie for points in Speech, Cultural Wear

PHILIPSBURG--Twelve Teen and Senior Carnival Queen Pageant contestants modelled impressive custom cultural wear and motivated their opinions on independence and diversity in front of a jam-packed conference room at Sonesta Great Bay Resort on Sunday night.

The annual Speech and Cultural Wear competition proved a hit with the crowd, and was the first segment of the overall pageant. Points gained carry over to the main event at Carnival Village, so no winners were announced. Attendees will have to wait to see who the ultimate winners are, although they hold their opinions on what girls gained a leg-up in the running.

Judging by cheers of the crowd, Jondalin Brown delivered the most impactful speech of the show's first half, which featured the Teen Carnival Queen contestants speaking on "My Village of Diversity." Contestants were asked to described an imaginary village, diverse in terms of colour, religion, culture and sexual orientation, and to motivate their opinions on the pros and cons of this diversity.

"One thing that confuses me is that we do not embrace diversity," Brown said in rhyme at the beginning of her speech, in a more critical take than the other speeches 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

Soualiga Corporate Toastmasters Club Host Mature Carnival Queen Contestants

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Soualiga Corporate Toastmasters Club hosted the contestants of the Miss Mature Carnival Queen Pageant in one of its meetings last week under the theme "Life is Like a Pageant".

The session focused on prepared speeches, impromptu speaking and questioning which is similar to the question and answer segment of the pageant itself.

The St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) thanked the Toastmasters for hosting the contestants who described the Read more

Chamber Of Commerce Elections

St. Maarten —Thirteen persons have been nominated for the three vacancies that exist on the board of the Chamber of Commerce and industry and votes will be cast today to decide the new board members. The election process will begin at 8:00am.

The nomination period ended Tuesday. “For the large business sector, five (5) persons postulated themselves, and for the small business sector, eight (8) persons postulated themselves. For the large business sector, there is one (1) vacancy, and for the small business sector, there are two (2) vacancies on its board of directors,” a press release from the chamber states.

The Election Committee consisted of Franklin Brison, Cleophas Richardson, Myrna Lynch, and Charles Benders Read more

Chamber Election Results

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The results of the Chamber elections for the period 2015-2017 are as follows:

Kleinbedrijf: (Small Business)

Ajay Rawtani................................65 (due to a three way tie, a pulling of a lot by the election committee chair was done* see excerpt of law below)

Ann Meyers .................................46

Anna Rabess-Richardson...........65

Basil Richardson..........................15

Keoma Hamer..............................33

Nkomo Lake.................................65

Pamela Annuska Illis-Friday......122

Vinod Kotai...................................57

Grootbedrijf: (Large Business)

Ann Meyers..................................5

Anna Rabess-Richardson...........3

Louis Bute....................................15

Nkomo Lake.................................2

Pamela Annuska Illis-Friday......6

*Election Regulations for the Chambers of Commerce and Industry

Artikel 56

· 2 Read more

Bute, Friday-Illis, Rawtani elected to Chamber Board

PHILIPSBURG--Louis Bute, Pamela Annuska Friday-Illis and Ajay Rawtani were elected to the Chamber of Commerce Board during what was referred to as a "smooth" and uneventful election on Friday.

Bute was elected as representative of large businesses, while Friday-Illis and Rawtani were elected to represent small businesses on the Board. Friday-Illis amassed 122 votes. However, there was a three-way tie between Rawtani, Anna Rabess-Richardson and Nkomo Lake, all of whom secured 65 votes Read more

Chamber Election Set For December 18

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce and Industry would like to inform the members that during the nomination period that ended on Tuesday December 16th, 2014, thirteen (13) persons were nominated for the three (3) vacancies on its Board of Directors.

For the Large Business Sector, five (5) person postulated themselves, and for the Small Business Sector, eight (8) persons postulated themselves.

For the Large Business Sector, there is one (1) vacancy, and for the Small Business Sector, there are two (2) vacancies on its Board of Directors.

The Election Committee consisted of the following members, Messer: Franklin Brison, Cleophas Richardson, Myrna Lynch, and Charles Benders.

For the Large Business Sector there were five (5) candidates who were approved for the one (1) position Read more

Storytelling takes centre stage at Friday’s ‘Kids Night Out’

PHILIPSBURG--Beyond Writing Foundation (BWF) hosted this year's edition of Kids Night Out at Philipsburg Cultural and Community Centre on Friday evening.

Similar as during previous issues of this event, which started as an open-air theatrical picnic under the stars at Emilio Wilson Park, children and their parents enjoyed an evening of storytelling and reading, plays, music and dance but this time from the public gallery at the Cultural Centre.

Under the theme "Multicultural Island/Story Night," BWF presented a varied show to stimulate storytelling, reading and writing, which was hosted by moderators Anenda Zaandam and St Read more

US Party candidates call voters ‘to make a change’

CUL DE SAC--Voters were urged to head to the polls on Friday and make a change by voting for the United St. Maarten Party, headed by independent Member of Parliament Frans Richardson. The party leader and thirteen other candidates shared first final messages of campaign for Parliament at the party's final public meeting at the party's headquarters on Tuesday.

Richardson told supporters, "We are ready for change in this country." He called on voters "to send a message" to the "expired politicians" that the "time has come to get out of office."

He criticised the plans of the United People's (UP) party to build a new hospital as expensive and burdensome for the people as it will cost about US $300 million Read more

AVS First Live Political Debate Set For August 10.

>GREAT BAY:--- AVS Live Political Debates on the parliamentary elections will be held Sunday, August 10, August 17 And Sunday, August 24 At The Belair Community Center In Cay Hill.
The debates will be aired via Sxm Cable TV Channel 120 and WTN Cable TV Carib Channel 10 and Will Stream Live via Avsnewsonline.com TV Channel.
On Saturday, August 2, the leaders or an authorizing representative of the six political parties were invited to an informative session regarding the rules & regulations of the debate by the organizing committee who consist Of Clarence Richardson, Chairman, Edward Benjamin, Vice Chair, Terry Woods, Member, Florence Marlin, Member And Mireya Ostiana, Member Read more

Avs First Live Political Debate Set For August 10

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten - AVS Live Political Debates on the parliamentary elections will be held Sunday, August 10, August 17 And Sunday, August 24 At The Belair Community Center In Cay Hill.

The debates will be aired via Sxm Cable TV Channel 120 and WTN Cable TV Carib Channel 10 and Will Stream Live via Avsnewsonline.com TV Channel.

On Saturday, August 2, the leaders or an authorizing representative of the six political parties were invited to an informative session regarding the rules & regulations of the debate by the organizing committee who consist Of Clarence Richardson, Chairman, Edward Benjamin, Vice Chair, Terry Woods, Member, Florence Marlin, Member and Mireya Ostiana, Member.

The session was held at The Yogesh Commercial Complex on A.J.C Read more

Franklin Meyers About His Billboards: “I Am Not In Breach Of Campaign Rules”

St. Maarten – “I am not in breach of any campaign rule,” United People’s party candidate Franklin Meyers told this newspaper yesterday in a reaction to our report that the police will ask the Ministry of Vromi to remove political billboards from roundabouts. Meyers, the number 3 on the UP-list and a former Commissioner of Public Health, said that he had not received any call about his campaign billboards Read more