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Minister Connor pays Tribute to D’Shnay.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Claret Connor recently paid tribute to St. Maarten's Reigning Teen Carnival Queen D'Shnay York who won the Haynes Smith Talent Teen Pageant in St. Kitts on December 30. He congratulated her on behalf of his entire Ministry.

The Minister presented D'Shnay with a congratulatory letter from his Ministry and hailed her as a true ambassador for St Read more

Port welcomes two-millionth passenger on New Year’s Eve

POINTE BLANCHE--Port St. Maarten has announced that on New Year's Eve, it welcomed the historical two-millionth cruise passenger. By the last day of the year, the country had received approximately 2,000,864 cruise passengers.

John and Marleen Tharpe and their three granddaughters had been on-board the Oasis of the Seas and were selected by newly instated Minister of Tourism Claret Connor at Dr Read more

Minister Connor: Private sector, NGO’s and service are vital for tangible economic growth.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Claret Connor says that in the first few months of 2015, Government will share many ideas and initiatives to trigger tangible economic growth and that most of these initiatives will be done in collaboration with the Private sector and Non-government organizations (NGOs) with a strong focus on service.

In addressing the public for the first time since being sworn in, the Minister said he looks forward to starting his tenure with renewed passion and vision that will hopefully effect sustainable economic growth for our country and a better quality of life for all.

"As many would agree, any notable advancement for our country and our livelihood, is contingent on our country's economic development Read more

Port St. Maarten hits historical two millionth cruise passenger mark on New Year’s Eve.

>POINT BLANCHE:--- Port St. Maarten on New Year's Eve, Wednesday, December 31st, 2014, welcomed the historical two (2) millionth cruise passenger in 50-years of cruising. The country at the end of 2014 received for the entire year approximately 2,000,864 cruise passengers.

Family John and Marleen Tharpe along with their three granddaughters, passengers onboard the Oasis of the Seas, were selected by Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunications Hon. Claret Connor on Wednesday, December 31st, 2014 at the Dr Read more

Taxi associations formalising prices

PHILIPSBURG--Four taxi associations – Dutch St. Maarten, Airport, Genesis and Philipsburg Independent – are in the late stages of formalising price zones for the island.

After a number of meetings with each other and Transport Minister Ted Richardson, progress had been made, although the plans have not had the final sign-off. This task will now fall onto the newly appointed Transport Minister Claret Connor.

However, the associations chose to publicise the plans in the form of a pre-release Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- On Saturday Dec 13, 2014 the ICUC, the Intercontinental University of the Caribbean, held a thesis defence exam for its St. Maarten based students in their Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management program. Six students earned their bachelors degree on Saturday and have joined their seven predecessors making the total graduates 13.

The International Hospitality & Tourism Management (IHTM) program of ICUC was founded on The World Bank's recommendation Read more

Sxm Students Attending Intercontinental University Of The Caribbean Sit Thesis Defence Exam

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - On Saturday Dec 13, 2014 the ICUC, the Intercontinental University of the Caribbean, held a thesis defence exam for its St. Maarten based students in their Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management program.

Six students earned their bachelors degree on Saturday and have joined their seven predecessors making the total graduates 13.

The International Hospitality & Tourism Management (IHTM) program of ICUC was founded on The World Bank's recommendation.

In 2001 The World Bank recommended to establish "a good quality hotel and restaurant school in Curaçao that could also attract students from elsewhere in the Caribbean" as an integral part of the overall economic reform and recover strategy of the island.

In accordance with the World Bank's view that the school should be "undertaken by the private sector, with the Government playing a suitable catalytic and supporting role", the IHTM program has been developed and initiated in 2003 in a strategic alliance with the Government – the Hospitality Industry – and the Tourism Sector.

In 2006 a second campus of the school was opened on St Read more

Four minister candidates reportedly fail screening

PHILIPSBURG--It appears that efforts to put together a new cabinet have come up a few ministers short. Four of the minister candidates reportedly have failed the extensive screening to take up a post in what has been billed as the Marcel Gumbs Cabinet.

Those said to have failed the security and integrity screenings are finance minister candidate Richard Gibson Sr., health minister candidate Leroy de Weever, infrastructure minister candidate Peggy-Ann Brandon and deputy minister plenipotentiary candidate Lucas Berman.

According to people close to the issue, attorney and former minister in the Netherlands Antilles Gibson Sr Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Rotary Club of St. Maarten Sunrise was pleased to welcome Attorney Jason Rogers, Central Voting Bureau Chairman to their recent morning meeting. In the aftermath of the recent elections Rogers in his presentation gave a recap of the recent elections and elucidated on the role of the voting bureau during and after the elections. Pictured from left to right, Rotarian Cookie Bijlani, Rotarian Marcellia Henry, Rotary Sunrise President Virginia Asin, Rogers, Rotarian Meredith Boekhou Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- November is Rotary Foundation Month and Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise Foundation Director Meredith Boekhoudt recently gave a review to fellow members on the Rotary Foundation. The Rotary Foundation was formed on the advice of Past Rotary International President Arch C. Klumph who suggested an endowment "for the purpose of doing good in the world". The Foundation aims to "advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty" Read more

Rotary Sunrise Acknowledges Rotary Foundation Month And Paul Harris Fellows

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - November is Rotary Foundation Month and Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise Foundation Director Meredith Boekhoudt recently gave a review to fellow members on the Rotary Foundation.

The Rotary Foundation was formed on the advice of Past Rotary International President Arch C. Klumph who suggested an endowment "for the purpose of doing good in the world".

The Foundation aims to "advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty".

They do this mainly through their End Polio Now campaigns and through offering Peace Fellowships where degrees and certificates are earned in peace and conflict resolution.

Ms Read more

Chamber Of Commerce To Strengthen St. Maarten-Panama Ties

St. Maarten – With the goal of strengthening the economic ties between St. Maarten and Panama, Claret Connor, Executive Director of the St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce & Industry will represent the island of St. Maarten at the 18 Conference of Free Zones of the Americas 2014. “Our economic engagement is essential to the trade and investments agenda with countries such as Panama in particular, and can only result in stronger economic growth and greater prosperity for St Read more

style="text-align: center;">"Boys & Girls Brigade & Special Olympics of St.Maarten to receive "Special Charity" recognition

PHILIPSBURG:---- President of the St. Maarten Rebels Vets Basketball Association, Claret Connor announced that preparations are in full effect for the 7th Edition of the Curasur Masters Tournament. The tournament games are schedule to take place from November 3rd to November 7th, 2014, at the L.B Read more

‘Janchi’ re-elected, in spite of tie with Buncamper-Molanus

PHILIPSBURG--Incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) Johan "Janchi" Leonard (United People's (UP) party) can be considered the big winner after the validation of the votes from the August 29 Parliamentary Elections by the Central Voting Bureau on Wednesday. Leonard was short two votes to be re-elected to Parliament. He received those votes when the bureau reviewed ballots deemed invalid by the polling station on election night.

Leonard (UP #7) is an MP-elect for UP, in spite of the tie with former Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus (UP #21), because of his placement on the party's list of candidates Read more

Johan Leonard Squeezes Past Buncamper-Molanus Into Parliament

“Mister 7-UP” sends rival home

St. Maarten – Maria Buncamper-Molanus will not become a member of the new Parliament after all. After the Central Voting Bureau had scrutinized yesterday all the ballots the twenty polling stations had deemed invalid, it found two valid votes that went to Johan Leonard Read more

Lively Political Debate On Laser 101: Connor (Up) Estimates Gray Economy To Be 50 Percent

St. Maarten – “The government has a debt of 500 million guilders to the Netherlands, and 200 million to creditors. The 2015 budget is expected to be around 465 million. Unemployment is 11.5 percent. It is your first day in office. What will you do?”

This is how moderator Glen Carty started the political debate on radio station Laser 101 on Saturday evening with participants Emil Lee (number 4-candidate Democratic Party), George Pantophlet (number 2-candidate National Alliance), Claret Connor (number 10-candidate United People’s Party) and Harlec Doran (number 6-candidate United Sint Maarten Party).

The lively debate outshone earlier debates on AVS and the political mixer at the St Read more

Connor Gives Motivational Talk To Students

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce & Industry Executive Director, Claret Connor, gave a series of motivational talks to three of the new first form classes of the Sundial School on Tuesday, August 12th.

Under the theme "Let your Attitude determine your Altitude" Connor encouraged students to aim high, and that even though it was only their second day of high school, the right attitude would take them far.

"Speaking to the new students is something that I do annually," Connor says Read more

Laser 101 to Host Debate on Issues Affecting St. Maarten – Economy and Tourism main topics.

style="text-align: center;">Tune in Saturday August 16th from 7pm to 8:30pm

PHILIPSBURG:--- As we are nearing election day, August 29th, we at Philipsburg broadcasting network, as a corporate citizen of St. Maarten,
feel that is our responsibility to our listeners to assist them in providing as much information as possible regarding the position of the different political parties on the issues regarding business and the St. Maarten economy. At the end of the day it is the private sector that is the motor that drives our country, the friendly island.

Presently all parties are campaigning and indicating, if elected, what they will do to improve our country Read more

Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise’s New President ready to "Light Up Rotary".

PHILIPSBURG:--- Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise President Dr. Virginia Asin-Oostburg personal theme for taking on leadership this year is "Celebrate Passion". She is passionate about helping and supporting people and plans to bring that same passion into her new role. President Asin-Oostburg, along with her board members are eager to put this year's Rotary International theme "Light Up Rotary" into action. In addition to the established programs for the club such as, breakfast programs, Readers are Leaders initiative and providing glasses to students in need, the club aims to add a health project Read more