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PHILIPSBURG:--- On Thursday, February 3, 2022, a Steering Committee Meeting, chaired by St. Maarten {SG AZ, supported by BAK}, with representatives from the European Union (EU) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Ministry of VSA and the Ministry of VROMI, will take place. The focus of the steering committee meeting is to discuss the strategic focus for the coming year(s), share best practices, provide updates on all elements of the project and if necessary, suggest modifications based on lessons learned from the past year or other programs.

A large milestone has been achieved in March 2021, when the 11th European Development Fund B-Envelop Shelters project was launched for St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Today, January 31, the Honorable Prime Minister Silveria E. Jacobs participated in a four-country level consultation held by State Secretary Alexandra van Huffelen together with the Prime Minister of Curacao, Hon. Gilmar Pisas and the Prime Minister of Aruba, Hon. Evelyn Wever-Croes. Prime Minister Jacobs was able to address several concerns St Read more

Continuation Central Committee Meeting Of Parliament Regarding The Financial Status Of Winair.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a Central Committee meeting on January 31, 2022.
This Central Committee meeting, which was adjourned on October 20, 2021, will be reconvened on Monday at 14.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of General Affairs will be present.
The agenda point is:
The (financial) status of Windward Islands Airways (IS/1135/2019-2020 dated August 18, 2020, and IS/ 169/2020-2021 dated November 16, 2020)

This meeting was requested by MP S.A Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament George Pantophlet is asking the question as to why it is being said that passing the Budget without the approval of the Kingdom Council of Ministers is illegal.

Pantophlet is not negating the fact that every Member of Parliament has to vote his/her conscience. "We all took an oath to do so. The meeting in which the Budget was discussed happened in accordance with article 34.2 of the rules of order which states: "As soon as the attendance list is signed by at least half plus one, the President opens the meeting Read more

~ It is unfortunate that some MPs chose to play politics with the PJIAE saga.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of TEATT Roger Lawrence confirmed at the Council of Minister's press briefing on Wednesday that the Council of Ministers did receive a dossier that contained over 400 pages of documents prior to him taking office.
The Minister said he found the dossier when the matter was raised in the parliament of St. Maarten during the budget debate. Minister Lawrence said that he is busy reviewing the details of the documentation together with the Council of Ministers Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Parliament of St. Maarten approved the countrys National Budget for 2022, on Monday, January 24, with nine MPs for and four MPs against as the government awaits the deviation approval by the Kingdom Council of Ministers (RMR). In her opening remarks to Parliament, during the start of the budget debate, Prime Minister Jacobs addressed the concerns of several Members of Parliament about the handling of the budget without having the deviation from article 25 granted by the RMR.

Prime Minister Jacobs stated, Government has a legal obligation to submit the budget to the Parliament Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prime Minister of St. Maarten Hon. Silveria E. Jacobs in her opening address in the House of Parliament on Wednesday related to the continuation of debating the draft 2022 national budget said COVID-19 is still with us.

I join with the Minister of VSA in commending all those who have helped us to continue to grapple with the rising active cases. I must say that the Minister and the Ministry of VSA, together with all their stakeholders are doing a wonderful job of ensuring that we as a community are doing what is needed Read more

PHILIPSBURG:---The Prime Minister of Sint Maarten Hon. Silveria Jacobs in the House of Parliament on Wednesday provided information to Members of Parliament (MPs) during the parliamentary session that is handling the draft 2022 national budget about the Trust Fund portfolio which comprises ten (10) projects that are currently in implementation as well as three (3) projects under preparation.

The prime minister stated that the Government of Sint Maarten has strategically prioritized these projects geared at recovery, reconstruction, and building resilience of the countrys institutions.

In 2018, the Government of the Netherlands committed an amount of US$554 million to the Trust Fund program, which was aimed at The recovery and reconstruction of Sint Maarten following the devastation caused by the September 2017 Atlantic hurricanes; and

Strengthening the countrys resilience to future natural disasters.

The Government of the Netherlands had previously transferred US$515.35 million to the World Bank and in December 2021, the Netherlands transferred the final tranche of US$139 million.

As a summary of the Trust Fund projects, the prime minister informed the MPs as follows:  

US$515.36 million has been transferred to the Trust Fund, this amounts to the total to be transferred figures.     10 projects are under implementation for US$311.3 million, of which US$146.3 million has been disbursed to date, and US$122.2 million spent.

For the overview of the Trust Fund program, the prime minister added: 

That the Investment income to date is approximately US$13.7 million, which reflows to the Trust Fund for projects.At this moment the entire Trust Fund has been allocated to existing or future projects by the Steering Committee.

The final remaining finances of the Trust Fund have been allotted by the Steering Committee in July 2021 Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- On behalf of the Government and the People of St. Maarten, the Honorable Prime Minister Silveria E. Jacobs extended congratulations to newly sworn-in Prime Minister of the Republic of Barbados, the Honorable Mia Mottley following the overwhelming results of the recently held elections.

In a letter sent to Prime Minister Mottley today, January 20, Prime Minister Jacobs stated, As a fellow female leader in the region, your exemplary form of leadership has become a beacon for many of us to follow Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- On January 20, the Honorable Prime Minister Silveria E. Jacobs held a fruitful meeting with the newly appointed State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Relations, Alexandra van Huffelen via video conference call together with the Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion, Minister Plenipotentiary Rene Violenus and their respective support staff Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prime Minister of Sint Maarten Hon. Silveria Jacobs in the House of Parliament on Wednesday addressed the concerns of Members of Parliament (MPs) about the fact that the House is handling the draft 2022 national budget without having the deviation from article 25 granted by the Kingdom Council of Minister (RMR).

Government has a legal obligation to submit the budget Read more

~ Emergency Crew manning ATC~

AIRPORT:--- The Princess Juliana Airport Air Traffic Controllers are currently on strike as they protest various grievances, one being the 12.5% cuts in their salaries.
SMN News learned that the air traffic controllers are being supported by their unions the Windward Island Civil Servants Union (WICSU) as they continue to protest the way their Collective Labor Agreement goes.

In a letter to the CEO Brian Mingo, the Union WICSU/ PSU informs Mingo that their members from the Air Traffic Control Department requested an urgent meeting with them on Saturday, January 15th which will begin from 7 am to 5 pm to discuss the frustration being experienced due to the indecisive communication that has been going back and forth between management and the union regarding the way forward.
"The union is hoping management and the board of PJIAE understand the serious effects their decisions are having on their members.
This should not be taken lightly as our members carry the title of Air Traffic Controllers and if they are frustrated they will not be able to perform their duties optimally Read more

A Realistic Decision.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament George Pantophlet disagrees with MP Sarah Wescot-Williams' remarks in her article Stop the cat and mouse game. MP Pantophlet insists that this is not a game Read more

PHILIPSBURG:---The Prime Minister of Sint Maarten Hon. Silveria Jacobs sent a formal congratulatory message to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte who was sworn in on Monday, January 10 along with members of his cabinet.

The new cabinet of the Dutch Government is the fourth to be led by Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs Mark Rutte Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prime Minister of Sint Maarten Hon. Silveria Jacobs is seeking a virtual meeting with the new Dutch State Secretary for Kingdom Relations and Digitalizing Alexandra van Huffelen once she has been sworn in.

The new Dutch Government coalition comprises the following political parties, VVD, D66, CDA, and the ChristenUnie Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Yesterday, December 23, Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs updated Parliament in writing on the postponed decision of the Kingdom Council of Ministers meeting (RMR) regarding liquidity support for the first quarter of 2022. The postponement was confirmed upon request of the governments of St. Maarten, Aruba, and Curaao in instructions to their respective Plenipotentiary Ministers, after the review of the cover letter containing the proposed decision points drafted by the State Secretary Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Claudius Toontje Buncamper fired off a letter to the minister of general affairs,
Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs in which he pointed out that, in his opinion, the process to hire a new department head of VDSM
(Vieiligheids Dienst St. Maarten or National Security Services of St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- St. Maarten requests postponement of the Kingdom Council of Ministers (RMR) decision that was scheduled to be taken today, to approve the deviation for the budgetary norms of article 15 of the Rijkswet Financieel Toezicht (Rft). The Netherlands made the granting of the deviation conditional on St. Maartens political approval of the Note of Amendment to the Consensus Kingdom Law COHO, in an effort to force consensus. Additionally, the State Secretary included excerpts of the said amendment as decision points for the RMR, thereby circumventing the Parliaments of the Kingdom from debating this aspect of the law Read more

~MP Buncamper is concerned about PJIA COOs dismissal.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- During Mondays Central Committee meeting of parliament, Independent member of Parliament, Claudius Toontje Buncamper fired off a number of questions to the minister of general affairs, Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs.
MP Buncamper claimed that he understands that Aruba will be phasing out the 12.5% deduction from civil servants income by 6.25% in 2022 followed by another 6.25% in 2023, and asked the prime minister if she can indicate to parliament when St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Sunday, December 12, the Voluntary Korps of St. Maarten (VKS) held its graduation ceremony at the Sundial School where 18 of its new members were sworn in as VKS Soldiers after intense 9-month training. The ceremony began with the entire VKS membership marching through Philipsburg and ending at the Sundial School to witness the 11th groups installation. The Honorable Prime Minister Silveria E. Jacobs, Minister of Justice Anna E. Richardson, Acting Commander of the VKS, Captain Alain Richardson, VKS Chef Bureau Opleidingen Sergeant Major Alfred Leito, former VKS Commanders Mr Read more

~ Ministry working on ensuring funds are available for salary adjustments. ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- The function book for justice work will be finalized and signing is expected to take place before the year ends. So said Minister of Justice Anna Richardson. The Minister said that the function book is now being reviewed by the final phase before the signing takes place Read more

~ One rule was used for all Caribbean Countries.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs said the cuts imposed on civil servants and workers at government-owned companies remained unfair. The Prime Minister was responding to questions regarding the stance taken by the St. Maarten Telecommunication Union (SMUC) and TELEM Group of Companies.
Jacobs said that a meeting with the Windward Islands Chamber of Labor Unions has been scheduled to discuss the way forward Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- During Fridays meeting regarding the management of government-owned buildings under the management of SOG (Stichting Overheids Gebouwen)
independent Member of Parliament MP Claudius Toontje Buncamper posed several questions to the minister of general affairs, Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs,
regarding the conditions and lack of repairs of several government-owned buildings.
MP Buncampers first focus was on the festival village, where between 8 to 12 booths that were damaged by Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 are still not repaired Read more

~ Says there are no demands at the State services from protestors.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs said on Wednesday that she has been in constant contact with the State Services at the Prefecture of Saint Martin regarding the riot-like events on the French side on Tuesday. Jacobs said that based on the information she received from her counterparts are that the Collectif is not part of the ongoing protest that began early Tuesday morning and Tuesday night at various locations on the French side Read more