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PHILIPSBURG:--- The Sint Maarten Training Foundation (SMTF) hosted their final certificate ceremony for 200 plus students participating in the course of Public Health and Hospitality on Thursday, April 29, 2021. These courses were started after Hurricane Irma and were the first component of the Emergency Income Support and Training Project EISTP; one of the Trust Fund projects under implementation at the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) offering training to unemployed persons. Over the period of just over three years some 2000 students have made use of this opportunity and received certification and pins for courses in public health and hospitality.

In the presence of the Board, management, and staff of the SMTF, Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs addressed the graduates, as the keynote speaker Read more

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~ Looks forward to working as legislator ~

Philipsburg Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic, and Transportation (TEATT) Ludmila de Weever has decided to take up her seat in Parliament. After careful consideration during this delicate time and after close consultation with the many who keep St. Maartens best interests at heart, I decided to accept the parliamentary seat in accordance with article 105, paragraph 2 of the Electoral Ordinance, Minister De Weever stated.

On April 21st, the Central Voting Bureau (CVB) informed the Minister that she was elected to Parliament and had the option of choosing to take up her seat Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Independent MP Christophe Emmanuel on Tuesday said he is still awaiting answers from Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs to questions he submitted since February 18, 2021, on issues surrounding the St. Maarten Festival Village. Issues, he said, that has since raised many rumors of possible fraudulent actions, underhanded deals, and other suspicious acts being committed at the facility by the board and other third parties.

He said it would behoove the PM to provide the answers to some 40 questions that he submitted to begin to shed light on the operations of a facility that has dissolved into a public eyesore Read more

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PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- On Friday, April 23, the Sint Maarten Government administrative support professionals were invited to a virtual worksho-vational session with the theme, A Decisive Administrative Professional in An Ambitious Country.
This theme was derived from one of the National Development Vision 2030, which Prime Minister (PM) Silveria Jacobs launched on July 16, 2020 Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Administrative Professionals Day is celebrated on April 21st, National Administrative Professionals Day, formally known as Secretaries Day or better known as Admin Day, which is observed on the last full week in April of each year. It is a week to thank and recognize the work of secretaries, administrative assistants, receptionists, and other administrative support professionals.

On behalf of the Council of Ministers, the Government of St. Maarten recognizes and celebrates all administrative professionals for their contribution in the workplace Read more

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~ Says Alliance clearly not for its voters ~

PHILIPSBURG;--- Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Friday said it is unbelievable that the Prime Minister of St. Maarten, an educator by profession, would openly label government as an equal opportunity employer when discussing qualified St. Maarteners getting first preference over non-St. Maarteners with employment. This is the ultimate betrayal of our people and everyone who voted for the National Alliance and who anticipated being prioritized by that party, the MP said.
The MP was reacting to Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs explanation about what is happening at the Fire Department with the hiring of a Dutchman as Head of Repression Read more

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PHILIPSBURG--- Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs provides clarity on the Fire Department recruitment process. Similarly, to all other functions via government or for government-owned companies, there is a recruitment process in which the requirements for the vacancy are placed online as per the function book. Suitable candidates are then called in for an interview in front of a selection committee and evaluated.

All persons were given an equal opportunity to apply for the position of Head of Repression at the Fire Department regardless of nationality, race, or gender, so long as they met the requirements Read more

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~Acting Head of DPE replaced by Guyanese national, ~ management team insulted in the meeting. ~

PHILIPSBURG: ---  Civil Servants working in the Department of Education are expressing concern over what is described as a rift between the management team and the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Rodolphe Samuel.
The members of the management team had requested a meeting with the Minister to discuss communication, capacity, management, motivation, and the working environment some weeks ago Read more

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~ Also questions imminent hire at Fire Department ~

Independent Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel wants the Minister of Public Health Richard Panneflek and Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs to explain to the public why an Australian is being recruited for the Director position at St Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- On Saturday, April 17, 2021, the management of Port St. Maarten welcomed 159 passengers aboard the Celebrity Reflection cruise ship who were evacuated from Saint Vincent and the Grenadines due to the eruption of La Soufrire volcano. Prime Minister Silveria E. Jacobs, Minister of Justice Anna E. Richardson, Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunications Secretary-General, Miguel De Weever, and Foreign Affairs Department Acting Head Patrice Gumbs were all present to ensure any needed assistance was rendered to the passengers Read more

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Sint MaartenS Democracy Is Hurt.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The objective of the Soualiga Employers Association is to operate a professional employers umbrella organization or in short to function as a representative organization of the business community of Sint Maarten.

On April 16, 2021, the board of the Soualiga Employers Association (SEA) shared its concerns about the ongoing dormant status of the Social-Economic Council, with the Prime Minister, the Honorable Mrs. Silveria Jacobs Read more

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Jacobs Cabinet Satisfied With Its Performance But Believed More Could Have Been Done If Not Pressured By The Netherlands.

~Young Ministers also have challenges but are on the right track.~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs believes that her young cabinet members are doing fairly well despite the pressure they faced from the Netherlands to obtain liquidity support. The Prime Minister was responding to questions posed by SMN News regarding how satisfied they are with their performance since entering office. Jacobs said that her cabinet took office during challenging times as the island was now recovering from Hurricane Irma when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Jacobs said on March 28th, 2021 her government celebrated one year in office and everyone knows that her government has the youngest members of the Council of Ministers in the countrys history as such innovations and finding solutions are the key changes she noted Read more

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PHILIPSBURG On Thursday, April 1st, Member of Parliament for the United People's Party MP Omar Ottley sent a letter to Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs to urgently provide updates on a September 2020 motion that mandated her Government to establish a National Public Procurement Policy.
"We are talking about being able to redistribute the wealth locally, and Government being the largest purchaser of goods and services, can reshape the local market, " said MP Ottley in a press release issued Monday.

MP Ottley says the Executive Branch of Government can use its powers of purchasing to redistribute the wealth by ensuring local contractors have the first option on bids," said MP Ottley.
He suggested urgent attention be paid to the implementation of a procurement policy Read more

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