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St. Dominic High’S Ib Programme Partners With The Omololu International School

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - On January 27th, four students of St. Dominic High School International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) Class of 2018 and their Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) Coordinator visited the Omololu International School in Anguilla as a kick-off to celebrate the two IB World Schools working together to create a better world. As part of their CAS curriculum to learn by doing real tasks, that have real consequences, the IBDP class is developing projects that will promote collaboration between the students of St Dominic High and the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) at Omololu Read more

Scdf Thanks Helma, Brian At Telem, Congratulates Kendall

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) over the weekend thanked TelEm’s CFO Helma Etnel and CCO Brian Mingo for their steadfast support of Carnival over the past five years and in the same breath congratulated new TelEm CEO Kendall Dupersoy on his appointment. Dupersoy is a former SCDF President.

The SCDF and TelEm broke barriers five years ago when the entities signed the largest contract Carnival ever entered into at that time Read more

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Dutch Media Reports On Insel Air ‘Crisis’

AMSTERDAM--The grounding of the majority of the aircraft of the Curaçao-based airline Insel Air has caught the attention of the Dutch media. The national broadcasting company NOS and the financial newspaper Financieel Dagblad (FD) reported on the issue.

  The NOS reported on Sunday that Curaçao aviation authorities had grounded almost all of Insel Air’s aircraft, mostly the jets, in Aruba and Curaçao because of safety issues. The NOS spoke of a “crisis” in the Curaçao aviation Read more

St. Maarten Delegation Attending Caribbean Marketplace This Week

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - A delegation from St. Maarten will be attending Caribbean Travel Marketplace, the region's largest and most significant marketing forum, in the Bahamas, from Jan. 31 - Feb. 2, 2017 at Atlantis, Paradise Island. The event is being hosted by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA).

Caribbean Travel Marketplace affords tourism suppliers the vital opportunity to meet face-to-face with wholesalers from around the world selling Caribbean vacation packages over the course of two days of business meetings Read more

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Parliament Of St. Maarten Passes Motion To Deem Protocol On Integrity Chamber Null And Void.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The parliament of St. Maarten unanimously passed a motion on Monday to deem the protocol signed in May 2015 by former Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson and the Minister of Interior and Overseas Affairs Ronald Plasterk on the establishment of the Integrity Chamber.
The motion cited that the signed protocol which was also passed by the then majority in parliament that since the protocol did not get the approval of the Ombudsman and it was also thrown out by the Constitutional Court makes it null and void.
The motion passed on Monday will be sent to government and parliament of countries Aruba and Curacao, the island councils of the BES islands and Bonaire.
Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr in his presentation said that the Minister of Justice of St Read more

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Team Gibbs Presents Complete List, Outlines Party Manifesto

MARIGOT--Union for Democracy (UD) Daniel Gibbs presented the complete list of “Team Gibbs 2017” members at a gathering in the Chamber of Commerce Saturday where the party’s political programme was also unveiled to the press.

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Objections Of Dp Statia To Proposed Island Governor

THE HAGUE/STATIA--The St. Eustatius Democratic Party (DP Statia) in a letter to Kingdom Government Representative for the Caribbean Netherlands Gilbert Isabella on Sunday voiced its objections to the planned appointment of a high-ranking Dutch civil servant as the new interim Island Governor for St. Eustatius.

Prime Minister William Marlin Addresses Acu At Opening

PHILIPSBURG – Prime Minister William Marlin addressed the ACU Credit Union at its opening ceremony at its Bush Road location on Saturday, January 28.

Marlin welcomed ACU to St. Maarten, and noted that, “the Credit Union will be celebrating the 55th anniversary of its founding. From the 35 public servants that began the Ambtenaren Credit Union in 1962, the ACU has grown into a cooperative with a membership of over 17,000, making it the largest credit union in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.”

In his opening remarks, Prime Minister Marlin stated: “I particularly like your motto: ‘Not for Profit; Not for charity, but for service.” That service is based on two pillars: encouraging your members to save at the highest interest rates on the market and offering them financial support through loans at the most favorable rates available.”

“Allow me here to say a few words about saving Read more

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Police Release Amount Collected In Outstanding Fines

PHILIPSBURG – In a press release issued on Sunday, January 29, by the police force, it was mentioned that police had collected over NAf. 123,000 in traffic fines and conditional dismissals.

However, it was not mentioned what is still outstanding in traffic fines and conditional dismissals.

A recent suggestion was when 721news informs the public that the Prosecutor’s Office is collecting outstanding fines, that the Prosecutor’s Office publish the name of the offenders in the last 5 years, who still have an outstanding bill to pay.

This can take the form of a list of names and the amount owed Read more

St. Maarten Delegation Attending Caribbean Marketplace This Week

SINT MAARTEN – A delegation from St. Maarten will be attending Caribbean Travel Marketplace, the region’s largest and most significant marketing forum, in the Bahamas, from January 31 – February 2, at Atlantis, Paradise Island. The event is being hosted by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA).

Caribbean Travel Marketplace affords tourism suppliers the vital opportunity to meet face-to-face with wholesalers from around the world selling Caribbean vacation packages over the course of two days of business meetings.

CHTA will offer a full day of professional development opportunities for attendees on January 31, followed by the Opening Ceremonies in the evening Read more

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Sxm In The Whirlwind Of Dutch Politics

A lot of indignation reigned during the discussions on the appointment of a quartermaster by the Dutch government and rightfully so. The Dutch minister (Plasterk) has, however, remained undeterred and firm: “The quarter master will come, it was an agreement and SXM procrastinated.”

Did we?

The govt. of SXM learned of the appointment via the press, evoking a caution from the Finance Minister Gibson that newspapers can be wrong. True, in this world of “false news,” even newspapers can be tricked.

However, in the Netherlands, this news was an orchestrated part of simultaneous and official publications Read more

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Summit Resort Hotel Wins 2017 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Award

CUPECOY, St. Maarten – The Summit Resort Hotel today announced it has been recognized as a winner in the Top Bargain Hotels – Caribbean category of the 2017 TripAdvisor Travelers’ ChoiceR awards for Hotels, ranking 24th out of 25 total winners.

In the 15th year of the awards, TripAdvisor has highlighted the world’s top properties based on the millions of reviews and opinions collected in a single year from travelers around the globe Read more

Pond Island:---TelEm Group’s Management Board, consisting of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Mrs. Helma Etnel, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Mr. Brian Mingo and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Mrs. Helma Etnel, officially hand over the reins of the government-owned company this week to new Chief Executive Officer (CFO) Mr. Kendall Dupersoy after filling the vacant CEO position for more than seven years.

All three were personally thanked recently by Prime Minister and Shareholder Representative, Mr Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- A delegation from St. Maarten will be attending Caribbean Travel Marketplace, the region's largest and most significant marketing forum, in the Bahamas, from Jan. 31 - Feb. 2, 2017, at Atlantis, Paradise Island. The event is being hosted by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA).
Caribbean Travel Marketplace affords tourism suppliers the vital opportunity to meet face-to-face with wholesalers from around the world selling Caribbean vacation packages over the course of two days of business meetings.
CHTA will offer a full day of professional development opportunities for attendees on Jan Read more

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Scdf Thanks Helma, Brian At Telem, Congratulates Kendall.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) over the weekend thanked TelEm’s CFO Helma Etnel and CCO Brian Mingo for their steadfast support of Carnival over the past five years and in the same breath congratulated new TelEm CEO Kendall Dupersoy on his appointment. Dupersoy is a former SCDF President.

The SCDF and TelEm broke barriers five years ago when the entities signed the largest contract Carnival ever entered into at that time Read more

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Up Party Submits Register Of Donations To Electoral Council

 

PHILIPSBURG – The United People’s (UP) Party on Wednesday submitted its Register of Donations to the Electoral Council.

Treasurer of the UP Party Board Earl Wyatt and Secr Read more

Prime Minister: Relationship Within The Kingdom Is Not What It’S Supposed To Be

PHILIPSBURG – Prime Minister and Minister responsible for General affairs William Marlin, in Wednesday’s, January 25, Council of Minister press briefing updated on several matters pertaining to his Ministry.

He briefly mentioned the survivors of the fire that destroyed their home completely in the Cul-de-Sac area, who are staying temporarily at Paradise inn, and stated that the Department of Social Welfare along with the St Read more

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Minister Jacobs: Ministry Is Occupied With Synchronization Of This Govt’S Vision

PHILIPSBURG – Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Silveria Jacobs gave an update in Wednesday’s, January 25, Council of Ministers press briefing, on a few matters pertaining to her Ministry.

Last Wednesday, a meeting was held with management and staff of the Leonald Conner School in order to update them. Staff and management were also given the opportunity to voice their concerns Read more

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Minister Gibson: My Aim Is To Improve Financial Basis Of Govt. Of St. Maarten

PHILIPSBURG – In Wednesday’s, January 25, Council of Ministers press briefing Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr. shared provisional numbers for 2016.

“The provisional numbers that we have for 2016 is that we’ve managed the budget in such a manner notwithstanding all of the difficulties. We were confronted with, in 2016 and ended up with a provisional surplus of 1.1 million guilders for 2016,” Minister Gibson stated.

“Bear in mind at the budget 2016, we started with reserving 20 million guilders from revenues to be able to pay the debts off the past Read more

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Big Things Happening At A Small School In Anguilla    

ANGUILLA – The Omololu International School, a private primary school located in Anguilla, is prepped for big changes over the coming months.

The changes really began back in July of 2016, when the school received official authorization from the International Baccalaureate Organization, certifying it as a Primary Years Programme World School.

The International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) is a world-wide educational group headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The three programmes that run under the IBO are the Primary Years Programme (PYP), Middle Years Programme (MYP) and the Diploma Programme (DP) Read more

Let Us Not Blame The Dutch

The appointment of Quartermaster Hans Leijtens, last week, came as a shock to our politicians. The Honorable Prime Minister said he was flabbergasted. The Honorable President of Parliament called the appointment provocative and Member of Parliament, Theo Heyliger, described it as vindictive.

And of course, the Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk, gets the blame Read more

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It Is A Discussion We Must Have, Sooner Rather Than Later

Not totally unexpected, my recent comments on the relationships in the Dutch Kingdom have evoked quite some reactions. I welcome these reactions, because I believe it is a discussion we must have, sooner rather than later.

My comments, however, had to do with the following: Theoretically, the competencies and authorities between the Dutch countries and the Kingdom level of Government are quite clear in the Charter of the Dutch Kingdom. The main areas of Kingdom responsibilities are Defense, Nationality and Defense.

No one would argue though, that the so-called equality of all 4 Dutch countries in reality is far from such Read more

World’s Best Hotels Named in 15th Year of Awards

CUPECOY:--- The Summit Resort Hotel today announced it has been recognized as a winner in the Top Bargain Hotels - Caribbean category of the 2017 TripAdvisor Travelers’ ChoiceR awards for Hotels, ranking twenty-fourth out of twenty-five total winners. In the 15th year of the awards, TripAdvisor has highlighted the world’s top properties based on the millions of reviews and opinions collected in a single year from travelers around the globe Read more

Guyana Oil Discovery: Blessing Or Curse?

NASSAU, The Bahamas  –  With the survival of CARICOM member states on the line in the face of a changing climate fuelled by greenhouse gas emissions, Guyana could have some tough decisions ahead, following the recent discovery of oil off its coast.

This is according to Dr Al Binger, interim executive director of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE), who suggested that the 1.4 billion-barrel discovery could perhaps not have come at a worse time.

This, as CARICOM and other Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) members press for keeping global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels as provided for in the historic Paris Agreement.

“Limiting warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2100 requires a reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions by 70 to 95 per cent relative to 2010 levels by 2050 Read more