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Caribbean on high alert against bird flu

BRIDGETOWN--Veterinary officers and stakeholders in the poultry sector in the Caribbean are on high alert and stepping up their preparedness to protect the industry as the deadly H5N1 virus – commonly referred to as bird flu – wreaks havoc on farms in North America, the region’s main market for hatching eggs and chicks. Over the past six months, almost 50 million birds have either died or been destroyed in the US, costing the industry billions of dollars.

With more than 90 per cent of the hatching eggs and day-old chicks required in the Caribbean for the production of table eggs and broiler meat being sourced from the US, senior veterinary officer in Barbados’ Ministry of Agriculture and chair of the Caribbean Animal Health Network CaribVET Working Group, Dr Read more

As peace talks advance, Colombia struggles to find its missing

CHAGUANI, Colombia--Swinging a pickaxe high above his head, the sweating former Marxist guerrilla brings it down sharply, breaking up hard-packed earth on a wooded hillside in central Colombia.
  "I know the grave was here," says the ex-combatant, Andres Martinez, wiping his brow as a forensic expert starts in with a shovel near the rural town of Chaguani.
  Though it's only mid-morning, the motley team of forensic staff, prison guards and ex-rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have already dug one trench in heavy rain, hoping to find the bones of a victim of the 50-year conflict Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- SMN News has been reliably informed that the second Minister to complete the executive branch of government has been found. SMN News has been reliably informed that a candidate for the Ministry of Labor has been found. According to information provided to SMN News is that Member of Parliament Cornelius de Weever intends to appoint the former policy advisor and acting mediator of Labor Department Raphael Boasman who went on pension at the end of June 2015 Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation and its volunteers assisted Key to Freedom drug and alcohol rehabilitation center during its first graduation ceremony at Celebration Palace on Sunday, July 26.

The seven Key to Freedom graduates were Gerard Chirlias, Rafael Venon, Cyril Williams Melvin Hous, Etnaldo Benders, John Samuel and Jacob Alexander Read more

UPP/De Weever/LMR/USP Coalition fall apart --- Master, and Lake pulls support.

style="text-align: center;">New Coalition Government in the making.

PHILIPSBURG:--- What appeared to be a rumor seemingly became a reality Tuesday night when it was announced on Online radio program that the current coalition government fell apart. According to information reaching SMN News states that Member of Parliament Silvio Matser, and Member of Parliament Maurice Lake has pulled their support from the current coalition and would join the National Alliance, Democratic Party and USP to form the next government Read more

Mp Romeo-Marlin Seeking Support For Education

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Independent MP the Honorable Leona Romeo-Marlin is hopeful that her example with donations towards Education will be followed by many others.On Tuesday the MP confirmed that up to six schools will benefit from her planned donations in time for the upcoming school year.

The new school year is scheduled Read more

Tzu Chi Helps Key To Freedom At First Graduation Ceremony

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation and its volunteers assisted Key to Freedom drug and alcohol rehabilitation center during its first graduation ceremony at Celebration Palace on Sunday, July 26.

The seven Key to Freedom graduates were Gerard Chirlias, Rafael Venon, Cyril Williams Melvin Hous, Etnaldo Benders, John Samuel and Jacob Alexander.

Those who graduated successfully completed the programme at the center and are ready to be reintegrated into society.

As part of its continued efforts to inspire with vegetarian delights, the Tzu Chi donated a number of vegan treats, a Key to Freedom graduation cake, water and non-alcoholic champagne for the event.

A total of 13 Tzu Chi volunteers dedicated part of their Sunday to help prepare the vegetarian items and serve guests.

The vegetarian treats included croquettes, vege chicken sate slice, vege pepper steak slice, bread with tomato brouchette and fruit, cucumber/tuna quiche and journey cakes with cassava cheese.

After serving guests in an organised and uniformed Tzu Chi manner, volunteers remained on hand to help clean up after the event.

Key to Freedom Foundation and its Director Elvison Adamus is a fervent supporter of Tzu Chi Foundation and is usually present to lend a helping hand during Tzu Chi events.

Tzu Chi Commissioner Sandra Cheung said Tzu Chi and its volunteers were more than happy to be able to return the kindness to Key to Freedom.

Key to Freedom Foundation is located at Marigot Hill Road #3 and currently has 12 clients.

Its rehabilitation programme covers drug and alcohol abuse.

The Foundation has five board members Read more

Student released in Saba homicide case

SABA--The 27-year-old student of Saba University School of Medicine, who was arrested by the police on June 1 in connection with the homicide of medical student Kavya Guda, was released Monday by an Investigating Judge in Bonaire.

Guda (24) was found dead in her apartment in The Bottom on Wednesday, April 15. Investigators from the Netherlands, the Caribbean Netherlands Police Force KPCN and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of the United States were working together on this case, which is codenamed “Hector.” Several homes in Saba were searched during the investigations.

Suspect O.J.E Read more

Editorial - Single market

That Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake is concerned about the cost of living on the island (see related story) is understandable. Particularly groceries are said to be quite expensive, certainly when compared to the relatively low average salaries.

Of course, there is the so-called basic necessity basket under government price control, but it regards a very limited range of goods that nowadays aren’t exactly, all considered, among the most healthy things to eat either Read more

Notices July 28

First Responder

WIEMS is now registering for the annual First Responder (EMR) course at the Dutch Quarter Community Centre starting Tuesday, September 1, 7:00pm. For more information: www.wiems.org . To register: email \n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots Read more

Helena Jewellers robbery Fri captured on camera

PHILIPSBURG--The three men who carried out a brazen daylight robbery at Helena Jewellers on Front Street on Friday were captured on camera fleeing the scene with their faces masked and holding about four bags.

The camera footage was handed over to police about an hour after the robbery. St. Rose Arcade’s cameras, which focus on different angles along that section of Front Street, captured the three men fleeing the scene with the bags in their hand. The content of the bags is suspected to be their loot from the jewellery store and possibly their weapons as well Read more

Sarah disappointed in governing programme

~ Shows govt inadequate, unprepared ~

PHILIPSBURG--Democratic Party (DP) leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams has given the coalition government a thumbs-down for its recently-released governing programme.

Wescot-Williams said on Sunday that her analysis of the document showed that government was “inadequate,” and “unprepared.”

“I cannot but express utter disappointment in the document that should have spelled out government’s vision for the remainder of this governing term,” Wescot-Williams said on Sunday Read more

>In a further reaction to the governing program 2014 -2018, " Ready to work for you", as received by Parliament from Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs , I cannot but express utter disappointment in the document that should have spelled out government's vision for the remainder of this governing term.

Considering that the government has presented the program to Parliament, I consider this the program of the Gumbs-cabinet Read more