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Editorial - Area of attention

The adverse weather conditions particularly Friday into Saturday and their consequences again caught many off-guard, as especially the flooding was more intense and widespread than might have been expected. This kind of "unpleasant surprise" scenario tends to lead to the usual "blame game" mainly regarding late warnings and action by the relevant authorities.

It's important to point out that Friday's 6:00am forecast by the Meteorological Department of St. Maarten already had mentioned scattered showers, some of which could be heavy, advising residents and motorists in flood-prone areas to be vigilant Read more

style="text-align: center;">Curacao Policy Advisor to be Appointed Minister of VSA by MP Lloyd Richardson

PHILIPSBURG:--- Two months and days after the August 29th Parliamentary Elections there is still no Government on St. Maarten and while the Governor of St. Maarten has extended the formation period for the UPP/De Weever/Marlin coalition to appoint a Ministerial cabinet Read more

Minister Lake wants improved standard operating procedures after torrential rain event over the weekend.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake would like to commend the emergency services (Fire, Police), public works and other government agencies (Department of Communication, Meteorological Service) and semi government agencies (Airport, Harbour, NV GEBE), and Minister Hon Read more

Minister of Culture St. Maarten/St. Martin’s Day Message.

>GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- The Minister of Education, Culture, Youth & Sports Hon. Patricia Lourens-Philip on Sunday released the following message on the occasion of the national day St. Maarten/St. Martin's Day:

My Fellow St. Maarten/St. Martiners,
The significance of St. Maarten/St. Martin Day from a cultural perspective is a day when St. Maarteners from North and South come together to celebrate their national Culture Read more

Editorial: Follow The Money

The enormity of former Finance Minister Roland Tuitt’s move to take all tax debts from 1976-2006 off the books is beyond anyone’s wildest imagination. According to the Social Economic Council Tuitt let go of 4.47 billion guilders in arrears – approximately ten times the country’s current national budget.

If the policy document Tuitt signed in 2013 – ten days after the fall of the second Wescot-Williams cabinet – is indeed unlawful as the SER claims, one may well wonder whether this measure fits within the framework of departure policy.

If that is so, it begs the question who would stand to benefit the most from this unexpected Christmas gift Read more

Thompson Wants Government To Accept Climate Change As Reality

Environmental Protection in Caribbean’s (EPIC) Public Relations Office Rueben J. Thompson

St. Maarten / By Justin Simmons – “I’d like to see our politicians accept the fact that climate change is a reality. I’d like to see our government and the population at large accept the principle of sustainable development and understand the need to develop St. Maarten in a sustainable manner,” says Rueben Thompson Read more

Residents Urged To Step-Up Mosquito Prevention Measures Due To Weekend Torrential Rainfall

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – The Collective Preventive Services (CPS), a government agency under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development & Labour, is calling on residents to step-up mosquito prevention measures due to the weekend of torrential rainfall.

Mosquito fogging did start about a week ago but had to be halted due to rainfall. Fogging will resume shortly.

Residents are advised to step-up by taking measures at home and at their business to mitigate mosquito breeding such as the Aedes Aegypti mosquito.

Minister of Public Health, Social Development & Labour Hon Read more

Mullet Bay entrance blocked

MULLET BAY--A large pile of rubble was placed to block a Mullet Bay entrance on Friday, November 7, causing a stir among the public and business owners who operate on the beach. The move by Mullet Bay management seems to be technically legal, because it still allows the public access to the beach by foot. However, it directly results in nearby business owner Leopold York not having vehicle access to his establishment, where daily offloading is needed for almost everything the business needs to operate Read more

MAC opens high school amidst heavy downpour

EBENEZER--A number of persons braved heavy showers to witness the official opening and dedication of Methodist Agogic Center Comprehensive Secondary Education (MAC CSE) building in Ebenezer on Friday afternoon.

The heavy downpour prompted District Secretary Reverend Dr. Joan Meade, who performed the dedication, to delay blessing the new buildings and classrooms with holy water.

The new location has three buildings containing, amongst other things, five classrooms. A fourth structure on the property, which had existed at the location previously, had been refurbished.

Chairman of MAC School Board Reverend Moreland Williams told attendees that it was originally a long-term plan of the institution to construct a building for the secondary school Read more

Veronica Arndell treasures fond memories of island back in the day

~ These were joyful years ~

Eighty-two-year-old Veronica Arndell is overcome by a strong feeling of joy whenever she reminisces about her beloved St. Martin/St. Maarten back in the day.

The mother of eight (one deceased), grandmother of 17 and great grandmother of four believes the island experienced its best moments of true togetherness decades ago when people genuinely looked out for each other and when the land was used for most of the things consumed. Residents also made more use of their hands and creativity to get by Read more

Notices November 8

Saturday, November 8

FOOD SALE

Organised by Scouting Antiano

Place: upper princes quarter community center, lions building, in sucker garden. Located between the gas station and the royal funeral home.

Time 12:00-2:00pm

Roti for NAF 10.00 / $ 5.00

Wednesday, November 12

FILM FESTIVAL

Organised by Love of Kids Foundation

Topic: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/Attention Deficit Disorder

Film: ADHD & ADD: Powerful Teaching Strategies & Accommodations

Place: University of St Martin Campus - 2nd Floor-Rm202

Time: 7:00pm

Cost : Free

Annual Educational Film Festival Read more

Some 1,400 pupils participate in public schools’ ‘Unity Walk’

PHILIPSBURG--An estimated 1,411 pupils and 145 teachers, primarily dressed in the colours of the St. Maarten Flag, participated in a vibrant walk through Philipsburg on Friday, as part of the annual pre-St. Martin/St. Maarten Day Unity Walk.

Pupils and their teachers snaked through the streets of Philipsburg in their colourful attire, adding a dash of colour to the streets as they walked. Persons stopped along the route to watch the youngsters walk and the island prepare to celebrate St Read more

St. Maarten professionals trained to spot youth intellectual impairments

MADAME ESTATE--Seventeen Foundation Judiciary Institutes Windward Island SJIB and Court of Guardianship social workers, as well as behavioural specialists and school counsellors, completed a training course aimed at improving their skills in dealing with people, especially the youth, with mild intellectual impairments.

A ceremony took place on Friday during which the participants received certificates for completing the three-day course. The course was made possible by the Ministry of Justice and co-funded by USONA Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Postal Services St. Maarten (PSS) in collaboration with Artisticdrive ensured all PSS workers received a special St. Maarten designed T-shirt this morning. The newly designed t-shirt proudly displays the national bird of St. Maarten which is the pelican.
Present at the brief presentation was Interim-Director Ms. Antonia Wilson, Interim-Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Directors Mr. Stuart Johnson, Mr Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake said on Friday that he had stated several months ago that relief would be forthcoming for all across the board with respect to NV GEBE electricity bills.

"We first started with our senior citizens since they live on a fixed minimum income Read more

A New Level Of Acceptance Being Sought By New President Of Parliament

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - President of Parliament, the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams is looking at ways to bring parliament to a level of acceptance.

That sentiment was echoed by the President, whist speaking at a press conference on Thursday.

Whilst addressing that subject, the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams also noted that legislation was a joint responsibility of Parliament and the government.

Mrs Read more

Pss Embraces Artisticdrive New St. Maarten Pelican Shirts, Pelican Is A National Symbol Iconic To Our Country

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Postal Services St. Maarten (PSS) in collaboration with Artisticdrive ensured all PSS workers received a special St. Maarten designed T-shirt this morning. The newly designed t-shirt proudly displays the national bird of St. Maarten which is the pelican.

Present at the brief presentation was Interim-Director Ms. Antonia Wilson, Interim-Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Directors Mr. Stuart Johnson, Mr Read more

Notices November 7

Friday, November 7

LADIES NIGHT

Organised by Clay Montessori Academy Foundation

Place: Rock House, Port De Plaisance

Time: 7:00 - 11:00pm

Price: US $30.00 per person, $20.00 children 13 and under

Tickets available at Indulgence By the Sea (Divi Little Bay), Edible Bouquets (Cole Bay), Yves Rocher (Marigot) and Clay Montessori Academy (L.B. Scot Road). For information call 721-527-4449 or email \n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots Read more

Heyliger gets until month end to present final report

HARBOUR VIEW--Formateur of the incoming Cabinet with United People’s (UP) party leader Theo Heyliger has now been given until November 30 by Governor Eugene Holiday to present his final report on the formation process.

Heyliger requested the extension of his deadline at a meeting with Holiday on Wednesday about the formation process.

Heyliger informed the governor about developments surrounding the compilation of the candidates for the posts of prime minister, ministers and minister plenipotentiary Read more

Aruba instruction causes standoff

THE HAGUE--The debate with Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Thursday to discuss the financial supervision in the Dutch Caribbean resulted in a clash with the governing parties VVD and PvdA, the Socialist Party (SP) on one side and the Democratic Party D66 on the other side.

The meeting called for by the Second Chamber’s Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations focused on the July 2014 instruction of the Kingdom Council of Ministers to Aruba’s Governor Fredis Refunjol not to sign the 2014 budget until it had been thoroughly screened by outside experts Read more

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

style="text-align: center;">Saint-Martin is the setting for the filming of the pilot of a detective series written by Franck Mirre of Caribproduction

The Saint-Martin Tourism Office, the Collectivité of St. Martin, SXM ARTISTS and Caribproduction are associated around this project. While attending the 2013 TOP RESA tradeshow in Paris, the President of the Tourism Office, Mrs Jeanne Rogers-Vanterpool met Franck Mirre (author and main actor of the series SNIPE) Read more

style="text-align: center;">"Wear your St. Maarten Colors, fly your flags, and show your Pride"

PHILIPSBURG:--- Caretaker Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams encourages the community to show their support for the celebration of the National Holiday on the eleventh of November. The Prime Minister stressed for the community of St Read more

style="text-align: center;">TO FOSTER IMPROVED COOPERATION IN CARIBBEAN

PHILIPSBURG:--- Emil Lee, President of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), and General Manager of Princess Heights Hotel, St. Maarten, attended the naming celebration for the Royal Princess and the launch of Princess Cruises 50th Anniversary celebrations here.

"Accepting the invitation to attend the cruise line's celebration is part of CHTA's mission to broaden and improve cooperation with key stakeholders in the Caribbean," Mr Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Management and staff of Postal Services St. Maarten (PSS N.V.) sprung a 35th Anniversary Day surprise for Interim Director, Ms. Antonia Wilson, at the main post office branch Tuesday.
Saba-born, Ms. Wilson, has been an integral part of postal services on St. Maarten ever since she joined the forerunner to the present company, on 1st November 1979 .

During her 35 years in service she has been recognized for her dedication with several promotions, the latest being Retail Director of the Windward Island for Nieuwe Post Netherland Antilles (NPNA).
Manager, Commercial and Business Development, Ms Read more