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Council Of Ministers And Nv Gebe Meet To Discuss Load Shedding

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) The Council of Ministers (CoM) convened a meeting with NV GEBE representatives to address the ongoing load-shedding issues affecting the community.

The meeting centered on gaining insight into the current challenges and discussing NV GEBEs near-term and strategic solutions to ensure a dependable and sustainable energy supply for all residents and businesses.

During the CoM meeting, the operational status of NV GEBE’s power generation plant was reviewed Read more

Ursm Calls Out UppS Misleading Tactics On Gebe Crisis

Philipsburg, St. Maarten – The Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM) expresses profound disappointment regarding the United People’s Party’s (UPP) continuous misleading statements, which serve only to gain political mileage amid the GEBE power outage crisis. While Honorable Omar Ottley, Leader of the UPP, demands transparency and action from the Council of Ministers, it is essential to recall that the root causes of the current outages are deeply embedded in the mismanagement and negative political interference during the four years of governance by the party now in opposition Read more

Patrice Underscores The Importance Of StrongGlobal Governance In Face Of Climate Change

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The Kingdom of the Netherlands signals its commitment to the development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) by sending a significant delegation to the 4th United Nations Conference on SIDS. Under the overarching theme of Charting the Course Toward Resilient Prosperity,” the conference aims to evaluate the progress of SIDS in achieving sustainable development, including the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals.

For the first time, the Dutch delegation includes representatives not only from the four constituent countriesAruba, Curaao, Sint Maarten, and the Netherlandsbut also from the three special municipalities of Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius Read more

Com Meets With Advisory Committee On Slavery, Atonement, And Reparations

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) On Tuesday, May 28, 2024, the Advisory Committee on Slavery, Atonement, and Reparations (ACSAR) had an introductory meeting with the Council of Ministers (CoM).

The meeting commenced with an honorary session dedicated to the ancestors of Sint Maarten, with the ritual performed by Nkosazzana Illis. Following this, the committee members explained the manner and reason for the Committee’s establishment and emphasized the importance of discussing slavery Read more

Gumbs, Arrindell Prepare For Sint Maarten Students-Housing Remains Critical Issue

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Minister Plenipotentiary Patrice Gumbs and Deputy Minister Gracita Arrindell met last week with the Head Division Study Financing Mr. Antonio Aventurin on issues surrounding education, education financing, and particularly the status of students in the Netherlands Read more

Szv Boosts Library Operations With Donation Of Card Printers

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten Social & Health Insurances SZV has donated two fully equipped card printers to the Sint Maarten Library. As SZV continues transitioning to provide more digital public services, these card printers will no longer be needed at SZV. However, in its commitment to supporting vital community resources, SZV believes the printers would be a valuable asset for the library’s operations.

We are grateful for the generous donation of the card printer, which will greatly enhance our library and better serve our community! – Mr Read more

Dcomm Documentalist Participates InDutch Caribbean Heritage Platform Conference

Philipsburg In their 10th year of existence, the Dutch Caribbean Heritage Platform, held their 4th conference, with this years theme of Awareness. The biannual conference was held on Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius, from May 5-May 9.

Present at the conference were participants from the BES islands and the rest of the Dutch Caribbean (Sint Maarten, Curacao, and Aruba), including participants from Anguilla.

The DCH platform was founded on the basis of strengthening cooperation among the Dutch Caribbean islands, exchanging knowledge, networking, and learning and sharing information, practices, and activitieswith the support of ErfgoedAcademie, a Dutch institute, founded in 1986, for heritage education.

The Department of Communication (DCOMM) Documentalist, Lee Williams attended the conference, which began on Sunday evening with a soft opening where Acting Minister of Education, Culture, Youth & Sports Lyndon Lewis gave a short opening remark Read more

Ursm Denies Having Influenced MaingretteS Decision To Return

PHILIPSBURG--On Saturday, in response to a letter sent to Governor Ajamu Baly by independent Member of Parliament (MP) Kevin Maingrette renewing his support to the Mercelina-led coalition in Parliament, Unified Resilient St. Maarten MovementRead more

Independent Mp Kevin Maingrette Withdraws Support From Great Eight

PHILIPSBURG--Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Kevin Maingrette, who declared his support to the seven-member National Alliance/United People party opposition on Monday, resulting in a landslide in Parliament resulting in a new coalition of eight, changed his mind Read more

Minister Lewis Intervenes Amid Immigration Officer Shortage At Pjia

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — On Saturday, May 25, 2025, an unexpected shortage of immigration officers at Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) due to a mass sick call, reportedly linked to unpaid overtime, prompted immediate action from the Ministry of Justice. Justice Minister the Honorable Lyndon Lewis, also a former immigration officer, personally visited the airport to assess the situation and lend a hand. Efforts to mobilize additional officers from the mobile unit were unsuccessful, leading the Minister to step in directly alongside his former colleagues on the front lines Read more

Ursm Addresses Recent Political Developments Regarding Mp Maingrette

Philipsburg The board of the Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM) has issued a statement regarding the recent actions of Independent Member of Parliament Kevin Maingrette Read more

PHILIPSBURGIn a letter to Prime minister Luc Mercelina, the Central Voting Bureau has announced a proposed postponement of Election Day to August 19, 2024, citing significant legal and practical concerns. The Bureau has suggested a revised timeline to ensure a fair, free, and transparent electoral process.

The revised election timeline, as proposed by the Central Voting Bureau:

Voter Registry Closure: Monday, June 3, 2024

Deadline for Registration of Political Parties: Monday, June 17, 2024

Postulation Day: Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Election Day: Monday, August 19, 2024

Assembly of New Parliament: Friday, September 20, 2024

On May 21, 2024, a National Decree was signed calling for new elections under Article 59 of the Constitution, which mandates a three-month timeframe Read more

Ursm Congratulates Sam On Election Readiness

PHILIPSBURG The Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM) extends congratulations to the Soualiga Action Movement (SAM) and its leader, Franklin Meyers, for their readiness to contest in the upcoming snap elections scheduled for July 18, 2024. While URSM remains committed to its distinct vision for the future of St Read more

 DATE ISSUED: Wednesday 22nd May 2024 @ 11:50 LST (15:50 UTC) VALID UNTIL: Thursday midday (12:00 LST) 23rd May 2024WEATHER:This afternoon through Thursday midday: Cloudy with scattered showers. Isolated thunderstorms are likely.Forecast High: 30C / 86F               Forecast Low: 26C / 79FSunset Today: 6:41 P.M.                   Sunrise Tomorrow: 5:37 A.M.SURFACE WINDS: This afternoon through Thursday midday: East to southeasterly with a gentle to moderate breeze of 8 to 18 mph and higher gusts in showers.SYNOPSIS: Unstable conditions associated with an upper-level trough results in cloudiness, rain-showers, and possible thunderstorms across the region Read more

Statement From Ursm On Mp Kevin MaingretteS Withdrawal From Coalition

PHILIPSBURG The board of the Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM) publicly expresses its profound disappointment following the decision by Member of Parliament, Mr. Kevin Maingrette, to withdraw his support from the governing coalition. Mr Read more

Current Political Developments

HARBOUR VIEW, PHILIPSBURG On May 20th, 2024, Member of Parliament Mr. Kevin Maingrette (NOW) withdrew his support from the URSM/PFP/DP/NOW-coalition government and subsequently declared himself an independent Member of Parliament Read more

DATE ISSUED: Tuesday 21st May 2024 @ 11:45 LST (15:45 UTC) VALID UNTIL: Wednesday midday (12:00 LST) 22nd May 2024WEATHER:This afternoon through Wednesday midday: Fair to partly cloudy with isolated showers.Forecast High: 32C / 90F               Forecast Low: 27C / 81FSunset Today: 6:41 P.M.                   Sunrise Tomorrow: 5:37 A.M.SURFACE WINDS: This afternoon through Wednesday midday: East to southeasterly with a gentle to moderate breeze of 7 to 14 mph.SYNOPSIS: The high-pressure system maintains hot, and humid conditions, and gentle winds across the region Read more

Maingrette Withdraws Support From Coalition, Joins Forces With Up, Na

PHILIPSBURG--Member of Parliament (MP) Kevin Maingrette, who was elected on the slate of the Nation Opportunity Wealth (NOW), has officially withdrawn his support from the current "two-by-four" coalition government comprising United Resilient St Read more

Ex-Cbcs President In Court On Charges Of Fraud, Money-Laundering And Bribery

Emsley Tromp

 ~ Lengthy prison sentence sought ~

WILLEMSTAD/PHILIPSBURG--In a court appearance in Curaao on Tuesday, Emsley Tromp, former President of the Central Bank of Curaao and St. Maarten (CBCS), defended himself against allegations of fraud stemming from his involvement in the Curaao Fashion Group (CFG). Tromp emphasised that he has meticulously maintained a separation between his roles, establishing what he described as Chinese walls to ensure ethical integrity.

Tromp is a suspect in the Hercules case Read more

Cabinet Mercelina Prioritizes Inclusiveness And Communication With Public Servants

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — On Friday morning, May 10, 2024, the Council of Ministers (CoM) met with the newly proposed Employee Engagement Council (EEC), composed of 17 members from various departments and executing bodies within government. This initiative follows an independent employee satisfaction survey and recent exit interviews. The EEC analysed the survey results, which highlighted concerns over primary labor conditions, and has formulated 21 recommendations aimed at four specific target groups: colleagues, middle management, secretary generals, and political leaders, along with six general recommendations. Key priorities identified include enhancing open communication, implementing the full human resource cycle throughout the government, and increasing transparency through the publication of annual plans and quarterly progress reports, which are supported by monthly updates from middle management Read more

Grisha Hears Market Vendors Concerns Over New Marketplace

GREAT BAY Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication, Grisha Heyliger-Marten, met Friday, May 10, 2024, with market vendors to hear their concerns about the proposed new marketplace.

The market project had already been awarded to J&J Construction for a total of Nafl 1.2 million, however many of the market vendors were not satisfied with the design.

During the meeting, the vendors highlighted the lack of storage facility for their wares, as well as the need for better lighting, bathrooms, and security Read more

Carnival Restructuring Policy Released In National Gazette

PHILIPSBURG--The Ministry of Justice, under the guidance of former Minister Anna Richardson, has published a new policy aimed at restructuring St. Maarten Carnival.

As stated in the recent publication of the National Gazette, the decision followed in response to a number of challenges currently facing the annual event, including inconsistent management structures, financial instability, under-representation of local culture, safety concerns and the need for better integration of technological advancements Read more

Minister Of Justice, Addresses Urgent Situation At New Start For Children Foster Home

SAUNDERS, Sint Maarten — In response to recent developments regarding the structural integrity concerns at New Start for Children Foster Home in Mary’s Fancy, the Minister of Justice, Lyndon C.J. Lewis, in collaboration with the Foundation Judicial Institutes St. Maarten (SJIS), is taking swift action to ensure the safety and well-being of the foster children residing there.

The recent article published in The Daily Herald Newspaper on Monday, May 6, 2024, brought to light the critical situation faced by 19 foster children who may soon need to relocate due to cracks in the building walls and foundation of the foster home Read more

To All The Mothers Of St. Maarten, We Thank God For You.

Thank God for that one Sunday in May where we get the opportunity to pour extra love and adoration upon you. We are given the opportunity to remind you that you’ve been the architect of our dreams and the backbone of our families. You’ve laughed with us in joy, and wiped away our tears in sorrow, you’ve been the comforting embrace we seek.

The Caribbean mother has always been a figure of immense power and beauty and a fierce protector. You have shown us that wisdom doesn’t always come from books, but often from the lived experience Read more