SXMElections.com

Bjp Fund Aims To Support Journalism On Caribbean Islands

SOURCE: Curacao.nu

AMSTERDAM The Fund for Special Journalistic Projects in the Netherlands (Fonds BJP) is investigating how it can better support journalists in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. Although applications from the region are received sporadically, the Fund has noticed that the existing regulations do not always meet local needs. There is also a lack of name recognition, according to a statement from the Fund.

To change this, a working trip to five Caribbean islands is planned Read more

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Vsa Helping Seniors Apply For Gebe Relief Programme

John Larmonie Center

PHILIPSBURG--A team from the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor VSA along with Social Affairs Minister Richinel Brug, assisted seniors at the St. Maarten Senior Citizens Recreational Foundation in Hope Estate on January 28, with completing applications for the GEBE Senior Citizens Utility Rel Read more

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Minister Of Public Health On Suicide Prevention: WeVe Got To Do This Together!

Great Bay, St. Maarten Grace Hill Bible University, St. Maarten Campus counseling degree program, in collaboration with Victorious Living Foundation and the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development & Labor, successfully hosted a profoundly impactful suicide prevention Master Class themed “Igniting Hope in our Community: Preventing Suicide” on January 20th at the St. Maarten Government Administration Building. This pioneering event focused on raising awareness and equipping attendees with vital tools in suicide assessment, prevention, and treatment.

With an impressive turnout of over 300 attendees both physically and virtually, and subsequently amassing over 1000 attendees to date, the event underscored the essence of community collaboration in tackling the critical issue of suicide, which continues to affect diverse demographics without discrimination Read more

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Tribute To Whitney Houston Comes To St. Maarten Feb. 12

Belinda Davids

~ Early bird special on tickets ends Sat. ~

 MADAME ESTATE--Fans of the legendary late Whitney Houston are in for an unforgettable evening as The Greatest Love of All: A Tribute to Whitney Houston graces the stage at Aleeze Convention Center, Madame Estate, on Wednesday, February 12, starting at 8:00pm sharp.

The world-class show, headlined by the extraordinary Belinda Davids, will be a heartfelt homage to one of the greatest vocalists of all time Read more

Court Of Appeals Exposes Minister Of JusticeS Failings In Police Promotion Case

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten On Wednesday, January 15, 2025, the Court of Appeals for Civil Servants rendered a landmark decision in favor of six dedicated police officers of the Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM), who had been fighting for years against the inaction of the Minister of Justice. These officers, who were denied rightful promotions, finally succeeded in their legal battle.

Despite losing their case in First Instance, the officers persisted and secured a decisive victory on appeal Read more

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Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina New YearS Address 2025

By the Honorable Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina

Good day to my people of St. Maarten, this great nation of ours.

Happy New Year to you and our visitors!

The clock has struck midnight, and we have officially welcomed 2025. I greet you with warmth and gratitude as we embark on this new journey together, full of hope and determination Read more

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Plenipotentiary Minister Arrindell Opens Job Fair

Plenipotentiary Minister Gracita Arrindell delivering the opening address on November 28.

 THE HAGUE--Minister Plenipotentiary Gracita Arrindell on Thursday last opened the Working in the Caribbean 2024 job fair aimed at showcasing St Read more

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Charville: Collectivit Facing Dire Consequences Of Air Antilles Deal

Territorial Councillor for the Generation Hope faction Opposition, Jules Charville.

MARIGOT--Opposition Councillor in the Territorial Council Jules Charville claims the Collectivit is risking bankruptcy if it continues paying the cost of keeping Air Antilles afloat with no significant revenue Read more

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Press Statement By Minfin Marinka Gumbs Vital Updates On The Ennia Saga

Esteemed citizens of St. Maarten, today it is imperative that I provide you with an update on this Ennia Saga. Since my last appearance in Parliament, I have continued to carefully investigate the outline agreement and also explore alternative solutions. My intention was to go to parliament again this week to provide answers to the questions posed; however, due to an error in the date provided by Parliament, which led to a misunderstanding, the meeting will be rescheduled. However aside from answering the questions it is vital that I provide you the residents of Sint Maarten and specifically the Sint Maarten ennia policy holders with an update.

My main focus remains on two groups: the Sint Maarten policyholders and country Sint Maarten Read more

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Emmanuel: We Must Be Tired Of Seeing People Live Like This

~ Outlines vision for St. Maarten’s future ~

MP Christophe Emmanuel, leader of the Opportunity Wealth Party (NOW), made a compelling statement on Wednesday, addressing the pressing needs of the people of St. Maarten and highlighting his partys unwavering commitment to wealth creation and economic prosperity.

“Any politician with a heart must be tired of seeing their people live stagnant lives in their own country,” MP Emmanuel stated Read more

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Wilson Warns Gebe Against Water Disconnections In Households With Children And Seniors

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten Gromyko Wilson, an advocate for social justice and a candidate (#16) on the Nation Opportunity and Wealth (NOW) warns the current GEBE management and the government of Sint Maarten against disconnection of water in households with children and seniors.

Wilson highlights the recent court verdict in the Netherlands as jurisprudence in handling these cases going forward on Sint Maarten.

In the verdict of March 19th, 2024, the Judge ruled that water disconnections due to default in payment is illegal based on the Human rights Organizations Defense for Children when minors are part of the households in question.

Wilson goes further to plead for the application of this verdict to not only households with minors but also senior citizens Read more

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Grisha Advocates Return To Previous System Of GovernmentTo Reduce Political Instability

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten Electoral reform should not only address the topic of integrity and so-called ship-jumping; it should first and foremost focus on what appears to be the main cause of political instability on all islands of the former Netherlands Antilles since 10-10-10. This is the opinion expressed recently by Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication, Grisha Heyliger-Marten.

According to the minister, the main cause of political instability is the switch to a dualistic system of Government.

Before 10-10-10, with one or two exceptions, (coalition) Governments on the islands of the former Netherlands Antilles always lasted a full term of four years Read more

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High Court Backs Same-Sex Marriage

Celebrating the outcome.

THE HAGUE--Same-sex couples are now permitted to marry immediately in Aruba and Curaao, as decided by the High Court in the Netherlands on Friday. It affirmed an earlier ruling by the Joint Court of Justice for the Dutch Caribbean.

The latter determined on December 6, 2022, that marriages between people of the same sex must be permitted in Aruba and Curaao. Both governments turned to the High Court, which has now rejected their appeals.

The case was brought by Fundacion Orguyo Aruba and Human Rights Caribbean (HRC) in Curaao Read more

A Message From Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina On Hurricane BerylS Impact

Philipsburg — “Hurricane Beryl has tested our resilience in the Caribbean region, but in the face of this adversity, our unity and strength shine through,” declared Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina.

He added, “You are not just enduring this storm; you are standing together, stronger than ever.”

“I urge everyone to extend a helping hand to those in distress and I wholeheartedly applaud our local community initiatives to support those affected,” emphasized Prime Minister Mercelina Read more

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Junior Ranger Program For Nature Kicks Off At Nature Foundation

The Nature Foundation Sint Maarten is thrilled to announce the successful launch of its newest iteration of a Junior Ranger Program, which commenced last Saturday, June 22 with great enthusiasm and participation from the selected rangers. This program, part of the CORENA project, aims to engage young nature enthusiasts and foster a deeper appreciation for the environment.

The inaugural event took place at Mullet Bay, where the seven selected junior rangers, all 12 years old, gathered to embark on their first adventure Read more

Marie Genevieve De Weever School To Host Celebration Of 39Th Flag Day Anniversary

Asha Stevens Hillside Christian School pupils and teachers during the celebration of Flag Day 2023 in Cay Hill.

PHILIPSBURG--The people and government of St. Maarten are gearing up to celebrate the 39th anniversary of Flag Day on Thursday, June 13, at the grounds of Marie Genevieve de Weever School in Hope Estate.

The annual cel Read more

Grisha Welcomes Frontier Airlines From San Juan, Puerto Rico To Sxm

GREAT BAY Hon. Grisha Heyliger-Marten, Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication (TEATT), welcomed Frontier Airlines from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Princess Juliana Intl. Airport on its maiden flight 244 Monday afternoon.

This flight marks a new frontier for us in our efforts to expand our airlift and connectivity, the minister said in her welcoming address.

The San Juan route, she continued, was once the gateway especially to the US for us Read more

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Mind-Boggling !!!

Dear Editor,

The article dated May 15th, 2024 from Saint Martin News Network titled Acting head of Landsrecherche removed from position pending investigation is mindboggling to say the least. That the position officially does not exist and that Ms. Lucy Gachette did not suffer any losses in terms of benefits or salaries, is one thing. But the mere fact that the Minister of Justice stated that there will be an in-depth investigation into matters threatening the countrys security, is a matter of serious concern.

Although questions were posed to the Minister, he correctly declined to provide more information then that the information had been classified and that those who needed to know, were officially notified 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

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Sam Ready For Snap Elections, Will Push To Ensure Place On Ballot

SUCKER GARDEN, St. Maarten – The Soualiga Action Movement (SAM) has been observing the slow-paced development, the discontent in the community and the deterioration of the island’s standing at home and in the wider world.

SAM’s team together with leader veteran politician and former minister/MP Franklin Meyers has been putting in the groundwork and preparing for a future election.

“The time came earlier than any of us, including the sitting government, could have anticipated Read more

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Jansen-Webster: Permanent Damage Caused In Vromi Over Last Four Years

Deputy VROMI Minister Veronica Jansen-Webster.

~ VROMI completely without leadership ~

PHILIPSBURG--At a press conference on Tuesday acting Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Veronica Jansen-Webster painted a grim picture of the situation encountered when the new government took office.

She said the conditions under which the ministry was managed over the last four years have left permanent damage in the organisation and on civil servants Read more

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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

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New Minister Of Finance Marinka Gumbs Addresses Nation With Vision Of Unity, Progress

~ First female Minister of Finance ~

In a humbling address to the nation, newly appointed Minister of Finance Marinka Gumbs, the first woman to hold the position, stood before her fellow St. Maarteners to express profound gratitude and outline a vision for the future of the island’s economy and society.

The Minister began by acknowledging the divine grace that has allowed her to take on this pivotal role Read more

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Brug Says An Approved 2024 Budget Is Good For Sint Maarten!

In a media statement released on Tuesday afternoon, Richinel Brug expressed his appreciation to the Parliament of Sint Maarten for passing the 2024 budget. Brug, who is set to replace the leader of the URSM in Parliament once he swears in as Prime Minister, called this accomplishment significant in light of the current political situation.

Brug acknowledged the peculiar circumstances under which the outgoing Counsel of Ministers presented and defended the budget for the incoming Government, while assuming their roles as opposition members.

Brug highlighted the significance of this budget approval, noting that it not only guarantees the continuation of projects initiated before 2024 but also ensures the availability of funds to initiate the process of paying justice workers.

It is crucial to recognize that receiving a signed decree, without appealing the content, is just the first step in a long process Read more

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