SXMElections.com

Corona Loans Interest 2.9%

Main ENNIA branch

THE HAGUE--The Netherlands is asking for an interest of 2.9% for the refinancing of the COVID-19 loans to Curaao and St. Maarten. This lowest percentage applies because together with their joint Central Bank of Curaao and St. Maarten (CBCS) they reached a solution to safeguard pensions of insurer ENNIA recently.

Dutch State Secretary for Kingdom Relations Zsolt Szab announced this to the Second Chamber of Parliament in The Hague. Now that both countries and the Central Bank have also signed the ENNIA Main Lines Agreement, Curaao and Sint Maarten will pay the low interest on this refinancing, he wrote.

During the pandemic-related crisis, Curaao and Aruba each borrowed an amount of 900,000 in Netherlands Antillean guilders and Aruban florins respectively Read more

DATE ISSUED: Friday, 18th October 2024 @ 12:00 LST (16:00 UTC) VALID UNTIL: Saturday midday (12:00 LST) 19th October 2024WEATHER:This afternoon through Saturday midday: Partly cloudy, becoming cloudy at times with isolated showers and a chance of isolated thunderstorms.Forecast High: 33C / 91F               Forecast Low: 27C / 81FSunset Today: 5:48 P.M.                   Sunrise Tomorrow: 6:07 A.M.SURFACE WINDS: This afternoon through Saturday midday: Southeasterly to easterly with a light to moderate breeze of 7 to 15 mph.SYNOPSIS: Pockets of moisture trailing a recent tropical wave will account for cloudy periods, isolated showers and a chance of isolated thunderstorms, particularly during the latter part of this forecast period Read more

Court Upholds Teatt Order To Close Down District 721

PHILIPSBURG--The Court of First Instance has upheld a recent decision by Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten that closed down District 721, at least until the nightclub on Welfare Road gets a new operational licence. Read more

Vromi To Sell M/V Island Scout (Imo Number: 9215220)

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure (VROMI) announced during Wednesdays press briefing its intention to sell the Island Scout (IMO number 9215220). Under Article 13, Section 1 of the Landsverordening houdende maatregelen tot opruiming van schepen en wrakken in zee en op het zeestrand (National Ordinance containing measures for the removal of ships and wrecks at sea and on the sea beach)

The Island Scout is a 69-meter-long tug/supply ship that was beached and successfully salvaged, with efforts from both the Ministry of VROMI and TEATT following the passing of Tropical Storm, later Hurricane, Ernesto Read more

Minister Of Finance Warns Merchants To Stop Imposing Purchase Limit For Cards

Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs.

~Says offenders will be blacklisted~

PHILIPSBURG--Businesses in the country that continue to impose a purchase limit on consumers who use their debit or credit cards for payments, can be blacklisted, have their machines taken away and not receive a machine from any bank in the country.

Read more

14Th Anniversary Of Constitution Day To BeCelebrated On October 14Th 2024

PHILIPSBURG On October 10, 2010, Sint Maarten took its place as a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, an event that forever changed our islands path and identity. In celebration of this historic milestone, Constitution Day is commemorated annually on the second Monday in October. This year, Constitution Day falls on Monday, October 14, 2024.

This years theme,Jollification Season: Building Home, Building Community, Building Nation, will spotlight Sint Maartens resilience, diversity, and the collaborative spirit that has shaped our nation Read more

Temperatures Above Existing Background (Base) Levels Detected At The La Soufriere Volcano

Saint Vincent According to information received from the Seismic Research Centre at 2:38 p.m. today (Monday October 7, 2024); a low thermal anomaly (temperatures above existing background/base levels) was detected at the summit of the La Soufriere volcano by the NASA FIRMS hot spot detection system on Sunday October 6, 2024. This low thermal anomaly as detected by NASA FIRMS is currently ongoing.

Potential scenarios associated with the detection of the thermal anomaly include a Sulphur fire in the crater, a small phreatic (steam) eruption that may have exposed hot underlying rocks, or the start of new extrusion of lava in the crater.

Analysis of multi gas data collected on October 4, 2024 by the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) Soufriere Monitoring Team, and further reconnaissance via sea along the West Coast today (Monday October 7, 2024) are still underway Read more

Com Approves Amendment To 2024 Budget

Finance Minister Gumbs Submits it to Parliament: Council of Ministers has approved the amendment to the 2024 budget, and it has already been sent to Parliament, said Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs.

Civil Servants, Subsidized Schools will Receive COLA at Same Time in 2025, Finance Minister Assures

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten There will be no distinction between civil servants and subsidized schools in terms of payment of Cost of Living Adjustment, (COLA), next year, Minister of Finance, Marinka Gumbs has assured Read more

Ser St. Maarten Chairman Pays Visit To Ser Aruba

PHILIPSBURG— After a 16 month delay due to the non-appointment of its Board, a delegation of the Social Economic Council (SER) visited the SERs of Aruba and Curacao last week. The Sint Maarten delegation consisted of SER Chairman, Harlec Doran and the Secretary-General, Gerard Richardson Read more

Night time view of Dock Maarten filled with mega yachts. (Edward Penagos photo)

By Robert Luckock

PHILIPSBURG--The construction of Dock Maarten in Great Bay is nothing new. Its evolvement has been progressing steadily in different phases over the years, mostly unseen from the general public. While not fully completed in other areas on shore, the marina itself has now reached its zenith, poised to welcome to its newest slips some of the largest mega-yachts in the world for the 2024/25 season.

As of this writing, the marina is fully booked Read more

Lt. Colonel Hugues Loyez: I Have The Best Job, In The Best Location

Lieutenant Colonel Hugues Loyez. Robert Luckock photo.

MARIGOT--On meeting Lieutenant Colonel Hugues Loyez, the new Commandant of the Gendarmerie of St. Martin and Saint Barthlemey, one is struck by two things: his youthfulness for such an important assignment (hes 36), and his good command of English, better than that of his predecessors.

He officially started in St. Martin on August 1 but benefited from a one-month induction period in July with his predecessor, Colonel Maxime Wintzer-Wehekind, to make the relevant contacts and discover the lay of the land Read more

Marinka Gumbs: Addendum To Ennia Outline Agreement Will Save St. Maarten Nafl. 37 Million

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten Minister of Finance, Marinka Gumbs, will be in Parliament on Monday, October 7, 2024, for the second round of questions posed by the MPs regarding the Addendum she negotiated.to the controversial ENNIA Outline Agreement.

I am optimistic that Members of Parliament will approve the ENNIA outline agreement and its accompanying addendum, as the approval carries significant implications for St Read more

Praise For St. Maarten Project At Oranje Fonds Event

THE NETHERLANDS — The Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary of Sint Maarten, Drs. Gracita R. Arrindell, supported the Sint Maarten finalists for the ‘Apples of Orange’ awards of the Oranje Fonds at the prize giving ceremony in The Hague. The Apples of Orange are a kingdom-wide annual award recognizing and rewarding three initiatives that successfully connect different groups, or that contribute to people being able to participate in society again.

The ‘Adopt a Grandparent Experience (AGE)’ project of Sint Maarten’s Hearts United Holistic Care Foundation was one of ten finalists out of a total of 212 entries Read more

Com Approves Amendment To 2024 Budget

Finance Minister Gumbs Submits it to Parliament

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten The Council of Ministers has approved the amendment to the 2024 budget, and it has already been sent to Parliament, said Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs.

Although the amended budget contains a reduction of approximately 25 million guilders in both income and expenditures compared to the current budget, it still includes allocations for several key investment projects that are crucial to St Read more

Usm President Strengthens Ties With Dutch Universities Of Applied Sciences

POND ISLAND — University of St. Martin (USM) President, Dr. Antonio Carmona Bez, visited two leading universities of applied sciences in The Netherlands during the last week of September, furthering USM’s long standing relationships with Dutch higher education institutions Read more

Grisha Meets With Cma-Cgm Over Transshipment Issues

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten After reports that CMA CGM, a leading ocean freight company, decided to re-route its transshipment operations from Pointe Blanche to Guadeloupe, Minister Grisha Heyliger-Marten took action.

During her official trip to a yachting conference in Monaco, the St. Maarten government minister met with Jean-Baptiste Lumineau, Director of Finance and Infrastructure, at the companys headquarters in France Read more

Energynautics: Solar Panels Key To St. MaartenS Energy Future, But Diesel Generators Needed First

NV GEBE Temporary Manager Troy Washington (left) receives the Energynautics report from National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) head Claret Connor.

 PHILIPSBURG--NV GEBE has received a comprehensive report from Energynautics GmbH, an energy consultancy firm, detailing key recommendations to improve the utility companys energy i Read more

DATE ISSUED: Friday, 27 September 2024 @ 12:00 LST (16:00 UTC)
VALID UNTIL: Saturday midday (12:00 LST) 28 September 2024

WEATHER:
This afternoon: Partly cloudy with brief showers and possible thunder.
Tonight through Saturday midday: Partly cloudy with brief local showers possible.

Forecast High: 32C / 90F               Forecast Low: 26C / 79F

Sunset Today: 6:05 P.M.                   Sunrise Tomorrow: 6:02 A.M.

SURFACE WINDS:    This afternoon through Saturday midday: East-southeasterly to easterly with a gentle to moderate breeze of 5 to 14 mph.

SYNOPSIS:    Lingering moisture associated with a recent tropical wave will cause brief showers and possible thunder, particularly during the early part of this forecast period Read more

Min Heyliger-Marten Unannounced Visit To Small Businesswomen Avillion

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication, Grisha Heyliger-Marten (3rd R), last week paid an unannounced visit to the small businesswomen housed temporarily at the Pavillion at the old Government Administration Building area while work on the Soualiga Market gets off the ground on Backstreet Read more

 DATE ISSUED: Monday 16th September 2024 @ 12:00 LST (16:00 UTC)VALID UNTIL: Tuesday midday (12:00 LST) 17th September 2024WEATHER:This afternoon through Tuesday midday: Hot and hazy. Forecast High: 33C / 91F               Forecast Low: 28C / 82F Sunset Today: 6:13 P.M.                   Sunrise Tomorrow: 6:01 A.M. SURFACE WINDS:This afternoon through Tuesday midday: Northeast to easterly with a gentle to moderate breeze of 8 to 18 mph. SYNOPSIS:Relatively dry and stable conditions persist and maintain hot and sunny conditions Read more

In Light Of Global Financial Market Expectations Cbcs Reduces The Pledging Rate

Willemstad/Philipsburg The Centrale Bank van Curaao en Sint Maarten (CBCS) decided to ease its monetary policy stance by reducing the pledging rate1 by 0.50 percentage point to 5.25%. This decision is based on the solid and stable foreign exchange position and import coverage in the monetary union, and the expected reduction of the federal funds rate. However, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the CBCS will continue monitoring the domestic and international economic developments closely, particularly the key indicators for monetary policy in the union, and will adjust its policy if necessary.

According to the latest projection, the deficit on the current account of the balance of payments of the monetary union is expected to drop from 15.8% of GDP in 2023 to 13.9% in 2024, due mainly to an increase in net current transfers from abroad, stated executive director, Dr Read more

SlaS With School Bus Operators, StudentTransportation Management System Approved

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Demissionair Minister Lyndon Lewis has signed several Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with bus operators providing school transportation services on St. Maarten. These agreements aim to standardize and improve the management of school bus services on the island.

The SLAs are comprehensive and address key issues such as:

Established routes Standards for both buses and drivers Responsibilities regarding bus operations and the supervision of students Remuneration and insurance requirements Other relevant operational matters

In addition to the signing of the SLAs, Minister Lewis is also pleased to announce that the Council of Ministers has approved the introduction of the Student Transportation Management System Read more

Lewis Receives Quality Inspection Report ForPublic Schools: Urgent Improvements Needed

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — A comprehensive Quality Inspection Report has been conducted and presented to Demissionair Minister of Education Lyndon Lewis by the Inspectorate of Education. The report, finalized in June 2024, examines the quality of education in public schools across St. Maarten and provides detailed recommendations for improvement.

The inspection, which took place between October 2023 and March 2024, included lesson observations, interviews, and desk research Read more

Unbelievable ~~~To Say The Least~~~

Dear Editor,

It is with great admiration that I watch the interview done by Mr. Oral Gibbs with the Minister of Justice Mr. Lyndon Lewis a few days ago. It was interesting to listen to all that the Minister had to say regarding his position after the results of the last election.

What baffled me (and I guess many others) was the expression by the Minister about the performance of the Chief of Police, Mr Read more