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Passenger Transport Registration

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The Inspectorate of Economic and Transport Affairs (IETA) instructs all holders of a passenger transport permit to register their operation with the Transport Control Unit no later than Tuesday, February 25, 2025, to receive a confirmation letter. The confirmation letter validates that the operations documentation and vehicle meet the applicable regulations to carry out service.

In prior years, the annual confirmation letter process was solely conducted to pay the annual road tax payments Read more

Tackling: Allowing Heavily Tinted Vehicles Poses Risks That Outweigh Potential Benefit

A heavily tinted vehicle.

 

~ Experience support regulating excessive tint ~

PHILIPSBURG--Justice Minister Natalie Tackling made her position on allowing heavily tinted vehicles clear when asked about the matter during the parliamentary debate on the 2025 budget last week. She said allowing heavily tinted vehicles poses unnecessary risks that far outweigh any potential benefit.

The minister said while statistics provide valuable insights, practical enforcement experience and the precautionary principle strongly support regulating excessive tint as a measure to enhance public safety and road security.

Heavily tinted vehicles reduce driver visibility, particularly at night, increasing the likelihood of accidents and also obstruct visibility for other road users, creating further hazards on the road, the minister noted.

While only a minority of tinted vehicles may be used in crimes, the concealment they provide facilitates illegal activities such as transporting contraband or evading recognition after a crime, necessitating proactive regulation to minimize these risks, the Minister told Parliament.

She was at the time responding to questions from National Alliance (NA) Members of Parliament (MPs) Ardwell Irion and Egbert Doran who asked what data is being used to indicate that tint on vehicles will be dangerous Read more

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

~ Six dedicated police officers of the Sint Maarten Police Force who never give up.~

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

Minister Of Finance Announces Payment Of 2% Cola To Subsidized School Teachers

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The Minister of Finance, Marinka Gumbs, is pleased to inform subsidized school teachers that the long-awaited 2% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), which was granted to civil servants in September 2024, has been disbursed to subsidized schools as of last week, and it is now the responsibility of the schools to ensure that these payments are made to the teachers.

The Minister empathizes with the challenges faced by subsidized school teachers due to the delayed payment of the 1% vacation allowance increase, the 1% COLA paid out in December 2023 to civil servants, and the recently disbursed 2% COLA indexation Read more

Minister Brug Meets With The Integrity Chamber

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten — recently the Honorable Minister of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor (VSA), Richinel Brug, held an introductory meeting with the Integrity Chamber. The purpose of this meeting was to foster a collaboration and discuss integrity matters of mutual interest. This meeting reflects the shared commitment of both parties to transparency and accountability within the Government of Sint Maarten, particularly the Ministry of VSA.

Integrity within our Government apparatus is of utmost importance Read more

Education Minister Requests Investigation Into Fight Between School Bus Driver, Student

A screen grab of the altercation between the bus driver and student.

PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Education, Culture Youth and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs has requested a thorough investigation into an incident involving a school bus driver and a student outside a school bus on Tuesday.

 A video of the incident that was circulating widely on social media on Tuesday captioned bus driver vs student shows the school bus driver holding the student by his top against the school bus and pushing him away from the bus Read more

Lewis: Merchants Using Benches On Front Street As Laundry Line

 ~ Many dilapidated ~

 PHILIPSBURG--Nation Opportunity Wealth (NOW) Member of Parliament (MP) Lyndon Lewis is concerned about the state and use of the concrete benches that have been placed along Front Street saying that not only are many of them dilapidated, but merchants are using some of them similar to laundry lines placing mats and other wet objects to dry.

He relayed his concerns during the continuation of the public meeting of Parliament on the draft 2025 budget on Tuesday Read more

Kadaster And Kitlv To Preserve St. MaartenS Heritage Documents

Professors Francio Guadaloupe (left) and Diana Suhardiman (right) with Anelski Jundri Richardson of Kadaster.

PHILIPSBURG--Kadaster St. Maarten and the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies KITLV have entered into a partnership to enhance the conservation and management of the islands historical documents. This collaboration, initiated by Professor Francio Guadeloupe under the Islanders on the Helm project, aims to safeguard vital heritage records for future generations.

The agreement focuses on specialized training for Kadaster staff, encompassing both technical aspects of document preservation and essential soft skills for effective file management Read more

New YearS Message And Conference Update From Csa President Rhoda Arrindell

Dear CSA Members and Friends,

On behalf of the Caribbean Studies Association (CSA), I extend warm wishes for a peaceful and prosperous New Year. May 2025 bring harmony and inspiration to our lives and communities.

As we prepare for the upcoming CSA annual conference in St. Martin, I am thrilled to share some exciting updates. The Executive Committee, Program Committee, Local Organizing Committee, and many others are working tirelessly to create an unforgettable conference experience.

Our host venue is the Simpson Bay Resort (SBR), which is offering anearly-bird specialon room rates Read more

Govt. Receives Naf. 75.6M Loan From Dutch To Buy New Generators For Gebe

Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina.

  ~ No stringent conditions ~

PHILIPSBURG--The government of St. Maarten has received a 75.6 million Netherlands Antillean guilder loan from the Dutch government to help purchase new generators for utilities company GEBE.

The generators are part of governments long-term plans to further stabilise the energy crisis that faced the country last year Read more

Former Mp Akeem Arrindell Sentenced To 18 Months, Banned From Holding Public Office

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten A former St. Maarten Member of Parliament (MP) has been sentenced to 18 months in prison and banned from serving as a civil servant or standing for elections for six and a half years in a vote-buying case. The ban period is the maximum as set out in the countrys criminal laws.

The Court of First Instance delivered its verdict on Wednesday morning in the case brought by the Prosecutors Office (OM SXM) against former MP A.A. and two co-suspects. The sentences reflect the gravity of the offense and its significant impact on public trust in democracy.

M, a co-suspect, received a 12-month sentence, with four months conditional, and a three-year probation period.

F, another co-suspect, was ordered to complete 180 hours of community service, with 90 hours conditional, along with a three-year probation period.

OM SXM believes the courts ruling sends a stern warning against attempts to undermine democracy in Sint Maarten Read more

Minister Brug Warns Against Unnecessary Unrest In Our Community

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor Richinel Brug warns against unnecessary unrest in our community. As flu season is upon us, rumors and misinformation can easily spread panic. However, Minister Brug emphasizes the importance of relying on accurate information backed by data from the ministry of Public Health, specifically from the department of Collective Prevention Services (CPS).

Amidst the current flu season, parts of China are dealing with what is referred to as the HMPV outbreak Read more

DATE ISSUED: Tuesday, December 31st, 2024 @ 12:00 LST (16:00 UTC)
VALID UNTIL: Wednesday midday (12:00 LST) January 01st, 2025

WEATHER: This afternoon through Wednesday midday: Variably cloudy with isolated showers.

Forecast High: 29C / 84F             Forecast Low: 24C / 75F

Sunset Today: 5:48 P.M.                Sunrise Tomorrow: 6:44 A.M.

SURFACE WINDS: This afternoon through Wednesday midday: Northeasterly with a light to gentle breeze of 04 to 11 mph.

SYNOPSIS: Drifting patches of low level clouds will account for isolated showers as they traverse the local area Read more

DATE ISSUED: Monday, December 30th, 2024 @ 12:00 LST (16:00 UTC) VALID UNTIL: Tuesday midday (12:00 LST) December 31st, 2024A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11:00 PMMONDAY, DECEMBER 30th, 2024 WEATHER:   This afternoon through Tuesday midday: Variably cloudy with light isolated showers possible.Forecast High: 29C / 84F             Forecast Low: 24C / 75F  Sunset Today: 5:47 P.M Read more

Half-Masting Of Flags On Monday In Tribute To Former Prime Minister Don Martina

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten The Government of Sint Maarten expresses profound sorrow over the passing of Dominico Felipe Martina, better known as Don Martina, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles, a statesman whose legacy of leadership, diplomacy, and vision left an indelible mark within the former Netherlands Antilles. In honor of his contributions, the national flags at the Government Administration Building in Philipsburg will be flying half-mast on the day of his funeral being Monday, December 30, 2024.

The Honorable Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, Dr Read more

DATE ISSUED: Friday 27th December 2024 @ 12:00 LST (16:00 UTC) VALID UNTIL: Saturday midday (12:00 LST) 28th December 2024WEATHER:This afternoon and evening: Variably cloudy with brief and localized showers.Tonight, through Saturday midday: Fair to partly cloudy. Isolated showers are possible.Forecast High: 30C / 86F               Forecast Low:  26C / 79FSunset Today: 5:46 P.M.                   Sunrise Tomorrow: 6:43 A.M.SURFACE WINDS: This afternoon through Saturday midday: Northeasterly with a light to gentle breeze of 4 to 12 mph becoming variable at times.SYNOPSIS: A high-pressure system is the dominant feature today, maintaining a light to gentle breeze while limiting significant precipitation Read more

Voluntary Interruption Of Drinking Water Production In Saint-Martin

An unacceptable hostage of the population and the tourist economy

The SAUR Group strongly condemns the voluntary interruption of drinking water production on the island of Saint-Martin, which occurred on December 23, 2024 This action was carried out by seven SAUR Saint-Martin agents following instructions from UGTG Guadeloupe, resulting in the shutting down of the island’s only water production plant.

The gesture was accompanied by the illegal removal of essential boxes when the installation was restarted, putting the entire population in a situation of health, humanitarian and economic emergency.

Although pedestrian access to the Galisbay site was possible on December 23, the strikers proceeded the next day to complete and reinforced closure of the site, preventing any attempts to restart the water production plant Read more

DATE ISSUED: Tuesday, December 24th, 2024 @ 12:00 LST (16:00 UTC)VALID UNTIL: Wednesday midday (12:00 LST) December 25th, 2024  A DUST ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6:00 AM, WEDNESDAY25TH DECEMBER WEATHER: This afternoon through Wednesday midday: Fair to partly cloudy and hazy with brief isolated showers possible.
Forecast High:   30C / 86F              Forecast Low:   26C / 79FSunset Today: 5:44 P.M.    Sunrise Tomorrow: 6:41 A.M.                            SURFACE WINDS: 
This afternoon through Wednesday midday: Easterly with a light to moderate breeze of 06 to 15 mph.SYNOPSIS: 
A relatively stable atmosphere will restrict precipitation during this forecast period Read more

Vromi Booth Addresses Backlog, Draws Public Appreciation

PHILIPSBURG The Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure (VROMI) reports a positive outcome from its participation in Philipsburg Becomes Magical on December 21st and 22nd at Cyrus Wathey Square.

Over the two-day event, the VROMI Booth attracted a steady flow of visitors who engaged with ministry representatives on a variety of topics. Attendees received updates on key projects, inquired about permit applications and long lease requests, and took advantage of the opportunity to have their questions addressed directly by VROMI staff.

The Permits Department handled 51 inquiries for status updates, 15 general questions, and the Domain Department (long lease) addressed 30 requests Read more

DATE ISSUED: Monday, 23rd December 2024 @ 12:00 LST (16:00 UTC) VALID UNTIL: Tuesday midday (12:00 LST) 24th December 2024WEATHER:This afternoon through Tuesday midday: Partly cloudy and hazy, becoming cloudy at times with brief isolated showers.Forecast High: 30C / 86F               Forecast Low: 26C / 79FSunset Today: 5:43 P.M.                   Sunrise Tomorrow: 6:41 A.M.SURFACE WINDS: This afternoon through Tuesday midday: Easterly with a light to moderate breeze of 6 to 15 mph.SYNOPSIS: A pre-frontal trough will increase the probability of showers across the region during this forecast period Read more

Brug Gets Update On Hospital Construction

VSA Minister Richinel Brug (third left) with members of his team and representatives of SMMC, including Medical Director Dr. Felix Holiday (second left).

CAY HILL--Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor VSA, Richinel Brug met with the management team of the St Read more

Extended Profit Tax Filing For Approved Taxpayers And Holiday Closure Announcement

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten The Inspectorate of Taxes hereby announces that taxpayers who were previously granted an extension until Tuesday, December 31, 2024, for the filing and payment (if applicable) of their 2023 Profit Tax Return, are now provided an extended deadline of Friday, January 3, 2025, at 2:00 PM. Taxpayers who fall under this extension are urged to take note of this updated deadline and ensure timely filing and payment to remain in compliance.

The 2023 Final Profit Tax Return and 2023 Final Profit Tax Form are available on the Tax Administrations website at www.tax.sx under the Documents tab Read more

Inspectorate Vsa Conducts Inspection At Smmc

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — On December 18, 2024, The Inspectorate of VSA conducted an inspection at the Sint Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) following a complaint received on November 28, 2024, regarding water issues in the sterilization room.

During the inspection water samples were taken from four tap-points in the sterilization room to determine if there was any form of cross-contamination in the water lines. The adjoining room, surrounding areas as well as the sewage water holding tank was inspected.

We were informed that indeed there was an incident with water getting into the sterilization room Read more

Kadaster Honors Marie De Weever, Austin Philips For Decades Of Dedicated Service

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Kadaster and Land Registry Office proudly celebrated the exceptional contributions of two of its longest-serving staff members, Marie de Weever and Austin Philips, whose combined service spans an impressive 80 years. De Weever, with 55 years of service, and Philips, with 25 years, were honored during a heartfelt staff appreciation evening at Simpson Bay Resort.

Recently appointed Kadaster Director, Benjamin Ortega, highlighted the importance of recognizing these milestones, which not only mark personal achievements but also symbolize Kadasters commitment to community and excellence Read more