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Road Closures For Upcoming Parades And Jump Up

PHILIPSBURG:---In connection with the upcoming Grand Parade scheduled for May 1st, the Second Day Parade scheduled for May 2nd and the closing Jump up scheduled for May 3rd the Police Department is announcing the following road closures.
Grand Parade May 1st, 2017
The parade is scheduled to start at 10.00 a.m. leaving the entrance of Sint Johns Ranch on the L.B. Scot road with the following route: Sint Johns Estate road/ L.B. Scot road/Bush road/W.J.A. Nisbeth road/Percy Labega Street/Longwall road/Kerkhof Steeg/Front Street/ Emma plein/ Welvaart Brug/Buncamper road/Freedom Fighter Round About/W.J.A Read more

GREAT BA(DCOMM):--- Vaccination Week in the Americas (VWA) which kicked off on Saturday, April 22, concludes on Saturday, April 29.

VWA did not go un-noticed in Sint Maarten, as Minister of Public Health Emil Lee received promotional materials from the local VWA Committee to signify the support of the country with the annual VWA campaign.

Sint Maarten will start with its own vaccination campaign that will be organized in May and June Read more

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Preparations Has Commenced For Memorial Day On May 4Th

PHILIPSBURG - Prime Minister William Marlin hereby makes it known that preparations for Memorial Day have commenced. Memorial Day is the National Day of Remembrance, which is the day that we commemorate the victims who have died in wars or peacekeeping missions since the outbreak of World War II have commenced.

The preparations include the relocation of the commemoration plaques at the Captain Hodge Wharf to a more publicly accessible location on the same Wharf Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- It is parliament's policy that initiative draft laws presented to parliament and whose authors are no longer members of parliament, can be further promoted by the faction to which the initiative taker belonged.
This is the case with the change to the permit ordinance and the "legal" drinking age.
One would recall that the Lion's Club has been an advocate for the legal drinking age to be established at 18. This is the case in our penal code, however, the permit ordinance that regulates the sale of alcohol, prohibits the sale of alcohol below the age of 16 Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Over the weekend a small group consisting of Minister Emil Lee and one representative each from INSO, Royal Haskoning, St. Maarten Medical Center, and KPMG, visited the Owen King E. U. Hospital in St. Lucia. During their tour of the hospital built by INSO this group met with the Honorable Minister of Health and Wellness, Minister Mary Isaac Read more

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Draft Law Establishing A Timeshare Authority For St. Maarten Under Review.

PHILIPSBURG:--- It has not gone unnoticed that timeshare users of units on St. Maarten have been very vocal as of late regarding the draft law to establish a timeshare authority.
“There is quite a history behind the proposal to establish a Timeshare Authority, starting with a motion passed in Parliament on June 29, 2011, to establish a ‘timeshare regulatory body”, explained MP Wescot-Williams.
With the help and involvement of many, in and outside of government/parliament and in and outside of the timeshare industry, two draft initiatives were tabled by former MP, P Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The Charlotte Brookson Academy of the Performance Arts concluded its retreat on April 18th, 2017. The 14 members of the board, management, and staff gathered at the conference room of the Simpson Bay Resort. The purpose of the retreat was to reestablish a common understanding of the CBA vision and the school development plan, strengthen a collective understanding of how the vision will be implemented, monitored and evaluated and to identify strategic personal and professional development plans for the staff Read more

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WILLEMSTAD/ PHILIPSBURG:--- The medical director of SEHOS (St Elizabeth Hospital ) Dr. Franke Scheper worked closely with the Inspector of Health in Curacao Dr. Gersji Pererira to find a workable solution and one that he could manage in the interest of Healthcare.
Dr. Michel Berry was suspended by the institution in the month of January for not seeing and treating a patient that was admitted to SEHOS. The moment Dr. Berry was suspended both by SEHOS and the Inspector of Health the director of SEHOS called in two different auditors from the Netherlands to conduct an independent audit on the quality of surgery care and on patient safety.
Shortly after that SEHOS discovered that one of their surgeons, Dr Read more

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Upp Members Of Parliament Boycotted Central Committee Meeting On Thursday.

Minister Boasman says Opposition had no questions since Governing Program well put together.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Members of Parliament representing the opposition in parliament from the United Peoples Party (UPP) boycotted the Central Committee meeting on Thursday. MP Claret Connor showed up, signed in but left before the meeting convened.
Members of Parliament from the coalition spoke out against the absenteeism stating that this is the time the opposition has to use to question government.
However, Minister Rafael Boasman was optimistic in his statements Read more

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GREAT BAY:--- The Laws of St. Maarten is a set of five books just published here. And the attractive, reader-friendly-design publications are “going like hot bread” at Van Dorp bookstores and from the InfoMedia distributors, said Jacqueline Sample, president of House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP). Each volume of The Laws of St. Maarten describes the book project on its cover as, “a five-volume English ‘Translation of the Official Publication’ of the Constitution and other laws established for governing St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- With the new hospital project back on track, Minister Emil Lee traveled to the Netherlands last week and met with various members of the Dutch government. While there, Minister Lee met with Minister Plasterk, Secretary General of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Kingdom Relations Richard van Zwol, Raymond Gradus (incoming chairman of CFT), Andre Bosman (member of parliament for VVD), and Joba van den Berg-Jansen (member of parliament for CDA) Read more

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“Auc Body Smaart Health Section Collection” At Philipsburg Jubilee Library

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Philipsburg Jubilee Library and the American University of the Caribbean (AUC) launched on Saturday, April 8th, 2017 their brand new collection of over 50 health books for a range of ages before invited guests, including Honorable Minister of Education Sylveria Jacobs, Honorable Minister of Health Emile Lee represented by the Collective Prevention Services department head Virginia Asin, Assistant Dean of Service Learning and Community Affairs PhD Golden Jackson and the AUC students along with Aukje de Jong OrganWise Guy library presenter Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Some people wonder why my writings deal mostly with the Parliament of Sint Maarten. This is because our Parliament is a new constitutional institution. During the last campaign, leading up to the September 26th, 2016 elections, the Sint Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) observed that the majority of the people knew and understood very little about our Parliament and about the role and function of the parliamentarians they were about to elect Read more

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Exclusive:--- Pearl Of China Project Delayed Due To Clause In Deed. Negotiations Taking Place To Resolve The Issue.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Pearl of China Project which was scheduled to start during the month of March 2017 has been delayed due to a clause that is in the deed for the land the developers purchased. SMN News learned that the original owner of the property Rudy Noos placed a clause (restriction) in the deed for the property where it states that no developer can construct more than a certain amount of units on the property.
According to information SMN News received is that the developer just recently discovered restriction that is in the deed and they are busy trying to work around restriction to see how quickly they could have the setback regulated in order for them to begin construction Read more

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GREAT BAY (DCOMM):---On Friday, March 31, the Council of Ministers hosted an Information Session to the Secretaries General of the seven different Ministries and their Management Team, the Staff of the Ministers cabinet, and the Staff of the Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.

The main agenda points of the session were the Governing Program; integrity and the plans of the Dutch Government towards establishing an Integrity Chamber on Sint Maarten and their recent appointment of a Dutch Integrity Quartermaster and an update on the budget 2017.

The Council found it essential to inform the key leaders and advisors of the organization in person about these key matters.
While the Prime Minister, William Marlin, spoke on the issues of the Governing Program and Integrity, the Minister of Finance, Richard Gibson Sr., elaborated on the budget.

At the same time, both Ministers stressed the importance of the role of each civil servant in the process of making Sint Maarten great Read more

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Exclusive:-- Belvedere Residents Suffers While Minister Of Vromi Falls Asleep

Is there mass corruption at St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation? Where is the foundation money and how an employee gets a home over other residents?

PHILIPSBURG:--- Residents of Belvedere housing project that is managed by the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) have to run for shelter during this rainy season while the Minister of VROMI Christopher Emmanuel falls asleep after requesting the government appointed board members to resign and they blatantly refused, even though they are civil servants.
Several of the residents that contacted SMN News states that the management of SMHDF refused to meet with them, one of which is an 89-year old homeowner even though their homes are in deplorable conditions, they said there are water leakage, mold, electrical problems and other very dangerous situations at the homes in Belvedere but the Director Helen Solomon and even the board members refused to meet with them to find solutions to their living conditions.
While the management of SMHDF is running from their responsibilities and the board believes their appointment are lifetime, SMN News learned that there is gross mismanagement of the foundation and monies have disappeared, documents are being shredded, certain employees managed to get promotion and at least one employee also obtained a home before the hundreds of persons that are on the list for years now waiting for a home.
SMN News further learned that Solomon crashed a vehicle belonging to the foundation and even went as far as taking another vehicle and transferred the insurance to the vehicle she is now driving Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:---Recently, our Prime Minister, the honorable William Marlin, leader of the United Democratic Alliance, which consists of the NA, USP and DP coalition, declared war on the Kingdom Government when he stated that said Government can “send in the troops to implement the Integrity Chamber.” This reaction reminds me of my childhood days Read more

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Kralendijk:---  Representatives from St. Maarten participated in United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s phase two of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) capacity building project for Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean on April 3-7, 2017 in Kralendijk, Bonaire. The delegation consisted of Ms. Marcellia Henry, Secretary General of St. Maarten National Commission (NatCom) for UNESCO, Mrs. Sharine Allamby- Duncan, Policy Advisor for the Department of Culture and Ms Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Honorable Minister Christopher Emmanuel met with representatives of Vidanova in Curaçao to continue discussions regarding the 160 affordable homes. The discussions were very positive and Vidanova expressed how impressed they were with the affordable housing project. They are looking forward to realizing investments in Sint Maarten by funding these affordable homes, not only for their clients in Sint Maarten but as well as the eligible public Read more

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Exclusive: Gebe Paid Tpi Trainer $21,000.00 For Training For Management Team.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Workers of GEBE are up in arms because they found out that the company paid the TPI (Natasha Gittens) some $21.000.00 for a two-day training that was held at the Westin Resort sometime in January 2017. The training was for the management team and some supervisors.
According to information received is that the Gittens has good “friendship” with the CEO of GEBE Kennrick Chittick. The workers further stated that GEBE is a sponsor of TPI but Gittens is now employed at GEBE and while she is paid an enormous amount of monies they cannot get an increase in salaries Read more

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Exclusive: Minister Lee Committed Country To $200K To Sunwing Airline While Attending Cha Meeting In The Bahamas.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of VSA Emil Lee who represented St. Maarten in the Bahamas committed the country to giving Sunwing Airlines $200k in order for them to continue their marketing programme and also flying to St. Maarten without consulting with the Ministry of TEATT or Council of Ministers.
An email dispatched by Susan Oland, Director of Programme Development Sunwing, stated in an email that at no time they were told they would not get the monies and that they were asked to block certain media which they did since January and now they are left without the promised $200k
Oland further stated that the Minister told them at the CHA meeting that certain media were not to be part of the plan and they made the changes and blocked those media, now they are left without the financial support the Minister promised them Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- During his recent visit to St. Maarten, Mr. Rudy Croes paid a courtesy visit to DP leader, Sarah Wescot-Williams, also in his capacity as vice-chairperson of the Permanent Conference of Political Parties of Latin America and the Caribbean (COPPAL).

The Democratic Party is a long-standing member of COPPAL, however during the last couple of years, has been inactive as far as this regional political body is concerned.
COPPAL is an international organization of political parties in Latin America and the Caribbean Read more

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 THE HAGUE:--- Minister Plenipotentiary Henrietta Doran-York met with officials of the Foundation Secondary Education Windward Islands (SVOBE), Mrs. Angela Richard-Huggins of Human Resources, and Mr. W.J.M. de Visser, who is also the General Director of the Milton peters College and Sundial School, during their working visit to the Netherlands.
Visser and Richards utilized the Sint Maarten’s Cabinet in The Hague to assess applicants for various subject areas for the upcoming school year 2017-2018 at the Milton Peters College (MPC) and the Sundial School on Sint Maarten.
Annually, the SVOBE representatives travel to The Netherlands in order to recruit new teachers for these schools Read more

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The Hague, Netherlands:---Students of the faculty of Tourism and Hospitality at the University of Sint Maarten (USM), during an orientation visit to the Netherlands, paid a courtesy call the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary in The Hague.
They were welcomed by the Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary, H.E. Mr. Hasani Ellis. The Deputy Minister after introducing himself and the staff of the Cabinet addressed the students briefly by providing useful information on the best practices he experienced, both while studying in the Netherlands and now in his tenure as Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary Read more

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