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Leona Questions Gibson Over Back Tax Deduction

PHILIPSBURG--The abrupt deduction of back taxes from civil servants has been queried by independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo via letter to Finance Minister Richard Gibson Read more

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Dp Not Consulted On Move To Ask Cgc To Step Down

PHILIPSBURG--The Democratic Party (DP) said on Sunday that it was not consulted on the decision by Prime Minister William Marlin to ask members of the Corporate Governance Council (CGC) to make their positions available reportedly o Read more

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Dp No Fue Consultado En La Jugada De Pedir La Renuncia Del Cgc

Traducido por Máximo Castro

PHILIPSBURG – El Partido Democrático (DP), no fue consultado sobre la decisión del primer ministro William Marlin, de pedir a los miembros del Consejo de Gobierno Corporativo (CGC) hacer disponibles sus posiciones, según los informes sobre asuntos relacionados con el consejo CGC que tiene que proporcionar al Gobierno para el Consejero Delegado (CEO) del Grupo TelEm.  Al ser contactado al respecto el domingo, Marlin, que estaba en la República Dominicana para la firma de un Memorando de Entendimiento (MOU), dijo que tratará el tema cuando está de vuelta Read more

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The Dump Is The Newest Political Football

I am so amazed to hear all these older politicians who have been part of Government, either in power or in opposition for over 30 years, try to convince the people that finally after watching the dump grow for the last 30 years or more, they will provide the solutions.

They have had reports dating back years, which indicates to them the health hazards for our people. Yet they chose to disregard the solutions since many have become rich from this dump growing more than six floors.

I really hope that St Read more

Dp Faction Not Consulted With Decision Taken By Pm Marlin Regarding Cgc

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten — “As a coalition partner in this government, I regret that I/we have not been apprised of the decision by the Prime Minister to ask the Members of the Corporate  Governance Council (CGC) to make their positions available”, stated MP Sarah Wescot-Williams.

In fact, decisions of this nature are precisely what belong on the table of all coalition partners Read more

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Cps National Mosquito Elimination Community Program In Saunders A Success

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – The Minister of Public Health Emil Lee’s National Mosquito Elimination Community Program Zika Virus disease (ZikV) “Beat ZikV,” was a success in Saunders on August 20.

Gerald Davelaar, coordinator for CPS for the program, said he was very pleased with the kick-off start of the project whereby the residents in the area were very cooperative with personnel from the Ministry and volunteers who were out in the field in Saunders Saturday, August 20.

Approximately 100 premises were visited, of which 51 houses.  One in every five houses was found positive with mosquito larvae.  The House Index is 18 per cent and the World Health Organization threshold is around two per cent.

Minister of Public Health Emil Lee was also present and shared out information while speaking with residents about source reduction in how to eliminate mosquito breeding sites.

The community program calls for a close collaboration with the people of Sint Maarten and entails house to house visits with one on one education on elimination of mosquito breeding sites in and around the house.

The program also includes inspection of the surroundings of the house by vector controllers; assessment of the findings; set-up and monitoring of traps to study mosquito behavior and larvae development, and if needed targeted fogging of identified locations.

Volunteers from various government entities have been mobilized as volunteers to assist with this community program.

The ultimate purpose is to minimize the occurrence of ZikV by eliminating mosquito breeding sites within the districts with a special focus on the elimination of the Aedes Aegypty mosquito.

CPS reiterates to the population of Sint Maarten as well as visitors to wear light colored clothing at dusk; long sleeve shirts and pants; and use mosquito repellent to prevent being bitten by a mosquito that could possibly be carrying a mosquito borne disease.

CPS re-enforces its message that all residents and businesses need to take proactive measures to prevent mosquitos from breeding.  Be on the alert for mosquito breeding sites and eliminate, especially after heavy rainfall.

Actively destroy or dispose of tin cans, old tires, buckets, unused plastic swimming pools or other containers that collect and hold water Read more

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Tourism Minister To Lead Delegation To Canada

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, is scheduled to hold talks with industry stakeholders in Canada this week, to discuss strategies to boost visitor arrivals from that country to Jamaica.

Bartlett, who is leading a Jamaican delegation to Canada on Monday, says the meetings will involve representatives of several of Jamaica’s longstanding partn Read more

Dp Faction Not Consulted With Decision Taken By Pm Regarding Cgc

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - "As a coalition partner in this government, I regret that I/we have not been apprised of the decision by the Prime Minister to ask the Members of the Corporate Governance Council (CGC) to make their positions available",stated MP Sarah Wescot-Williams.

In fact, decisions of this nature are precisely what belong on the table of all coalition partners Read more

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GREAT BAY (DCOMM):---The Minister of Public Health Emil Lee’s National Mosquito Elimination Community Program Zika Virus disease (ZikV) “Beat ZikV,” was a success in Saunders on August 20.

Gerald Davelaar, the coordinator for CPS for the program, said he was very pleased with the kick-off start of the project whereby the residents in the area were very cooperative with personnel from the Ministry and volunteers who were out in the field in Saunders Saturday, August 20.

Approximately 100 premises were visited, of which 51 houses Read more

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Minister Of Vsa Plans To Circumvent The Law By Creating Subsidiary Companies And Holding Companies To Avoid Sbod Of Uszv.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The contract that the Director of USZV Glen Carty, Minister of VSA Emil Lee intends to sign with INSO on August 31st is misleading and not in the interest of St. Maarten and its people.
SMN News already indicate in its first article that the New Hospital will not have a dialysis center, oncology center and the private wing that was supposed to cater to medical tourism.
Based on the content of the  contractn(Tender Documents and Terms of Refference), it states that USZV or 100% owned subsidiary (special purpose vehicle to facilitate the financing) is the contracting party for the contractor Read more

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Corporate Governance Council Asked To Make Their Position Available.

Accused of overstepping their authorities and leaking information.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prime Minister of St. Maarten requested the members of the Corporate Governance Council (CGC) to make their positions available after they sent a letter to the Prime Minister informing him that both candidates that were nominated for the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position of TELEM  are qualified for the position, but also insinuated in their letter to the Prime Minister whom they believe is more qualified for the position.
Besides overstepping their authority as an advisory body, the members of the council allegedly leaked information to one of the two candidates who then went on a radio program boasting to be the most qualified candidate based on the advice/letter sent to the Prime Minister.
SMN News learned that the members of the CGC allegedly also leaked information to the unions who also made statements relating to the advice.
SMN News  further understands that the Prime Minister William Marlin sent the letter to the CGC on Friday when he realized that the members of CGC were influential and had preference as to whom he should appoint to the position even though he selected the candidate and then they asked for the information on the second candidate, something that is not normal Read more

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‘Middle Passage’ Viewed At Philipsburg Jubilee Library

PHILIPSBURG – August 23 was the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition.

To commemorate the UN observance, the St. Maarten National Commission for UNESCO in collaboration with the Africa Caribbean Heritage Alliance (ACHA), and the Philipsburg Jubilee Library showed the DVD, “The Middle Passage,” an HBO Documentary, and held a dialogue with a number of youth representatives from the St. Maarten Youth Parliament, St. Maarten Youth Brigade (Voice of Our Youth), SOIL (Source of Inspirational Learning), PEP (Patrol to Eradicate Pedophilia), SMYPA (St Read more

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A Vision For Economic Prosperity

With the prospect of cruise passenger arrivals, the Island’s main source of revenue, expected to decrease by 22%, as testified before Parliament earlier this year by the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association along with the 19-member cruise alliance, the economy of St. Maarten appears to be in a downward spiral.

This is quite evident by the fewer recorded ships that have been visiting the island, the loss of cruise lines to other islands and the less than optimistic view of businesses as to the economic future of St Read more

Dan A Heyliger Y A Meyers 72 Horas Para Retractarse Públicamente De Declaraciones Consideradas Falsas

Traducido por Máximo Castro

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten.- El director de la compañía  Robelto & Sons NV, señor Flanders, dio anoche mediante un comunicado de prensa, un plazo de 72 horas al líder principal y al líder adjunto del Partido del Pueblo Unido (UP, por sus siglas en inglés), Theo  Heyliger y Franklyn Meyers, respectivamente, para que se retracten de la acusación publicada por estos en los medios locales en lA que afirmaron que la compañía Robelto & Sons BV, ha facturado al gobierno 19 veces la suma de 148,500.00 florines, equivalente a unos 2,82 millones de florines.

Flanders expresa en su comunicado de prensa que esta afirmación es una mentira descarada y que no va a aceptar este tipo de declaraciones de personas cuyo objetivo es engañar a la población de San Martín y desacreditar a una empresa local Read more

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Lake To Present Motion To Establish Nature Park, Agriculture Station

PHILIPSBURG--Independent Member of Parliament Maurice Lake says he intends to table a motion in Parliament to call on the Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Development, Environment and Infrastructure to develop a “Nature-Agriculture Park.”

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Contractor Issues Ultimatum To Mps Heyliger And Meyers

SUCKER GARDEN--Contractor Robelto and Sons BV issued a 72-hour ultimatum on Friday morning to United People’s (UP) party Members of Parliament (MPs) Theo Heyliger and Read more

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Paho Announces That The American Region Marks 25-Years Polio Free

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – This week (August 23) marked 25-years since the last case of wild poliovirus in the Region of the Americas, Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) pointed out.

The CPS is elated with the Polio achievement within the Americas region, and also reminds persons to double check their vaccination records to ensure that their vaccination/immunization is up to date for the population from birth to 17 years of age.  For further information they can contact CPS.

For the population older than 18 and above, they should contact their physician for information on their vaccination coverage.

The world is now closer than ever to achieving a polio-free world, and all countries in the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) region, have been working hard towards maintaining the Americas region polio free and achieving the objectives outlined in the Polio Eradication and Endgame Strategic Plan.

Polio cases have decreased by over 99% since 1988, from an estimated 350 000 cases in more than 125 endemic countries then, to 74 reported cases in two endemic countries in 2015.

PAHO reports that today, only two countries in the world remain endemic for the disease–the smallest geographic area in history Read more

Paho Announces That The American Region Marks 25-Years Polio Free.

GREAT BAY(DCOMM):--- This week (August 23) marked 25-years since the last case of wild poliovirus in the Region of the Americas, Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) pointed out.

The CPS is elated with the Polio achievement within the Americas region, and also reminds persons to double check their vaccination records to ensure that their vaccination/immunization is up to date for the population from birth to 17 years of age Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- August 23rd was the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition. To commemorate the UN observance, the Sint Maarten National Commission for UNESCO in collaboration with the Africa Caribbean Heritage Alliance (ACHA) and the Philipsburg Jubilee Library showed the DVD, ‘The Middle Passage’ a HBO Documentary and held a dialogue with a number of youth representatives from the St. Maarten Youth Parliament, St. Maarten Youth Brigade (Voice of Our Youth), SOIL (Source of Inspirational Learning), P.E.P Read more

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Mp Leona Marlin-Romeo Calls For Increased Levels Of Border Control

PHILIPSBURG—Honourable Independent Member of Parliament MP Leona Marlin-Romeo has expressed serious concerns over the level of security and effectiveness of present controls at borders for Country St. Maarten.

MP Marlin-Romeo said “As a small island we have to be cognizant of our capacity and who is in our Country.” This must be approached structurally and should include further education for law enforcement agents on border control Read more

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Mp Marlin-Romeo Calls For Increased Border Control

PHILIPSBURG--Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo said on Thursday she has serious concerns about the level of security and effectiveness of controls at the country’s borders.

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Beauperthuy Petition To Save Their Land Hits 495 Signatures

~ Family gives detailed explanation of family history ~

MARIGOT--With the on-line petition “Our Land Matters – we are St. Martin” rising to 495 signatures, the Beauperthuy family in St. Martin has sought to give the population a full overview of the family history as they fight a legal action to prevent parcel AW59 at Boo Boo Jam from being auctioned off for 341,000 euros despite the fact the family are current heirs to the property.
To recap, the family at the beginning of August received notification by a Marshall to vacate parcel AW59 within 15 days Read more

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Saba Again Receives Positive Audit On Financial Statements

By Suzanne Koelega

SABA/THE HAGUE--The 2015 financial statements of the Public Entity Saba has received a positive audit, again. This is the fourth time in a row, a milestone which has not been accomplished by any other Dutch Caribbean island. The Saba Island Council discussed the 2015 annual report and related documents in the Central Committee on Thursday.

The audit statement of accounting firm Ernst and Young (EY) was positive in all aspects. “We are of the opinion that the audit information that we received was sufficient and suitable to offer a substantiation for our qualification regarding the dependability of the annual report and the financial legitimacy.”

The accountant stated that the 2015 annual account presented a “true view of the size and composition” of both the revenues and expenditures over 2015 of the assets and liabilities per December 31, 2015, in accordance with the budget and other relevant legislation Read more

Wuite Calls 26% Youth Unemployment ‘Nuts’

PHILIPSBURG--“Nuts” is how Jorien Wuite, Secretary-General for Education and Youth as well as Parliamentarian hopeful, described the current 26 per cent youth unemployment rate in the country.

“There is no room for complacency anymore, and it’s time to get out of our comfort zone. A lot of opportunities for entrepreneurs, for example in fashion and performing arts, are easily gained,” Wuite said on “Oral Gibbes - Speaking of Everything” show according to a Democratic Party press statement.

The high percentage of youth unemployment “has bothered her for a long time,” said Wuite whose party is in the current governing coalition Read more

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