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“How Healthy Is St. Maarten/Sint Martin”

Coalition of the EU funded survey

PHILIPSBURG:--- USM, On Friday 27 May 2016, The University of St Martin’s celebrated the success of a groundbreaking project whereby, representatives of Dutch and French St. Maarten conducted a survey on the physical and psychological health of the entire population.

The locale was fitting as the study was the result of the collaboration between the Observatoire Saint. Martin-Sint Maarten, The department of Public Health of St. Maarten, and University of the Virgin Islands at The University of St Martin (UVI@USM) Read more

Exit Exam Average Up From Last Year

PHILIPSBURG--The average pass rate for this year’s Foundation Based Education (FBE) Exit Exams has increased compared to last year. Education Minister Silveria Jacobs announced on Wednesday that the average percentage stood at 58, up from 55 last year.

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Education Silveria Jacobs said on Wednesday that the article written by the Today newspaper about a student that made front page had lots of fiction and not based on facts. The Minister said the article is very damaging and even though she addressed the issue last week during the press briefing she elaborated some more when asked by SMN News to do so now the father of the student broke his silence.
The Minister said that the article was written to create sensation and what looks more like an opinion ended up on the front page of the newspaper Read more

Draft Law On Youth Employment Fund Soon To Be Taken To Parliament --- Pm Marlin

Labor Department have about 500 unemployed persons in their database that fits the criteria.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister William Marlin announced on Wednesday that the draft law that he sent to the legal department for advice sent him back the draft law with some adaptations they made to the draft law. Marlin said he will do his best to get this draft law on the agenda for Thursday’s Council of Ministers meeting where it could be approved before it makes it way to the various organs before going to the Parliament of St Read more

Matser’S Appeal Case Postponed To August

PHILIPSBURG--Member of Parliament (MP) Silvio Matser’s appeal case against his tax-fraud conviction in the Court of First Instance has been postponed because several witnesses still have to be heard by the judge.

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Emmanuel Questions Posting Of Trini As Usm Dean Of Academics

POND ISLAND--National Alliance (NA) Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel has fired off a number of questions to the University of St. Martin (USM) board on the recent appointment of a Trinidad national to the post of Dean of Academics.

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Kingdom Law Proposal Debated With Dutch Caribbean Delegates

THE HAGUE--It was quite an exceptional setting in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament on Tuesday, with seven special delegates from the Dutch Caribbean Parliaments seated in the benches: Rene Herdé, Desiree de Sousa-Croes, Ady Thijsen and Andin Bikker of Aruba, Glenn Sulvaran of Curaçao and Cornelius de Weever and Leona Marlin-Romeo of St Read more

William: Lifting Cuba Embargo Not A Threat

HAVANA, Cuba--The lifting of the embargo on Cuba should not be seen as a threat to the Caribbean tourism product, but as a chance at new opportunities and increased regional cooperation and integration, Prime Minister William Marlin told fellow Caribbean heads, including Cuba President Raoul Castro Ruz, in the recent summit of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) held on Cuba Read more

Cul de Sac:--- Disciples Toastmasters Club will be hosting an information session on prostate cancer at the University of St. Martin on Thursday, June 9, 2016 from 7:00pm until 9:00pm.

This information session will highlight the high rate of prostate cancer in the Americas and the Caribbean, in particular. It will also outline how prostate cancer is treated when diagnosed early.

The main speakers for the evening will be Dr. Van der Wag and Mr. Michael Ferrier, the latter of whom is a prostate cancer survivor Read more

SIMPSON BAY:----Following nearly 18 months of negotiations, PJIAE and WICSU-PSU recently signed a four-year agreement, which covers the employees of SXM Airport’s Air Traffic Services division.
Mr. Larry Donker, Deputy Managing Director of PJIAE, said it was “both a pleasure and honor” to be part of “this great accomplishment.”
“There were some intense moments, some sleepless nights, but throughout it all you remained professional. There’s no doubt that we have some of the best in this industry working in that tower and it goes without saying that PJIAE is proud of the men and women of the Air Traffic Services division and their hard work,” said Mr Read more

Nature Foundation and Dutch Universities Cooperate to Learn More about Endangered Sint Maarten Sea Turtle Population

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Nature Foundation is collaborating with the University of Groningen (NL) and IMARES Wageningen UR (NL) on a Dutch Caribbean sea turtle project funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). Green and hawksbill turtles are observed feeding in the waters of St. Maarten with both species also nesting on St. Maarten along with the leatherback turtle Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- “When I was asked by my club's President, DTM Amanda Bedminster to chair this event, a little voice in me said, "Why me?" Another little voice immediately said, “Why not you?"
The voice that asked why me, knew of the hurt I have felt as it relates to prostate cancer. The other little voice that asked why not you, knew I was perfectly placed to talk about prostate cancer because I had firsthand experience on this killer disease.
You see ladies and gentlemen, my father died of this disease and you cannot imagine what watching him suffer, watching him die, did to me.
My father was everything to me Read more

Nature Foundation And Dutch Universities Cooperate To Learn More About Endangered Sint Maarten Sea Turtle Population

The St. Maarten Nature Foundation is collaborating with the University of Groningen (NL) and IMARES Wageningen UR (NL) on a Dutch Caribbean sea turtle project funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO). Green and hawksbill turtles are observed feeding in the waters of St. Maarten with both species also nesting on St. Maarten along with the leatherback turtle.

Green and hawksbill turtles are needed for healthy seagrass and coral reef ecosystems, which are highly valuable ecosystems from an economic, cultural and scientific point of view Read more

French-Side, Dutch-Side Hospitals Discuss Sharing Skills, Resources

MARIGOT--The health authorities of both sides of the island met Saturday in the Louis-Constant Fleming Hospital to further discuss cooperation and the sharing of skills and resources between the two hospitals, the main ingredients for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Those taking part in the meeting from the French side included Director of the Louis-Constant Fleming Hospital Roland Toussaint, Director of Agence Regional de la Santé (ARS) Patrice Richard, Territorial Délégué for the ARS Pascal Godefroy, President of the Health Observatory Dr Read more

El Ser Aconseja Observar Aplicación De Impuestos Indirectos

Traducido por Máximo Castro

Gerard Richardson
SER Secretary-General

HARBORVIEW.- El Consejo Económico Social (SER) inició una revisión de los impuestos indirectos, sobre el entendido de que estos constituyen un valioso recurso para el desarrollo socio-económico de San Martín. El SER, por sus siglas en inglés, llegó a la conclusión de que el actual modelo de impuestos indirectos, e impuesto sobre el volumen de ingresos, presentan deficiencias en el cumplimiento, extensión y cobertura en su impacto económico.

Todos los modelos alternativos de impuestos con respecto a los impuestos indirectos requerirán alguna forma de registros de transacciones en los puertos de entrada: el puerto y el aeropuerto Read more

HAVANA CUBA:--- Honourable President Raoul Castro Ruz, Honourable Chairman, Heads of State and Government, Ministers, Distinguished delegations, Ladies and Gentlemen, on behalf of the Government and the people of Sint Maarten I would like to acknowledge what an honor it is to be able to address you today.
This Summit comes at an undeniably pivotal point in the geopolitical and economic landscape of our region Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The board of the National Sports Institute (NSI) introduced to the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Silveria Jacobs the new NSI Director, David Forsythe, on Thursday, June 2, 2016, at the cabinet of the Minister.
The NSI is the executing arm of Government in the area of Sports and is responsible for the management and maintenance of Government’s sports facilities and the development of Sports programs on Sint Maarten.
The board recently hired Forsythe and, on behalf of the Foundation, he will be responsible for the development of sports in the various districts on Sint Maarten Read more

Mp Lake Wants New Gebe Board To Hit Ground Running

PHILIPSBURG--Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake wants the new board of Utilities Company GEBE to hit the ground running.

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Mp Lake Looking For Action This Week From New Supervisory Board And Completing Appointment Of All Chief Executives

Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake, who just returned from the IPKO Meetings in Holland would like to congratulate the new board members of NV GEBE, and is looking forward for the new board members to hit the “ground running” this week and bring back stability and a sense of direction to get things done in order for the utility company to move forward. “GEBE is in dire need of leadership and a sense of direction to start getting the company back on track to start serving the people of St Read more

Mp Lake Sets Record Straight With The Situation On Genip Road

Saturday, Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake, who is also a resident of St. Peters, came back from Holland attending the IPKO meetings and as my brother picks me up from the airport, I read in the front page of the Daily Herald’s newspaper about the garbage situation at Genip Road St. Peters. I decided to go directly to Genip Road straight from the airport to speak to the residents about the situation. As I spoke to the residents, it was about cutting down of an aki tree which grows in the trench on Genip Road, obstructing a resident drive way in which the person who planted the tree was very upset that VROMI instructed the local cleaning company in the area to cut down the tree which was full of aki fruit. The person stated he didn’t mind if they would have trimmed the tree or let the aki ripe first and then trim the tree. That’s the main reason they blocked the road with garbage debris and not what the newspaper had reported about this being an uncollected garbage issue.  This is far from the truth, and I call on the Herald to print a correction. Reporting the facts and right news and communicating with the residents before printing it in the newspaper should be the process to follow.  Giving the impression that this was an uncollected garbage issue in the district makes the waste haulage company look bad, and this doesn’t have anything to do with the garbage collection company Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Saturday, Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake, who is also a resident of St. Peters, came back from Holland attending the IPKO meetings and as my brother picks me up from the airport, I read in the front page of the Daily Herald's newspaper about the garbage situation at Genip Road St. Peters. I decided to go directly to Genip Road straight from the airport to speak to the residents about the situation.
As I spoke to the residents, it was about cutting down of an aki tree which grows in the trench on Genip Road, obstructing a resident drive way in which the person who planted the tree was very upset that VROMI instructed the local cleaning company in the area to cut down the tree which was full of aki fruit.
The person stated he didn't mind if they would have trimmed the tree or let the aki ripe first and then trim the tree Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake, who just returned from the IPKO Meetings in Holland would like to congratulate the new board members of NV GEBE, and is looking forward for the new board members to hit the "ground running" this week and bring back stability and a sense of direction to get things done in order for the utility company to move forward.
“GEBE is in dire need of leadership and a sense of direction to start getting the company back on track to start serving the people of St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Honorable Minister of Education, Sports Youth and Cultural Affairs, Ms. Silveria Jacobs, takes time out of her busy schedule to meet, compliment their efforts and offer guidance to the students of Charlotte Brookson Academy of the Performance Arts who will be participating in various Summer Intensive Programs. Minister Jacobs informed the students that she is proud of them, and that they are blessed to be afforded this opportunity Read more

COLE BAY:---- “To serve and protect” is a critical component of the mantra of the Police Force that is extended to all citizens. In an effort to bridge the gap between KPSM and students, under the lead of the Community Police Officers, a program was implemented to minimize misconceptions while cultivating friendships between law enforcement and students. The presence of the police in the school as a part of the school community indirectly lends to modifying undesirable behavior and opens up valuable lines of communication Read more