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Invest Caribbean Now 2015 For The French Caribbean Island Of Saint-Martin

NEW YORK, NY - The exotic French Caribbean island of Saint-Martin will this year put the spotlight on its global investment opportunities through an exclusive collaboration with Invest Caribbean Now, the global private sector Caribbean investment agency.

The Office of Tourism of Saint-Martin, in conjunction with executives at ICN, will present the 2015 conference this September 28-30, 2015 in the capital of Marigot to spotlight on the Collectivité of French Saint-Martin.

This elite invitation only event will feature several officials from China along with key harbor developers and top regional and local stake holders from the north-eastern Caribbean.

"We are happy to host the 2015 Invest Caribbean Now conference this year in Saint Martin and to lead the way with this exciting partnership in the north-eastern Caribbean," said Hon Read more

Mp Lake Seeks Update On Solid Waste Ordinance. Concerned About Nv Gebe Distractions

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake just returned back to the island and is glad that the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers were presented with the Governing Program.

"I am looking forward to the next six months to set priorities, pass and amend some laws that will better serve the people of St Read more

Emotional Freedom Techniques (Eft)

ST. PETERS, St. Maarten - St. Maarten's society and many other societies have seen a drastic increase in the stress levels of our citizens. Among the signs of one's body's response to stress, are difficulty sleeping, increased alcohol and other substance use, being easily angered, feeling depressed, and having low energy.

Considering the increasing stress levels among members of our community, recently, over thirty persons attended a free information session on Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), organized by Victorious Living Foundation at the Rupert I Read more

Minister Of Transport Connor Comments On Public Prosecutors Civil Investigation Into Harbour Group Of Companies

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunications Hon. Claret Connor, has taken note of Sint Maarten's Public Prosecutor's Office (PPO) to commence with a civil investigation procedure that concerns the corporate governance of the St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies.

"The procedure embarked upon by the Public Prosecutor's Office is part of their competence, and as such, I do hope that the St Read more

Prime Minister Gumbs Attends Bastille Day Celebrations

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs and Minister Hon. Claret Connor represented the Council of Ministers at the 14 of July Bastille Day Celebrations that took place in Marigot on Tuesday.

His Excellency Acting Governor Reynold Groeneveldt and several Members of Parliament were also present.

President of the Collectivite of Saint-Martin and Members of the Territorial Council extended an official invitation to the Council of Ministers to observe the July 14 celebrations.

The delegation from the Sint Maarten attended a Religious ceremony at the Catholic Church in Marigot; this was followed by a wreath laying ceremony at the Memorial Monument of the Collectivite; then an official parade at Boulevard de France, Marigot Waterfront; Saint-Martin's Fire Department Pinning Ceremony, Marigot Waterfront.

The official ceremony concluded with speeches and cocktails Read more

Nagico Volunteers Assist With Clean-Up Of Mangroves, Illegally Dumped Material At Belair Pond

BELAIR, St. Maarten- Nine volunteers from NAGICO Insurances assisted the Sint Maarten Nature Foundation over the weekend with the clean-up of Mangrove areas surrounding the Little Bay Pond over the weekend.

The participants of the cleanup also noticed that someone, more than likely a construction contractor, dumped building material and household items in the vicinity of the Bird Watching Hut at the Pond; "During this exercise we were very saddened to see that someone dumped construction material and household items such as a water heater, microwave, bottles of oil and a vacuum cleaner at the Mangroves around Belair Pond.

With the help of this great group of volunteers we cleaned up the material and the mangrove areas but we urge the community to not engage in this illegal activity.

We have reported the incident to the authorities and hopefully we can figure out who purposefully damaged the environment so that they can receive the necessary fines," commented Tadzio Bervoets of the Nature Foundation.

The volunteers started at 9am and the clean-up was completed by 11am Read more

Gebe Street Light Monitoring Project Attracts The Attention Of Mp Christopher Emmanuel

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - MP the Honorable Christopher Emmanuel is concerned about developments at GEBE as he believes that there is a monitoring of the streetlights on the island by a foreign company.

He is concerned about the cost to the company GEBE and as a result, the people of St. Maarten.

He is calling on the GE Read more

Woman found dead in house

ZAGERSGUT--Authorities found a woman dead in her home on Tassel Road, Zagersgut, late Monday, acting police spokesperson Steven Carty said.

According to Carty, someone called the police around 6:30pm Monday to make a report after not seeing the woman, who was their neighbour, for several days. Apparently the person looked through a window and thought something was amiss.

Carty could not say whether the woman had died of natural causes or whether foul play was involved, as the police were still checking to determine this Read more

VROMI curbing commercial waste in government’s bins

PHILIPSBURG--“The government has been confronted with many commercial entities making use of government placed bins in particular areas to discharge their garbage,” Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI Department Head Claudius Buncamper told The Daily Herald on Monday, adding that VROMI is now trying to curb the practice.

Buncamper issued a warning on the subject in Monday’s government information page. “This naturally leads to serious capacity shortage for residential garbage and thus more chance of stray garbage all over the roads and alongside the roads,” he said in a further comment to this newspaper.

He explained that in order to “curb the abuse,” VROMI “requested various businesses in some 30 different hotpots around the island to show us the contract they have with a garbage hauler and/or their own truck number that goes to the landfill.”

VROMI received many responses in return, he said, and a way forward was indicated to businesses that could not show evidence of their own waste removal Read more

>PHILIPSBURG;----  Just recently in one of the dailies our Minister of Education, Mrs. Rita Bourne-Gumbs stated that she will be contacting the banking industry to lower the interest rates for teachers interested in purchasing a property. We support whole heartedly this idea but would ask the Minister to add police officers and nurses as these are also noble professions that are earning on a daily basis this type of savings.
In a letter dated July 12, 2015 we have made this known to the Minister and have also recommended that she consider amending the present transfer tax legislature by exempting first time property buyers within these professions from paying this tax Read more

First St. Maarten-born cardiologist takes oath

PHILIPSBURG--The first-St. Maarten-born cardiologist Dr. Emiko Bird-Lake took the oath of office before Acting Governor Reynold Groeneveldt on Friday.

Bird-Lake is part of a specialist rotational programme established by St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) with the Netherlands. She will be at the hospital for one month.

Groeneveldt stated on Sunday that it was "a very proud moment" for the St. Maarten community. "I have administered the oath on several occasions before, but it was the first to a local-born cardiologist Read more

Editorial - How many?

The oath-taking ceremony for the first St. Maarten-born cardiologist, Emiko Bird-Lake, no doubt filled her family with pride, as it did acting Public Health Minister Marcel Gumbs (see related story) and rightly so. It’s important in general for locals to be successful and hold significant positions, because they can be considered positive role models for the island’s much maligned youth.

Of course, she won’t be practicing here permanently, but only during one month as part of the specialist rotational programme established by St Read more

Notices July 13

Volunteers Needed

St. Maarten AIDS Foundation is now registering volunteers interested in becoming facilitators for their Girl Power and Real Talk youth programmes. These programmes require that volunteers interact directly with students in a school environment. For more information call 588-1401 or \n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs attended the oath-taking ceremony at the Governor’s Cabinet on Friday for the first-Sint Maarten born Cardiologist Emiko Bird-Lake.
In the presence of her mother, Veronica Lake, and the husband of Emiko Bird-Lake, the oath was administered by Acting Governor His Excellency Reynold Groeneveldt.
Cardiologist Bird-Lake is part of a specialist rotational program established by St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG (PARLIAMENT/Independent Faction):---- Independent Member of Parliament (MP) and First Vice President Hon. Leona Marlin-Romeo, this summer has commenced with her “Giving Back to the Community Program.”

The program has been established by the MP to recognize the contributions of primarily key persons, organizations, public schools and positive initiatives within the Sint Maarten community.

MP Marlin-Romeo is using part of her monthly salary towards initiatives that constructively aid in the advancement of those who illustrate extraordinary talent, innovative ideas, contribute to the community, and or are seeking educational advancement.

“Each month a contribution will be given starting with Zabian Arndell Read more

Connor Moves To Vromi – New Candidates Pending : Cabinet Reshuffle After The Summer

Minister Claret Connor’s days as the Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs are almost over. Photo contributed

St. Maarten – Minister Claret Connor will be removed from his position at the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication after the summer and stay in the cabinet as the Minister of Public Housing, Urban Planning, Environment and Infrastructure Read more

Kingdom Council Of Ministers Decides About Instruction

St. Maarten / THE HAGUE – The Kingdom Council of Ministers met for the last time before the summer recess. On the agenda is, among other issues, the instruction to St. Maarten.

Financial supervisor Cft sent an advice to the council on July 3 to give the country an instruction. Cft-chairman Prof. Dr. Age Bakker already announced this option during a press conference on June 25.

St. Maarten should have settled its payment area with social insurance agency SZV and pension fund APS before the end of June to avoid the instruction.

However, the deadline passed and the parliament went on recess Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Alfred Harley, the consultant who found it fit to use his mother’s sole proprietorship company that was registered as an inter- island purchasing company needs to answer a few questions, which he should do publicly, by means of a press release to SMN News.

Can Alfred Harley tell the people of St. Maarten if he was a member of the St. Kitts Police Force? If the answer to the question is yes? Then can Alfred Harley tell the people of St. Maarten especially potential employers why he is no longer a member of the St Read more

SLS is now offering DNA paternity, maternity testing

CAY HILL--St. Maarten Laboratory Services (SLS) is making it easier for fathers (and mothers) to find out whether a child is indeed theirs.

SLS is now offering DNA paternity and maternity testing through a working agreement with DNA Diagnostics Center, SLS official Adelena Schaap said on Friday Read more

Préfecture takes measures to fight Sargassum weed

MARIGOT--The Préfecture announced Friday it has created a brigade of twenty workers who will be solely charged with removing Sargassum weed from beaches and returning beaches as much as possible to their original state.

These workers will be employed by a local company and paid by the State and Agence de L'Environment et de la Maitrise de L'Energie (ADEME). They will be given all the necessary equipment to work with.

In addition, a committee of observers to monitor the movements of the weed was also installed.

The decisions were made following a meeting on Thursday between Préfète Déléguée Anne Laubies, President of the Territorial Council Aline Hanson, and various services and partners concerned with fighting the Sargassum weed invasion.

A protocol was signed between the State, Collectivité and ADEME Read more

Plasterk mum on St. Maarten

THE HAGUE--Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk remained mum on the outcome of Friday’s Kingdom Council of Ministers meeting and a possible decision regarding the Integrity Chamber for St. Maarten.

Plasterk would not confirm or deny whether a decision had been taken to impose the Integrity Chamber for St. Maarten through a General Measure of the Kingdom Government (“Algemene Maatregel van Rijksbestuur” AMvRB), a move that had been anticipated.

“I have very little to say on this matter at this time Read more

The opposition should talk less and focus on working together

Dear Editor,

The governing of this territory is the responsibility of the Island Council with the executive council tasked with the execution. That there is an overall concern since the instruction of BZK is understandable. The coalition government is surely taking this instruction seriously. What is a pity, is the fact that DP Statia is trying to prey on this instruction for political traction, which is understandable seeing their desperate need to govern, with the goal of executing the will of The Hague Read more

Five years since the world’s worst oil accident

~ Examining one habitat's demise ~

By Lisa Davis-Burnett

In 2010, prior to the April 20 blow out of Deepwater Horizon, British Petroleum's (BP) offshore drilling rig, the wetlands of the Louisiana and Mississippi coastline supported a web of wildlife. Innumerable tiny islands created a unique latticework of life supporting structures. The habitat was a haven for birds, fish, shellfish, reptiles, amphibians, and innumerable microscopic flora and fauna upon which the food chain is dependent Read more

Editorial - Calm and stability

No news is good news, it is often said, and one can only hope that will prove the case for Friday's meeting of the Kingdom Council of Ministers when it comes to St. Maarten. After all, there was concern that a possible advice from the Committee for Financial Supervision CFT for a "targeted instruction" on settling the arrears to Social and Health Care SZV and the general pension APS would be acted on.

On top of that, some had expected the withdrawn draft general measure of kingdom governance to impose an Integrity Chamber on St Read more