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>PHILIPSBURG (PARLIAMENT/Independent Faction)"---  Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo and First Vice President Hon. Leona Marlin-Romeo was one of the country’s parliamentarians who attended Curacao Flag Day activities on behalf of the Parliament of Sint Maarten.

“It was an honour to have had the opportunity to witness the celebration of Curacao’s Flag Day, “Dia di Bandera” Read more

EXCLUSIVE: Mysterious draft MOU signed by GEBE COO and GB Energy Surfaced --- PM Marcel Gumbs and MP Theodore Heyliger witnessed signing at DIVI Little Bay Hotel.

style="text-align: center;">Supervisory Board of Directors allegedly Cancelled MOU --- Will Prime Minister come forward with signed copies.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The much talked about Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was signed earlier this year by the former COO of GEBE Romelio Maduro and the President of the G. B Energy Pablo Porles has surfaced. However, SMN News only managed to retrieve the unsigned copy which is documented as “Privileged and Confidential.” The MOU which several Members of Parliament requested and to date cannot receive was signed on February 4th 2015 at the Divi Little Bay Hotel in the presence of Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, the shareholder representative of the Government of St Read more

Nagico's Little Stars - Back To School Campaign

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Eight (8) students from the Dr. Martin Luther King School in Dutch Quarter, were named the Nagico Little Stars for the 2014- 2015 school year.

The NAGICO Little Stars project, grants the top performer in every grade within the school a scholarship for the next school term, which consists of a fully paid tuition fee for one school year and a voucher to cover the costs of school supplies; including books and school uniforms for the next school term.

The students chosen were the top performers in their respective groups, who excelled in academics, attendance and their overall behavior throughout the school year.

The selection process which was done by the teachers and principal of the MLK School was also observed and vetted by a representative of NAGICO Insurances for transparency reasons.

The Nagico Little Stars winners are:
K1 - Bianca Dinzy
K2- Errol Haynes
Grade 1 Kymari Rize
Grade 2 Marlena St Read more

Island Gems Assists With Sessad New Playground

MARIGOT, St. Martin - With children and education at the core of its criteria for grants, Island Gems Charity Foundation recently play a part in the acquisition of a specialized playground for the Service d'Education Speciale et de Soins a Domicile SESSAD.

The organization, located in the heart of Marigot offers special education with care at home for some 50 children, age five to 15.

Island Gems, the island's oldest and all-women charity, was approached via its Vice President Karine Fleming to be participate in the project to acquire a new playground Read more

Mp Jacobs To Tackle New Laws When Parliament Resumes From Summer Break

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Deputy Leader of the National Alliance, member of Parliament the Honorable Silveria Jacobs is bent on tackling a number of important issues when the Parliament of St. Maarten return to chambers at the end Read more

Connor talks aviation, maritime matters with Curaçao and Aruba

PHILIPSBURG--Issues related to aviation and maritime affairs were discussed when St. Maarten’s Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications Claret Connor met with his counterparts from Curaçao Minister Suzy Romer and Aruba Minister Otmar Oduber in Oranjestad, Aruba recently.

The meeting was part of a high-level political discussion as a result of the first protocol signed several years ago to further cooperation between the three countries in aviation and maritime affairs.

Based on the talks, workgroups will be established by the three countries that will then work on the points of discussion and formulate them into working documents for further decision making, a press release issued on Sunday stated Read more

Jacobs chalks up another win for Chalk Dust at Ram contest

MARIGOT--Francis Jacobs continued his record-breaking run of wins at the fifteenth Annual Ram Beauty Contest in Colombier on Sunday with his prized ram Chalk Dust again winning the prestigious Boer category.

Jacobs, who had several winning entries at the show organised by I Love My Ram Association, has produced winners for seven consecutive years.

"I guess I'm just good at looking after my animals," he said modestly. "I put a lot of hours into it."

With more entries in the Boer class than usual, they were divided into three categories Read more

Income tax reduction rate for hotel renovations increased

MARIGOT--A decree concerning a new income tax reduction rate applicable to the hotel renovation sector was published recently in the Official Journal.

Up to now the hotel industry in St. Martin enjoyed an income tax reduction rate of 38.25 per cent for hotel renovation and restoration work while it was 45.9 per cent in other Collectivités under Article 74 of the French Constitution such as New Caledonia, Wallis- et-Futuna, St. Pierre-et-Miquelon, and French southern and Antarctic territories.

St Read more

Son of opposition party activist gunned down at Trinidad mosque

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad--The 28-year-old son of a well-known People's National Movement (PNM) activist was gunned down Wednesday night as he was entering a mosque for prayers.

Daniel Bostic died in hospital after being shot multiple times.

But his mother Marva Bostic, who served as a PNM education officer under the Patrick Manning administration, has dismissed any suggestion that the murder of her son – who converted to Islam two years ago – was politically motivated.

"I refuse to believe that someone will kill my son in the mosque in the month of Ramadan to set religious or political strife," she told the Trinidad Guardian newspaper.

"I don't know why this happened Read more

Lopsided flight

Dear Editor,

I have taken note on the press release by the Board of the UPP, pertaining to the indecisiveness of MP Wescot-Williams.

While my political position was made clear last October, this certainly does not stop me from pointing the lack of readiness with this present government with UPP as the majority.

Today, elections have come and gone, oaths taken and still no governing program detailing government's plan of action for the specific term Read more

Eruption in Paradise a dud

PHILIPSBURG--Eruption in Paradise was a dud.  Bobby Ottley from BOSE Promotions had promised 42 rounds, five professional fights and several amateur bouts.  The less than 200 people who turned up at L.B. Scott Sports Auditorium saw five fights Saturday.   Thus after Ottley cancelled Eruption the second time set for May 30 stating ‘We learned in December we need to offer a full card.”
  Two fights were amateur exhibitions and three were pro bouts.
  That is not to say there were not fireworks Read more

Notices July 6

Teachers, Volunteers Needed

I Too Can Learn (ITCL) Foundation is seeking teachers (Special Ed) and volunteers for their Center. For more information call 547 0890 or 524 6067. Your resume can be sent to: \n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots Read more

Island Gems assists with SESSAD new playground

MARIGOT--With children and education at the core of its criteria for grants, Island Gems Charity Foundation recently played a part in the acquisition of a specialised playground for the Service d'Education Speciale et de Soins a Domicile SESSAD. The organisation, located in the heart of Marigot offers special education with care at home for some fifty children, ages five to 15.

Island Gems, the island's oldest and all-women charity, was approached via its Vice President Karine Fleming to participate in the project to acquire a new playground Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunications Hon. Claret Connor joined his fellow colleagues from Curacao Minister Hon. Suzy Romer and Aruba Minister Hon. Otmar Oduber in Aruba recently where they successfully concluded discussions related to aviation and maritime matters.
Work groups are to be established by the three countries that will then work on the points of discussion and further formulate them into working documents for further decision-making Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs on Friday morning received the 2014 Annual Report from the Corporate Governance Council (CGC).
During the discussions, both the Prime Minister and the members of the CGC pointed out the importance of the CGC for the Shareholder and Government Owned Companies.
Representing the CGC was Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Ms. Majorie Cortico Ramirez and Mr. Ralph Cantave have been selected to represent St. Maarten at the 9th UNESCO Youth Forum, which will be held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France from 26 to 28 October 2015.

The Forum will take place under the general theme “Young Global Citizens for a Sustainable Planet”, focusing on how young women and men, as global citizens, can contribute to building sustainability,from the global to the local level, explained Ms. Marcellia Henry, Secretary General for Sint Maarten National Commission for UNESCO.
The selection of the youth representatives is a joint venture with the Youth Department within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Read more

Mp Leona Marlin-Romeo Congratulates Organizers Of Curacao Flag Day For Job Well Done. Says Lessons To Be Learned

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo and First Vice President Hon. Leona Marlin-Romeo was one of the country's parliamentarians who attended Curacao Flag Day activities on behalf of the Parliament of Sint Maarten.

"It was an honour to have had the opportunity to witness the celebration of Curacao's Flag Day, "Dia di Bandera" Read more

St. Maarten's Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs: "Reparatory Justice Is Gaining Momentum"

GREAT BAY, St. Martin - St. Maarten Prime Minister, Hon. Marcel Gumbs, has made what might be the first direct statement here on Reparations by a leader of government on either part of the island, at the recent Emancipation Day Lecture.

"The movement for reparatory justice is gaining momentum and greater focus than ever before in the Caribbean region," said Prime Minister Gumbs at the University of St Read more

Male And Female Team To Represent St. Maarten At 9Th Unesco Youth Forum

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Ms. Majorie Cortico Ramirez and Mr. Ralph Cantave have been selected to represent St. Maarten at the 9th UNESCO Youth Forum, which will be held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France from 26 to 28 October 2015.

The Forum will take place under the general theme "Young Global Citizens for a Sustainable Planet", focusing on how young women and men, as global citizens, can contribute to building sustainability,from the global to the local level, explained Ms. Marcellia Henry, Secretary General for Sint Maarten National Commission for UNESCO.

The selection of the youth representatives is a joint venture with the Youth Department within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports.

The St Read more

Court Battle Brewing Between Sneek And Van Putten On Statia

BES Island, Statia - Leader of government on St. Eustatius and Councilman of the PLP, Clyde van Putten has five (5) days to retract his statement of corruption of allegations made again former Commission Nicholas Sneak, or face him in court.

Seemingly, Clyde van Putten is accusing the former Commissioner of embezzling some 80 thousand dollars destined for the Housing Development Foundation on St. Eustatius.

According to the Councilman of the Statia Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Now that the contract signed by the former Chief Operations Officer (COO) of GEBE Romelio Maduro and St. Maarten Service Provider is in public domain, the big question that are on the minds of several persons is if the Supervisory Board will hold the former COO liable who found it fit to bind the government owned company to pay a consultant $10,500.00 per month whether or not they provide work for GEBE, further to that will the Supervisory Board of Directors exonerate themselves from this contract since they claim not to know anything about the contract with St Read more

Notices July 4

Teachers, Volunteers Needed

I Too Can Learn (ITCL) Foundation is seeking teachers (Special Ed) and volunteers for their Center. For more information call 547 0890 or 524 6067. Your resume can be sent to: \n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots Read more

Swift action, evacuation for 2nd KLM bomb hoax

AIRPORT--Another KLM plane was the target of an apparent bomb-scare hoax on Friday afternoon. An anonymous caller phoned airport check-in counter 46 and said that there was a bomb on KLM flight 785. Although no bombs were found after thorough searches of both the plane and the airport building, this is the second such costly and disruptive bomb-scare in a matter of months.

Another scare, also pointing to a bomb on KLM, prompted a mass evacuation of Princess Juliana International Airport SXM on Saturday, December 6, 2014.

Friday’s threat was called in at 11:45am, airport Special Projects Coordinator Robert Brown relayed during an impromptu press conference held jointly with Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Claret Connor and Chief Inspector Police spokesperson Ricardo Henson.

Emergency procedures started after the agent to receive the call informed a security guard Read more

Gumbs supports Aruba's call for independent investigation

PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs has written to Aruba Prime Minister Mike Eman expressing support for Eman's call for an independent investigation in connection with the recent death of Aruban Mitch Henriquez (42) while in Dutch police custody in The Hague.

St. Maarten is prepared to support the inclusion of an Aruban on the independent commission, according to the letter sent on Thursday.

Gumbs expressed condolences on behalf of the government and people of St Read more