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Two Senior Ministers Dismissed In Cabinet Re-Shufle

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley Monday made his first cabinet re-shuffle since leading his People’s National Movement (PNM) to power in September 2016, dismissing two senior ministers and a senator.

In a brief statement from the Office of the Prime Minister, Rowley announced that he had asked President Anthony Carmona to revoke the appointments of his Energy and Energy Industries Minister Nicole Olivierre and the Public Utilities Minister retired Brigadier General Ancil Antoine.

Olivierre later thanked Prime Minister Rowley for the opportunity to serve in the Cabinet and said that she would now devote much of her attention to the problems affecting her constituents in Point Fortin.

“I expect that a lot of the difficulties we are having in the constituency, I will be able to play a greater role in assisting my constituents and championing their cause,” she said.

Olivierre has been replaced by the former Minister for Rural Development and Local Government, Franklyn Khan, who is also the PNM chairman, while Antoine has been replaced by the Works and Transport Minister Fitzgerald Hinds.

A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister noted that Rowley had advised President Anthony Carmona to appoint the Mayor of San Fernando Kazim Hosein as a Senator and Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister Arrindell has stated that the tone and content, which consisted of innuendos, accusations, and condemnations made toward her in the editorial written by Mr. Hilbert Haar in which he stated that it appeared that she has been lying about the candidacy of Mr. Rolando Brison as the Interim Director of the Sint Maarten Tourism Authority Foundation (STA), and that contrary to what the Minister claimed in August, Mr Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of VROMI, Angel Meyers has commenced a pilot project where recycling bins are placed in various government establishments with the goal of promoting recycling and also encouraging the general public to start thinking on and practicing recycling.

Minister of VROMI, Angel Meyers has chosen to begin the recycling project by first leading by example. Recycling bins will be placed in the new Government Building, the Receivers office, the Civil Registry, Facility services, Labor Department, and the Ministry of VROMI Read more

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Off Duty Drunken Gendarme Caused Accident At Mont Valois.

MARIGOT:--- An off-duty gendarmerie got into an accident on Mont Valois Hill around 7pm Sunday evening damaging at least four vehicles.
SMN News learned that the gendarme who is very experienced, is on vacation and he was probably partying and drinking. According to information provided to SMN News by well-placed sources, the gendarme lost control of his vehicle while descending Mont Valois Hill, thereby hitting one vehicle which in turn hit three other vehicles causing some serious damages.
The gendarme is currently hospitalized at the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital in stable condition while an investigation has been opened.
SMN News tried reaching the Vice-Prosecutor on Sunday morning but he could not be reached for comment Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The Board and Membership of the Democratic Party express their deep appreciation, gratitude, and pride in the exemplary performance of the Chairperson of Parliament, MP Sarah Wescot-Williams and the outgoing Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Mr Read more

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At Risks Population Group Pregnant Women Receiving Zikv Mosquito Bite Prevention Packages

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – As part of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour Affairs (Ministry VSA) National Mosquito Elimination Community Program Zika Virus disease (ZikV) “Beat ZikV,” the Collective Prevention Service (CPS), a department of the ministry, together with its partners American University of the Caribbean (AUC), and Social & Health Insurances SZV, several weeks ago embarked on a project in which a package, consisting of a bag, a mosquito bed net, mosquito repellant and information leaflets, has been distributed to a special group in the population, namely pregnant women.

The bag and the mosquito nets are sponsored by AUC, while the SZV added mosquito repellent to the package Read more

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Jeanne Rogers-Vanterpool Endorses Alain Juppé For Upcoming Primaries

Jeanne Rogers-Vanterpool.

MARIGOT--St. Martin Tourism Office President Jeanne Rogers-Vanterpool says she is putting her full support behind Alain Juppé in the upcoming Primaries for Right and Center, saying he brings real values to France and pays particular attention to the Overseas Territories.

  In just a few weeks the Republican Primary to nominate the candidate who will defend the values of the Right and Center in the French Presidential Election of 2017 will be held Read more

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Fernando Clark To Start Live Daily Tv Show, Also On Radio

Programme host Fernando Clark and WTN Station Manager Dennis van Putten. 

PHILIPSBURG--Media personality and comedian Fernando Clark will be starting a new and informative live television programme “What’s Up SXM,” on TV-Carib Channel 10 on WTN Cable as of Tuesday, November 1, from 11:00am to 12:00noon. 

  The programme will also be simulcast live on SOS radio 95.5fm, and talks are being held with My88 Radio Station 88.3fm for the programme to be aired on that radio station as well Read more

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2016 C-Tec Conference And Expo A Resounding Success With Over 1,000 Participants

~A kaleidoscope of technology in education~

CAY HILL – On October 23 through 25, the Hillside Christian School and the adjoining NIPA were the scene of a dazzling array of lectures and workshops on applying 21st century technology in education, constituting the second annual C-TEC conference.

Driven by the motto “Connecting Caribbean Classrooms and Communities” the Foresee Foundation organized its second annual conference with an audience including each and every educator in St Read more

Governor Holiday Receives Progress Report From W. Marlin

HARBOUR VIEW – On Thursday, October 27, the Governor of St. Maarten E.B. Holiday, met with and received a progress report from formateur William Marlin.

During the meeting the formateur provided the Governor with a copy of the governing program and an update on the progress of matters related to the formation.

This included a review of the status of the screening of the candidates for the posts of Prime Minister, Ministers, Minister Plenipotentiary and acting Minister Plenipotentiary.

The screening covers a background review of

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2016 C-Tec Conference And Expo A Resounding Success With Over 1,000 Participants A Kaleidoscope Of Technology In Education

CAY HILL, St. Maarten - On October 23 through 25, the Hillside Christian School and the adjoining NIPA were the scene of a dazzling array of lectures and workshops on applying twenty-first century technology in education, constituting the second annual C-TEC conference.

Driven by the motto “Connecting Caribbean Classrooms and Communities” the Foresee Foundation organized its second annual conference with an audience including each and every educator in Sint Maarten. At the closing of the conference on Tuesday afternoon, the total number of participants stood at 1,004 persons; over 400 of them attended the Monday program when the secondary school educators were invited, and over 650 on Tuesday, when the program was geared towards primary school teachers Read more

Should Parliamentarians Vote Their Conscience?

PHILIPSBURG – After our new parliamentarians are sworn in on Monday, October 31, they will be faced at some point during their tenure with having to vote their conscience.

A careful look at St. Maarten’s State Regulation, commonly called the Constitution, reveals that there is no such article or phrase in our law that charges parliamentarians to vote their conscience.

In the State Regulation of the former Netherlands Antilles, however, voting one’s conscience was regulated in article 61 which read: “the members of Parliament will vote in good conscience, without interference by or consultation with those who elected them.” This article was taken from the constitution of the Netherlands Read more

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Charges Draw A Bleak Picture Of Sex-Business

By TODAY NEWSPAPER

GREAT BAY – The suspects in the Parrot-investigation are charged with exploitation, robbing prostitutes at the Casa Blanca brothel of their freedom and firearm possession.

From the summonses it appears that they recruited woman as barmaids, waitresses or exotic dancers and that they put them to work in prostitution through coercion, violence, threatening with violence, fraud and by misleading them.

The women had to pay $50 up to $60 a day, or $500 per week for a room they had to share with others and where they had to live and work.

Casa Blanca charged the women with $1,500 up to $3,500 for their labor contract, work permit and airfare to St Read more

113 Donation Registrations Received By Electoral Council

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - At the end of the deadline, Wednesday, October 26, 2016, one hundred and thirteen (113) of the candidates had formally submitted their donation registration. Four (4) of the remaining twelve (12) candidates did not submit the donation registration but have concluded the registration online with no possibility to make any more adjustments. These registrations have yet to be signed by the candidates and submitted to the Electoral Council.

The remaining eight (8) have not concluded the registration online nor provided the Electoral Council with any information Read more

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Hypnotic-Manager: “Why Only Raid My Club?”

By TODAY NEWSPAPER

GREAT BAY – The prosecution’s bid to get Hypnotic-manager Joan P. behind bars for violating the conditions of her conditional release as a suspect in the Parrot-investigation failed yesterday. The court rejected the request to terminate the suspension of her custody. “It would have been smart to keep your distance from this business, but I cannot say that you committed a crime,” Judge Dirk Gruijters concluded.

Joan P Read more

Harbour View:--- On Thursday, October 27, 2016, the Governor of Sint Maarten, His Excellency drs. E.B. Holiday met with and received a progress report from formateur Mr. William Marlin.
During the meeting, the formateur provided the Governor with a copy of the governing program and an update on the progress of matters related to the formation Read more

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Harbor Holding Loses Appeal Against Dock Maarten Building Permit

By the TODAY NEWSPAPER

GREAT BAY – The St. Maarten Harbor Holding company suffered another defeat in court iin its battle against the building permit Dock Maarten obtained for the construction of a rock revetment to facilitate the expansion of its marina. The harbor took the ministry of public housing, urban planning, environment and infrastructure (Vromi) to court, demanding that the building permit be declared null and void Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- At the end of the deadline, Wednesday, October 26, 2016, one hundred and thirteen (113) of the candidates had formally submitted their donation registration. Four (4) of the remaining twelve (12) candidates did not submit the donation registration but have concluded the registration online with no possibility to make any more adjustments. These registrations have yet to be signed by the candidates and submitted to the Electoral Council.
The remaining eight (8) have not concluded the registration online nor provided the Electoral Council with any information Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- On October 23 through 25, the Hillside Christian School and the adjoining NIPA were the scene of a dazzling array of lectures and workshops on applying twenty-first-century technology in education, constituting the second annual C-TEC conference.

Driven by the motto “Connecting Caribbean Classrooms and Communities” the Foresee Foundation organized its second annual conference with an audience including each and every educator in Sint Maarten. At the closing of the conference on Tuesday afternoon, the total number of participants stood at 1,004 persons; over 400 of them attended the Monday program when the secondary school educators were invited, and over 650 on Tuesday when the program was geared towards primary school teachers Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- After our new parliamentarians are sworn in on Monday, October 31st they will be faced at some point during their tenure with having to vote their conscience. A careful look at Sint Maarten’s State Regulation commonly called the Constitution, reveals that there is no such article or phrase in our law that charges parliamentarians to vote their conscience. In the State Regulation of the former Netherlands Antilles however, voting one’s conscience was regulated in article 61 which read: “the members of Parliament will vote in good conscience, without interference by or consultation with those who elected them.” This article was taken from the constitution of the Netherlands Read more

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Literary Conference Opens Next Wednesday At University Of St. Martin (Usm)

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - USM, Pond Island, As of November 2nd to the 4th, the 16th Annual International Conference on Caribbean Literature (ICCL) will have their meeting on St. Maarten. About 50 plus scholars from mainly the United States and throughout the Caribbean will attend this rather prestigious conference.

The theme this year will be “Ode to Saint Martin/Sint Maarten: Addressing the Longing to Belonging in a Multicultural Milieu.”

President of the University of St. Martin, Francio Guadeloupe welcomes the community of St Read more

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Viking Star Makes Inaugural Call Opening Cruise Season 2016-2017

POINT BLANCHE – Port St. Maarten and the destination opened the 2016-2017 cruise season with the inaugural call of the Viking Star, one of Viking Ocean Cruises vessels.

On hand for the occasion was outgoing Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Ingrid Arrindell and incoming Minister Theo Heyliger as well as representatives from Port St Read more

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POINTE BLANCHE:---  Port St. Maarten and the destination opened the 2016-2017 cruise season with the inaugural call of the Viking Star, one of Viking Ocean Cruises vessels.
On hand for the occasion was outgoing Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Ingrid Arrindell and incoming Minister Theo Heyliger as well as representatives from Port St Read more

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Jamaica And St Maarten Move To Regulate Timeshare Industry

Source: Caribbean News Service

MIAMI BEACH, – In light of calls for improved standards, two Caribbean destinations have gone ahead with laws to regulate the timeshare industry.

St. Maarten remains the leaders in timeshare in the Caribbean with more than 2000 units and an occupancy rate of 82 percent year-round.

Prime Minster William Marlin said after 40 years of offering timeshare options, the island has finally drafted its legislation which is now being translated into Dutch.

“It has now passed through what we call the central committee of parliament,” Marlin told reporters here on Wednesday.

“When the new (Dutch side) government comes in, this legislation is one of the first that will be dealt with,” the prime minister announced.

He said the laws will focus on “consumer protection” but also prescribes “a code of conduct” for timeshare companies and sales personnel.

Timeshare pumps more than US$500 million dollars in the economy of the Dutch overseas territory annually.

In Jamaica where timeshare is still a growing industry, Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett has announced that the island has already passed its timeshare laws.

He told the Shared Ownership Investment Conference here that timeshare presents “a great opportunity for job creation”.

According to Bartlett the development of timeshare also presents an opportunity to freshen up the tourism product.

“We have to refresh ourselves and re-invent ourselves,” he said.

Interval International says it is a proven fact that timeshare owners do come back no matter what’s going on in the global economy Read more

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