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>PHILIPSBURG:---  Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT) Hon. Claret Connor met with the Dutch St. Maarten United Bus Drivers Association where a number of issues and topics related to public transportation were discussed.

Minister Connor informed the bus drivers association that the Transportation Department is currently working on a policy document and the issues presented by the association during the meeting will be addressed in the policy Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- In connection with the upcoming Junior and Grand Parade scheduled for Thursday April 30th, the Police Department is making the following announcement:
The gathering point for the Grand Parade is at the entrance of Sint Johns Estate on the L.B. Scot road. The gathering time is at 10.00 a.m.
Front Street including all streets and alleys leading to this street will be closed on that day from 07.00 a.m.
At 09.00 a.m. L.B. Scot road will be closed at Gladiola road. No traffic allowed towards Sint Peters area Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- I would take to take this opportunity to wish all the workers on St. Maarten and workers in general a Happy Labour Day. Workers all deserve recognition for their input and hard work on a day to day basis, building the future for them and for their children through decent work and the possibilities for them to enjoy and inherit the fruits of their labor.
As President for the second time of the WICLU I feel honored to have been able to select three persons, who have served the workers' organizations wholeheartedly and unselfishly Read more

Preparations underway for National Remembrance Day 2015

>GREAT BAY (DCOMM):---- Preparations are underway to observe National Remembrance Day 2015 on Monday morning 4th May.

Government will again remember the victims who fought during the Second World War and the public are invited to attend the ceremony.

The commemoration and wreath-laying ceremony will take place on Monday, May 4 at 9.00am at the Captain Hodge's Wharf in Philipsburg.

His Excellency Governor Eugene Holiday, President of Parliament Hon. Dr. Lloyd Richardson, Prime Minister Hon Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:----  President of Parliament Hon. Dr. Lloyd Richardson, says he was very pleased to learn from the Progress Committee that Sint Maarten has done far better work as it pertains to agreements made at the inception of the committee than has been reported.

The Progress Committee would like to have the opportunity to present their report to the House of Parliament with respect to the accomplishments of agreements made post 10-10-10.

Dr Read more

>CUL DE SAC:----  Seven sixth form students of St. Maarten Academy's CAPE (Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination) programme returned to St. Maarten on Saturday (April 25, 2015) after a week-long field trip to the Commonwealth of Dominica, which culminated with a visit to the Prime Minister, Mr. Roosevelt Skerrit.
The visit to the Nature Isle was aimed at exposing the students and teachers to a myriad of experiences that meet their curriculum goals in Physics and Biology. Led by the school's Vice Principal Mrs Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- His Excellency Governor Eugene B. Holiday decorated NAGICO Group Chairman Imran McSood Amjad as Officer in the Order of Orange Nassau on Friday evening, April 24th, 2015 during a ceremony held at the Cabinet of the Governor at Harbour View, St. Maarten.

Mr. McSood Amjad was awarded the Royal Decoration for his valuable contributions to St. Maarten's society over the many years Read more

style="text-align: center;"> "As a Member of Parliament I will not deal with a draft law unless I know what was discussed in The Hague."

PHILIPSBURG: --- Member of Parliament Christopher Emmanuel is calling on the Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson who travelled to the Netherlands last weekend to meet with the (Raad van State) Council of State and Minister of Interior Affairs Ronald Plasterk to further discuss the draft integrity law that was discussed in parliament and higher supervision that the Kingdom wants to impose on St Read more

style="text-align: center;">The governing coalition parties and their independent affiliates have "suddenly" lost interest in our own integrity chamber.

PHILIPSBURG:---  DP Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams said based on the response she got from the Prime Minister of St Read more

>MARIGOT:--- A local resident on French St. Martin attacked the President of the Collectivity Aline Hanson on Friday morning. According to information reaching SMN News, the resident known to everyone as "Lino" attacked  President Aline Hanson just around 8:45 am in front of the Collectivity as she arrived at the Collectiving to begin her days work Read more

>GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- In accordance with the current Governing Accord, the Council of Ministers (COM) met with the Supervisory Board and Management of the Postal Services St. Maarten (PSS).

The meeting was requested by the Interim Managing Director to discuss some urgent matters. Up to this date, COM has conducted several shareholders meetings with supervisory boards and management among which were TelEm, NV GEBE, St. Maarten Harbour Group of Companies, and the Holding Company of Princess Juliana International Airport.

It is the intention to schedule additional meetings with the other Government owned companies in the coming weeks and months.

Present in the meeting were: Stuart Johnson, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Hubert Pantophlet, Member of the Supervisory Board, Antonia Wilson, Interim Managing Director, Alex Richardson, Director of Finance and Daphne Benders, Head of Human Resources and administrative support Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- United People's (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake says it's a reality that the draft ordinance to establish a Sint Maarten national Integrity Chamber must take place by the House of Parliament, "...otherwise we will be talking integrity for another six months without anything happening for the people and moving Sint Maarten forward."

MP Lake is appealing to his fellow colleagues in the House of Parliament to get on-board and approve the Sint Maarten "home-grown" draft ordinance after certain changes are made, and if additional changes are needed, the MP said that this can be done along the way.

"We also have to realize if we don't approve our own draft ordinance to establish the integrity chamber it will open up the road for the General Measure of Kingdom Governance.

Sint Maarten is responsible for its own affairs, including good governance and the establishment of its own institutions such as its own Integrity Chamber, which came out of the country's own committee which made such a recommendation.

"As an elected representative of the people, I am a voice of the people Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Willams has dispatched an email to the chairperson of Parliament requesting that he provide her with information regarding the status of the public meeting to be convened to deal with the draft law to establish an integrity chamber on St. Maarten.
The DP MP wants to know if the government of St. Maarten sent any communications to parli Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- St. Maarten Cable TV will be sponsoring 4M HD for carnival 2015. "I am elated to receive this contribution for our band," remarked Band Manager Stuart Johnson.

"We have been diligently working on our music in preparation for this carnival season and testimony to that is our latest hit songs like, Wet up and roll it," Johnson added.

St.Maarten Cable TV has been a regular contributor to the band and its efforts to promote quality music on our beloved island.

Managing director of St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- President of Rotary Club St. Martin Sunrise Virginia Asin, members and visiting Rotarians from Suriname, last Friday, April 17, paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs and Acting Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour Hon. Rita Bourne-Gumbs.

The visit took place at the Government Administration Building in the Dr Read more

Permanent Committee on Education and Youth scheduled to meet Thursday

>PHILIPSBURG:---- The Permanent Committee of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs (CECYSA) of Parliament, will meet in public session on April 23.

The Permanent Committee meeting is set for Thursday at 10.00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The first agenda point is the approval of the decision list CECYSA for the parliamentary year 2014-2015; approval of point 1 presented by Member of Parliament Hon. Tamara Leonard, adding GED to VSBO level curriculum; and the third agenda point is an update on the committee's plan of action.

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament representing the Democratic Party faction Sarah Wescot Williams and the party's advisor Emil Lee told reporters on Monday that they are not amused by the request sent by the State Council to St Read more

Central Committee Meeting requested by NA Faction about Port St. Maarten and Checkmate Security Contract

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee of Parliament will meet in public session on April 22 at the request of the National Alliance (NA) faction.

The Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications Hon. Claret Connor, has been invited to be present for the House session.

The Central Committee meeting is set for Wednesday at 2.00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda is related to the previous and current contract signed between the Harbour Group of Companies and Checkmate Security, and the sudden hike in the contract sum for outside security services.

This meeting was requested by the NA faction Member of Parliament (MP) Hon Read more

style="text-align: justify;">SEVEN MONTHS AND COUNTING SINCE THE ELECTION IN 2014 AND THIS UP LED GOVERNMENT AND PARLIAMENT OF ST. MAARTEN HAVE NOT INITIATED ONE PROGRAM THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE ORDINARY PEOPLE IN ST. MAARTEN. IT IS VERY IRONIC THAT EVERY TIME YOU MEET PEOPLE ON THE STREET THEY ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED FOR THEY HAD EXPECTED TO SEE THIS COUNTRY MOVING FORWARD IN PARTICULAR IN THE AREA OF SOCIAL PROGRAMS.

Those who brought us to this point are suffering the most!
PHILIPSBURG:---- Just recently I met a senior citizen at a Supermarket and he was boasting about how he assisted a particular candidate that is now part of the parliament of St Read more

> PHILIPSBURG:--- Democratic Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams has dispatched a letter to the Council of Ministers through the chair of Parliament on the draft integrity law that was discusses last week in a central committee of parliamemt. Below is press release from the DP MP along with the letter sent to the Government of St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---– Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT) Hon. Claret Connor, presented a token of appreciation on behalf of the people and Government of Sint Maarten to the Consul General of the Kingdom of Netherlands Consulate in Miami, Nathalie Olijslager-Jaarsma, who hosted a dinner on Thursday at her residence in Coral Gables, Florida for the Kingdom Maritime and Trade delegation.

The trade mission program started off with a visit to PortMiami where the delegation received a tour Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Rotarians from Rotary District 7030 arrived on Sint Maarten to partake in a ceremony for the launch of a screening for the prevention of Retinopathy due to Diabetes Mellitus and the donation of a fundus camera to the White and Yellow Cross Foundation.

The group comprises of the District Secretary from District 7030, Mr Waddy Sowma; the President of Rotary Club Paramaribo Central Mr Rino Tjin Wong Joe; Eye Specialist and Representative of the Rotary Club Paramaribo Residence Dr Jerrel Pawiroredjo and other fellows from the clubs Read more

Collaborative Infectious Disease Control

>Oranjestad:--- In 2014, 25 countries in the Caribbean had recorded cases of chikungunya. Chikungunya is caused by the same vector as dengue fever, the Aedes aegypti mosquito. The circulation of these two viruses has proven itself to be a serious health challenge in the Caribbean. Sint Eustatius is currently working to build its capacity to prevent and control these diseases.

For two weeks, Dr. Joe Wagman, a vector biologist and public health consultant from the Belize Vector Biology Center (BVBC), is visiting the island to assist in developing an early warning system to predict outbreaks Read more

Hit and Run Driver surrendered to Police Thursday Night.(UPDATED)

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The hit and run driver who hit down Ramesh Manek early Thursday morning on the Airport Road surrendered to police around 9pm Thursday night. Police also confiscated the black Hummer  bearing the number plate P-1819 that ran over the local resident who was jogging on the road earlyThursday morning.
Police Spokesman Ricardo Henson confirmed that the driver who was involved in the hit and run accident surrendered to police and his vehicle has been confiscated. Henson said the driver of the vehicle that hit the victim down causing him to lose his life is in his 30's Read more