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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

All-clear at airport after bomb threat, operations resumes, roads reopened

AIRPORT--Police have given the all-clear sign and the bomb threat at Princess Juliana International Airport SXM is over. Airport operations are back to normal as of 2:15pm. Access roads leading to the airport from Simpson Bay Causeway roundabout and from Maho roundabout have been reopened.

Persons traveling today, Friday, should check with their airlines for adjusted flight schedules.

Tourism and Transportation Minister Claret Connor, Police Spokesman Inspector Henson and Airport Representative Clifton “Cliffy” Brown gave an impromptu press conference standing at the causeway roundabout about the situation.

The terminal building and the KLM aircraft to which the threat was directed were searched by various government agencies Read more

style="text-align: center;">Prime Minister allegedly lied to Parliament when he said he could not obtain documents -- Reliable Sources.

PHILIPSBURG:--- As the scandals at GEBE continues to surface SMN News managed to obtain some of the checks that were paid out to the owner of St. Maarten Service Provider Alfred Harley a former journalist on St. Maarten and former representative of UTS-St. Kitts and also the former executive director of SHTA (St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association.)
Harley told the newspaper he once worked for that he never collected any monies from GEBE however the checks written out to St Read more

Few of Roumou’s Supporters camped out at Prosecutor’s Office holding posters (UPDATED) Pretrial Detention Extended.

style="text-align: center;">Blogger J.R. remains in pre-trial detention for a couple of days

PHILIPSBURG: --- A handful of people decided to show up at the Vineyard Building on Thursday afternoon holding up green posters with the words “Free Judith”. Since Roumou was arrested on Tuesday several persons exploded on Facebook claiming that the justice system has arrested the blogger because she was exposing corruption within government. Some stated in their Facebook posts that they now have to watch what they write on their Facebook page because they too might get arrested like Roumou was on Tuesday when police showed up at her St Read more

Bomb Threat Over, All Clear Sign Given; Access Roads to SXM Airport Reopened

>GREAT BAY (DCOMM):---- Police have given the all-clear sign and the bomb threat at SXM Airport is over. Airport operations are back to normal as of 2.15PM.

The access roads leading to the SXM Airport, from the Simpson Bay Causeway round a bout and from the Maho round a bout have been re-opened.

Persons traveling today will have to check with their airline in connection with their flight schedule.

Minister of Transportation Hon. Claret Connor, Police Spokesman Inspector Henson and SXM Airport representative C Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---  Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs on Thursday forwarded a letter of support to the Prime Minister of Aruba Hon. Mike Eman in connection with the untimely death of Aruban citizen Mitch Henriquez (42).
Gumbs in his letter to the Aruban Prime Minister expressed his condolences on behalf of the Government and people of Sint Maarten to the family, friends, the Government and people of Aruba.
Prime Minister Gumbs also stated in his letter to Eman that the Government of Sint Maarten is prepared to support Aruba’s call for an independent investigation by a commission into the death of Mitch Henriquez.
Such a commission would investigate what transpired and hold those responsible by seeking justice.
Sint Maarten is also prepared to support the candidacy of an Aruban to be a part of the independent commission.
The letter was also copied to Aruba’s Minister Plenipotentiary in The Hague, the Netherlands Hon Read more