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PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday February 20th during a ceremony organized at the Police Head quarters several police officers received their long awaited promotions in the presence of other colleagues and family members. The promotions were handed out by the Acting Chief of Police Commissioner Carl John. Officers Rudolph Bloeiman and Delano Baptist were both promoted to Chief Inspector of Police, Officers Raichel Doran, Claudio Ellis, Sharlon Cathalina and Estario Petty were all promoted to Inspector of Police; Officer Igmar Woodley was promoted to Sergeant, officers Rexcarlos Courtar and Sidney van Bosse both received their certificates for an advanced training in the handling of traffic accidents Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams who is representing the Democratic Party in Parliament dispatched a letter to griffier of Parliament and copied to MP Frans Richardson to request the representatives of the St Read more

>GREATBAY:--- A full scale investigation into the harbour's relationship with Checkmate Security Services and the newly updated contract between the two entities is being called for by leader of the One St. Maarten People's Party Lenny Priest, who said that such an investigation must be conducted by the RST Detectives with the assistance of a leading Accounting firm that is not established in St. Maarten.

The OSPP leader has taken issue with reports of a US$2.2 million increase in a contract between the harbour and Checkmate Security services for the latter to provide security services at the harbour Read more

style="text-align: center;">Leonard was offered Mediator Position at Department of Labor therefore she resigned --- Unconstitutional Election Called.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Several members of the WICSU/PSU union are now asking questions as to where the members of the board disappeared to. According to some of the members who spoke to SMN News on the condition of anonymity said that the President of WICSU/PSU Derie Leonard called an election for March 20th 2015, they said she sent out a notice to all members informing them that persons that are interested in postulating should do so before February 27th 2015 Read more

Ospp Wants Investigation Into Harbour And Checkmate Relationship

GREATBAY, St. Maarten - A full scale investigation into the harbour's relationship with Checkmate Security Services and the newly updated contract between the two entities is being called for by leader of the One St. Maarten People's Party Lenny Priest, who said that such an investigation must be conducted by the RST Detectives with the assistance of a leading Accounting firm that is not established in St. Maarten.

The OSPP leader has taken issue with reports of a US$2.2 million increase in a contract between the harbour and Checkmate Security services for the latter to provide security services at the harbour Read more

Princess Heights Awarded Prestigious Green Key Eco-Label Certification

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) awarded Princess Heights Luxury Boutique Condo Hotel with the first and only Green Key Eco-label certification in St. Maarten, solidifying St. Maarten's reputation as a destination that is serious about the environment.

"Here at Princess Heights, we've been using Green Key guidelines as a model for best practices for many years," said Emil Lee, General Manager of Princess Heights.

"If 'being green' translated to higher prices, it would not be sustainable for businesses to make green choices.

We believe that the Green Key model is straightforward, good for the environment, good for the island and good for tourism," Lee continued.

International Green Key Director Finn Thomsen of the non-profit Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), which owns and runs the program, was on hand to mark the hotel's Green Key inauguration.

This was the first inauguration he has attended in the Caribbean Read more

Editorial: Clarion Call (University Of St. Maarten Needs Attention)

Member of Parliament Maurice Lake will ask today some attention for the University of St. Martin – a call that is long overdue.

That the university has been struggling for years to make ends meet is no secret to anybody. It is also no secret that successive government have make all kinds of demands on USM over the years but when it came to funding sorely needed courses, there was nobody home at Clem Labega Square.

We have no illusion that all this will suddenly change because one MP is drawing attention to the fact that the government finally has to take the university serious.

Nevertheless, there it is – a clarion call that should finally wake up some people Read more

Gracita Arrindell Candidate For Dutch Council Of State

St. Maarten –Drs. Gracita Arrindell is a candidate to fill the position for St. Maarten at the Council of State in The Hague, the former president of parliament confirmed to this newspaper on Saturday. The appointment has not yet been formally announced.

Arrindell would succeed Dennis Richardson who sat on the council until he was appointed minister of justice in the third Wescot-Williams cabinet in 2013 Read more

Mp Lake Wants More Money For University

St. Maarten – United People’s party MP Maurice Lake has submitted a list of points for the plan of action of the permanent parliamentary committee for education, culture, youth and sports. The committee will meeting today to discuss a draft a plan of action for 2015.

Lake suggests that the government recognizes the University of St Read more

Importance of transparency

Dear Editor,

With a government in office for just over 60 days, a feeling of discontentment with government is discernible. While part of this can be attributed to a feeling of ever-present political apathy, the fact cannot be denied that a government formed without even an indirect approval by the electorate; an uneasy composition of coalition "partners" with very diverse manifestos and philosophies, and the absence of a governing accord contribute in no small measure to the feeling of dissatisfaction or inquietude one can sense daily in the community.

The Democratic Party is also of the belief that the talk of transparency, but in reality the often times disregard for such, only exacerbates the situation outlined above.

Partial information is even more damaging, as then all sorts of stories are conjured up.

There are many small steps that government can take as measures to promote transparency as part of the bigger objective of promoting integrity Read more

New US defense chief hints little change in IS strategy

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait--New U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Monday America had the right "ingredients" of a strategy to combat Islamic State, emerging from talks with top U.S. military and diplomatic leaders without hinting at any fundamental shift in the campaign.
  After a day of meetings in Kuwait, Carter acknowledged some room for improvement, broadly suggesting some allies could contribute more to the fight and saying the United States needed to be more aggressive on social media combating Islamic State Read more

New Harbour security contract raises questions

~ Checkmate gets $2.2 million increase ~

PHILIPSBURG--The Harbour Group of Companies is expected to finalise a new agreement with Checkmate Security Services this week that will see the security company earn three times as much in 2015 as it did over the last year for services rendered at the port.

The Daily Herald understands that the Harbour subsidiary St. Maarten Ports Authority has budgeted US $3,138,300 for 2015 to spend on outside security services (Checkmate Security), up from $963,715 spent in 2014.

According to the Harbour's 2015 budget, a copy of which this newspaper has in its possession, the hourly rate charged by the security company increased in September 2013 from $6.75 to $7.07, a hike of roughly 5 per cent Read more

Court orders minister to take decision on beach-chair affair

OYSTER POND--The Court of First Instance has given the Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (TEATT) six weeks to make a decision in a dispute about the placement of chairs and umbrellas on the beach in Oyster Bay, which has already been dragging on for years.

The "beach-chair affair" involves three parties: Oyster Bay Beach Resort's owner Pearl Development NV, owner of Mr. Busby's beach bar Low Road to Heaven NV and Laissez Faire NV on behalf of The Great House apartment complex.

All parties claim rights to place beach chairs and umbrellas on the beach, but despite several court rulings up until now government has failed to make a decision on the matter.

During the hearing of this case, which was filed in November 2014 and heard by the court on February 2, 2015, lawyer Hedy Kocks claimed Oyster Bay Beach Resort is in possession of a permit to place 130 chairs on the beach since 2008.

By contrast, Kocks said Mr Read more

Ratification of police cooperation treaty ‘imminent’ Préfet discloses

MARIGOT--The long-awaited ratification of the police cooperation treaty between The Netherlands and France is "imminent," Préfet Philippe Chopin disclosed in a press release on Monday in answer to merchant's concerns over security, increase of violence and random assaults on tourists in St. Martin.

The cooperation treaty, signed already by the Dutch, was one item of good news presented to a delegation of merchants at a closed meeting in the Préfecture following the march earlier in Marigot to protest the crime situation.

The Préfecture's Chef de Cabinet Emmanuel Effantin further confirmed ratification will be completed "before the end of the year" and that MP Daniel Gibbs is the "rapporteur" for the ratification process Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- As part of our commitment to give back to the community, through our NAGICO Lend a Hand program; a group of staff from NAGICO Insurances visited the Sister Basillia Center in St. Johns Estate on Saturday morning, where they created a vegetable garden for the residents and staff of the center, to aid in their healthy eating food program.
More than a dozen staff of NAGICO arrived at the Center's head Quarters in St Read more

Kooyman & Laser 101 launch Makita Week

>PHILIPSBURG:--- In light of the upcoming Kooyman Home Improvement Fair, Kooyman and Laser 101 have teamed up to bring you MAKITA Week. Laser 101 will give away a number of MAKITA branded prizes all week long.
Tune into to laser 101 for your opportunity to WIN and be sure to check out Kooyman on Saturday February 28th for their Home Improvement Fair, where you will get a chance to experience professional grade products such as MAKITA, MAPEI, GLOBAL PROFESSIONAL PAINT, AIR MASTER & CASTELL Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Claret Connor (first on the right), met with the Policy Department of the Ministry – Economy, Transport and Telecommunication February 18th,2015. The Minister met with the general staff, followed by a meeting with the Secretary General, Miguel De Weever, department head, Lucy Richardson along with members of his Kabinet Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Chinese Consul General Chen Qiman (second from left) paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister the Hon. Marcel Gumbs on Sunday, February 22, 2015. The Consul General was joined by St. Maarten Chinese Association President Steven Huang and Head of the Department of Foreign Relations Khalilah Peters. General topics of cooperation Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- With a government in office for just over 60 days, a feeling of discontentment with government is discernible. While part of this can be attributed to a feeling of ever-present political apathy, the fact cannot be denied that a government formed without even an indirect approval by the electorate; an uneasy composition of coalition "partners" with very diverse manifestos and philosophies, and the absence of a governing accord contribute in no small measure to the feeling of dissatisfaction or inquietude one can sense daily in the community.
The Democratic Party is also of the belief that the talk of transparency, but in reality the often times disregard for such, only exacerbates the situation outlined above.
Partial information is even more damaging, as then all sorts of stories are conjured up.
There are many small steps that government can take as measures to promote transparency as part of the bigger objective of promoting integrity Read more

Kooyman & Laser 101 Launch Makita Week

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - In light of the upcoming Kooyman Home Improvement Fair, Kooyman and Laser 101 have teamed up to bring you MAKITA Week. Laser 101 will give away a number of MAKITA branded prizes all week long.

Tune into to laser 101 for your opportunity to WIN and be sure to check out Kooyman on Saturday February 28th for their Home Improvement Fair, where you will get a chance to experience professional grade products such as MAKITA, MAPEI, GLOBAL PROFESSIONAL PAINT, AIR MASTER & CASTELL.

As well quality products and services by local companies such as RollFix, GreenFingers, Paradise Pools, Ayman Mattress Factory, ICE/Valley Estates, WIB, City Funiture, FunMiles and more.

"MAKITA is the leading manufacturer of Industrial Power Tools with 100 years of service to the industry," said Kooyman Commercial Officer, Evencia Carty-Seabrookes "We are very proud retailer of MAKITA and are even more honored to have company spokes model, Miss MAKITA Maria Alejandra Montoya, join us for the first time on the island."

The event is a free event to the public of St Read more

Nagico Staff Plants Garden For Sr. Basillia Center

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - As part of our commitment to give back to the community, through our NAGICO Lend a Hand program; a group of staff from NAGICO Insurances visited the Sister Basillia Center in St. Johns Estate on Saturday morning, where they created a vegetable garden for the residents and staff of the center, to aid in their healthy eating food program.

More than a dozen staff of NAGICO arrived at the Center's head Quarters in St Read more

Cooperation Discussed Between Prime Minister And Chinese Consul General

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Chinese Consul General Chen Qiman (second from left) paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister the Hon. Marcel Gumbs on Sunday, February 22, 2015.

The Consul General was joined by St. Maarten Chinese Association President Steven Huang and Head of the Department of Foreign Relations Khalilah Peters.

Gene Read more

Conference On The Last Colonies In The Caribbean Slated For March

GREAT BAY, St. Martin – The Independence for St. Martin Foundation will be organizing an international conference here under the theme, "The last colonies in the Caribbean," from March 6 – 8, 2015.

Invitations have been sent to individual scholars and organizations in the region engaged in the decolonization of the remaining territories in the region, and according to ISM Foundation President, Jose Lake Jr., the response has been "quite encouraging so far."

The aim of the conference, he explained, is to bring together those in St Read more

Minister Of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport And Telecommunication Still Defining Departmental Priorities

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Claret Connor (first on the right), met with the Policy Department of the Ministry – Economy, Transport and Telecommunication February 18th,2015.

The Minister met with the general staff, followed by a meeting with the Secretary Ge Read more