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PHILIPSBURG:---The Government of St. Maarten has been informed of a series of manifestations that have been ongoing this week. Permission for these manifestations was requested and they have been granted. The government was also informed concerning the willingness of union members to partake in these meetings and manifestations. During the past two days, Prime Minister Jacobs responded to two emails received in relation to the manifestations, including requesting a meeting to follow up and clarify any pending questions.

Prime Minister Jacobs commends the unity being displayed by the workers across the board Read more

Usm To Hold Webinar On Human Rights In The Face Of Coivd-19.

PHILIPSBURG:0--- On Saturday, 20 June 2020, the University of St. Martin (USM) in collaboration with the Sint Maarten Anti-Poverty Platform will hold the first-ever webinar with local and international guest experts. The full-day event, open to the public via Zoom and broadcasted via Facebook, will be dedicated to various topics that fall under the theme Human Rights in the Face of COVID-19.

According to USM President Dr. Antonio Carmona Bez, the purpose of this webinar is to create a space for critical reflection and in-depth analysis into the state of human rights since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on 11 March 2020.

Following lockdown, schools were closed and thousands of formal and informal workers were left without an income Read more

Group Of Teachers Willing To Accept Proposed Cuts, Says W.I.T.U Does Not Speak For Entire Teaching Population.

PHILIPSBURG:--- A group of teachers that Franklin Jeffers is representing has penned a letter to the Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion informing that they are ready to accept the proposed cuts for the years 2020 and 2021. The teachers in their letter said they are ready to accept their full salaries, and the proposed 50% cut in vacation pay for both years, while they envisioned having their vacation pay reimbursed by 200% in the year 2022.
The group of teachers also explained that they stand in solidarity with the entire island in these trying times and also made clear that while the Windward Islands Teachers Union (W.I.T.U) is a respectable organization they do not represent the entire teaching population.
The letter reads below.
Dear Honorable Minister Ardwell Irion,

We are a group of concerned teachers who have taken note of the proposed cuts by the government Read more

Government To Honor Frontline Workers, Parents Ask For Children Participation.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The -Government will be honoring Frontline Heroes on Friday announced Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs at the Council of Ministers Press Briefing on Wednesday. Parents are hereby informed that children with frontline career day costume to send it by email to the government of St. Maarten. Emails should be sent to pmtalks@sintmaartengov.org, the names of the child must also be included in the email Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Year eight indeed shaped up to be a great one for the regions largest cancer fundraiser across the English and Dutch Caribbean CIBC FirstCaribbeans Walk for the Cure.

Partnership with the Positive Foundation and Adtalem Global Education on St. Maarten heightened the awareness, raising a grand total of USD $16,000 for the benefit of the Positive Foundation.

The donation supports the foundations endeavors which are geared towards stimulating, educating and activating the consciousness of the community on aspects of self-responsibility towards overall health improvement, and in particular, towards breast cancer Read more

Cost Cutting Measures Discussed With Unions.

Government awaiting further feedback from CCSU

PHILIPSBURG:---  On Wednesday, May 13th, the Council of Ministers met with the unions for a second time, to discuss the proposed cost-cutting measures for Government. Some of these suggestions directly influence Civil Servants, thus deeming it necessary to discuss these measures with the spokespersons of the Committee of Civil Servants Unions (CCSU). This was the second meeting held with the Unions to discuss cost-cutting measures. During the first meeting, Government made the following proposal:
cut its own salary by another 5% which is a total 20% cut
10% off salaries over NA 8,000
Cut of vacation pay 2020 off salaries over NA 4000
Also included in the proposal is freezing or postponement of bonuses etc.

None of the proposed cost-cutting measures would apply to anyone making under NA 4.000, -, which the Minister of Finance stressed in his opening remarks during the press briefing earlier that Wednesday Read more

 People of St. Maartenhere and abroad, I hereby address you as PriPrime Minister & Chair of the EOC Silveria Jacobs National Address on COVID-19 Developments May 11, 2020me Minister and Chair of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), in an update for today, Monday,May11, 2020,as part of the process to keep the community of St Read more

St Maarten Anti Poverty Platform / St Maarten Consumers Coalition.

1. What is the governing program of this NA-UP government?
2. Will the Kingdom Council of Ministers amend the St Maarten Support and Relief Plan ?
3. What are the measures the Council of Ministers will present to Parliament next week?
4. Preliminary thoughts as union leader on the measures proposed by the Minister of Finance
5. How many homes have been build back better and stronger?
Topic 1. What is the governing program of this NA-UP government?
For us as Anti-Poverty Platform we are of the opinion that one of the objectives of a governing program and of the annual budgets should be that the more than 13,000 households have to be taken out of poverty Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister and Chair of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Silveria Jacobs hereby updates the general public for today, Thursday, April 30, 2020, as part of the process to keep the community of St. Maarten informed about the latest developments and the Governments COVID-19 containment, mitigation and response measures.

COVID-19 Cases

Based on the latest available data, as updated by CPS Epidemiologist Eva Lista-de Weever, the counts for April 30, 2020 as of4:00 PM are as follows:

Self-Quarantine:         145Self-Isolation:             104Number Hospitalized:     7 (-1) Number Tested:          329Number Positive:          76 Male:                             54Female:                         22Number Negative:      251 (+20)Number Pending:            1(-1)Inconclusive:                  1Deceased:                      13 +1Recovered:                    44Active Cases:                19

This week, CPS launched an educational video on proper mask usage featuring Hygiene and Infection Control Practitioner Glenda Severin Read more

COLE BAY:--- As a long-standing corporate citizen, Motorworld Group stands with the community of St. Maarten/ St. Martin, and the world, during these trying times in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Our commitment to the community has remained steadfast through the highs and lows of life. Therefore, Motorworld has gone above and beyond to purchase these masks and give them away free of charge to these major organizations that are working on the frontlines in order to protect their workers, our Frontline Heroes, and also, the community that they serve Read more

Pond Island: ----With an attendance of 78 students and instructors, the University of St. Martin (USM) held its first-ever virtual town hall assembly on Tuesday, April 14, 2020. The purpose of the said event was to provide an opportunity for the administration to receive feedback from the academic community on the temporary transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the electronic platform Zoom, popular among colleges and universities worldwide, participants were able to see each other, have their questions answered, express their appreciation for this alternative and share their concerns about the challenges to working and studying from home.
We can all feel proud of ourselves and what we have achieved until now, said USM President Dr Read more

Compels New Strategies, Urgent Need To Deputizing Core Tasks.

PHILIPSBURG:---  Gracita Arrindell said we keep all our First Responders including law enforcement agencies in our Prayers.
Our Nation follows their orders as our people continue to prepare to emerge a healthier and wiser after this COVID-19 world pandemic is behind us. In order to be successful at our recovery, it requires an evaluation of our current state of affairs, adjusts where needed in order to move forward triumphantly

Arrindell states: Sint Maarten people deserve to know how we are prepared for the upcoming hurricane season while, our fight to mitigate - ultimately get a grip on the pandemic continues Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- In an effort to help protect front line workers and vulnerable groups against the highly infectious coronavirus COVID-19 disease, the St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation has donated a number of masks to a number of critical organizations for the added protection of their workers and clients.

In recent days, a large quantity of masks was donated to representatives of the St. Maarten Police Force, Pointe Blanche Prison, Miss Lalie Center Youth Detention Facility, Home Away from Home Taking Care of the Elderly Foundation, Hope Estate Recreational Center for the elderly, Hurricane Irma Integration Shelter as well as to individual volunteers and community leaders, who are constantly out assisting persons in the community Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Today, several environmental Non-Governmental Organizations, Non-Profit organizations, and initiatives active in the environmental sector presented a collaborative support letter to the members of parliament for the implementation of the ban on single-use plastic bags, plastic straws, and Styrofoam initiated by Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Honorable Prime Minister and Chairlady of the EOC of St. Maarten, Ms. Silveria Jacobs, would like to inform the General Public & Stakeholders in particular, that the Cruise line Aida Diva was denied permission to berth at St. Maarten due to lack of proper procedures being followed during the course of the last 24 hours, as per agreed-upon protocols.

The Aida Diva was expected to make a call on Port of St Read more

~ MP Rolando Brison elected Chair of Parliament, Vice-Chair MP William Marlin, 2nd Vice-Chair Rodolphe Samuel.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Of the 15 Members of Parliament that cast their votes to elect the chairman of parliament, 12 voted in favor of MP Rolando Brison, while one voted for Grisha Heyliger Marten and one blank Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation started off the Chinese New Year on a positive note donating 260 packages to recipients at its Chinese Lunar Year-End Blessing Ceremony held at the Philipsburg Cultural and Community Center in January.

The 55 volunteers who participated in the event assisted in distributing the packages, each of which contained a box of multi-grain raisin almond cereal, a pack of Club Social biscuits, Nido milk powder, a bottle of jam, Chinese plum and mints.

The 175 attendees to the event were treated to a packed program Read more

People Progressive Alliance: The Voters Have Spoken.

PHILIPSBURG:--- People Progressive Alliance (PPA) leader Gracita Arrindell, stated: following the outcome of the January 9th snap elections, we offer our congratulations to the parties that obtain one seat or more in Parliament Read more

MARIGOT/PHILIPSBURG:--- While it is not common practice that we here at SMN News credit protesters or persons that may cause instability in one way or another we are obliged to recognize the persons that that participated in the protest strike that ended up in a riot on St. Martin against the Plan de Prevention des Risques Naturels. (PPRN).
SMN News does not condone any type of violence and or destruction to properties. The only reason these protesters are being recognized is that they stood together and managed to pull off one of the largest marches on St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- With the financing agreements for the new general hospital signed on Friday, February 23rd, it is important for the general public to understand how health care will be improved. Although the new hospital is critical for the country, the agreement by all parties to work towards JCI or Joint Commission International Accreditation is also an important milestone accomplishment.
Acquiring the financing for the new hospital was one of the many phases outlined in the business plan that was developed by the Tripartite members; Ministry of VSA, SMMC and SZV Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Frans Richardson has been released from pretrial detention today Friday, February 23rd, 2018/ Richardson has spent 10 days behind bars as the TBO team investigates his role in the Squid and Emerald Investigation.

Suspect F.G.R. (1968) was released from pre-trial detention today but still remains a suspect in the “Squid” and “Emerald” investigations.

F.G.R., was arrested on St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Former Prime Minister William Marlin in a press release on Sunday expressed hope that residents who are in need will soon receive the 12 container homes he had ordered, when he had been in office, for persons who lost their residences during hurricane Irma.

The homes are sturdy 20-foot collapsible containers that are fully isolated and can be assembled in five minutes with a crane Read more

POND ISLAND:--- The Acting Minister responsible for Telecommunications Cornelius de Weever, would like to congratulate radio station owners, st, ff and listeners on the occasion of World Radio Day which is being observed around the globe today, Tuesday, February 13.
The theme for World Radio Day 2018 is “Radio and Sports.”
“Radio is a very powerful tool, and we once again experienced that on September 6, the day hurricane Irma made landfall and caused catastrophic damage to our beloved island.
“For several weeks, several radio stations served as beacons of hope as they provided information to the community and to loved ones abroad who were following developments on the island right after the hurricane.
“I would like to take this opportunity to commend our radio stations, the owners, the staff, technicians, program producers and hosts for the very important role that they played after the hurricane.
“In the past, pre-Irma and today, radio continues to perform a very important role and this will continue for the foreseeable future Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- It is being rumored that the Sint Maarten Christian Party (SMCP) is an off-shoot of the DP, a satellite of the NA and that it is financed by the UPP Read more