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Women’S Desk Hosts Succesful Event On “The Impact Of Media On Violence Against Women And Girls”

COLE BAY, St. Maarten - Women's desk in the observation of the sixteen days of activism for the elimination of violence against women held an Awareness Ensemble at the Rock House Port de Plaisance under the theme "the impact and influence of music and media on violence against women & girls.

The theme was demonstrated through the art form with moving and heart-stirring performances from the Charlotte Brookson Academy, Funtopia and the National Institute of Arts.

Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Emil Lee, addressed a packed room focusing on “the impact and influence of Music and Media on Violence against Women and Girls” Read more

Health Minister Getting Up To Speed On Hospital Development Plans

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - It is still early to come with ultimate plans for the St. Maarten Medical Center, stated Minister with the responsibility for Health, Social Affairs and Labor, the Honorable Emil Lee.

The Minister was at the time, responding to a question put to him during the weekly press conference on Wednesday regarding the subject Read more

Emil Lee Accepts Minster Position In St. Maarten, Steps Down As Chta President As Of Nov. 18, President-Elect Karolin Troubetzkoy Begins Journey As Leader For The Association

MIAMI, FL - Emil Lee, Immediate Past President of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), has "passed the torch" to First Vice President and President-Elect Karolin Troubetzkoy eight months earlier than initially scheduled, as Lee has accepted the opportunity to serve as Minister of Labor, Health and Social Affairs for the country of St Read more

Quotable Caribbean

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - "The path of violence and hatred does not solve the problems of humanity, and using the name of God to justify this path is blasphemy." - Pope Francis (New York Times)

 "Terrorism is a scourge upon our common humanity. The people of all countries have a right to live in freedom within the laws that govern our international system. In our 21st Century world, which has become inextricably interlinked, terrorism in all its forms, particularly directed at innocent civilians, must be halted by global action Read more

Emil Lee, New Minister Of Labor, Health And Social Affairs, Wastes No Time

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - In a bid to attract the best and brightest candidates in St. Maarten to the Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs, the newly appointed minister Emil Lee has taken the unconventional step of opening a public recruitment process and advertising for the different positions at his cabinet in the ministry.  Breaking the unwritten but time-honored rule of incoming ministers picking a cabinet mostly from their pool of political supporters, Lee has reasserted his commitment to making the country of St Read more

Governor Receives Final Report William Marlin

Harbour View, Sint Maarten – On November 18th, 2015, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, received the final report of formateur W. Marlin.

The formateur has accepted the commission to form a new government supported by a majority in Parliament comprised of the NA-fraction, the DP-fraction, the USP-fraction, independent Member of Parliament S Read more

Dp Announcement - Emil Lee To Be Next Minister Of Vsa

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Democratic Party would like to announce the swearing in of DP candidate Emil Lee as the next Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA).  

Emil will be sworn in tomorrow Thursday, November 19th, 2015 Read more

Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2016 Expands Outreach To Latin America, Emerging Destinations & Niche Markets, Appointment Requests Now Open; Educational Sessions Added

THE CARIBBEAN - The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is raising the global profile of Caribbean Travel Marketplace providing opportunities for hoteliers attending the event to find new contacts and sources of business. CHTA is targeting wholesalers in Latin America and emerging destinations as well as tour operators specializing in niche markets. Caribbean Travel Marketplace is scheduled Jan. 21-23, 2016 at the Atlantis, Paradise Island in The Bahamas.

Building upon the existing and longstanding portfolio of global operators conducting business in the Caribbean, CHTA is focusing on securing the participation of Latin American tour operators in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Panama, Peru and Venezuela and emerging destinations Russia, India, Scandinavia, Ukraine and the Middle East.

            With the growth and importance of the niche travel segments to its membership, CHTA is inviting niche tour operators to attend Caribbean Travel Marketplace Read more

Emil Lee Attends Open Government Partnership Summit On Behalf Of Dp

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The DP was represented at the recent OGP Summit by Emil Lee.   Unfortunately, due to the current political crisis, DP Party Leader and Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams had to cancel her planned attendance. According to MP Sarah Wescot Williams, “The DP supports having St Maarten apply for membership to the OGP.  In order for St Maarten to become a member, there are a number of requirement with which St Maarten would need to comply.  Although St Maarten doesn’t currently qualify for membership, this provides the country with an excellent road map to follow in our path towards becoming more open.  There is an undeniable connection between the degree of openness and the level of prosperity of any country.  The more open and transparent the government, the more the people participate in and benefit from the economy.  We felt that this conference was such a valuable learning experience that Emil and I funded the trip at our personal expense.”According to Emil Lee, “the amazing thing for St Maarten is that we don’t need to reinvent the wheel.  Many countries have similar problems to St Maarten.  Many have issues with how to make the budgeting process more transparent and inclusive.  How to make procurement and government contracts less susceptible to corruption?  By participating in OGP, St Maarten can benefit from all of the experiences and work of other countries.”Use of Confidentiality Clauses: A great exampleAccording to Lee, “In St Maarten, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the use of confidentiality clauses in contracts with government and government owned companies.  There are countries where the contracts are not even legally binding until they have been placed on line for anyone to review.  Additionally, there are clear guidelines for what items are able to be covered by confidentiality clauses.  Pricing and financial information typically does not quality as items that would be able to be shrouded by confidentiality clauses.  This clause is usually reserved for proprietary processes and trade secrets.”OGP SummitThe OGP or Open Government Partnership hosts the OGP Global Summit every two years in the Country of the current Chair, this year in Mexico City.  Representatives from government, academic institutions, civil society and multilateral organizations come together to exchange experiences and share best practices and major developments in open government.OGP Mission:“OGP’s vision is that more governments become sustainably more transparent, more accountable, and more responsive to their own citizens, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of governance, as well as the quality of services that citizens receive Read more

Emil Lee Attends Sotic In Curacao

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Emil Lee, CHTA President and Curacao Minster of Economic Development and Tourism Stanley Palm meet at the CTO SOTIC or State of the industry conference.SOTIC is an opportunity for Ministries of Tourism and private sector to interact, dialogue and exchange ideas and experiences.  According to CHTA President Emil Lee, as a strategic partner of the CTO, CHTA believes it is important that private sector and public sector work together and support each others events Read more

"Quotable Caribbean" October 2015

Caribbean - "The success of CHIEF (Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum) is a reflection of our new vision and a validation that we have moved in the right direction. Besides seeing increased participation from middle management, we are seeing a new generation of hoteliers becoming involved and enthusiastically engaged." - Emil Lee, President, Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association

 "Management sets standards of performance, assumes responsibility for work objectives, initiates focuses and serves as motivators for employees for the purpose of achieving the company goals Read more

Chta Honors Stars Of The Industry With Caribbean Employee, Supervisor, Association Executive & Allied Awards

PUERTO RICO - The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) recognized the stars of the Caribbean hospitality industry at this past weekend's Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF), which took place Oct. 2 - 4, 2015 at El Conquistador Resort, A Waldorf Astoria Resort in Puerto Rico. Those honored, include:Caribbean Tourism Employee of the Year: Andre James, Hyatt Regency TrinidadCaribbean Tourism Supervisor of the Year: Lissa Cuffy, Frenchman's Reef & Morning Star Marriott Beach ResortCaribbean National Hotel Association Executive of the Year: Neil Forrester, Antigua Hotels & Tourist AssociationCaribbean Allied Member of the Year: William "Bill" Clegg, Choice Hotels International"These individuals reflect the true spirit of Caribbean tourism professionals Read more

Cuba Getting U.S. Visitors Continues To Be Focus At Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum

THE CARIBBEAN - Cuba: Opportunity or Threat? was the final General Session at the Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF) in Puerto Rico over the weekend and the general consensus appeared to be cautious optimism based on expectations of diversion of visitors from other countries, but overall a chance to highlight the diversity of the culture of the region.

There was also concurrence that the entire Caribbean can shine as the spotlight falls on Cuba, exposing more potential travelers to the rich diversity and culture of the region.

CHIEF was organized by the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) and held at El Conquistador Resort, A Waldorf Astoria Resort in Puerto Rico.

Cuba continued to be the focus of many conversations as the U.S Read more

Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum Opens New Era For Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico  - The just completed successful Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF) taking place in Puerto Rico has emerged as a milestone setting the tone for a new era for the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA), according the CHTA President Emil Lee.

            "The success of CHIEF is a reflection of our new vision and a validation that we have moved in the right direction," said Emil Lee as more than 250 attendees participated in three days of networking and learning best practices at El Conquistador Resort, A Waldorf Astoria Resort in Puerto Rico.  Many of the attendees were next generation employees Read more

St. Maarten Hosts Event On Innovation In The Eu’S Overseas Countries And Territories

Brussels - Anguilla and the Falklands are geographically apart but their representatives are among 15 from the European Union’s Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) gathering in Sint Maarten 5-7 October to brainstorm the same challenge: diversifying economies with innovation.

Prime Minister of St Maarten, Marcel F.A. Gumbs, will open the event along with Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunications Ernest Sams.

The three-day workshop is part of the European Union- funded project, ‘Territorial Strategies for Innovation’ (April 2014-April 2018) Read more

Chta's 'Chief' To Explore Cuba Impact On Caribbean Tourism; Taps Industry Experts For Insight

THE CARIBBEAN - One of the most highly anticipated panels of the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association's (CHTA) upcoming Caribbean Hospitality Industry Exchange Forum (CHIEF) is "Cuba: Opportunity or Threat?" which will take place on the closing day of the conference (Sunday, Oct. 4) from 3:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m."Cuba: Opportunity or Threat?" will delve into how the US-Cuba normalization affects Caribbean business and how hotels can minimize any potential downside impact. Additionally, it will explore the positive opportunities Cuba may present to stimulate the region's growth as a whole.This highly-anticipated session - expected to be standing-room only - will be moderated by Anton Edmunds, Principal, The Edmunds Group International, and will feature the following panelists:Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Principal Partner, BedfordBakerGroupMarla Dukharan, Group Economist, Caribbean Banking, Royal Bank of CanadaSimon Suarez, President, ASONAHORESHugh Riley, CEO and Secretary General, Caribbean Tourism Organization"The efforts towards the normalization of trade and travel between the United States and Cuba opens the door to a renewed focus on Caribbean tourism," said Edmunds Read more

Chta Holds Agm In Barbados

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) wrapped up their Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Barbados last week.

President Emil Lee told our news room that a number of issues affecting the industry were discussed including the mitigation of the Sargasso Sea Weed problem and the devastation to the tourism industry of Dominica Read more

Chata Hoteliers To Reap Benefits Of Chief’S Professional Development Sessions, Workshops Designed To Develop Analytics, Leadership Skills

WILLEMSTAD, Curacao - The Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association (CHTA) is offering two professional development courses for CHATA hotel employees designed to develop their performance analytics and leadership skills and add value to overall hotel marketing and operations.

CHATA members and non-members can register for the Certification in Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA) workshop, which is jointly offered by the American Hotel & Lodging Education Institute (AHLEI) and STR (Smith Travel Research), and Florida International University’s (FIU) Leadership for Service Excellence workshop Read more

Emil Lee Attending Cto Meeting In New York

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The President of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) Emil Lee is currently in New York.

The tourism executive is there for meetings of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) aimed at strengthen their private/public sector relationship.

The meetings are also taking place at a time when Car Read more

Princess Heights Hotel, St. Maarten, Awarded With Certificate Of Recognition By Hotels.Com

DAWN BEACH, St. Maarten – Last month, Princess Heights Luxury Boutique Hotel (www.princessheights.com) in St. Maarten was officially awarded the "Certificate of Recognition for Exceptional Guest Ratings and Reviews" by the international online travel agency Hotels.com, part of Expedia Inc., one of the most important online travel corporations in the world.

This certificate recognizes accommodation properties which receive the highest guest reviews and ratings as part of the feedback that guests leave at Hotels.com regarding the service provided by the property they booked.

"This latest award is an affirmation of the commitment and dedication of every staff member at Princess Heights Read more

Emil Lee And Leopold James- Agents Of Change

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Dear Ladies and Gentleman, thank you for attending this ceremony. For many reasons, this is a moment that I wanted to share with family, friends and colleagues.

Without a doubt, being recognized and appreciated as a valued member of the community by a group like the St Martin Grass Roots People's movement is wonderful. Many thanks to Leopold, Jessie and the rest of the movement.

But in my opinion, this isn't the real story here tonight. There is a much more interesting story to tell.
Up to about 3 or 4 years ago, Leopold James and Emil Lee would have been perceived as polar opposites and perhaps even as adversaries or enemies Read more

Princess Heights Hotel Inducted Into 'Hall Of Fame' Of Tripadvisor.Com And Launches Last Minute Special For Area Residents

DAWN BEACH, Sint Maarten – Princess Heights Luxury Boutique Condo today announced that it has been recognized as a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame winner.

This certificate was created to honor those businesses that have earned a Certificate of Excellence for five consecutive years. This recognition is only issued to establishments that consistently achieve great traveler reviews on TripAdvisor.

Marc Charron, President of TripAdvisor for Business. "By putting a spotlight on businesses that are focused on consistently delivering great service to customers, TripAdvisor not only helps drive an improvement to hospitality standards around the world, it also gives businesses both large and small the ability to shine and stand out from the competition."

This is the latest in a number of customer service and quality related recognition awards granted to Princess Heights Read more

Princess Heights Hotel Awarded With Certificate Of Recognition For High Quality Service By Hotels.Com

DAWN BEACH, St. Maarten - During a meeting held at the premises of the property on May 14, Princess Heights Luxury Boutique Hotel was officially awarded with the "Certificate of Recognition for Exceptional Guest Ratings and Reviews" by the international online travel agency Hotels.com, part of Expedia Inc., one of the most important online travel corporations in the world.

This certificate recognizes accommodation properties which receive the highest guest reviews and ratings as part of the feedback that guest leave at hotels.com regarding the service provided by the property they booked.

"This latest award is an affirmation of the commitment and dedication of every staff member at Princess Heights 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