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>OYSTER BAY:--- At a ceremony on Friday, three sites on St. Maarten were awarded the Blue Flag eco-label, which is bestowed annually on beaches and marinas throughout the world that meet strict environmental and safety criteria. Oyster Bay Beach Resort, Divi Little Bay Beach Resort, and Yacht Club Isle de Sol were commended for their high standards and voluntary efforts towards environmental sustainability.
Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC), which organized the event, is the National Operator for the Blue Flag Program on St Read more

EPIC Eco-Labels

~ Creating corporate responsibility ~

By Laura Bijnsdorp

Yesterday, three locations were awarded the FEE Blue Flag Eco Label for another year through Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC); Divi Little Bay, Oyster Bay and Isle de Sol Marina.

The Blue Flag is a voluntary eco-label awarded to more than 4,000 beaches and marinas in 48 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean. The label works towards sustainable development of beaches and marinas through strict criteria dealing with Water Quality, Environmental Education and Information, Environmental Management, and Safety and Other Services.

The Blue Flag Programme is owned and run by the non-government, non-profit organization the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) Read more

Rueben Thompson; “Enforcement Is The Problem”:  Beach Policy Exists Already For More Than Twenty Years

St. Maarten – The Executive Council of the Island Territory of St. Maarten established already twenty years ago a beach policy. In August 2014, acting Island Secretary Rafael Boasman and Lt. Governor Dennis Richardson signed off on this policy, which basically establishes that beaches have to be freely accessible for the public.

“The Executive Committee of the Island Territory of Sint Maarten hereby makes known that they have established a policy concerning the use of beaches,” the document, that contains a summary, states.

“The beaches must be useable for everyone, both local residents and tourists alike, for recreational purposes Read more

Beach entry technically reopens, need for legislation highlighted

BELAIR--Property development representatives technically have reopened the entryway to the Belair beach after it had been closed off on the morning of December 1, preventing public access to the beach.

However, the “No trespassing” and “Private property” signs remain, and another one even has been added since Tuesday, on a tree directly in line with the only entryway, a footpath (see Tuesday edition of The Daily Herald).

The newly-fixed fence has been drawn back to technically allow foot access, although this can be considered a “mental barrier,” according to the Beach Access Policy Read more

Minister ‘disturbed’ by water pump situation, to discuss disaster response

~ Thompson calls statement 'propaganda' ~

PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Infrastructure VROMI Maurice Lake says he is "very disturbed with the situation regarding the storm water pumps" and has announced that he is set to meet soon with representatives of various governmental ministries and agencies in relation to disaster management.

In response, environmentalist Rueben Thompson called these comments "the same propaganda we hear with every natural disaster."

Lake's statements were relayed via a VROMI press release last night and came in the wake of recent torrential rainfall, Hurricane Gonzalo mid-October and subsequent criticism in regard to flooded areas and lack of maintenance of emergency systems such as floodgates and water pumps.

The planned meeting will take place on the morning of Monday, November 17, and will focus on disaster preparedness, management planning and response.

'Be on the ball'

"I am very disturbed with the situation regarding the storm water pumps," the press release quoted Minister Lake as saying Read more

Resident: Stop filling pond, protect Foga from flooding

FOGA/ PHILIPSBURG--Residents of Pendent Cactus Road in Foga were among those heavily affected by flooding following the recent storm, having experienced knee-height water. Not an uncommon occurrence, they are concerned that they have been, and will continue to be even more affected because of the filling of land nearby on the pond-side which is set to accommodate another 36 houses.

Many residents and businesses near the ponds in Philipsburg have been affected, and have also questioned the maintenance of the floodgates and pumps Read more

Rueben: Unless govt shapes up St. Maarten will not be prepared

PHILIPSBURG--Environmentalist Rueben Thompson has sounded the alarm about the devastating effects that can occur if government continues to ignore recommendations to protect the island against flooding during torrential downpours.

"Unless Government shapes up St. Maarten will not be prepared," Thompson said on Sunday. His statements were made on the heels of widespread flooding in the country over the weekend after torrential rains on Friday and early Saturday.

"The question is not if we will ever have another hurricane such as Luis or Lenny or if we will have another cloudburst; it is simply a matter of when Read more

Editorial - To the bottom

As the island celebrated St. Martin/St. Maarten Day, many were still discussing the rainstorm early Saturday morning and its considerable impact. Although the downpour was so heavy one hardly could expect runoff systems to handle easily the sheer volume of water coming down the hills, environmentalist/politician Rueben Thompson insists elected and appointed officials must be held accountable (see related article).

He referred to his repeated warnings about building in natural gutters and maintaining man-made ones Read more

Thompson Wants Government To Accept Climate Change As Reality

Environmental Protection in Caribbean’s (EPIC) Public Relations Office Rueben J. Thompson

St. Maarten / By Justin Simmons – “I’d like to see our politicians accept the fact that climate change is a reality. I’d like to see our government and the population at large accept the principle of sustainable development and understand the need to develop St. Maarten in a sustainable manner,” says Rueben Thompson Read more

Mullet Bay entrance blocked

MULLET BAY--A large pile of rubble was placed to block a Mullet Bay entrance on Friday, November 7, causing a stir among the public and business owners who operate on the beach. The move by Mullet Bay management seems to be technically legal, because it still allows the public access to the beach by foot. However, it directly results in nearby business owner Leopold York not having vehicle access to his establishment, where daily offloading is needed for almost everything the business needs to operate Read more

Thompson Concerned About Economic And Environmental Sustainability

St. Maarten –Rueben Thompson of the United St. Maarten party expressed his concerns for St. Maarten’s future environmental and economic sustainability under the governance of current Minister of Vromi Maurice Lake and the newly-formed UP coalition, which will constitute the new government, saying, “We’re slaughtering the goose that lays the golden egg.”

“I’m very concerned about the plans for the protection of our natural and cultural heritage Read more

Editorial - Solid enough

The names mentioned in today's paper as the reported candidates for the various positions of the incoming NA/DP/US-party coalition inspire confidence. The screening process will have to determine whether they all qualify in the end, but for now the apparent nominees certainly sound adequate.

It was already clear that NA leader William Marlin would be the next Prime Minister in charge of General Affairs, while the party's number three candidate and top vote-getter Silveria Jacobs had been a "shoo-in" to again become Minister of Education, Culture and Sports.

Whom NA would make its Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Development and the Environment VROMI was not known, but Rodolphe Samuel with his experience as President of Parliament certainly had been among the frontrunners for the job on the party's election list Read more

US Party candidates call voters ‘to make a change’

CUL DE SAC--Voters were urged to head to the polls on Friday and make a change by voting for the United St. Maarten Party, headed by independent Member of Parliament Frans Richardson. The party leader and thirteen other candidates shared first final messages of campaign for Parliament at the party's final public meeting at the party's headquarters on Tuesday.

Richardson told supporters, "We are ready for change in this country." He called on voters "to send a message" to the "expired politicians" that the "time has come to get out of office."

He criticised the plans of the United People's (UP) party to build a new hospital as expensive and burdensome for the people as it will cost about US $300 million Read more

Party Leaders Avoid Laser 101 Debate: Rhoda Arrindell (Up): “Stupid Grievances Downed First Wescot-Williams Cabinet”

St. Maarten – Party leaders declined to take part in what would have been the last political debate before the elections on Friday yesterday. Radio station Laser 101 had invited UP-leader Theo Heyliger, DP-leader Sarah Wescot-Williams, NA-leader William Marlin and USp-leader Frans Richardson Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- After listening to the last political debate on Sunday night which was organized by AVS News one wonders who really is running the country at this present moment. The two political parties namely the UP and DP tried their utmost best to convince the people that they are the ones most capable of running the country for another four years, yet they did not admit they are the ones in charge right now at least until October 10th, 2014.
SMN News has been bringing you a review of the past four years to remind voters of some of the things that transpired when the three coalitions ran the affairs of the people this great nation.
Early 2011 shortly after the UP/ DP government took office, the biggest scandal that broke and had the country in uproar was when Member of Parliament Jules James who is working for Simpson Bay Resorts Management Company (SBRMC) laid off close to 200 workers that have been working for Pelican Resorts for years Read more

Two Usp Candidates Tag Team To Protect Natural Resources, Heritage And Culture

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten - United St. Maarten Party (USp) candidates; Rueben J. Thompson (#4) and Leona Marlin-Romeo (#2) have combined forces to champion the cause of protecting, preserving and properly managing Sint Maarten's Natural and Cultural Resources that form part of our Heritage.

Thompson; who is an environmentalist, comes with a wealth of experience in the field of conservation Read more