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Makhicia Brooks (right) signing her contract with SMDFs Supervisory Board Chairwoman Richelda Rodriguez-Emmanuel, while Keith Franca (standing) looks on.

PHILIPSBURG--The first Managing Director of St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF), Keith Franca, has left the organisation after seven years serving at its helm.< Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The K1 Britannia Foundation and the Court of Guardianship have recently signed an agreement to continue working together for the next 5 years to help vulnerable youths in St. Maarten.

The agreement was signed by Ms. Priya Thirumur, co-founder of K1 Britannia Foundation and Mrs. Richelda Rodriguez-Emmanuel, Director of Court of Guardianship and witnessed by Ms Read more

Dutch Caribbean Child Protection Agencies At 1-Day Conference

MAHO, St. Maarten – The Child Protection Agencies of the Dutch Caribbean and Judges of the Joined Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba held a one-day conference on St. Maarten, entitled: “The Child as Focus of Attention in the Caribbean, Together, We are Stronger.”

The conference was initiated and hosted by Dutch Dependents Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba (the BES islands). It was attended by representatives from the BES islands and St Read more

MAHO:--- The Child Protection Agencies of the Dutch Caribbean and Judges of the Joined Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba held a one-day conference on St. Maarten, entitled “The Child as Focus of Attention in the Caribbean, Together, We are Stronger”. The conference was initiated and hosted by Dutch Dependents Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba (the BES islands). It was attended by representatives from the BES islands and St. Maarten.

The related entities—Court of guardianship, Child Protection Services, Center of Youth and Family and the Court officials—came together to discuss the legal frame of the protective measures, matters related to alimony request/collection and other matters of interest.

Paramount also was seeking ways on how these organizations can work better with each other in a more efficient and effective manner to provide assistance to each other in the service of protecting the children in their respective Countries.

At the opening of the conference, there was a welcome address by the Minister of Justice Rafael Boasman, who welcomed participants and encouraged a productive meeting, seeing the critical importance of the topic and the real life situations with our countries and islands.

Other opening remarks were given by Director of the Court of Guardianship St Read more

Minister Of Justice Meets With Heads Of Justice Depts.

PHILIPSBURG – On Thursday, January 19, Minister of Justice Rafael Boasman met with the heads of the various departments that fall under the Justice ministry.

Present at the meeting representing their departments were: Rueben Thompson, Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice; Lucy Gachette of the National Detectives (Landsrecherche);  Robert Barbij of the Immigration Department; Carl John from the St Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Thursday, January 19th, 2017 Minister of Justice, the honorable Rafael Boasman met with the heads of the various departments that fall under the justice ministry. 
Present at the meeting representing their departments were:
Rueben Thompson, Secretary General of the Ministry of Justice, Lucy Gachette of the National Detectives (Landsrecherche),
Robert Barbij of the Immigration Department, Carl John from the St Read more

Minister Of Education And Youth Affairs Bourne-Gumbs Reports On Child Rights In Geneva

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – On May 27, 2015, the Committee on the Rights of the Child considered the fourth periodic report of the Netherlands on its implementation of the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and its initial report under the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict.

Due to the absence of Dutch State Secretary for Health, Welfare and Sport Hon. Martin van Rijn as delegation leader, Sint Maarten's Minister of Education, Culture, Youth & Sports Affairs Hon Read more

St. Maarten professionals trained to spot youth intellectual impairments

MADAME ESTATE--Seventeen Foundation Judiciary Institutes Windward Island SJIB and Court of Guardianship social workers, as well as behavioural specialists and school counsellors, completed a training course aimed at improving their skills in dealing with people, especially the youth, with mild intellectual impairments.

A ceremony took place on Friday during which the participants received certificates for completing the three-day course. The course was made possible by the Ministry of Justice and co-funded by USONA Read more

Ferrier resigns from DP, against Sarah supporting UP coalition

~ Richelda feels deceived, doesn't support Sarah ~

PHILIPSBURG--Former President of the Democratic Party (DP) and candidate in the August 29 parliamentary election Michael Ferrier has tendered his resignation from DP over the move by party leader Sarah Wescot-Williams to join the United People's (UP) party-led coalition.

DP candidate Richelda Rodriguez-Emmanuel in an email responding to Ferrier's resignation said she still couldn't "get over the feeling of anger, deception, disappointment and disbelief" to put in any form of communication Read more

Inspectorate investigating physical abuse at Day Care

~ Owner says accusations malicious, false ~

CUL DE SAC--A day care centre in the Cul de Sac area is under investigation for the alleged physical abuse of children in its care, but the centre in question says the accusations are malicious, false and intended to damage its reputation.

Head of the Court of Guardianship Richelda Rodriguez-Emmanuel confirmed that two reports of child abuse had been reported to the Child Protection Services about the day care centre up to last week Read more

23 cases of child abuse reported from Jan. to Aug

~10 alleged sexual abuse ~

PHILIPSBURG—Twenty-three cases of child abuse have been reported to the Court of Guardianship's Child Abuse Reporting Centre between January to August this year.

The figures were described as "scary" by Court of Guardianship Director Richelda Rodriguez-Emmanuel. Of the total number of cases reported, 10 were alleged sexual abuse of minors Read more

Government, development fund sign management agreement

PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister (PM) Sarah Wescot-Williams and St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF) Interim Director Keith Franca signed a Fund Management Agreement Tuesday, August 19, between the St. Maarten government and the SMDF. The agreement formalises their working relationship and outlines their respective responsibilities.

The SMDF was established in May 2012 to ensure the continuity of funding available to local non-governmental organisations (NGOs), as Dutch financing organisation AMFO was in the process of withdrawing.

"Many NGOs in St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- With the date of St. Maarten's parliamentary elections drawing near, several female candidates contesting the elections will be engaged in the Phenomenal Women Political Debate on August 20, 2014. This major event, presented by the University of St. Martin (USM) in collaboration with the "Woman 2 Woman, Phenomenal Women" radio program, will be held at the University of St. Martin lecture hall from 6:00-9:00 pm, and promises to be a night filled with lively discussions from the female perspective.
To ensure the objectivity of this Debate, two phenomenal women were invited to participate as moderators Read more

Phenomenal Women Political Debate Moderators

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – With the date of St. Maarten's parliamentary elections drawing near, several female candidates contesting the elections will be engaged in the Phenomenal Women Political Debate on August 20, 2014.

This major event, presented by the University of St. Martin (USM) in collaboration with the "Woman 2 Woman, Phenomenal Women" radio program, will be held at the University of St. Martin lecture hall from 6:00-9:00 pm, and promises to be a night filled with lively discussions from the female perspective.

To ensure the objectivity of this Debate, two phenomenal women were invited to participate as moderators Read more

"Woman 2 Woman, Phenomenal Women" To Hold Political Debate At Usm

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The University of St. Martin (USM) and the "Woman 2 Woman, Phenomenal Women" program have partnered to present the first 'Phenomenal Women Political Debate' on Wednesday August 20th, 2014 at the USM Lecture Hall, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.

This exclusive event will consist of ten female debate panelists, two from each political party contesting St. Maarten's 2014 Parliamentary Elections.

The candidates chosen by their respective political parties and confirmed to participate are:
• Richelda Rodriquez Emmanuel and Mulrose Toulon (Democratic Party)
• Silveria Jacobs and Dorothy Richardson (National Alliance)
• Regina Janga and Marie-Lou Conner (One St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The University of St. Martin (USM) and the "Woman 2 Woman, Phenomenal Women" program have partnered to present the first 'Phenomenal Women Political Debate' on Wednesday August 20th, 2014 at the USM Lecture Hall, from 6:00pm to 9:00pm. This exclusive event will consist of ten female debate panelists, two from each political party contesting St. Maarten's 2014 Parliamentary Elections. The candidates chosen by their respective political parties and confirmed to participate are:

 Richelda Rodriquez Emmanuel and Mulrose Toulon (Democratic Party) Silveria Jacobs and Dorothy Richardson (National Alliance) Regina Janga and Marie-Lou Conner (One St Read more