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PHILIPSBURG:--- St.Maarten is one step closer towards the realization for the construction of the New St.Maarten Hospital. “As the Ministry of VSA, we continue working towards providing a high quality medical system that is affordable and easily accessible for the people” said Minister of VSA Emil Lee.
During Wednesdays Council Of Ministers Press briefing, Minister Lee stated that the Ministry of VSA, along with SZV , and SMMC received 3 completed bids for the New St.Maarten Medical Center on Monday July 18 by 2 PM.
12 original interested bidders were narrowed down by preselection criteria to a total of 5 bidders and of those 5, 3 submitted their bids by the cut off time.
In order to guarantee transparency, the bids were received at the Tjon A Jong Civil Law Notary office located on Frontstreet, and was received in the presence of the awarding team consisting of representatives of the Ministry of VSA, SZV, SMMC, KPMG (projectleader), and Royal HaskoningDHV who is an engineering consultant Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- -During Wednesdays Press Briefing, Minister of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor Emil Lee stated that “Adjustments to the old work permit policy for adult entertainers, were made in order to prevent any abuse, and to ensure that Government doesn’t facilitate human trafficking”. He also mentioned that “the policy will serve until the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, and Transportation develops their permanent policy/solution for the adult entertainers”.
Due to a memo received from the prosecutor’s office earlier this year, the Council of Ministers agreed that the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, and Transportation would develop and present a new policy for Commercial sex workers.
In the interim, the court ruled that Ministry VSA needed to accept requests for adult entertainers and process within 2-3 weeks Read more

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Back And Forth Bickering Between Na And Up Over Gebe But No Solution In Sight.

PHILIPSBURG: --- It is the people of St. Maarten who are continuing to suffer while the heated debate over who is most responsible for the current Gebe woes continues between the National Alliance and the United People Party, notes leader of the One St. Maarten People Party Lenny Priest who opined that workable solutions are what the country needs and not “high school antics from elected officials.”
Priest was reacting to recent media statements on the situation at Gebe from the board of the NA who alleged ‘it seems every time that government or government owned companies needs to make a significant purchase some family or friend is involved in some way or the other’ and to statements by the UP alleging that it was the NA who stopped the purchase of the engine needed by Gebe.
“This constant back and forth between the largest political parties over what has happened at Gebe under their tenure with accusations of nepotism and the like levied against each other is in no way a solution to the problem Read more

Frans: Usp Is About ‘True Leadership’ For St. Maarten.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the United St. Maarten Party (USP) Frans Richardson on Wednesday stressed that while he is the political leader of the party, any good leader must embrace the fact that leadership is more about moving forward together than thinking and acting individually Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the United St. Maarten Party (USP) Member of Parliament Frans Richardson dismissed jabs against his party as a party for “ship jumpers” by focusing on the fact that the individuals targeted still have lots to contribute to the country Read more

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PHILIPSBURG: --- MP Christopher Emmanuel is calling on the Temporary Manager of GEBE Andrew Zaggers to step down from his post immediately simply because he is out of touch and has no consideration for the employees of GEBE. He said that Zaggers has no feelings for the moral of the workers, and their ability to function under this HR manager Read more

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The Hague Netherlands:---On July 19th, 2016 the Director and acting Director welcomed the Minister Councillor at the Belgian Embassy in The Hague, Mrs. Emmanuelle De Foy, to the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary .
The Director of the Cabinet, Mr. Perry Geerlings, gave a brief synopsis of the role Sint Maarten plays within the Kingdom since obtaining its autonomous status Read more

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Former Vdsm Head Detained In Tarpon Investigation

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The former head of the St. Maarten National Security Service VDSM J.A.J.R. (41) has been arrested on Tuesday, July 19 by members of the National Detective Agency assisted by officers of the St. Maarten Police Force KPSM. His house in Ebenezer, Cul de Sac was also searched in connection with the ongoing investigation concerning embezzlement and money laundering called Tarpon, led by the National Detective Agency.

A search was also done in a hotel room and at a moving company Read more

Former Vdsm Head Detained In Tarpon Investigation.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The former head of the St. Maarten National Security Service VDSM J.A.J.R. (James Richardson) (41) has been arrested on Tuesday, July 19 by members of the National Detective Agency assisted by officers of the St. Maarten Police Force KPSM. His house in Ebenezer, Cul de Sac was also searched in connection with the ongoing investigation concerning embezzlement and money laundering called Tarpon, led by the National Detective Agency.

A search was also done in a hotel room and at a moving company Read more

Ceremonies Held To Remember Victims In St. Martin, France

MARIGOT--Two ceremonies were held in St. Martin on Monday to remember the victims of the wave of violence that swept through St. Martin last week and the latest terrorist attack in Nice, France, where 84 persons lost their lives.

  There was a gathering in the garden of Hotel de la Collectivité at midday, where Territorial Council President Aline Hanson, Préfète Anne Laubies and Police aux Frontières (PAF) Commandant Jean-Luc Deras lit candles Read more

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Minister Jacobs Awards Winners Of Heritage Essay Competition

PHILIPSBURG--The winners of the first Intangible Heritage Interscholastic Essay Competition, hosted by the Department of Culture, received their awards from Minister of Education Silveria Jacobs at the Government Administration Building on Friday, July 15.

  The purpose of this initiative was to stimulate the young minds, inspire intellectual and creative thought and acknowledge the impact of African heritage on St Read more

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Ospp Congratulates I Can And Carl John

PHILIPSBURG – Congratulations were extended to the I Can Foundation on the occasion of their 20 year anniversary by the One St. Maarten People Party (OSPP) and to Police Chief Carl John on being officially inaugurated.

“We congratulate the I Can Foundation and particularly president and founder Cassandra Gibbs. She is a clear example of putting others before self, putting country before self Read more

Gendarmes Search For Evidence To Break Pierrick Briere Murder Case Monday

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – The Gendarmes, who were assisted by the GREEN BRIGADE, conducted further searches to find evidence that can lead to the conclusion of the murder case of “Pierrick BRIERE.”

The body of Briere was discovered early July and was believed to have been murdered on the night of 2nd to the 3rd of July 2016.

It is said that someone gave him a lift during the evening hours just before his death.

Captain of the Gendarmes Emmanuel MAIGNAN told our news room on Monday that they would love to talk with the driver who gave the victim a lift Read more

MARIGOT:--- Officials on St. Martin joined France on Monday for a moment of silence for the 84 victims that were killed on night of July 14th as they were celebrating Bastille Day.
Those that attended the moment of silence in the Garden (the war memorial) of the Collectivity were the President of the COM Aline Hanson, Prefet Anne Laubies and the Commandant of Police aux Frontieres Jean-Luc Deras Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:---- On Tuesday, July 12, 18 civil servants were sworn into the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports during a ceremony held at the A.C. Wathey Legislative Hall. The 18 civil servants were sworn in by Honorable Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Silveria Jacobs, in the presence of Secretary General Jorien Wuite and various Department/Division heads.
Minister Jacobs congratulated the civil servants after the ceremony, explaining that the power of the oath comes for those who takes it Read more

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Nature Foundation Starts Tagging Endangered Shark Species On St. Maarten

St. Maarten News —The St. Maarten Nature Foundation initiated their shark tagging program as part of the DCNA Save Our Sharks project funded by the Dutch National Postcode Lottery. According to the Nature Foundation in a press release, this research is aimed to better understand the life characteristics of sharks in St Maarten waters including population structure, abundance and migration. 

Jillian Morris and Duncan Brake from Sharks4kids assisted the Nature Foundation with building gear, catching, handling and tagging the sharks Read more

Male And Female Patients Placed In The Same Ward At St. Maarten Hospital

St. Maarten News —It has become quite obvious that the St. Maarten Medical Center is in dire need of space for patients since they are currently placing male and female patients in the same ward. When the institution was contacted, they informed this newspaper that they need to get the questions submitted to them on this issue in writing before they can give a comment on the issue.

The former United People’s Party leader Theo Heyliger had said in his campaign during the last elections that he would have had the new hospital built urgently Read more

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Financial Consultant: More Can Be Done To Help St. Maarten’S Youth

St. Maarten News—A financial consultant who has been visiting St. Maarten for several years, is concerned with the lack of opportunities for young people here. Albert White is a domestic and international business strategist in Maryland, USA and has been visiting St. Maarten for several years. He suggested that the people of the island, particularly young people are not benefiting from the economic growth and many of them are leaving St. Maarten as a result. “You can see the young people leaving the island and going elsewhere and not staying here,” White told Today.

He said he has friends who live in the US who are from St Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Former UPP member Benjamin Kelly who resigned some time ago from UPP will now be contesting the September 26th parliamentary election on USP slate.
In an invited comment Kelly confirmed that he resigned from the UPP and that he will be contesting the September 26th elections on the USP slate Read more

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Tamara: Less Revenue From Cruise, But No Plan From Govt.

PHILIPSBURG--The country’s cruise tourism numbers, both in revenue and passenger arrivals, continue to dwindle, but the current National Alliance (NA)-led Government appears to have no plan to save the industry, United People’s (UP) party Member of Parliament (MP) Read more

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Mp Emmanuel Congratulates Maho Resort Employees

PHILIPSBURG – Member of Parliament (MP) Christopher Emmanuel congratulated employees of the Maho Resort, with the favorable outcome of their court injunction against Maho Resort and the Board of the WICSU/PSU.

“After being informed by a group of employees on June 12, of the pressing situation they were confronted with by both their employer Maho Resort and WICSU/PSU Read more

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Democratic Party Outlines Its Program’S Route And The Party’S Founding Principles

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The DP’s 2016 draft political program is ready for review. The title of this document, “Building on the Foundations of Trust, Transparency and Togetherness” aptly describes the Red Thread through all the chapters of the program.

Some items appear again as they did in our 2014 program. And others are new or more pronounced in our 2016 program.

Ready for review means that the board of the party has to give its final stamp of approval, and the membership of the party, followed by the general public will be given the opportunity to offer input.

While the candidates of the DP in the 2016 election will be using this document to expound on the party’s plans, our candidates will not engage in “pie in the sky” politics Read more

Letter To The Editor

As a God-fearing woman/wife/mother of three I decided to take up this new challenge to run for Parliament in the upcoming elections.

My reason for doing so is the fact that through the years I have seen a lot of changes in St. Maarten. Some good and some extremely bad that were not in the best interest of our people. St. Maarten has become a country of many surprises especially by those in whom we have put our trust.

For example, you can wake up any morning just to hear that the government has fallen Read more

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Ppa Welcomes Anique Liu As A Candidate

PHILIPSBURG – “Second time, right time,” said Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) political leader Gracita Arrindell on Anique’s Liu re-entry into the political arena.

“We are pleased to have Anique join the PPA team as we further prepare to contest the upcoming Parliament elections on September 26 Read more

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