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>PHILIPSBURG:---The 2015-2016 school year is just about to begin with our students reporting to classes today. After one month of vacation our students are all revered up to acquire some more knowledge as the saying goes only the prepared will inherit the future.
Recently, I had a conversation with a teacher and he stated that on an annual basis many students are not promoted; in some cases they don’t pass their final exams and often times they drop out of school after having repeated the same class more than once Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:----  Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunications Hon. Claret Connor, on Saturday, August 15, 2015, had the honor to speak at the graduation ceremony for the first cohort of the Pre-University of St. Martin (USM) Program.
Some 20 students received their certificates for successfully completing the GED program as well as a few prerequisites making each student eligible to enroll in a USM degree program of their choice.
Minister Connor on Sunday stated that what made the evening more remarkable, especially in light of the recent tragedy that struck the community a few days ago, is the fact that these promising individuals all carried their own unique recount about why this second chance was essential for them personally.
“Some of the presenters shared about students being promoted to advance grades because of their ability to learn quicker; while for others their aspirations were curtailed because of life or personal circumstances Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---  St. Maarten businessman and former Minister of Finance of the Netherlands Antilles, Mr. Frank Mingo passed away 11:00 pm Friday night at the Pablo Tubon hospital, Colombia, at the age of 68.
He was being treated at the hospital overseas for several weeks after taking ill on St. Maarten.
His children Brian Mingo, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of TelEm Group and Mark Mingo, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Harbour Group of Companies and Notary Marlene Mingo, have all expressed extreme sadness at the passing of their father Read more

>PHILIPSBURG: --- Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunications Hon. Claret Connor, expresses his deepest sympathy on behalf of his ministry and himself to the families of Mingo and Labega on the passing of their family member.
Former Minister of Finance of the Netherlands Antilles Frank Mingo passed away on Friday Read more

Democratic Party Back To School Message

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Democratic Party takes this opportunity to extend best wishes to all students at the start of the school year 2015-2016.

We encourage students to start the year vigorously and remain focused throughout. Don't dwell on what was or could have been last year, but rather give this year your very best. Education should always remain your number one priority.

Parents, your child's success depends for a great part on the role you play in their lives, at home and at school Read more

Minister Of Tourism Connor Speaks At Usm Pre-University Program

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunications Hon. Claret Connor, on Saturday, August 15, 2015, had the honor to speak at the graduation ceremony for the first cohort of the Pre-University of St. Martin (USM) Program.

Some 20 students received their certificates for successfully completing the GED program as well as a few prerequisites making each student eligible to enroll in a USM degree program of their choice.  

Minister Connor on Sunday stated that what made the evening more remarkable, especially in light of the recent tragedy that struck the community a few days ago, is the fact that these promising individuals all carried their own unique recount about why this second chance was essential for them personally.

“Some of the presenters shared about students being promoted to advance grades because of their ability to learn quicker; while for others their aspirations were curtailed because of life or personal circumstances Read more

Practice Makes Perfect, My Message To Our Students, Tomorrows Leaders

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – The 2015-2016 school year is just about to begin with our students reporting to classes today.

After one month of vacation our students are all revered up to acquire some more knowledge as the saying goes only the prepared will inherit the future.

         Recently, I had a conversation with a teacher and he stated that on an annual basis many students are not promoted; in some cases they don’t pass their final exams and often times they drop out of school after having repeated the same class more than once Read more

Minister Of Tourism Connor Expresses Condolences To The Mingo And Labega Families

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunications Hon. Claret Connor, expresses his deepest sympathy on behalf of his ministry and himself to the families of Mingo and Labega on the passing of their family member.

Former Minister of Finance of the Netherlands Antilles Frank Mingo passed away on Friday.  He leaves to mourn his sons Chief Executive Officer of Port St Read more

Na Back To School Message Of Hope

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The National Alliance family extends best wishes for success to all students returning to school on Monday August 17 as well as to all those returning to school abroad to further their respective studies.

It is a great opportunity to be able to go to school, to make it your priority in life to learn something new daily as well as build character and practice respect. 

We urge all students to make good use of the opportunity for education, to ask pertinent questions, complete assignments on time, read as much as possible, do research, and prepare well for all tests.

Your success will be yours individually, your parents',  your teachers', your schools' and St Read more

Prime Minister Gumbs Expresses Condolences To The Mingo Family

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs expresses his deepest sympathy to the Mingo family with respect to the passing of former Minister of Finance of the Netherlands Antilles Frank Mingo from 1998-1999.

Frank Mingo also served as Senator in the former Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles representing Sint Maarten from 1999 to 2002.

Mingo passed away on Friday night.

“It was indeed sad to learn about the passing of Frank Mingo.  I worked with him when I was State Secretary of Justice, General and Interior Affairs from 1998 to 2002.

“On behalf of the Council of Ministers, I extend our condolences to the immediate family and friends of Frank Mingo during their time of bereavement,” Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs said on Sunday Read more

>PORT ST. MAARTEN:--- The Supervisory Board of Directors, Management Team and Staff of Port St. Maarten, expresses their deepest condolences to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Mingo and the Mingo family on the passing of his father Mr. Frank Mingo.

Frank Mingo (68) passed away at 11.50pm on Friday night, August 14, 2015 at a hospital in Medellin, Colombia.

Mingo was a former Minister of Finance of the Netherlands Antilles from 1999 to late 2000 Read more

To teach or to direct, that is the question Part 1

St. Maarten teachers and school principals reflecting on their jobs

By Rik Haverman

Without a doubt, the majority of people will recognize the importance of education for the St. Maarten society, but who exactly are these people providing the education? What drives them to teach the youth and what are the problems they experience in this branch? These types of questions will be answered at an organizational and operational level, by two St. Maarten teachers and two school principals.

Laticia Brown

To start off, let's introduce Laticia Brown: Just 26 years young and she already teaches two different courses – math and Dutch – at two different schools Read more

Editorial - It’s about time

Increasing the pensionable age from 60 to 62 was mentioned again, this time by DP leader Sarah Wescot-Williams (see Friday paper). All over the world similar steps are being taken to safeguard the funds in question.

With today's advanced medical treatment folks are simply living longer Read more

Editorial - Wide open

The urgent Central Committee meeting on crime after the recent
fatal shooting of Police Offi cer Benjamin by armed robbers
on Front Street that started on Monday is scheduled to
continue today, Friday. It was still a closed-door session up to
Thursday night, despite criticism on that aspect from various
quarters, including opposition members.
What’s more, the Council of Ministers said it had not requested
that the encounter be confi dential, but this is how the invitation
from the legislature came Read more

Gumbs apologises for suicide comments

PHILIPSBURG--Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs has issued an apology Friday for comments he made about suicide at the Council of Ministers Press Briefing on Wednesday. The Cabinet's Press Secretariat attributed "his outburst to frustration with what he has called the ongoing destructive conduct of certain media and community elements."

An emotional Gumbs on Wednesday heavily condemned persons, who he believes continue to paint the island black with negative comments Read more

Impressed journalists already creating a buzz

AIRPORT--The international aviation and travel writers brought to St. Maarten by Princess Juliana International Airport SXM for a media tour this week have started to create a buzz in media coverage, even before leaving. The whirlwind trip has left them with plenty of material to write about what they have experienced personally as unique traits of travel in St. Maarten and hub partners Saba and St. Barths.

The 11 hand-picked journalists will be submitting their stories to more than 30 international media outlets and while some story ideas were pre-planned, others will be based on where the wind took them.

One highlight, an impromptu and unscripted one-minute video of Domino's Pizza being delivered to Saba on Winair, already has gone viral Read more

Jamaica phases out use of ozone-depleting compound in foam-manufacturing industry

KINGSTON, Jamaica--Jamaica has successfully phased out the use of a key ozone-depleting substance that was being used in the foam-manufacturing industry.

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) were being used by SEAL Sprayed Solutions Limited to make spray-in-place insulation that controls moisture and temperature within buildings. The climate-friendly and ozone-friendly alternative methyl formate is now being used in the manufacturing process.

Most HCFCs have a high global-warming potential Read more

Kerry urges "genuine democracy" at US flag ceremony in Cuba

HAVANA--U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry declared a new era in relations as he celebrated restored diplomatic ties in Havana on Friday, but he also urged political change in Cuba, telling Cubans they should be free to choose their own leaders.

The first U.S. secretary of state to visit the Caribbean island in 70 years, Kerry presided over a ceremony raising the U.S. flag over the newly reopened American embassy.

His comments drew a firm riposte from Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, who defended his Communist government at a joint news conference and criticized the United States' own record on rights Read more

Myanmar gags media linked to ousted ruling party leader

NAYPYITAW--Myanmar has gagged media linked to parliamentary speaker Shwe Mann after he and his allies were purged from the ruling party leadership by President Thein Sein on Thursday months ahead of a historic general election.

The media crackdown comes after a heavy-handed involvement of security forces in Shwe Mann's ouster this week and will add to concern about the progress of democratic reforms, given the government's use of tactics reminiscent of military-era purges Read more

Chef Dino takes St. Maarten flavours to South America

CUPECOY--Colombia will experience the culinary excellence for which St. Maarten is known when the island’s Iron Chef Dino Jagtiani of Temptation restaurant demonstrates his culinary alchemy at the 2015 Sabor Barranquilla gastronomic event in South America, August 21-23.

Jagtiani is only international chef at the event from the Caribbean. Other invited international chefs include Chefs Mikel Alonso of Spain, Narda Lepes and Marcelino Gómez of Argentina Read more

Plenary Session of Parliament set for Monday about Protocol Signed between Sint Maarten and the Netherlands and Integrity

>PHILIPSBURG:---- The House of Parliament will meet in a public plenary session on August 17th. The Minister of General Affairs Marcel Gumbs and the Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson, have confirmed to be present for the parliamentary session.

The plenary session is set for Monday at 10.00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

This meeting was adjourned on June 22, 2015.

The agenda is the draft national ordinance to establish the Integrity Chamber.

The next agenda point is the protocol signed between the Governments of the Netherlands and Sint Maarten and the apparent unilateral decision by the Netherlands/Dutch Police Agencies regarding the Justice System on Sint Maarten.
Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St Read more

NA and DP Requested that second agenda point be added to Monday's Public Meeting.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Democratic Party Faction and National Alliance submitted a request to the chairman of Parliament requesting that he place a second agenda point be placed on Monday's meeting. In a joint press release issued by both factions states the following they submitted a  request was made today (Friday) by the opposition factions NA and DP Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:---- Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs offered some clarification for statements he made at the bi-weekly Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday, 12 August.
The Prime Minister said that certain terms he used were indeed not necessary nor were they entirely representative of his own personal beliefs. He attributed his outburst to frustration with what he has called the ongoing destructive conduct of certain media and community elements.
The Prime Minister had the following message for the country:
“Indeed, my life has been touched by the tragedy of suicide Read more

Prime Minister Gumbs Clarifies Statements And Stands By Message

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – Prime Minister Hon. Marcel Gumbs offered some clarification for statements he made at the bi-weekly Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday, 12 August. The Prime Minister said that certain terms he used were indeed not necessary nor were they entirely representative of his own personal beliefs. He attributed his outburst to frustration with what he has called the ongoing destructive conduct of certain media and community elements.

The Prime Minister had the following message for the country:

“Indeed, my life has been touched by the tragedy of suicide Read more