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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

Nagico Sponsors Police Brochures

St. Maarten – Nagico sponsored 10,000 brochures to the Community Police Officers of St. Maarten on Thursday morning, to assist with their crime prevention efforts.

CEO of Nagico Insurances Dwayne Elgin made the presentation to representatives of the police force; community police officers; inspectors Steven Carty and Arcella Leonard Read more

Emil Lee: “Cuba Will Be An Interesting And Competitive Factor”

GREATBAY—St. Maarten’s tourism product, as well as that of the other Caribbean islands, may be negatively impacted by the new Cuban/American relationship, according to former director of the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association and current president of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association, Emil Lee.

The CHTA president noted that after being closed off to US residents for tourism and business for the last fifty years, Cuba will now be “a competitive and interesting” factor Read more

The Road To The Gumbs I Cabinet: “Peddling Seats To The Highest Bidder”

St. Maarten / By Hilbert Haar – When Governor Drs. Eugene Holiday administers the oath of office to the five ministers of the Gumbs I cabinet this afternoon, it marks the end of a tedious process that started during the night after the parliamentary elections on August 29. How did we get where we are today? A review.

To avoid any misunderstandings, the governor also administers the oath to the minister plenipotentiary today – but that is not a ‘real’ minister – it is the representative of St Read more

New Book To Be Launched On St. Maarten By Julio Romney

St. Maarten —A new book–St. Maarten: Our Constituent State Constitutional Framework– will be launched shortly by political analyst and science researcher Julio Romney.  Romney, who attended several schools in his early years on St. Maarten, went on to study in Canada where he pursued a double major in economics and political science at the University of Winnipeg.

The content of the publication includes the constitutional framework and elaborates on the Charter of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Constitution of St Read more

Chamber Of Commerce Elections

St. Maarten —Thirteen persons have been nominated for the three vacancies that exist on the board of the Chamber of Commerce and industry and votes will be cast today to decide the new board members. The election process will begin at 8:00am.

The nomination period ended Tuesday. “For the large business sector, five (5) persons postulated themselves, and for the small business sector, eight (8) persons postulated themselves. For the large business sector, there is one (1) vacancy, and for the small business sector, there are two (2) vacancies on its board of directors,” a press release from the chamber states.

The Election Committee consisted of Franklin Brison, Cleophas Richardson, Myrna Lynch, and Charles Benders Read more

Urgent Plenary Session Of Parliament Scheduled For Monday About Housing Foundation

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – A plenary session of the House of Parliament is scheduled for December 22nd regarding the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF).

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

The agenda is concerning the request made to the Governments Accounting Bureau SOAB to carry out a forensic investigation in to the operations of the SMHDF; the decision of the board of the SMHDF to suspend several members of the management team and the request of the former Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Hon 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

Editorial - Hit the ground running

After all the political turmoil over the last few months the installation of the Gumbs cabinet can be seen as a welcome Christmas present. Of course, it regards a smaller-than-usual Council of Ministers due to screening issues, but at least this ends the undesirable situation of having a caretaker government in office since September, of which two members also became parliamentarians in the meantime.

The two remaining cabinet members will be added later, but there is no reason to believe the current five plus the plenipotentiary minister in The Hague won't be able to do a good job Read more

Majority adopts Urban Code at Council meeting

MARIGOT--The majority party adopted the new Urban Code at the year’s last Territorial Council meeting on Thursday despite the Opposition voicing several concerns before abstaining on the vote. The Code will now come into effect on March 1, 2015.

The vote followed the public meeting and presentation on December 4 with the specialist and editor of the Code, Philippe Baffert. On December 5 technicians correlated the Urban Code project with the Plan Local Urbanisme (PLU) and on December 9 the urbanism commission harmonised further aspects of the Code.

Since April 2012 St Read more

New Marcel Gumbs Cabinet takes office

~ Governor issues challenge to unify people ~

PHILIPSBURG--"The greatest little country in the world" as St. Maarten has been described by its new Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, finally has a new Council of Ministers. Gumbs, a veteran politician, and the five other ministers were sworn in on Friday afternoon by Governor Eugene Holiday at his office.

The swearing-in ceremony was followed by the first meeting of the Council of Ministers with the governor in A.C Read more

Samenwerkende Fondsen gives mini-grants to 4 organisations

PHILIPSBURG--Four non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have received small grants, up to NAf. 5,000, for special, social projects from Samenwerkende Fondsen.

Receiving the funds are Council of Cultural and Artistic Expressions (COCAAE) Drums, No Kidding with our Kids Foundation, St. Maarten Alliance for Equality (SAFE) and the Turning Point Foundation.

Urmay Dormoy of COCAAE said the funds give his drum group the "outlet" to do the job with his kids.

Merlyn Schaminee of No Kidding with Our Kids Foundation said the money will be used to replace the foundation's stove and fridge Read more

We need a reduction in the fuel clause now

Dear Editor,

Please allow me some space in your newspaper to share OSPP’s written request, on December 19, 2014, to President of Parliament Dr. Lloyd Richardson, that a meeting be called with NV GEBE to discuss a reduction of the fuel clause in our energy bills. The fact that a new government was sworn in Friday and a new minister will assume the responsibility of energy is no excuse to delay a reduction in the fuel clause.

The cost of living on St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Marcel Gumbs second Prime Minister since St. Maarten became a country

PHILIPSBURG:--- Five of the seven required Ministers were sworn in on Friday. Former Senator of the Netherlands Antilles Marcel Gumbs was sworn in as the second Prime Minister of Country St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- NAGICO Insurances through their NAGICO Lend a Hand project executed a massive Food Drive, in which 21 boxes of non-perishable food items were collected, packaged and donated to various members of the community.
The initiative which was spearheaded by the NAGICO Marketing Department and kicked off in September, with collection bins and baskets placed at all NAGICO locations throughout the island and individuals were encouraged to donate whatever non-perishable food item they could spare.
"We wanted this to be a hands-on project where our staff, management, agents and brokers came together to contribute to the community in a tangible way," Paul Dijkhoffz; Executive Marketing Manager of NAGICO said Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The cost of living on St. Maarten is amongst one of the highest within the region and the cost of energy is one of the main proponents of that cost. A reduction of the cost of energy will result in food prices as well as many other prices on the island to drop, and thus providing the consumers a much needed relief. Every political party and all the candidates during the last campaign have promised the people some type of relief. Today, we have a golden opportunity to make good use on at least one of those promises and that should be by reducing the fuel clause on our energy bills Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Outgoing Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake in one of his final activities on Friday prior to the swearing in of the new Council of Ministers, enjoyed Christmas lunch with senior citizens organized by Home Away from Home Foundation at the John Larmonie Center.

"The seniors are very close to my heart Read more

Outgoing Minister Lake Has Christmas Lunch With Senior Citizens Organized By Home Away From Home

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Outgoing Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake in one of his final activities on Friday prior to the swearing in of the new Council of Ministers, enjoyed Christmas lunch with senior citizens organized by Home Away from Home Foundation at the John Larmonie Center.

"The seniors are very close to my heart Read more

Nagico Food Drive Brings Christmas Cheer To St. Maarten

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - NAGICO Insurances through their NAGICO Lend a Hand project executed a massive Food Drive, in which 21 boxes of non-perishable food items were collected, packaged and donated to various members of the community.

The initiative which was spearheaded by the NAGICO Marketing Department and kicked off in September, with collection bins and baskets placed at all NAGICO locations throughout the island and individuals were encouraged to donate whatever non-perishable food item they could spare.

"We wanted this to be a hands-on project where our staff, management, agents and brokers came together to contribute to the community in a tangible way," Paul Dijkhoffz; Executive Marketing Manager of NAGICO said Read more

Statement From The Honorable Prime Minister Marcel F.A. Gumbs

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with a great sense of pride and honor that I sit before you as Prime Minister of this greatest little country in the world. My entire life has been dedicated to service in one form or the other to St. Maarten. This latest chapter is just a continuation of that service. And now, it's time to work!

We hold no illusions of the task before us. St. Maarten is at a critical stage in its development and growth as a nation.

Our mission is clear: To ensure that St Read more

Speech Of The Governor Given At The Appointment And Swearing-In Ceremony Of The New Cabinet Of Ministers

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten - Chairman of Parliament, Prime-Minister, President of the Collectivity of Saint Martin,
Parliamentarians, Ministers Invited Guests, My fellow Sint Maarteners Good Afternoon.

The August 29, 2014, parliamentary elections set the stage for the transfer of executive responsibility for the governance of our beautiful country from one team of ministers to a new team of ministers. Today, 3 months and three weeks, later we have before us a new team of ministers.

It is the culmination of the official formation process amidst complex and tensed domestic and Kingdom circumstances.

During the formation which concluded today I consulted with various persons and named and worked with formateur Mr Read more

Ospp Leader Sends Letter To President Of Parliament Seeking Meeting To Discuss Gebe Fuel Clause

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – The cost of living on St. Maarten is amongst one of the highest within the region and the cost of energy is one of the main proponents of that cost.

A reduction of the cost of energy will result in food prices as well as many other prices on the island to drop, and thus providing the consumers a much needed relief.

Every political party and all the candidates during the last campaign have promised the people some type of relief. Today, we have a golden opportunity to make good use on at least one of those promises and that should be by reducing the fuel clause on our energy bills Read more

Chamber Election Results

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The results of the Chamber elections for the period 2015-2017 are as follows:

Kleinbedrijf: (Small Business)

Ajay Rawtani................................65 (due to a three way tie, a pulling of a lot by the election committee chair was done* see excerpt of law below)

Ann Meyers .................................46

Anna Rabess-Richardson...........65

Basil Richardson..........................15

Keoma Hamer..............................33

Nkomo Lake.................................65

Pamela Annuska Illis-Friday......122

Vinod Kotai...................................57

Grootbedrijf: (Large Business)

Ann Meyers..................................5

Anna Rabess-Richardson...........3

Louis Bute....................................15

Nkomo Lake.................................2

Pamela Annuska Illis-Friday......6

*Election Regulations for the Chambers of Commerce and Industry

Artikel 56

· 2 Read more

Preventing Holiday Tree Fires This Season

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – Many homes on the inside and outside have been decorated with Christmas lights, stockings, banners, wreaths and the most popular of these decorations is the Christmas tree.

As part of Ministry of Public Health's Collective Prevention Services (CPS) Safe Holiday Season Observances, in collaboration with the Department of Communication, residents are advised to keep the season safe by following a few helpful tips.

Minister of Public Health Hon. Cornelius de Weever as part of his 'Get Checked' campaign, is calling on the community to check their Christmas tree lighting to make sure is operating safely in order in order to avoid any hazards this holiday season.

These are some life-saving steps you can take to ensure a safe and happy holiday:

Preventing Holiday Tree Fires

* Holiday tree fire hazards

Special fire safety precautions need to be taken when keeping a live tree in the house Read more