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Seven cruise ships in today

POINTE BLANCHE--Today, Thursday, December 18, will be one of the busiest days of St. Maarten's cruise tourism season, a Port St. Maarten press release stated. Seven cruise vessels in port will translate to a combined estimated 18,000 cruise passengers and another 8,000 crew members.

The smallest vessel will be Windstar Cruises' Wind Surf with more than 300 passengers and the largest Freedom of the Seas with more than 3,600 Read more

Finally, the truth has revealed itself

Dear Editor,

No matter how much a person tries to dodge the truth, his conscience always finds a way to expose it, and most certainly, at a time when he least expects. It was an incredible moment to hear the USP leader spoke so passionately about the importance of team effort, and that, the catalyst behind him obtaining a Parliamentary seat, is solely credited to the input of his entire party Read more

Leona calls for meeting about Housing Foundation suspensions

PHILIPSBURG--Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo wants to get to the bottom of the issues at St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation that led to the supervisory board suspending with pay three members of the management team, including Foundation Director Henry Lynch.

Marlin-Romeo called on fellow MPs on Wednesday to help her convene a meeting of parliament with the three suspended members Read more

Sarah: Governor should answer to Parliament

PHILIPSBURG--Governor "should answer to Parliament regarding the formation of the next government, if only to stop the rumour mill," says Democratic Party (DP) Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams.

She shared this opinion in a press statement issued on Wednesday Read more

Christmas Follies starts in Marigot on Saturday

MARIGOT--Merchants Association of Marigot (ACM) announced its Christmas Follies programme, now in its fifth year, starts Saturday, December 20, and continues through December 23.

This year, ACM has been joined by partners Chamber of Commerce (CCISM), the Collectivité, Semsamar and St. Martin Tourism Office. The Christmas spirit is already evident in Marigot with some 30 small illuminated Christmas trees placed by ACM on the main shopping streets in the town and in Marina Royale. The trees are complementing the decorations put up by shop keepers in their windows.

Another initiative has been to suspend giant decorative paintings on canvas in front of shops that have closed down, such as the empty Little Europe and Raisonnable shops to improve their appearance Read more

Bute, Friday-Illis, Rawtani elected to Chamber Board

PHILIPSBURG--Louis Bute, Pamela Annuska Friday-Illis and Ajay Rawtani were elected to the Chamber of Commerce Board during what was referred to as a "smooth" and uneventful election on Friday.

Bute was elected as representative of large businesses, while Friday-Illis and Rawtani were elected to represent small businesses on the Board. Friday-Illis amassed 122 votes. However, there was a three-way tie between Rawtani, Anna Rabess-Richardson and Nkomo Lake, all of whom secured 65 votes Read more

New Gumbs Cabinet to be sworn in on Friday

HARBOUR VIEW--St. Maarten finally will have a new cabinet as of 3:00pm Friday when six new ministers are sworn in by Governor Eugene Holiday at his office.

The cabinet will be headed by veteran politician Marcel Gumbs as Prime Minister. He will also be ad interim Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI.

Current Justice Minister Dennis Richardson will continue in his post as well as serving as ad interim Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour.

Finance Minister Martin Hassink also will continue in his post.

School Manager Rita A Read more

Pascal Averne takes up new post in Guadeloupe

~ Leaves Collectivité after 10 years' service ~

MARIGOT--The Collectivité's Director General of Services (DGS) Pascal Averne is to leave St. Martin on December 23 after ten years at the helm of the administration, to take up a new posting in his native Guadeloupe.

As of January 1, 2015, he will serve as Chef de Cabinet for UMP politician Marie-Luce Penchard who is the Maire of Basse-Terre and daughter of former Regional Council of Guadeloupe President Lucette Michaux-Chevry.

The Collectivité bid a fond farewell to Averne at a function held in his honour in the Sandy Ground Cultural Centre cinema on Tuesday evening attended by colleagues with whom he worked, the four presidents who held office during his tenure and former Mayor Albert Fleming during the Commune era.

Such was the scope of his function – he needed to be fully conversant with not only the running of the Collectivité, but also the issues of the day concerning State, Department, Region and the new untested organic law that ushered in the new status – that he was the most-sought-after official for clarification or consultation on any topic and acted as adviser to the former Mayor, the first President Louis-Constant Fleming, subsequent Presidents Frantz Gumbs and Alain Richardson, and Aline Hanson today.

He was in regular contact with sectors such as health, education, justice, Gendarmerie, Chamber of Commerce, district councils, economic council, etc Read more

Prisons officers threaten shutdown

PORT OF SPAIN--Prisons officers are threatening to shut down operations at the country's penal institutions in protest over Government's failure to implement additional security measures, promised after the murder of one of their colleagues last year.

Speaking at a press conference outside the Frederick Street entrance of the Port-of-Spain State Prison on Wednesday president of the Prisons Officers' Association Ceron Richards described the proposed action, which crippled operations at the prisons for several weeks last year, as a last resort by prisons officers to have their concerns addressed Read more

Temporary dirt road to ease traffic congestion

PHILIPSBURG--The ring road has been transformed into a temporary one-way dirt road which will accommodate the outflow of traffic from Philipsburg for the busy holiday season. The entrance is near the Salt Pickers Roundabout at the section previously barricaded by yellow boulders, and the exit near Air Lekkerbek, both connecting to Walter Nisbeth Road.

Police Officers were in the area between 5:00pm and 6:00pm to direct traffic and introduce them to the lane.

The arrangement will be in place until at least January 5, informed Community Police Officer Steven Carty during a press conference held between the Police Force and Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI on December 18 Read more

New Kenya security law approved despite disruptions in parliament

NAIROBI--Kenya's parliament approved new anti-terrorism laws on Thursday after chaotic scenes in which opposition legislators, citing a threat to civil liberties and free speech, threw books at the Speaker, shouted, chanted and sprinkled water over his deputy. Television footage showed legislators exchanging blows in the public gallery before the vote.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has faced mounting pressure to boost security since a 2013 attack by Somali al Shabaab rebels on a Nairobi mall that killed 67 people Read more

MPs will propose review of Dutch nationality rescinding

PHILIPSBURG--The rescinding of the Dutch nationality of a number of people in the Dutch Caribbean due to administrative errors, and the subsequent statelessness of those persons as well as their children and in some instances grandchildren, is an issue Members of Parliament (MPs) want on the table for the Inter-Parliamentary Affairs Contact Meeting IPOK in Aruba January 6-9.

Parliament's Permanent Committee for Inter-Parliamentary Affairs and Kingdom Relations met in Parliament House on Thursday afternoon to review the draft agenda and preparations for the meeting of members of the Parliaments of the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and St Read more

Stars align to boost modest hopes of French recovery

PARIS--The euro has fallen, oil prices have tumbled, and borrowing rates are at record lows: French President Francois Hollande has had much of his economic wishlist granted, and it may just help him kickstart a long-awaited recovery in 2015.
  Granted, the short-term lethargy and structural problems in the euro zone's second-largest economy mean that it will remain a major worry for others in the single currency bloc. But the global context together with new reforms due to kick in next year are leading some to bet that France can achieve its 1 percent growth target for next year - modest by many standards but more than twice the 2014 growth estimate of 0.4 percent.
  Crude oil prices have nearly halved since June and the euro, a drop in which has long been sought by French politicians to help exports, has lost 11 percent since May Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- NAGICO sponsored 10,000 brochures to the Community Police Officers of Sint Maarten on Thursday morning, to assist with their crime prevention efforts.
CEO of NAGICO Insurances N.V; Dwayne Elgin made the presentation to representatives of the Police Force; Community Police Officers; Inspectors Steven Carty and Arcella Leonard Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- On Thursday December 18th, 2014, a press briefing was organized between the Department of VROMI and the Police Department regarding traffic measures that will take place during the busy Christmas Holiday Season. The press briefing was held at the Philipsburg Police Station. These measures are to alleviate the serious traffic congestion that occurs during this period by creating better traffic circulation throughout the Philipsburg area.
Later during that evening between 5:00 p.m Read more

Preventing Holiday Tree Fires.

>GREAT BAY (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

Nagico Sponsors Brochures To Police Safety Awareness Project

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - NAGICO sponsored 10,000 brochures to the Community Police Officers of Sint Maarten on Thursday morning, to assist with their crime prevention efforts.

CEO of NAGICO Insurances N.V; Dwayne Elgin made the presentation to representatives of the Police Force; Community Police Officers; Inspectors Steven Carty and Arcella Leonard.

"We at NAGICO are pleased to be able to assist the Community Police Officers (CPOs) in this initiative and we remain committed to our community as the repercussions and ripple effect from increased crime rate can be severe."

The brochures which will be distributed by the police officers to the general public contain safety tips on how to minimize the risk of theft, robberies and burglary Read more

Traffic Measure Implemented

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - On Thursday December 18th a press briefing was organized between the Department of VROMI and the Police Department regarding traffic measures that will take place during the busy Christmas Holiday Season.

The press briefing was held at the Philipsburg Police Station.

These measures are to alleviate the serious traffic congestion that occurs during this period by creating better traffic circulation throughout the Philipsburg area.

Later during that evening between 05.00 p.m Read more

Housing Foundation Board Member Elston Fos Speaks: “Lake Knew What Is Going On”

St. Maarten – Four candidates for the three vacant positions on the supervisory board of the Sint Maarten Housing Development Foundation withdrew their candidacy this weekend “for fear of their lives,” attorney Jairo Bloem stated in a press release issued yesterday on behalf of the foundation.

It is the next step in an ugly situation that developed last week with a report that the managing director of the foundation, Henry Lynch had been suspended. Next thing anyone knew, someone attempted to shoot board member Elston Fos Read more

Cornelius De-Weever Says: “Bring Back Our Professionals”

Great Bay—St. Maarten graduates and professionals in Holland must, according to Minister Cornelius de Weever, be encouraged and motivated to return to the island to use their expertise and knowledge in building their country.

The Social development and labor minister is urging local businesses to participate in Flinx Recruitment Expo Dutch Caribbean (FRED) June 4-June 7, 2015 in the Netherlands, Rotterdam.  “We need to bring our graduating and graduated students back to St Read more

Statians to the polls in referendum vote today

Preparations were still in full swing to turn Mike van Putten Youth Centre into a polling station on Tuesday afternoon.

ST. EUSTATIUS--Eligible voters in St. Eustatius will be casting their votes today, Wednesday, in the consultative referendum on the island’s constitutional future. The polling station in Mike van Putten Youth Centre will be open from 7:30am to 9:00pm. The results will not be made public until Friday, 10:00pm.

In the referendum, voters will have the opportunity to choose between four different options: 1 Read more

Collins admits to sexual contact with young girls

NEW YORK--Actor Stephen Collins, who played the family pastor in the television series "7th Heaven," has admitted to having inappropriate sexual contact with three underage girls decades ago, People magazine reported on Wednesday.

"Forty years ago, I did something terribly wrong that I deeply regret. I have been working to atone for it ever since," Collins, 67 said in a statement released to the magazine.

The actor said he decided to address the issue following the release earlier this year of an audio tape made during a confidential marriage therapy session with his estranged wife, Faye Grant Read more

>POINT BLANCHE:--- Thursday, 18 December, will be one of the busiest days of the cruise tourism season for destination St. Maarten with seven cruise vessels in port with a combined 18,000 (approximately) cruise passengers. This does not include crew, which could be an additional 8,000.

The smallest vessel will be Wind Surf of Windstar Cruises with over 300 passengers, to the largest, Freedom of the Seas with over 3,600 Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- In my opinion, it can and specifically in the case of the formation of the council of ministers, following a regular election.
The Governor has in this particular matter taken it upon himself (and we know why of course) to direct the process.
The government of the country is the responsibility of Parliament. When something seems awry, which it does, parliament has the responsibility to query the formation of a government for the country.
It should never be the case, that candidate ministers are publicly hung out to dry; taken down like sitting ducks, and all this on the basis of information that is somehow attained, because those who should apprise the people of the process, are mum.
Mostly, persons selected for ministerial positions are those who have postulated themselves in an election, unless there is a case of exceptional expertise in one or more particular areas and needed because of circumstances that warrant such Read more