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style="text-align: center;">Our youth are crying for help and all their pleas are falling on deaf ears. A major crime is committed and unfortunately some youths are involved and the entire nation is in uproar. We must do something for your young people. They are going astray. Then the blame game starts, from the parents to the teachers and eventually the government. But at the end of the day nothing is done to help our young people. The 2015 budget was passed recently, what youth programs were presented to the public.

Dutch Quarter – Every year we have hundreds of young people completing our secondary schools and cannot find employment Read more

Government Of Sint Maarten Launches Its Official Facebook Page

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten (DCOMM)- The Government has launched its Official Facebook page, entitled: "Government of Sint Maarten" to the public and the rest of the world.

The goal of the Government's Facebook page is to gain wider exposure to a new demographic in the world of social media with information such as press releases, public notices, pictures and or videos of government related events.

This social media tool will make it easier for persons to have access to updated information from the Government of Sint Maarten which includes highlights of specific departments and their services

Through the Department of Communication (DCOMM) in its capacity as Emergency Support Function 8 (ESF 8) the Government aims to expand its reach to the public during times of emergencies and in preparation of any possible disasters.

Reaching the general public in a timely fashion as part of the emergency communication response is critical to avoid the possible loss of lives or unnecessary damage to property throughout the island.

"Having an official social media source for the country is important in this day and age Read more

Permanent Committee Of Cecysa Appoints Mp Silveria Jacobs As Chair And Mp Tamara Leonard As Vice Chair

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The Committee for Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs (CECYSA) of Parliament met on Friday, February 13, 2015 at 9.30 am to elect a new chair and vice chair on the request of a majority of members.

The committee increased by an additional three members and now consists of eight Members of Parliament (MPs) namely, MP Hon. Silveria Jacobs, MP Hon Read more

Establish The Van Hugh Law

Dutch Quarter, St. Maarten - Every year we have hundreds of young people completing our secondary schools and cannot find employment.

Put an ad in the newspapers seeking an administrative clerk and you would be surprised how many young people would apply for that job. It is unbelievable and yet those in office would want you to believe that the unemployment amongst young people is not at an all-time high.

If we should start an unemployment campaign registration at any given time in each district you would be surprised of the amount of young people that would register Read more

Editorial - Integrity broom

Not to comment on the content of a trial in progress, but the argument that Member of Parliament Patrick Illidge "used influence to get things done" (see Friday's and today's stories) is an interesting one from a historical perspective. You see, "getting things done" was very much part of St. Maarten's political culture, over the years leading to campaign slogans such as "Man of Action."

This is not all that surprising, considering the very rapid development of its tourism economy the Dutch side experienced in the latter part of the previous century while the public administration – to a large extent directed from Willemstad – was simply not able to handle the increased workload.

Whether it regarded employment and residence papers, building permits or business licences, to a certain extent demand simply exceeded supply Read more

Ujima Foundation

~ Ten years and going strong ~

When Ujima Foundation was formed ten years ago, it had a vision to help at-risk youths in the community to get back on the right track. As the foundation marks ten years of existence, the founders and their team are happy to see that their vision is being realised. Ujima marked its tenth anniversary on January 10 as a foundation, and eight years in operating the residential therapeutic home on February 16.

The home has worked with over 250 youths at the home in one way or another in the past eight years Read more

Cuban agriculture needs better roads

CAUTO CRISTO, Cuba--When it rains, trucks get stuck in the mud on the poor roads in this rural municipality in eastern Cuba. The local population needs more and better roads to improve their lives and help give a much-needed boost to the country's farming industry.

"When the roads are fixed, living conditions and opportunities will be bolstered in the lowlands, where most of our agricultural production is concentrated," deputy mayor of Cauto Cristo Alberto López told IPS.

Most of the 21,000 inhabitants of this rural municipality, located on a broad plain prone to flooding during the May-October rainy season, are scattered around the countryside on individual or state-run farms or in farming cooperatives Read more

Overtime and medical cost may lead to budget deficit

PHILIPSBURG--Steadily growing personnel cost, especially due to overtime, medical cost and increasing pension premiums appear to be leading government into a budget deficit for 2014. Government expenditures is said to be around NAf. 8.2 million over projections.

The budget was set at NAf Read more

Ruling in Bada Bing case expected Friday, March 6

PHILIPSBURG--"My life is ruined. I never got a chance. I have done nothing wrong. This atrocity I wish to no one," former Member of Parliament (MP) Patrick Illidge said Friday during the final day of hearings in the so-called Bada Bing case.

Illidge said his political career had been over ever since he was accused of involvement in bribery.

As chairman of Parliament's Justice Committee, he had been instrumental in providing the Prosecutor's Office with more tools to investigate cases, he said Read more

Enviro conference draws small crowd

BELAIR--Despite the constant talk and emphasis on tackling the country's rapidly-growing garbage mountain, a half-day environmental conference, hosted by Island Vision Foundation, on "Waste Management: Sustainability, Markets, and Initiatives for Small Islands" was sparsely attended at Belair Community Centre on Friday afternoon.

Democratic Party leader Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams opened the conference Read more

Glimmer of hope for Ukraine after new ceasefire deal

MINSK--Germany, France, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a deal offering a "glimmer of hope" for an end to conflict in eastern Ukraine, but the United States and NATO said further intense fighting on Thursday ran counter to the spirit of the accord.

The agreement, announced after more than 16 hours of discussions in the Belarussian capital Minsk, was followed swiftly by allegations from Kiev of a new, mass influx of Russian armour into rebel-held eastern Ukraine Read more

Jaap van den Heuvel seeks full acquittal

PHILIPSBURG--Lunteren NV director Jaap van den Heuvel's legal defence team provided a big stack of papers and needed four hours of pleadings on Thursday in their efforts to seek the Bada Bing nightclub owner's acquittal on eight charges, including bribery, money laundering and trafficking of women.

As one of the two main suspects in the so-called "Orca" investigations, Van den Heuvel (49) is facing four years' imprisonment. Lunteren NV is facing a NAf Read more

Lawyer: ‘Patrick Illidge used influence to get things done’

PHILIPSBURG--Former Member of Parliament (MP) Patrick Illidge is not guilty of bribery but has only done his duty as an MP in “assisting citizens in their attempts and efforts to persuade ministers and civil servants to do what they are supposed to do,” lawyer Ralph Richardson said Thursday.

Together with Bada Bing night club owner Jaap van den Heuvel (49) Illidge (49) is the main suspect in a case of bribery in which Illidge allegedly accepted bribes for the total amount of US $150,000 between March 2011 and October 2012.

In exchange for the money, Illidge was to use his power and influence to favour the Bada Bing owner in ensuring the Ministry of Economic Affairs or other government agencies would grant an operational licence to the nightclub and seek a change in its official registered address from Maho Shopping Centre to Sr Read more

Car recycling station inaugurated at landfill

MARIGOT--A presentation of a new 450,000-euro car recycling station was made Thursday, at the eco-landfill site in Grande Cayes where demonstrations were given of stripping down and de-polluting car wrecks with special equipment for parts that can be recycled.

Previously the landfill had no facility to deconstruct a car wreck from start to finish for recycling. In the past car wrecks were only crushed by independent contractors and shipped off-island.

The deconstruction process has now been made possible by the company Indra SAS Re-source Engineering Solutions, a pioneer in automobile recycling, which partners with car manufacturers Renault, Nissan etc.

Ten million cars reach the end of their lives in Europe and the new European Union (EU) target as of January, 2016, is 95 per cent of the car to be recycled, up from presently 82-85 per cent.

Managing Director of Verde SXM Patrick Villemin, the company that manages the landfill introduced the President of Indra SAS, Olivier Guadeau, who gave an overview of how “end of life vehicle” (ELV) centres operate; the company has 400 of them.

Inside the hangar, there are two independent work stations with special equipment, one to de-pollute the vehicle of oils and fuels, batteries and other hazardous waste, and the other station to remove the engine, transmission or other parts of the car that are difficult to remove Read more

>ST. MAARTEN TOURISM AUTHORITY

During the recent budget debates, you informed parliament of your intentions to "revisit" the structure and functioning of the St. Maarten Tourism Authority (STA). I
have to admit that this is your and any government's good right. However, this statement in my opinion comes at a time when that body has hardly been given a
chance to execute any of its duties, let alone that its functioning could be evaluated.
Your response in the budget meeting that triggered the above conclusion, has caused a lot of concern in tourism circles Read more

GEBE is a Gentlemen's Club – MP Emmanuel.

style="text-align: left;">PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Christopher Emmanuel described the supervisory board and management team of GEBE as managers of a gentlemen's club and he felt they were disrespectful and ill-prepared when they went to Parliament on Wednesday. MP Emmanuel made clear that all members in managerial positions at GEBE are male and he wants to know when would the management and the supervisory board see it fit to promote some of the women they have working in the organization to managerial positions Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Postal Services St. Maarten (PSS) N.V. drivers now have a new vehicle policy to regulate the efficient use of company vehicles throughout the work day.

The new policy was presented to the St. Maarten Communication Union (SMCU) on behalf of workers by the Supervisory Board of Directors, Postal Services St. Maarten during a brief ceremony at the main post office in Philipsburg Tuesday.

Supervisory Board Interim Chairman, Stuart Johnson, said the new policy governs the use of company assets while providing useful information on St Read more

Orca Case Set To Continue Friday

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The so called ORCA case involving former Member of Parliament Patrick Illidge and the owner of Bada Bing Jaap van der Heuvel was once again adjourned at around 5 pm on Thursday afternoon.

The case will be continuing on Friday morning at 8:30 am, at which time, prosecutors will present their closing arguments Read more

European leaders hold Ukraine peace talks as fighting surges

MINSK--The leaders of France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine held peace talks in Belarus on Wednesday, while in Ukraine pro-Moscow separatists tightened the pressure on Kiev by launching some of the war's worst fighting.

Ukraine's army said 19 of its soldiers were killed in pro-Russian separatist assaults near the railway town of Debaltseve, some of the worst losses it has reported in nine months of war. Rebels who tore up a five-month-old truce in January are trying to encircle government forces in Debaltseve, a strategic location that would let them link up their main strongholds.

Fighting has already killed more than 5,000 people, and Washington is now openly talking of arming Ukraine to defend itself from "Russian aggression", raising the prospect of a proxy war in the heart of Europe between Cold War foes.

A surge in fighting in the 24 hours before the summit, including a rocket attack that killed 17 people in government-held territory on Tuesday, could be intended to force Ukraine to accept a deal recognising the rebel advance.

The summit was being held in neighbouring Belarus under a Franco-German proposal to try to halt the fighting Read more

Illidge and Van den Heuvel face prison time in Bada Bing trial

PHILIPSBURG--The Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday requested 48 months against Bada Bing night club owner Jaap van den Heuvel and thirty months, ten of which are to be suspended, with two years' probation, for former independent Member of Parliament (MP) Patrick Illidge during the first day of hearings in the so-called "Orca" trial.

Van den Heuvel (49) and Illidge (49) are the main suspects in a case of bribery in which Illidge accepted bribes from Bada Bing and Lunteren NV's owner for the total amount of US $150,000 between March 2011 and October 2012.

In exchange for the money, Illidge was to use his power and influence to favour the Bada Bing owner in ensuring the Ministry of Economic Affairs would grant adapted permits to the nightclub and seek a change in its official registered address from Maho Shopping Centre to Sr Read more

School canteens subject of study for major renovations

MARIGOT--Caisse Territoriale des Oeuvres Scolaires (CTOS) President Rosette Gumbs- Lake hosted a presentation at Nina Duverly School on Wednesday of a thorough study on the school canteens of the French side, the conclusion of which will see most canteens undergoing upgrades or renovations to bring them up to par with European standards.

The feasibility study was undertaken by the design cabinet Quidort Grandes Cuisine in January 2014 and completed in December 2014. The approximate 80,000 euro cost of the study was financed largely by European funds FEDER (87.27 per cent) and in part by the Collectivité and CTOS (13 per cent).

CTOS Director Elizabeth Tabari gave an overview of the study while Alain Quidort of the architectural and design bureau explained the technical aspects Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA), the largest private business representative on the island, welcomes Ms. Anenda Zaandam as its new Executive Director. The appointment of Ms. Zaandam follows the resignation of Ms. Karen Hana whose her hard work and grand efforts, during her time with the association, were greatly appreciated.
Anenda Zaandam, Certified Hospitality Educator of the American Hotel & Lodging Association Educational Institute, will be bringing her extensive knowledge of the Hospitality & Service Industry to the SHTA Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- United People's (UP) Party Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Maurice Lake, is calling on Government to set up a public awareness campaign for the seven ministries of the government system that is responsible for running the country, as well as the role of parliament and the governor.

MP Lake added that the public has to be educated and aware of their rights, responsibilities and obligations, and that this would go long way in strengthening governance and democracy.

The seven ministries are: Ministry of General Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications, Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Development, Environment and Infrastructure and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports.

"I think it is very important that the community is aware of the respective responsibilities of each ministry Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Director of the St. Maarten Development Fund Keith Franca on Wednesday officially introduced the government organization to Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs. Franca briefed the Prime Minister on the accomplishments and activities of the fund in 2014 as well as presented the 2015 plans. Franca also met with Minister of Education, C Read more