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Dp Presents Platform On Education: Life-Long Learning In Thinking Schools

St. Maarten - The Democratic Party presented its party platform on education on Monday. The party’s vision is predicated on the belief that the development of human resources is vital to the island’s economic development. The focus of the Democratic Party is to create the national culture and social environment necessary to promote life-long learning opportunities for the people of St. Maarten.

“It is the party’s belief that all of our citizens have the ability to continuously learn, both for professional development as well as personal enrichment Read more

Outpouring Of Sympathy For Deceased Unionist Pantophlet

St. Maarten – Unionists and politicians expressed their respects to unionist Patricia Pantophlet who passed away last weekend in Colombia at the age of 57.

“Deeply saddened by the passing of a great trade union leader, Patricia Pantophlet, sister of the General Secretary of the Windward Islands Teachers’ Union, Roxsana Pantophlet,” Witu-President Claire Elshot wrote.
“Affectionately known to all as Patsy, she has left a legacy with her contributions to the workers’ organizations in defending the rights of civil servants as President of Windward Islands Civil Servants Union (WICSU) Read more

Dp Women's Wing Mourns Loss Of Patricia Pantophlet

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - "Mourning the loss of one of its great women and social activists; a woman who was the embodiment of courage and perseverance; the voice of the disenfranchised and less fortunate".

The Women's Wing of the Democratic Party of St. Maarten joined the community in mourning the loss of former president of the Windward Island Civil Servants Union (WICSU-PSI) and the Chamber Labor of Unions, Patricia "Patsy" Pantophlet.

"The Women's Wing of the Democratic Party joins the community of St Read more

President Arrindell Says Social Formation Program A Step Forward For Prevention Of Criminality

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – President of Parliament Hon. Gracita Arrindell is very pleased with the cooperation of the Ministry of Justice as it is working diligently preparing the draft ordinance regulating a Social Formation Program for young people between the ages of 16 and 20 years.

"Safety and security of our people and visitors is a critically important aspect of the quality of life of our island.

"Prevention of criminality under our young people is key in working towards this goal Read more

New Vks Commander States Intentions

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Antonio Rogers is now the new Commander of the Voluntary Corp of St. Maarten.

He was sworn in, during an installation ceremony attended by many persons particularly from the Justice chain held in front of the Government Administration Building over the weekend.

Whilst speaking at the oath taking ceremony on Saturday, Commander Rogers seized the opportunity to apologize to his family for what he says they had to endure because of his appointment at the helm of the VKS.

He also expressed his gratitude to the former Commander Jean Illidge for recommending him for the position.

The newly installed VKS Commander also told attendees at the ceremony that the organization will be headed by a person with a strong character.

He remarked: "I'll upgrade with the advice and help from the foundation." The VKS organization, according to Mr Read more

Up Board Jamaica Day Message

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The board of the United People's Party (UP) is extending its best wishes to the Sint Maarten Jamaican community who will be celebrating Jamaica Day on August 6th.

"We extend best wishes and festive greetings to the Sint Maarten Jamaican community.

The UP family recognizes the indispensable contributions to the economic development of our nation," remarked the UP Board.

"Congratulations to the Government and people of Jamaica who will celebrate their 52nd year of independence Read more

Neighborhood Watches, Public Private Partnerships, Strengthening Police Force, Alternative Punishment For Light Crimes Components Of Democratic Party Platform On Safety And Security

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Democratic Party of St. Maarten outlined its Party Platform on Safety and Security on Tuesday, highlighting the DP's vision with regards to the safety and security of the St. Maarten Population.

The platform reads that Safety and Security remains a concern for DP and that the party is committed to improving the internal security of St Read more

Avs First Live Political Debate Set For August 10

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten - AVS Live Political Debates on the parliamentary elections will be held Sunday, August 10, August 17 And Sunday, August 24 At The Belair Community Center In Cay Hill.

The debates will be aired via Sxm Cable TV Channel 120 and WTN Cable TV Carib Channel 10 and Will Stream Live via Avsnewsonline.com TV Channel.

On Saturday, August 2, the leaders or an authorizing representative of the six political parties were invited to an informative session regarding the rules & regulations of the debate by the organizing committee who consist Of Clarence Richardson, Chairman, Edward Benjamin, Vice Chair, Terry Woods, Member, Florence Marlin, Member and Mireya Ostiana, Member.

The session was held at The Yogesh Commercial Complex on A.J.C Read more

Petrotrin VP suspended following Trinidad oil spill

PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad--The Vice President of Petrotrin's refinery and marketing department has been suspended pending investigations into the recent oil spill in the southern town of Marabella.

Petrotrin chairman Lindsay Gillette told a news conference Saturday that vice president Mado Bachan was suspended with pay and other suspensions were also expected, but the number could not be confirmed.

The company also announced the appointment of an independent auditor to conduct further investigations on the leaking tank at the Pointe-a-Pierre refinery and a failed bund wall which was expected to contain oil spillage from tanks.

"When this board was appointed, it set up an asset maintenance and optimisation committee to look at asset integrity issues Read more

Brady, former White House press secretary, dies at 73

WASHINGTON--James Brady, a former U.S. presidential press secretary who became a leading gun control crusader after he was critically wounded in an assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, has died, a family spokeswoman said on Monday. He was 73.

The attack on Reagan in 1981 left Brady partially paralyzed due to brain damage. His family said in a statement he died Monday morning after a series of health issues at a retirement community in Alexandria, Virginia, where he had been living for the past year and a half.

Brady spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair after being shot, but he and his wife, Sarah, campaigned for a gun law that would be known as the "Brady bill." The law, which was passed in 1993, required a mandatory five-day waiting period for purchase of handguns and also background checks for would-be gun buyers.

"As a result, countless lives have been saved Read more

Youth empowerment: entrepreneurship

Dear Editor,

What is our attitude towards entrepreneurship on St. Maarten, should it not reflect the environment created to foster Small and Medium Sized Businesses (SMEs)? According to Russell S. Sobel, in the Concise Encyclopaedia of Economics, "an entrepreneur is someone who organizes, manages and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise. An entrepreneur is an agent of change. Entrepreneurship is the process of discovering new ways of combining resources.

When the market value generated by this new combination of resources is greater than the market value these resources can generate elsewhere individually or in some other combination, the entrepreneur makes a profit Read more

Editorial - Co-responsible

Saturday morning's fire that left several people homeless has drawn attention once again to especially wooden dwellings built close together and the hazard this creates. On this occasion it regarded the St. Peters district near Marigot Hill Road, but similarly devastating blazes with comparable consequences already have occurred several times in recent years at, for example, Over the Bank near the Vineyard Building and in the Cay Bay area.

Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure Maurice Lake is rightly concerned about this situation and after the October 2013 fire in Cole Bay put a team together to make recommendations for improvement Read more

Duty officer: Fire Department was dispatched immediately

~ Call 919 for faster fire response ~

PHILIPSBURG--"Call 919 in case of a fire, not 911," is an important message from the Fire Department.

Although 911 may also be utilised, calls are taken by a controller. When people dial 919, the calls are answered by fire officers who are on duty 24/7 and have specific training and knowledge that a non-Fire Department controller does not have.

Calling 919 enables the fire officer to ask specific questions that will help determine whether the fire is a threat to life or property, or whether it is caused, for example, by someone burning garbage.

In the case of the house fire in St Read more

Judge to rule in election fraud case on August 25

PHILIPSBURG--Four days before the election of a new Parliament of St. Maarten, which is scheduled for Friday, August 29, the Court of First Instance will hand down its verdicts in the so-called Masbangu case. This case concerns four persons allegedly involved in the selling and buying of votes during the first general election in Country St. Maarten, which was held September 17, 2010.

The Prosecutor’s Office considered all suspects guilty as charged and requested suspended prison sentences of three years, with two years’ probation.

Prosecutor Maarten Noordzij also requested 150-200 hours of community service, and that the Court take away suspects’ rights to vote.

In addition, the Prosecutor requested that United People’s (UP) party representative R.H Read more

Prime Minister Reacts To Up Leader:  “No Ministerial Elections In Our Constitution”

St. Maarten - “Already you hear politicians and aspiring politicians saying that vote for me and I will be Prime Minister of St. Maarten. That is not what the people of St. Maarten are voting for; they will be voting for the fifteen Members of Parliament,” Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams said during a special broadcast of One on One with the Prime Minister on 98.1 this past Friday, responding to the United People’s (UP) Party leader Theo Heyliger’s public request to voters to become the next Prime Minister of St Read more

style="text-align: center;">"Voters will be voting for fifteen members of Parliament and not for Minister or a Prime Minister. There are no Ministerial Elections in our constitution" PHILIPSBURG:--- During a special broadcast of One on One with the Prime Minister on 98.1 this past Friday, the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams clarified certain matters pertaining to the upcoming August 29th Parliamentary Elections Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The >National Alliance family is deeply saddened by the passing of trade union stalwart, humanitarian, vocal community activist and woman-of-grit Patricia Pantophet, 57, in Bogota Colombia, where she was flown for medical attention in early July. Pantophlet was the sister of >National Alliance number two candidate Member of Parliament George Pantophlet Read more

Democratic Party Leader and Prime Minister the Hon. Sarah Wescot-Williams: “Ready or No…An October Parliament means a hurricane season campaign and election period.”

>PHILIPSBURG:--- In response to recent media articles disseminated by the >United People's Party regarding that party's wish to have elections before the Hurricane Season, Prime Minister of St. Maarten and the leader of the >Democratic Party the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams clearly stated that due to the Heyliger/ >National Alliance Coalition Government in 2009-20010 deciding that the date for the transition of St Read more

style="text-align: center;">>DP # 12 candidate starts weekly messages. PHILIPSBURG:--- Increasing the purchasing power of our senior citizens is one of the four primary issues Mr. Hubert Pantophlet plans to tackle in the four-year parliamentary term, when elected.Pantophlet, the nr Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- President of Parliament Hon. Gracita Arrindell wishes the 80 students who left on Sunday for the Netherlands much success with their studies."I can recall the days when I left the island to continue with my studies. It is a positive experience. You will have challenges, but nothing that you can't overcome."It is also a difficult time for parents to say good bye to their sons and daughters, but at the same time, also exciting Read more

Prime Minister Wescot-Williams Visits Site Of St. Peters Fire, Commends Those Who Assisted In Controlling Fire

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams on Saturday visited the area in St. Peters that was struck by a fire hours before.

The Prime Minister visited the site and spoke to the residents of the area, some of who have lost many personal items in the blaze.

"It is with a heavy heart that I stand here and talk to those who have lost their possessions during this fire.

This is indeed a tragedy, although we should all be thankful to God that there was no loss of life," commented Prime Minister Wescot-Williams.

The PM also thanked the residents, especially several young men, from the St Read more

Winair Now Offers Door To Door Courier Service

AIRPORT ROAD, Simpson Bay - WINAIR is pleased to announce another value-added service for its clients, door-to-door courier service.

WINAIR currently provides Cargo Express services and Speedmail and now has enhanced this service by adding pick-up and delivery anywhere in St. Maarten.

Customers can have packages or speed-mail picked up for shipping or delivered to their home or business.

Caribbean Vis/Pass Consultancy, 40 Cannegieter Street, Philipsburg Read more

Healthy eating equals healthy education!

What to put in your child's lunch kit Packing healthy and nutritious snacks and meals for your child to take to school five days a week can be challenging for some parents, particularly if you're not quite sure what constitutes a "healthy" meal and if you have a child who constantly nags you for "junk" food. Nutritionist Swinda Richardson from the Ministry of Public Health says despite the challenges they face, parents should remain firm in their resolve to continue having their child consume healthy edibles: "Children are very active in school and need energy to focus on their lessons in class Read more

Up Leader And Board Comments On Passing Of Union Leader And Fire Victims

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – United People's (UP) Party Leader and Member of Parliament Hon. Theo Heyliger and the UP Board expresses their deepest condolences to the family and friends of Union Leader and Social Worker Patricia Pantophlet who passed away over the weekend.

The UP family would also like to offer its support and prayers to the fire victims who lost their homes in St Read more