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PHILIPSBURG:---  The Government of St Maarten, represented by the Council of Ministers, would like to update the general public with regards to the second and final phase of the Emergency repairs which are been carried out on Front Street. The project is being financed by the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT) and coordinated by the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI).
We are pleased to inform you, as promised, that the first phase of this project is now completed and traffic through Front Street from Sea Palace can continue up until the Court House Read more

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Mp Lake Calls For Action Regarding Waste Haulers, And Landfill Management

As a Member of Parliament (MP), I have a responsibility towards the people of St. Maarten who I represent. And this responsibility also includes passing on my observations to the Government that I support with the result of action being taken to remedy situations in the general interest of the people.

I have been observing the transition phase of the five waste haulers where it concerns picking up the garbage for the past weeks. I also have been walking around in the different districts, talking to the residents, communicating with some waste haulers about the garbage situation, and listening to the different radio/television programs, and especially taking note of the residents’ comments and concerns.

I also have heard of the comments on Facebook and have taken note of these as well, about the garbage situation Read more

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Plenary Session Of Parliament About The Sale Of The New Government Administration Building Reconvenes On Tuesday.

PHILIPSBURG:---  The House of Parliament will sit in a plenary public session on April 19. The Minister of General Affairs will be present for the session.
The plenary public meeting reconvenes on Tuesday at 2.00 pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.
The agenda point is the sale of the new government administration building.
This plenary session of the House was requested by Members of Parliament (MPs) MP Franklin Meyers, MP Leona Marlin-Romeo and MP Van Hugh Cornelius de Weever.
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

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Happy St. Maarten Carnival To All

St. Maarten News – The Minister of Culture Silveria Jacobs extends to the entire community of St. Maarten as well as to our visitors a happy and safe Carnival in a brief press statement.

“48 Years of evolving Carnival celebrations have kept segments of our culture alive and it is the hope of the Minister that even more core cultural aspects receive the recognition they deserve during this our largest cultural celebration of the year and years to come.

All stakeholders in Carnival, from the SCDF, the promoters and sponsors, booth-holders, the participants, the spectators and law enforcement are key to the success of this three week event Read more

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Hypnotic Brothel Under Fire

Sign of the Hypnotic brothel in Sucker Garden. Photo Today / Hilbert Haar

Permit holder demands payment

St. Maarten News / By Hilbert Haar – “Duncan, Duncan, Duncan. I am not the defendant here, I stand here as an attorney for my clients,” former Minister of Justice Roland Duncan muttered yesterday morning during the handling of a lawsuit Richbenzwan NV initiated against Hypnotic Hotel and Entertainment, JMC Investments and Holdings NV and Mayoline Joan Peterson, the director of the Hypnotic brothel in Sucker Garden.

Richbenzwan holds the permit for the Seaman’s Club that has now been renamed Hypnotic Read more

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Early Childhood Development Conference Works On Policy

Minister Jacobs (left) listens attentively during the conference. Photo contributed

St. Maarten News  – The launch of the early childhood development participatory policy planning conference took place at the Nipa last Wednesday. The two day conference discussed the topics needed to form this policy for St. Maarten and the benefits of expanding investments in it. Education Minister Silveria Jacobs made welcome statements and introductions.

The Department of Youth Affairs is responsible for monitoring the Rights of the Child and therefore assumed the responsibility for the role of ensuring that laws and policies for early childhood development are established Read more

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Taxing Online Purchases Will Not Deter Consumers

PHILIPSBURG--One St. Maarten People Party (OSPP) says taxing online purchases will not deter consumers from purchasing their necessities via the Internet as it will still be cheaper than purchasing from stores in St. Maarten.

Lake Says Government Has To ‘Straighten Out’ Garbage Issue

PHILIPSBURG--Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake said on Sunday, that government must “straighten out” the garbage system to provide residents with “good service.”

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PHILIPSBURG:--- “As a Member of Parliament (MP), I have a responsibility towards the people of St. Maarten who I represent. And this responsibility also includes passing on my observations to the Government that I support with the result of action being taken to remedy situations in the general interest of the people.
“I have been observing the transition phase of the five waste haulers where it concerns picking up the garbage for the past weeks. I also have been walking around in the different districts, talking to the residents, communicating with some waste haulers about the garbage situation, and listening to the different radio/ television programs, and especially taking note of the resident’s comments and concerns.
“I also have heard of the comments on Facebook and have taken note of these as well, about the garbage situation Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:---  The One St. Maarten People Party has taken note of the statements of the Minister of Finance, the Honourable Mr. Richard Gibson to impose a 6% tax on goods purchased on line and his concerns about a 30% reduction of business reported by the business community. As a political party we are also very concerned when we hear about such a reduction in business because most of the time this also results in the loss of jobs, a very scarce commodity now in St Read more

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Ministry Vsa Issues Warning For Fire At Dump

GREAT BAY, (DCOMM) – The Collective Preventive Services (CPS), a government department under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, is advising persons living downwind from the landfill fire, to close windows and doors, especially persons who have a respiratory challenge.  This action should also be taken in the future.

For persons who suffer from asthma, shortness of breath, or any other respiratory challenges, to close their windows and doors until th Read more

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Ministry Vsa Issues Warning For Fire At Dump.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- The Collective Preventive Services (CPS), a government department under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, is advising persons living downwind from the landfill fire, to close windows and doors, especially persons who have a respiratory challenge. This action should also be taken in the future.

For persons who suffer from asthma, shortness of breath, or any other respiratory challenges, to close their windows and doors until the fumes cle Read more

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Health Insurance On St. Maarten For Less Than 3 Dollars A Day

From left: Jim Rosen (executive advisor, cabinet VSA), Eric Ellis (executive manager of claims Dept. Nagico), Ash Hodge (taxi driver), Ellen Benjamin (Manager Medical Dept. Nagico) and Minister of Public Health Emil Lee. Photo contributed

St. Maarten News – One of the Ministry of VSA’s top priorities is to ensure that everyone has access to affordable and quality healthcare Read more

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Leonard Submits Questions To Gibson About Moody’S And Airport Meeting

PHILIPSBURG--United People’s (UP) party Member of Parliament Tamara Leonard has submitted a series of questions to Finance Minister Richard Gibson about the downgr Read more

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Green Moon On April 20, 2016?….. Not True !!!!

Source Earth Sky (Reliable Website)

~No, there won’t be a green moon on April 20, 2016 … or on May 29. Some possible origins of this latest urban legend.~

This green moon photo was created via photo processing, and is via Wikimedia Commons.

There are several versions this (completely untrue) story, and we’ve gotten many questions about it from within our community, from people wanting to know if it’s true. Here’s the main version: the moon will appear green for the first time in 420 years on April 20, 2016 Read more

Gibson Espera Conseguir En Dos Meses Fondos Adeudados A St. Maarten

Traducido por: Máximo Castro

PHILIPSBURG.- El ministro de Finanzas Richard Gibson tiene la esperanza de concluir la tramitación con el ministro de Finanzas de Curazao José Jardim sobre los fondos adeudados a San Martín de la división de los activos de las antiguas Antillas Neerlandesas en un plazo de dos meses.

Gibson se reunió con Jardim en Curazao la semana pasada sobre el tema. Se informó el miércoles que las conversaciones habían sido “agradables” y “productivas” Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday, April 13, the launch of the Early Childhood Development (ECD) Participatory Policy Planning Conference at the NIPA. This two day conference is intended to discuss the topics needed to form St. Maarten ECD Policy and the benefits of expanding investments of ECD on St. Maarten. Welcome statements and introductions were given by Honorable Minister of Education, Culture Youth and Sport Silveria Jacobs.
The Department of Youth Affairs within the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth & Sport is the entity responsible for monitoring the Rights of the Child and had therefore assumed the responsibility for the role of ensuring that laws and policies for early childhood development are established.
In order to draft the preliminary Vision and Mission Statements of the ECD Policy, identifying the important activities and services to be developed under each Strategic Priority and considering the responsible entities and budgets for each type of activity or service must be established.
The effects of early intervention for especially disadvantaged children lead to improvements in children’s survival, health, growth, and cognitive and social development Read more

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School Bussing Service Update.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On April 7th 2016, a joint meeting was held between the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, headed by the Hon. Minister Silveria Jacobs and the Ministry of TEATT headed by the Hon. Minister Ingrid Arrindell, with the intention to work collaboratively to come up with a short term and long term solution concerning the School Bussing Transportation Service.
Both Ministers give the green light for a joint School Bus Committee which includes prominent members of both Ministries, since both Ministries are working on a solution to come to a more efficient, safer and cost effective School Bussing Transportation Service for a number of years.
The joint Committee had its first meeting on April 12th , 2016 Read more

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Remembering What We Share In Common: A Past In The Making.

PHILIPSBURG:--- What past do St. Martiners (Sint Maarteners & Saint Martinoise) long for, when they talk about the good old days? St. Martiners have been described as those Born Here and those Born to be Here. This non- ethnic and non-racial definition, brilliantly introduced by the honourable governor of the island, Drs. Eugene Holiday, is meant to be both accommodating and normative. St Martiners are those who put the island first. They are patriots, persons who love the island. Dr. Louis Jeffry who can trace back his ancestry to the time of slavery, and Father Charles, the island’s revered Catholic priest, who was born on Saint Lucia, equally qualify.

I found this definition rather inclusive until I spoke to my long-time friend, Ruford Serrant, who I dare say was one of the first St Read more

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Tax Attorney Max Pandt About The Panama Papers “Don’T Blame The Companies, But Blame The Legislators”

Tax attorney Max Pandt. Photo Today / Hilbert Haar

St. Maarten News – by Hilbert Haar – That the name of St. Maarten will surface one day from the by now infamous Panama papers is unlikely, says tax attorney Max Pandt, whose activities as a trust service provider have withered over the years. Nevertheless, Pandt has clear ideas about the ins and outs of offshore activities and the reason companies use such constructions: to pay as little taxes as the law allows.

In the recent past, one company with local links established in Panama has surfaced: Octavio Holdings, Inc Read more

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St. Maarten / St. Martin Parties Sign Sea Border Demarcation Treaty

Préfète-Déléguée Anne Laubies and Prime Minister William Marlin sign the treaty. Photo contributed

Quadripartite meeting

St. Maarten News – The Government of Sint Maarten hosted the third annual Quadripartite Meeting last Wednesday. The meeting was formulated in 2014 as a forum for representatives of the governments of the French Republic (led by the Ambassador for Regional Cooperation for the Antilles-Guyana Veronique Bertile), the Kingdom of the Netherlands (led by Director of the Western Hemisphere Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Joost Reintjes), Saint-Martin (led by President of the Collectivity Aline Hanson), and Sint Maarten (led by Prime Minister William Marlin) to discuss issues of mutual interest.

The agenda of the 50-delegate strong meeting touched on issues related to military cooperation between both the French and Dutch state on the island and the police cooperation treaty, which will regulate the manner in which armed forces exercise their authority in instances of transnational policing Read more

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Szv And Vsa Joint Controls To Begin This Week

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - In the Ministry’s effort to increase labor compliance, Minister of public health, Social development, and Labor Emil Lee held discussions with SZV and the inspectorate of VSA about joint controls, and informed that this week, they will start to conduct joint controls.

“This is a good idea because both inspectors will have complimentary authorities, and responsibilities Read more

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Debt Standard Proposed For Curaçao, St. Maarten

~ CFT advices in 2015 annual report ~

By Suzanne Koelega

THE HAGUE--A debt standard with a maximum threshold should be introduced for Curaçao and St. Maarten to keep the debts of the countries manageable in case the interest rates of capital loans increase.
The Committee for Financial Supervision CFT for Curaçao and St. Maarten drafted an advice to this effect early in 2016 on the request of Dutch Minister of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk. The advice was mentioned in the CFT 2015 annual report which was presented in The Hague on Wednesday.
The CFT advised Plasterk that the two countries should be able to maintain a debt quota standard of 40 per cent on a medium term Read more

Health Insurance For Uninsured Less Than $3 A Day

PHILIPSBURG – One of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor VSA’s top priorities is to ensure that everyone has access to affordable and quality healthcare. Having affordable health insurance is a critical part of having access to healthcare. Besides being a barrier to accessing healthcare, being uninsured can also place huge financial strains on the family.

Unfortunately, during the time in office, Minister of Health Emil Lee had already signed off for a few uninsured persons to be evacuated for emergency medical reasons Read more

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