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Objections in Parliament to commonwealth proposal

~ Parties say decision is up to islands ~

THE HAGUE--The Labour Party PvdA, Democratic Party D66, Christian Democratic Party CDA and ChristianUnion (CU) turned down on Monday idea of the liberal democratic VVD party and the Socialist Party (SP) to establish a Dutch commonwealth construction with an independent position for Aruba, Curaçao and St Read more

Central Asian migrants feel the pain of Russia's economic downturn

DUSHANBE/BISHKEK--Vali Salimov quit his job at a Moscow supermarket last month after his salary was halved, and returned home to Tajikistan another migrant victim of Russia's economic downturn whose family livelihood now looks precarious.
  Salimov, like millions of other migrants, used to send much of his salary back home. So as he and others leave Russia, the economies of their home countries - poor former Soviet republics like Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan - are also feeling the pinch.
  "I was paid 25,000 roubles (536 dollars) a month Read more

Minister Lake calls on Marine community, volunteers and students to support clean-up of Simpson Bay Lagoon on December 6th.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake is calling on the marine community, organizations, businesses, volunteers and students to come out on Saturday, December 6 and support the clean-up of the Simpson Bay Lagoon.

Minister Lake's initiative appeal for a coastal clean-up of hurricane related debris in the lagoon due to the passing of Hurricane Gonzalo, was publicly stated early November and the St Read more

style="text-align: center;">Can Caretaker Minister sign off on new requests?

PHILIPSBURG:--- A post on Facebook by one of the founding members of St. Maarten Pride Foundation directed especially to St. Maarten media personnel to seek clarity on a building permit that was submitted by Simpson Bay Yacht Club developer Miti Katz to develop a plot of land including the Belair Pond (Little Bay Pond). The writer of the post said that based on information she received, the owner of the land died but his son inherited the property and that person identified as Johnny Pavan made an agreement with one Miti Katz to develop the property Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Last Friday, November 29th 2014, about twenty police officers (team leaders and acting team leaders) received their certificates for the Leadership course they were taking last summer.
All officers received their certificate from David McGregor, the senior trainer at the UTS Training and Development Center (TDC).
During the course, the officers learned not only the technicalities of leadership and the structure of communication skills, but they also learned how to manage and support their team members into making their working days as productive and challenging as possible.
All graduates were congratulated by TDC, the management team of KPSM and, from a distance, by Mrs Read more

>GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- International Day of People with Disability is a United Nations (UN) sanctioned day that aims to promote an understanding of people with disability and encourage support for their dignity, rights and well-being.
The theme for 2014 is: "Sustainable Development: The Promise of Technology."
Rapidly developing technology has changed the way people with disability can access entertainment, work, communication and basic information seeking.
The theme focuses on the role of technology as a way to break down barriers for people with disability and how devices are becoming faster, cheaper and more accessible.
The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) as part of its Calendar of Health Observances commemorates this international day with the provision of information regarding the international theme.
As part of the Minister of Public Health Hon Read more

Minister Lake Calls On Marine Community, Volunteers And Students To Support Clean-Up Of Simpson Bay Lagoon On December 6Th

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake is calling on the marine community, organizations, businesses, volunteers and students to come out on Saturday, December 6 and support the clean-up of the Simpson Bay Lagoon.

Minister Lake's initiative appeal for a coastal clean-up of hurricane related debris in the lagoon due to the passing of Hurricane Gonzalo, was publicly stated early November and the St Read more

Wednesday Is International Day Of People With Disability

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – International Day of People with Disability is a United Nations (UN) sanctioned day that aims to promote an understanding of people with disability and encourage support for their dignity, rights and well-being.

The theme for 2014 is: "Sustainable Development: The Promise of Technology."

Rapidly developing technology has changed the way people with disability can access entertainment, work, communication and basic information seeking.

The theme focuses on the role of technology as a way to break down barriers for people with disability and how devices are becoming faster, cheaper and more accessible.

The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) as part of its Calendar of Health Observances commemorates this international day with the provision of information regarding the international theme.

As part of the Minister of Public Health Hon Read more

“The Initiative Is Up To The Caribbean Islands” – Dutch Parliament Divided About Commonwealth

THE HAGUE – The Netherlands cannot force the Caribbean islands to change the Kingdom into a Commonwealth. In spite of this, the Second Chamber reflected yesterday on a plan (from the Socialist Party and the VVD) to do this, Jamila Baaziz reports on Caribisch Netwerk.

VVD and SP say that they are in particular after ‘clarity and a vision’ and that they want to kick-start the discussion with their initiative memorandum. But PvdA, Christian Union, CDA and D66 do not want to exclude any option Read more

Lloyd Richardson Elected Chairman Of Parliament

St. Maarten – Parliament elected Dr. Lloyd Richardson of the faction of the United People’s party yesterday morning as the successor of Sarah Wescot-Williams as its chairman Read more

Prominent Podiatrist Zenia Duncan Dies

St. Maarten -Prominent podiatrist and health advocate Zenia Duncan passed away Sunday morning after a brief but courageous battle with leukemia. Leukemia is a group of cancers that usually begins in the bone marrow and results in high numbers of abnormal white blood cells.

Duncan had always been a proponent of healthy living and devoted her resources and time to disseminating nutritional information and diabetes awareness.

Her clinic at the Heritage House on Front Street, Barefeet Chiropody, was a successful practice that offered foot care, surgery, examinations and treatment especially to the elderly and diabetic community on St Read more

Team Leaders Kpsm Graduated From 'Leadership Course'

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Last Friday, November 29th 2014, about twenty police officers (team leaders and acting team leaders) received their certificates for the Leadership course they were taking last summer.

All officers received their certificate from David McGregor, the senior trainer at the UTS Training and Development Center (TDC).

During the course, the officers learned not only the technicalities of leadership and the structure of communication skills, but they also learned how to manage and support their team members into making their working days as productive and challenging as possible.

All graduates were congratulated by TDC, the management team of KPSM and, from a distance, by Mrs Read more

Editorial - Maturity required

Thankfully, a majority of the fractions in the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament rejected the idea floated by the liberal democratic VVD and Socialist Party (SP) for a commonwealth with St. Maarten, Aruba and Curaçao as independent countries (see related article). It was pointed out correctly that the right of self-determination recognised by the United Nations (UN) in principle lies with the islands, not the Netherlands.

None of the three territories has called for independence officially, and historically it is up to the colonised rather than the coloniser to opt for changes in that relationship Read more

Semi-finals set as Futsal nears champ

PHILIPSBURG--Basil Wong scored six goals to lead Paradise inn to a 12-4 victory in the Super league Division of the St. Maarten Futsal Association Competition at L.B. Scott Sports Auditorium Sunday. The win sent Inn into the semi-finals. Paradise inn will now face defending champions Strikers FC.
  In the other semi-final Presidente will face Risc Takers.  President advanced to the next round with a 6-4 win over Shak’Eat. Baron Dupre and Saintval Jude both scored a pair of goals in the winning effort.
    Risc Takers bested NAGICO Fun Makers 6-3 Read more

Study: HIV's ability to cause AIDS is weakening over time

LONDON--Rapid evolution of HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus, is slowing its ability to cause AIDS, according to a study of more than 2,000 women in Africa.
  Scientists said the research suggests a less virulent HIV could be one of several factors contributing to a turning of the deadly pandemic, eventually leading to the end of AIDS.
  "Overall we are bringing down the ability of HIV to cause AIDS so quickly," Philip Goulder, a professor at Oxford University who led the study, said in a telephone interview Read more

Parliament Bloopers continue, Country’s constitution not respected --- MP Lloyd Richardson voted on his own appointment as Chairman of Parliament.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The bloopers in the Parliament of St. Maarten continue as the MPs that are elected fail read and comply with the country's constitution. This is the second time a Member of Parliament violated article 53 of the country's constitution.
On Monday MP Lloyd Richardson voted in favor of his own appointment where he was appointed the chairman of Parliament Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament George Pantophlet is asking Government to ensure that the government owned companies comply with their responsibilities towards the shareholders in actuality the people of St. Maarten. The member wants a report from government as to whether government owned companies are paying their concession fees Read more

Former Minister To Court In January: Buncamper-Molanus Charged With Membership Criminal Organization

St. Maarten – Tax fraud, forgery and participation in a criminal organization; these are the charges the Public Prosecutor’s Office has brought against Former Minister of Public Health, Social Affairs and Labor Maria Buncamper-Molanus. She has been summoned to appear in court for a pro forma hearing on Wednesday, January 7 of next year.

The charge for membership of a criminal organization suggests that there are more suspects, but a press release from the prosecutor’s office on Friday did not elaborate on this possibility Read more

Usm Presents Psn Project At 25Th Anniversary Celebration

St. Maarten – During the University of St. Martin’s (USM) 25th Anniversary celebration ceremony, which took place on Friday, November 28, USM Foundation President Valerie Giterson-Pantophlet and USM Foundation Vice President Wycliffe Smith gave a presentation of the university’s new project, called Project Serving our Nation (PSN), which aims to improve the quality of life in every household in St. Maarten.

“The project is based on the ethic of care,” said Smith Read more

Lake Wants More Emphasis On Usm Degrees

St. Maarten —MP Maurice Lake wants more emphasis placed on promoting degrees and academics at the University of St. Martin by the incoming government. Lake said on Sunday that “as an educator and a Member of Parliament” one of his priority areas is higher education for the people of St. Maarten.

“USM should be the University of higher learning on the island Read more

Mp Dr. Lloyd Richardson Voted In As President Of Parliament

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Members of Parliament in a Central Committee meeting on Monday morning, Member of Parliament of the United People's Party, the Honorable Lloyd Richardson was voted to the position as President of Parliament.

He is now replacing leader of the Democratic Party, Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams who resigned from the post on Thursday November 13th.

During the voting on Monday, Dr Read more

Religion and policy collide over gender-neutral laws in Barbados

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados--A Barbadian Cabinet Minister is prepared to personally campaign to churches and members of his constituency to fight the introduction of gender-neutral legislation on domestic violence.

Speaking to a Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Christ Church East branch meeting last Sunday, Minister of Environment and Drainage Dr. Denis Lowe went as far as to threaten to resign his post, rather than sign any legislation which appeared to recognise same-sex couples.

The Minister's reaction follows a resolution for the reform of Barbados' domestic violence laws, which was circulated by opposition Senator Wilfred Abrahams to the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) annual conference Read more

Lucas Berman tipped to be next deputy minister plenipotentiary

PHILIPSBURG--Attorney Lucas Berman is said to be the candidate minister for the post of deputy minister plenipotentiary in The Hague.

Providing he passes the security and integrity screening, Berman will join the minister plenipotentiary in representing the country in the Netherlands, particularly at the meeting of the Kingdom Council of Ministers. Minister plenipotentiary is expected to be Josianne Artsen, who currently serves as deputy minister plenipotentiary.

Berman, a junior partner with Lexwell Attorneys-at-Law, was born in Toulouse, France, and was raised in the Netherlands Read more

USM honours faculty and staff at 25th anniversary celebration

~ Special award for Danny's parents, Smith ~

PHILIPSBURG--University of St. Martin (USM) honoured a long list of staffers and faculty for their efforts in moulding students over the years during its 25th anniversary celebrations on Friday evening.

A special award was presented to Vice President of USM Foundation and the institution's first Director Pastor Wycliffe Smith, as well as to the parents of Treasurer of USM Foundation Danny Ramchandani, for allowing their only son to come to St Read more