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Parliamentary Year Concludes On Monday With Traditional Speeches

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The parliamentary year for 2013-2014 ended on Monday during a session of the House of Assembly.

The session was carried out by the chairlady of parliament of the United People's Party, the Honorable Gracita Arrindell.

During the parliamentary meeting, parliamentarians took some time to reflect on the last four years, while they took the opportunity to say farewell to their colleagues.

One of those MPs looking back at the four years served was out going Independent Member of Parliament, the Honorable Romain Laville who can now be heard via PodCast.

Leader of the United St Read more

Rock-hard Patterson wins Super Heavyweights at Championship

BELAIR--Bodybuilder Desmond Patterson was one of the category winners at St. Maarten Body Building and Fitness Association's (SMBBFA) annual national championship on Saturday night during a show that mixed the sculpted physiques of male bodybuilders with the tantalisingly-toned beauty of the female figure.

Patterson's massive, jaw-dropping physique created an instant uproar in the packed Belair Community Center when he walked on stage for the Super Heavyweight category. Easily in the best competitive shape of his life, it would seem a certainty that he wins a Pro Card at the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) in October, an accolade that eluded him in 2013.

With just three entrants in the Super Heavyweight category, Elias Jones finished in second place and Boland Bert third.

Emmanuel Richardson emerged a popular winner in the Heavyweight category, with Peter Gayle in second place and Delvacio Carty third.

Male Physique was won by Stephan Ellis, with second place going to Irion Ardwell, and third place to Akim Arrendell.

The evening kicked off with the Women's Body Fitness and Bikini Fitness categories, the difference being that Bikini Fitness requires less muscle definition than Body Fitness but still with a physique that is toned and tight.

Christelle Zarovska emerged the winner of Body Fitness with Nicky Kaaij second, Anais Pieters-Kwiers third, and Cleo Carti fourth.

The much appreciated Bikini Fitness category must have been a tough one for judges to decide on with all five ladies showing off beautiful, perfectly toned figures, a commendable effort since all the contestants were beginners Read more

Notices September 8

Tuesday, September 9

DYSLEXIA STRATEGY

WORKSHOP

For Elementary Educators. Love of Kids Foundation's follow-up workshop from its Dyslexia for a Day programme. Hands on classroom strategies to assist younger struggling students. Parents and other caregivers are welcome. Space is extremely limited. Instructor: Lorraine Leacock

Place: University of St. Martin campus

Time: 7:00-8:30pm

Cost: NAf Read more

style="text-align: center;">THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Words cannot begin to express my sincere gratitude to all of you- for your support of me and my election campaign. It was your encouraging words that got me through many long days and nights with minimal sleep. Thank you to the 378 voters who put their faith in me to help build St. Maarten; I assure you that I will continue to work for you. Together NA, DP and USP will work in the interest of the people Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The National Security Service (NSS) Supervisory Committee met last week Thursday at the House of Parliament to discuss a number of pending matters. Members of the Supervisory Committee that were present were: Judge Selma Verheijen, President, Maritza James-Christina, Secretary, President of Parliament Hon. Gracita ArrindellRead more

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Candidates in this article:

National Security Supervisory Committee Meets

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The National Security Service (NSS) Supervisory Committee met last week Thursday at the House of Parliament to discuss a number of pending matters.

Members of the Supervisory Committee that were present were: Judge Selma Verheijen, President, Maritza James-Christina, Secretary, President of Parliament Hon. Gracita Ar Read more

style="text-align: center;">Guarantees that she will stand with the leader of the USp and manage the affairs of the people of St. Maarten.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The two candidates that were elected on the United St. Maarten Peoples Party (USp) slate namely its leader Frans Richardson and the number two candidate Leona Romeo Marlin called an urgent press conference on Friday to clear the air on whether or not Romeo Marlin will jump ship to join UPP Read more

Minister Lake says NV GEBE to Provide Relief across the Board.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake says he has taken note of Windward Islands Chamber of Labour Unions (WICLU) stance with respect to a reduction in utility bills.

Minister Lake reiterated on Friday that he informed the community more than once that relief will be provided by NV GEBE to household consumers as well as businesses, and that in the meantime a reduction in the utility bills of senior citizens would be implemented first.

"Relief is not just being provided to a select few Read more

Road closures in connection with Opening of New Parliamentary Year.

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The Closure of the parliamentary year 2013-2014 will take place on Monday, September 8 at 10:00am in the House of Parliament.
On Monday, September 8, parts of Front Street and Back Street as well as Cannegieter Street, with street connections to the House of Parliament will be closed to motorized traffic. A dress rehearsal with respect to the official opening on Tuesday, September 9 will be carried out between 4:00pm and 6:00pm.
On Tuesday, September 9 the new parliamentary year 2014-2015 will be opened by the President of Parliament Hon Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- The KeLaHa Projects is now officially listed as a partner of the international organization Globe-athon. Globe-athon To End Women's Cancers Globe-athon is the only international movement focused on the prevention and early detection of all gynecological cancers including uterine (endometrial), cervical, ovarian, vaginal and vulvar. The movement to end women's cancers is supported by international gynecologists, gynecological oncologists and doctors, as well as gynecological cancer survivors Read more

Obama says key allies ready to join military action in Iraq

NEWPORT, Wales--President Barack Obama said key NATO allies stood ready to join the United States in military action to defeat Islamic State militants in Iraq as he vowed to 'take out' the leaders of a movement he said was a major threat to the West.

Obama said the Washington would hunt down and dismantle the organisation, which has seized swathes of Iraq and Syria, in the same way it had tackled al Qaeda since the Sept Read more

Ukraine, pro-Russian rebels reach ceasefire deal

MINSK--Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels reached a ceasefire agreement on Friday, the first step toward ending fighting in eastern Ukraine that has caused the worst standoff between Moscow and the West since the Cold War ended.

The ceasefire deal was struck in the Belarussian capital Minsk along with a deal allowing for prisoner exchanges, deliveries of humanitarian aid and the withdrawal of heavy weapons after five months of a conflict that has killed more than 2,600 people.

Despite some initial shelling in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk after the truce began at 6 p.m., the ceasefire appeared to be holding Read more

Who will lead the pack of hungry wolves?

Dear Editor,

After yesterday's press briefing and statements made by Leona Marlin about coming out victorious on leading the pack of wolves, I am wondering in this coalition partnership, who really is leading the pack?

Oh, and by the way, I must congratulate Mrs. Marlin for her brave statement and conviction. She sounds like a real leader. And talking about "Leader", I believe that Frans Richardson should give her the leadership of the US party for the next election Read more

Editorial - No reason not to

It was obviously well-intended and the objective is clear, but the Windward Islands Chamber of Labour Unions (WICLU) calling the relief afforded by utilities provider GEBE to pensioners "discriminatory" indeed seemed a bit far-fetched (see related stories). While it's undoubtedly true that the government-owned company's concession prohibits discriminatory practices, one also could claim creating special lines for seniors to pay their bills falls in the same category.

What should be taken into account as well as is that the discount is being applied only to people 62 years of age or older and below a certain income level, who in many cases depend on their AOV old age pension to survive Read more

Notices September 6

Saturday, September 6

STORY TELLING,

READING & FUN

Part of Beyond Writing Foundation's Beyond Storytelling-Reading pilot project will continue until the end of October. Children 5-12 years are welcome to participate. There will be a raffle at the end of the programme whereby children can win a book.

Place: St Peters Community Centre.

Time: 5:00-6:00pm

Price: Free of charge

Saturday, September 6

BODYBUILDING AND

FITNESS CHAMPIONSHIP

Presented by St Read more

Minister Lake says GEBE to provide relief across board

PHILIPSBURG--Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (VROMI) Maurice Lake says he has taken note of Windward Islands Chamber of Labour Union's (WICLU) stance with respect to a reduction in utility bills.

Minister Lake reiterated on Friday that he informed the community more than once that relief will be provided by NV GEBE to household consumers, as well as businesses and that in the meantime a reduction in the utility bills of senior citizens would be implemented.

"Relief is not just being provided to a select few Read more

Cooperating Foundations issues grants to three local foundations

PHILIPSBURG--Recently, Cooperating Foundations, a funding agency assisting non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with social project funding, presented checks to three different foundations.

All three foundations share the common objective of offering projects to the local St. Maarten community, hence creating opportunities and enhancing the well-being of certain groups in our society.

The Foundation Judiciary Institutes Windward Islands SJIB received a grant of NAf Read more

Leona dispels rumours, committed to US Party

PHILIPSBURG--"I am still a candidate...I am a member of the United St. Maarten (US) Party and there I shall stay. There is where the people asked me to be and that's where I am at." This was the firm statement from Member of Parliament (MP)-Elect Leona Marlin-Romeo at a press conference with her party leader, MP Frans Richardson, on Friday in Parliament House.

The press conference was held to curb "the innuendos and stories" being circulated from "living a life of their own" in the community, said Richardson Read more

Hassink: ‘We have to take measures to provide for ourselves in a disaster’

BELAIR--St. Maarten has to take measures to provide for itself in the event of a disaster, Finance Minister Martin Hassink told attendees at the Henderson Insurances Catastrophe Risk Insurance Conference at the Belair Community Center on Friday.

Hassink said "there was some feeling of security" when St. Maarten was part of the former Netherlands Antilles and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, a fall-back position in case of disaster. He said, however, that after 10/10/10, "this security partly disappeared and together with the fact that our mother country sees us more as a burden than as a blessing, St Read more

Seniors grateful for GEBE relief

~ Seniors association hopes for other positive developments ~

PHILIPSBURG--President of the St. Maarten Seniors and Pensioners Association (SMSPA) Patricia Flanders has shared that seniors were very thankful for GEBE NV's recently implemented Senior Relief Programme Read more

Usp-Candidate Leona Marlin-Romeo: “I Am Not Going Anywhere”

St. Maarten – Leona Marlin-Romeo is firmly committed to the United St. Maarten party. During a press conference at the  Parliament building yesterday morning, the party’s number 2-candidate laid to rest rumors triggered by a baseless article that appeared on a notorious local gossip website on Thursday.

The website insinuated that Marlin-Romeo had “jumped ship” and taken money to join the United People’s party to form a government.

Marlin thanked blogger Bibi Shaw for the publicity the story has generated, but the sarcasm was lost on Shaw, who later acknowledged the “compliment.” Marlin-Romeo, however pointed out the obvious: “Before you slander my name and the name of my campaign manager I think you should get your facts straight Read more

Road Closures In Connection With Opening Of New Parliamentary Year

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – The Closure of the parliamentary year 2013-2014 will take place on Monday, September 8 at 10.00am in the House of Parliament.

On Monday, September 8, parts of Front Street and Back Street as well as Cannegieter Street, with street connections to the House of Parliament will be closed to motorized traffic.

A dress rehearsal with respect to the official opening on Tuesday, September 9 will be carried out between 4.00pm and 6.00pm.

On Tuesday, September 9 the new parliamentary year 2014-2015 will be opened by the President of Parliament Hon Read more

Minister Lake Says Nv Gebe To Provide Relief Across The Board

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake says he has taken note of Windward Islands Chamber of Labour Unions (WICLU) stance with respect to a reduction in utility bills.

Minister Lake reiterated on Friday that he informed the community more than once that relief will be provided by NV GEBE to household consumers as well as businesses, and that in the meantime a reduction in the utility bills of senior citizens would be implemented first.

"Relief is not just being provided to a select few Read more

Globe-Athon Partners With The Kelaha Projects In Efforts To End Women’S Cancer

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The KeLaHa Projects is now officially listed as a partner of the international organization Globe-athon. Globe-athon To End Women's Cancers.

Globe-athon is the only international movement focused on the prevention and early detection of all gynecological cancers including uterine (endometrial), cervical, ovarian, vaginal and vulvar. The movement to end women's cancers is supported by international gynecologists, gynecological oncologists and doctors, as well as gynecological cancer survivors.September is Gynecologic cancer awareness month and both the KeLaHa Projects and Globe- athon has joined forces to make an even bigger impact internationally to bring more awareness of not only cervical cancers but all below the belt cancers that affects women.One such effort is through The KeLaHa Projects BIKE / WALK –A-Thon on September 7th starting at 5:00AM at the Government parking lot (University/ Telem) in Philipsburg Read more