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Minister Silveria Jacobs Emancipation Day Address

Black National Anthem
"Lift every voice and sing Till earth and heaven ring, Ring with the harmonies of Liberty; Let our rejoicing rise, High as the list'ning skies, Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.

Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us,
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun, Let us march on till victory is won.

Stony the road we trod, Bitter the chastening rod, Felt in the days when hope unborn had died; Yet with a steady beat, Have not our weary feet Come to the place for which our fathers died

We have come over a way that with tears has been watered, We have come treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered, Out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, Thou who hast brought us thus far on the way; Thou who has by Thy might Led us into the light, Keep us forever in the path, we pray.

Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee, Lest our hearts, drunk with the wine of the world, we forgot Thee, Shadowed beneath Thy hand, may we forever stand, True to our God, true to our native land."
- James Weldon Johnson

Having learned this song as a young adult during Caribbean History, it touches my soul every time I hear it and I am reminded of the battle that was fought for freedom.
Today July 1st 2016 as we celebrate Emancipation Day for only the 5th time- I call on all people to remember the atrocities of the past, of how a people were enslaved and fought to be free, declared themselves free and today can say we have achieved what our ancestors have dreamed, prayed and fought for Read more

Minister Invites All To Celebrate Emancipation Day

PHILIPSBURG – Minister of Culture Silveria Jacobs urged residents and citizens to celebrate the significance of Emancipation Day by inviting them to Emancipation Day celebrations.

The celebrations begin from June 30, with a re-enactment of the Freedom Run hosted by NIA Read more

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Candidates in this article:

Electoral Reform Debate: Revisited

By Julio R. Romney, Political Analyst

Julio R. Romney, Political Analyst

Hidden under the wing of autocracy, cut off from the people of St. Maarten by non-transparence and promised participation in the process, Electoral Reform in time for the September 26, 2016 Parliamentary election appears likely to be out of reach now or any time in the near future.

With the fall of the UP/USP/DeWeever/Marlin coalition and the postponement of Parliamentary elections from February 9, to September 26, 2016 facilitated by National Decree, an Electoral Reform Committee was established to research and formulate electoral reform recommendations to “eliminate ship-jumping” ahead of the September 26, Parliamentary Elections Read more

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Candidates in this article:

Electoral Reform Debate: Revisited.

Hidden under the wing of autocracy, cut off from the people of St. Maarten by non-transparence and promised participation in the process, Electoral Reform in time for the September 26, 2016 Parliamentary election appears likely to be out of reach now or any time in the near future.

With the fall of the UP/USP/DeWeever/Marlin coalition and the postponement of Parliamentary elections from February 9th to September 26, 2016 facilitated by National Decree, an Electoral Reform Committee was established to research and formulate electoral reform recommendations to "eliminate "ship-jumping"" ahead of the September 26, Parliamentary Elections Read more

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Candidates in this article:

Say It Loud! Racism In The Dutch Kingdom Is Unacceptable.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Earlier this week we read that a young man of 21 years was gunned down in the city of Schiedam in the Netherlands. The fact that he was dark complexioned, and ethno-racial profiling among Dutch police officers in the Netherlands is condoned as an unfortunate security measure. It have caused many activists throughout the Kingdom of the Netherlands to argue that this is one of the outcomes of a situation where, it has become politically suspect to say that racism within the Dutch Kingdom is unacceptable!
In this contribution, we seek to say the new politically suspect as loud as possible: Dutch racism is unacceptable! “Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words can never hurt us.” Whoever wholeheartedly believes that this saying holds all the time, and in every occasion, is either lying to themselves or not part of the human species Read more

Szv Launches New Website Www.Szv.Sx

PHILIPSBURG – Social and Health Insurances SZV launched its new website www.szv.sx on June 1.

The website is designed to offer customers and the general public a digital portal to the organization and its services. Minister of Public Health Emil Lee was present for the occasion, encouraging customers to make use of this new information resource and cutting the ribbon together with SZV staff to officially launch the website.

Customers present at the offices of SZV were the first to view and navigate the website Read more

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Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG:--- Social & Health Insurances SZV launched its new website www.szv.sx on June 1st. The website is designed to offer customers and the general public a digital portal to the organization and its services. Minister of Public Health Emil Lee was present for the occasion, encouraging customers to make use of this new information resource and cutting the ribbon together with SZV staff to officially launch the website Read more

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Candidates in this article:

BASSETERRE:--- Fifteen months after taking office, the Team Unity Government continues its political victimisation and denying scores of persons the right to work in the country of their birth.

But for the President of the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) Dr. Kelvin Daley it must be a traumatic experience, having been sacked by the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) of Premier Vance Amory when it took office three years ago in Nevis. Daley was hired by the Federal Government of then Prime Minister the Right Hon Read more

Decolonization Committee.

PHILIPSBURG:---I believe MP Cornelius de Weever got a little overzealous when he suggested placing the matter of reinstating St. Maarten on the UN's list of non-self governing territories on the IPKO agenda for next week. A move promptly endorsed by MP Meyers. This basically means re-listing St. Maarten as a colony.
For starters, the IPKO agenda is determined by consensus of all 4 parliaments.
More importantly however is the fact that in the context this proposal was brought by the Independence for St Read more

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Candidates in this article:

Speaker Brand’S “Sudden Resignation” Raises Several Questions Says Leader Of The Opposition In St Kitts And Nevis Dr Denzil Douglas

BASSETERE, ST KITTS:--- Leader of the Opposition, the Rt Hon Dr Denzil L. Douglas said Wednesday that the “sudden resignation” of the Speaker of the National Assembly Hon. Franklin Brand, a few days before completing one full year in office , has raised several questions.

Dr Douglas, who on Wednesday (May 18th) informed the nation of the Speaker’s resignation which was confirmed less than 24 hours later in a statement from Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris, also wants to know how regional parliamentarians officially knew of the resignation, even before Cabinet ministers including the Leader of Government Business in the St Kitts and Nevis National Assembly.

“The reason that I gave as told by persons who knew, was that the Speaker was ‘sick and tired of the deception that has been practiced on him and others by Timothy Harris, the Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis,” said Dr Douglas Wednesday afternoon on Freedom FM “Issues” programme.

“Subsequent to my confirmation the very next day the Government officially made a statement indicating that Hon Brand had really resigned and that the matter had become the subject of discussion in the Cabinet,” Dr Read more

Freedom Fighters Want Referendum Organised On Cannabis Legalisation

PHILIPSBURG--Freedom Fighters Foundation finally had its day in Parliament on Tuesday to discuss the legalisation of cannabis for St. Maarten.

Foundation representatives President Roland “Ras Bushman” Joe, Dr. Jay Haviser, Dr. Dan Johnson and businessman Arun Jagtiani presented their plans to Parliament’s Justice Committee. They requested that Parliament organise a referendum and combine it with the elections scheduled in September Read more

Fabian Badejo To Present Paper At Anguilla Literary Festival 

GREAT BAY – St. Maarten author Fabian Adekunle Badejo will join Trinidad’s storyteller Paul Keens-Douglas, and fresh back from London, England, novelist Montague Kobbe to open Anguilla’s Literary Festival on the morning of May 20, according to Badejo’s publisher HNP.

Badejo will present a paper addressing the early bird topic, “Writing Local Culture for Global Readers.”

The annual “Rise and Shine Breakfast Presentation” is intended to stir the festival’s registered participants for the five-day event Read more

***Police Notice***: Carnival Junior Parade And Grand Parade Route For Saturday And Sunday Coming

P O L I C E   P R E S S   R E L E A S E

Road closures

In connection with the upcoming junior carnival parade Scheduled for Junior Parade April 30th  and the Grand Carnival Parade May 1st, the Police Department is announcing the following road closures:

Junior Parade April 30th 2016

The parade with start at the Jose Lake Senior Ball Park on the L. B. Scot road in Cul-de-Sac at 03.00 p.m.

The route is as follows:

L.B. Scot road/ Church Hill round about/Bush road/ Prins Bernard Bridge/Walter Nisbet road/Salt Pickers Round about/ Soualiga Boulevard in front of the festival Village.

At 02.00 p.m.:

*The Voges Street will be closed between the Cannegieter street and Front Street and will be used for emergencies only.

*The L.B Read more

*** Police Notice***: Second Day Carnival Parade And Closing Jump Up Route For Monday And Tuesday Coming

P O L I C E   P R E S S   R E L E A S E

In connection with the upcoming junior carnival parade Scheduled for the Second Day parade May 2nd and the Closing Jump-Up May 3rd the Police Department is announcing the following road closures

Second Day Carnival Parade May 2nd

The parade will start at 12.00 p.m. on the Soualiga Boulevard in front of the Festival Village.

The route is as follows:

Soualiga road/ Salt Pickers round about/ Walter Nisbet road/ Percy Labega Street/ Longwall road/ Kerkhofsteeg/ Front Street/ Emmaplein/ Welvaart brug/ Freedom Fighter round about/ Walter Nisbet road/ Salt Picker round about/ Soualiga road and ending in front of the Festival Village.

At 11.20 a.m.:

*A.Th Read more

Police Report On The “Jouvert Jump-Up”

JOINT PRESS RELEASE FROM THE PUBLIC PROSECUTORS OFFICE AND KPSM

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The Public Prosecutors Office and the Police Force are glad to report that the “Jouvert Jump up” which was held on Wednesday April 27th 2016 and which was very well attended by thousands of residents and visitors to island was a success. The jump-up started at approximately 04.15 a.m. on the Walter Nisbet road at the Salt Picker round about and headed around the Salt Pond via the Freedom Fighter round about, Sucker garden road, Arch road, A Read more

“Jouvert Jump-Up” Hailed A Success By Kpsm And Prosecution, Even Though Two Serious Stabbing, One Rape And 16 Arrests.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Public Prosecutors Office and the Police Force are glad to report that the “Jouvert Jump up” which was held on Wednesday April 27th 2016 and which was very well attended by thousands of residents and visitors to island was a success. The jump-up started at approximately 04.15 a.m. on the Walter Nisbet road at the Salt Picker round about and headed around the Salt Pond via the Freedom Fighter round about, Sucker garden road, Arch road, A Read more

Police Report; Report On The “Jouvert Jump-Up”

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The Public Prosecutors Office and the Police Force are glad to report that the “Jouvert Jump up” which was held on Wednesday April 27th 2016 and which was very well attended by thousands of residents and visitors to island was a success. The jump-up started at approximately 04.15 a.m. on the Walter Nisbet road at the Salt Picker round about and headed around the Salt Pond via the Freedom Fighter round about, Sucker garden road, Arch road, A Read more

Police Info: “Jouvert Morning” Will Start At 04.00 A.M

ROAD CLOSURES

In connection with upcoming “Jouvert Morning” which is scheduled for Wednesday April 27th 2016 the police department is informing the general public of the following road closures.

The event will start at 04.00 a.m.

At 03.30 a.m.

*Walter Nisbet road closed at Hensley Boujon Street. No traffic allowed in the direction of Salt pickers round about.

* Suckergarden road closed at Freedom Fighter round about Read more

Richardson: Court May Rule In Favour Of Collectivité But ‘Battle With State Not Over’

~ Compensation owed is over 100 million euros ~

MARIGOT--Former President of the Territorial Council Alain Richardson has cautioned he expects the State to fight “tooth and nail” to reduce what is owed if the Constitutional Court agrees the Collectivité never received just compensation for the transfer of competences at the time of the change of status in 2007.
He explained the organic law stipulated transfer of competences must be done in “financial neutrality,” meaning from day one transfers and financial means must come at no cost to the Collectivité.
But it turned out total revenues were exceeding costs of compensation by 634,000 euros that resulted in the negative balance arrived at by the Commission d’ Evaluation des Charges Read more

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Buncampers Guilty Of Tax Fraud And Forgery

~Sentenced to 12 months conditional imprisonment~

By Today Newspaper

GREAT BAY – Former Public Health Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus and her husband Claudius, head of infrastructure management at the Vromi-ministry, have been found guilty of tax fraud to the tune of 80,000 guilders and forgery. The court imposed on both a conditional prison sentence of 12 months and 240 hours of community service.

The court sentenced retired notary Francis Gijsbertha for his role in the Eco Green scam to 240 hours of community service Read more

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Candidates in this article:

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police Department, since March 7th 2016 has been busy making sure that all police officers undergo the compulsory “Integral Profession Training”. This training is given twice a year by in house qualified instructors. The training covers areas such as Official Instructions, violence control, police physical skills, arrest, self-defense and shooting skills.
Responding to situations as a group, approaching situations as a group and making arrests as a group are main subjects in this training Read more

The University Of St. Martin (Usm) Well Represented At The Leeward Island Debating Competition (Lidc)

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - The USM is proud to announce the accomplishments of two students who participated in the LIDC as part of team St. Maarten, Mr. Dwayne Griffith who is enrolled in the USM GED Tutorial program and Ms. Alexandria Baly Stanford who is a second year student in the General Liberal Arts program.

Team St. Maarten participated in three debates; Debate 1 which was won by the team with Dwayne Griffith as 1st speaker. Debate 2 which were also won by Team St. Maarten with Alexandria Baly Stanford as 2nd speaker, finally Debate 3 where team St Read more

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Obama Meets Castro In Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba – “This is a new day between our two countries,” President Obama said after meeting with Cuban President Raúl Castro in Havana.

The two leaders agreed that there are still deep fissures between the two countries and that a healthy relationship between them will take work.

That uneasiness was apparent as soon as journalists began asking questions. Obama and Castro were not supposed to take questions, but a last minute change made that possible.

In Spanish, a journalist asked Castro why his country kept political prisoners.

Clearly miffed, Castro asked the reporter to hand over a list of political prisoners.

“If there are political prisoners, they will be released by nightfall,” Castro said.

Obama was diplomatic when he addressed Cuba’s human rights record Read more

Three Players Win $85,165 With Caribbean Lottery Games.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Monday, March 14, 2016: The Caribbean Lottery over the past two weeks has produced three significant winners for the Lucky Pick, Pick 4 and Instant Scratch games. The three winners have collectively amassed $85,165 in fortune!
The first winner bought his Lucky Pick ticket from Caribbean Lottery’s Tackling Shell retail outlet. An overjoyed Michael Francis, who is a father of two, walked away with a cheque for $43,500 with 02-03-24-27-28 as his winning numbers for the March 2 draw.
Michael is as avid lottery player with his favourite games being Lucky Pick, Pick 3 and Pick 4 Read more