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PHILIPSBURG:---  The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor marked a significant and historical milestone today, January 10, 2024. The signing of the Scope of Service Agreement signifies the realization of digitalizing the financial aid payments by MCB St. Maarten ( trading as WIB) on behalf of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor.

The task to have this come to fruition started some three (3) years ago, with a vision to create improved efficiencies for the financial aid process under the Division of Labor Affairs & Social Services, but most importantly, to usher in an era of higher client-centered services Read more

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Telem Ceo Advises Staff To Read The Full Audit Report That Was Leaked.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Chief Executive Officer of TELEM Group of Companies Kendall Dupersoy penned a letter to his staff on Wednesday requesting that they read the full audit report that was leaked to all social media platforms.

Below is the memo sent to the staff of TELEM.

Click here to read the Audit Report done by SOAB.

Dear Team,

I hope this message finds you well Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:---  Orco Bank Sint Maarten reaffirms its commitment to the local community with its second annual donation drive, gifting 25 shoe box presents to 25 specially selected students of the esteemed Asha Stevens Primary School.
In a bid to spread holiday cheer and foster a sense of joyous giving, Orco Bank Sint Maarten proudly extended its support to the Asha Stevens Primary School for the second consecutive year Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- On December 28, 2023, the Council of Ministers of Sint Maarten officially approved the outline agreement for the ENNIA Resolution, marking a crucial step towards safeguarding the financial well-being of approximately 30,000 policyholders. This comprehensive solution, developed in collaboration with the governments of Curacao and Sint Maarten and the Central Bank of Curaao and Sint Maarten (CBCS), ensures the continuity of the ENNIA Group's services, including in the realm of life insurance.
In a press release dated December 20, 2023, the public was informed of the technical-level outline agreement reached by the involved parties Read more

HARBOR VIEW, PHILIPSBURG:---Distinguished guests, good evening.
It is really great to see all of you here. On behalf of my wife Janique and I, welcome and thank you for joining us this evening. It is our pleasure to welcome everyone to our beautiful venue tonight here at the new location of my Cabinet at Falcon Drive #2.
A very Happy and Healthy New Year to one and all. May this be a year of dedication, devotion and discipline towards the prosperity of our beloved nation.
A new year brings with it a renewed and refreshed spirit of hope and reassurance of the will and ability to take on and seize the challenges and opportunities that lie on the horizon Read more

PHILIPSBURG:---  The Minister of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor, Omar E. C Ottley, is delighted to announce the appointment of Dr. Felix Holiday as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC). Minister Ottley expressed his joy in receiving the recommendations from the Supervisory Board, underscoring the significance of this appointment as a milestone in the history of SMMC, marking a new era of leadership and excellence in healthcare.

The selection of a new CEO follows a meticulous and thorough process undertaken by the Supervisory Board to identify the most qualified and fitting candidate for this crucial leadership role Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- In a commendable move towards promoting quality education, candidate # 9 on the URSM Mr. Julian Rollocks Jr. made a generous donation of ten tablets to MAC CSE High School. This act of philanthropy not only highlights Mr Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) reports the completion of its fifth consecutive year of clean financial audits of the projects it manages under the St. Maarten Trust Fund, which reflects the ongoing commitment to transparent and accountable management practices. This consistency in financial integrity has played a crucial role in supporting the island's ongoing recovery and development efforts. The Trust Fund was established in 2018 and is financed by the Government of the Netherlands and managed by the World Bank.

Currently, the NRPB is managing eleven projects centered on recovery, resilience and sustainability collectively valued at over US $400 million Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten announced on Tuesday that the new Caribbean guilder currency will be enacted in 2024. Member of Parliament Rolando Brison expressed concerns about this announcement, emphasizing that the Central Bank cannot speak for the Parliament of St. Maarten. He also advised the bank to "hold its horses" when releasing any further information regarding this enactment.

The MP reacted to the press release from the Central Bank issued on Tuesday indicating that the Caribbean guilder will be introduced in Curaao and St Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:---  On January 3rd MP Rolando Brison received a copy of the bundle St. Maarten Tax Legislation 2024 (ENG) presented by St. Maarten tax specialist Marco Aalbers.
Aalbers worked as a tax advisor and tax inspector in St. Maarten for many years and is
the author of the book.
Every year, some accounting firms publish a tax law bundle of current and relevant tax laws of St Read more

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PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):---  The Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports (MECYS) Hon. Rodolphe Samuel, is pleased to announce that the works at Oranje School have been completed and welcomes back the pupils and teachers.
The work entailed Roof Repairs and the installation of Air Conditioning Units in all classrooms at the Oranje School.
I am pleased with the successful completion of the repairs and the installation of air conditioning units Read more

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Teachers From Psve And Academy Questioned Stuart Johnson, President Of Witu, On His Support For Witu Members.

Cay HILL:--- On Thursday, December 7th, 2023, teachers of the FAVE school board requested a meeting with the WITU to discuss a few pressing issues. Among the issues were the COLA, the matter of the policy, as it pertains to legal support for which a 10% is now required as payment to the WITU, provided that the client supported by WITU has won the court case, and an unresolved matter concerning a few members that has been dragging on for almost a year now.
During the meeting, Mr. Mcwilkin, a former member of the WITU board, raised the question of the 10% remuneration fee associated with legal representation which the WITU has added Read more

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Candidate Mp For Ursm Creates The Appearance Of A Political Conflict Of Interest.

CAY HILL:--- Lawyer Sjamira Roseburg, candidate for parliament for the URSM has created the appearance of a conflict of interest in a dispute against NIPA (National Institute for Professional
Advancement).
On October 12, a NIPA teacher, D. E. sought the services of lawyer Roseburg, because of a labour dispute with the NIPA school board whose chairperson is Peggy Ann Dros-Richardson, Head of the Labour Office Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- In the later part of 1989, Mr. Rudy Irion paid a visit to the home of Dr. Lloyd Richardson, to present a concept for a substance abuse rehabilitation program, which Mr. Irion had been challenged to create. The goal was to request that Dr. Richardson put together a board of directors and lead the charge of the rehabilitation program Read more

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SIMPSON BAY:---  Minister of TEATT L. Lambriex, accompanied by Parliament members MP Rolando Brison and MP Akeem Arrindel, visited PJIAE. The delegation, joined by CEO Brian Mingo and head of Immigration Jocelyn Levenstone, assessed the current travel situation, addressing recent media attention.

The group discussed the identified issues and proposed solutions, with plans to increase capacity, especially during the peak season, which sees up to 4,000 arrivals in a day Read more

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~The hardest working Minister and MP: Minister of VSA Omar Ottley and MP Rolando Brison.~

PHILIPSBURG: --- It is that time of the year when the media around the world will make scorecards for people who stand out to the community they live in and the world at large Read more

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~Legislative Package co-signed.~

PHILIPSBURG:---  In a momentous event, guests and online audiences gathered to witness the Minister of Justice co-sign the Justice legislative package. The official signing of the National Decrees was hosted at the Government Administration Building on Wednesday, December 27, 2023. The signing of the National Decree containing General Measures for the Legal Position of officers with police tasks and the new police salary scales, along with the National Decree to enact the legal position and also enact the approved Function Book.

The journey to this significant milestone began in September 2020, when the Minister embarked on the journey of completing the legislative package Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:---  The Minister of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor, Omar Ottley, announced on Thursday, December 28th, that the retroactive and increased AOV pension payments have been disbursed.

Minister Ottley expressed his appreciation at the realization of this milestone, despite the lengthy process involved. As a result of this increase, St Read more

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 PHILIPSBURG:--- The Sage Cultural Award 2023 is the Government of Sint Maarten signature award for the highest in culture and artistic achievement as approved by the Government of Sint Maarten through the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth & Sport drs Rodolphe Samuel. The Sage Cultural Award 2023 ceremony will take place on Friday, December 29, 2023, from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm at the Phillipsburg Cultural Center on Backstreet Read more

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Ser Opinion On Minimum Wage Increase Despite Time Constraints.

Willemstad:---  The Social and Economic Council (SER) of Curaao, today, Friday, December 22, 2023, issued its opinion on the revision of the minimum hourly wage to take effect January 1, 2024.
The SER received the request for its opinion on December 15, 2023, which followed a decision by the Council of Ministers on December 13, 2023. The proposal includes an increase in the minimum hourly wage from NAf Read more

PHILIPSBURG:---  The Minister of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor, presented his Ministerial Regulation to the Council of Ministers where they unanimously passed his groundbreaking proposal to increase the minimum wage from Naf 9.95 to Naf 10.40 totaling a 4.5% increase, effective April 1, 2024. This is part of a broader initiative aimed at ensuring decent living standards for citizens, particularly those on the lower income scale that accounts for a large number, and addressing the challenges posed by the rising cost of living.

The proposed increase, from Naf 9.95 to Naf 10.40, represents an amount of Naf 1,801 ($1000.00) per month for workers Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:---  On Sunday, December 17th, the Simpsonbay basketball court shined brightly once again, thanks to the swift action taken by the Community Development and Humanitarian Family Affairs and the Minister of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor, Omar Ottley. Recognizing the longstanding issue of inadequate lighting at the ball court, Minister Ottley swiftly responded to the concerns voiced by the organizations within the Simpsonbay community.

Since the devastating hurricane Irma in 2017, the Simpsonbay basketball court has been without proper lighting, creating significant challenges for the players and limiting the court's usability during evening hours Read more

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Government Of Sint Maarten Signs Covenant With Ccsu.

~Secures increase in income/benefits for all Civil Servants~

PHILIPSBURG:---  The Government of Sint Maarten is pleased to share a breakthrough in the ongoing talks between the Union Negotiation Team (UNT) and the Government Negotiation Team (GNT). A crucial agreement was reached between the Ministry of General Affairs and the Committee of Civil Servants Unions (CCSU), marking considerable progress in achieving a mutual understanding where it pertains to employee benefits.

Key Agreements:

I Read more

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PHILIPSBURG:--- Last week, Prime Minister Jacobs and the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations, Her Excellency Yoka Brandt, discussed their commitment to further collaboration for an inclusive foreign policy of the Kingdom and of Sint Maarten. Coordinated by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DBB), the meeting highlighted the strong partnership between the Government of Sint Maarten and the United Nations through the support of the Permanent Mission and DBB Read more

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