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1St Batch Of Lease-To-Own Generators On Their Way

PHILIPSBURG--The first batch of lease-to-own containerised generators have been
shipped and are on their way to St. Maarten, Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina announced
on Wednesday.
He told reporters at the live Council of Ministers press briefing that a total of twenty
20-foot containers will be coming as part of phase two of the plan to resolve the current
electricity crisis being faced by the country Read more

Jacobs Resigns As Alliance Leader, Bows Out Of Active Politics For Now

Silveria Jacobs

~ Unjust to maintain leadership ~

PHILIPSBURG--National Alliance (NA) leader and outgoing Member of Parliament (MP) Read more

Hundreds Rally To End Violence Among Youth, Stop School Fights

Students at Milton Peters College holding a poster in support of the rally to end youth violence.

ST. PETERS--A call from the St. Maarten Police Force KPSM to support a March Against Youth Violence in the St. Peters and South Reward areas on Friday garnered strong backing from the educational sector and political leaders, including Prime Minister Luc Mercelina and Minister of Justice Lyndon Lewis Read more

Cbcs Donates Naf. 10,000 To Nature Foundation St. Maarten

Nature Foundation St. Maarten Manager Leslie Hickerson (centre) accepts the donation from CBCS President Richard Doornbosch (right).

PHILIPSBURG--The Central Bank of Curaao and St. Maarten (CBCS) donated NAf. 10,000 to Nature Foundation St. Maarten during the unveiling of the new Caribbean guilder Cg. currency at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Casino on Thursday evening last week.

A similar donation was made to the Carmabi Foundation in Curaao.

Established in 1996 and 1997, respectively, Carmabi and Nature Foundation St Read more

Eoc Meets To Debrief On The Passing Of Tropical Storm Ernesto

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) met at the Government Administration Building on Wednesday to debrief on the national response to the passing of Tropical Storm Ernesto, the fifth named storm of the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season.

The meeting was chaired by the honorable Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina.

Each Emergency Support Function (ESF) which makes up the essential core of the countrys national disaster system present for the meeting gave a presentation.

Fire Chief/Disaster Coordinator Clive Richardson said that the passing of Tropical Storm Ernesto tested all areas and levels of emergency response.

Richardson said the passing for the storm allowed the individual ESFs to fine tune their emergency response mechanisms in preparation for the next system.

The 10 ESFs are: ESF-1 NV GEBE (Water & Energy), ESF-2 Bureau Telecommunication and Post (BTP), ESF-3 Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Public Works, Transport & Logistics), ESF-4 Fire Department, ESF-5 Police, ESF-6 Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, ESF-7 Department of Social Development (Evacuation, Shelters, Relief & Mass Care), ESF-8 Department of Communication, ESF-9 Governmental Affairs, and ESF-10 Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Telecommunication and Transport (Airport, Port & Hotels).

The Office of Disaster Management (ODM) which falls under the Fire Department (Ministry of General Affairs) headed by Fire Chief/Disaster Coordinator Clive Richardson, is appealing to all residents and businesses to remain vigilant and to maintain a state of readiness as the nation is now in the peak period of the hurricane season.

The remaining storm names for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season are: Francine, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Milton, Nadine, Oscar, Patty, Rafael, Sara, Tony, Valerie, and William.

The community is urged to learn more about hurricane hazards and how to prepare for a storm/hurricane strike by visiting the Government website: www.sintmaartengov.org/hurricane where you will be able to download your Hurricane Season Readiness Guide and Hurricane Tracking Chart.

Listen to the Government Radio station SXMGOV 107.9FM – for official information and news before, during and after a hurricane Read more

Governor Baly Starts Consultations As A Result Of 2024 Snap Election

HARBOUR VIEW, PHILIPSBURG On Tuesday August 20, 2024, the Governor of Sint Maarten, His Excellency A.G. Baly, LL.M. was informed by the chairperson of the Central Voting Bureau about the proceedings of the August 19, 2024 parliamentary elections. The Governor has also received the preliminary results of said parliamentary elections.

Based on the preliminary results, the Governor has commenced the consultations with various stakeholders to gather information on the process regarding the formation of a new government Read more

Caretaker Minister Of Justice Meets WithNewly Formed Customs Management Team

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — On Wednesday, August 21, 2024, Caretaker Minister of Justice, Lyndon Lewis, held a meeting with the newly appointed management team of the Customs Department. The meeting included Mr. Anthony Doran, who has resumed his position as Head of Customs, and Mr. Rogerrel Mauricia.

During this important meeting, Minister Lewis engaged with the new leadership to discuss the strategic direction and priorities for the Customs Department Read more

Launch Entrepreneurship Development Program

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten -The Sint Maarten Entrepreneurship Development Center (SEDC)Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of the first Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP).

The four-week EDP is designed to equip aspiring and existing entrepreneurs with essential business skills Read more

Port St. Maarten Forecasts Over 1.5 Million Cruise Tourists In 2025

Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten (right) with Michele Paige, CEO of Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association.

 PHILIPSBURG--Port St. Maarten Group (PSG) anticipates a significant increase in cruise tourism, projecting that over 1.5 million cruise passengers will visit the island in 2025 Read more

Mp Emmanuel: Ennia Debacle Turning Out To Be Financial Genocide Upon St. Maarten

~ Questions why BES, Suriname linked to St. Maarten ~

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — In a scathing rebuke, Member of Parliament Christophe Emmanuel on Thursday accused the former National Alliance government and the Central Bank of Curaao and St. Maarten (CBCS) of committing financial genocide by burdening the people of St. Maarten with the disastrous Ennia bailout agreement. Emmanuel’s remarks followed revelations made by Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs, exposing hidden terms that would further drain St Read more

Mp Gumbs Submits Draft Financial Legislation To Minister Finance

Manifesto Dealbreaker Point Met

PHILISPBURG Party for Progress member of Parliament Melissa Gumbs submitted draft legislation to the Honorable Minister of Finance, Marinka Gumbs, on Thursday, 15 August 2024 Read more

The Much-Needed Justice Academy For Country Sint Maarten

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — As the new school year begins, marking the reopening of schools across Sint Maarten after the summer break, I, Paco Isenia, candidate #14 for the upcoming parliamentary elections on August 19th 2024 under the Unified Resilient Sint Maarten Movement (URSM), emphasize the critical importance of education for all students Read more

Ryan James Pushes For Support On A Pensioner Allowance

Candidate # 6 on the N.O.W. party Ryan James continues to advocate for seniors and press home that their well-being is of utmost importance and that begins with an additional government allowance.

Many seniors I have spoken with believe that the pension allowance does not meet their needs, and they struggle to make ends meet. Consequently, they desire an increase of their old age pension.

He went on to outline some key points to consider regarding the potential benefits of this approach:

Potential Benefits

An increase of the old age pension would directly increase the amount of money available to retirees, enhancing their purchasing power and helping them cover living expenses, healthcare costs, and other needs. Many seniors live on fixed incomes and struggle to make ends meet Read more

Minister Vromi Gumbs Signs Trenching Contracts, Continues To Address Outstanding Projects

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The signing of the four contracts marks the end of three years of irregular cleaning and maintenance of the trenches and waterways. The previous contracts ended on December 31st 2021. A public tender was carried out between 2022 and 2023, but was not fulfilled due to concerns of the previous administration related to the results of the tendering process. Upon taking office, Gumbs decided to review the file, in close consultation with legal advisors and the Ministry, i.e Read more

DATE ISSUED: Thursday, 15 August 2024 @ 12:00 LST (16:00 UTC) VALID UNTIL: Friday midday (12:00 LST) 16 August 2024THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY HAS BEEN DISCONTINUEDWEATHER:This afternoon through Friday midday: Fair to partly cloudy and Hot with light haze and a local shower possible.Forecast High: 33C / 91F              Forecast Low: 28C / 82FSunset Today: 6:39 P.M.                  Sunrise Tomorrow: 5:55 A.M.SURFACE WINDS: This afternoon through Friday midday: East-southeasterly with a light to moderate breeze of 6 to 14 mph.SYNOPSIS: A mostly dry and stable atmosphere will restrict significant shower activity and support hot temperatures across the local region Read more

Mobilizing Resources To Combat Crime On The Island And What It Means For Its Members

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — In light of the recent surge in criminal activities on our island, the union is committed to utilizing every available resource to address and combat crime effectively. Over the past few months, our community has been significantly impacted by the actions of various individuals perpetrating these offenses. As the upcoming election and also threat of a storm approaches, ensuring the safety and security of our island is paramount.

We recognize that a collaborative effort is essential to safeguarding our community Read more

Press Statement By Minfin Marinka Gumbs Vital Updates On The Ennia Saga

Esteemed citizens of St. Maarten, today it is imperative that I provide you with an update on this Ennia Saga. Since my last appearance in Parliament, I have continued to carefully investigate the outline agreement and also explore alternative solutions. My intention was to go to parliament again this week to provide answers to the questions posed; however, due to an error in the date provided by Parliament, which led to a misunderstanding, the meeting will be rescheduled. However aside from answering the questions it is vital that I provide you the residents of Sint Maarten and specifically the Sint Maarten ennia policy holders with an update.

My main focus remains on two groups: the Sint Maarten policyholders and country Sint Maarten Read more

Winners Of 7 Lucky Classroom Material Projects Announced!

PHILLIPSBURG-– Member of Parliament Richinel Brug announced in a press statement Thursday morning the winners of his Lucky 7 Classroom Material project.

I am thrilled to announce the winners of the Lucky 7 Classroom Material project! Congratulations to Mr. Charles Rollan, Ms. Tiffany Richardson, Ms. Beverley Orr, Ms. Allison Harry (Teacher Mars), Ms Read more

All Businesses Told To Close, Essential Services Can Open

PHILIPSBURG--In an effort to ensure the safety of the public and employees of businesses during the passing of Tropical Storm Ernesto, Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten decided that all businesses, with the exception of essential services, had to close by 11:00pm Monday night to minimise movement on the public road.

Essential services that can remain open are emergency services; gas stations that service vehicles needed for essential services; pharmacies (concerning the sale of medicines/medical products); hotels and guesthouses, including stores and restaurants located in them; funeral parlours; the airport and the harbour, including the stores located in them.

Public transportation was allowed to operate until 1:00am Tuesday, August 13.

In a national address on Monday evening, Prime Minister Dr Luc Mercelina said the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) had met at midday Monday to assess the current situation and to review national preparations.

Schools are to remain closed on Tuesday Read more

Audience member Carlvin Brooks asks a question about the role and future of the islands university, during Fridays session at USM. The candidates who attended the session signed a pledge to publicly support USMs advancement.

PHILIPSBURG--University of St. Martin (USM) Dean of Academic Affairs Dr. Gale Rigobert urged the countrys leaders to support the advancement of the university, declaring, USM cannot continue to be held hostage by its past.

She made the remarks to candidates vying for seats in the upcoming St Read more

New Fleet Of 10 Emergency Vehicles Delivered To Ambulance, Fire Dept.

One of the new vehicles.

 

CAY HILL--A new fleet of ten emergency vehicles has been delivered to the St. Maarten Fire and Ambulance Department, marking another milestone in the countrys recovery and disaster preparedness, the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) has announced.

The fleet includes seven specialised command, fire brigade and fire service vehicles and three vehicles for the ambulance service.

The Fire Department has received four Toyota Land Cruisers, two Toyota Hilux and one Toyota Hi-Ace, whilst the ambulance department has received three Toyota Land Cruisers Read more

Buncamper Praise Plan To Turn Courthouse Into National Heritage Center In Philipsburg

~ Wants more protection for monuments ~

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — The Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports has initiated a significant cultural initiative led by Minister Lyndon Lewis: the establishment of a National Heritage Center in Philipsburg, with the historic Courthouse serving as its centerpiece. This development signifies a major step in preserving and showcasing our rich heritage and history.

The decision to repurpose the Court House as the National Heritage Center has garnered enthusiastic support, particularly from the Deputy Leader of the National Opportunity Wealth Party (NOW), Claudius Buncamper Read more

Nrpb Clarifies Misinformation About Public Tender For Repair Works

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten, Questions have been recently raised about a foreign company being awarded a contract by the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) to repair twelve (12) school gyms, but much of the information circulating regarding the process has been misleading or inaccurate.

The NRPB finds it unfortunate that some have implied a breach of integrity by its staff, as by law the organization and its personnel have strictly adhered to the World Banks rules when awarding contracts, selecting the most suitable bidder for the job Read more

Emmanuel: Waste To Energy Will Solve Energy And Landfill Crisis, Create Jobs

We should not move in the opposite direction of the world

The islands growing waste and energy crisis not only threatens its ecological health and the overall economy, but the very well-being of its residents. To address this, St. Maarten should be turning to an innovative solution: waste-to-energy (WtE) technology. This technology promises not only to manage waste sustainably but also to generate clean energy, reduce landfill volumes, and create hundreds of jobs, providing a much-needed economic boost.

MP Christophe Emmanuel, leader of the Nation Opportunity Wealth (NOW) Party, the driving force behind the EnviroGreen Project initiated in 2016, has long championed the waste-to-energy solution Read more