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Unions Meet With The Prime Minister And The Council Of Ministers

Philipsburg – On Tuesday, May 21, 2024, representatives from all the unions representing the public and private sector convened with the Council of Ministers (COM) upon invitation. The meeting, initiated by the COM, centered on crucial topics including Vacation Allowance, Cost Of Living Allowance (COLA), Justice Matters, payment to subsidized schools, Social & Health Insurance (SZV), Med Works, and the National Health Insurance (NHI). While commending the COM for extending the invitation, the unions expressed concerns regarding the current political atmosphere and sought clarity on the purpose of the meeting, considering the caretaker status of the government Read more

Com Meets With Advisory Committee On Slavery, Atonement, And Reparations

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) On Tuesday, May 28, 2024, the Advisory Committee on Slavery, Atonement, and Reparations (ACSAR) had an introductory meeting with the Council of Ministers (CoM).

The meeting commenced with an honorary session dedicated to the ancestors of Sint Maarten, with the ritual performed by Nkosazzana Illis. Following this, the committee members explained the manner and reason for the Committee’s establishment and emphasized the importance of discussing slavery Read more

Gumbs, Arrindell Prepare For Sint Maarten Students-Housing Remains Critical Issue

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Minister Plenipotentiary Patrice Gumbs and Deputy Minister Gracita Arrindell met last week with the Head Division Study Financing Mr. Antonio Aventurin on issues surrounding education, education financing, and particularly the status of students in the Netherlands Read more

Minister Lewis Prioritise Digital Safety For Children

From left: Minister Lyndon Lewis, a representative from the UNODC and the ministers Senior Policy advisor Jerome Gumbs in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

PHILIPSBURG--On May 22 and 23, Minister of Justice and Acting Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, Lyndon Lewis attended the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Global Program on Cybersecurity in Port of Spain, Trinidad Read more

Minister Lewis Intervenes Amid Immigration Officer Shortage At Pjia

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — On Saturday, May 25, 2025, an unexpected shortage of immigration officers at Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) due to a mass sick call, reportedly linked to unpaid overtime, prompted immediate action from the Ministry of Justice. Justice Minister the Honorable Lyndon Lewis, also a former immigration officer, personally visited the airport to assess the situation and lend a hand. Efforts to mobilize additional officers from the mobile unit were unsuccessful, leading the Minister to step in directly alongside his former colleagues on the front lines Read more

Sam Ready For Snap Elections, Will Push To Ensure Place On Ballot

SUCKER GARDEN, St. Maarten – The Soualiga Action Movement (SAM) has been observing the slow-paced development, the discontent in the community and the deterioration of the island’s standing at home and in the wider world.

SAM’s team together with leader veteran politician and former minister/MP Franklin Meyers has been putting in the groundwork and preparing for a future election.

“The time came earlier than any of us, including the sitting government, could have anticipated Read more

Ursm Celebrates The Admittance Of Richinel Brug To Member Of Parliament

PHILIPSBURG The leadership and board of the Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM) proudly announce the admittance of Mr. Richinel Brug as the newest incoming Member of Parliament once sworn Read more

Ex-Cbcs President In Court On Charges Of Fraud, Money-Laundering And Bribery

Emsley Tromp

 ~ Lengthy prison sentence sought ~

WILLEMSTAD/PHILIPSBURG--In a court appearance in Curaao on Tuesday, Emsley Tromp, former President of the Central Bank of Curaao and St. Maarten (CBCS), defended himself against allegations of fraud stemming from his involvement in the Curaao Fashion Group (CFG). Tromp emphasised that he has meticulously maintained a separation between his roles, establishing what he described as Chinese walls to ensure ethical integrity.

Tromp is a suspect in the Hercules case Read more

Strategic Discussion On The Future Of Social & Health Insurances (Szv)

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten The honorable Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina, alongside the Minister of Public Health, Social Development & Labor (VSA) Mrs. Veronica Jansen-Webster, Minister of Finance Ms Read more

Cabinet Mercelina Prioritizes Inclusiveness And Communication With Public Servants

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — On Friday morning, May 10, 2024, the Council of Ministers (CoM) met with the newly proposed Employee Engagement Council (EEC), composed of 17 members from various departments and executing bodies within government. This initiative follows an independent employee satisfaction survey and recent exit interviews. The EEC analysed the survey results, which highlighted concerns over primary labor conditions, and has formulated 21 recommendations aimed at four specific target groups: colleagues, middle management, secretary generals, and political leaders, along with six general recommendations. Key priorities identified include enhancing open communication, implementing the full human resource cycle throughout the government, and increasing transparency through the publication of annual plans and quarterly progress reports, which are supported by monthly updates from middle management Read more

Grisha To Have Quick Scan Of Teatt, Says Economy Far From Its Best Shape

GREAT BAY Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT), Grisha Heyliger-Marten, has signaled that she will have a quick scan done to give a more realistic picture of what our current (economic) situation actually is.

In her inaugural address Friday, May 3, 2024, the new TEATT minister, the 12th since 2010, said, it does not take a rocket scientist to see that our economy is far from its best shape.

True, we have faced some unprecedented challenges in the last decade, including the incredible devastation caused by Hurricane Irma in 2017 and the global shutdown brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 Read more

Grisha Hears Market Vendors Concerns Over New Marketplace

GREAT BAY Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication, Grisha Heyliger-Marten, met Friday, May 10, 2024, with market vendors to hear their concerns about the proposed new marketplace.

The market project had already been awarded to J&J Construction for a total of Nafl 1.2 million, however many of the market vendors were not satisfied with the design.

During the meeting, the vendors highlighted the lack of storage facility for their wares, as well as the need for better lighting, bathrooms, and security Read more

Minister Jansen-Webster HonorsNurses On International Nurses Day

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — In commemoration of International Nurses Day, the honorable Minister of VSA Veronica Jansen-Webster made a special visit to the St. Maarten Medical Center and White and yellow Cross on Friday. The visit was a heartfelt gesture to express gratitude and appreciation to the unsung heroes of healthcare, the nurses.

Minister Jansen-Webster is deeply connected to the nursing profession through personal experience, having grown up with a mother, the esteemed Cecilia Webster-Cox affectionately known as Sis, who dedicated decades to serving the community as a nurse Read more

Carnival 2024 Wraps Up Challenging Year

~ Carnival 2025 scheduled from April 21 to May 5 ~

PHILIPSBURG--After a year filled with unprecedented challenges, St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) has closed the 53rd edition of Carnival.

Despite facing various obstacles, the SCDF expressed gratitude for being able to reach the finish line, with SCDF President Edwardo Radjouki saying in a press release on Sunday, This can never happen again, this is not who we are.

Reflecting on a Carnival that looked and felt different from previous years, Radjouki referred to the division of Carnival people by one individual to please that individuals personal feelings Read more

Money Grows On Trees

St Peters – Its been an amazing past 8 months putting this project together. Every step of the way, everyday you face a challenge that allows you to exercise your mind and actions toward finding the right solution mentally, physically, spiritually or financially.

You can never tell the challenges you may face until you take your journey head on. Some of us may be faced with one of the above challenges, but today we will try to address those that are faced with financial challenges and perhaps offer an ecological solution.

Matshona Dhliwayo is a Canadian based Philosopher, Entrepreneur, and authorand is credited with saying, “Money doesn’t grow on trees, but grows on intelligent minds”.The phrase “money doesn’t grow on trees” is a metaphor that means money is not an unlimited resource that can be easily accessed, like leaves on a tree.It often appears in situations where someone is asking for money without having put in any effort to earn it.

We can agree to a part of this paragraph and respectfully disagree to another.

What we can agree to is the fact that it often appears in situations where someone is asking for money without having put in any effort to earn it Read more

Szv Now Covers Diabetic Foot Care Services

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten Social & Health Insurances SZV is excited to announce a new addition to our medical insurance coverage: services from The Diabetic Foot Care Sint Maarten Foundation (D-FOOT). This new benefit is a big step forward in ensuring our diabetic community has access to the necessary healthcare to improve their quality of life.

“SZV is committed to providing comprehensive healthcare services to our community. The addition of D-FOOT services to our coverage is a significant step in ensuring our diabetic population receives the specialized care they need Read more