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PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):---  The Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs, Silveria Jacobs; the Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure, Egbert Doran; the Minister of Justice, Anna Richardson; and the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport, drs Read more

Mp Arrindell Urges Swift Action On Escalating Armed Robberies.

PHILIPSBURG:--- In a recent correspondence to the Honorable Minister of Justice, Anna Richardson, Member of Parliament Akeem Arrindell has voiced his concerns regarding the alarming rise in armed robberies plaguing Sint Maarten Read more

Working In The Caribbean Information Session For The National Career Fair.

PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):---  Minister Plenipotentiary, Rene Violenus, and his cabinet have reached out both to the Council of Ministers and the Sint Maarten Chamber of Commerce and Industry (COCI) regarding one of their economic outreach activities that has the potential of contributing to the labor market issue on Sint Maarten, namely De Nationale Carrirebeurs Read more

Official Outline For Campaign Material For January 11 2024 Parliamentary Elections

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ministry of General Affairs alongside the Central Voting Bureau is pleased to update the public on the rules for political campaign material for the Parliamentary Elections slated for January 11, 2024.

The Minister of Justice of Sint Maarten, Honorable Anna Richardson recently announced that a general permit is granted concerning the placement of Political Campaign Material in Public Spaces with a view to the Elections of the interested political parties for the placement, installation, or possession of Political Campaign Material in Public Spaces during the period from 00:00 on November 22 to January 13, 2024.

This general permit is granted under the following conditions:

The instructions of the police regarding traffic safety and prevention of disorders regarding the placement of Political Campaign Material must be followed.For the sake of traffic safety, it is prohibited to place Political Campaign Material on roundabouts on the island or 10 meters before the start of roundabouts.Political Campaign Material must not impede or endanger traffic by placing it on or at Traffic Facilities.Political Campaign Material must not be placed:on top of Political Campaign Material from another political party.on or at the property of others without the owner's or user's permission.in a way that obstructs or makes public traffic unsafe; andwithin five (5) meters from the polling station, measured from the entrance.The content of Political Campaign Material must not be offensive in any way.The political party is liable for damage, nuisance, or inconvenience caused by or because of the placement or installation, as well as for the risk associated with any police measures regarding Political Campaign Material, and is obligated to remove the Political Campaign Material placed on public roads by January 13, 2024, at the latest.Political Campaign Material placed or installed by anyone other than a political party, on behalf of a specific political party, is deemed to have been placed by or on behalf of the latter party, pursuant to this permit, to the extent that this is the case in Public Spaces.The Minister can revoke the individual permit right to place Political Campaign Material from the political party that does not comply with the conditions of this general permit.In this general permit, the following terms are understood as:Public Spaces: all public roads as described in Article 1 sub i of the Traffic Regulation of Sint Maarten and all public places as described in article 1 sub b of the Public Manifestations Regulation.Political Campaign Material: all material in the broadest sense used for conducting a political campaign, including, but not limited to, posters, stickers, posters, signs, flags, brochures, and flyers.Traffic Facilities: the traffic signs and signals as described in Article 2 of the Traffic Regulation of Sint Maarten.Elections: the elections on January 11th, 2024, for the election of members of the Parliament of Sint Maarten.

This information was previously sent by the Minister of Justice to the political party leaders to ensure transparency Read more

PHILIPSBURG:---  In a heartfelt appeal letter addressed to the Minister of Justice Anna Richardson, and co-copied by the council of ministers and the Parliament of Sint Maarten, Fabio Doralice, Interim President of the Haitian Association of Sint Maarten (HASMA), is urging the Government of Sint Maarten to temporarily halt the forced returns of Haitian nationals a midst the dire humanitarian crisis currently engulfing Haiti Read more

PHILIPSBURG:---  Sint Maarten's Law Enforcement and Border Control gained an asset with the appointment of Mr. Jocelyn R. Levenstone as the new Head of Immigration. With a remarkable career spanning nearly 35 years in Law Enforcement, Coastguard operations, safety, and security management, Mr. Levenstone's diverse and extensive background positions him to lead the Immigration department into a new era of efficiency and effectiveness.

Levenstones journey began as a dedicated Police Officer at KPNA, where he served for eight years, specializing in law enforcement, crime prevention, investigation, and public safety, and as a key member of the Arrest Team.

Following this, Levenstone devoted fifteen years to the Dutch Caribbean Coastguard, where he amassed invaluable knowledge in Maritime Law, security, border control, search and rescue operations, and inter-agency collaboration Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Sint Maarten Police Force announces that three of its officers are set to depart the island to undergo specialized training in Miami-Dade. These officers, in collaboration with counterparts from Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao, will participate in a two-week training course to become certified "Driving Instructors." The purpose of this training is to equip these officers with advanced skills, enabling them to subsequently train our first responders effectively.

The Honorable Minister of Justice, Anna Richardson, extends heartfelt congratulations to these officers as they prepare to embark on this important training endeavor Read more

PHILIPSBURG:---  The annual Police Week, serves to recognize and appreciate the unwavering dedication of the men and women who dedicate their lives as the vigilant guardians of our communities. A jubilant church service was rendered today at the St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church on Front Street, which immediately followed a parade and luncheon at the Government Administration Building in Philipsburg.

This year's Police Week brings together esteemed members of the Police Korps from Aruba, Curacao, the BES Islands, and the Netherlands, fostering unity, collaboration, and the celebration of shared commitment to safety and security.

Today, this solemn gathering, paused to reflect on the pivotal role police officers play in their daily lives Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- What if I told you - that I am not the only guilty one?" asks 11-year-old actor Venndy Isaac in the new film What If I Told You?

Over the weekend, on Caribbean Youth Day, fifty students, ages 6 to 14, celebrated the premiere of the short film 'What If I Told You?' with their teachers, parents, supporters, and dignitaries. The film, written by teacher Rosan Hartley Gayle and acted by students of the MAC John A. Gumbs Campus (MAC JAG), touches on the importance of the support of parents, teachers, and the wider community in a child's development.

The script was first performed by students, including lead character Venndy, at a Spoken Word Competition at the Mens Mental Health Awareness event in May Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) would like to announce the well-deserved retirement of one of its longest-serving and most employees, Miss Deborah Ann Rombley. With a remarkable career spanning 43 years and six months, Miss Rombley has been an invaluable member of this organization.

A surprise retirement party for Miss Rombley took place last Friday in the presence of esteemed guests, including the Honorable Minister of Justice, Anna Richardson, and the Chief of Police, Mr Read more

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA:--- Minister of Justice Anna Richardson spoke at the Regional Conference on Population and Development in Latin American and the Caribbean Read more

Customs Officers Are Calling On The Minister Of Justice To Address Their Concerns.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Customs workers on St. Maarten have reached their limit and have made a public call to the Minister of Justice Anna Richardson to address their concerns as well as their working conditions.
The Customs officers that reached out to SMN News said they held a meeting with the Minister of Justice and the ABVO union where they expressed their grievances but to date, the Minister has not taken any action to resolve the issues and she did not reach out to them.
The customs officers claim in a letter said they need working dogs since the trained working dogs play a vital role in detecting contraband while safeguarding the countrys borders Read more

Policy Needed To Curtail Drug And Alcohol Abuse.

PHILIPSBURG: --- The Minister of Justice has decided to start a public campaign in order to bring awareness about the high level of alcohol and drug abuse among young people in St. Maarten.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Dr. Tasheena Maccow Thomas of Turning Point said that there has been an increase in the use of drugs among young people in St. Maarten. Over the past two years, there has been an increase in drug and alcohol abuse, Young people are not only using marijuana, but they are also using cocaine and popping pills Read more

 PHILIPSBURG: ---The victim Michael Flanders who accused police of Police brutality is yet to file an official complaint with the Internal Affairs of the Police Department of St. Maarten or the National Detectives so said the Chief of Police Carl John at a press conference called by the Minister of Justice Anna Richardson on Tuesday.
John did not divulge details of the ongoing investigation but stated that KPSM has been busy investigating the allegations and the missing element to proceed with the investigation is the complaint that must be filed by the alleged victim Read more

14-Year-Old Allegedly Molested At Foster Care Home.

~ Parents of the victim informed one month after the incident, the Minister of Justice now investigating. ~

PHILIPSBURG: --- Information reaching SMN News states that a 14-year child who is a resident at the SJIS Home in Dutch Quarter has been molested and kept under the rug for over a month. Sources say that the victim was allegedly molested by an employee of the establishment.
SMN News further understands that the mother of the victim has moved to court since the child was removed from her custody by the courts and placed in an institution where she is molested and hidden from the parents Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Government of Sint Maarten is taking its Tier III Trafficking in Persons ranking, received from the United States Department of State, in June 2023, seriously. Based on the current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of 2019, enacted by all the countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the stage for instrumenting a collaborative effort in combatting the crimes of human trafficking and human smuggling on each territory is organized. This policy invites the opportunity for mutual cooperation on the topic of human trafficking and migrant smuggling on both repressive and administrative sides of execution Read more

PHILIPSBURG:---  The Ministry of Justice in Philipsburg has successfully concluded the final consultations for the legislative package required for the enactment of the Justice Function Book. Minister of Justice, Ms. Anna E. Richardson, held meetings with various unions representing Justice workers, including NAPB-ABVO-WICSU/PSU and the Committee of Civil Servants Union (CCSU), as well as management and employees of the Ministry of Justice.
During these consultations, the NABP-ABVO-WICSU/PSU collaborated closely with Minister Richardson and her team to conduct the final review of the Legal Position Police regulation Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Department of Adult Probation, Department of Family Guardianship, and Foster Families Central Unit of the Foundation Judicial Institutes St. Maarten, were honored to receive a visit from the esteemed Minister of Justice, Anna Richardson, on June 28, 2023. The visit provided an excellent opportunity for the Minister to gain valuable insights into the operations of the organization and the important role played by these departments within the judicial system Read more

~ Police have 21 active cases with 17 suspects. ~

PHILIPSBURG: --- Nagico Insurance has taken the initiative to strengthen the fight against the fraudulent insurance policies that are circulating on St. Maarten.
Eric Ellis Marketing Director of NAGICO Insurances along with the Minister of Justice Anna Richardson and the Chief Commissioner of Police Carl John made the announcement on Wednesday at Nagicos head office.
The new policy schedule will be launched on June 12th, 2023, and will run until September 15th, 2023 Read more

~ More time is needed to finalize calculations. ~

PHILIPSBURG: --- Justice workers will receive a 25% advance payment as early as today April 26th, 2023, Minister of Justice Anna Richardson announced at the weekly press briefing on Wednesday. The Minister said that the Council of Ministers met with the unions over the weekend to discuss and determine the particulars of the payments which are based on the Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019.
Justice workers already received 50% advance payments based on the 2019 MOU, after receiving this 25% it will bring the total payment to 75% while the other 25% will go towards the payment of taxes and other dues owed to the government or USZV Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- To ensure the safety of all participants during the upcoming J'ouvert jump-up and other similar events, the Police Force of Sint Maarten kindly requests that the public refrain from wearing ski masks.
While this has become a popular trend among many people, it has been noted that the use of these masks can pose safety risks, such as hindering the identification of individuals and potentially facilitating criminal activity.
To prevent such issues from occurring, the police will be implementing necessary measures to guarantee the safety of all attendees Read more

~ Procedures and proper channels have to be followed in order for payments to be made. ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Justice Minister Anna Richardson said on Wednesday in response to questions posed by SMN News regarding payments that have to be made to the justice workers based on the recent decision taken by the Council of Ministers.
Richardson was asked if the Ministry would be able to make the first payment by Friday, April 22nd, 2023, to avoid having the justice workers return to their go slow actions Read more

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice Anna Richardson informed The St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) on April 14 by way of an extensive letter that well-known artist Rich Kalashh is not allowed to perform for the international Hip Hop night set for April 21, 2023, due to an analyst by the police department KPSM.
The letter is as follows by the Minister of Justice, "I am writing to you in response to the request made on February 7, 2023, by the St Read more

~Proposes 3 steps to alleviate justice workers' concerns~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the United People's UP Party in Parliament, MP Rolando Brison, sent a letter to Justice Minister Anna Richardson Tuesday, offering three solutions for her consideration that could help ensure the proper basis for Police overtime pay for extraordinarily long working hours during carnival, retroactively pay Justice Workers, and revise and finalize the issuing of the workers' placement letters.

In his letter, MP Brison expounded on his suggestion, made during an urgent Parliamentary Meeting on Wednesday last week Read more