SXMElections.com

Winners And Losers: Who Will Survive The Polls In February?

St. Maarten / By Hilbert Haar – February 9, 2016 is crunch day for politicians and those who aspire to become one. The parliamentary elections – for some mysterious reason perceived by some as ‘snap elections’, whatever that may be – will give voters the opportunity to speak their mind about the constitutional drama that concluded on Wednesday when the ministers of the Marcel Gumbs cabinet tendered their resignation and Governor Drs Read more

Dutch Newspapers Pick Up On Conflict With Chief Bouman

GREAT BAY – Sint Maarten made headlines in Dutch media yesterday and the news was not all good. “Fifty police officer to Sint Maarten” the headline in the Volkskrant read. Algemeen Dagblad; Police considers politicians St. Maarten too corrupt.” Whether Dutch and local law enforcement units will work together – on that point the two newspapers contradict each other.

Algemeen Dagblad reports about the clash between Justice Minister Dennis Richardson and Gerard Bouman, the chief of the national police in the Netherlands Read more

Rain Forest Adventures did not invite SXM Pride

Dear Editor,

I read with interest the article in Monday's paper stating that Rain Forest Adventures met with members of the heritage, culture and environmental groups to share its plans for the Plantations Industry and Golden Rock.

In the article it was stated that Jadira Veen and Rueben Thompson of SXM Pride were not present Read more

RFA meets reps of culture & heritage

PHILIPSBURG--Rain Forest Adventures (RFA) recently shared its plans for the Plantations Industry and Golden Rock (commonly called Emilio Wilson Estate) with members of the heritage, culture and environmental groups as well as other stakeholders.

"The meeting ended in a commitment to continue working together and incorporating best ideas and practices as the project develops," John Dalton of Rain Forest Adventures told The Daily Herald via e-mail on Sunday.

Dalton shared with attendees' his company's objective to showcase St Read more

USP to discuss possible removal of minister today

PHILIPSBURG--The possible removal of Justice Minister Dennis Richardson by the United St. Maarten Party (USP) will be discussed in a special meeting of the party’s board and advisors in the Parliament Building today, Thursday, at 6:30pm.

USP has been in control of the Justice portfolio since earlier this year, but is yet to place its own minister Read more

NA calls for a ‘unified approach’ from Govt.

PHILIPSBURG--The United People’s (UP)-led coalition has failed to show exactly what it is ready for, as its election campaign “We Ready” stated, said National Alliance (NA) Members of Parliament on Wednesday. They called on the governing coalition to present a “unified approach,” to table its long-overdue governing programme and appoint the two missing ministers.

NA leader MP William Marlin said at a press conference in Parliament House on Wednesday that UP members had proven only they were ready to take care of themselves and “to cut more deals and use the infrastructure” for their own personal enterprises.

In his estimation, UP is not ready “to bring much needed changes” to the country’s infrastructure and to tackle social ills Read more

Princess Heights Makes Going Green Profitable

St. Maarten – The Princess Heights boutique hotel in Dawn Beach is now among 2,300 hotels in 47 countries around the world to carry the Green Key eco-label. On Monday evening, the hotel celebrated the certification with a reception around the property’s pool.

General Manager Emil Lee said that initially he had no intention to get the hotel certified Read more

Carnival 2015 Queen Contestants Experience Cultural, History Tour

St. Maarten -The Carnival contestants of the Teen, Senior and Mature queen pageants were treated on Saturday to a day of culture and history for the first annual Royal Culture Tour organized by the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF). The brainchild of pageant coordinator Aishira Cicilia, the tour was organized to give all the contestants a more wholesome experience and for them to understand that through pageantry, they can learn and relay aspects of St. Maarten’s history and culture to others.

 

They started at the St Read more

>PHILIPSBURG:--- Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) representative Mr. Finn Bolding Thomsen poses at Divi Little Bay's Blue Flag information Board with Divi's Human Resources Manager Ms. Marije Lodewijks and Environmental Protection In the Caribbean's (EPIC) Project Manager/ Blue Flag National Operator Rueben J. Thompson during the Blue Flag inspection which took place at the resort this past week Read more

International Blue Flag Inspection At Divi Little Bay

PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten - Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) representative Mr. Finn Bolding Thomsen poses at Divi Little Bay's Blue Flag information Board with Divi's Human Resources Manager Ms. Marije Lodewijks and Environmental Protection In the Caribbean's (EPIC) Project Manager/ Blue Flag National Operator Rueben J. Thompson during the Blue Flag inspection which took place at the resort this past week.

Blue Flag is an exclusive, voluntary eco-label annually awarded to beaches and/or marinas which meet a specific set of criteria concerning environmental information and education, water quality, safety, services and environmental management.

Divi Little Bay Resort was one of two local locations first awarded the prestigious Blue Flag eco-label in October of 2011, making St Read more

Princess Heights celebrates pioneering eco-certification

Princess Heights Luxury Boutique Condo Hotel General Manager Emil Lee (centre) holds a Green Key programme plaque amongst key representatives of the hotel, Foundation for Environmental Education, Environmental Protection in the Caribbean, and the St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association as they all hold up a Green Key programme flag.

DAWN BEACH--Princess Heights Luxury Boutique Condo Hotel celebrated its milestone in becoming the first and only property on the island to be awarded the prestigious Green Key Eco-label certification on hotel premises on the evening of February 2, amongst a crowd of supporters and key stakeholders.

International Green Key Director Finn Thomsen of the non-profit Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), which owns and runs the programme, was on hand to mark the occasion Read more

The Emilio Wilson Estate St. Maarten’s Heritage in peril

Dear Editor,

A number of people have called me over the past two days to express their frustration regarding the most recent turn of events in what some are now calling the Emilio Wilson Estate Saga.

The news as featured in the local media announcing that Rain Forest Adventures (RFA) has obtained or will soon obtain the long lease to Emilio Wilson Estate is of course extremely worrisome. The Honourable Prime Minister Gumbs' (a gentleman I hold in high regard) statement in the media yesterday that "no long-lease has been granted to Rain Forest Adventures" and that he has "not signed anything for or granted anything" does nothing to decrease my concerns Read more

>OYSTER BAY:--- At a ceremony on Friday, three sites on St. Maarten were awarded the Blue Flag eco-label, which is bestowed annually on beaches and marinas throughout the world that meet strict environmental and safety criteria. Oyster Bay Beach Resort, Divi Little Bay Beach Resort, and Yacht Club Isle de Sol were commended for their high standards and voluntary efforts towards environmental sustainability.
Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC), which organized the event, is the National Operator for the Blue Flag Program on St Read more

EPIC Eco-Labels

~ Creating corporate responsibility ~

By Laura Bijnsdorp

Yesterday, three locations were awarded the FEE Blue Flag Eco Label for another year through Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC); Divi Little Bay, Oyster Bay and Isle de Sol Marina.

The Blue Flag is a voluntary eco-label awarded to more than 4,000 beaches and marinas in 48 countries across Europe, South Africa, Morocco, Tunisia, New Zealand, Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean. The label works towards sustainable development of beaches and marinas through strict criteria dealing with Water Quality, Environmental Education and Information, Environmental Management, and Safety and Other Services.

The Blue Flag Programme is owned and run by the non-government, non-profit organization the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) Read more

Rueben Thompson; “Enforcement Is The Problem”:  Beach Policy Exists Already For More Than Twenty Years

St. Maarten – The Executive Council of the Island Territory of St. Maarten established already twenty years ago a beach policy. In August 2014, acting Island Secretary Rafael Boasman and Lt. Governor Dennis Richardson signed off on this policy, which basically establishes that beaches have to be freely accessible for the public.

“The Executive Committee of the Island Territory of Sint Maarten hereby makes known that they have established a policy concerning the use of beaches,” the document, that contains a summary, states.

“The beaches must be useable for everyone, both local residents and tourists alike, for recreational purposes Read more

Beach entry technically reopens, need for legislation highlighted

BELAIR--Property development representatives technically have reopened the entryway to the Belair beach after it had been closed off on the morning of December 1, preventing public access to the beach.

However, the “No trespassing” and “Private property” signs remain, and another one even has been added since Tuesday, on a tree directly in line with the only entryway, a footpath (see Tuesday edition of The Daily Herald).

The newly-fixed fence has been drawn back to technically allow foot access, although this can be considered a “mental barrier,” according to the Beach Access Policy Read more