Articles

Dear Sirs,

I would like to bring the following to your attention:

In light of the Zika virus among other health related issues caused by mosquitos, I wish to request your assistance. Over the past THREE years a discarded pickup (See attached picture) has been parked on the street in the residential area of Ebenezer (Wr Plantz road) containing stagnant water and a breeding ground for thousands of mosquitos.

I would greatly appreciate if the health department can look into this health concern. This not only affects the residents of Ebenezer but the many schools in the area and the public of St. Maarten.

Thank you,

Concerned citizen.

The Law Enforcement Council invites people residing on Sint Maarten to take part in an anonymous survey called:

"'he protection and MCurtty of people and objects In Slnt Maarten within the criminal Justice system•.

The Council would like to know more about the experience(s) with the occurrence and handling of - serious and/or concrete
- tiiNatJ and use of violence against persons or objects in the context of safety within the legal (criminal process.)

If this topic applies to you or to someone you know,we kindly request your participation.

The questionnaire can be accessed via the website of the Council in the News section:www.ruclrechtshandhlwing.com 

The Law Enforcement Council emphasizes that
your your response is processed ANONYMOUSLY.

The Commander of the voluntary corps of Sint. Maarten (VKS) hereby announces that the VKS will be having a BIVAK starting on the 26th of February from 16:00 hrs. (04:00 pm) and ending on the 28th February at 15:00 hrs. (03:00 pm). On Friday the VKS will be camping out on Emilio Wilsons Estate and making use of Sint. Maarten streets on Saturday the VKS will be camping out in Cay bay area and will be making use of Sint. Maarten streets.

The general public is requested to exercise caution when approaching our men while they are on the road training.

The Commander regrets any inconvenience this may be caused.

Major A. ROGERS

By means of this letter we hereby request your presence at our Information Evening which will be held on Thursday 4th February 2016 from 6.00p.m. until 8.00p.m.
This Information Session will be important for your child/children’s next step. Information from the following Institute will be available at this session ;

• Study Financing
• Program in Preparation for University Level (Pre USM)
• General Education Degree Program (GED)
• National Institute for Professional Advancement (NIPA)

It is in the best interest that you and your child/children attend this Information Session. If necessary please make arrangements with your employer to be able to attend this very important meeting.

Thank you

Sincerely,
Mrs. Kavel Wilson-Farquharson
St. Maarten Academy PSVE
Administrative Assistant
1 (721) 548-4821

Comme chaque année depuis quatre ans, à l’occasion de la Journée Internationale de la Femme, l’Avenir Sportif Club de Saint Martin, organise le 12 mars 2016 la quatrième édition de « La Saint-Martinoise », course 100% féminine. L’édition 2015 avait réuni près de 250 femmes, coureuses et marcheuses. Le club espère que cette année encore plus de femmes répondront à l’appel, toujours avec l’objectif de les inciter à pratiquer une activité sportive.
Comme les années précédentes, « La Saint-Martinoise, course 100% féminine » débutera à 16h00, sur le Front de mer de Marigot pour un circuit de 5km dans la ville. Trois épreuves seront proposées : 5km course individuelle, 5km course en duo Mère-Fille (à partir de 12 ans), 5km marche individuelle. Un échauffement collectif sera proposé dès 15h15 avec l’équipe de SXM Fitness. En attendant les récompenses, de nombreux cadeaux seront à gagner lors de la tombola et place à la fête avec de « l’afro caribbean dance » assurée par le chorégraphe Deyon, de « Rhythm & Groove Dance Studio Association ».
Petite nouveauté ! Cette année les inscriptions auront lieu en deux temps, et les cadeaux commenceront à pleuvoir dès l’inscription :
- le 5 mars 2016 de 9h30 à 18h30 au magasin Quicksilver de Hope Estate. Les 100 premières femmes à s’inscrire recevront en cadeau un coupon de 25% de réduction valable du 5 au 12 mars 2016 dans une dizaine de magasins partenaires de l’opération.
- le 11 mars de 9h30 à 18h et le 12 mars de 9h30 à 13h au magasin SPORTECH.
Autre nouveauté : le dimanche 6 mars 2016, le club offrira à celles qui le souhaitent la possibilité de repérer le parcours. Rendez vous au départ à 6h30.
La participation est de 10€ ou 10$. Un certificat médical de moins de trois mois sera exigé pour les coureuses uniquement.
Alors mesdames, ne ratez pas l’événement sportif de l’année et ..... « En avant toutes ! »

Avenir Sportif Club de Saint-Martin
0690 75 16 85

La Présidente Aline Hanson et le sénateur Guillaume Arnell ont reçu en Collectivité, samedi 27 février 2016, son excellence l’Ambassadeur de l’Inde en France, monsieur Mohan Kumar, pour sa première visite à Saint-Martin. L’Ambassadeur était accompagné du chef adjoint de la mission de l’ambassade, monsieur Jaswal et de trois membres de l’association des Indiens de Saint-Martin, représentée par son président monsieur Pradeep Sadarangani.

Cet échange particulièrement fructueux entre l’exécutif territorial et la représentation du gouvernement indien a parmi d’élaborer des pistes de coopération dans les domaines économique et culturel, et de l’éducation.
La Présidente a présenté le livret « Doing Business in Saint-Martin », réalisé par la collectivité à destination des investisseurs, afin de les informer du potentiel fiscal très avantageux de notre territoire. L’Ambassadeur s’est dit prêt à considérer le régime fiscal saint-martinois, pour développer des liens économiques entre l’Inde et Saint-Martin, indiquant que c’était précisément l’objectif du nouveau 1er ministre indien Narendra Modi qui souhaite que son pays rayonne partout dans le monde.
La promotion de la Culture indienne est également au cœur du voyage de l’Ambassadeur qui a appuyé auprès de la Présidente le projet de l’association des Indiens de Saint-Martin, qui souhaite construire un centre culturel sur la partie française, avec le soutien de la Collectivité. Un projet qui bénéficierait à toute la population saint-martinoise.
Parmi les autres propositions de l’Ambassadeur, la participation de Saint-Martin, le 21 juin prochain à la journée internationale du Yoga, tout comme la venue d’artistes indiens de haut calibre à Saint-Martin, dans le cadre du programme Namaste France initié par l’Inde.
Enfin la possibilité de mettre en place des échanges estudiantins entre l’Inde et Saint-Martin a été évoquée, avec l’opportunité pour les étudiants saint-martinois de bénéficier d’une bourse indienne, notamment dans les domaines de la technologie et des sciences. L’Ambassadeur a également signifié à la Présidente que des places seraient disponibles pour les jeunes saint-martinois dans le partenariat Volontariat International Entreprises avec Business France qui permet chaque année à 250 jeunes Français de se rendre en Inde pour se former.

La Présidente Aline Hanson et le sénateur Guillaume Arnell, ont été très attentifs aux propositions de l’Ambassadeur, les échanges entre l’Inde et notre petit territoire se révélant particulièrement prometteurs. Les deux édiles ont tenu à saluer devant l’Ambassadeur l’exemplarité de la communauté indienne à Saint-Martin, qui participe activement à l’économie locale et s’investit de façon constante et positive dans la vie de la cité.

Dans le cadre du Conseil Local de Sécurité et de Prévention de la Délinquance (CLSPD), la Commission de l’Aménagement du territoire, des travaux, de l’urbanisme et du transport, a validé la réouverture de la jonction routière entre la rue de Hollande et la rue Kennedy, à Marigot.

Par cette décision, la Collectivité de Saint-Martin souhaite redonner à cette portion de rue son utilité première et permettre de fluidifier le trafic dans cette zone très fréquentée du centre-ville, mais aussi éviter l’engorgement de véhicules en stationnement et les rassemblements intempestifs sur le bord de la chaussée, pour des raisons de sécurité publique et de tranquillité des riverains.

L’ouverture de ce tronçon sera effective à compter du 1er mars 2016, en sens unique.

La collectivité de Saint-Martin demande aux automobilistes de respecter ce nouveau sens de circulation et les remercie de leur collaboration.

Comme prévu dans le cadre du projet de redynamisation du centre-ville de Marigot, la collectivité de Saint-Martin invite la population à expérimenter la zone bleue de stationnement, à partir du 1er mars 2016. Le but de la zone bleue est de faciliter la rotation des véhicules et le partage des places de stationnement dans le centre-ville. La zone bleue concerne tout le périmètre du centre-ville de Marigot et s’étend jusqu’aux contours extérieurs de la ville, de part et d’autre du Boulevard de France.
Ce dispositif de stationnement gratuit en centre-ville de Marigot nécessite la bonne volonté et le respect de tous.

Qu’est-ce que la zone bleue ?

- Une zone de stationnement réglementée par la durée et entièrement gratuite
- Durée limitée de stationnement indiquée par un disque de stationnement horaire (1h30)
- Seules les places de parking publiques sont concernées par la zone bleue

Panneau P : La zone bleue est matérialisée par un marquage au sol de couleur bleue et par l’installation de panneaux de signalisation aux entrées et sorties de la zone.

Panneau Handicapé ou Places Réservées : Les places de stationnement privé et les places de parking réservées (places handicapées, zones de livraison, et places réservées aux bailleurs de fonds) ne sont pas assujetties au stationnement à durée limitée de la zone bleue.

Où se trouve la zone Bleue ?
- Rue de la République
- Rue de la Liberté
- Rue du Président Kennedy
- Rue du Général de Gaulle
- Rue Victor Maurasse
- Rue de Saint-James
- Rue de l’Hôtel-de-ville
- Boulevard de France (des places N° 1 à la rue des Pécheurs)
-
Ces rues sont matérialisées par un marquage au sol de couleur bleue.

Qui doit appliquer un disque de stationnement ?

Tout conducteur qui stationne son véhicule sur une place située sur la zone bleue entre 8h et 18h (du lundi au samedi, sauf dimanche et jours fériés) doit utiliser le disque de stationnement horaire en mentionnant l’heure de son arrivée, y compris les motos, vélos, motocyclettes, scooters, quads.
La durée maximum de stationnement autorisé en zone bleue est d’1h30.
Le disque doit être apposé visiblement sur la face intérieure du pare-brise avant gauche du véhicule.
Le disque doit être conforme au modèle agréé retenu par la collectivité de Saint-Martin.

Où se procurer le disque de stationnement ?

Les disques de stationnement en zone bleue seront mis à disposition du public à partir du 29 février 2016 à l’hôtel de la Collectivité à Marigot, ou auprès de la police territoriale à Marigot et Grand Case (un disque par véhicule).

Respecter la réglementation de la zone bleue

- Utiliser un disque agréé zone bleue (au 1er janvier 2012)
- Ne pas dépasser la durée de stationnement autorisée
- Porter au disque des indications horaires exactes
Le lancement opérationnel de la zone bleue sera assorti d’une période de sensibilisation d’un mois (mars 2016) pendant laquelle les contrevenants se verront apposer sur leur pare-brise un message d’avertissement par les policiers territoriaux, leur rappelant le règlement du stationnement en zone bleue. Au-delà de cette période, l’absence de disque et le dépassement de la durée limite de stationnement seront sanctionnés par une amende forfaitaire de 17 € pouvant aller jusqu’à l’enlèvement du véhicule pour stationnement gênant. Les frais de déplacement et de transport à la fourrière seront alors à la charge du contrevenant.

Stationner en périphérie de la zone Bleue

L’organisation du stationnement dans les parkings de la périphérie du centre-ville de Marigot contribue à optimiser le stationnement en zone bleue des touristes et des personnes souhaitant accéder aux commerces et services. Ainsi, les parkings de Bellevue, Morne Rond (entre Marigot et Sandy Ground) et Galisbay sur le front de mer, peuvent être utilisés par les automobilistes pour stationner leur véhicule à l’extérieur de la zone bleue.

7h – 19h : Navette gratuite entre le centre-ville et le parking de Galisbay.

Une navette gratuite fera la liaison entre le parking de Galisbay jusqu’au rond-point du marché, de 7h à 19h, du lundi au samedi (sauf les dimanches et jours fériés). Départ des navettes toutes les 10 minutes.

La collectivité encourage les personnes travaillant dans le centre-ville de Marigot à stationner sur le parking de Galisbay et à utiliser la navette pour accéder à leur lieu de travail. La police territoriale assurera une surveillance régulière du parking de Galisbay.

La Collectivité de Saint-Martin vous remercie de votre participation active à la réussite de ce dispositif de réglementation du stationnement.

LE RESPECT DE LA ZONE BLEUE EST UN GESTE CIVIQUE ET CITOYEN

Dans le cadre d’une réflexion globale sur l’évolution de la réglementation du stationnement en zone bleue, la Collectivité de Saint-Martin demande aux habitants du centre-ville de Marigot, résidant dans le périmètre de la zone bleue, de bien vouloir se faire recenser auprès de la police territoriale, sise Hôtel de la Collectivité, rue Victor Maurasse à Marigot.
Les habitants concernés doivent se présenter à l’accueil de la police territoriale, munis d’un justificatif de domicile de moins de -3- mois, de la carte grise de leur véhicule et de leur pièce d’identité (l’original et une copie dans les 3 cas).

Les résultats obtenus à l’issue du recensement permettront d’examiner les conditions éventuelles de mise en place d’un dispositif propre aux riverains. En l’absence de dispositif particulier, les résidents du centre-ville sont invités à prendre toute disposition pour stationner leur véhicule en dehors de la zone bleue, entre 9H30 et 16H30.

La collectivité de Saint-Martin vous remercie de votre collaboration.

La gendarmerie nationale réalise une campagne de recrutement pour devenir volontaire ou réserviste.

Les volontaires sont âgés de 17 ans au moins et de 26 ans au plus. Ils sont recrutés par voie de concours et suivent une formation rémunérée en école ou en Guadeloupe. Ils signent un contrat d'engagement initial de 2 ans et occupent ensuite des postes en unité opérationnelle ou de soutien. Ils bénéficient d'un hébergement gratuit et perçoivent une solde variant suivant le grade de 776 à 914 euros par mois.
Les réservistes quant à eux renforcent régulièrement les unités de gendarmerie proches de leur domicile pour participer aux missions quotidiennes (accueil, patrouilles, services d'ordres ...). Ils bénéficient d’une formation initiale de 15 ou de 30 jours et sont rémunérés à la mission en fonction de leur grade.

Les candidats seront reçus en entretien individuel visant à déterminer leur motivation et passeront des tests psychotechniques et des tests d'un niveau scolaire de 3ème. Cette campagne de recrutement se déroulera les 09 et 10 mars 2016 à la brigade de gendarmerie de Marigot, 7 rue Ann Mary à Saint-Martin, aux horaires d'ouverture au public. Pour tout renseignement complémentaire vous pouvez contacter votre brigade locale en composant le 05.90.52.21.90 (Marigot) ou le 05.90.52.35.95 (Quartier d'Orléans).

Inviter le public de Saint Martin à un séminaire contre l’illettrisme, est une démarche préconisée par l’académie de la Guadeloupe qui va dans le bon sens et que nous accueillons avec satisfaction.
En effet, cette action est un effort de plus qui contribue incontestablement à , premièrement éveiller les consciences d’une manière générale, et deuxièmement à sensibiliser les décideurs politiques et les autorités académiques, sur l’urgente obligation de prendre les dispositions qui s’imposent afin de combattre l’illettrisme. A cela, s’ajoute bien entendu la nécessité de juguler ce phénomène grandissant qu’est le décrochage scolaire précoce à Saint Martin.
En dépit des bonnes volontés qui s’affichent et des beaux discours qui sont prononcés lors du passage d’un nouveau Recteur ou d’un Ministre à Saint Martin, force est de constater que rien ne bouge de manière significative dans le domaine de l’enseignement.
Il convient de souligner que nous sommes maintenant habitués aux beaux discours qui ne sont pas suivis d’effet .Il faut souligner que tout cela est très décevant. Il est à noter que nous connaissons depuis toujours, une situation calamiteuse au regard des résultats scolaires. Pour confirmer nos propos, nous pouvons nous référer à l’article de presse du journal le Pélican . Il est clairement indiqué dans le texte que sur six cents jeunes évalués en 2015, deux cent quarante sont en difficulté de lecture, soit 40% de l’effectif évalué. Nul n’a besoin d’être expert dans le domaine de l’éducation pour comprendre que ces résultats, ô combien décevants, auront encore des conséquences destructrices sur l’évolution de notre société. Aujourd’hui, tout le monde s’accorde à dire que le nombre important de jeunes St Martinois qui croupissent dans les prisons en Guadeloupe est inacceptable. Malheureusement, on n’est pas encore décidé à aller au-delà de ce triste constat.
Le recteur d’académie lors de ses vœux présentés à Saint Martin, a formulé le souhait de voir une école plus juste et bienveillante. Certes, nous pouvons apprécier cette formulation. Cependant , nous tenons à faire remarquer que le législateur dans le cadre de la loi organique de Saint Martin, s’est prononcé sur les orientations à mettre en œuvre afin de créer les conditions nécessaires à la réussite scolaire. L’article LO 6314-9 dit : La collectivité peut, par délibération du conseil territorial, déterminer les conditions dans lesquelles est dispensé dans les écoles maternelles et primaires de la collectivité un enseignement complémentaire en anglais, afin de faciliter, par la prise en compte des spécificités culturelles de Saint Martin, l’apprentissage de la langue française. Qu’est- ce qu’on attend pour passer à l’action ? reste la question qui mérite une réponse de toute urgence.
Louis MUSSINGTON

Kathron FORTUNE aka CUCHI
né le 14 octobre 1977 à Grenade

signalement : 1.80m, corpulence forte athlétique. Avec ou sans barbe. Si vous disposez d'informations permettant de le localiser en partie française, contacter immédiatement :

If you have any information concerning this person or his location in the French part, contact :

17 (French Gendarmerie)

La Médiathèque territoriale informe le public qu’elle accueille du 22 février au 05 mars 2016, une exposition intitulée « Les Noirs dans la science ». Cette exposition est organisée dans le cadre du « Black History Month ».

Le public est invité à venir nombreux découvrir cette exposition proposée par la Médiathèque territoriale, aux horaires d’ouverture habituels.
.
La médiathèque est ouverte le lundi et le mardi de 14h à 19h, le mercredi de 9h à 19h, le jeudi et le vendredi de 11h à 19h00 et le samedi de 9h à 13h.

(Médiathèque territoriale de Saint-Martin, rue Jean-Luc Hamlet, Concordia)

NOTE AUX USAGERS DE LA DÉCHÈTERIE BIENVENUE-GALISBAY

Durant le mois de mars 2016, la déchèterie sera fermée comme suit :

• JEUDI 03
(Mi-carême)

• VENDREDI 25
(vendredi Saint)

• LUNDI 28
(lundi de Pâques)

Du mercredi 23 mars au mercredi 30 mars 2016 : la déchèterie sera ouverte de 10h00 à 17h00 (fermé le samedi durant cette période).

La Collectivité de Saint-Martin vous remercie de votre compréhension.

Dans la soirée du vendredi 12 février au cours d'une opération de lutte contre la délinquance mise en place par la Gendarmerie Nationale, un individu recherché a été interpellé. Celui ci avait commis une tentative de car jacking le lundi 21 septembre vers 23h00 à Grand Case et un car jacking avec l'usage d'une arme à feu le jeudi
1er octobre à 22h00 à la Baie Nettlé.
Placé en garde à vue, il a été jugé en comparution immédiate le mardi 16 février 2016 par le tribunal correctionnel de Basse Terre et condamné à 07 ans d'emprisonnement avec mandat de dépôt à l'issue.

Le pôle Solidarité & Familles de la Collectivité de Saint-Martin, en collaboration avec le Conseil de quartier n°6, propose une soirée d’information sur les droits des personnes âgées, ainsi que les personnes en situation de handicap. Cette soirée de l’Info se tiendra le mercredi 17 février 2016 dans la salle de la MJC de Sandy Ground, de 18h à 20h30.
Lors de cette réunion publique, les services de la Collectivité informeront les personnes présentes sur les aides sociales en faveur des retraités, mais aussi des personnes en situation de handicap, et répondront aux questions des administrés.
La Collectivité invite le public à venir nombreux participer à cette réunion informative.

ENGLISH VERSION

The social and welfare Department of the Collectivité of St Martin, in conjunction with the Conseil de Quartier n°6 will offer a public informative meeting on the rights of senior citizens and disabled persons. The public is invited to participate on Wednesday February 17th , 2016, in the MJC hall in Sandy-ground , from 6 to 8.30 p.m.
During this public meeting, the Collectivité of St Martin will communicate on existing social aid to pensioners and to people with disabilities. The services will also answer questions from the guest.
Collectivité of St Martin invites all the public to participate at this informative meeting.

C’est avec une grande tristesse que j’ai appris, ce matin, la mort tragique de Laurent Gros-Désormeaux, le frère de notre collègue conseiller territorial, Alain Gros-Désormeaux. Sa profonde gentillesse et la qualité de sa cuisine créole manqueront à Saint-Martin.
Je voudrais par ces quelques mots adresser à Alain et à sa famille mes plus sincères condoléances, et les assurer de notre soutien indéfectible pour traverser cette dure épreuve. J’ai également une pensée émue pour les enfants de Laurent auxquels je transmets tout mon réconfort.
Le conseil territorial de Saint-Martin dans son ensemble se joint à moi pour témoigner à notre collègue Alain notre profonde considération et toute l’amitié qui nous unit, au-delà de notre engagement politique pour le territoire.

Aline Hanson,
Présidente du conseil territorial de Saint-Martin.

L’Armée de terre sera présente à Saint-Martin, du lundi 15 au jeudi 18 février 2016, pour une session de recrutement. Une réunion d’information est proposée au public, le lundi 15 février de 14h à 16h, dans les locaux du service Accueil, Information et Orientation (AIO) de la Collectivité, ancienne école Evelyna Halley.
La Collectivité de Saint-Martin s’associe à ce recrutement et vous attend nombreux pour venir découvrir les métiers de l’armée de terre et les postes à pourvoir.
Pour de plus amples informations, merci de contacter le service AIO au 0590 27 94 82.

Comment faire ? C’est Simple, tu te rends sur le site : http://www.admission-postbac.fr.

Pas d’ordinateur ou pas d’Internet à la maison ? Pas de panique... Rends-toi au CDI de ton établissement scolaire ou à la Médiathèque, rue Jean-Luc Hamlet à Concordia.

Ci-dessous le calendrier 2016 de l’Admission Post Bac :-\

• Possibilité de modifier son classement hiérarchisé de souhaits post bac : du 20 janvier au 31 mai 2016.
• Date limite de confirmation et d'envoi des dossiers-papier : le 2 avril 2016.
• Consultation par les candidats de la réception par les établissements destinataires de leur(s) dossier(s) de candidature : du 3 au 6 mai 2016.
• Phases d'admission : consultation et réponse des candidats :
- Première phase : le 8 juin à 14h / consultation et réponse jusqu'au 13 juin à 14h.
- Deuxième phase : le 23 juin à 14h / consultation et réponse jusqu'au 28 Juin à 14h.
- Troisième phase : le 14 juillet à 14h / consultation et réponse jusqu'au 19 juillet à 14h.

Tu veux faire quelque chose de ta vie ? Alors, prévois la suite de tes études !

Le Conseil Territorial des Jeunes de Saint-Martin

La collectivité de Saint-Martin et son établissement des Eaux et de l’Assainissement (EEASM) informent les riverains de Cul de Sac et Mont Vernon que durant les vacances scolaires de carnaval, les travaux sur le réseau d’eau potable et de l’assainissement, réalisés sur la route principale, se feront entre 7 heures et 17 heures. Les travaux reprendront aux horaires initiaux (8h30 à 15h30), dès la rentrée des classes, le lundi 15 février 2016.
La collectivité de Saint-Martin et l’EEASM vous remercient de votre compréhension, et s’excusent pour la gêne occasionnée.

La Banque Postale

Madame Michèle PAOLINI, Directrice Régionale de la Poste de la Guadeloupe Madame Nicole DARIL-BERAUD, Directrice Territoriale de la Poste de Grande-Terre Madame Cathy ROESCH, Directrice de la Poste de Saint-Martin
Monsieur Jean-Michel LUCENAY, Directeur Commercial

Madame Barbara MONPIERRE, Directrice de la Communication et de l’Action Territoriale

La Caisse des Dépôts et Désignations

Monsieur Richard CURNIER, Directeur Régional Antilles-Guyane

Madame Jennifer MARTIN, Chargée de Développement Territorial

La Collectivité de SAINT-MARTIN

Madame Aline HANSON, La Présidente de la Collectivité de SAINT-MARTIN

Madame Ramona CONNOR, La 2de Vice-Présidente de la Collectivité de SAINT-MARTIN en charge du
Pôle Solidarité et Famille

Madame Corinne HELARY-PLANCHON, Directrice Générale Adjointe du Pôle Solidarité et Famille

Madame Evelyne RATCHEL-JACOB, Directrice Inclusion Sociale - Pôle Solidarité et Famille

Le pôle Solidarité & Familles de la Collectivité de Saint-Martin, en collaboration avec le Conseil de quartier n°6, propose une soirée d’information sur les droits des personnes âgées, ainsi que les personnes en situation de handicap. Cette soirée de l’Info se tiendra le mercredi 17 février 2016 dans la salle de la MJC de Sandy Ground, de 18h à 20h30.
Lors de cette réunion publique, les services de la Collectivité informeront les personnes présentes sur les aides sociales en faveur des retraités, mais aussi des personnes en situation de handicap, et répondront aux questions des administrés.
La Collectivité invite le public à venir nombreux participer à cette réunion informative.

ENGLISH VERSION

The social and welfare Department of the Collectivité of St Martin, in conjunction with the Conseil de Quartier n°6 will offer a public informative meeting on the rights of senior citizens and disabled persons. The public is invited to participate on Wednesday February 17th , 2016, in the MJC hall in Sandy-ground , from 6 to 8.30 p.m.
During this public meeting, the Collectivité of St Martin will communicate on existing social aid to pensioners and to people with disabilities. The services will also answer questions from the guest.
Collectivité of St Martin invites all the public to participate at this informative meeting.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Dr. Francio Guadeloupe, President of the USM and Ms. Patricia Philips, member of the “Commissie Rechtsgeleerdheidsbevordering” (Committee Promotion of Law studies) travelled to Curacao and Aruba on February 16th -20th 2016 to hold preparatory talks with the Rector, Dean and Quality assurance managers of the University of Curacao (UoC) and the University of Aruba (UA).
On Curacao they met with Prof. Dr.Arjen van Rijn, Dean of the Law Faculty and Dr. Sharine Isabella, co-ordinator of the Department of Quality Assurance. On Aruba discussions were held with Dr. Glen Thodé, Rector of the University of Aruba, mr. Dr. Viola Bogaert, Dean of the Law Faculty and Dr. Juliet Chieuw, Coordinator Quality Assurance of that institution.

The discussions centered around exploring possibilities of academic collaboration, financing strategies and accreditation. Their assistance was requested for the feasibility study/report that will be prepared by a team of experts from Aruba and Curacao, chaired by
Dr. Francio Guadeloupe. In accordance with the Ministerial decree of February 5th 2016 signed by, the Minister of Finance, the Honorable Mr. Richard Gibson, this report has to be completed by May 5th 2016 for review.

The surveys, which were distributed and form part of the feasibility study, have been received and are presently being analyzed.

CAY BAY:--- One of NV GEBE engines at the Cay Bay Power Plant, developed a ‘problem’ which resulted in the need for immediate maintenance, leaving the company with no other choice than to load shed in several districts on Thursday, February 18.

Affected areas were interrupted starting as early as 10:30am with interruptions lasting for 1 ½ - 2 ½ hours.

NV GEBE would like to assure customers that technicians made every effort to bring the particular unit back online and normalize the electricity in a timely manner.

The company appreciates the patience and understanding of its customers, and apologizes for any inconvenience caused.

NV GEBE reminds the public that they are accessible through their toll free emergency line at 1 844 432 3213 or their Facebook page where announcements are posted with information, news and updates as they occur.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):----Civil servants representing different Ministries in government last week attended a three-day Train-the-Trainers database management workshop related to the newly developed National Database SintMaartenInfo.

The workshop was carried out by Sameer Thapar from Community Systems Foundations (CSF).

The establishment of SintMaartenInfo is part of the National Development Plan project, led by the Department of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BAK).

SintMaartenInfo is designed to support strategic national planning by allowing access to a wide variety of reliable statistical data and enable government to better monitor the developmental progress of the country and to assist in international reporting.

SintMaartenInfo is also a tool to enable high quality presentation of data in a variety of formats.

The train-the-trainers workshop resulted in a core group of certified civil servants with the skills and capacity to further train on the management and utilization of SintMaartenInfo.

The database for the moment contains socio-economic data from across government and Census material. The Department of Statistics in cooperation with all ministries will continue to update the system.

The main focus is to get all our relevant data uploaded from 2010 onwards and to further build capacity within the Ministries to manage the database.

The first version of SintMaartenInfo will be launched within government on Monday March 7th, 2016.

A roll-out plan is being finalized to have a public launch within a few months. After that SintMaartenInfo will be available online to the public as a tool for research, analysis and advocacy.

POINTE BLANCHE:---- The PORT ST. MAARTEN states in a press release that on  February 25, 2016 an article appeared in the local media in which the Sint Maarten Marine Trades Association (SMMTA) misinforms the general public about the Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority Corporation (SLAC) N.V. As the Port St. Maarten Group of Companies values truth, transparency, and integrity, the latter would like to set the record straight.

Who is SLAC?
SLAC is a company that was incorporated in 2002 by Sint Maarten Economic Development Corporation N.V., a fully owned company of the Country Sint Maarten, formerly the Island Territory of Sint Maarten (the Government). In 2009, the Government decided to transfer the shares of SLAC to the Sint Maarten Ports Authority N.V., which is part of the Port St. Maarten Group of Companies.

What does SLAC do?
SLAC’s main tasks consist of:

- operating and maintaining the J.S. Lejeuz Bridge in Simpson Bay
- collecting the bridge fees for the J.S. Lejeuz Bridge
- collecting the mooring fees in the Simpson Bay Lagoon
- supporting the Government in creating policies for the management and administration of the Simpson Bay Lagoon
- maintaining the shipping lanes and mooring facilities in the Simpson Bay Lagoon
- monitoring activities of vessels and persons in the Simpson Bay Lagoon, including possible waste and fuel disposals, and report any incidents or irregularities to the competent authorities of the Government
- advising the Government on development matters of the Simpson Bay Lagoon
- operating the Simpson Bay Causeway

On what legal basis does SLAC perform these tasks?
On the basis of a management agreement that was entered into in 2003 between SLAC and the Government; the Ordinance Harbour Fees, and the Ordinance Bridge Fees. SLAC operates the Simpson Bay Causeway based on an agreement with Simpson Bay Causeway N.V., which is part of the Port St. Maarten Group of Companies.

Does SLAC receive any funds from Government?
No, it does not. Its sole source of income is the collection of bridge fees for the J.S. Lejeuz Bridge and mooring fees for the Simpson Bay Lagoon.

Does SLAC determine the bridge fees and mooring fees?
No, it does not. SLAC collects the aforementioned fees, but does not determine the fee structure or the amount that vessels need to pay for passing the J.S. Lejeuz Bridge or to moor in the Simpson Bay Lagoon. This is done by Government via the Ordinance Harbour Fees, and the Ordinance Bridge Fees.

What does SLAC do with the fees it collects?
The collected fees are used to operate and maintain the J.S. Lejeuz Bridge; and to maintain the shipping lines and the mooring facilities in the Simpson Bay Lagoon. This includes repayment of large capital expenses incurred in connection with the J.S. Lejeuz Bridge.

Does SLAC make a profit?
No, it does not. The fees it collects are insufficient to properly operate, maintain, repair and replace the J.S. Lejeuz Bridge, and pay for other required expenses. The J.S. Lejeuz Bridge is near the end of its life cycle. This is one of the main reasons why the Simpson Bay Causeway was constructed, to guarantee continuous traffic flow in Sint Maarten once the J.S. Lejeuz Bridge needs to be replaced.

Does SLAC compete with the marina industry in the Simpson Bay Lagoon?
No, it does not. SLAC does not operate a marina in the Simpson Bay Lagoon; SLAC does not own any marina slips; SLAC does not provide goods to vessels that make use of private marina’s in the Simpson Bay Lagoon.

Does SLAC in any form or shape regulate the marine business in the Simpson Bay Lagoon?
No, it does not. Its role is limited to collecting bridge fees and mooring fees and supporting and advising the Government on matters relating to the Simpson Bay Lagoon.

Who regulates the marine business in the Simpson Bay Lagoon?
The Government regulates the marine business in the Simpson Bay Lagoon.

Does SLAC have any environmental control over the Simpson Bay Lagoon?
No, it does not. Its role is limited to reporting any incidents to the competent authorities of the Government.

Who is currently the competent authority for environmental matters concerning the Simpson Bay Lagoon?
The Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) of the Government of Sint Maarten.

Is the Port St. Maarten Group of Companies subject of any civil inquiry investigations by the Public Prosecutor?
No, it is not. The Public Prosecutor has requested the Port St. Maarten Group of Companies to provide information in view of possible civil inquiry investigations, and full cooperation has been given. To this date the Public Prosecutor has not seen any reason to file a request for any civil inquiry proceedings against the Port St. Maarten Group of Companies.

Is the managing director of the Port St. Maarten Group of Companies subject to any investigations or security screening?
No, he is not. There are no investigations into the managing director, and in 2015 he successfully passed the mandatory screening by the Sint Maarten Security Service. He is the only managing director of a port or marina in Sint Maarten that has to date successfully passed such screening.

Are managing directors of commercial marina’s also subject to security screenings?
Yes, they are. Security screenings are to be performed in respect of designated confidential positions within the vital sectors of Sint Maarten. One of the sectors that has been designated as of vital interest to Sint Maarten is the sector of commercial sea harbors. This includes managing directors of all commercial sea harbors in Sint Maarten. To the knowledge of the Port St. Maarten Group of Companies, such managing directors have not complied with their statutory duty to undergo and pass such security screenings.

The Port St. Maarten Group of Companies expects that in the future, the SMMTA, of which the Port St. Maarten Group of Companies is also a member, will refrain from further incorrect statements about one of its members, Port St. Maarten Group of Companies and SLAC in particular.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- The Department of Economic Licenses announced that persons interested in vending food, beverages, helium balloons and other typical items associated with carnival, can now apply for these licenses at the aforementioned department located at Zoutsteeg 3, Philipsburg.

The deadline for these applications to be submitted is Friday April 8th 2016.

Furthermore, due to safety concerns, the no-vending zones of past years will be strictly applied for Carnival 2016. As a result of this, lots will be given out to applicants on a first come, first serve basis.

The department is therefore stressing that persons interested in street vending in the Philipsburg area submit their applications (and choose their vending location) early as space is limited.

As it pertains to vending in the Festival Village, the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation has supplied to the Department of Economic Licenses with a list of all Festival Village booth holders.
Therefore, only persons mentioned on the aforementioned list can apply for a vending license to operate a booth in the Festival Village.

All persons interested in street vending and vending within the Festival Village (booth holders), must come to the department with the following documentation before Friday April 8th 2016.

1. Application form

2. A copy of your passport or ID

3. From the Receiver’s Office:
A receipt of Fl. 100,00

4. Copy of your crib declaration (must walk with this when paying at the Receiver’s Office)

5. From the Census Office:
Registration Form

6. One (1) Passport picture of Applicant.

7. Food handler’s certificate (if not already in possession)

The information listed under 2, 5, 6 and 7 is also applicable to your helper.

The cost of the license for the entire Carnival season is one hundred guilders (Naf. 100,00).

PHILIPSBURG:--- Last Friday 26th of February 2016 a gypsy driver was robbed of his 2004 light blue colored Hyundai Atos with the license plate M-6099 around 08:30 in the area of Pelican Key by three young men. According to the driver these men stepped into his vehicle in Philipsburg and when they arrived to their destination in Pelican Key he was threatened and robbed of his cell phone, wallet and his vehicle. Police detectives are investigating this case.

KPSM Police Report.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The 825 kilograms of marihuana that was confiscated by Customs Officers on February 21st 2016, was handed over to KPSM for further investigation. On the 25th of February 2016 with instructions from the public prosecutor the marihuana was transported and destroyed under supervision of personal from the KPSM and Customs. There were no arrest made as yet, the investigating officers are requesting anyone with more information regarding this case to get in contact with the Detective Department by calling 54-2222.

KPSM Police Report

CAYMAN ISLANDS:--- Health City Cayman Islands this week released its annual conservation statistics detailing the tertiary care hospital’s water, energy, waste-reduction and landfill diversion efficiencies.

Mr. Gene Thompson, Project Director at Health City Cayman Islands, said the eco-friendly JCI accredited hospital had been committed to a conservation-minded business since its inception, from construction through to operations.
“We seek to be an industry leader in environmental sustainability,” he said. “Not only do the staff and developers of Health City understand the positive environmental impact of running an eco-friendly hospital, but the cost-efficiencies and hospital economics directly benefits the patients and community."

“Our environmental sustainability commitments are focused on where we can make the most difference - water stewardship, energy and waste management. Being more energy efficient and sustainable isn’t just good for the planet – it drives commercial benefit which can be passed on to our patients and ensures our continued success.”

The 2015 environmental sustainability initiatives at the international hospital included water harvesting, conservation and reuse re-use for non-potable and irrigation purposes. The conservation statistics report showed that 3.6 million gallons of water had been saved and 2.7 million gallons of sewage effluent was diverted from ground disposal. A waste reduction and landfill diversion initiative, which included recycling and onsite medical waste treatment, was also introduced, yielding a result of 60% of total waste being diverted from landfills.

In terms of electricity conservation, the Caribbean hospital’s infrastructure includes a building management monitoring system, as well as an HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system diversification. The report showed that energy savings for 2015 were over 2 million Kwh saved, just under 145,000 gallons of diesel saved and 3.5 million pounds of carbon saved.

“We’ve made strong progress in reducing our overall environmental impact,” Mr. Thompson said. “We have more exciting and innovative initiatives planned for this year with a 1.2 MW solar/HVAC system, as well as continuing recycling training and HVAC modifications. With these new projects Health City expects to further reduce its utility usage and divert more waste from the landfill, lowering hospital running costs and further positively impacting the environment and the Cayman Islands community.”

“A focus on the environment is part of Health City Cayman Islands’ culture and affects the decisions we make every day. Continuous improvement is also a part of our business culture and we are committed to embedding environmental sustainability principles within all management systems, policy and practices to ensure we improve in 2016 and long into the future.”

Pond Island:----  Students from Milton Peters College (MPC) paid a visit to the TelEm Group main building recently to learn about the company and also to quiz personnel about job opportunities at their favorite telecommunication provider.
The visit took place last week and involved two classes of senior students, now busy considering their career options.
The students were given a presentation outlining the type of work that is carried out within the company and the skill sets required for various positions. They also received a tour of the Earth Station to see some of the company’s switching equipment in action.
Personnel, from the Human Resources, Finance & Accounting, Technical and IT Departments all made themselves available to talk about their respective functions and also to answer questions from the students.

Manager, Human Resources & Development, Mrs. Shadira Lont, said it was natural for students with a liking for figures to go the route of accounting or administration positions, while students who enjoy working in the field and doing hands-on work would have a preference for the Technical Department.
“I would encourage you to leave all your options open and to study hard so that you can make your own choice when the time is right,” Mrs. Lont informed the students during the main presentation.
She recounted her own experience when she began in the Customer Care Department, and learned to meet and interact with customers while learning about the business and all the products the company had to offer.
According to Shadira, a career in the telecommunications industry in general and at TelEm Group in particular is worthwhile with many opportunities for growth for employees with drive and ambition.
She thanked all the students and their teachers for their attention and insightful questions and also the members of staff, including coordinator, Carmita Brooks, Elroy Hughes, Stanley Faneyte, Reuben Stevens, Lucien Hodge, Ralph Boirard and Veronica Browne, who gave up their time to provide the students with valuable information that they can use in making up their own minds about their future career goals.
“I would like encourage others to also share time well spent on such a valuable contribution to impact the lives of these young people,” added Shadira.

PHILIPSBURG:---  The St. Maarten Lions Club has embarked on an ambitious program to help feed unfortunate citizens in the community in dire need of a daily hot meal. The program involves collecting foodstuff from various stores around the island and distributing them among the several soup kitchens that are operating throughout the island.

The initiative kicked off on February 9th, with a visit to the soup kitchen served up daily by the Seven Day Adventist Church in Cole Bay, where Lions Club President, Eldert Louisa, and Past District Governor Lion Wally Havertong PMJF delivered a number of food items and also had a chance to see the feeding program in action.

One of the donors of food items that has already been promised is from our own Lion member and Immediate Past President Lion Sunil Katnani whose company DIVICO, has pledged food regular donations to the soup kitchens of St. Maarten so that they can continue to prepare hot meals for those in the community who for one reason or another cannot get a good regular meal,” said Lion President Louisa.

He said although assistance has started with the soup kitchen in Cole Bay and more recently another facility in the Dutch Quarter area, the idea is to extend the service club’s efforts across a much wider field with the assistance of other donors and the untiring efforts of his Lions Club Board and Committee members.

“It is our intention to visit all the soup kitchens to encourage them to continue to do the good work they are doing for our citizens and also to go one step further by providing them with food items to add what they are already serving,” continued the Lions Club President. “We have spoken to the people who do this important work and it is clear that there is a serious need in our community that we as a Lions Club can help whenever possible. Our members were quite shocked to learn about the extent to which people are going hungry on St. Maarten,” concluded Lion President Louisa.

Persons and businesses that are will assist the St. Maarten Lions Club with this project can do so by emailing the President on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2016 Budget Debate ongoing.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr. called on Members of Parliament to do the right thing and approve what he described the 2016 shotgun budget which is balanced. Minister Gibson said over the years, St. Maarten built up debts and even though they were deducting heath care deductions from civil servants but was not paying it to USZV. Minister Gibson said because of that St. Maarten got an instruction from the CFT, while government had to take serious actions to pay off the debts owed to USZV and APS.
Minister Gibson said that if the Members of Parliament approved the 2016 budget unanimously for three consecutive years then they will be able to get rid of the CFT which was appointed by the Kingdom and St. Maarten would then have the opportunity to install its own CFT.
Minister Gibson also made clear that he already consulted with the Council of Ministers to approve his plans to hold each Minister responsible and to ensure that all reports on budget spending be sent to the Council of Ministers and the Parliament of St. Maarten. Another project the Minister of Finance is working on is to establish a National Bank in order for the country to better invest and manage its monies.
Minister of Justice Edison Kirindongo in a very short presentation said that one may not be able to direct their course but certainly they could adjust their sails. He said for the moment the Ministry has made the camera project a priority.
Minister of Education, Youths and Sports said even though the budget is lean and mean her Ministry does have several plans that will benefit the country. One of the plans is to install solar panels on all elementary schools.
Minister of VSA outlined the services offered by VSA and even update parliament on the illness that affected students that participated in the Leeward Islands debate last weekend.
Minister of TEATT Igrid Arrindell expounded on the need to properly advertise the island in Europe and her plans to properly market the island to attract more stay over visitors. She presented the plans and figures of the Port of St. Maarten and how they intend to attract cruise tourism that are diverting from St. Maarten to other markets. The Minister said even though the budget is slim and trip her focus will be placed on proper marketing and the use of technology through internet market.
Prime Minister William Marlin in his presentation told parliament that the focus of his government is to cut cost, one being revamping the ITC system so that government pay less phone bills, save monies by moving into the Government Building on Pond Island, while he is also working in giving the Department of communication their own Television and radio licenses in order for government to be able to properly broadcast meetings and other events and not have to worry with the schedule of Cable Television.
Marlin also spoke of the parking lot that is now functioning properly but stated that he still needs to finalize some other things such as parking for the church goers on weekend and the opening of the parking after hours.
The budget debate has since been adjourned, when it resumes Members of Parliament will start posing questions to the Minister of Finance and other Ministers.

St. Maarten is one step closer in getting a general hospital

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday February 26th Social and Health Insurances SZV signed a consulting contract with Dutch engineering firm Royal HaskoningDHV as part of the first phase of the development of the new national hospital of St.Maarten. Royal HaskoningDHV was one of the four companies that submitted proposals as part of a bidding process managed by KPMG.
Present at the signing were Minister of Public Health Emil Lee, Glen Carty – Interim Director of SZV, Robert Jan James – Supervisory Board member of SMMC, Eduard Boonstra of Royal HaskoningDHV and Henk de Zeeuw of KPMG as project manager. The engineering firm has its head office in the Netherlands and specializes in sustainable and innovative hospital solutions globally. Royal HaskoningDHV will be teaming up with ICE NV, a local engineering consultancy on St. Maarten.
The four consulting engineer bids that were received mid-February; Lievense, Arcadis, ICE NV and Royal HaskoningDHV, were evaluated by representatives from the Ministry of Public Health, SZV and SMMC with support of legal and financial council. The evaluation criteria’s were; expertise in development of hospitals regionally and globally, pricing and use of local resources. Royal HaskoningDHV presented the most attractive proposal based on expertise, pricing and local content.
Royal HaskoningDHV is an independent international engineering and project management consultancy that will bring over 130 years of experience to support SZV and the government with this project. The firm’s portfolio includes projects such as the Honliv Hospital in China, Hvidovre Hospital in Copenhagen- Denmark, Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam – Netherlands, Maasland Hospital in Rotterdam – Netherlands and many more.
Royal HaskoningDHV will now be a part of the second phase of the new hospital project which is to prepare the tender documentation in search of a turnkey developer, this should be completed in May of this year.
Minister Lee congratulated both SZV and SMMC with this important milestone and welcomed Royal HaskoningDHV to St. Maarten. Minister Lee commented, "I am delighted to see that the open approach to the construction of the new general hospital by SZV, under the leadership of Glen Carty, is bearing fruit already. I am thrilled with the choice of Royal HaskoningDHV in partnership with ICE NV. Engaging with a local company was an important part of the selection criteria. As much as possible, the money that is invested into the process of building a new hospital should stay in St. Maarten. This creates employment and stimulates the economy. I’m looking forward to the next steps."

MARIGOT/GREAT BAY:---“When you give a five-year-old, an eight-year-old, or a ten-year-old psychiatric medication, you are interfering with the brain natural growth process,” said US clinical psychologist Dr. Umar Johnson at the 25th annual Black History Celebration Lecture.
Dr. Johnson delivered the anniversary lecture, which was organized by Conscious Lyrics Foundation (CLF), “to an audience of over 600 people, at the University of St. Martin,” said Shujah Reiph, CLF president.
Dr. Johnson warned against using various psychiatric medications on the island’s children—citing their increase use on especially Black boys. He identified some of the drugs and compared what would be their effects here to what he sees in his practice in the USA. “These medications cook the brain of my young St. Martin brothers,” said Dr. Johnson, who is also a certified school psychologist.
“I have learned for the three nights that I’ve been in St. Martin that many of you have been used to fund a multi-billion-dollar psychiatric drug cartel, misdiagnosing your boys with an invisible disease called ADHD and conduct disorder,” said Dr. Johnson.
Dr. Johnson read to the attentive audience the definition of ADHD in the DSM-5, the psychiatric diagnosis handbook of the American Psychiatric Association. He then said that such a diagnosis more accurately represents “Ain’t no Daddy at Home Disorder.”
He went on to stress the importance of Black men’s active involvement in their sons’ upbringing. “Your son doesn’t need drugs; your son needs his daddy,” emphasized Dr. Johnson.
Dr. Johnson, who also identifies himself as a pan-Africanist, received a standing ovation after his three-hour lecture, and spent another hour autographing his book, Psycho-Academic Holocaust, said Reiph. While interacting with the guests, a few people could be heard asking Dr. Johnson when he would be returning to the island, said Reiph.
“In fact, soon as the Q&A period was over, the guests had rushed to the book table and purchased all 150 copies of the author’s book that were on sale on Saturday,” said Reiph.
The history lecture, which took place on February 20, 2016, was organized by CLF in collaboration with MP Christopher Emmanuel. “On behalf of CLF, I thank all of the partners, audience members, and well-wishers who made the 25th annual Black History Celebration lecture a smashing success,” said Reiph.

PHILIPSBURG:----The Philipsburg Jubilee Library is once again hosting a grand books sale for all the book lovers in St. Maarten. Hundreds of books for all ages has been selected with you in mind. A special selection of romans, children, educational, cook books, and more will be on sale.
Buyers need not walk with their own bags, the library is offering for the first 10 persons who purchase books a free environmentally friendly bag book bag with the slogans “I love books” or “Get your green on at your library”; all other bags are for a small price of NAF 1.80 or $1.00.
Book prices are as follows:'

Buy 15 books for NAF 9.00 or $ 5.00;
1 Paper back for NAF 1.00 or $ 0.90
1 Hardcover for NAF 1.80 or $ 1.00
Magazines for NAF 0.50 or $ 0.30

Date of this spectacular event is March 5th, 2016 from 10 am until 1pm.
Please come out and get all your books at your library’s book sale.

Launch of a petition for the conservation of sharks throughout the Netherlands and the Dutch Caribbean

Cole Bay:---- On March 1st the Save Our Sharks Project of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance will launch a petition calling for better protection of sharks in the territorial waters of Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius, Saba, the rest of the Dutch Caribbean and the Netherlands.

On a global scale, sharks are threatened by overfishing and destruction of their habitat. By signing the petition, people can show their support for shark conservation and encourage decision makers to protect these critical yet misunderstood creatures. The petition asks for the strengthening of legal instruments, implementation of concrete protective measures in all waters, a permanent ban on shark finning and fishing on St Maarten and improved international coordination with regard to sharks in the wider Caribbean.

Tadzio Bervoets, Manager of the St. Maarten Nature Foundation and Chair of the Save our Sharks Project commented that harks are not frightening or dangerous, and they play an essential role as predators to keep the sea healthy; “Unfortunately 25% of all shark species are threatened with extinction worldwide, therefore, we are now asking all inhabitants of the Kingdom to speak up for protection of these extraordinary animals. Shark populations around St. Maarten, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba and St. Eustatius have declined and we need these top predators to maintain the health of the reef and fish stocks around the island. They also add direct economic benefits through the amount of dive-tourist sharks attract.”

The petition is part the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) Save our Sharks Project, a shark conservation initiative of the nature organizations collaborating in the DCNA), and is funded by the Dutch National Postcode Lottery.

During Sint Maarten Shark Week which is to be held from the 18th to the 26th of June, the petition will be presented to the Council of Ministers of Sint Maarten. During Shark Week a range of activities organized in both the Netherlands and on all six islands will take place focusing on sharks and their importance to the well-being of our oceans and seas.

The petition can be signed online on: http://saveoursharks.nl/en/events/petition/

PHILIPSBURG:--- KPSM St. Maarten was hit another hard blow early Monday morning when they got information that officer Alexander Boasman passed away after being involved in a serious motorcycle accident on December 31st 2015. Officer Boasman who was in a coma and had suffered other serious injuries was transported to the Dominican Republic early January for further medical treatment. While Members of Parliament extended condolences to the families of the late officer Boasman and KPSM. Chief of Police Carl John confirmed that his young colleague passed away early Monday morning and that management of KPSM was informed early in the morning.

KPSM Officer Anselmo Alexander Boasman passed away.
Sint Maarten Police Force is deeply saddened by the death of Anselmo Alexander-Boasman.
Our beloved colleague passed away in the early morning of Monday February, 29th 2016, at the age of 24 in Santo Domingo. Anselmo was hospitalized in Santo Domingo since the first of January 2016 for medical treatment, after a traffic accident on the 31st of December. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family and his friends during this most difficult time.

KPSM Police Report

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Dr. Virginia Asin Oostburg, Head of the Collective Preventive Services (CPS), a government department under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, last week attended the Caribbean Regional Consultation related to advancing the Caribbean Cooperation in Health (CCH) to Benefit the Regional Public Good: Review of the CCH III and Strategic Planning for CCH IV.

The CCH initiative was developed within the framework of functional cooperation. It was adopted by Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Health Ministers in 1984 to optimize the utilization of resources, promote technical cooperation among member countries, and to develop and secure funding for the implementation of projects in priority health areas.

The concept promotes collective and collaborative action to solve critical health problems best addressed through a regional approach, rather than by individual country action. The initiative was approved by CARICOM Heads of Government in 1986 when CCH I was launched. The initiative has now reached Phase III which covers the period 2009-2015.

CCH Phase III has focused on people-centered development; user involvement and participating; leadership in public health coordinated across the region; outcome oriented planning, delivery and evaluation; stable resourcing for health and social protection for the people of the sub-region.

Dr. Asin stated that the goal of the consultation was continued improvement in the health and wellbeing of the Caribbean people, with the purpose of identifying the way forward for the development of CCH IV.

Chronic, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the number one cause of death and disability in the world, according to the Pan American Health Organization.

The term NCDs refers to a group of conditions that are not mainly caused by an acute infection, result in long-term health consequences and often create a need for long-term treatment and care.

These conditions include cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic lung illnesses. Many NCDs can be prevented by reducing common risk factors such as tobacco use, harmful alcohol use, physical inactivity, and eating unhealthy diets. Many other important conditions are also considered as NCDs, including injuries and mental health disorders.

The five priority areas identified for the CCH IV are: Health systems for Universal Health Coverage; Safe, resilient, healthy environments; Health and well-being of Caribbean people throughout the life course; Data and evidence for decision-making and accountability; and partnership and resource mobilization for health.

The follow-up consultation meeting will allow partners and stakeholders the opportunity to reflect on the draft planning for the CCH IV “Advancing the Caribbean Cooperation in Health: Partners’ Perspectives on the Way Forward.”

All delegates from the various stakeholders present concluded that they will discuss the next steps for the formulation of CCH IV using the roadmap between now and December 1, 2016. This will take place via the consultation process, identification and development of implementation tools and indicative timelines and deadlines.

The consultation was organized under the World Health Organization, Pan American Health Organization, Caribbean Public Health Agency and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

The meeting took place at the Trinidad Hilton Hotel, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.

PHILIPSBURG:---  Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Maurice Lake says Minister in charge of GEBE Angel Meyers to call a general assembly of all GEBE workers at Belair Community Center to update them about the developments at the company.
Lake says workers and the public have a right to up to date information about their company. He says GEBE needs to restructure their public relations and communication team to ensure everyone is informed properly and in real time.
Communication within an organization is key. If management of the employees are not informed about matters that involved them, then things start to live a life of their own. I am looking forward to the GEBE Shareholder Representative, Minister Angel Meyers calling for a general assembly meeting with GEBE Management and staff‎ to update them on matters related to the company. This meeting should take place this week, the sooner the better.
This general assembly is very important in order to lay rumours to rest and provide facts and information. It is good to bring clarity to GEBE and the people of St. Maarten.
GEBE have the best local professionals and engineers on the island‎. It's high time now we get our act together and start putting the right persons in the right positions to lead GEBE. There were too many changes in the top management positions and favouritism over the years which just demotivated the employees. It's time to do it right and start holding management responsible and accountable for the company’s performance.
It is not just about the leaking of information, but the constant chaos and fighting and standoff with the previous and current Shareholder Government, says MP Lake. The board, said the MP, needs to stop micro-managing the company and start holding top managers and department heads accountable for not executing projects in the general interest of the people. GEBE should never have 30 million in already approved projects on the budget that are carried over year after year, but never executed.
Gebe should have a five-year written investment plan and a better training and development plan for their employees.
We need to bring back stability into the company by putting the right people in the right positions to take St. Maarten to the next level. I think with a new appointed team of local professionals and Managers; they can take the company to the next level to better serve St. Maarten. GEBE is the engine of our economy. Without electricity and water, everything would come to a complete halt.

Government is following the right procedures and following the right process to screen the proposed names through the Corporate Governance Council, and the National Security Service of St. Maarten. This is a process that could take four to six weeks. In the meantime, the current Board based on the articles of corporation has appointed an interim Managing Director from within its ranks, Mr. Zagers.
Zagers can make day to day decisions within the company and execute existing projects on behalf of the company, and this should take place. The board has already approved projects dating back a few years. Now is the time to execute.
The stories out there that GEBE doesn't have a Manager who can make decisions is not true. Maybe we have Managers in GEBE who are hesitant to execute already approved projects in the general interest of the Country which are not doing their job.
Waste to Energy project, Solar, Alternative Energy are not politician pet projects, it's a project for St. Maarten which GEBE approved in our National Energy Policy. We have Board Members and Managers who feels the company belongs to them and we have to get away from that myth. We have to be clear about the people’s business. Work continues as usual, and the current Managers have to start executing the projects that is already approved on the budget. It’s plain and simple.
The general assembly meeting is very important. GEBE Management and Staff, can receive information on where we are now, where we are going, and how we going to get there. This is the best approach instead of employees hearing it through the grape vine and everyone twisting the story left, right and center.
As a former Minister who completed the energy policy for St. Maarten, GEBE board and management played a very important role of finalizing the policy where Waste to Energy (reducing the landfill dump), Alternative Energy, Solar, and Clean Energy, were high on their priority list for 2016. What happened and how far are we with these projects needs to be brought forward in line with transparency.
It's a National shame we have not started these projects as yet in the general interest of the people. We all complaining about the dump that makes people sick but still not doing anything about it. It's time to take action. I was a former Minister that appointed the current Board, and I believe a Board is appointed to supervise and to make sure Management execute projects in the general interest of the people. There also needs to be a performance agreement as well for boards of government owned companies coming from the shareholder which allows for a better effective, efficient and productive supervision and management of the company in the interest of the employees and the people of St. Maarten, MP Lake concluded.

PHILIPSBURG:---- The University of St. Martin’s School of Continuing Education and Life Long Learning, the birthmother of the Women’s Island Network (WIN), held its Membership Drive at Skip Jack’s located in Simpson Bay.
WIN was founded in August 2015 by Dr. Natasha J. Gittens, Ph.D. CHE. Director of SCELL based on her vision to organize a consortium of powerful women on the island to embrace and mentor young women and empower women as a whole to pursue educational opportunities at The University of St. Martin (USM) and The University of the Virgin Islands at USM.
The Membership Drive was held to provide the women of St. Maarten information about WIN and give them the opportunity to join the progressive women’s group to increase awareness of the degree programs offered at USM, including GED and Associates degree programs, accredited BTEC Hospitality, Bachelors and Masters Degrees. The board is comprised of diverse women on the island, who hold key positions in leadership roles in major organizations who have formed a consortium to revitalize the image of USM and build enrollment one women at a time.
SCELL Director, Dr. Gittens stated: I am committed to the University of St. Martin. I believe in our programs and I am determined to build enrollment for both women and men over the next year. WIN is just one of the launched organizations that will allow the St. Martin community to view their “university” (USM) in a different light than in past years. It is imperative that the St. Martin community embrace their motherland university, (USM) and begin taking advantage of the degree programs we have to offer. This commitment will ensure that we are grooming our next generation leaders in St. Maarten at our local university, increasing our chances that they will be fully committed to growth and economic development of our country. We must all reinvestment in USM, and commit to at least one members of every household earning a degree from USM.
Chantelle André, WIN's Community Affairs Officer stated: "What a successful event! Great to be in the company of such empowering, inspiring, high energy women. Congratulations to all the new members. This is the just the beginning."

Women who stopped by had a positive reaction to the event and stated:
“All WIN events are full of love and laughter. I am very excited to be a part of a powerful organization of strong intelligent women. Cheers to WIN!” – Miss Islene

“I had a great experience at this WIN event. I am excited at the prospect of being a part of this amazing organization. – Miss Janet J.

Pond Island:---- TelEm Group is heading into the busy carnival season even earlier than in previous years with some non-stop promotions starting Monday, February 29, 2016.

According to the company’s carnival promotion team, picture-taking is what Carnival is all about – so why not double up an affordable Smartphone with some great picture-taking features from the well-known photographic company, Kodak.

The Kodak Smartphone is TelEm Group’s first special promotion offer to customers leading up to the Carnival season.

“The Kodak Phone, as it is called, should be on everyone’s wish list for Carnival,” says, Carnival promotion team member Grisha Marten.

She says the company’s pre-carnival promotion is being run in collaboration with Xtratight Entertainment, who will be returning to carnival once again this year with their hugely popular “TelCell Night of the Hitmakers” event.

“As well as giving a Smartphone packed with features and accessories, we will also be giving customers a ticket to the upcoming TelCell Night of the Hitmakers show as part of the promotional package,” continued the Carnival promotion team member.

She said this year TelEm Group will be continuing with non-stop promotions from now through to the last day of Carnival with lots of contests, prizes, free giveaways, “and quite a few surprises along the way”, including a massive contest that will be the first of its kind for the TelEm Group Commercial Department.

“We are all very excited about our presence in Carnival once again this year, including the annual Road to Carnival jump-ups and all the other exciting things we will be involved in to spotlight our main touristic and cultural event of the year,” said Grisha.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--  Acting head of the Civil Registry Department Kathy Snijders, accompanied six staff members to the Court of First Instance last week Wednesday where they were sworn in as Civil Registrars.

The oath carried out by Judge A.J. J. van Rijen, ensured during the ceremony that all six understood their responsibility and how that responsibility should be executed.

Taking of the oath allows the department to work efficiently as the appointment will allow designated staff to function in various capacities as the department strives to improve to the quality and standards of the civil Registrars.

The Civil Registry Department falls under the Ministry of General Affairs.

Harbour View:---  On February 18th, 2016, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, paid a working visit to Milton Peters College. Upon arrival he was received by the management of the school Joseph Rogers, Wim de Visser, Naomi Richardson, Ivette Franca and Vidal Carty. The focus of the visit was to interact with the students on the importance of education and their place in our community.
Governor Holiday’s visit centered on the class he gave to the students of the exam classes about civic responsibility defined as: “Our duty to make a positive contribution to our country.” In speaking on the topic “The importance of civic responsibilities” he pointed to the interdependence of our community and addressed the students on how they can contribute to their families and country. In doing so he introduced the students to their fundamental rights and freedoms as outlined in our constitution and the need to protect these rights and freedoms. Highlighting the importance of education he stressed that it is the student’s responsibility to attend school and get an education. He encouraged the students to make use of their fundamental right to education and emphasized that getting an education is a necessary start to meeting their civic responsibilities to contribute positively to our community. Governor Holiday concluded the session with the students with the statement: “that the progress of our society requires a balance between our rights and freedoms, on the one hand, and our civic responsibilities as citizens, on the other.”
He also visited several classes in the academic and vocational sections of the school and interacted with the students on subject matters such as math, language, science and technology and his experiences as a former MPC student. Governor Holiday applauded the students and teachers with the Carpentry program. He was particularly impressed with the furniture and the 27ft sail boat which the students had built.
Falcon drive 3, Harbor view, Sint Maarten
Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten
Website: www.kabgsxm.com or
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Governor-of-Sint-Maarten/570166756411901

PHILIPSBURG:---On the evening of Friday February 26, 2016, The Minister of Health, Emil Lee was notified that a group of students involved in the Leeward Islands Debate had become ill. Minister Lee immediately notified the inspection department and CPS (collective preventative services). Dr. Virginia Asin and Maria Henry were immediately mobilized by CPS.

Dr. Asin and Maria Henry immediately went to the SMMC to assess the situation. Patients, mostly consisting of debate students were suffering from vomiting. The SMMC had the situation under control. Students were treated and discharged.

Dr. Asin then proceeded to Maho to assess the situation. Students were being treated for dehydration and no new cases were identified. Protocols were established for the hotel which included having persons with vomiting and diarrhea to remain in their rooms, notify guests and staff to adhere to proper hygiene procedures, and have the hotel execute extra cleaning and disinfection procedures.

CPS staff worked until late in the night to ensure that everything at SMMC and Maho were under control.

On Saturday February 27, 2016, a joint VSA team from CPS and the inspectorate consisting of Maria Henry, Likia Pickerio, Laniol Tromp, Swinda Richardson, Nirmala Vlaun
met at Maho to conduct interviews and inspections. In order to get a first hand assessment and update of the situation, Minister Lee joined the team. According to Minister Lee, "The team from the Ministry of health has my full support and confidence. They are approaching this situation objectively and professionally. And just for the record, at no time were inspections or investigations halted or obstructed. I am, as usual, extremely proud of team VSA and the staff of the SMMC!"

According to preliminary report, the inspectorate checked the kitchens and found that "As far as hygiene and food handling in the kitchen at Maho are concerned, the Food Inspectors observed that the kitchens are in proper hygiene condition."

Until the test at SLS are complete and the final investigation report is completed (estimated to be complete the end of this week), "the team could not rule out food as a source for the gasteroenteritis.." However, the preliminary conclusion is that "based on the assessment of two involved physicians (Dr. Asin and Dr. Deketh) is that there is a gasteroenteritis virus involved, most probably Noro-virus."

In the mean time, a number of recommendations were made to Maho to establish protocols to eliminate the spread of virus. Minister Lee emphasized, "while the Ministry of health certainly has a control and regulatory function, the Ministry also has an educational role. The Ministry should also be seen as a resource for the community to call on when it has a problem and needs advice on how to manage problems. We encourage the community to reach out for guidance and assistance whenever necessary. We are here to create a health and safe environment for the residents and visitors of St Maarten."

On a closing note....Minister Lee commented, "Despite difficult circumstance, the debates continue. That is truly a testament to the resilience and determination of the youth of the Caribbean. This bodes well for the future of the Caribbean. Congratulations to all participants!"

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Health, Emil Lee dispatched a team of persons of the Collective Preventive Services, under the leadership of Dr. Asin to assess and investigate the disturbing complaints regarding several young persons participating in the Leeward Islands Debate competition becoming ill during the past 2 days. Most of these persons are staying at the Maho resort, but some from St. Maarten reportedly also fell ill.

The Minister was apprised of the situation on Friday evening by the President of Parliament, Mrs. Sarah Wescot-Williams, who was at the event.

The Minister has already received the first briefing by his Department and the President of Parliament has requested the Minister to urgently inform the Parliament of the initial findings by letter and subsequently keep the Parliament informed of the developments and ongoing investigations. The minister has also immediately involved and mobilized the Inspectorate of Public Health. The president of Parliament has expressed her sincerest regrets and wishes all those affected the best and a speedy recovery.
Minister of Public Health, Emil Lee dispatched a team of persons of the Collective Preventive Services, under the leadership of Dr. Asin to assess and investigate the disturbing complaints regarding several young persons participating in the Leeward Islands Debate competition becoming ill during the past 2 days. Most of these persons are staying at the Maho resort, but some from St. Maarten reportedly also fell ill.

The Minister was apprised of the situation on Friday evening by the President of Parliament, Mrs. Sarah Wescot-Williams, who was at the event.

The Minister has already received the first briefing by his Department and the President of Parliament has requested the Minister to urgently inform the Parliament of the initial findings by letter and subsequently keep the Parliament informed of the developments and ongoing investigations. The minister has also immediately involved and mobilized the Inspectorate of Public Health. The president of Parliament has expressed her sincerest regrets and wishes all those affected the best and a speedy recovery.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Approximately 32 organisations have registered 40 projects to be executed during the Kingdom's and Sint Maarten's largest volunteer campaign: SXM DOET.
SXM DOET 2016 will take place on Friday March 11th and Saturday March 12th at various locations around the island. The initiative is executed locally by the Be The Change Foundation partnered with private individuals, and funded by the Oranje Fonds of the Netherlands.
On Friday February 19th, over 35 organisations participating in SXM DOET received promotional packages made up of helpful items for the proper execution of the projects and activities. The packages included vouchers from SXM DOET partners for exclusive offers and free materials; t-shirts, caps, and other accessories for the projects' volunteers; as well as flyers, posters, car flags, reusable tote bags to help recruit volunteers to their cause. Additionally, many of the organizations that applied for funding to receive up to $650 for their projects were approved by the Oranje Fonds.
Last year's SXM DOET was the first event of its kind with over 1,000 volunteers lending a helping hand at over 30 projects and activities around the island. The SXM DOET team and volunteers expect 2016 to be even bigger and better. Organisers would like to remind everyone that: “SXM DOET cannot happen without you!”
Projects are filling up and many are already "closed" by having reached the full amount of volunteers required to complete the project. Nevertheless, some very intriguing projects still need volunteers to sign up and help them out. Signing up is very easy and can be done online. To get involved with SXM DOET and help make a positive change in your community on March 11 and 12, simply go to www.sxmdoet.com and sign up to a project.
This year there is a wide array of diverse projects such as: donation drives to feed the needy, environmental cleanups, greenhouse construction for edible gardens, fun activity days for our underprivileged and special needs communities, animal welfare initiatives, beautification projects and so much more. SXM DOET organizations must come up with projects that are beneficial to their own cause that require tasks that the organizations could not otherwise do, due to lack of resources. By registering to participate as a volunteer, in just two days you can help make a profound difference for selfless organizations that already do so much for our community.
Exhibiting great corporate social responsibility are many local businesses that have partnered with SXM DOET thus far, including Heavenly Water, Kooyman, Divico Distributors, Greenfingers, Cake House, Easy Print, Firgos, Laser 101, and RMG Designs.
The SXM DOET Project Team is looking forward to another successful edition of SXM DOET. Make an effort to volunteer during SXM DOET on March 11 and 12 and contribute towards making a positive change on St. Maarten, as 'together we achieve more'.
For further information please contact the SXM DOET Project Team by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling +1 721 580 1437.

GREAT BAY(DCOMM):--- Controllers from the Ministry Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT), were out this week controlling establishments that sell cooking gas to make sure that the products are being sold at the new price approved by the Government of Sint Maarten.

On Monday, February 22, cooking gas prices were lowered.
The old price for LPG (Cooking Gas) 20LB was Naf.42.00; the new price is Naf.21.73 per cylinder.
The old price for LPG (Cooking Gas) 100LB was Naf.153.00; the new price is Naf.112.96 per cylinder.
The old price for LPG (Bulk) was Naf.1.51 per pound; the new price is Naf.0.97 per pound.
The Government of Sint Maarten regulates the prices of petroleum products.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will meet in a plenary public session on February 29th.

The plenary public meeting has been scheduled for Monday at 10.00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is the draft National Ordinance to establish the National 2016 Budget.

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Tuesday March 2nd, 2016, Philipsburg Jubilee Library and Zahira Marmar as part of the library’s “Read to me” campaign are organizing an educational, exciting interactive Rhyme Time Workshop.

Rhyme Time, babies & Toddlers, Parents, and or their caregivers, sing along to many of the classic nursery rhymes. Rhyme Time is a wonderful alternative for children who do not attend daycare in the morning. A brilliant program that takes place on a weekly basis, on Wednesday morning from 10 am to 11 am.

During the workshop parents, caregivers or anyone who is interested will learn the art on how to interact in a positive manner with children between the ages 0- 3, how to read your room, imaginative interaction with puppets, create an atmosphere of inclusion so children feel safe to be themselves and much more.

The interactive Rhyme Time workshop will be a onetime free workshop on Tuesday March 10th, 2016 from 10 am – 12.30pm at the library in the Media Lab. Facilitating the course will be Zahira Marmar.

There is no need to register for more information, call the library at 542-2970 ask for Melackia Spencer.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation presented its volunteers with a personal token from Tzu Chi Founder Master Cheng Yen during a recent tea party celebration at its L.B. Scott Road location.

The token known as Hong-bao or red envelope is symbolic of Master Chen Yen’s best wishes to volunteers for the New Year and expresses her deep appreciation, gratitude and affinity to Tzu Chi volunteers worldwide for their contribution in developing its four missions: charity, medicine, education and humanistic culture.

A total of 34 volunteers attended the celebration and were each presented with a Hong-boa.

The event included an ice-breaker and volunteers sharing their individual experiences being with the Tzu Chi Foundation and what this means to them in an effort to encourage affinity amongst members.

Attendees were also treated to a video presentation highlighting the contributions that the various Tzu Chi Foundation branches around the world had made in 2015 in Taiwan, Haiti, the Philippines, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland, Syria, USA, Canada and in other countries.

A second video highlighted the contributions made by the St. Maarten chapter in the local community in 2015. These included the monthly visit to St. Martin’s Home for senior citizens, the annual visit to the Pointe Blanche Prison, participation in the Lion Rudy Hoeve Health and Wellness Fair, participation in the Catholic Cultural Food Sale, the International Coastal Cleanup, the triple celebration of Mother's Day/Buddha Day/Tzu Chi Day, clean up at All Children’s Education (ACE) Foundation school, charitable donations to persons in need within the community amongst other charitable works.

A brief history of the origin and significance of the Tzu Chi Hong-bao was also explained following which Tzu Chi Commissioners Sandra Cheung and her husband Kit-Wing Cheung presented each volunteer with their personal Hong-bao as well as a gift package.

Volunteers were then treated to a sumptuous buffet-style vegetarian meal and desserts especially prepared by the attending volunteers.

Several volunteers said they enjoyed the event. Volunteer Santosh Aaudha Chhabria said it was blissful for him to see Tzu Chi volunteers get together to get to know each other even better than before. “This event was one of the best events for the Tzu Chi family to be more united and enjoy the company of each other. It was a great experience,” Cchabria said. “And the best part was that we counted our local and international achievements of love... This event really made a strong mind of all volunteers to be more focussed (so that we can) suggest to our near and dear ones to also join hands and make this family even bigger.”

Volunteer Roger Yee-Fong said the event demonstrated Master Cheng Yen’s best wishes for the New Year and her deep gratitude to all the Tzu Chi volunteers worldwide for their continuing service to their respective communities.

Another volunteer, Margaret Steeman, who took three guests to experience the event, said one of her guests felt the event had been "impressive" and all three guests were so touched that they decided to donate to help the foundation continue its work in the community.

PHILIPSBURG:---- Doctors-in-training at American University of the Caribbean (AUC) School of Medicine set aside their stethoscopes and lab-coats for a day to give Tzu Chi Foundation’s recycling and agricultural programme a boost on Saturday, February 20.

A total of 19 students joined 13 Tzu Chi members to volunteers for the programme as part of their annual Community Action Day. AUC students volunteer at various foundations and groups in the local community for their Community Action Days.

For the volunteer activity with Tzu Chi, the doctors-in-training were divided into five different groups and engaged in different stages of the foundation’s recycling and agricultural initiative.

The various groups participated in sorting a large quantity of big disposable plastic bottles, cutting and redesigning them to accommodate plants and potted and planted seedlings in the plastic bottles.

Students and Tzu Chi volunteers also prepared agricultural beds and transplanted plants onto them, did some general clean up of the agricultural area and greenhouse, trimmed trees, weeded and re-used all plant-based garbage by composting them for future use as organic manure for the agricultural project.

The AUC students were very enthusiastic about their assigned tasks and displayed good comradely and team spirit during the exercise. “They always stayed focussed and when working, their mindfulness and cooperation was encouraging to Tzu Chi volunteers,” observed Tzu Chi volunteer Roger Yee-Fong.

When all the assigned tasks had been completed shortly after noon, all participants enjoyed a vegetarian lunch with drinks, dessert prepared by Tzu Chi volunteers.

Several group leaders from amongst the AUC students shared their experiences and expressed their deep appreciation and enjoyment of the activity and the spirit of community service that they felt during the exercise.

Tzu Chi Foundation Commissioner Sandra Cheung, on behalf of the foundation and all volunteers, expressed great appreciation to AUC and its student volunteers for dedicating their time to this community service initiative. Tzu Chi showed its gratitude by presenting tokens of appreciation to all participating volunteers.

“This event is a prime example of the spirit of volunteerism working to create awareness and also to protect the environment,” Yee-Fong said.

PHILIPSBURG:-----  Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo said on Thursday that, “A much needed relief for the people of Sint Maarten was given in the form of a public announcement that was issued on Friday, February 19th from the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (Ministry TEATT), indicating that there will be an adjustment to cooking gas.

“This adjustment was expected to immediately commence on Monday February 22nd 2016. However, according to the Daily Herald’s publication on Tuesday February 23rd 2016, a day after the official date of implementation, businesses were still selling cooking gas at the old prices.

“This has my full attention as the people of Sint Maarten would have finally seen a drastic cut in cooking gas, and would be able to keep in their pockets, ANG 20.27 for a 20lb bottle and ANG 40.04 for a 100lb bottle. What is happening to the controls? Who is ensuring that the new prices are being implemented by all businesses? Why do households have to continue with the burden of old prices?

“This is a needed relief for the consumers and households in general. These are questions this Member of Parliament wants to pose to the Minister responsible as soon as the Minister decides to find time in her schedule to address Parliament.

“Additionally, it has been stated in Wednesday's publication of the Daily Herald that the overall Consumer Price Index and inflation have decreased on average compared to the year 2014. With the public knowledge dropping world market price of oil this behavior is expected and as a consequence just recent LIAT has agreed to remove their fuel clause making tickets less expensive.

“Even utility companies in the region are doing the same. This Member of Parliament will like to know what is the Minister of TEATT doing with regards to GEBE and their build up rates; can the same be done so that the people can feel less burdened with the cost of electricity?

“The Minister of TEATT has not found time in her schedule to address consumer protection concerns. The Minister holds a critical function and needs to give an account to the people of Sint Maarten on matters that affect them. Cooking gas has not received any decrease for the entire year of 2015 as far as this Member of Parliament can recall.

“The people of Curacao pays Ang 40.00 for a 100 lb bottle and Ang 8.00 for a 20 lb bottle of cooking gas. On Bonaire the cost of LPG is even cheaper with the cost being ANG 27.31 for a 100 lbs bottle and Ang 7.31 for a 20 lb bottle. In Sint Maarten, the published price for a 100 lb bottle is Ang 112.96, while businesses are charging the old price of ANG 153.00, the published price for a 20 lb bottle is ANG 21.73, but businesses are selling it for ANG 42.00.

“The much awaited answer to the cries of when will the people of Sint Maarten feel a relief after the constant decrease of international oil prices, is still awaiting. I have campaigned on the premise to look out for the needs and betterment of the people, and so doing will continue to monitor developments and request that urgent audience of the minister, hoping that the Minister will honour both the December 1st 2015 request and the new request that will be sent,” Independent MP Leona Marlin-Romeo concludes.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), announces that there will be hindrance to road traffic on Sunday, February 28 between 9.00AM and 5.00PM.

Topix Heavy Equipment will be cleaning the trench along Bush Road from Ernest Williams Hotel up until Photo Gumbs Building.

The cleaning works is in connection with the maintenance of the storm water drains.

Even though there will be no road closure, motorists and pedestrians should be alert to the works that will be take place along the aforementioned stretch of roadway.
Ministry VROMI apologizes for any inconveniences this may cause.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM:---- Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), announces that the intersection at Zoutsteeg between E. Camille Richardson Street and Cannegieter Street, will be closed on Friday, February 26 from 8.00AM to 2.00PM.

The closure is in connection with the Open House organized by the Ombudsman.

Motorists are advised to use the intersection of D.A. Peterson Street (intersection Police Station) to gain access to Cannegieter Steet (intersection Windward Islands Bank).
Ministry VROMI apologizes for any inconveniences this may cause.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- The Collective Preventive Services (CPS), a government department under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, recently coordinated a meeting with medical professionals that included gynecologists, a pediatrician, internists and representatives from the St. Maarten Laboratory Services (SLS) with respect to guidelines on how to deal with the Zika (ZikV) mosquito-borne virus.

CPS was informed with respect to testing mechanisms that are in place and whether any additional assistance would be needed.

The discussion was conducted within the following consideration at the time: There is a lack of scientific evidence that ZikV causes microcephaly; There is not sufficient evidence that ZikV causes Guillian Barre Syndrome or other Neurological disorders; There is no scientific data to establish a clear correlation between ZikV and genetic abnormalities; All the literature indicate that there might be an association but to what extent still needs to be established and confirmed.

The advice is to only communicate the facts and eliminate the emotional aspects in what is communicated. The facts should be provided until otherwise scientifically proven.

There was also a discussion among the health care professionals with respect to a possible link between microcephaly and ZikV. During the first trimester of pregnancy, viral testing is already part of the examination that is conducted as part of the intake process of a pregnant woman.

During pregnancy, General Practitioners (GP) normally request viral lab testing; they will add ZikV to the list. This way any pregnant women suspected of ZikV that fit the case definition will be tested. When a pregnant woman is confirmed for ZikV by the GP, she will be referred to the gynecologists for specialized attention and further monitoring.

Pregnant women have the same risk as the rest of the population of being infected with ZikV, which is transmitted by the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes. Many women may remain unaware that they have the virus, as they may not develop any symptoms. Only one in five people infected with ZikV develops symptoms, and in those with symptoms the illness is usually mild.
The most common symptoms are slight fever and exantema, or rash. Other symptoms related to ZikV are conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, and general malaise, which begins two to seven days after the bite of an infected mosquito.
Everyone, including pregnant women and women of childbearing age, should avoid exposure to mosquito bites, for example, by wearing long sleeves and long pants, using insecticide-treated mosquito nets and using insect repellents.

Public health authorities also emphasize the need to follow instructions on the label when using repellent. In every home and its surroundings, it is very important to identify and eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites.

ZikV is a member of the Flaviviridae family and is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. It is related to other pathogenic vector borne flaviviruses including dengue, chickungunya, West-Nile and Japanese encephalitis viruses but produces a comparatively mild disease in humans.

An increase in the mosquito population puts residents and visitors at risk. Take measures by avoiding being bitten by a mosquito. For information about Dengue fever, ZikV and Chikungunya prevention measures, you can call CPS 542-2078 or 542-3003.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On February 11th, 2016, Discount Furniture located on Bush Road, joined SCELL, The University of St. Martin’s School of Continuing Education & Life Long Learning’s impressive list of sponsors by donating a table for the SCELL Office located on the 2nd Floor of USM.
The Management Team of Discount Furniture stated: We believe that Education is the key to a brighter future for students and all adults. We wanted to help SCELL because we understand their mission. When people are educated they are better employees, have higher self-confidence and excel in their jobs. My brothers and I believe that is very important and have run our business to encourage our employees to be the best they can be through ongoing learning and Education.
Since the opening of the new school in August 2015, SCELL has established business relationships with multiple companies, Windward Islands Banks, LTD was the first sponsor and so many other business followed suit impressively.
SCELL’s primary goal is to provide customized training, coaching and mentoring to organizations that directly change the performance of the St. Maarten workforce. When employees are educated on the importance of customer service excellence, professional accountability and the keys to effectively managing and supervising work teams organizations strive. That is the SCELL philosophy, says Gittens.
Dr. Gittens, the Director of SCELL stated: The overwhelming support that SCELL has received since August 1 is both impressive and outstanding. My team and I are committed to changing St. Maarten and building Human Capital throughout the island. Our mission is to help organizations place a consistent value on their employees and their education and provide them with the training they need to be successful in their diverse professional roles. Most importantly, we want businesses to encourage their employees to pursue degree programs at the University of St. Martin and The University of the Virgin Islands at USM this January 2015 and in the Fall of August 2016.
If you would like to schedule a training or workshop, call 554-2437, email SCELL @usmonline.net, or fill out the form on our website at http://scell.usmonline.onl/index.php/programs/workshops-form.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday February 12th, the Social and Health Insurances SZV hosted a staff conference themed ‘ Cross The Line’ in which local and international speakers including Minister of Public Health Emil Lee took to the stage and held key note sessions and workshops emphasizing customer excellence, personal development and success strategies. SZV has made a committed decision to improving the quality of its services and customer service experience by investing in the development of its staff as leaders within the health sector serving country St. Maarten. Interim Director Glen Carty presented Minister Emil Lee with SZV’s 2015-2018 Strategic Plan, in which SZV identifies key strategies towards developing staff, improving customer service, sustainability of the organization, and its advisory role. The Action Plan 3.0, which is currently being executed by SZV is derived from this strategic plan.

“It was my pleasure and honor to have the opportunity to address the staff and Management of SZV on the topic of customer care. As St. Maarten’s social and health insurance company, SZV has a vital role in our community. The performance of the staff, management and board towards their customers is closely linked to the future of SZV and their financial health.” - Emil Lee - Minister of Health, Social Development and Labor

With the staff conference being the first time the Minister has directly addressed the staff of SZV, he took the opportunity to remind the staff of the important role that SZV plays for the community of St. Maarten, “The country, the neediest people depend on you. The Health of SZV determines the happiness of many of the country’s most vulnerable.” In his presentation, the Minister also gave examples of the hospitality industry where the value of a ‘good’ review vs. a ‘negative’ review may weigh heavily on a company’s reputation and sustainability in the industry. The Minister gave good practice examples of customer service and what it means to ‘go beyond the call of duty’ and ‘exceed customer expectations’ and the positive impact this can have. In closing, the Minister also expressed his commitment to SZV by stating “You can count on Minister Emil Lee as a member of team SZV.”

The conference was aimed at personal development but also had a motivational tone. SZV welcomed various speakers including Everette Taylor Jr. – CEO of Millisense from Los Angeles who spoke of Customer service vs. Customer excellence traits and the importance relentless self-improvement and how management can facilitate this.

"Coming out to St. Maarten for me was an eye opening experience, I learned a lot from interacting with the people at SZV. The conference was real and introspective, I saw that people want to make a change and that's the first step. Progress is a process, and the executive team seems to be committed to making change. A lot of patience will be needed, there's a lot to do - there will be pitfalls but I think the people at SZV are fully capable of breaking through. I received great feedback and my presentations seemed to resonate with the people at SZV, that's all I can ask for. Everyone was warm and welcoming, felt at home here in SXM." – Everette Taylor Jr.

Tess Taylor – President of N.A.R.I.P. also from Los Angeles spoke in depth to the staff about success strategies, shared methods of attentive listening and effective communication and its value for excellent customer service levels.
“I am impressed by SZV's commitment to improve customer service. It is rare to see an organization as focused on self-evaluation and positive change as SZV, and one so dedicated that it invests in its staff and their development to enable this change. It has been a wonderful experience
for me to meet the people of SZV, who are a sincere and caring group. The health and welfare of St. Maarten's citizens is in good hands when SZV staff approach their responsibilities with such commitment, empathy and professionalism.” – Tess Taylor
Success coach Dr. N. Erna Mae Francis Cotton also addressed the staff of SZV with ‘food for thought’ speaking of the change the organization is going through with the implementation of Action Plan 3.0 and desire to be part of this change and what is required to achieve personal success and organizational success.

"I am honored and privileged to have been part of the process of revitalizing the culture of SZV so that it lives out its mission to care for and serve the members of the St. Maarten community. I applaud the passion and enthusiasm of Mr. Glen Carty and his team for listening to the cries of the public; acknowledging that significant changes need to be made internally and most of all deciding to make positive and lasting changes at SZV. I believe that SZV is off to a great start in its process of having a great working environment for its employees and excellent customer service. I look forward to being an integral part of SZV's change process, and seeing the transformation take place within SZV that will have a positive ripple effect on the community of St. Maarten. Kudos to you management and staff of SZV." - Dr. N. Erna Mae Francis Cotton
All keynote speakers emphasized the importance of team work, transparency, communication, commitment and accountability as key drivers for personal success and that of SZV. The conference was deemed by management as a successful start to positive change within the organization. Management of SZV recognizes the value of its staff and has committed to facilitate a culture change where SZV can thrive internally which will automatically resonate to the improvement of the customer satisfaction experience levels.

PHILIPSBURG:--- In keeping with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth & Sports desire to encourage young people to excel and succeed in all areas of their lives, and further in keeping with the Department of Sports aim to encourage youth excellence in sports specifically, a talent scholarship in the amount, not exceeding, US$ 20.000,00 per year for a period of no more than 5 years, was awarded to Keacy Carty, who has been recognized by Ministerial decision as a gifted and talented athlete, for his accomplishments at the 2016 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in Bangladesh, including being named Man of the Match in the final match.

The Special Talent Scholarship awarded to Mr. Carty deviates from the regular application process and procedure for study financing. This scholarship is intended to enable Mr. Carty to pursue high education at a regional or international institute as a student athlete. Because notwithstanding his amazing talent, it is important to have a strong educational background to fall on. The awarding of this talent scholarship is issued in compliance with article 13 paragraph 4, article 15 paragraph 1 of the Island Ordinance Study Financing and Article 5 paragraph 1 of the National Subsidy Ordinance and must remain within the scope.

Many may not understand the impact and true significance of Keacy’s performance, but because of the role he played to secure that win, the name St. Maarten is resonating worldwide. The official issuance of the scholarship will only take place if Keacy accepts the scholarship and submits an official proof of enrollment from an accredited regional or international educational institution.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports, the honorable Silveria Jacobs wishes to inform the general public and in particular students, parents and guardians that the crisis with the board of NIPA has been resolved and that a new board will be in place.
Over the past two weeks, the Minister met the remaining board members, who were appointed by the Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of VSA and SVOBE on the board of the foundation for Advanced Vocational and Adult Education and the various stakeholders such as the Windward Island Chamber of Labor Union (WICLU)represented by president Claire Elshot and the Chamber of Commerce (CoC) represented by the president Peggy-Ann Brandon. Mrs. Barbara Pompier, and Mr. Van Dijk Bell the chairperson of the schoolboard FAVE were unable to attend.
During the meeting the minister received an update from the board members on the composition of the board and an overview of all urgent and or pending matters at NIPA including the various ongoing court cases .Also discussed and debated during the meeting was the procedure for the appointment of new members by the various stakeholders and the preparation of a transfer plan and document.
The transfer plan and document are extremely important to facilitate a smooth transition and to ensure proper accountability and continuity. This document should include but not be limited to an overview of all procedures/policies, a synopsis of all personnel matters, court cases, ongoing matters, organogram of the institution, copies of all relevant and important documents etc. The current members furthermore expressed their willingness to remain available to assist and guide the new members during the transition period.
Finally a resignation schedule was discussed and it was decided that the new board members will meet with the outgoing board on a later date. During this meeting the outgoing board will verify the credentials of the incoming members after which the remaining members will submit their official resignation. All stakeholders are reminded they must submit the resume/cv and cover letter of their proposed candidate(s) before March 1, 2016. The stakeholders are reminded to ensure that all proposed candidates meet the profile and criteria for board members and that they are willing dedicate their time, energy and expertise required to turn around this vital institution.
The meeting took place in a very cordial, respectful and friendly atmosphere where the various stakeholders and board members had the opportunity to discuss the challenges currently being faced at NIPA and to exchange ideas on the best way forward.
The Minister would hereby like to extend her sincere gratitude to all who contributed in one way or the other to the resolution of this crisis. There is a lot of work to be done to ensure that NIPA can live up to expectations of providing high quality advanced secondary vocational education on St. Maarten.

Instruction given to boards not to take decisions that will negatively impact Government owned company.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of TEATT Ingrid Arrindell dispatched a letter to the Supervisory and management board of the Princess Juliana International Airport on Wednesday informing them that they are not to take any decisions that would negatively impact the government owned company.
The two boards were told in writing that they are allowed to continue taking decisions on the day to day operations of the company. The letter further states that the Ministry of TEATT is busy with restructuring therefore the board cannot take decisions that could negatively impact the company.
SMN News learnt that the management team of PJIAE are busy victimizing some workers that were working closely with the former director of PJIAE Regina Labega while they are busy trying to hinder the FBO project.
SMN News managed to confirm from one of the board members who stated that indeed the boards received a letter on Wednesday informing them of the restructuring and decision making. The board member further stated that the boards were not given marching orders as it has been rumored. “If the Minister wants to send home the boards of PJAIE they would have to go through the necessary procedures to do so and while doing that they must bear in mind that they are a caretaker government.”

PHILIPSBURG"---- The House of Parliament will meet in an urgent session on February 26.

The public plenary session has been set for Friday at 10.00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.
The agenda point is a discussion related to the sale of the new Government Administration Building.

This urgent meeting was called by the United People’s (UP) party faction Members of Parliament (MP) Franklin Meyers, Independent MP Leona Marlin-Romeo, and Independent MP Cornelius de Weever.

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org.

Does the Prison Director know what he is doing?

PHILIPSBURG:--- Detective Linden Lewis from the National Detectives Department was suspended for dereliction of duty seemingly because he did not contact the Police Station when Rishmer Redrum York contacted him by telephone and told him he was going to take out a Belvedere resident Akeem Isidora. At the time detective Lewis received those two phone calls but he was nowhere close to the crime scene, he however, spoke to the rookie cop who was after Isidora and basically ordered him to leave the area since he York was not living in Belvedere. York has been convicted for manslaughter and possession of an illegal firearm.
While the head of the national detectives and the current Minister of Justice who was part of the management team of the LR saw it fit to victimize one of their own, to date the same Minister of Justice Edison Kirindongo cannot say why the Director of the Prisons Edward Rohan did not take the necessary steps to place the two prison guards namely Ronald Lake and Honore on inactive duty while the National Detectives conduct their investigation on how Kathron Cuchi Fortune escaped from the guards when he was taken to a medical clinic in Cay Hill. It appears as though there is some kind of ‘class justice’ on St. Maarten or either the Prison Director Edward Rohan simply does not know how to manage a prison and what are some of the actions he needs to take in cases such as these.
Several prison guards told SMN News that both the director and manager of the House of Detention don’t seem to know what they are doing and as such prison guards who cannot deal with the prolong stress and alleged incompetence chose to take sick leave to escape the enormous pressure on the job especially since the prison is severely understaffed.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The K1 Britannia Foundation in collaboration with 12 Metre, organized a fun sailing challenge for youths in foster care on Saturday February 20th.The Foster Care Program is a core part of the K1 Britannia Foundation activities on St. Maarten.
The youth gathered anxiously at Bobby’s Marina to see which sailing boat they would be sailing on during the 12 Metre Challenge. The 12 Metre Challenge is one of the most unique tours on the island where persons are trained to be the boat crew alongside 3 experienced crew members.
After boarding the ferry, the 13 youth, two foster home representatives and four K1 Britannia Project Managers were split up in two teams, namely the “Stars and Stripes” with 10 persons and the second group “Truth North” with 9 persons.
As the group was split, the friendly rivalry began which meant a good race was ahead. Various positions were given out based on size, strength and age such as primary grinders, main grinders, back grinders and main sheet trimmer for this intense boat race.
Both boats headed out to the starting line and throughout the race, each went toe to toe looking for that edge. At the last leg of the race “Truth North” turned the corner and was back in front again, crossed the line first and was declared the winner. Everyone on the boat erupted with loud cheers, making sure ‘Stars and Stripes” heard them.
Once back on shore, everyone was generously treated to finger foods at 12 Metre restaurant and were given T-shirts saying “Stars and Stripes” or “True North” as a gift. One of the foster kids of the winning team stated “It feels extra good to win because the first time I didn’t win”. Talking about the importance of teamwork as a sail crew the youngster continued “The teamwork was good, we needed everyone on the team for us to have progress”. The important lesson this sailing trip taught everyone was emphasized by Chiaira Bowers, Project Manager at K1 Britannia Foundation “During the trip I saw the primary grinders working tirelessly in harmony while the back grinders, main grinders and main sheet trimmers did their tasks. It really showed the importance of working together to reach a common goal, in this case to have fun while staying on course and winning the race.”
Positive activities like these for the foster kids are vital in their development as young people. "We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to 12 Metre for their continued support of the foster youth and young offenders in St. Maarten" said Chiaira Bowers. Persons looking to be a positive impact on our island can sign up as a volunteer on https://k1britanniafoundation.org/volunteer/. For more information find us on Facebook as “The K1 Britannia Foundation”.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The regular season of the Interscholastic Basketball Championship is coming to an end. After 5 weeks of competition, the top four teams consisting of two of Pool A and B will compete for the championship starting tomorrow at 3:30PM at LB Scott Sports Auditorium.

In Pool A, Methodist Agogic Centre (MAC) (2-2) the number 1 seed will go up against 2nd seeded St. Joseph Primary School (2-2) at 3:30PM.

In Pool B, Ruby Labega the number 1 seed and overall best record holder having not lost a game at 4-0 will go up against Martin Luther King Jr. School who is 3-1 looking to stay unbeaten and the chance to reach the finals at 5PM.

The winners of each game will play in the championship game on Friday February 26th at 3:30PM at LB Scott Sports Auditorium.

Organizers, The Walichi Basketball Association is encouraging parents, teachers, students and alumni's to come out and support these youth who are displaying their talents for all.

The winning school will travel to Curacao during the weekend of March 10th to compete in the Inter Insulair School Competition versus schools of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.

4 Members submitted resignation.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Silveria Jacobs announced at the Council of Ministers press conference on Wednesday that there are some positive strides at NIPA and that very soon the school will be able to provide the type of educational programs it was designed for.
Minister Jacobs said she recently held meetings with the board members, and the incoming board members. She said four members of the board resigned and those that are remaining pledged to stay on and guide the new board. She said everyone are pointing their heads in the same direction which is to find viable solutions for the institution. The Minister of EYS said that the stakeholders that are in a position to appoint new board members should submit their credentials and resume must be submitted prior to March 1st. The Minister insisted that the meeting was friendly, and important information were provided during the meeting which she said is aimed at moving the institution forward which will also a positive turn around for NIPA.

SURINAME/ST. MAARTEN:--- Fly Allways is a young dynamic airline company which has a vision to connect South America with the Caribbean. The company has a fleet of Fokker F-70 jet aircrafts with a seating capacity of 80 comfort seats. The seating configuration is spacious and gives enough leg space for customers. These aircrafts are known to be fast and very accurate and ideal for flights operating within the region.
For the last couple of months the management of the company has been busy finalizing studies and working on developing new routes. Even while this flight is still a charter, Fly All Ways will soon start with scheduled routes from Paramaribo, Georgetown, St. Maarten and vice-versa. These direct flights will offer much comfort to the Caribbean population. The inaugural flight that will land on St. Maarten on Thursday is a direct flight from Parimaribo.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Tuesday March 22nd, 2016 will be the day these 8 athletes have been waiting for. For the past months they have been training hard to represent the St .Maarten National Swim Team at the 2016 CARIFTA games, from March 22nd until March 26th, in Martinique. After a careful selection process, 8 swimmers were selected from the swimming clubs on the island Representing St.Maarten for the first time will be Sharmar Thomas, Kiemoy Fleming, Quinton Cornelius, Justin Williams, Keanu Jacobs Guishard, Sarah Courtar, S’Ade Williams and Gabriel de Vries. The selection will be led by Head Coach Burton Theodora as well as Nicole Maccow and Robbert Schrijvers of the St.Maarten Aquatic Federation (SMAF).
The St.Maarten Aquatic Federation is working hard in putting swimming in St.Maarten on the International map. With its accreditation by FINA (World Swimming Federation), SMAF is the official swimming federation on the island. This means that it supports St.Maarten swimmers participating in international swimming championships. It also means that all participations of St. Maarten swimmers in such competitions need the approval of the SMAF.
During CARIFTA 2016 the swimmers will be competing against 24 other Caribbean Nations. One new addition to this year’s CARIFTA games is the possibility of qualifying for the Rio Olympics in 2016.
With all the valued dedication of the parents of the swimmers and sponsors, the athletes and the entire SMAF board are going for a successful Championship in Martinique.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The board of the St. Maarten Marine Trades Association (SMMTA) officially requested that the Council of Ministers postpone or cancel the transfer of any additional concession rights to the Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority (SLAC) including the waters of Simpson Bay and the Simpson Bay Lagoon until a complete investigation into the Harbour Group of Companies and SLAC is conducted. The request was part of a presentation given by the SMMTA board to the Council of Ministers on February 4, 2016.
The SMMTA stated that “it’s been over five years since the Harbour Group of Companies gained control of SLAC as a 100% owned subsidiary of the Harbour and during that time they have yet to do anything to truly help promote the marine industry, protect the environment, or improve the services offered in Simpson Bay.”
The SMMTA has objected to the Harbour’s management of SLAC for many years primarily because the Harbour Group of Companies is the parent company of SLAC but it also competes with the very marine businesses it is meant to regulate through SLAC. “The fact that the Harbour has the ability to regulate the industry while competing directly with it has created a very serious and direct conflict of interest. In addition, SLAC charges fees to every vessel transiting the Simpson Bay Bridge and to all vessels moored in Simpson Bay or in the lagoon yet they provide almost no services. There are no public dinghy docks, garbage collection areas, pump out services, or facilities for vessels to take on fresh water – all of these services are currently provided and maintained by the private sector. The SMMTA is not opposed to SLAC charging fees but the SMMTA has suggested on multiple occasions that the fee structure should be reviewed and a more customer friendly structure should be considered. For instance SLAC could offer monthly, seasonal, and annual cruising permits rather than charging customers each time they transit the bridge.”
The SMMTA board emphasized that their official request to the Council of Ministers to reconsider the still pending transfer of the concession for the Simpson Bay Lagoon and the entire Simpson Bay is essential and warranted especially considering the past and current irregularities with the Harbour Group of Companies’ management team.
The SMMTA ended their presentation by stating that “The Harbour is a government owned company that was established to facilitate and promote business activity on St. Maarten through the development and operation of the A.C. Wathey Cruise and Cargo facility. The current management team has unilaterally expanded their objectives to include competing with the private sector on many levels. This should not be permitted or tolerated by our Government or our citizens when the Harbour competes against the private sector and simultaneously regulates it through their control of SLAC. It’s time that the Harbour’s mandate is clearly defined and that the management and oversight of all of their subsidiaries and other dealings are made transparent."

PHILIPSBURG:--- A team of over 45 boaters and marine industry professionals organized by IGY Marinas descended on the I Can Foundation on Saturday February 20th to help Mrs. Cassandra “Debby” Gibbs and her team with some renovation work and other projects aimed at helping to make the I Can Foundation property in Dutch Quarter a bit more comfortable for all of the children and volunteers that call it home.
IGY Marinas’ Inspire Giving through You charity event was held across the Caribbean and Mexico portion of IGY’s network of marinas last Saturday as a way for the multinational marina company to give back to the communities where their facilities are located. Brian Deher, Director of Marina Operations for IGY Marinas and General Manager for the Yacht Club Isle de Sol and the Simpson Bay Marina on St. Maarten, stated “The most important attribute of any of our marina facilities is the people that work there and the community at large. We were very happy to work with Mrs. Gibbs, all the volunteers, and the children of the I Can Foundation as their cause is noble and necessary. It’s very remarkable what the I Can Foundation has accomplished over the years and we stand ready to assist their team to the extent we can; not just last Saturday but also going forward as there is still a lot of work that needs to be done.”
During lGY’s charity event last Saturday the volunteer team of boaters and marine professionals focused on building a new roof, painting the front of the building and a perimeter wall, upgrading bathrooms, changing doors, locks, and hinges in many of the bedrooms, as well as installing a new window and general cleaning up of the property around the home. Over the past couple of months IGY has taken over 4 truckloads of donations up to the I Can Foundation. The donated items were collected from vessels staying at the Yacht Club Isle de Sol and the Simpson Bay Marina and included beds, air conditioners, linens, towels, food, beverages, cloths, books, and other useful items.
“On behalf of IGY Marinas, I would like to thank all of the volunteers for their efforts, Domino’s Pizza for sponsoring lunch for the volunteers and the children, International Yacht Collection and National Marine for their financial contributions, as well as a very special local fisherman who wanted to remain anonymous. Our fisherman friend’s donation will allow us to build a new, much needed perimeter wall on the property. Everyone involved was amazed at the generosity and commitment by the local and international community and we’re all committed to continuing to work with the I Can Foundation going forward as there is still a lot of work to do.” Concluded Deher.
Mrs. Gibbs remarked “It was such an awesome and heart moving experience to see all those people descend on the I Can Home ready to work and filled with enthusiasm. We appreciate all the work that they did around and in the house; especially the roof that was added on at back of the house, which will allowed our children to do more outdoor activities.
“On behalf of the children, staff and volunteers of The I Can Children Home, we will like to send a big up to all the persons that took time out of their busy schedule to give so unselfishly. Their enthusiasm and interactions was very inspiring and great motivation for the children and staff of our home.”

Mrs. Gibbs continued by saying “To our anonymous fisherman friend we will like to send a special thanks to you, for the construction of the wall to help keep our children more safe. To Mr. Brian Deher and the staff of IGY especially Isle del Sol and Simpson Bay Marina, to Mr. Bert Fowels Vice President Marketing and Sales that traveled all the way from Fort Lauderdale to be part of this heart moving project - thank you for seeing with the heart and not the eyes!

PHILIPSBURG:---- National Institute of Arts – NIA, in collaboration with PAVE, People Against Violence Everywhere and the Arts Save Lives foundation will be hosting KIZOMBA SEMBA ST.MAARTEN 2016, with Master Teacher Jeffrey Kizomba.

Jeffrey's journey started 10 years ago in Boston, where he first discovered Kizomba. After dancing socially for many years, in 2012, Jeffrey began teaching Kizomba in New York City. In order to further educate himself on the authenticity, culture, and history of the dance, he hosted Mestre Petchu, one of the greatest authorities in the field of Angolan music and dance, on his first trip to North America.

During this time, Jeffrey began dancing Semba, the dance from which KIzomba got its roots. Since then, Jeffrey has taught Kizomba and Semba classes and workshops, independently, as well as in conjunction with festivals, throughout North America and Europe.

Kizomba describes both a genre of music and a dance style. The word Kizomba in Kimbundu language, of Angola means “party.” Semba, One of the traditional Angolan dances is characterized as a dance of steps. It is mostly a fun dance, danced to Semba music in pairs, and in wide steps.
KIzomba described as the “African Tango is a partnered dance from Angola and has only been around since the 1980’s. The dance is known to be slow, sensual, and smooth and flows. Kizomba requires, lower body, hip movements or “bunda” action.

Semba also describes both the dance and the music. Semba is the traditional type of music from Angola. The word Semba comes from the singular Masemba, which mean “a touch of the bellies” a move that also characterizes the Semba dance.

Visiting Master Teacher Jeffrey, will be teaching both forms here on St.Maarten. Jeffrey has taught classes and workshops in NYC, Boston, Philadelphia, Houston, Miami, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Toronto, Montreal, Israel, Haiti and Sint Maarten. Festivals at which he has instructed include the D.C. Bachata Congress, the San Francisco KIzomba Festival, the U.S.A. Bachata Kizomba Festival, the Swimming Festival in France, and the Kizomba Open Festival in Madrid. Due to his extensive experience with the dance, Jeffrey has been on the panel of judges at the Kizomba Open Championship in the U.S. In addition, he is the organizer of the North America edition of AfricAdancar. Jeffrey is also one of the U.S. country representatives of Kizomba Nation.

With his motto, Trust me, you CAN dance Semba; Jeffrey has been one of the first pioneers to introduce Semba to North America. His focus has been to promote the authentic flavor of Kizomba and Semba, to educate his students on the relationship between the two, and spread the dance. Jeffrey will be joined by guest teacher Fabrice and Cecile both local KIzomba teachers here on St.Maarten

KIZOMBA SEMBA ST.MAARTEN 2016 classes will run Thursday February 25 at Port de Plaisance, starting at 6:30pm for beginners and 8pm for intermediate. On Friday February 26 and Saturday February 27 the workshops continue at the National Institute of Arts NIA located at the John Larmonie Center in Philipsburg.
Registrations will take place at NIA starting Thursday February 25 in morning at 11am call NIA 1-721-543-0600 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for pricing and to reserve your spot.

PHILIPSBURG:---- The Detective Department is presently investigating a case of ill-treatment of a female victim which took place on Sunday February 21st at approximately 08.00 in the vicinity of Marge’s Guest House in Cole Bay. According to the victim she had broken off the relationship between herself and the suspect, her ex-partner, about two months ago. Her ex-partner who does not agree with this decision met her and severely beat her. As a result of the beating she suffered serious internal bleeding and had to be treated at the hospital.
During the incident two unknown men who were passing-by in a private vehicle saw what was going on, stopped the vehicle and went to the victims rescue. The two men pulled the victim away from the suspect and protected her from her ex-partner who jumped into his car and drove away. The victim could not give much information about these two men because she was traumatized.
The investigating officers are requesting the two men who came to the rescue of this victim to immediately get in contact with the Detective Department by calling 54-22222 ext. 208. It is with the help of these two witnesses that this case will be solved.

KPSM Police Report

Says internal documents being leaked, reports not submitted on time.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr. confirmed on Wednesday that the Council of Ministers did send a letter to the Supervisory Board of Directors of GEBE asking them to resign since the COM no longer has confidence in the board. Minister Gibson said that a letter was sent to the members of the board asking them to resign willingly, he further stated that if the members of the board refused to resign then the COM will itemize their reasons for asking the Supervisory Board to resign and then they will also approach the Corporate Governance Council for their advice in dismissing the board.
Asked by SMN News what are some of the reasons for the COM to lose confidence in the board members? Minister Gibson said that there are a number of things, one being internal documents from the company are being leaked to the media, reports’ are not submitted in a timely manner based on the charter.
While the Council of Ministers wants the Supervisory board of GEBE to tender their resignation mainly because the report they wrote on the company’s temporary manager was published on SMN News, the same members of the Supervisory board took severe actions against the management board members when they found out that the company’s money was misused. One being the unjustified amount of monies paid to St. Maarten Service Provider, the tickets and misuse of the company’s credit card by members of the former members of the management board. The same board members drop the hatchet on the former COO who purchased a vehicle without the permission of the board and shareholder, the CFO who is now contesting his dismissal in court spent $15,000.00 above the allotted amount to purchase the vehicle, he purchased airline tickets with GEBE’s credit cards for his personal use, while he paid thousands of dollars to an America company to implement the SAP payroll program which was not budgeted for in 2015.
SMN News further understands that the Council of Ministers is extremely angry because part of report written by the internal auditor ended up on SMN News and the former CFO suspended the internal auditor shortly after blaming her for leaking the report. That report shows that the former CFO used bonds at Chippies Café and Kings Mart to support his eating, drinking and smoking habits.  SMN News further learnt that the Council of Ministers asked GEBE to give the shareholder some NAF20M from the water reserves funds plus a Naf11M loan to patch the 2016 budget. Even the temporary manager William Brooks told the Council of Ministers prior to his resignation that he will not sign off to give government any monies or loan.
The same board members also took actions against the employees that allegedly stole copper from the power plant in Cape Bay. 

Prison short-staffed confirms Minister of Justice --- Persons aiding and abetting criminals can face up to 4 years in prison.

PHILIPSBURG: --- Minister of Justice Edison Kiridongo confirmed that the prison is short-staffed and he is currently looking for someone to assist the prison director to recruit extra manpower. Kiridongo made clear that the process have not yet started but it is part of his plan since he is fully aware that the prison is understaffed.
As for the escape of Kathron Fortune aka “Cuchi” from prison guards last week the Minister said that the prosecutor’s office is in constant communication with the French authorities and the search that was conducted last week on the French side was a joint effort. The Minister further explained that so far the police has no information on the prisoner being seen on the Dutch side of the island, however that does not mean he is not on the Dutch side of the island.
Minister Kirindongo said police have mobilized their crime investigation team and observation team. He said the patrol units do have information the escaped prisoner, while the prosecutor’s office did send out two press releases with detailed description of the escaped prisoner and his photograph.
The Minister of Justice further explained that currently there are two investigations taking place on the escape, one being to recapture the escaped prisoner while the other one which is conducted by the National Detectives is to determine how the prisoner escaped from prison guards.
Minister Kirindongo said that prisoners who escape from prison faces a maximum of nine years when they are recaptured while those that are involved in aiding and abetting criminals can face up to four years behind bars.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (VSA), Emil Lee approached the Nature Foundation St. Maarten for advice on sustainable and environmentally friendly measures to reduce disease spreading mosquitos and Director Tadzio Bervoets responded immediately.

In addition to eliminating mosquito breeding grounds, Mr. Bervoets came out strongly in support of the lethal ovitraps that Minister Lee promptly ordered for a field trial. These traps use a pesticide that is strong and effective and as it is contained in the traps does not get into the environment and kill other natural organisms that are part of the ecosystem.

Director Bervoets also presented Minister Lee with a bat house that will give St. Maarten’s only native mammal a place to live as human development has reduced bats’ native habitats. Bats eat thousands of mosquitos and it has been scientifically established that a healthy bat population significantly reduces mosquito populations.

Along with the bat house, which is made from natural wood, Mr. Bervoets also presented Minister Lee with easy to build plans for the houses. Minister Lee in the spirit of inter-ministerial cooperation requested the involvement of Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, Sylveria Jacobs. Minister Jacobs who fully supports environmental conservation, suggested that the students from St. Maarten Vocational School could build the traps for the Nature Foundation initiative and would look for business groups to donate the supplies.

In conclusion Minister Lee stated, “The war against mosquitos must be fought on all levels. Residents are called upon to get rid of breeding sites, which is any container that holds stagnant water, an uncovered or unscreened cistern or rain barrel must be dealt with, mosquito dunks should be placed in stagnant water pools and if you see a breeding site report it to the CPS hotline 550-CALL. This reporting hotline can also be accessed through WhatsAPP.”

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Sunday, February 21st , 2016 the second case of Zika was confirmed on Sint Maarten. This case involves a Dutch Tourist from Netherlands who arrived on SXM on February 3rd
and departed on February 10th. The person was staying within the Dawn Beach Estates residence area. It wasn’t until February 13th, 2016, 3 days after arriving in the Netherland that the patient experienced symptom. Similar to the first confirmed case the person had also travelled to a neighboring island for the day prior to being diagnosed.

The first confirmed case concerns a person who was residing in the Saunders area. Upon diagnosis when the person is most at risk of being bitten by a mosquito and spreading the virus, the person remained at home and was informed and requested to use repellent in order to avoid mosquitos from feeding on their blood.

The Department of Collective Prevention Service (CPS) has also conducted a site visit in the Saunders area and identified five breeding sites in the surrounding of the patient:

1. 1 Toolkit Lid identified larvae
2. 2 Painting drum lid identified larvae
3. 1 Styrofoam container
4. 1 Plastic plate identified larvae
5. 2 Soda cans fill with water Identified larvae

CPS has also visited the area of Dawn Beach however that report is still being processes.

As the virus is now touching home here on St. Maarten, persons should be aware of the associated symptoms and consult with their Doctor in cases of suspicion. The Zika virus infection may present few or no symptoms. In general disease symptoms are mild and short-lasting. It’s symptoms are similar to those of dengue and chikungunya and may include conjunctivitis, fever, rash ( on the entire body and on face) joint and muscle pain.

“As we continue to monitor and take pro-active measures to eliminate breeding grounds and protect the population and visitors, it is important for everyone to clean your surroundings, make use of our reporting mechanisms, (550-Call/ 550-2255) this hotline also can be access through Whatsapp. We encourage people to send pictures of your reports and provide accurate information on the location. It is also important that person use repellant correctly and continuously especially at the times when the mosquito is most active which is at early morning and evening,” stated Minister Lee in press briefing on Wednesday.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The consumer price index for Sint Maarten has decreased in the month of
December 2015 by 0.3 percent compared to that of October 2015.

When comparing average consumer prices over a twelve month period (Dec.
2014 to Dec. 2015), an increase of 0.3 percent was recorded compared to the same period one year earlier. Inflation has shown an overall decline in
2015 (0.3%) compared to the rate of inflation recorded in 2014 (1.9%). This is also notable in the major expenditure categories; ‘Housing’ and ‘Transport
& Communication’, which both recorded significant declines in the rate of inflation approximately 187% and 136% respectively compared to that of
2014; whilst the major expenditure category ‘Food’ recorded inflation of approximately 10 percent higher than that of 2014. Most notably is that four of the nine expenditure categories recorded deflation in December 2015, which largely contributed to the significantly lower annual inflation rate for
2015.

This is evident from the data that has been released by the Department of
Statistics (STAT) today.

Price changes between October & December 2015

The consumer price index for Sint Maarten has decreased in the month of December
2015 by 0.3 percent compared to that of October 2015. The price index recorded in
December 2015 is 126.4.

Expenditure Category
WEIGHT INDEX OCTOBER
2015 INDEX DECEMBER
2015
% CHANGE
Food 10% 194.6 196.0 0.7
Beverages and tobacco 1% 145.6 145.3 -0.2
Clothing & footwear 7% 114.5 111.4 -2.7
Housing 39% 123.5 123.2 -0.2
Household furnishing & appliances 6% 145.8 145.6 -0.1
Medical care 3% 115.4 115.4 0.0
Transport & communication 20% 105.7 104.9 -0.8
Recreation & education 6% 106.3 106.5 0.2
Misc. 8% 120.6 120.4 -0.2
TOTAL 100% 126.8 126.4 -0.3

Expenditure Categories – declining consumer prices

In December 2015, six of the nine expenditure categories have become marginally less expensive, whilst two recorded increases and one remained stable. Amongst the more expensive were the categories; ‘Food’ (+0.7%) and ‘Recreation & Education’ (+0.2%). Whereas the expenditure categories ‘Beverages and Tobacco’, ‘Clothing and Footwear’,
‘Housing’, ‘Household Furnishing & Appliances’, ‘Transport & Communication’ and
‘Miscellaneous’ recorded the following decreases; 0.2%, 2.7%, 0.2%, 0.1%, 0.8%, and
0.2% respectively.

GREAT BAY(DCOMM):---  Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), announces that road works will be carried out along Mahoe Tree Drive starting on Thursday, February 25 up to Friday, March 4.

These works will be carried out during the day and are related to the laying of cables by NV GEBE.

Though there will be no road closure, motorists and especially pedestrians, should be alert of the works that are taking place in the aforementioned area.
Ministry VROMI apologizes for any inconveniences this may cause.

SHTA – Taste of the Caribbean National Team selection Continues

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association, the largest private sector representative, announces the Open Call for Pastry Chefs and Bartenders. The open call starts today February 22nd, 2016 and will close on February 29th, 2016. Pastry Chefs and Bartenders who have registered will compete for a spot on the culinary team during a local competition to be held on March 12th at the Sundial School. The winners will of the competition will earn a place on St. Maarten/St. Martin team who will be representing the island at the June 6th through 10th , 2016 CHTA Taste of the Caribbean competition in Miami.
Requirements for interested Pastry Chefs and Bartenders are as follows:
Pastry Chef: The pastry chef must prepare a Signature dish for eight (8) persons. Time to prepare is four (4) hours.
Bartender: The bartender must prepare 3 Signature drinks. Time to prepare will be thirty (30) minutes for three (3) drinks. All Pastries & Beverages must have a Caribbean identity and flavors in particular, Sint Maarten/Saint Martin flair and taste.
Bartenders and Chef’s interested in vying for a place on the team can submit an email indicating their interest to the SHTA office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Interested persons are requested to use “Taste of Caribbean Open Call 2” in the email subject line.
Since 1993, Taste of the Caribbean has been the one Caribbean Culinary competition not to be missed! This is an annual opportunity to network, polish professional skills and cheer on colleagues in competition, before a large audience of industry peers and food & beverage veterans. Taste of the Caribbean provides education and inspiration through tastings and demonstrations, created to enhance performance, style and profitability in food and beverage operations. A forum for gathering practical information, sampling, purchasing, strengthening established supplier relationships and meeting new vendors, all on hand to help Taste of the Caribbean registrants build food and beverage business – and yield benefits on the bottom line. Teams from all over the Caribbean will be vying for the titles of
culinary team of the year, Caribbean Chef of the Year, Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year, Caribbean Pastry Chef of the year, Caribbean Bartender of the year, and Apprentice of the year.

After being absent from the competition for several years, St. Maarten will be making its way back to this prestigious culinary competition. The eventual team that would be representing St. Maarten will consist of chefs and bartenders from both sides of the island participating as a unified team. Through this initiative SHTA endeavors to showcase the multitude of Culinary and Bartending talent on St. Maarten.

The SHTA is dedicated to bringing quality to all aspects of life on St. Maarten by promoting sustainable economic development for its members in cooperation with the social partners and the creation of a fair arketplace. For more information please contact our offices at 542-0108 or visit our website at www.shta.com

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Inspectorate of Public Health, Social Development and Labor is alerting the public about the products
Mars, Snickers, Milky Way, Celebrations and Mini Mix. This announcement came from the Dutch Food and Commodity Authorities (NVWA) today after a piece of plastic was found in one of the aforementioned products. Plastic is non consumable and can be dangerous.

The following products are to be avoided and not consumed.

Brand Type of Packaging Batch code Best before Date
MARS Single, Duo pack, Multipack, Mini's, Minatures 550*, 551*, 52*,553*,601*,602*
603* from 7 Aug 2016 - 16 Oct 2016
MILKY WAY Mini 550*, 551*, 552*, 553*,
601*, 602*, 603* from 4 Sep 2016 - 8 Jan 2017
SNICKERS Single, Duo pack, Multipack, Mini's, Minatures 549*, 550*,551*, 552*,553*, 601*, 602*,603* from 3 Jul 2016 - 11 Dec 2016
CELEBRATIONS All types 550*,551*,553*,601*,602*,
603* ,605*,606*,607* from 19 Jun 2016 - 28 Aug 2016
MINI MIX All types 550*,601*,602*,603*,
604*,607* from 10 Jul 2016 - 18 Sep 2016

The Food Safety division of the Inspectorate is conducting the necessary inspections to make sure the products mentioned above are not on the market.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Members of the police management namely Commissioner of Police Denise Jacobs seems to be missing in action since she cannot be reached by telephone to give explanations as to why no one is answering the telephones at the Philipsburg Police Station. SMN News reporter tried to reach Jacobs on Monday and Tuesday and on both days she did not respond to her phone calls. Jacobs is currently the Acting Chief of Police while Chief of Police Carl John is off island.
Several persons contacted SMN News over the weekend claiming that they called the Police Station several times on Saturday and no one picked up the phones. One of the persons that spoke to SMN News said that they went to the Police Station after he could not reach the Police by phone. The man said to his surprise that not one police from any of the departments were on the job. He said he met a young woman who was manning the emergency line and she tried to connect him to several persons but no one were in the offices to answer the phone.
According to the gentleman he even asked the woman he met at the Philipsburg Police Station how would they get information if someone spotted escaped prisoner Kathron Fortune aka “Cuchi” who escaped last week from prison guards.
So far the French Gendarmes have issued a wanted bulletin for the escaped prisoner. The gendarmes are trying to enlist the community in their hunt for the prisoner that has been described as armed and dangerous.
However, it appears as though members of KPSM is not doing anything to find the escaped prisoner, some persons have said that members of the Police Force are reacting negatively now that the discussion on the insurance for police officers have been postponed by parliament for the second time, the latest being on Tuesday.

Prison Director searching for sex toys inside the house of detention while prisoners have loaded firearms.

Prison director Edward Rohan is also another department head who cannot be reached for comment on the constant fights and now escaped prisoner. SMN News tried reaching Rohan several times by phone but he too seems to be busy searching the house of detention for sex-toys in order to call a press conference while he is yet to explain how escaped prisoner Kathron Fortune aka “Cuchi” got hold of a loaded firearm.
Last week Minister of Justice Edison Kirindongo said he asked prosecutor’s office to enlist the national detectives in the internal investigation that will determine what exactly transpired on the day of the escape.
On Tuesday SMN News contacted the Minister of Justice for information since no one including the Prosecutor’s Office have been releasing information on the ongoing investigation. Minister Kirindongo said he is not interfering with the investigation and no one updated him either. However, when asked if any of the prison guards that took the prisoner to the Cay Hill clinic have been suspended on placed on inactive duty since there is an ongoing investigation Minister Kirindongo said that he contacted the prison director and was told that no one has been detained or placed on inactive duty.

High Absenteeism at Prison Facility.
A source at the Pointe Blanche prison told SMN News that a number of prison guards are on prolonged sick leave. The source said that the prison is currently undermanned and that some nights only three guards are on duty and since the new director took office he has done nothing to improve the situation at the House of Detention.

REWARD--- St. Dominic High School has emerged the overall winner of the annual Interscholastic Board Games Competition hosted by the United Student Government Front (USGF) recently.

The students, who competed against their counterparts from St. Maarten Academy (academic campus), Sundial, and Milton Peter College, enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon playing chess, checkers, and dominoes.

This year the board games competition was held at MPC. In addition to the school prize of one trophy donated by Cedric James of Kreative Works, there were individual prizes for students in all the categories. All first place winners in the individual games received movie vouchers, while second and third place players received vouchers donated by Dominoes Pizza and VanDorp, respectively.

Other sponsors of the event included KFC, Windward Islands Bank, NAGICO, Kreative Works, and Goddard's Catering Services. USGF coordinators would like to thank all sponsors for making the event possible and supporting the work of an organization which has, since 2007, strived to bring educational and fun activities to all the student bodies of the various high schools on the south side of the island.

The Golden Rock Toastmasters club will be having a membership drive this weekend at the Community Center from 7.00pm.
Distinguished Toastmaster Rolando Tobias and Area Director Linda Moise-Flanders will be the special guests at the membership drive. AD Linda will chair the membership drive meeting in the capacity of Toastmaster of the evening and will guide all present on the importance of the educational meeting, which is the heart of the communication and leadership development of the organization.
Rolando Tobias, who is also one of the pioneers of bringing Toastmasters back to Statia will return to deliver a special presentation on the organization and its benefits for the members and community of Statia.
Golden Rock Toastmasters club was chartered in June 2015 and forms part 154 clubs throughout the Caribbean known as District 81. The club has been going through some growing pains, which is normal for all new clubs, so the membership drive is an excellent way of reintroducing the community to the importance of this club: stated DTM Tobias.
The membership drive is open to the general public and all are invited to attend and experience the benefits of this organization. On Sunday morning, the Club Officers of Golden Rock will receive training from the Leaders of Sint Maarten.
Toastmasters is a worldwide organization that promotes effective communication and leadership in a learn by doing environment. The organization has existed for the past 91 years and has over 350.000 members in 42.000 clubs around the world. Golden Rock Toastmasters Club meets every 2nd and 4th Tuesday evening at 7.30pm at the Flamboyant Conference room and is open to the public.

PHILIPSBURG:---- The Student Support Services Division (SSSD) of the Ministry of Educati on, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs, recently concluded phase 1 of its Teacher Support Program which was provided for all public elementary schools, Hillside Christian Schools and the Seven Day Adventist School.
The Teacher Support Program is an on-the job training for elementary school teachers, however the support staff and management of the schools also participated. The training was facilitated by Mrs. Gibbs who is a special needs specialist from Barbados and it provided appropriate instruction for students with special needs.
The program involved classroom observations during the morning hours and workshops were conducted in the afternoon, meetings were also held with school management and care teams.

The expected outcome of the training is that teachers will be able to better identify, accommodate and differentiate instruction for those students experiencing learning difficulties in the classroom.

The Student Support Services Division (SSSD) is the referral point for many schools on St. Maarten. Some services include psychological services, counseling services, social work services, educational diagnostic services, career guidance services, speech therapy services and parent education.
SSSD Motto is:
“If every child must learn, then every parent, family and community must be a part of the process”

PHILIPSBURG:----  Readers are Leaders Club is hosting its’ 6th annual Black History Month celebration under the theme: “Embrace Your Race”.
This event will be taking place this Thursday February 25th from 5pm to 7.30pm. All teenagers are invited to come out, it will be a celebration; various high school and university students have come together to showcase our African Ancestry and Heritage in song, poetry, fashion and dance. The fashion show will be exhibiting costumes from the cultural parade from St. Maarten’s day 2016 and African wear from Africa Caribbean Heritage Alliance Foundation.
Readers are Leaders is a reading program for the teenagers of all secondary schools organized and supported by the library and the Rotary Club of St. Maarten.
Students interested in joining Readers are Leaders can contact the library at 542-2970 or join its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/readers.a.leaders.

Calling on witnesses to come forward.

MARIGOT:--- The Gendarmes have issued a bulletin for “WANTED FUGITIVE” Kathron Fortune aka “Cuchi”. The bulletin states that the wanted man was born on October 14th 1977 in Grenada. His height is 1.80m with a heavy built body, more like a sportsman. At the moment Cuchi could be with or without beard.
The wanted suspect who escaped from prison guards last week when he was taken to a medical clinic in Cay Hill is considered to be dangerous.
Persons with information are asked to contact the gendarmerie immediately by dialing “17” if he is spotted on the French side of the island.
Last week the Gendarmes conducted a major search in French Quarter after they got information that the wanted man was spotted in French Quarter, however, despite the search the wanted man was not captured.

ST. PETERS:--- MP Lake stated he has taken note of NV GEBE situation and stress that NV GEBE needs to get away from the chaos and bring back a sense of tranquillity and ease within the local company.
NV GEBEs main problem is the Board needs to put a five to ten-year master plan/business plan in place for the company that shows a sense of direction and leadership within the company. I don't understand as a Board, that was put there when I was Minister of VROMI/Shareholder representative, how you can’t hold Management responsible and accountable for executing the vision and projects for the people of St. Maarten.
The Board doesn't need to get into the day to day operations of the company, but set conditions and priorities for Management to execute. Then there has to be measuring stick in place to see that Management has executed those projects or programs. The Board supervises and Management executes. There has to be some performance mechanism in place to evaluate Management. Even though you have a change in Government, the execution of projects and programs should continue. That change should not impact execution and one cannot use the excuse that they are waiting on government for this and that. You have an approved plan, start executing.
NV GEBE should never have 30 million in carry over projects for every year for the past five years. What type of projects did Management execute for the people? NV GEBE needs to cut back more on waste and start putting checks and balances back into the company. NV GEBE needs to start investing back into the community and its people by Management executing projects.
On Guavaberry road in St. Peters, you have people carrying buckets of water up to their home in 21st century St. Maarten because of lack of water pressure. Why is this happening today? Imagine NV GEBE has this water tank project for upgrading Guavaberry hill road with the land owner’s approval on the budget for the past four years; why didn’t Management execute this project? Street lights are also needed along this particular road for safety and security of the residents in the area. I did a walk through this particular area on Sunday with several of the residents.
NV GEBE has to start putting their employees first by increasing the budget for training and development. NV GEBE should never have social activities and events reserved on the budget which is more than training and development for employees. There also needs to be organizational integrity. You can’t have people leaking information. We need checks and balances in place in order to bring back tranquillity within the company.

“I would like to see NV GEBE purchase land for a Branch office in the Saunders/St. Peters area so that this project can commence within short. Also putting a branch office in Belvedere by the St. Maarten Housing Foundation Offices. We need to step up and provide better service to the community and our seniors instead of persons standing outside in the hot sun by the main branch in Philipsburg to pay their electrical and water bills.
“A substation for the Harbour area and electricity and water feed lines and also sewage line are necessary, and Government needs to facilitate by issuing the necessary permits once these have been requested. NV GEBE needs to start getting the Seven Seas Water and Sewage Lines project off the ground and upgrading the water lines project by the A.T. Illidge road and start executing the other investments projects.
“Restructuring of NV GEBE Board and Management, and training and development for the employees, I see as a high priority for the power electricity company in order to take our country to the next level,” MP Lake said on Monday.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will meet in an urgent plenary public session on February 24th. The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour Emil Lee will be present for the session.

The plenary public meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday at 2.00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is a discussion on the issue of the closure of food establishments; hindrance of inspectors, while granting preferential treatment to some establishments and unfair treatment to other businesses.

This urgent plenary session was requested by Members of Parliament (MPs) Leona Marlin-Romeo, MP Cornelius de Weever and MP F. Meyers.

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org.

PHILIPSBURGL---- The Central Committee meeting that was scheduled for February 23 has been postponed at the request of the Members of Parliament who requested the meeting.

The Central Committee meeting was set for Tuesday at 2.00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point was the status of insurance coverage for Police Officers and their families and other related and affected issues.

This urgent meeting was called by the United People’s (UP) party faction Members of Parliament (MP) Tamara Leonard, (MP) Franklin Meyers, and Independent (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo.

PHILIPSBURG:---- The Central Committee meeting that was scheduled for February 23 has been postponed at the request of the Members of Parliament who requested the meeting.

The Central Committee meeting was set for Tuesday at 2.00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point was the status of insurance coverage for Police Officers and their families and other related and affected issues.

This urgent meeting was called by the United People’s (UP) party faction Members of Parliament (MP) Tamara Leonard, (MP) Franklin Meyers, and Independent (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo.

POINTE BLANCHE:--- Port St. Maarten Management commends Sint Maarten’s Department of Customs for their recent confiscation of drugs from a container at the port.
This action by Customs once again testifies to their alertness and demonstrates that Sint Maarten as a port will not allow itself to be used by criminal elements for the entry and/or transshipment of illegal drugs.
“Law enforcement officials, namely the Customs Department demonstrates with this drugs find that narcotics interdiction remains a top enforcement priority for the agency, and that everything will continue to be done to intercept illegal drug shipments and to keep Sint Maarten communities safe by all stakeholders concerned,” Port St. Maarten Safety & Security Manager Roberto Levenstone said on Monday.

Competition will be held on February 25th- 28th. 2016 at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The 44 Annual Leeward Islands Debating Competition that is hosted by the Hyacinth Richardson Educational Awareness Foundation will be held on St. Maarten starting on February 25th at the Maho Sonesta Beach Hotel. The students will be debating the following topics namely:

• Legislating and removing corporal punishment will be detrimental to Caribbean Societies.
• The free movement of Caricom nationals is a net positive for the Caribbean Region
• The Illegal Drug Trade has undermined the legitimacy and effectiveness of Caribbean Governments
• The Caribbean are not doing enough to combat child use.
• The popularity of skin lightening is testament to the racism/colourim that plagues Caribbean Society.
• The marginalization of men have led to the breakdown of Caribbean Society.

These debates not only aid our youth in their personal growth but also equip them with skills that will be useful to them in their professional realm. Each year a different sland serves as host and the LIDC alliance contributes to the overal economy and tourism of the host country. Participating teams are from Anguilla , Antigua and Barbuda, BritishVirgin Islands, Montserrat, Nevis, St. Kitts and host St. Maarten.Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York and the LIDC Foundation will serve as host for this year's finalits for a weekend exhibition debate at the end of March 2016. The college will be sending an observer in the person of Mr. Milton Lawrence to the debate

The debates will begin at 7.00 pm.
Entrance : Free

MOOT ALLOCATION

Thursday, February 25th.

Debate 1 Antigua vs Montserrat

Moot: Legislatively removing corporal punishment will be
detrimental to Caribbean children.

Friday, February 26th.

Debate 2 BVI vs St. Kitts

Moot: The free movement of CARICOM nationals is a net
positive for the Caribbean region.

Debate 3 St. Maarten vs Nevis

Moot: The Illegal Drug Trade has undermined the legitimacy
and effectiveness of Caribbean Governments.

Saturday, February 27

Debate 4 Winner Debate 1 vs Winner Debate 2
Moot: The popularity of skin lightening is testament to the
racism/colourism that plagues Caribbean society.

Debate 5 Anguilla vs Winner Debate 3

Moot: The Caribbean are not doing enough to combat child
abuse.

Sunday, February 28th.

Debate 6 Winner Debate 4 vs Winner Debate 5

Moot: The marginalization of men has led to the breakdown of

PHILIPSBURG:--- Customs Officers on Sunday morning February 21st confiscated approximately 1000 kilos of marijuana from a container that arrived from Jamaica. The drugs were found after a regular check on containers entering the harbor. Head of Customs Anthony Doran said, the officers began the operation from around 05:00 am., about 11:00 am., the discovery was made. The marijuana were packed in 16 black travelling bags.
This is the fourth major bust for Customs in the past year and a half, a total of approximate 4440 kilos has been confiscated up to present.
We are now conducting an intense investigation, it is known for whom the container is destined for, but due to ongoing investigations no further information can be released at this moment. No arrest has been made as yet.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The University of St. Martin (USM) Student Government Association (SGA) held its first ever Valentines Day Raffle. The picture shows the winners of the raffle, from left to right Dexter Fraser, Javid Hurtault, Bhawna Manglani and Grand Prize winner Anjali Khemchandani, along with SGA President Kiran Manglani. The SGA President would like to thank everyone who supported them with this fundraiser,. A special thanks goes to Oyster Bay Resort who donated the grand prize, a dinner at Infinity Restaurant.

Pond Island:---- TelEm Group will be making phased island-wide upgrades of its internet service network from Monday night and up to March 1.

The upgrade is one of the most significant by the TelEm Group ISP in recent years and will address a number of issues being experience as a result of increasingly high demand from ADSL users.

Work will take place on each scheduled night between 11:00 at night and 4:00 am the following morning

TelEm Group technicians and engineers say customers in the Dawn Beach/Cay Hill areas will be first to be affected when their upgrade begins on Monday.

Simpson Bay, Point Blanche will be upgraded Tuesday, February 23; Cole Bay, Wednesday, February 24; Ebenezer/Belvedere, Thursday, February 25th and the Philipsburg area will be upgrade over two days, February 29, and March 1.

Manager, Engineering and Planning, Mr. Jed Carty, says plans have been in effect for several weeks to carry out the upgrades which will leave customers without internet service for a few hours while their area is being upgraded.

Mr. Carty said some parts of the ISP network has already been successfully upgraded as a test run.

“We have taken all possible precautions to have the least impact possible on customers, and to have customers reconnected as quickly as possible,” said Mr. Carty.

He said customers without internet after their scheduled upgrade day, should call the TelEm Group Helpdesk for further assistance and information about work in their area.

Meantime Mr. Carty has apologized to customers on behalf of TelEm Group management for an inconvenience caused by interruption in internet service during these scheduled upgrades.

MARIGOT:--- The Caribbean Sail Training member vessel "EENDRACHT" closed off a busy and successful Caribbean season when leaving the Port of Galisbay Marigot last Thursday.
The tall ship came to St.Martin from Holland in December. They made a stop over here to pick up some trainees, bunker fuel and provisioning and left on route to Aruba, Curacao, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba and back to Curacao.
About 25 trainees from Kazakstan came on board in Curacao a few weeks ago and sailed to St.Martin.
They are now en route sailing the Trans Atlantic crossing from Marigot back to Rotterdam in Holland.
Mr.Alberic Ellis and his staff of the Galisbay Port hosted the vessel again at the pier to allow for provisioning, crew changes and fuel bunkering.

The port de Marigot will also host the famous CST member Tall Ship Picton Castle in the next weeks and offer an "Open Ship day" for the public in cooperation with CST and the Maritime School of the West Indies. Exact dates will be announced soon.
An other Caribbean Sail Training member vessel the WYLDE SWAN will do a Maritime Experience Day sail with youngsters from the St.Dominic High School on Thursday March 3 during the Commodores Cup of the Heineken Regatta.
The Wylde Swan will team up with the tall ship Mercedes during part of the trip to allow helicopter and chase boat photo shoots. If the Picton Castle is around at the same time, Caribbean Sail Training will try to have that vessel participating also.
Several other Sail Training Vessels are sailing around in the Caribbean and more are expected to visit St.Maarten and St.Martin in the coming months.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On February 15, 2016 Builder’s Paradise located in Cay Hill joined SCELL, The University of St. Martin’s School of Continuing Education & Life Long Learning’s impressive list of sponsors by donating Kitchen Cabinetry for SCELL’s Kitchen located in their Administrative Office on the 2nd Floor of USM.
Mr. Jones the Managing Director of Builders Paradise stated: Education is something that we all need in one form or the other to survive and provide a good wholesome life for our families and loved ones. Based on what we have seen SCELL doing in the community under the leadership of Dr. Gittens we could not say no to her request. We were asked to help finish the Kitchen in the SCELL office and without hesitation we knew immediately that it was a good idea. I am pleased that SCELL is helping the St. Maarten community in so many ways. We need to help as loving people of St. Maarten and we are blessed that USM created SCELL to offer us the opportunity to learn at our jobs, businesses and for our personal growth and development.
Since the opening of the new school in August 2015, SCELL has established business relationships with multiple companies, Windward Islands Banks, LTD was the first sponsor and so many other business followed suit impressively.
SCELL’s primary goal is to provide customized training, coaching and mentoring to organizations that directly change the performance of the St. Maarten workforce. When employees are educated on the importance of customer service excellence, professional accountability and the keys to effectively managing and supervising work teams organizations strive. That is the SCELL philosophy, says Gittens.
Dr. Gittens, the Director of SCELL stated: My team and I are committed to changing St. Maarten and building Human Capital throughout the island. Our mission is to help organizations place a consistent value on their employees and their education and provide them with the training they need to be successful in their diverse professional roles. Most importantly, we want businesses to encourage their employees to pursue degree programs at the University of St. Martin and The University of the Virgin Islands at USM. All parties interested in enrolling for our upcoming semester please stop by Student Services, located on the First Floor at USM.
If you would like to schedule a training or workshop, call 554-2437, email SCELL @usmonline.net, or fill out the form on our website at http://scell.usmonline.onl/index.php/programs/workshops-form.

CAYMAN ISLANDS:--- Health City Cayman Islands, a state-of-the-art tertiary referral hospital, recently donated science equipment to two Grand Cayman high schools, John Gray High School in South Sound and Clifton Hunter High School in Frank Sound.

The equipment, which included high quality chemistry and lab supplies, was donated by the Healthcare Explorers Program, a Health City initiative which seeks to provide early and in-depth exposure to tertiary level healthcare to high school and college students in the Cayman Islands. The Healthcare Explorers Program made the donation as part of the international hospital’s commitment to support STEM education to prepare young Caymanians who would like to pursue a medical or science-based profession.

Richard Parchment, Program Manager for the Healthcare Explorers Program said, “Health City was eager to help provide opportunities to further educate our future doctors, so donating necessary science equipment to our local students seemed like a natural fit to help further their scientific studies.”

“We became aware that the schools’ science departments had issues with some specific supplies, including beakers and test tubes, and so we set about to see how we could help,” he said.

The two schools have been keen participants in the Healthcare Explorers Program since its inception. The schools were selected as part of Health City’s ongoing scholarship commitment to the Cayman Islands Government, Ministry for Education.

The donation, which was a surprise to both schools, was a welcome gift and greatly appreciated by teachers and students alike. Mr Godfrey Williams, John Gray High School science teacher said, “Practical tuition, especially when it comes to science, is so important for effective learning. Having the right lab equipment will really help us to undertake science experiments with our students so they can put the theory into practice. Thank you to the team at Health City for their kindness.”

Ms Pauline Beckford, Principal of Clifton Hunter High School, said, “The generosity of Health City has been an invaluable asset to our science department, and the equipment will be used to further educate our children.”

Gene Thompson, Project Director, said, “Education is such an important part of Health City’s philosophy – in order to stay innovative, we have to learn and grow, something our staff and doctors take to heart. We are proud to be able to provide the lab and chemistry supplies to these schools, so that our future generation of scientists, mechanics and doctors can further their education.”

The Healthcare Explorers Program offers year round programs, including a robust summer program. For more information, parents, teachers and students are invited to email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Nature Foundation is warning for the potential of large amounts of Sargasso Seaweed washing ashore on local beaches resulting in a situation similar to that of 2011/ 2012 and 2014/2015 where beaches were closed due to a large influx of the seaweed. Based on satellite data and communication with conservation management organizations in the Caribbean the Nature Foundation has sent a warning that there is a potential of Sargasso seaweed to once again affect the area. “We have been receiving updates from satellites and pilots in the area as well as from conservation organizations with whom we work closely that there is again a potential for Sargasso seaweed causing problems for the region. Especially last year St. Maarten and other islands in the region had to deal with a large influx of the seaweed with beaches being closed and on some islands harbors being very negatively affected. We are keeping a close eye on ocean currents and prevailing winds and we hope that the majority of the Sargasso will stay away from the local area but we wanted to give a head’s up in any case,” commented Nature Foundation Manager Tadzio Bervoets.

Sargasso is a genus of brown (class Phaeophyceae) seaweed which is distributed throughout the temperate and tropical oceans of the world. Most of the Sargasso Seaweed lies concentrated in the Sargasso Sea, a region in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean surrounded by ocean currents. It is bounded on the west by the Gulf Stream; on the north, by the North Atlantic Current; on the east, by the Canary Current; and on the south, by the North Atlantic Equatorial Current.

Sargasso Weed plagued the Caribbean and St. Maarten over recent years with the Foundation having to warn swimmers to avoid swimming in Guana Bay and other beaches due to the large amount of Sargasso Weed and many beach front residences and hotels having to continuously clean washed up Sargasso. The Foundation is in close contact with experts in the region in developing an early warning system to warn residents and governments in the region of the possible influx of Sargasso seaweed.

The Nature Foundation will continuously monitor the status of the Sargasso Weed and notify the authorities if there is an imminent risk of a large influx of Sargasso in the St. Maarten Area.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Democratic Party faction in parliament has requested the Finance Committee of Parliament to examine and discuss the execution of the FATCA by the local banks on St. Maarten.

To this end, the DP has proposed that the Bankers Association be invited to apprise parliament of their experiences with this Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which is a United States law, that introduces a "reporting regime for financial institutions with respect to certain accounts".

Under this law, Foreign Financial Institutions (FFIs), such as banks are required to report about certain foreign financial accounts and offshore assets of US taxpayers.

Another way to ensure compliance with the FATCA in foreign jurisdictions, has been with the so-called Intergovernmental Agreements.

"If a jurisdiction enters into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) to implement FATCA, the reporting and other compliance burdens on the financial institutions in the jurisdiction may be simplified. Such financial institutions will not be subject to withholding under FATCA." (FATCA website)

The Kingdom Government, on behalf of Curaçao and the U.S. signed such an IGA. The former Minister of Finance of St. Maarten had opted not to enter into an IGA, due to the supposed pressure it puts on the foreign government, in this case St. Maarten. The banking sectors on St. Maarten and Curacao are closely affiliated and it would be interesting to learn how this situation plays out in practice and the experiences of our local banks in complying with the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act.

Another potential catastrophe for the banking industry region-wide is the socalled "de-risking" by US and European banks. Some in the regional banking world have described this threat as the "Armageddon". Caricom is engaging an all-out lobbying effort and St. Maarten must keep its ears to the ground and where possible join these efforts to protect the regional and local banking industry.

It is in areas such as these that the Kingdom/Dutch government should come to the assistance of its Caribbean partners and our local Government should start its own lobbying thrust to this end soonest.

Democratic Party of St. Maarten.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The driver of bus 159 Jason Palmer (80) had to be hospitalized on Saturday after he was severely beaten by two Haitian nationals in the vicinity of Kentucky and Le Grand Marche on Saturday afternoon. According to information provided to SMN News by Pedro Cannegieter, a friend and colleague of Jason is that on Saturday the two Haitians beat his friend who was taken to the St. Maarten Medical Center by Ambulance.
Cannegieter said about two weeks ago Jason got into an accident with a national of the Dominican Republic who pleaded with the bus driver not to involve police. Cannegieter said the woman was taken to the hospital by Jason who called him to the hospital to translate what the woman was telling him because he “Jason” cannot speak Spanish.
According to Cannegieter the woman did not want the accident to be reported but afterwards she began tormenting Jason for monies to fix her vehicle and Jason he said told her if the police was called in the insurance company would have determined who was wrong from who was right, besides that Cannegieter said that Jason asked the woman who would fix his bus?. He said the two men that beat Jason is well known to the Dominicano woman who was involved in the accident because they hang out by her at “Casa Rosada.” One of the suspects he said is from the St. Peters area whom he identified as Dedyson.
Cannegieter said two police officers that were on the scene Saturday afternoon had Jason bus taken away by a towing company. He said Jason went to the Police Station on Monday to retrieve his bus but was told by police that he should return to the Police Station on Wednesday. Cannegieter further explained that the elderly bus driver even went to the towing company in order to take out monies he has in the bus but the owners of the towing company refused to allow him access to his bus.
SMN News contacted Police Spokesman Ricardo Henson who stated that he was not aware of the case but later did his research and said that based on the police report filed by Jason on Sunday February 21st 2016 stated that the two Haitians beat the bus driver as they proceeded to rob him. Henson said according to the Police report, the two culprits ran away after committing their act.

PHILIPSBURG:---- “We need to step up to the plate now and start practicing what we preach in our National Energy Policy. We are two steps behind because of the constant changes in Government and GEBE's sense of direction and leadership,” says independent Member of Parliament Maurice Lake.
“One of my priorities of supporting this Coalition of Eight is finalizing the Waste-to-Energy Project to address the huge landfill situation, and recycling of garbage. We need to make firm decisions in the best interest of the country as the Coalition of Eight has already started to do with the Government Building on Pond Island, the new Hospital,” he said.
“Waste to Energy is a high priority for this coalition government. As the former Minister of VROMI who established the Energy Policy in 2014, I would like to state that the wishes of the stakeholders including GEBE for St. Maarten were included,” he said.
Lake thanks Ricardo Perez and other residents for always writing about alternative energy. “GEBE has to concentrate on replacing its water and electricity meters in order to do net metering remotely, especially for persons that have invested into solar. We can get some good ideas on how Aqua Electra in Curacao and Aruba addresses the aforementioned. No need to reinvent the wheel.”
“We need to start focusing on keeping the island green and clean for the residents and tourist alike if we are serious about our goal of 35 percent clean energy in the near future. We need to get off the ground and can get off the ground with everyone's input and cooperation. Government needs to hit the ground running with the Waste to Energy project for the people of St. Maarten,” Lake said.
“The Solar park project on Pond Island should also get off the ground by issuing the requested land in long lease to GEBE. Studies and plans are in place to move forward rapidly with this project. It will create employment in the initial stage. People need work,” said Lake.
The MP said, “We also need to start educating the public about Recycling which is going to take some time, but we have to start recycling now by separating the bottles, plastics etc. in order to produce a cleaner environment. Right now. The different districts need to be clean up from loose plastic bags and garbage and broken signs and Government can address‎ it through the tendering of District Cleaning Contracts for the small local entrepreneurs. Through the tendering of these 13 parcels contracts the boys can take pride of beautifying and keeping their districts clean.”
Government needs to put up signs saying keep our island clean and placing garbage bins in strategic places around the country, Lake said.

POND ISLAND:--- TelEm Group Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Mr. Brian Mingo urged the St. Maarten community to continue supporting the company and expect to see returns in more support for sportsmen and women and sporting activities on St. Maarten.
Mr. Mingo made the comment during a presentation to local cricketing hero, Keacy Carty, at the Caribe Lumber ballpark, Sunday.
“As a good corporate citizen we believe in supporting our youth and in particular our youth who take part in sports,” said Mr. Mingo.
“You can help us by keep making calls and using our services, so that we can support our sporting heroes in the future,” said the Commercial Chief.

Mr. Mingo said after the presentation of the NAF 5,000 cheque, that he took great note of the appeal of several speakers for corporate business to play their part in the support of sports and sporting activities on the island.
“Our track record speaks for itself as the main sponsor of inter-schools soccer and our contributions to several other sports organizations throughout the island, so we are very encouraged and pleased to have made this donation to Mr. Carty for doing a great job,” said Mr. Mingo
He said it’s not rocket science to work out that the more business the company does the better position it is in to support worthy and exceptional causes.
“We are a company with a proud heritage of giving back to the community, and the better we do as a business the more we can given back, it’s as simple as that,” said the Commercial chief.

PHILIPSBURG:---- The OSPP wants to congratulate the government of St. Lucia and its’ people with their celebration of 37 years as an independent country on February 22, 2016. This is a great milestone and should not go unnoticed. We also want to congratulate all the St. Lucians living here in St. Maarten and to wish them all the best for many years to come. We also want to acknowledge the many years of good service to St. Maarten from the St. Lucian community here on the island.
Your celebration here on St. Maarten was held at the Caribe Lumber Ball Park, where the government of St. Maarten and also the people honor our own Mr. Keacy Carty at the same time. This was a great activity as we the people were able to celebrate both events in grand style. Long live St. Lucia and long live Keacy Carty as greatness still awaits you both.

Happy Power Hour seeks to be SXM’s largest networking event for entrepreneurs and professionals!

Great Bay:--- Happy Power Hour is the new and improved Power Hour, which is a premier networking event for entrepreneurs and professionals. Since its launch in 2013, Power Hour has reached close to 1000 persons during this time. Under the leadership of Ife Badejo, a serial entrepreneur and connector, the Power Hour has become an experience where entrepreneurial people are equipped by some of the best local and international business leaders while connecting with like-minded individuals. Information shared and connections made have allowed many attendees to transform their business and lives.
To better serve entrepreneurs and professionals alike, the organizers and team have made some significant improvements based on feedback from the community. One of the key changes is that there will be a stronger emphasis on networking. Regarded by business leaders as the most important marketing tactic, networking is crucial to build and sustain both business and individual success.
Happy Power Hour, the improved networking experience for entrepreneurs and professionals, will launch on March 30, 2016 at the Walter Plantz Square from 5:30 – 8:30 pm. The new Happy Power Hour seeks to be the largest networking event for entrepreneurs and professionals on St. Maarten. Through a variety of activities, ‘spotlights’ where businesses and individuals will be highlighted, and a beautiful relaxed environment, the organizers expect to better meet the needs of entrepreneurial person.
In addition to increased networking, interested persons will still gain insights from business leaders and experts. This will be provided in a concise and interactive manner. As a way of giving back to the community and to assist increase business connections to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, the Happy Power Hour is free to attend.
The first of three (3) Happy Power Hours for the year, the inaugural Happy Power Hour will take place on March 30, 2016 at the Walter Plantz Square from 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm. A simple registration is required to benefit from the variety of specials that will be offered that night.
For more information or to register please call +1-721-523-1842 or email iN4SUCCESS at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Emil Lee and by extension the entire Ministry would like to congratulate Devlin Alexander and Angeli Balani on being sworn in as Health Care Practitioners on Sint Maarten. Mr. Alexander took the oath as a Pharmacists Assistant and will be working at Simpson Bay Pharmacy. Ms. Balani took her oath as a Physical Therapist. With this first step these two health care professionals are moving forward to ensuring that the Sint Maarten population is provided with quality service and appropriate health care. All health care professionals practicing on Sint Maarten must be sworn in by the Governor and this has been mandated to the Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour for certain instances.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Detective department is presently investigating a very serious case if ill-treatment. The incident took place around 03.00 a.m. on Friday February 19th in the area of Carolina Bar located on the Soualiga Boulevard in Sucker Garden. The victim with initials M.W.L. was a crew member of a cruise ship which spent the night docked at the A.C. Wathey Cruise Facilities. The victim wanted to get back to the ship and approached a “Gypsy driver” who charged $20 U.S. dollars for the trip. When the victim refused to pay that amount he was suddenly attacked by the driver and two of his friends and beaten severely. As a result of the beaten the victim suffered a very serious ankle fracture. He was taken to the SMMC for medical treatment.

KPSM Police Report.

SIMPSON BAY----  Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports The Honorable Silveria Jacobs attended the launching of the 27 ft. wooden boat, Purple Heart, built from scratch by 9 students of the Milton Peters College at the St. Maarten Shipyard in Simpson Bay on Saturday morning.
This initiative was a cooperation between the Marine Industry partners headed by Garth Stein, Kidz at Sea program and the technical sector of the school. In previous years groups of students had made smaller boats from kits provided.

Minister Jacobs was quite impressed with the workmanship displayed during the building of the boat and stood in complete awe of the finished product with rigging and masts at the ready. The boat boasts a smooth white finish which with assistance from professionals at the Shipyard.
A team made up of builders and sailors are students of MPC and 1 from St. Dominic High as a part of the Kidz at Sea program and will be taking part in this year's Heineken Regatta, which the Minister considers a wonderful historical feat especially for the first time builders.

The Minister wishes to thank the various businesses in the Marine Industry which have sought to educate and involve our local youth in many aspects of the industry to garner their interest in finding meaningful employment as well.

The Milton Peters College teachers, management and staff must also be commended for making great use of this opportunity to learn through experience which the students were able to benefit from. Several expressed an interest in working in the industry and one young builder, Busby, also has dreams of owning his own shipyard. The students also told of another ex MPC student Shaquille Walker, who is currently studying and working on rigging and masts overseas, an interest he got as part of the Kidz at Sea program.

Congratulations to all involved in making this a great success. We look forward to seeing this homemade boat sailed by its youth crew sailing in the upcoming Regatta.
This is a shining example of community cooperation which is key to our country's continued progress.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister William Marlin departs from PJIA en route to Brussels for the Association of the Overseas Countries and Territories of the European Union (OCTA) Forum.

This year, St. Maarten will be represented in the OCTA Ministerial Conference and the OCT-EU Forum from February 23rd to the 26th in Brussels, at the Renaissance Brussels Hotel. The delegation will consist of Prime Minister William V. Marlin, Khalilah Peters (DBB), Olivia Lake (BAK), Marc Arnold (BAK) and Carol Voges (Cabinet GebMin).

Held on a yearly basis, the OCT-EU Ministerial Conference, the forum and trilateral meetings set the yearly agenda, which manages the relationship between the Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) and the European Commission.

As of February 2015, St. Maarten has been the official Regional Authorizing Officer (RAO), for the OCTs. In this role, the RAO is end responsible for the successful programming and implementation of the Caribbean OCTs Caribbean Regional Program 2014-2020.

In order to achieve a successful programming, the RAO, must ensure inclusion from all OCTs and the EU. To ensure a successful programming process, regional workshops, conferences and meeting will be planned throughout 2016.

The first meeting, the Caribbean Regional Workshop and Steering Committee Meeting, will be held on the morning of February 23rd. While all OCT’s are seated at the table, the aim of this meeting will be to advance the programming process and provide a platform for consultation regarding the regional program for the Caribbean OCTs.

Some of the expected outcomes of this meeting are: the finalization of the action plans for the Caribbean OCT regional program and the agreement on governance structure for the program including the size and number of projects to be executed

In the Caribbean Regional Program Trilateral Session, which will be held on the 24th, the selected topics of the 11th EDF Caribbean Regional Program will be further discussed. The Caribbean OCTs selected the topics ‘Sustainable Energy’ (SE) and ‘Marine Biodiversity’ (MBD) as the focal sectors for the regional program, during the regional conference which was held Regional British Virgin Islands BVI last year.

Although SE and MBD are usually seen as separate sectors, together they form the single sector for the Caribbean OCT regional program with the joint objective to build resilience to the effects of climate change and strive towards a low carbon economy.

The Caribbean OCTs recognize the critical role that SE plays in the development process, and the level of energy consumption is widely used as an indicator of economic activity. Recently, the environmental damage and climate impacts caused by the continued use of fossil fuels has come to the forefront. Developing SE and MBD policies, and mainstreaming them into other sectorial development plans and strategies (e.g., tourism, drinking water and wastewater management) is the way forward and it could make a regionally harmonized approach more effective.

The Ministerial Conference will be held on the 25th and the event closes with the OCTA-EU forum, which will be held on the 26th. During this forum, the new global agreement on climate change and the enhancing growth and investment opportunities in the OCTs will be discussed.

PHILIPSBURG---- The Central Committee will meet in an urgent session on February 23. The Minister of Justice will be present for the sitting of the House.

The Central Committee meeting has been set for Tuesday at 2.00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is the status of insurance coverage for Police Officers and their families and other related and affected issues.

This urgent meeting was called by the United People’s (UP) party faction Members of Parliament (MP) Tamara Leonard, (MP) Franklin Meyers, and Independent (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo.

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org.

PHILIPSBURG:---The Central Committee will meet on February 23.

The Central Committee meeting is a continuation of a previous meeting which was adjourned on January 26 and has been reconvened for Tuesday at 10.00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is an advice concerning the appointment of the 1st Acting Secretary General of Parliament.

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org.

Relatives of escaped prisoner living in fear, pregnant daughter allegedly beaten by father.

FRENCH QUARTER:--- The gendarmes conducted a number of house searches in French Quarter on Friday when they were tipped off that escaped prisoner Kathron Fortune a.k.a. “Cuchi” was spotted in French Quarter.
The gendarmes also used their helicopter to conduct air surveillance to see if they would spot and capture the escaped prisoner who is considered to be armed and dangerous.
SMN News learned that “Cuchi” allegedly caught and beat his 14 year old daughter since he escaped because he understood that she is pregnant.
Besides that all persons relating to Cuchi are now hiding because of fear. Persons that contacted SMN News said that several of his family members and women that have child/children for him are also hiding fearing for their lives. Sources say that relatives of Cuchi are afraid of him because they are the ones that turned him in 2006 when he committed murder and was wanted by police. The sources say that someone they believe to be living in French Quarter is aiding and abetting the escaped prisoner because they know he is moving around in vehicles even though he is not driving those vehicles. The concerned persons are now issuing a call on the person or persons that are engaged in such activities to stop and to hand over the wanted man to police.
Cuchi was serving 21 years for the murder when he escaped last week when taken to a doctor’s clinic in Cay Hill. Since then both Dutch and French law enforcement officers have engaged in an island wide search for the prisoner that has been described as armed and dangerous.
SMN News contacted the Commandant of the Gendarmerie Sebastien Monzoni who confirmed that they conducted a huge search on Friday in the French Quarter area after they heard that Cuchi was spotted in French Quarter. Monzoni further stated that the gendarmes conducted a number of house searches. Asked if the information SMN News received about the 14 year old that was beaten, Monzoni said they too got the same information but could not confirm it because so far no official complaint was filed by anyone.
Monzoni also said the gendarmes also got information that his relatives are living in fear but that too he said he cannot confirm because none of his relatives filed an official complaint with the gendarmerie.
Monzoni said he strongly believes that the escaped prisoner is somewhere on the French side hiding out and therefore they will intensify the controls and searches.
He called on persons that have information on the whereabouts of the escaped prisoner to contact them immediately.

PHILIPSBURG:---- On February 12, 2016, Skip Jack’s located in the heart of Simpson Bay became the sponsor of the Training Center for SCELL, The University of St. Martin’s School of Continuing Education & Life Long Learning. Skip Jack’s has donated equipment to SCELL that has completed their goal for a state of the art training facility. SCELL would like to thank the Management Team of Skip Jack’s and the employees, for their impressive contribution.
The Management Team of Skip Jack’s stated: We understand that helping the community is very important. We have had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Gittens on several occasions and it is because of her drive and passion for Education that we decided to support the creation of the SCELL Training Center. Education is a key element of success for all persons not only in St. Maarten but all over the world. If Skip Jack’s can support traditional learning and professional development for employees all over SXM we feel good about that. We encourage other businesses to continue to fully support the efforts of Dr. Gittens and her committed team members. SCELL keep up the excellent work!
Since the opening of the new school in August 2015, SCELL has established business relationships with multiple companies, Windward Islands Banks, LTD is SCELL’s Key Sponsor and so many other businesses have followed suit impressively.
SCELL’s primary goal is to provide customized training, coaching and mentoring to organizations that directly change the performance of the St. Maarten workforce. When employees are educated on the importance of customer service excellence, professional accountability and the keys to effectively managing and supervising work teams organizations strive. That is the SCELL philosophy, says Gittens.
Dr. Gittens, the Director of SCELL stated: Skip Jack’s management and employees are just one of many outstanding organizations that have continued to support SCELL. We are honored that Skip Jack’s envisions SCELL as the training capitol of the island and have provided us with the training center to continue making a measurable difference in SXM and surrounding islands.
On this Wednesday, February 24th, Dr. Natasha Gittens will be hosting her live #1 Radio Talk show on SOS 95.9 at Skip Jack’s from 4.30 pm to 8:00pm. The Women’s Island Network (WIN) will conduct their first WIN Membership Drive at Skipjacks on Wednesday evening and all women interested in joining WIN are encouraged to attend. WIN is a women’s organization that fosters the upward mobility and growth of women of all ages and acts as a platform to encourage women to pursue higher learning at USM/UVI.
If you would like to schedule a training or workshop, call 554-2437, or fill out the form on our website at http://scell.usmonline.onl/index.php/programs/workshops-form. You may also visit SCELL @ http://scell.usmonline.onl/.

GREAT BAY(DCOMM):----  Minister Hon. Ingrid Arrindell of the Ministry Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT) and the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, would like to reassure travelers that even though the destination has one confirmed case of the mosquito-borne virus Zika, various partners in the industry are taking measures to eliminate mosquito breeding sites.

Sint Maarten tourism authorities continue to monitor the development of this virus via the World Health Organization (WHO)/Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA).

Sint Maarten tourism and public health authorities have been advising residents and travelers visiting the destination to take extra precautions against mosquito bites to avoid contracting the virus.

Other travelers shouldn’t panic, and reconsider their travel plans, given the mild symptoms from the Zika virus. Sint Maarten tourism authorities are monitoring and working with CARPHA, through its integrated regional Tourism and Health program, and in collaboration with its partners, the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) and Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), in taking a holistic aggressive approach to travel-related Zika and other mosquito-borne infections through prevention and control.

To ensure the safety of visitors and citizens alike, fogging of mosquitos has been taking place on the island to minimize the exposure to mosquitos. If visitors take the preliminary actions against mosquito bites, they can still have a safe and enjoyable vacation on the island.

“Don’t let the mosquitos ruin your travel plans. The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau wants to ensure the safety of travelers, and is ready to provide up-to-date advice on potential risks and appropriate measures in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health.

“Visitors should always take preliminary measures against mosquito bites by covering exposed skin, wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and using EPA-registered insect repellents as well as staying and sleeping in screened-in or air- conditioned rooms.

“The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau hopes like any other outbreak, the Zika virus will decline and eventually be contained,” Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Ingrid Arrindell said on Saturday.

PHILIPSBURG:--- A press release issued from the office of the Prime Minister stated that the due to unforeseen circumstances, the meeting between French and Dutch side officials concerning the sewage treatment plant in Cole Bay, which was scheduled for Friday February 19th, has been postponed until further notice.
The meeting, in which the way forward with a joint sewage treatment plant for the island was to be discussed, will be rescheduled as soon as possible. The press will be notified as to when the meeting will be reconvened.

PHILIPSBURG:---Soraida America was appointed ENNIA St. Maarten’s Branch Manager in January 2016. In this capacity she is responsible for ENNIA’s operations on the Windward Islands. Soraida has more than ten years of experience in the insurance industry, starting at Henderson Insurance in 2006 and then moving to ENNIA St. Maarten after one year. She held several positions in ENNIA’s Life Department and has been working in Curaçao for the past seven years. Soraida managed the Pensions Department for the past two years and will continue her successful career as the ENNIA St. Maarten Branch Manager.
Soraida gladly accepted this new challenge: “My main focus will be to provide great customer service. We can achieve this through continuous and open communication with our stakeholders. Our new technological systems, combined with our experienced staff, will definitely help us achieve our goals.”
The ENNIA St. Maarten office has 8 employees, including specialized advisors and is located at W.J.A. Nisbeth Road 97. Soraida America can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at 543 2232.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The prisoner by the name Kathron Fortune a.k.a. “Cuchi” who escaped from prison guards on Monday February 15th 2016 has not yet been recaptured and is still at large. An intense search to recapture this prisoner is still ongoing. The Public Prosecutors Office and Police Department on the day of the escape sent out a joint press release requesting the assistance of the entire community to help locate this prisoner.
The picture of the prisoner that was sent to all media outlets is dated September 16th 2014. His latest description is as follows:
Kathron Fortune was born on the island of Grenada, 38 years of age, he has a dark complexion and a full beard, weighs between 200 and 215 pounds, is approximately 5 feet and nine inches tall, he has a heavy set and strong posture, very low cut hair and possibly a pony tail.
The Public Prosecutors’ Office and Police Department are reminding the general public, that assisting in the escape of a prisoner, keeping that prisoner in hiding, assisting that prisoner in any other form, to prevent his or her capture by authorities, is considered a criminal act and is punishable by law.
Anyone who have information that can lead to the recapture of this armed a very dangerous prisoner should immediately get in contact with the Police Department by calling 54-22222 ext. 214 or215, the tip line # 9300 or 911.
“Do not attempt to capture this prisoner on your own call the police.”

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police Department is increasing their general controls and are advising all persons to walk with proper picture identification at all time. All drivers should have their valid drivers license when operating a motor vehicle and make sure the vehicle they are driving is in good working condition and all documents for that vehicle are in order. This is to avoid any unnecessary inconvenience if you are stopped by the police during their control.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Four men were arrested and are presently in custody for further investigation in connection with drugs and fire arm charges. The arrest took place on Thursday February 18th at approximately 12.00 p.m. during a general control by the Multi Disciplinary team on the Union road in the vicinity of the border.
A private vehicle with the French license plate 0129 AAC was stopped by the officers for control when the officers smelled the strong odor of marihuana coming from the inside of the car. A search of the vehicle followed at which time two plastic bags each containing a considerable amount of compressed marihuana was found and confiscated for further investigation. All four suspects namely K.A.L. (33), G.A.L. (25), T.V.W. (19) and D.B.R. (15) were arrested on the spot and taken to the Philipsburg Police Station.
The vehicle in question was also confiscated for further investigation. At the police station a more in depth search of the vehicle took place and under the center console between the driver and passenger seats three loaded handguns were found and confiscated for further investigation.
The Police Department is informing all parents to pay very close attention to their children and find out who their friends are. Monitor their behavior during and after school hours. In this case the youngest suspect is a minor of 15 years old.

Harbour View:--- On February 18th, 2016, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, received Keacy Carty along with his parents and members of the Sin Maarten Cricket Association at his office in recognition of Carty’s historic achievement at the Under 19 Cricket World Cup Championship in Bangladesh. In congratulating Keacy Carty Governor Holiday stated:
“It was with great pleasure and pride that I received and read the news about your historic achievement and performance par excellence. Congratulations on your special accomplishment on the world stage. In doing so you represented yourself, your family and Sint Maarten with distinction. For that our nation is proud of you. Your dedication, enthusiasm and results at the world cup were sublime and, like the gold you brought home, serve as shining examples for the heights which we as a people can reach. For that I express my congratulations and appreciation to you. May this world class performance be the first of even greater things to come for you as a cricketer and in your personal life.”
As recognition for his exceptional performance which earned him the Man of the Match award at the Cricket World Championship Governor Holiday presented Keacy Carty with a specially designed case displaying a cricket ball autographed by The Governor.

PHILIPSBURG – Atahlia Daye Rogers is a teacher at the Sundial School and has produced a film called ‘Mother Knows Best’. Daye-Rogers is a local Sint Maartener, an entrepreneur, a poet, a playwright, a script writer, and as of late a film producer.
‘Mother Knows Best’ is a featured film about a single mother, raising her daughter on the principles of the word of God. Haunted by the memories of the past, she is faced with the struggles of “modern day” motherhood.
Through it all, both mother and daughter have learned the true meaning of shame, regret, forgiveness, love, family and moving on.
“This project I have selected to give a donation from my initiative to give back to the community due to its educational and biblical contribution to society.
“I endorse this project as it promotes biblical principles and how to overcome adversity using this medium. The general public is urged to support Daye Rogers positive contribution to society.
“It is the hope of Daye Rogers, to start a Drama Club in Sint Maarten where the youths and young adults can receive training and develop their skills in acting. ‘Mothers Knows Best’ will be featured at the Philipsburg Cultural Center, on May 19th -22nd 2016,” MP Leona Marlin-Romeo said.

GREAT BAYDCOMM):--- Minister Hon. Ingrid Arrindell of the Ministry Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT), would like to congratulate the winners of the Senior Chef placement on the National Team to represent Sint Maarten in the Taste of the Caribbean Competition 2016 in Miami this June.

Two more competitions will be held to complete the National Team. Participants will be vying for the position of Pastry Chef and Bartender.

Pieter Holstein, Executive Chef of the Food Collective BBA Rum & Pease – St. Maarten, and David Cudicio from Dreams Restaurant – Nettle Bay, St. Martin, earned their positions during a competition held on February 6 at the Sundial School Hospitality Sector Kitchen and Restaurant.

In addition to the aforementioned winners, two chefs were chosen as the substitute Chefs on the team in the event that one of the Chefs is unable to provide representation. The substitutes are Mariana Shah, Dish D’ Lish, and Nick Drillinger, from Moomba Restaurant.

The country has been absent from Taste of the Caribbean since 2009. The event is organized by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA). The competition will take place from June 12-14.

“The competition is an opportunity for our best Chefs and Bartenders from North and South to showcase their island. I congratulate those so far who have been selected for the National Team. Some other competitions still have to take place, and I wish those participants much success when the time comes,” Minister of Tourism Ingrid Arrindell said on Thursday.

Taste of the Caribbean is the region’s premier culinary competition and cultural showcase held once a year where the best chefs and culinary teams unite to learn, demonstrate their skills and provide the general public a scintillating exhibition of the savoriest and delectable treats of the islands. It’s a showcase of the hottest and most popular trends in Caribbean gastronomy.

Over 10 teams from the Caribbean throw their culinary hats into the ring to compete for the honor of becoming the best chef, culinary team, bartender and pastry chef in the Caribbean.

Each participating team represents a Caribbean island and has competed on a national level to qualify and participate. Each team of composed of two senior chefs, one junior chef, one bartender, one pastry chef, and one manager. The participating team members represent hotels, restaurants or educational institutions in the Caribbean which are member of the CHTA.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Minister Hon. Ingrid Arrindell of the Ministry Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT), met on Thursday in Miami with President of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Michele Paige.

The FCCA is a not-for-profit trade organization composed of 19-member cruise lines operating more than 100 vessels in Floridian, Caribbean and Latin American waters.

The FCCA works with governments, ports, and all private/public sector representatives to maximize cruise passenger, cruise line and cruise line employee spending, as well as enhancing the destination experience and the amount of cruise passengers returning as stay-over visitors.

Minister Arrindell was introduced to Paige as the new Shareholder Representative of Port St. Maarten.

During the meeting, Paige was informed about the priorities for the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications.

Other points that were discussed and where information was exchanged: Destination Sint Maarten cruise figures; Rain Forest Project; Zika Virus and the Cruise Sector; Marketing FCCA-Sint Maarten; and Shore Excursion Concessions.

Minister Arrindell described the meeting as very informative and is looking forward to following up on a number of the points that were discussed with FCCA President Paige.

“Tourism is the foundation of the Sint Maarten economy. I found it very important to meet with the President of the FCCA to formally introduce myself as shareholder representative, but also to express our plans where it concerns cruise tourism and the overall tourism product.

“This visit was also an opportunity to get updates with respect to a number of matters. The FCCA and its member cruise lines are a strategic partner where it concerns our national economy, and we must continue to maintain a close working relationship in the interests of all,” Minister Ingrid Arrindell said on Friday.

Also participating in the operations meeting were Port St. Maarten Supervisory Board Chairman Humphrey Mezas and Chief Executive Officer Mark Mingo.

Port St. Maarten accommodated 1,901,617 cruise passengers in 2015, and is the #1 cruise port in the Caribbean, the second year in a row according to Cruise Fever.net readers who were asked to vote on the best cruise ports in the Caribbean in the 2015 Cruise Fever Fan Awards.
The FCCA was created in 1972 to provide a forum on tourism development, ports, safety, security and other cruise industry issues.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Minister Hon. Ingrid Arrindell of the Ministry Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT), met on Thursday in Miami with President of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Michele Paige.

The FCCA is a not-for-profit trade organization composed of 19-member cruise lines operating more than 100 vessels in Floridian, Caribbean and Latin American waters.

The FCCA works with governments, ports, and all private/public sector representatives to maximize cruise passenger, cruise line and cruise line employee spending, as well as enhancing the destination experience and the amount of cruise passengers returning as stay-over visitors.

Minister Arrindell was introduced to Paige as the new Shareholder Representative of Port St. Maarten.

During the meeting, Paige was informed about the priorities for the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunications.

Other points that were discussed and where information was exchanged: Destination Sint Maarten cruise figures; Rain Forest Project; Zika Virus and the Cruise Sector; Marketing FCCA-Sint Maarten; and Shore Excursion Concessions.

Minister Arrindell described the meeting as very informative and is looking forward to following up on a number of the points that were discussed with FCCA President Paige.

“Tourism is the foundation of the Sint Maarten economy. I found it very important to meet with the President of the FCCA to formally introduce myself as shareholder representative, but also to express our plans where it concerns cruise tourism and the overall tourism product.

“This visit was also an opportunity to get updates with respect to a number of matters. The FCCA and its member cruise lines are a strategic partner where it concerns our national economy, and we must continue to maintain a close working relationship in the interests of all,” Minister Ingrid Arrindell said on Friday.

Also participating in the operations meeting were Port St. Maarten Supervisory Board Chairman Humphrey Mezas and Chief Executive Officer Mark Mingo.

Port St. Maarten accommodated 1,901,617 cruise passengers in 2015, and is the #1 cruise port in the Caribbean, the second year in a row according to Cruise Fever.net readers who were asked to vote on the best cruise ports in the Caribbean in the 2015 Cruise Fever Fan Awards.
The FCCA was created in 1972 to provide a forum on tourism development, ports, safety, security and other cruise industry issues.

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), announces that road works will be carried out along part of the Airport road between Thrifty Car Rental and Avis Car Rental starting on Monday, February 22 up to Friday, February 26.

These works will be carried out during the day and are related to the laying of underground cables by United Telecommunications Services (UTS).

Though there will be no road closure, motorists and especially pedestrians, should be alert of the works that are taking place in the aforementioned area.
Ministry VROMI apologizes for any inconveniences this may cause.

POINTE BLANCHE:---  Management of Port St. Maarten is very happy to participate in the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard Open House on Sunday, February 21, by accommodating the various vessels that will be docked at the piers for the event.
Have you always wanted to see how a Coast Guard cutter or a Navy ship looks like on the inside? Always wanted to know how they operate and what they stand for? This is your opportunity by visiting the Coast Guard Open House at the Cruise Terminal in Point Blanche.
The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard is celebrating their 20th anniversary this year and has organized an Open House on Sunday from 10.00 AM to 4.00 PM. During the entire day, ships from the Coast Guard, Royal Netherlands Navy, St. Kitts & Nevis, Anguilla, United States and the St. Maarten Sea Rescue, will be open for public tours.

Parking for the general public will be available at the Port St. Maarten facility. Guests are asked to follow the instructions of security guards. Parking will be open from 9:30 AM and closed at 4.30 PM sharp.

Once guests for the Open House find a parking spot, they can walk around via the sidewalk to the main entrance. Photo I.D. is a requirement for entering the facility. Bags and other items may be subject to inspection.

Throughout the day, there will also be demonstrations with the Coast Guard vessels on the water, and the Dash-8 patrol aircraft in the air.

The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard works closely with several partners such as police, customs and immigration on Sint Maarten. The Coast Guard also has good connections with neighbouring territories and countries.

For example, the Rescue and Coordination Center (RCC) in Curaçao coordinates on a regular basis Search and Rescue actions (SAR) with its partner RCC in Fort-de-France, Martinique.

Several SAR operations have been conducted in good cooperation using both French assets and assets of the Coast Guard. This includes flying assets (eg. planes, helicopters) from substation Hato in Curaçao, and maritime assets from substation Sint Maarten.

Regarding maritime law enforcement, both the French and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guards have to coordinate their operations due to the proximity of territorial boundaries. Both agencies exchange valuable information on a regular basis.

The Dutch ‘HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën,’ is an air defense and commando frigate which is stationed in the Dutch Caribbean. The Royal Netherlands Navy has four of these ships in its fleet.

In order to conduct Coast Guard tasks from HNLMS De Zeven Provincien, a boarding team from the Coast Guard Substation Sint Maarten is stationed on-board during operations.

The naval vessel has been tasked with counterdrug operations and humanitarian disaster relief, especially after the passing of a hurricane. The Navy also carries out inspections of illegal fisheries, environmental offenses and Search and Rescue tasks.

POINTE BLANCHE:---  Management of Port St. Maarten is very happy to participate in the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard Open House on Sunday, February 21, by accommodating the various vessels that will be docked at the piers for the event.
Have you always wanted to see how a Coast Guard cutter or a Navy ship looks like on the inside? Always wanted to know how they operate and what they stand for? This is your opportunity by visiting the Coast Guard Open House at the Cruise Terminal in Point Blanche.
The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard is celebrating their 20th anniversary this year and has organized an Open House on Sunday from 10.00 AM to 4.00 PM. During the entire day, ships from the Coast Guard, Royal Netherlands Navy, St. Kitts & Nevis, Anguilla, United States and the St. Maarten Sea Rescue, will be open for public tours.

Parking for the general public will be available at the Port St. Maarten facility. Guests are asked to follow the instructions of security guards. Parking will be open from 9:30 AM and closed at 4.30 PM sharp.

Once guests for the Open House find a parking spot, they can walk around via the sidewalk to the main entrance. Photo I.D. is a requirement for entering the facility. Bags and other items may be subject to inspection.

Throughout the day, there will also be demonstrations with the Coast Guard vessels on the water, and the Dash-8 patrol aircraft in the air.

The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard works closely with several partners such as police, customs and immigration on Sint Maarten. The Coast Guard also has good connections with neighbouring territories and countries.

For example, the Rescue and Coordination Center (RCC) in Curaçao coordinates on a regular basis Search and Rescue actions (SAR) with its partner RCC in Fort-de-France, Martinique.

Several SAR operations have been conducted in good cooperation using both French assets and assets of the Coast Guard. This includes flying assets (eg. planes, helicopters) from substation Hato in Curaçao, and maritime assets from substation Sint Maarten.

Regarding maritime law enforcement, both the French and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guards have to coordinate their operations due to the proximity of territorial boundaries. Both agencies exchange valuable information on a regular basis.

The Dutch ‘HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën,’ is an air defense and commando frigate which is stationed in the Dutch Caribbean. The Royal Netherlands Navy has four of these ships in its fleet.

In order to conduct Coast Guard tasks from HNLMS De Zeven Provincien, a boarding team from the Coast Guard Substation Sint Maarten is stationed on-board during operations.

The naval vessel has been tasked with counterdrug operations and humanitarian disaster relief, especially after the passing of a hurricane. The Navy also carries out inspections of illegal fisheries, environmental offenses and Search and Rescue tasks.

Letter sent to ABVO also sent to Prosecutor’s Office and Labor Department.

Airport:--- Workers of the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE) have taken another step to get the ABVO union to annul the CLA they signed with their employer.
In a letter sent to the President of the ABVO union the workers has given the union five days in which they must annul and retract the Collective Labor Agreement they signed with their employer. The workers claimed that the shop stewards that negotiated the contract were not elected by them and they were not consulted prior to the signing of the CLA. Most of all they said a labor mediator was not involved in the negotiations when disagreements began with the workers and the ABVO.
A copy of the letter which was provided to SMN News states that the duties of the union is to safeguard and protect their rights and to fairly represent them. They further stated that the union violated the authorities given to them and is in breach of their duties since they signed a CLA which they considered to be fatal. They asked that union to reopen the CLA negotiations and if such is not done within the given time frame then they will fire the union and take legal actions against ABVO.
The workers states that in the event the ABVO decides to reopen the negotiations, then them must meet with the workers prior to start negotiating, in order for them to highlight the issues affecting the workers.
In a statement to SMN News the workers said they wanted to know if PJIAE paid out the unions, because at this moment they do not know who exactly the ABVO is representing. Further to that they said that the CLA’s that were signed in the past were all illegal since the workers never got the benefits that are due to them. The workers said that even though ABVO signed CLA’s in the past what they agreed upon was never given to the workers including the increase in salary scales. Further to that they said that PJIAE never had qualified persons in that could properly evaluate the workers. The workers further stated that only recently personnel was sent for proper evaluation training but those persons are not yet certified. “That means all the previous evaluations were done illegally, therefore there were a lot of violations of laws committed by management of PJIAE and they do owe the workers quite a large sum of monies. We mean business now because we will not be attending the meeting that the union call for on Monday unless they retract the CLA they signed recently. Besides that the union has to ensure that all monies that are owed to the workers for the past five years are paid off in full.

Click to see letter sent to ABVO

SIMPSON BAY:---- Prime Minister William Marlin and Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, Silveria Jacobs along with the Council of Ministers, was present to extend a hero’s welcome to Keacy Carty as he returned to Sint Maarten as the Man of the Match in the Under 19 Cricket World Cup 2016.

His parents Keith and Angela Carty were also present to welcome him home along with many well-wishers and cricket fans on Sint Maarten. As the Man of the Match, Keacy Carty has made history for St. Maarten when he scored 52 runs and emerged victorious with his West Indies U-19 Team in the recently held U-19 Cricket World Cup 2016 in Bangladesh.

SIMPSON BAY:--- Prime Minister William Marlin and Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, Silveria Jacobs along with the Council of Ministers, was present to extend a hero’s welcome to Keacy Carty as he returned to Sint Maarten as the Man of the Match in the Under 19 Cricket World Cup 2016.

His parents Keith and Angela Carty were also present to welcome him home along with many well-wishers and cricket fans on Sint Maarten. As the Man of the Match, Keacy Carty has made history for St. Maarten when he scored 52 runs and emerged victorious with his West Indies U-19 Team in the recently held U-19 Cricket World Cup 2016 in Bangladesh.

SIMPSON BAY: Prime Minister William Marlin and Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports, Silveria Jacobs along with the Council of Ministers, was present to extend a hero’s welcome to Keacy Carty as he returned to Sint Maarten as the Man of the Match in the Under 19 Cricket World Cup 2016.

His parents Keith and Angela Carty were also present to welcome him home along with many well-wishers and cricket fans on Sint Maarten. As the Man of the Match, Keacy Carty has made history for St. Maarten when he scored 52 runs and emerged victorious with his West Indies U-19 Team in the recently held U-19 Cricket World Cup 2016 in Bangladesh.

SIMPSON BAY:--- Clinical psychologist Dr. Umar Johnson arrived here at SXM Airport on Wednesday afternoon from the USA. Dr. Johnson, who is also a Pan Africanist activist is scheduled to speak with high school students at the LB Scot Sports Auditorium on Thursday, from 9 am to 11 am. He will also appear on various radio and television programs before delivering the keynote address at the 25th annual Black History Celebration Lecture at the University of St. Martin, on Saturday, February 20, at 8 pm. In photo: Dr. Umar Johnson (center), Shujah Reiph, CLF president (L), and MP Christopher Emmanuel. The 25th annual Black History Celebration Lecture is organized by CLF in collaboration with MP Christopher Emmanuel.

GREAT BAY:--- The partnership between the Human Resources Department of Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) with the University of St. Martin’s School of Continuing Education & Life-Long Learning (SCELL) for an Employee Training Program, will take off at full speed in early April and continue through May, 2016.
The Human Resources Department of the Princess Juliana International Airport said it strongly agrees with Richard Branson’s statement that “Clients do not come first, employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your clients.”
“We strongly believe that we need to take care of our employees in order for the rest to follow. In pursuing this goal, we chose SCELL as one of the key training organizations to assist us in this endeavor,” said Larry Donker, Deputy Managing Director, at SXM Airport.
“We chose SCELL because we are convinced that SCELL will be able to connect with our employees in a way that will encourage them to continuously develop themselves and pursue personal growth, which will ultimately benefit PJIAE as a whole. Our goal is to create a win-win situation for both the organization and its employees. SCELL will help us reach this goal,” Mr. Donker added.
Dr. Natasha Gittens, the director of SCELL stated: “It has been a pleasure working with the Princess Juliana International Airport Human Resources Department to develop their Employee Training Program. The leadership of SXM Airport is impressive and they’re committed to the professional development of their employees. This illustrates the value they place on professional training and education.”
“SCELL’s team of industry experts is excited about facilitating training for SXM Airport staff,” Dr. Gittens continued.
“The new partnership is a ‘win-win’ for SCELL and SXM Airport. We acknowledge and understand the level of importance they place on professional development and training and have customized all of their selected training programs based on the airport’s mission, vision and specific goals to directly enhance employees’ professional skills, ability to better engage with airport patrons and to provide customer service excellence on a daily basis,” she said.
The training will be geared toward SXM Airport’s front-line staff, leaders, and supervisors. “Their decision to allow SCELL to conduct a Pre-Assessment in December 2015, prior to training delivery was a brilliant approach and allowed them to get a true pulse of what employees needed in terms of professional skills and allowed employees to directly contribute to the development of SXM Airport’s Employee Development Plan,” Dr. Gittens said.
The training program will focus on Customer vs. Customer Care, Supervisor Training, Management Training, and Time Management and Setting Achievable Deadlines. It will also include Managing Work Teams Effectively, Team Building, Performance Evaluations, and much more.

If you would like to schedule a training or workshop, call 554-2437, email SCELL @usmonline.net, or fill out the form on our website at http://scell.usmonline.onl/index.php/programs/workshops-form.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Police and Detectives are presently investigating a shooting which took place on Tuesday February 16th at approximately 10.00 p.m. in area of Zorg en Rust in Dutch Quarter. The investigating officers on the scene learnt, that an argument had taken place involving two men with the initials C.M. and H.E., in connection with and ongoing feud between them. During the confrontation shots were fired. C.M. was arrested as a suspect on the scene in connection with the investigation. A search of the suspects’ home was also done and an amount of drugs were found and confiscated for further investigation. No one was hurt during the shooting.

Student arrested for drugs and weapon possession

On Wednesday February 17th at approximately 12.00 p.m. a sixteen year old student with initials E.C. attending secondary school was arrested by police on the L.B. Scot road. The police was called because this student and some other friends were busy smoking drugs in the area. During students’ arrest a search of his school bag was done and four small plastic bags each containing an amount of marihuana and a brace knuckle was found. The drugs and weapon were confiscated for further investigation. The student was taken to the Philipsburg police station for questioning.
The police department is again taking this opportunity to advise all parents to monitor their children and their activities during and after school hours. Monitor their behavior to see if there any changes that could indicate that they may be using marihuana.
Signs of Marijuana Use
Physical Change:
• Bloodshot eyes
• Fast heart rate
• Sleepy, lethargic
• Lack of coordination
• Increase cravings for snacks
Change in Actions:
• Confusion and lack of focus
• Unusually talkative
• Dropping studies or usual activities
• Misjudging time
• Secretiveness

For further information search the Internet for “Signs and Symptoms of marijuana use”.

PHILIPSBURG:--- In the morning hours on Sunday January 10th 2016, human remains/bones were found by hikers walking through a trail on the Arlette B. Peters road; also know as the Old Cake House road in the Cay Hill area. The Police Forensic Department did an investigation on the scene whereby several bones and clothing were collected as evidence.
Due to the condition of the bones an archeologist was called in to do an investigation. The results from this investigation were that the bones were human; the gender is male, between the ages of 25-35 years old, slim and short posture, not taller than 1.66 meter and has a gold teeth. The estimated time the body was lying on the scene is between 9 and 18 months.
It is suspected that this person did not die of natural causes and as a result hereof a criminal investigation has started. An investigation on missing persons on the Dutch and French side of the island for a possible identification was done, but had no positive results. This person remains unidentified.
The police department is taking this opportunity to reach out to families in the community who have been missing a family member fitting this description to come forward and call the police on the tip line #9300, 54-22222ext. 214/215 or contact us on our Face book page.

KPSM Police Report

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Tuesday February 16, 2016, Mrs. Connie Gumbs-Francis was awarded the Vocational Service Award for 2016.

President Marcellia Henry stated that ‘To be eligible for the award, the nominee (individual or organization) had to demonstrate the following attributes: Leadership of the highest standard and a proven track record in the area; Exemplification of the Rotary spirit of “Service Above Self”; Involvement at the community level in activities; and High ethical and moral standards displayed in performance / work related to selected area of vocational service.

Mrs. Gumbs-Francis was nominated because of her passion for youth development and her outstanding vocational service in community.

Mrs. Gumbs-Francis is the Director and founding Member of the St. Maarten Youth Council Association. Her duties include management of the Rupert I Maynard Youth Community Center, and programming for the STAR After School Program. She is the initiator and coordinator of the Sint Maarten Youth Parliament since 2010, and is a member of the Rights of the Child Steering Group.

To list a few more of her noteworthy accomplishments, Mrs. Gumbs-Francis was bestowed a Royal Decoration for prolong outstanding service to the community in 2015, and is a Member in the Order of Orange Nassau. She is the founding member and secretary of the Saint Martin United NGO Federation, the current secretary of the Victorious Living Foundation, and Captain of the 2nd St. Maarten Girls’ Brigade.

Mrs. Connie Gumbs-Francis personifies the criteria outlined for the Vocational Service Award and after reviewing all nominees our club was proud to select and recognize her for the work she does for youth and the community of St. Maarten.

Past recipients of this award include: Dr. Judith Arndell, Mary Bryson, and Urmain Dormoy.

Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise meets every Tuesday at the Ginger Bread Café Restaurant at the Belair Hotel at 7:00AM to 8:00AM. . For more information on the club visit us at sxmsunrise.org or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., we are also on Facebook: Rotary Club of Saint Martin Sunrise.

Sucker Garden:--- Week 14 of the Ladies Basketball Championship continued with 2 games last Sunday in the senior division at Melford Hazel Sports Complex.

The first senior game of the day saw MGM Lightning and Bush T Remedy go up against eachother.This game was a close throughout, Bush T Remedy led 16-13 after the first quarter but Lightning led 23-21 at the half. Lightning fought hard in the 3rd quarter to outscore Bush T Remedy 19-12 to go up 42-33 after the third quarter. Bush T Remedy fought back in the fourth quarter but Lightning held on to win 54-48.
Lightning was led by Jamaiah Newton-Herbert with 24 points and Micaela Galva with 14 points. Bush T Remedy was led by Jacqueline Hodge with 19 points and Shandria Lake with 16 points.

The second game of the day saw Learning Unlimited go up against Thunderz. A bit shorthanded, Learning Unlimited started off slow and scored only 5 points while Thunderz scored 35 points in the first quarter. The Thunderz continued to dominate the game, leading 60-17 at the half and eventually winning 125-38. Thunderz was led by their two all stars with Joyette Lloyd with 49 points and Chantel Hodge with 42 points. Learning Unlimited was led by Jakisha Brooks with 34 points.

The senior division standings are Lightning at 12-2, Thunderz at 11-3, Bush T Remedy at 3-11 and Learning Unlimited at 2-12.
Games continue this Sunday for U16 teams at 2pm and senior teams at 3pm as Lightning take on Thunderz and at 5pm as Learning Unlimited take on Bush T Remedy for the last regular season games before the playoffs.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Marine Trades Association (SMMTA) has officially announced that they are looking into the opportunity to once again host a St. Maarten Boat Show. The announcement was part of a presentation given by the board of the SMMTA to the Council of Ministers on February 4, 2016.
The SMMTA explained that while a successful Boat Show would help attract business to the island there are a lot of variables that need to be considered in order to make a show on St. Maarten a success. The SMMTA learned a lot about what it takes to host a successful boat show during the island’s first attempt some 10 years ago. Even though St. Maarten’s show was well organized and professionally executed it was cancelled after a few years because it lacked the necessary industry support from yacht brokers and other leaders in the marine industry. According to the SMMTA, this is an important fact to remember because without the proper input from different stakeholders on St. Maarten, the United States, and in Europe we are doomed to the same fate as our first attempt regardless of how great a job St. Maarten does in setting up the event.
The SMMTA emphasized that the organizers and supporters of the original boat show did an exemplary job with hosting the actual event here on St. Maarten but we now know that we will need to spend more time with key industry players in the US and Europe to insure their support and participation in the show before it is launched. The SMMTA’s renewed interest is due to several fruitful meetings held this season with multinational companies in the industry.
At this time the concept of a new Boat Show for St. Maarten is simply being explored but it is one of the main goals for the SMMTA. The specific time of year for the show is still being debated and researched but the concept is to host it during the shoulder season so that it helps increase occupancy and drive additional business to St. Maarten.
The show is not expected to be launched prior to 2017 or 2018 as the SMMTA feels that the concept needs to be thoroughly vetted before St. Maarten rushes into anything. The main focus is to set up an event that will be successful and continue to run for many decades into the future.

PHILIPSBURG:--- As part of the Ministries approach to developing partnerships, the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA) signed off on a collaboration agreement with the American University of the Caribbean, School of Medicine (AUC) on February 11th. Although the Ministry has been collaborating with AUC since 2012, this agreement formalizes and enhance the current relationship by creating the VSA-AUC Platform. This platform, will allow continued collaboration among representatives of the university, the ministry, health care institutions and the community for the common good of Sint Maarten.

AUC Executive Dean and Chief Executive Officer Heidi Chumley, MD stated, “AUC is proud to join the Ministry in developing programs to support public health research that can be used to inform the Ministry’s efforts on behalf of the citizens of Sint Maarten. This mutually beneficial partnership provides our physicians-in-training with the opportunity for meaningful volunteer experiences that are focused on the needs of the community.”

“The shared vision through this Platform allows for a win-win situation for both parties by enhancing the education of AUC medical students and providing resources and medical expertise to the Ministry. One of the main projects that is executed is a Chronic Disease Prevention Program utilizing the mobile health bus. With health care costs on the rise worldwide prevention programs are a proven means of reducing the burden of these diseases for a population. AUC will provide dedicated volunteers, students and faculty to assist with the execution of the program, through the use of this Platform. This Health Bus initiative will also be valuable in helping to collect data for the business case for the SMMC project,” stated Minister Lee.

Both parties recognize a mutual need to perform public health research. In 2013 through a joint research project, the zero-prevalence for Chikungunya Virus Disease could be established. The research will provide the Ministry with information that can be used as basis for public health activities and policies. The research will provide AUC medical students the opportunity to engage in public health research projects and gather experience by partnering with the Ministry VSA’s professionals.

This agreement also further solidifies the possibility to continue volunteering in the community. In line with Project H.E.L.P (Health Education Literary Project),, AUC medical students can partner with Ministry VSA’s professionals to perform focused community specific services.

Parties also recognized a mutual need to organize continuous medical education (‘CME’) on Sint Maarten for local medical professionals. The platform thus gives the opportunity for AUC to explore collaboration with NASHKO and other institutions, such as the University of South Florida (USF) School of Medicine, which would then allow for the provision of CME, across the health care spectrum to local medical professionals

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PHILIPSBURG:--- As part of the Ministries approach to developing partnerships, the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA) signed off on a collaboration agreement with the American University of the Caribbean, School of Medicine (AUC) on February 11th. Although the Ministry has been collaborating with AUC since 2012, this agreement formalizes and enhance the current relationship by creating the VSA-AUC Platform. This platform, will allow continued collaboration among representatives of the university, the ministry, health care institutions and the community for the common good of Sint Maarten.

AUC Executive Dean and Chief Executive Officer Heidi Chumley, MD stated, “AUC is proud to join the Ministry in developing programs to support public health research that can be used to inform the Ministry’s efforts on behalf of the citizens of Sint Maarten. This mutually beneficial partnership provides our physicians-in-training with the opportunity for meaningful volunteer experiences that are focused on the needs of the community.”

“The shared vision through this Platform allows for a win-win situation for both parties by enhancing the education of AUC medical students and providing resources and medical expertise to the Ministry. One of the main projects that is executed is a Chronic Disease Prevention Program utilizing the mobile health bus. With health care costs on the rise worldwide prevention programs are a proven means of reducing the burden of these diseases for a population. AUC will provide dedicated volunteers, students and faculty to assist with the execution of the program, through the use of this Platform. This Health Bus initiative will also be valuable in helping to collect data for the business case for the SMMC project,” stated Minister Lee.

Both parties recognize a mutual need to perform public health research. In 2013 through a joint research project, the zero-prevalence for Chikungunya Virus Disease could be established. The research will provide the Ministry with information that can be used as basis for public health activities and policies. The research will provide AUC medical students the opportunity to engage in public health research projects and gather experience by partnering with the Ministry VSA’s professionals.

This agreement also further solidifies the possibility to continue volunteering in the community. In line with Project H.E.L.P (Health Education Literary Project),, AUC medical students can partner with Ministry VSA’s professionals to perform focused community specific services.

Parties also recognized a mutual need to organize continuous medical education (‘CME’) on Sint Maarten for local medical professionals. The platform thus gives the opportunity for AUC to explore collaboration with NASHKO and other institutions, such as the University of South Florida (USF) School of Medicine, which would then allow for the provision of CME, across the health care spectrum to local medical professionals.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Housing and Spatial planning Angel Meyers informed members of the media that he recently met with the new board and management of the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF). The Minister said this year 2016 will mark the 20th anniversary of the foundation and he had several meetings with the foundation to find ways on moving forward in order for them to provide affordable social homes to the people of St. Maarten. He also said over the years there were some lessons to be learned while there was also some negative publicity regarding the foundation. “Right now there is a new management in place and we as government are looking at ways in assisting the foundation in moving forward, one being subsidies, while the Ministry of VROMI is assisting the foundation in providing policies. The subsidies will be used to assist renters that have low income to pay their monthly rent. Government will also provide more property for SMHDF to further develop.”
Minister Meyers described the meetings as fruitful while he said that the foundation laid out their plans for the future to him during their meetings. Minister Meyers said he was highly impressed with the work done on two homes that are currently being sold to tenants. “I am impressed with the construction work and finishing of these homes most of all I am impressed at the price at which they are being sold.” The Minister further added that the SMHDF will be constructing six other homes which will be sold to tenants, while the FOGA housing development in Sucker Garden will be transferred to SMHDF for them to manage the operations of that project. One of the goals is to have the tenants on a lease to purchase contract. He said that these tenants will have to make a 5% deposit on the homes while the balance of the monies can be obtained through a loan at a bank of their choice.
Minister Meyers said the new management and board also have plans to repair the homes that are in deplorable conditions. Homes that are to be repaired are those located Anna Hope Estate Road and Belvedere main road, while while the profits derived from the sale of the homes will be invested in building more homes for seniors.. Another project the SMHDF is working on is the beautification of the entrance to Belvedere.
The Minister is also looking to assist to prepare a structural maintenance program so that the homes will remain in proper conditions. The Minister said due to limited funds these projects will be done in phases.

PHILIPSBURG:---- Minister of VROMI Angel Meyers announced on Wednesday at the weekly Council of Ministers press briefing that he intends to proceed with the Simpson Bay parking, despite hearing that TESSI N.V placed a lien on the property. Minister Meyers said that when he took office he found out that the former Minister of VROMI was in some sort of deal with the company where he agreed to grant them the lot located in Simpson Bay to build a resort.
The Minister of VROMI said he reversed that decision and informed the company accordingly. Minister Meyers further explained that the lot in Simpson Bay that the former Minister gave to TESSI N.V is part of the zoning plan to build a parking area, he said in order for that to be changed then the former Minister had to approach the parliament of St. Maarten, which he said was not done. The Minister further stated that if anyone tries to hinder or stop government from executing the work they are doing those persons especially the Minister who did not follow procedures will be held personally liable for their actions.
Asked if he (Minister Meyers) is serious about holding the former Ministers liable for their actions, Minister Meyers said he is quite serious with his statements because proper procedures were not followed. Asked if the former Minister granted TESSI N.V the parcel of land after the vote of no confidence against the Gumbs cabinet, Minister Meyers said it was definitely done after September 30th and the last letter was sent to management of TESSI N.V on November 18th 2015, which was the last day the former Minister was in office.

PHILIPSBURG:---- Minister of VROMI Angel Meyers announced on Wednesday at the weekly Council of Ministers press briefing that he intends to proceed with the construction Simpson Bay parking garage, despite hearing that TESSI N.V placed a lien on the property. Minister Meyers said that when he took office he found out that the former Minister of VROMI was in some sort of deal with the company where he agreed to grant them the lot located in Simpson Bay to build a resort.
The Minister of VROMI said he reversed that decision and informed the company accordingly. Minister Meyers further explained that the lot in Simpson Bay that the former Minister gave to TESSI N.V is part of the zoning plan to build a parking area, he said in order for that to be changed then the former Minister had to approach the parliament of St. Maarten, which he said was not done. The Minister further stated that if anyone tries to hinder or stop government from executing the work they are doing those persons especially the Minister who did not follow procedures will be held personally liable for their actions.
Asked if he (Minister Meyers) is serious about holding the former Ministers liable for their actions, Minister Meyers said he is quite serious with his statements because proper procedures were not followed. Asked if the former Minister granted TESSI N.V the parcel of land after the vote of no confidence against the Gumbs cabinet, Minister Meyers said it was definitely done after September 30th and the last letter was sent to management of TESSI N.V on November 18th 2015, which was the last day the former Minister was in office.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Reports in at the Department of Collective Prevention Services (CPS) has indicated that the first case of Zika has been confirmed. At this point in time we cannot confirm that the virus was locally transmitted, as the person did travel outside Sint Maarten shortly before being tested.
“The focus for the Ministry and community at this time should remain on working together to eradicate breeding sites and to take precautions against mosquito bites. The mosquito that carries the virus are known as container breeder, therefore it is important for everyone to remain pro-active and clean yards, screen your cisterns and take preventative measures when outside. I am urging persons to think twice before littering as these mosquitos breed in bottle caps, and other garbage that can collect rain water,” stated Minister Lee at press briefing on Wednesday.
For treatment of areas of concern advice may be sought and reported to the Inspectorate of Health 542-3579, Collective Prevention Services 542-2078/542-3003, Harrigan Exterminating Services 544-2281, Terminix 544-3351, and hardware stores in order to identify suitable treatments.
A hotline is being developed and should be operational as of Thursday February 18th, where informed community members can report breeding grounds. This number is 550-CALL/550-2255. The Ministry of VSA is stepping up all prevention efforts and encourages the public to do the same.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Reports in at the Department of Collective Prevention Services (CPS) has indicated that the first case of Zika has been confirmed. At this point in time we cannot confirm that the virus was locally transmitted, as the person did travel outside Sint Maarten shortly before being tested.
“The focus for the Ministry and community at this time should remain on working together to eradicate breeding sites and to take precautions against mosquito bites. The mosquito that carries the virus are known as container breeder, therefore it is important for everyone to remain pro-active and clean yards, screen your cisterns and take preventative measures when outside. I am urging persons to think twice before littering as these mosquitos breed in bottle caps, and other garbage that can collect rain water,” stated Minister Lee at press briefing on Wednesday.
For treatment of areas of concern advice may be sought and reported to the Inspectorate of Health 542-3579, Collective Prevention Services 542-2078/542-3003, Harrigan Exterminating Services 544-2281, Terminix 544-3351, and hardware stores in order to identify suitable treatments.
A hotline is being developed and should be operational as of Thursday February 18th, where informed community members can report breeding grounds. This number is 550-CALL/550-2255. The Ministry of VSA is stepping up all prevention efforts and encourages the public to do the same.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Reports in at the Department of Collective Prevention Services (CPS) has indicated that the first case of Zika has been confirmed. At this point in time we cannot confirm that the virus was locally transmitted, as the person did travel outside Sint Maarten shortly before being tested.
“The focus for the Ministry and community at this time should remain on working together to eradicate breeding sites and to take precautions against mosquito bites. The mosquito that carries the virus are known as container breeder, therefore it is important for everyone to remain pro-active and clean yards, screen your cisterns and take preventative measures when outside. I am urging persons to think twice before littering as these mosquitos breed in bottle caps, and other garbage that can collect rain water,” stated Minister Lee at press briefing on Wednesday.
For treatment of areas of concern advice may be sought and reported to the Inspectorate of Health 542-3579, Collective Prevention Services 542-2078/542-3003, Harrigan Exterminating Services 544-2281, Terminix 544-3351, and hardware stores in order to identify suitable treatments.
A hotline is being developed and should be operational as of Thursday February 18th, where informed community members can report breeding grounds. This number is 550-CALL/550-2255. The Ministry of VSA is stepping up all prevention efforts and encourages the public to do the same.

POINTE BLANCHE:--- Recent news headlines may have eluded to the perception that bids for the development of the new hospital have already been received. Contrary to that, we are currently still at the first phase of the bidding process, where engineer firms were presented the opportunity to submit proposals for the development of the terms of reference for interested turn-key developers (design-build and maintain) who will construct a new and sustainable hospital for country St. Maarten.
Previous Government had no plans on the exact criteria of what it is we want our new hospital to entail. The perception that the new hospital was ready to be built was an illusion created by the former Government. The bids that we received last week will now allow us to have an engineer firm along with the Building Team clearly define what will be the design including what specialties, patient flows, etc.
From the four bids received from engineer firms - Lievense, ICE, Arcadis and Royal HaskoningDHV for the first phase of the plans, the winner will be chosen by Friday February 17th. The engineer firm selected will be given approximately 2 months to create the bidding package for the interested turn-key developers (design-build and maintain).
The open process approach has attracted interested turn-key development companies from around the world including Europe, Canada, India, China and USA of which Vamed is still an interested partner. There are three main items we will be looking for as it pertains to the bids, 1. Local inclusion, 2. Amount of experience in turn-key development project for hospitals, and 3. Pricing.
“We believe that by making one legal entity responsible to design, build and maintain, the quality of the construction will be increased. Maintenance contract will be based on a fixed costs and therefore creating an incentive for high quality so that excessive maintenance costs does not become a long term expense right after building the hospital.”, stated Minister Lee in press briefing on Wednesday.

PHILIPSBURG:--- History was created last Sunday when Kaecey Carty; our local, home grown athlete was named Man of the Match in the Cricket World Cup Under 19 tournament. In light of his outstanding performance; NAGICO has collaborated with the Government of Sint Maarten to host a celebration in his honor.
See below the itinerary of the planned celebration.
Wednesday; 17 February 8pm - Official welcome at Princess Juliana Airport.
Expected Guests: Guest of Honor; Kaecey Carty, Governor Min Education Sports & Youth, Members of Parliament, NAGICO reps, Guest of Honor, Sports Federation, and DCOMM.
Small motorcade from PJIA to Carty home (Cole Bay)

Thursday; 18 February 2pm
- Press conference at A.C.W Legislative Hall
Expected Guests: Guest of Honor; Kaecey Carty, Governor Min Education Sports & Youth, Members of Parliament, NAGICO reps, Guest of Honor, Sports Federation, and DCOMM.
Sunday, 19 February
- Motorcade from Carty home (Cole Bay) to Cricket field. 3PM
-Official Ceremony at Carib Lumber Cricket field 4PM ending with a island wide motorcade
Expected Guests: Guest of Honor; Kaecey Carty, Governor Min Education Sports & Youth, Members of Parliament, NAGICO reps, Guest of Honor, Sports Federation, and DCOMM.
*Please note that the general public is invited to attend to support Sunday's event.

MULLET BAY:---. With a total amount of 23 golfers, the February Medal Play event, organized by the St. Maarten Golf Association SMGA, was again a huge success. With a 70 Gross score, Howard Hobgood won both the prize for Overall Low Gross as well as 1st Low Gross in the Senior’s category. Overall Low Net was won by Tony Burn with a score of 66.

1st Low Gross in the Men’s category was won by Pierre Garcia with a score of 72. In the same category Marc van Iersel won 1st Low Net with a score of 69.

In the Ladies flight the prize for 1st Low Gross was won by Gitte Poulsen with a score of 90, 1st Low Net was won by Joanna Ambron with a score of 75. The flight Super Seniors was won by Stéphane Legendre with a Gross score of 93 strokes, 1st Low Net was won by Frank Jespersen with a score of 70.

The fewest putts during the round were made by Stanley Samuel with a solid 27 putts over 18 holes.

Players that join the monthly Medal Play matches can qualify for the St. Maarten Golf team that will compete against other islands in the Eastern Caribbean Golf Championship.

For more information on tournaments or membership please contact the Golf Shop at the Mullet Bay Golf Course or check the SMGA website at www.stmaartengolf.com

PHILIPSBURG:--- On February 13th, 2016 SCELL, The University of St. Martin’s School of Continuing Education and Life Long Learning, the birthmother of the Women’s Island Network (WIN), held its first WIN community event at the St. Maarten Home for the Elderly located in St. Johns and celebrated Valentine’s Day with the residents.
WIN was founded in August 2015 by Dr. Natasha J. Gittens, Ph.D. CHE. Director of SCELL based on her vision to organize a consortium of powerful women on the island to embrace and mentor young women and empower women as a whole to pursue educational opportunities at USM/UVI that will directly increase student enrollment at USM.
WIN’s event was the perfect mix of love and dedication, eloquently balanced on behalf of the WIN Board. The week prior to the event, WIN Board Members established a new program referred to as WIN Ambassadors. The Ambassadors are a mix of young men and women, high school age, preparing for university enrollment in the near future. WIN will provide the Ambassadors with mentoring opportunities and guidance to both prepare and support their decision to pursue degrees at the University of St. Martin and the University of The Virgin Islands at St. Maarten. The Ambassadors collaboratively made homemade Valentine’s Day Cards for the elderly the weekend prior to present to the residents of the home this past Saturday. Each resident received a homemade card and enjoyed Caribbean music by a DJ, provided by WIN for the event. The WIN Members and the Ambassadors engaged with residents one on one and danced the afternoon away.
The staff and residents had a positive reaction to the event and stated:
"This is a very good incentive by the WIN Organization. This shows alot of love, joy and respect towards the elderly, please keep coming back with the students. These students are examples of how other students should respect themselves and others." Lorna Goldin. Nursing Assistant

"I give all praise to the TOP our Lord Jesus Christ for this Organization! I would have expected this visit only from churches and not from an Organization, All praises to God! Enid Bradshaw (Elderly Resident)

"It's nice to know that young people remember the elderly." Claris Hodge (Elderly Resident)

SCELL Director, Dr. Gittens stated: WIN’s President, Marilyn Cronie is a born leader and WIN’s Vice President Adelena Schapp is a visionary. With their passion for education and dedication to supporting Women’s educational advancement at USM/UVI, WIN will soar to heights unimaginable and change the lives of both woman and community members in high numbers over the next several years.
Become a part of WIN a vibrant professional women’s group or to become a WIN Ambassador, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 554-2437. You can also visit the SCELL website @ http://scell.usmonline.onl/.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St Maarten Zoo invites the community to jump start 2016 on a healthy note with a “Walk For A Cause”. This family-friendly event is scheduled for Saturday, February 27, 2016.
The walkathon starts at 5:00 a.m. sharp; check-in begins at 4:45 a.m. at the Zoo’s parking lot. The route will take walkers 3.6 miles around the Great Salt Pond.
“This will be our second year hosting a walkathon and we are extremely excited. Last year was successful and we do hope that our supporters come out in full force said Public Relations Officer of the Board Caisha Evans.
As the St. Maarten Zoo has always been an advocate for sustainability, we will not be printing t-shirts for the event, however, with the purchase of the ticket, a hearty breakfast, oranges for energy and water will be provided. In order to enjoy the breakfast and refreshments your ticket must be presented.
Tickets may be purchased for $10 at the St. Maarten Zoo in Madame Estate (Tel: 1721- 5432030), and/or from Board members whom you can contact via our Facebook page: facebook.com/StMaarten Zoo. All proceeds will be going towards the well care of the Zoo. This is a great way to start the year off in the right direction, for you and for our Zoo.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Last week, the Management of NV GEBE released Key Performance index figures of 2015 to the Supervisory Board. These figures are used periodically to monitor the progress of ongoing projects.
One such project is the Non-Revenue Water (NRW) Project, better known as the Water Loss Reduction Project. NV GEBE has been meticulously working on reducing water losses since 2014.
As one of the main priorities of the then newly installed board, management and staff of NV GEBE set out a plan to increase the efficiency of the water distribution system.
As a result, the performance indicators show that water losses which were peaking close to 40% (38.3%) in 2013, decreased to 34.9% in 2014, and there was a further decrease in water losses recorded in 2015 dropping to an average of 29.5%. This is the first time in six years that water losses have been recorded below 30%.
NV GEBE acknowledges that there is still a long way to go to reduce the water losses even further. The aim is to have the NRW reduced to less than 20% by the end of 2017.
In order to meet this goal, the Supervisory board and management has committed to continue its ambitious NRW plan. Over 13 million guilders have been earmarked for water projects in the 2016 budget. The requested amount for the continuation of the project in 2017 will be approximately the same.
The Water Loss Reduction project consists of among other actions: locating and repairing major leaks, switching consumers to digital meters, installing bulk meters to better monitor water distribution, water tank repair, replacement and new tank installations and customer awareness programs.
Some of the above mentioned actions were clearly visible by the community in 2015. NV GEBE would like to thank the hard working staff for their tireless contributions as the results are reflected in the 2015 performance of the company.
Not only the water losses decreased in the period 2014-2015, but the electricity efficiency also improved. The electricity losses were on average 8.7% in 2013. This decreased to 7.4% in 2014 and 6.8% in 2015. This shows that NV GEBE is operating within industry standards of electricity efficiency.
The Supervisory board and Management are counting on the continued support of the community as they are committed to improve and serve you better.

Immigration Officers had to shackle female Employee at Maho due to her disorderly behavior.

PHILIPSBURG: --- The Ministry of Justice is busy preparing a protocol on how joint controls should be conducted confirmed Minister of Justice Edison Kirindongo when asked about the investigation regarding the controls that were conducted at MAHO Hotel.
The Minister of Justice also confirmed that the immigration officers had to shackle an employee who had no form of identification on her when they visited the establishment. Minister Kirindongo said the reported stated that the employee acted in a disorderly manner leaving the controllers with no other choice but to restrain her and take her to IND where they established her working and living status on the island.
Two weeks ago, controllers controlled MAHO hotel where they closed down the POINT restaurant for insanitary conditions, they closed the door of a casino temporarily until management produced their business license and they also controlled some of the guests due to complaints filed by workers who were victimized by the management of MAHO Group of Companies. After the controls were conducted management of MAHO contacted several politicians and government where they levied all sorts of complaints. Management of MAHO also chose to write several letters to government accusing the controllers of misuse of power. These accusations prompted Prime Minister William Marlin to suspend the controls temporarily until clarity could be given by the department heads. However, the head of the inspectorate and the Minister of VSA Emil Lee made clear in a press release that the joint controls will continue.

Immigration Officers had to shackle female Employee at Maho due to her disorderly behavior.

PHILIPSBURG: --- The Ministry of Justice is busy preparing a protocol on how joint controls should be conducted confirmed Minister of Justice Edison Kirindongo when asked about the investigation regarding the controls that were conducted at MAHO Hotel.
The Minister of Justice also confirmed that the immigration officers had to shackle an employee who had no form of identification on her when they visited the establishment. Minister Kirindongo said the reported stated that the employee acted in a disorderly manner leaving the controllers with no other choice but to restrain her and take her to IND where they established her working and living status on the island.
Two weeks ago, controllers controlled MAHO hotel where they closed down the POINT restaurant for insanitary conditions, they closed the door of a casino temporarily until management produced their business license and they also controlled some of the guests due to complaints filed by workers who were victimized by the management of MAHO Group of Companies. After the controls were conducted management of MAHO contacted several politicians and government where they levied all sorts of complaints. Management of MAHO also chose to write several letters to government accusing the controllers of misuse of power. These accusations prompted Prime Minister William Marlin to suspend the controls temporarily until clarity could be given by the department heads. However, the head of the inspectorate and the Minister of VSA Emil Lee made clear in a press release that the joint controls will continue.

On Friday the controllers  conducted a joint control at Nature’s Discount on Cannigieter Street. The kitchen area of the establishment was closed by the department of Economic Affairs because their business license did not state that they are allowed to prepare food to sell.
Nature Discount belong to former Member of Parliament Jules James.

MARIGOT/GREAT BAY:--- The 25th anniversary of the island-wide Black History Celebration is in its third week of February events and activities, said Shujah Reiph, president of Conscious Lyrics Foundation (CLF).
The CLF-organized radio readings that annually celebrate history-making personalities, ideas, events, places, and a range of ongoing developments make up the daily stream of the island’s Black History Month activities. The readings are broadcasted from Monday to Friday on SOS radio, 95.9 FM, at 7:45 AM, 2:45 PM, and 4:45 PM. “Each reading is aired for only five minutes but what a wealth on inspiring information,” said Reiph.
Upcoming readings, voiced by educator Marie Richardson, “will focus on historical and cultural personalities and issues of St. Martin, North and South, that are not usually covered systematically in the curricula on either part of the island,” said Reiph.
To date the five-minute readings have covered issues ranging from biographical bytes, the structure of languages and decision-making in the Caribbean, to self-esteem building in Black boys, said Reiph. The brief readings thus far were taken from the biographies or writings of CLR James, George Padmore, Carlos Cooks, Mervin Alleyne, and Jawanza Kunjufu.
The theme of the Black History Celebration 2016 is “Living History.” “The theme is also integrated into the annual Black History Celebration Lecture, which is the highpoint of the month of activities,” said Reiph. CLF speakers, including Reiph, are also invited to speak at schools, churches, and civic organizations about historical subjects throughout February.
On Saturday, February 20, the 25th annual Black History Celebration Lecture is scheduled at the University of St. Martin, starting at 8pm. The guest speaker is Dr. Umar Johnson, a renowned clinical psychologist and Pan-Africanist, said Reiph.

PHILIPSBURG:--- NAGICO Insurances would like to congratulate our local youth cricketer; Keacy Carty who made history last Sunday on the international stage by scoring a match-winning unbeaten half century, which helped secure the Under-19 Cricket World Cup for West Indies in Bangladesh.
NAGICO says their entire organization; which has been a major supporter of Carty since he started his career in St. Maarten, is thrilled with his victory. “We are very proud of Keacy and his accomplishments, he has not only done himself proud, but has done the entire Country Sint Maarten proud,” Dwayne Elgin; CEO of NAGICO Insurances. “He has proven once again that anything can be accomplished with hard work, dedication and focus and these are all qualities that we saw in Keacy when he started this journey years ago in the beginning of his career and these are the traits we encourage young people in the community to adapt."
Imran McSood Amjad; Chairman of the NAGICO Group and Chairman of Cricket St. Maarten and also one of Carty's mentor was also elated at the news and had high praises for the young cricketer. "This is indeed a proud moment for all of us, especially since we have been following Keacy's career from the onset," McSood said. "His accomplishment comes as no surprise as we know he is destined for great things. Keacy virtually grew up as part of NAGICO Cricket where I and his father Keith are the longest serving members. So we want to extend our heartiest congratulations to him and let him know that Cricket St. Maarten and NAGICO will continue to support him as he continues to strive for success. "
The West Indies produced an outstanding bowling performance to outclass India who made a meagre 145 runs in 45.1 overs. In reply, Keacy Carty scored a masterful 52 not out alongside Keemo Paul (40 not out) as the Windies chased down the total, reaching the target in 49.3 overs. This secured the West Indies claim to the Under 19 World Cup for the first time.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prison guards and detectives are busy searching for an escaped prisoner by the name of Kathron Fortune a.k.a “CUCHI”. The escape occurred in Cay Hill on Monday February 15th at approximately 03.30 p.m. The prisoner who was taken to a doctor’s clinic in Cay Hill managed to escape from the guards while waiting to be attended by the doctor. He took off running through the Cay Hill area. Shots were fired and it is unclear if the suspect got hold of a firearm or not. This suspect who has to sit a very lengthy sentence is considered to be armed and very dangerous. The suspect was last seen in the area of Cay Hill dressed in “Kaki clothing”. On Monday evening the search was ongoing to recapture this prisoner.
The Prosecutors office and Police Department is asking the general public who may have information regarding the where about of the prisoner to immediately get in contact with the police via 911, # 9300 or the police station 54-22222.
WARNING:
Do not attempt to apprehend this prisoner on your own get in contact with the police as the suspect is armed and dangerous, and was convicted on a prior murder case.

KPSM and Prosecutor's Office Report

SMN News learnt that the suspect was armed and he fired shots both at the police and prison guards that was running after him. However, police spokesman Ricardo Henson said that he could not confirm if the escaped prisoner had a firearm on him at the time of the escape. SMN News further learnt that the detectives start looking at the homes and relatives of the escaped prisoner.  Sources say that the escaped prisoner spoke to the mother of  his child after he escaped. Cuchi was convicted to 21 years for the murder Ervin Martina in 2007. The brutal murder took place in May 2006. While police are saying that they are not sure if the escaped prisioner was armed, residents in the area said they saw the getaway killer fired shots at the prison guards when they were running behind him.

 Escaped Prisoner still on the run, Escape seemed to have been planned --- LR starts investigation --- Minister Kirindongo
Kathron Fortune a.k.a “CUCHI” the prisoner who escaped on Monday afternoon is still on the run and police are still busy looking for the prisoner that is considered armed and dangerous.
In an invited comment Minister of Justice Edison Kirindongo told SMN News on Tuesday that the prisoner escaped while he was being escorted back to the vehicle to return to Pointe Blanche Prison. The Minister said that he held discussions with the head of the prison Edward Rohan who told him that the prisoner had already seen the doctor. Asked if the prisoner was shacked knowing his background or if he was walking freely, the Minister said a person with that type of criminal background had to be shackled when they are taken out of the prison. He said he could not say if the prison guards had the prisoner shacked at the time, but all of that are now being investigated as he instructed the Prosecutor’s Office to have the National Detectives investigate the case.
Also asked by SMN News if the prisoner had in his possession a loaded fire arm since residents of the area said they saw the prisoner firing shots at the prison guards while he was running away. Minister Kirindongo said when he asked the prison director if the prisoner had a fire arm, he was told that the prison guards told their boss that they did not see the prisoner with a firearm but shots were being fired at them. The Minister said based on the information gathered thus far it appeared as though the escape was well planned.

Pond Island:--- TelEm Group management says, contrary to what was stated by a company union representative, Chief Financial Officer, Mrs. Helma Etnel, was NOT asked to address Parliament or the Central Committee regarding the outsourced Helpdesk that is based in Curacao and was in fact responding to a question from a government official on the matter.
Management issued the following statement in response to SMCU President, Ludson Evers’ claim yesterday.
“The decision to outsource the Helpdesk was a decision taken by the former Change Manager, Mr. Pieter Drenth, who was appointed by the then government, and is a situation that is inherited by Mrs. Etnel.
The Helpdesk was initially established on St. Maarten with local employees and was located at the Harbour, however, due to several well-document challenges, a request was made by the Helpdesk company to move their operation to Curacao where personnel challenges could be better resolved.
The move to outsource the Helpdesk to an outside company was a major cost reduction for TelEm Group, not only were the cost or operation reduced, but service hours also be extended so that customers could now be served after regular office hours up to 9PM and at weekends.
The Helpdesk was initially established to provide DSL support to customers, however these services were extended to include Customer Care, ,Directory services, Billing enquiries, Call Transfer, Registering of complaints and phone line outages, Blackberry and 3G services, Product information and Mobile voice and data information and Telemarketing services when needed.
Mrs. Etnel has informed government on several occasions in the past that she would prefer to transfer the Helpdesk service back to St. Maarten so long as a qualified local helpdesk company can be found that can provide at least the same level of service.
It is normal that telcos outsource certain activities to call centers that are often overseas. Just as it is normal to also outsource many other activities, such as cleaning, security and work to contractors.

In our case the decision to outsource the Helpdesk lead to major cost savings while extending service hours till 9:00 pm and into weekends, which has been very important, especially for our customers who depend on their internet and DSL service 24/7.
Management
TelEm Group

PHILIPSBURG:---The PEACE IS Foundation recently made a presentation of teachers and student manuals to the Department of Student Care of the St. Maarten Academy for use in their Peaceable Schools program. The manuals are essential for the successful implementation of the program. The Peaceable Schools program was introduced to all students of Forms 1 and 2 in August to October 2015. In the next phase of the program during the next academic year, Form 2 students will be given the opportunity to become trained peer mediators in the Peace Ambassadors program. PEACE IS Foundation utilized funds that were reserved from the Peace Is Paradise breakfast program of 2014 to purchase the materials.

In expressing her appreciation for the support of PEACE IS, Ms. Lisa Wilson stated, “We are extremely grateful for the work that Peace IS Foundation is doing in the community and we are happy to be receiving these books for our Guidance curriculum". PEACE IS will continue to support the efforts of the St. Maarten Academy as it implements peaceable solutions in the school.

CAY HILL:--- CC1 St. Maarten, distributor of Coca Cola, the world’s number one beverage, will release an exclusive, limited edition 12 – ounce can, emblazoned with the St. Maarten Carnival Logo, makes this a first for the island. This one of a kind Coca Cola can with the slogan; “Enjoy Carnival with Coca Cola”, also features a dancing reveler graphic allusive to Carnival.
“We are very enthusiastic and proud of this special release, and have plans to make it an annual tradition so that it becomes an integral part of St. Maarten Carnival, and provides fans with an annual Coca Cola carnival collectable” said General Manager Ada Iris Delgado.
The SCDF President Mike Granger said,” liking the new limited edition designed Can for Carnival is an understatement, I really love it!! “. SCDF marketing Director, Rolando Bryson stated “he was blown away by the fact that this project was presented to him just last year, and couldn’t believe his eyes that it really materialized." Mr. Bryson went on to state “we created the most recent Carnival St. Maarten logo 3 years ago and never expected it would have ever made it to a Coca Cola can. This looks amazing and will have a huge reach for our Carnival spectators.”
“Following the completion of a rigorous and meticulous implementation process, we are very excited to present the community of St. Maarten with their very own Coca Cola Carnival Commemorative can," says Jonelie M. Vélez, Marketing Manager of CC1 St. Maarten. “We are very proud to be the exclusive soft drink sponsor of Carnival 2016. Our contribution will serve to immerse the visitors of our island into the Carnival mood, while also showcasing our Coca Cola product, which will be easily recognizable on stores shelves”.
Beginning this week, fans can purchase their 2016 edition Coca Cola Carnival product at major retailers across the island, while supplies last. The plan is to distribute 700,000 total units over a period of 3 months, completing at the end of May 2016.
To kick this program off, CC1 St. Maarten will be giving away more than 20 Carnival Season passes which permit winner’s access to Festival Village for the entire carnival season. For additional information, or for a chance to win, look for “Win a Carnival Season Pass with Coca Cola” in newspapers and listen for ads on the radio.
For inquires, or placing an order please contact CC1 St. Maarten, +1 721 542 2283. Located on Oryx Drive #1, Cay Hill or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

GREAT BAY:--- St. Martin (February 14, 2016)—The St. Martin Book Fair, slated for mid-2016, is already being profiled in the USA and Caribbean media.
“Readers and authors will be gathering in the Caribbean for the 14th annual St. Martin Book Fair, scheduled for June 2 through 4,” according to New York Daily News.
The “popular book fair” is a “multifaceted ... multimedia ... marketplace” that connects “St. Martin and the Caribbean through workshops, seminars and other activities,” wrote Jared McCallister, the newspaper’s “Caribbean Beat” columnist.
Before the Daily News became the first news media to announce the 2016 book fair date in its January 31 edition, the island’s literary fest was being “talked about” in Trinidad, said Jacqueline Sample, president of House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP).
In the Guardian of Trinidad & Tobago, award-winning author Loretta Klobah “credits ... literary festivals like the Bocas, Jamaica’s Calabash and St. Martin’s Book Fair” as forming “an important network base” for the growing literary connectivity and the continued desire for regional unity in the Caribbean.
The article, “The write of retreating” by Simon Lee, appeared in the Guardian edition of January 28 – reporting on the North Coast Writing Retreat, which convened a power-pack of authors in Trinidad in January.
In its January edition, the US-based Writer’s Digest is actually encouraging its mega-readership to, “Plan your next vacation around ... Caribbean literary festivals, and enrich your writing life island-style.”
Listed as one of its cover stories, the article by the busy Antiguan writer Joanne Hillhouse features five literary festivals: Anguilla Lit Fest, Trinidad’s Bocas Lit Fest, Jamaica’s Calabash Literary Festival, Dominica’s Nature Island Literary Festival, and the St. Martin Book Fair.
“Run by a cadre of energetic young volunteers,” writes Hillhouse about the Friendly Island’s festival, “the event facilitates real bonding and a relaxed pace, save for the busier singular book fair day, Saturday at the University of St. Martin, which has a packed schedule of sales and signings.”
“Dr. Loretta Klobah and Joanne Hillhouse are exciting writers. Each was a hit at one or two activities of previous Book Fair editions,” said St. Martin Book Fair coordinator Shujah Reiph. “I’m very happy and thankful that both writers are sharing their St. Martin experiences near and far.”
The St. Martin Book Fair 2016 has as its theme: “The Science of It,” said Reiph. The Book Fair Committee (BFC) is “planning an exciting 14th anniversary literary festival for the entire family. I think the BFC is a hit with our guest authors from around the world. The committee is the same energetic cadre Joanne mentions in Writer’s Digest,” said Reiph. A photo of BFC members accompanies the Daily News story.
Recently, “The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau and the Médiathèque Territoriale received a gift of books for their public or reference library collections from HNP and the book fair organization,” said Sample. The multilingual sets of books included titles published by HNP and books by guest authors of St. Martin Book Fair, said Sample.
The island-wide book fair alternates its opening ceremony between both capitals of the island. This year the South will host the opening of the festival, said Reiph, who is also president of Conscious Lyrics Foundation (CLF).
Conscious Lyrics Foundation and House of Nehesi Publishers organize the St. Martin Book Fair in collaboration with the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, University of St. Martin (USM), LC Fleming Foundation, and St. Martin Tourist Office.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Sunday February 7ht, 2016, at 1:00PM until 5:00PM, Global missions Church held its Annual Award Ceremony and Lunch. Also included at the event this year was their book signing. “The Stars are back in town” authored by Pastor Esmond Flemming. The event was held at Pineapple Pete in Simpson bay. The event attracted a large crowd of about 115 people and was a success by God grace. Consequently, Global Missions Church, would like to say A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OUR FRIENDS! It is because of your support, God gave us the grace to be successful! Thanks to Esmond Flemming Jr. for the motivational pep talk to the youths; great anointing; Great message: "Watch your icecream". Thanks to Pastor Wycliffe Smith for gracing us with his presence and for the encouragement to the youths, Thanks to all the other performing Artists: Steppers for Christ, Cedrick Rey, Pastor Andrea Webster, I Can Foundation soloists. Thank you to Pineapple Pete for showing such warm love and contribution for the Youths of St. Maarten and for allowing the event to be held at your Venue. Thanks also to Sis. Victoria Catering Service, love and Grace Fellowship, Minister Monique Rey, Latoya and Tayib Flemming, Evangelist Jeannette Harrigan, Walter Maragerita, Natasha Harewood, Teacher Harrigan, Marlon Arrinell and his wife, all the parents, the teachers, the part of our Youth program participants who showed up for their Awards and all the team workers who made this event a success. ! GMC award ceremony, compliments their Youth summer camp program, their annual combine youth rally and their After School program, where the children are helped with their home work, language art, Mathematics, art and craft, storytelling, drama, singing, dance, Music, outing, and play. Therefore, Global Missions Church also wish to say a special thank you to all of our sponsors both individuals and businesses for supporting GMC Youth training and counseling program projects over the years.
King Solomon in 2 Chronicles 6:14-15 (NCV), "14 He said, “Lord, God of Israel, there is no god like you in heaven or on earth. You keep your agreement of love with your servants who truly follow you. 15 You have kept the promise you made to your servant David, my father. You spoke it with your own mouth and finished it with your hands today". In other words, God by His grace did it!

PHILIPSBURG:--- In keeping with the principles of openness and transparency, Social and Health Insurances SZV has received four bids for the first phase of the plans to construct a new and sustainable hospital for country St. Maarten. SZV appointed KPMG to assist in the bidding process where four local and international engineering companies were requested to bid. On Monday February 15th the bids of Lievense, ICE, Arcadis and Royal HaskoningDHV were accepted for consideration.
Interim Director of SZV, Glen Carty thanked Henk de Zeeuw, Managing Director of KPMG for his efforts thus far in assisting with the bidding and development process of the new hospital. SZV is looking for an engineering company to consult and advise SZV and the Government on the functional requirements, development as well as cost and quality consulting for the development of the new hospital. With the construction it is key that the new facilities are sustainable in hosting the ever growing population of St. Maarten/Saint Martin as well as cater to the expansion of medical services.
This week the four bids will undergo evaluation and negotiations will take place. The selection of the winning bid is scheduled for Friday February 19th. The second phase of the project consists of the preparation of the tender document for the design, construction and maintenance of the new hospital.
Minister Lee stated "I am very pleased with SZV's open approach towards the development of the new hospital. Besides ensuring that the people will be getting the best quality hospital for a competitive price, the open approach encourages the participation of other stakeholders. Transparency has already opened the possibility of financing from Holland and structural cooperation with the French side. Development of a state of the art hospital that is financially sustainable is a critical part of ensuring that all residents of St. Maarten have access to affordable and quality health care, close to home."
The project is progressing swiftly as construction is aimed to start in the third quarter of this year with a goal of completion in the second half of 2019.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Silveria Jacobs extends congratulations on behalf of the government and entire community of St. Maarten to Keacy Carty and the West Indies U19 team on the West Indies win in the U19 World Cup Cricket finals Sunday morning in Bangladesh.
The team surpassed expectations by reaching the finals, defeating the home team of Bangladesh on Thursday. They faced favorite India in the finals but were able to secure the win with 52 runs not out batted in by our very own St. Maarten star Keacy Carty.
Carty was named man of the match and in his interview credited his success in the finals to his deep belief in God and his will to make history in this opportunity at the U19 Cricket World Cup.
St. Maarten is very proud of Keacy's achievements and we are actively preparing to show him our gratitude for putting St. Maarten on the world stage.
The Minister called his parents to congratulate him on their son's success. His parents Keith and Angela Carty are very proud of his achievements, and mom explained that dad Keith had trained his son from small and that he has been representing St. Maarten in Leeward Island National teams in tournaments and championships in U13, U15, U17, U19 before being chosen to a part of this U19 West Indies team. He is currently playing for the Leeward Islands and is stationed in St. Kitts and will have to rejoin his team soon.
This is a great example of parental involvement and must be commended.
We look forward to welcoming our hero, Keacy, home in style. More information will be made public when his arrival date is arranged.
Examples such as this highlights the need for us to invest even more in sports and arts for our youth in order for them to realize their true potential and showcase their skills and talents locally, regionally and internationally. It is the Ministry's goal to provide opportunities for our youth in all areas, provide the proper facilities as well as trainers to build national teams and maximize the possibilities for our athletes to excel.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Management of the Sint Maarten and the Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba) Fire Departments, met recently at the fire station in Cay Hill.

The fire departments of the four islands have been working together for a number of years already, albeit on a more informal level.

It was deemed necessary to foster this cooperation in a more structured manner. Therefore, a meeting was organized to discuss common issues between the two departments.

Both departments presented their current state of affairs to the meeting, as well as plans for the future. The intention was to identify commonalities and cooperation possibilities.

The conclusion of the meeting was that there are multiple possibilities to join forces and work on several projects together.
It was decided the cooperation would focus on education, training, examination, capacity building, material, policy planning and disaster management.

During the meeting it was also decided it would be wise to formalize this cooperation in an agreement. Parties will work on a draft and present this in due course to the relevant authorities for approval and signing.

All participants are looking forward to a fruitful and successful cooperation in the years to come. These meetings will be held on a regular basis.

The hope was also expressed Aruba and Curaçao would be able to join in the near future.

PHILIPSBURG:----The tenants of the Belvedere and the emergency homes have been complaining about the harsh treatment they have been receiving from the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation. Since 1995 those emergency homes were constructed for those citizens that were left homeless after the passing of Hurricane Luis. However, no one would have believed that after so many complaints by the tenants for over 21 years that these homes still have one door. This situation at these homes is dangerous and is waiting for some major fire to break out and lives are lost. This is unacceptable and especially since these homes are owned by a government foundation that should be leading by example. All the foundation rules are enforced when a tenant falls in arrear with his rent which most of the time leads to eviction. We expect the government to enforce their building codes and instruct the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation to install a second door in the back of these homes at their expense.
We have also learnt that the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation is charging the tenants a monthly maintenance fee of 10% of the monthly rent. A tenant is also required to pay three months deposit when signing a rental contract with one month non-refundable. All of these regulations are putting a tremendous financial burden on our people and forcing many of them to apply for a loan to meet these demands. Above and beyond these rules the tenants are required to install their own light fixtures, bulbs and cabinets and when leaving either remove them or leave them behind without being compensated.
The OSPP has forwarded a letter to the Minister of VROMI, Mr. Angel Meyers asking him to explain to the general public what is the government policy on housing in particular the emergency and the Belvedere homes? We also want to know why the Vorst Estate was not transferred to the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation for one guilder to build homes for our young professionals. The core business of the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation is the development of properties for rent and for sale. Can the government explain if the subsidy policy for the Belvedere homes is still available to the tenants?
Some of the duplexes in Belvedere have been sold in the past and many tenants are stating that they were told that after living in the homes for a certain amount of years those homes will be sold to them. Is that a true statement? If yes, when will the government commence will selling those duplexes and the emergency homes to the occupants?
In the last year and a half there have been a lot of reports in the media about the management and the supervisory board of the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation. During that time the Managing Director and others were sent home. Has a new Managing Director been appointed to the foundation? Is the Supervisory Board complete and who are those members?
We can’t continue operating this very important foundation in this manner. A large proponent of the cost of living is rent and we need to address this housing issue without any further delay.

Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning,
Environment and Infrastructure,
The Government Administration Building
Clem Labega Square
Philipsburg, St. Maarten

Attention: Mr. Angel Meyers
Minister of VROMI

Dear Mr. Minister Angel Meyers,

It is very unfortunate that after twenty one (21) years the homes that were constructed for those persons that were mostly affected by Hurricane Luis in 1995 to date still have one door. This has been brought to the attention of many of our Ministers of VROMI since St. Maarten attained the status of Country within the Dutch Kingdom. Some one would expect that our government would lead by example and correct this situation within the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation. Or are we to wait until a major disaster takes place such as a fire and lives are lost before this situation is corrected? Can we for once be pro-active and addressed this issue before it is too late?

We would also appreciate if the Minister can inform the general public what is this government policy regarding the sales of those emergency homes and the duplexes in Belvedere? Many tenants in Belvedere are indicating that during the time they begun leasing those homes they were told that in due time they would be sold to them. In the past the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation began selling some of those duplexes. How many duplexes were sold and why those duplexes and not others? Are the plans of this government to continue selling those duplexes, given first preference to those tenants who are presently occupying them and that the moneys paid to date in rent would be subtracted from the selling price? It is important that the tenants know in advance in order to make the necessary financial arrangements with their banks.

We have also noticed that the maintenance on those homes is very poor and leaves a whole lot to be desire. However, what is very striking to us is the fact that the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation is charging the tenants ten percent (10%) of their rent as a maintenance fee and a third deposit that is non-refundable. How can these homes be referred to as affordable when our people in many cases need to obtain a loan in order to sign the lease because of these draconian rental policies. They are given short notice from one day to the other to come up with the money otherwise the home is given to another person. Wouldn’t you consider this an abuse and total lack of respect towards our hard working citizens who want the best for their family? It is also unheard of that tenants when moving into these homes must install their own cabinets, light fixtures, bulbs and when leaving can either remove them or leave them without being compensated for them. Many of the tenants are complaining about the termites that eating up the place and when complaining to the foundation, they receive no type of satisfaction. The tenants who are living there for a long time feel as if the foundation wants them out even though they are in good standing. This is due to the fact that the foundation feels that the rent they are paying is very low. The OSPP also wants to know if the subsidy policy is still into effect for the tenants of Belvedere and if the one year contract is automatically renewed?

The OSPP wants to know who the members are of the board of the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation. Is all the Supervisory Board positions filled according to the articles of the foundation? If not, why not?
Is it the intention of this government to have the position of Chief Executive Officer (Managing Director) of the foundation filled within short? If not, why not? Or is the government satisfied with the Interim Management team that is leading the foundation at this moment? If yes, who are the members of the Interim Management and for how long are they appointed and by whom if the board is incomplete?

The OSPP also wants to know why the Vorst Estate was not transferred to the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation for a symbolic guilder in order for them to build the low income homes for the young professionals. After all, the core business of the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation is the development of properties for rent and for sale.

The OSPP wants to thank you in advance and look forward to you addressing these very serious issues affecting our people.

Yours truly,
One St. Maarten People Party

Lenny F. Priest
Leader

Cc: Members of Parliament

Rediscovering the collaboration of Lasana Sekou and Angelo Rombley

By Tamara Groeneveldt

GRAND CASE, St. Martin (February 14, 2016)—The Salt Reaper – selected poems from the flats by Lasana M. Sekou is a poetry-music CD from which each spoken word track unfolds like a morsel for the listener. As the poet’s voice and the negotiating music by Angelo Rombley travel into each poem or enter the listener, the whole palette of the listener’s senses becomes tantalized.
The Salt Reaper poems vary from stingingly salty and succulently sweet, to scorchingly sour and bitingly bitter. The sounds, riffs, and beats manage to add a fresh dimension to reveal The Salt Reaper’s flesh and inner core.
Each time the spoken word-sound hurls through speakers, air, or headphones there’s a sense of a developing Salt Reaper persona that we can also see, smell, touch, and feel.
St. Martin, Land of Salt, Soualiga, looms large in this recording, competing with personal, regional, and world affairs. I’m more intrigued by how Sekou and Rombley tell and sound off the St. Martin story to the “nation self” and therefore to the world.
Having any idea of the island’s history leaves the listener with questions, even before a whole poem or the whole CD is done playing. Is the purpose of the reaper to procure his saline harvest or to act as the vocal Grim Reaper who retrieves the spirits of a myriad of dead and untold stories (and voices them)? What else to make of the lines in “Salt Reaping II”? “we keep hearing how/it was sweet but hard/ah say, we keep hearing how it was sweet but hard/maybe so/it was like loving.”
In his storytelling and free verse style, Sekou is known for using vocal varieties, intonations, and vernacular, and this audio production brings his poetry alive in ways that we can only imagine when reading his books.
The Salt Reaper poems on disc display vivid images and characters that, on an ordinary day could be found proudly populating the pavements of the ever-expanding palatable paradise of St. Martin with its African, English, French, Dutch, Spanish, Amerindian, and Asian influences.
The Salt Reaper melodically—because I think Sekou sings the words as Rombley spins the beats—takes the listener from the crevices of “New World” inception to the craters of the island’s future, riding waves of musical genres, styles, instruments, and sounds. You’ll find this collaboration at its peak in “Cradle of The Nation,” which reggae scholar and critic Carolyn Cooper has called a “magisterial” poem.
In the track “Freedom,” Sekou personifies Freedom with the raw opening, “Freedom is my bitch to keep.” He is protective and possessive of her like a champion rooster guarding a prized hen—“jealous of her like sickness.” He desirously guards Freedom because he sucked salt and diligently labored to have all of her. His ambition drives him and his desired beloved draws him—“daring me always to be man.”
Freedom, whether individual liberties or political independence, is a constant of Sekou’s poetry, short stories, and essays. His ability to invent and re-invent the duality or multiplicity of that theme keeps him bound to certain traditions of manhood or liberation and yet current, even shockingly new, each time he is read or heard by older or younger generations.
The poem “Freedom” is not all about personal desire. With the music enticing us to do God knows what, the poet also states that Freedom is scorned by “some ah we” but “... you know what?/I want all of our children to look/just like her.”
Rombley’s musical renderings surround each pillar of brackish poetry like stakes, heightening the poetic effectiveness. The music is scoped from contemporary jazz and revengeful rock, to seducing salsa and futuristic metal. Anyone, regardless of origin, could relate to the musical influences, from Caribbean steel pan to Asian chimes.
Sound effects of wind, rain, and trickling water are incorporated in the opening of a few tracks, blending timeless elements of earth with timeless topics such as romance, geography, revolution, hatred, drugs, history, poverty, war, culture, migration, emigration, slavery, religion, colonization, sex, and freedom.
The Salt Reaper seasons the listener with a local and global flavor. Revisiting this CD, seven years since it first appeared is not so much a review but a re-discovery. It is a collection of poetry that is definitely a preservative and a vital stimulant that should be added to your pantry, as this collection is for cooking!
The Salt Reaper is available at Van Dorp, Arnia’s, iTunes, cdbaby.com/cd/lasanamsekou, Amazon.com, and other bookstores. (The Salt Reaper is also available in book form.)

PHILIPSBURG:----  In November the Government of St. Maarten held the Public Tender for the management of the Sanitary Landfill and this tender was won by the locally owned company Robelto & Son B.V. for a contractual period of 2 years with a possibility of a one year extension.
The company has started operations since December 30th 2015 when a smooth transfer took place between the old and new contractor.

At present the contractor Robelto & Son B.V. is exploring together with the Department of Infrastructure Management the possibility to start recycling at a more greater scale on the landfill that is presently ongoing.

The Government has made recycling of various waste streams a part of the new garbage contracts and is also looking at the waste of the Cruise Industry when it comes to recycling of some specific streams to enhance the program to be started on the landfill. It’s the intention to use all existing partners in the field to get an end product that suits everyone’s needs and fulfills the goals of government which is to reduce the incoming waste on the landfill as much as possible. Presently 300 trucks with garbage are brought to the landfill every day. Also the recycling will work well in preparations for the Waste to Energy processing plant as it will be sorting the garbage (fuel for the plant) ahead of production start.

On February 7th 2016 the Minister of VROMI, Mr. Angel Meyers took a tour of the landfill and was accompanied by Mr. Claudius Buncamper; Department of Infrastructure Management, Mr. Leroy La Paix; Operations Manager at the Sanitary landfill and his executive staff Ms. Chantal Groeneveldt and Ms. Kimberly Meyers.

The Minister received a complete tour of the landfill and also was shown an aerial view of the total landfill. Various problematic areas have been shown and the need for the Waste to Energy plant.

In Photo – L to R - Claudius Buncamper; Department of Infrastructure Management, Minister of VROMI, Angel Meyers, Leroy La Paix Operations Manager.

PHILIPSBURG:----The ‘SHOOT HOOPS NOT GUNS’ project kicks off its yearlong series of events on Tuesday February 16th, where one of the facilitators and founder of Oasis Caribe Movement, Mr. Kurt Schoop, will give a presentation to the community councils on the ‘Oasis Experience’.

The project exists of four components: community building and strengthening, awareness on violence in our community, festivities in various areas and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament all to be held each month in 10 communities in St. Maarten.

The community building and strengthening objectives will be achieved through the so called Oasis Games. The Oasis Games focuses, over a period of two weeks within each community on seven disciplines that the participants will experience. Its methodology aims at creating some form of transformation within the community and with its members, whether it is a personal transformation or a transformation in the community’s physical environment.

All community councils are invited to this presentation which will take place at the John Larmonie Center and will start at 7:30pm. Snacks and drinks will be available. This presentation will be followed by an intense training for all the community councils in the month of March, where trainers of the Oasis games from Curacao, Brazil and the Netherlands will facilitate the hands on activities with the community councils.

For further information interested persons can visit the website www.shoothoopsnotguns.org.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Local eco tour company Seagrape Tours has donated $2 for each customer they had in 2015 – their first year of operation – to two nature organizations on St Martin. Half of the proceeds went to the Sint Maarten Nature Foundation and the other half to Les Fruits de Mer. “The publications and events of Les Fruits de Mer are a great source of information on St Martin’s wildlife, and the Nature Foundation works hard on protecting St Maarten’s beautiful nature. Without their efforts there would be way less to show and tell during our eco tours”, says grateful tour guide Ilja Botha who owns Seagrape Tours together with her husband David Botha. “St Martin has so much more to offer than sun, sea, sand and shopping and our experience is that visitors love to learn about our history and nature.” Seagrape Tours offers History, Nature and Birdwatching Tours.

PHILIPSBURG:---- Since its inception, SHTA has been using the administrative and management expertise of our membership base to provide all incoming Governments, committees, task forces etc., with information, suggestions and opinions in ways on how to improve the finances of the country by either reducing expenses and/or increasing revenues. There are many economic principles that are equally applied to government as well as the private sector. The goal of SHTA's suggestions is always the same: To ensure that by keeping a lean Government apparatus the tax burden that is passed to individuals and businesses is always kept at the lowest possible level.

During the past week's Budget debates we were very pleased with the businesslike approach of the Minister of Finance. Some of the discussions in Parliament have echoed our previous suggestions and recommendations with respect to cost savings and revenue improvements. Some of the more notable and significant topics are the following:

* Payroll control. Payroll is the highest single expense of Government as it is in many businesses. Therefore, proper internal controls over time and attendance, enforcement of "no work, no pay" will immediately result in a major reduction of payroll expense to any organization, public or private. Now that this topic has been floored during the budget discussions we hope that a plan of action is made to implement "biometric punch clocks" on all government departments and that employees that cannot account for their time are simply not paid. This implementation alone will bring the payroll controls of government in line with the times and the investment will pay for itself within the same year.

* TOT issues. TOT is damaging the growth of our economy and motivates local businesses to purchase from overseas rather than from the local vendors. Finally we get confirmation that the
“temporary" increase of the TOT (as of 11 February 2011) from 3% to 5% actually resulted in a detriment to the coffers of the country and resulted in a contraction of the island's economy.

* The need for tax reform. For many years SHTA has been advocating to implement a tax system that works for the economy instead of against it, spreads the tax burden in an even and fair manner while simplifying the filing process which in itself has been proven internationally to increase compliance.

* That our one pillar economy can no longer depend on ad hoc and word of mouth marketing. That a structured and well executed plan of approach to increasing our Tourism based economy needs to take shape urgently. This has always been a mantra of SHTA and we reiterate the call for an independent Tourism Authority so that in times of political change, the economy can stay a steady course.
Once again SHTA remains available to assist in public private partnership to implementing the above which will undoubtedly result in an improvement to the fiscal position of the country and a lower tax burden for all.

The St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association is dedicated to bringing quality to all aspects of life on St. Maarten by promoting sustainable economic development for its members in cooperation with the social partners and the creation of a fair marketplace. For more information please contact our offices at 542-0108 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our website at www.shta.com

PHILIPSBURG:--- Mrs. Helma Etnel, Chief Financial Officer of Telem Group, lied to the Parliament of St. Maarten when answering questions regarding why the Help Desk of Telem is in Curacao and why it cannot be here, says the President of the SMCU Ludson Evers in a press release.

During the Central Committee meeting that was held on Wednesday February 10th, 2016, the Parliament of Sint Maarten was informed by Mrs. Etnel that there is a help desk in house at Telem for more difficult cases and the reason why the Help Desk is in Curacao, is not because they don’t want to, but because they cannot get anybody locally and that there was no interest during the downsizing.
The truth of the matter is that Telem does not have an internal help desk, and Telem does not want to get anybody locally either. The SMCU can guarantee there are people in St. Maarten willing to do it.

Telem had its own help desk until the management of Telem decided to outsource the department without informing the union until the year 2008. When the union looked into the matter, it was discovered that management had already outsourced the Help Desk department to a company in Curacao. The union went to management and informed them that they could not outsource a department without notifying the union. The Union also asked management as to what would happen to the employees that were already working in St. Maarten. Management’s response was that the department was not bringing in any monies and that during the restructuring; the department was going to be outsourced to make Telem leaner this was in the year 2008 and Telem restructure in the year 2012.

Despite the many efforts made by the SMCU’s to place at least 3 employees of that department in another department within Telem and not send them home, management stuck to their decision and still sent them home, those employees.
The SMCU together with the 3 former employees took Telem to court and won the case. Management never asked these employees whom Telem had considered redundant to submit a bid for this job, because management had already signed a contract with the company in Curacao, and the 3 former employees salaries were not even close to the amount mention by Mrs. Etnel in the parliament meeting.

Whenever the union questions management about the numerous complains about the Curacao help desk, and why nobody in St. Maarten can get the job. Management’s answer is that the money is not that great of a deal. However, they always refuse to provide the amount paid to the Curacao company because they say that it does not concern the union.

The union is confident that if Telem Management open a bid on St. Maarten that companies will show interest in doing this help desk job.

Basseterre:--- St. Kitts-based gospel music record label JIFE Music has begun its media tour to officially launch the label and its roster of artists. JIFE is an acronym for Jesus is For Everybody and reflects the label’s intention of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ through music with a Caribbean and international flavor. A record label designed to showcase the best in Caribbean gospel music, JIFE Music was birthed out of a desire to proclaim the Glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the form of Caribbean contemporary gospel music meeting the needs of the urban music fan. JIFE Music began with a shared vision by four entrepreneurs in St. Kitts and Nevis: Andre Huie, Roy Nisbett, Lester Henry and Jermaine Willock, each with some experience in performing, producing and presenting gospel music.
The media tour began with a visit to ZIZ Radio on Tuesday February 9, 2016 where two of the artists Nyquan and Di Anointed Vale were interviewed by famed radio host G Cue. Another young and upcoming local artist Ikena was also part of the interview. Though she is not signed to JIFE Music, she is being assisted by the label to promote her new single: “You Made Me Who I am” which she wrote and was produced by JIFE Music producer Roy “Nyquan” Nisbett. The tour continued the following day with a stop at St. Kitts and Nevis’ main Christian radio station Dominion Radio on Fort Thomas Road in Basseterre, with radio host Janeel Boon. Joining Ikena, Nyquan and Di Anointed Vale was Dominic Brookes, JIFE Music’s other artist. The artists are expected to visit other radio stations on the island.
JIFE Music is a subsidiary of Palm Branch Media, a media production company located at Pine Garden, St. Kitts and Nevis. To date, JIFE Music has four artists: Tehillah—a vivacious gospel band steeped in the flavors of authentic Caribbean gospel music; Nyquan—a multi-talented artist and the label’s executive producer specializing in various sub genres of gospel music, Dominic Brookes, a progressive young vocalist and newly signed Di Anointed Vale from Jamaica. Vale, whose birth name is Bryan Vale, is a reggae gospel artist and producer trained at the famed Edna Manley School of Arts in Jamaica. He is currently in St. Kitts doing a church tour and school ministry while also working on his album at JIFE studios. It is JIFE’s mission and goal to be cutting edge and creative in the producing, packaging and distribution of gospel music while managing its artists to achieve excellence to the glory of God. As the name suggests: Jesus is for Everybody—JIFE Music is for Everybody. Visit JIFE Music’s website at: www.jifemusic.com.

PHILPSBURG:--- Bureau Telecommunications and Post St. Maarten (BTP) represented by Ryan Wijngaarde, participated in regional workshops during the CANTO 32nd AGM & Mini Exhibition that took place in Haiti in the first week of February.

This year’s theme was “Inspiring ICT Innovations” whereby more than ninety delegates comprising c-level telecom executives, regulators, government officials and suppliers from across the region attended the event to work together on a variety projects for the further improvement of Telecom services in the region. Main topics discussed during the forum included: Corporate Social Responsibility, E-Waste & Mobile Handheld Disposal in the Caribbean, Cyber Security, Internet of Things (IoT) and regional Broadband Development.

The working sessions were important and fruitful and BTP remains committed to build regional partnerships, develop new policies and participate in projects that have a positive impact on the telecom sector in St. Maarten.

Director of BTP Mr. Anthony Carty indicated: “Bureau Telecommunications and Post St. Maarten will make ongoing efforts to translate regional initiatives & recommendations to national policies, and one our first initiatives for 2016 is to host an Internet Seminar in St. Maarten to create awareness on several important internet topics as mentioned above. Another project that we’ve prioritized is Electronic Waste (E-Waste). It’s harmful to the environment of St. Maarten, and we will assist the government in finding sound solutions for the collection and disposal of end of life (EoL) mobile phones, tablets and computers. We are looking forward to work together with the Honorable Minister of TEATT on a variety of projects that will further strengthen the telecom landscape of St. Maarten”.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The European Union and Sint Maarten have over the years enjoyed cooperation in a number of development areas. The Head of Delegation of the European Union to Guyana, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the Dutch Overseas Countries and Territories, Ambassador Jernej Videtič, was on Sint Maarten earlier this week to get a firsthand update on the progress of the EU funded programmes.

Ambassador Videtič met with Prime Minister, Honorable William Marlin, in discussions related to the EU's development assistance programmes in Sint Maarten and the Caribbean OCTs regional program. Under the 11th European Development Fund [EDF] Sint Maarten has been allocated EUR 7 Million, which focusses on the securing of water and sanitation. Euro 4.75 Million under the 10th EDF contributed to a project for the upgrading of the sewage, drainage, drinking water and road infrastructure in Dutch Quarter. Sint Maarten is managing on behalf of the Caribbean OCT’s, 40 Million Euro regional program on Marine Biodiversity and access to Sustainable Energy.

During his visit Ambassador Jernej Videtič met with Dutch representatives and French administrative authorities and conducted site visits in the Middle and Dutch Quarter regions. He ended his tour of Sint Maarten by unveiling a plaque commemorating 9th EDF projects in Middle Region that contributed over 4 Million Euro to improve access to sanitation.

CFT pleased with government approach on preparing 2016 budget.

PHILIPSBURG:-- Minister of Finance Richard Gibson informed members of the media Friday afternoon that on Thursday he got a reaction from the CFT regarding the 2016 budget. The Minister had indicated earlier that he had sent the draft budget he sent to parliament to the CFT before parliament passed the budget because he did not want the CFT to disapprove the budget after it is passed by the parliament of St. Maarten. He said that happened in 2015 and he took the necessary steps to avoid that from happening this year.
Minister Gibson said in the letter he received from the CFT they gave some indications, made suggestions, and recommendations, and if the government of St. Maarten comply with their requests then the CFT will most likely approve the 2016 budget when it is passed by parliament.
“In light of this, I sent a letter to the Parliament of St. Maarten asking that the public meeting be postponed for at least two weeks in order for the government to comply with the CFT. In my letter to parliament I requested that the public meeting be held on February 29th 2016.’
Minister Gibson said the CFT have at least four main concerns all of which government will comply with in order to get the 2016 budget approved by the CFT.
1. The CFT wants government to make a commitment in the 2016 budget that the monies they get from the division of assets from the former Netherlands Antilles will go towards paying off the debts owed to SZV and APS. Minister Gibson said that this has already been consummated in the agreement government signed with SZV and APS but government did not have that document in their hand.
2. The CFT also asked the government to include the figures from the fourth quarter of the 2015 budget, he said that has not yet been finalized because the staff in the department of Finance was focusing on preparing the 2016 budget in order to meet the deadline. The Minister of the Finance said the request from the CFT makes a lot of sense because those figures will allow the CFT to see if the country’s budget ended up with a positive or negative balance. “Either way it could influence the numbers in the 2016 budget, therefore government has to incorporate those numbers in the draft budget of 2016.
3. The CFT also wants government to incorporate the total premium that has to be paid to the pension fund. Minister Gibson said over the years St. Maarten have been indicating 22% but in the law its states 25%. The Minister of Finance said that the CFT have been asking government for years to make an amendment to either lower the percentage or stick to the law and indicate the 25%. He said that government already took a decision to lower the percentage to 22% but the process has not yet been finalized. Therefore, government will comply with the request of the CFT and calculate the pension premiums at 25%, however, government will have to find some NAF4.4M to fill that gap in order to comply with the request of the CFT. The Minister said that there will not be any need for further cuts because the “parking garage” will generate that amount of monies. Minister Gibson said that government will continue the process to lower the premium percentage and when it is completed then an amendment will be made to the budget.
4. The CFT also wants government to explain to them what savings the country will be able to generate, and how they intend to lower their expenses. The Finance Minister said that this point was addressed in the draft 2016 budget but the CFT seems to want more indebt information which government will provide by giving more detail information.

Minister Gibson said the CFT also have concerns on the multiannual budget and they asked for more explanations on projected tax compliance.
In conclusion the Minister said that the CFT expressed appreciation in the way government dealt with the 2016 draft budget and it is highly likely that when the recommendations and suggestions they gave to government is incorporated in the draft budget then the CFT will give the budget its approval.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will meet in a plenary public session on February 29th.

The plenary public meeting that was scheduled for February 15 in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg, has been postponed upon the request of the Prime Minister.

The agenda point was the draft National Ordinance to establish the National 2016 Budget.

GREAT BAY(DCOMM):---  Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), would like the owner of a boat (see picture) which is located on the Ring Road in Philipsburg, to have this removed as soon as possible.

If the boat is not removed, the Ministry will make arrangements to have it removed at the owner’s expense.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Hospitality & trade Association along with the Organizing committee for the 2016 Culinary Competition St. Maarten/Saint Martin are pleased to announce the winners of the Senior Chef placement on the National Team to represent St. Maarten in the Taste of the Caribbean in Miami. Mr. Pieter Holstein – Executive Chef of the Food Collective BBA Rum & Peas – St. Maarten and Mr. David Cudicio – Dreams Restaurant – Nettle Bay FWI. Both Chefs earned their position during the competition on Saturday February 6th, by competing against an impressive group of 1 Chef’s all-vying for a place on the team. In addition to the winners, two chefs were chosen as the substitute Chefs on the team in the event that one of the chefs is unable to provide representation. Substitutes are Mrs. Mariana Shah – Dish D’Lish and Mr. Nick Dillinger – Moomba Restaurant. Substitutes will train alongside the team during the preparations for Taste of the Caribbean to be held on June 6th through 10th, in Miami.

The Culinary Competition St. Maarten/Saint Martin 2016 was held at the Sundial School, who graciously agreed to host the chefs in their Hospitality Sector Kitchen and Restaurant. Chefs were required to prepare and present a dish within an hour. The challenge however was in the fact that chefs were presented with a mystery basket further underlining their need to bring their expertise and experience to the competition. At 8.30 am sharp the competition commenced with the first round of 14 chefs preparing their dishes, bringing out their skills, creativity and on the spot thinking. The Judges, supporters and spectators were treated to beautiful plated dishes and flavors of the final products presented by the Chefs. The final decision was announced a little after 5 pm. In the coming weeks, the team will continue to take form and begin their training. St. Maarten has not taken part in the Taste of the Caribbean, since 2009. In order for the island to be properly represented at the competition, the trainings will be imperative.

To ensure that the team is able to truly compete at the international level, the SHTA is calling on both the private and public sector to support the efforts of the team by way of sponsorship. Several businesses have already expressed their interest in the sponsorship options. Merchant Market, who assisted in providing the necessities to be able to have the Chefs compete, is one such business. SHTA thanks Merchant Market for their generous assistance. International sponsors, the Netherlands based companies Fisch Fix and PFresh also assisted with sponsorship and provided the fresh fish prepared during the competition.

“We hope that the public entities join in with the private sector in an effort to put this team together and ensure their participation by way of their sponsorship. St. Maarten has always performed well at these competitions and we would like to continue to perform well. Only providing the team members with the correct resources and tools can the execution of their highest skills be achieved”, said the Organizing committee.

The SHTA would like to thank the Sundial School management, Hospitality Sector, Hospitality 4 Students and the organizing committee for their hard work in organizing the competition. The association would also like to thank to the Judges, for their time and expertise, and the supporters who cheered on, and encouraged their favorite chef.

Two more competitions are scheduled to complete the National team. This time participants will be vying for the spot (position) of Pastry Chef and Bartender on the team. SHTA will announce the open call for registration in a subsequent press release. More information regarding the competition, updates and pictures can be found on the St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Associations FaceBook page and/or on www.shta.com .

The St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association is dedicated to bringing quality to all aspects of life on St. Maarten by promoting sustainable economic development for its members in cooperation with the social partners and the creation of a fair marketplace. For more information please contact our offices at 542-0108 or visit our website at www.shta.com

GREAT BAY(DCOMM):---- Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), will commence with removing all vehicles matching the description of unpaid road tax, outdated inspection, abandonment, and hazardous to public safety upon notice as of Monday, February 15th.

The three areas where the aforementioned will take place in cooperation with the Community Police Officers (CPO’s), will be Pelican, Simpson Bay and Cape Bay.

All owners of vehicles matching the aforementioned description are advised to remove their vehicles immediately.

GREAT BAY(DCOMM):--- The Collective Preventive Services (CPS), a government department under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, met with officials from Port St. Maarten regarding the collaboration in the preparations of response for the mosquito-borne Zika virus disease. At the moment for Sint Maarten, no confirmed cases have been reported.

The results of the meeting entails that Port St. Maarten will enhance its mosquito prevention/elimination measures on a weekly basis; will look into the possibility of investing in a hand-held fogger; to explore further a contribution to the community in helping with a district prevention campaign; provision of information/education display for staff, third party employees, cruise passengers and crew.

The need for collaboration with the cargo companies was also discussed as to prevent the importation of mosquitoes in containers and vehicle tires and other items that are destined for the island, as well as mega yacht agents on the island with respect to proactive preventive measures and the elimination of mosquito breeding.

Port St. Maarten was represented by: R. Levenstone, H. Peters, B. Ortega, and B. Peters, while CPS was represented by L. Francisca, M. Henry and Dr. V. Asin.

CPS is once again appealing to the community to step up proactive measures to eliminate mosquito breeding sites in and around their homes and businesses.

Dengue fever, zika and chikungunya are transmitted by the female vector Aedes Aegypti mosquito. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is distinguished by its markings. The body of the mosquito has alternate black and white horizontal stripes. The Aedes Aegypti mosquito lays her eggs in clear (clean) stagnant water. Within eight days the mosquito can complete its life cycle from egg, to larvae to pupae and to adult mosquito.

Actively destroy or dispose of tin cans, old tires, buckets, unused plastic swimming pools or other containers that collect and hold water. Do not allow water to accumulate in the saucers of flowerpots, cemetery urns/vase or in pet dishes for more than two days. Throw out the water and turn them over every time it collects water.
Check around construction sites or do-it-yourself improvements to ensure that proper backfilling and grading is realized to prevent drainage problems which can be a source for standing water. Empty all construction containers such as blue tanks, buckets, paint cans etc.
Mosquitoes can be kept out of the home by keeping windows, doors and porches tightly screened (16-18 mesh). Those insects that do get into structures can be eliminated with a fly swatter or an aerosol space spray containing synergized pyrethrum.
Screen off cistern outlets, cover and screen septic tanks properly.
The aforementioned measures should also be taken in and around the workplace, social gatherings and living quarters to eliminate mosquito breeding sources.

An increase in the mosquito population puts residents and visitors at risk. For information about dengue fever, zika and chikungunya prevention measures, you can call CPS 542-2078 or 542-3003.

PHILIPSBURG:--- A group of 26 students from several universities in Panama currently on a Group Campus Crusade (Cru) visited the University of St. Martin (USM) to explore the campus, the degree programs, and possibilities of establishing a branch of their organization at USM.

President of USM, Dr. Francio Guadeloupe, welcomed the group and discussed with them the programs and degrees USM offers and the benefits of studying on St. Maarten. Dr. Guadeloupe welcomed the Panamanian students to take a semester at USM in the near future.

The group, according to the leaders Tamara Morgan and Alfredo Adams, who attend the Technical University of Panama (UTP), is about sharing real world business experiences in the areas of leadership, spirituality, ethics, and integrity. The organization is established in 200 countries already, and they wanted to explore the possibilities on St. Maarten and at the USM.

The USM Student Government Association President Kiran Manglani then spoke with the visiting group as per the student’s perspective, after which she gave the students a tour of the campus. “It is a good opportunity for USM, and it is nice to have this group recognize us. We can exchange information about leadership, integrity; so it becomes an experience that both can grow from.”

During some free time on campus, the foreign students can be seen conversing with USM students—it was good to see said the President as the USM is internationalizing. With the cooperation with UVI we will be able to attract these international students.

In photo: President of USM with the visiting students and USM SGA members

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Dr. Virginia Asin Oostburg, Head of the Collective Preventive Services (CPS), a government department under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, recently returned from a Caribbean Multi-Country Program (2012-2016) Assessment Workshop held in Jamaica about the United Nations (UN) Population Fund (UNFPA).

The UNFPA is an international development agency that is committed to delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.

The Fund operates in over 136 countries and supports programs in more than 156 countries and territories to increase access of women, men and young people to sexual reproductive health and rights, assisting 22 countries in the sub-region in implementing the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).

The program areas of focus are: family planning; maternal mortality; adolescent sexual and reproductive health; HIV; gender based violence; disaster risk mitigation and adaptation; data for development.

The self-assessment workshop took place to identify key lessons from the last program cycle that need to be factored in the design of the new multi-country program; secondly, to contribute to the accountability to national and sub-regional stakeholders and to the UNFPA.

The program covered the English and the Dutch-speaking Caribbean, encompassing the design of the program, the implementation process and the results achieved, and in connection with the context in which UNFPA has been operating.

The dimensions of analysis took into consideration relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, strategic positioning and sustainability.

Based on the discussions that took place at the workshop, participants proposed actionable recommendations for the design of the new Multi-Country Program for the English and Dutch speaking Caribbean.

The UNFPA will now review the Strategic Document that will also be a part of other UN plans and other Regional programs. According to Dr. Asin, this is a very important milestone as it would mean support from UNFPA would lead to the finalization of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy and the preparation for implementation of family planning on Sint Maarten.

The meeting took place February 2-3 at The Knutsford Court Hotel, Kingston, Jamaica.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St Dominic High School International Baccalaureate Diploma Class of 2016 is hosting a COUPLE’S RUN FOR CHARITY on Friday, February 12th, 2016, at 7:30 PM in front of Taloula Mango’s on the Boardwalk in Philipsburg.
It’s almost Valentine’s Day and the students (class of 2016) of feel it is necessary to spread the love especially those who are in need of it. The IB Class of 2016 needs your help to make Valentine’s Day better for more people. Thus, as part of their CAS (Creativity, Action and Service) curriculum objectives they are organizing a relay race for couples which can be significant others, two friends, neighbors – anyone with two legs who is willing to show their love. The objective is for the couple to complete 8 kilometers. The first partner does a 4k, then the second partner does the same 4k. Registration can be done at Tri Sport in Simpson Bay or Marigot and at St. Dominic High School through any IB year 2 student. Participation is easy - to sign up, you just need to donate 2 non-perishable food items. All the collected items will be donated to families on St. Maarten that are in need of some extra Valentine love.

CAS is a core program within the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program which encourages inquiring, knowledgeable and caring lifelong learners through development of personal skills, open mindedness, and intercultural understanding and respect. Students plan activities based on eight learning outcomes they are expected to achieve. They need to be cognizant of how the proposed activity will increase their awareness of their strengths and areas for growth, whether or not it will be a new challenge or unfamiliar activity, show how they planned the project, worked collaboratively with others, demonstrated perseverance and commitment, engaged in issues of global importance, considered the ethical implications of their actions and developed new skills.

The Pre-Valentine’s Day Couple’s Run for Charity will be the Class of 2016’s capstone project satisfying the final CAS requirement for their IB Diploma. So come out and help them to spread the love!

PHILIPSBURG:--- Bureau Telecommunications and Post St. Maarten (BTP) worked diligently together with the Regulatory Authority of St. Kitts (NTCR) to resolve interference issues, and can confirm that the mobile spectrum in St. Maarten is now free of the unwanted signals originated from St. Kitts, within the UMTS spectrum bands.

Mobile Operator TelCell filed a complaint at St. Maarten’s Telecom Regulator in December last year concerning unwanted signals that were affecting their Mobile Network. BTP that is tasked with the management of Spectrum matters in St. Maarten took immediate action by working together with different countries, including St. Kitts, to resolve matters. Extensive measurements were performed over the past months and results have indicated that there were signal levels originating from mobile cell sites in St. Kitts that where causing interference in St. Maarten. The regulators were able to identify the mobile cell-sites, and mobile operators were requested to make the necessary adjustments to their antennas.

While proper regulatory steps were taken between the two islands, BTP also issued two new frequency channels to Telcell, to aid them in improving their service level. During a meeting that recently took place between regulator and operator, the Chief Technical Officer of Tellcell confirmed that the assignment of the two new frequencies channels in the UMTS band would help them to reach higher service levels, and he’s expecting to see improvements on their network within two weeks.

Director of BTP, Mr. Anthony Carty stated: “It is of great importance that consumers on our island can benefit from most reliable and good quality communication services. We therefore took all regulatory measures to enable the Operator to provide good quality service to its end-users. BTP will closely monitor further developments, and is expecting a more detailed plan from Telcell on their future network adjustment”.

Bureau Telecommunications and Post thanked the regulator of St. Kitts for their unwavering assistance with regards to this matter; “It only speaks volumes about our relationship as two autonomous entities in two different countries can work for the greater good, and not only for each individual needs”.

PHILIPSBURG:--- During the last two years, Foresee Foundation has shipped a considerable number of Technology devices and equipment via King Ocean Shipping. This was reason for Mr. Charles Gittens, regional Manager for the Caribbean at King Ocean in Miami, to decide on sponsoring St. Maarten Schools who are part of existing projects like DigiKidz under Foresee Foundation.
Shervin Woods, Sales Executive for CTC and Local Representative of King Ocean Services, explained that he was pleased and not at all surprised to see King Ocean Services contributing to the enhancement of education on St. Maarten: “We are living in the 21st century and technologically advanced times, our Schools need to be upgraded to meet the demands of this era and not to mention to continue to equip today’s students with the proper learning tools that will help them excel. King Ocean Services and CTC understands this and applauds the efforts of the Foresee Foundation in taking the needed steps to bring Digital Teaching and Learning to our schools and will continue to assist in whichever way we can”.

The three DigiKidz schools have set up Tech Teams, consisting of IT persons and Tech savvy teachers, who guide the implementation and further development to ensure that policies, integration of technology in the FBE curriculum and training of staff takes place. For the upcoming months the Christian Hillside and Seventh Day Adventist schools will also work on developing a three-year strategic plan that outlines the vision and methods to fully integrate technology and ICT into the schools’ operations.
King Ocean indicated to also assist Foresee Foundation in its future shipments of educational materials for schools from Miami to St. Maarten. Jose Sommers, President of 4C, showed her appreciation and thanked King Ocean for its vision and generous support.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Tuesday February 9, 2016, Mr. Ruminni Rogers was inducted as the newest member of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise. Ruminni Rogers who is a Police Officer, the son of Carlyle Rogers and Ramona Riley-Juan Pedro, and a talented Calysonians, who captured the Junior Calypso crown in 2008, has become the youngest member of the club.

Ruminni was a member of the Rotaract Club of St. Maarten Sunrise, the younger chapter of the Rotary Club, where he served with dedication alongside a dynamic group of young professionals. He always says, “ Anyone can join an organization, but it takes extraordinary people to make you stay”. During his time in the Rotaract Club of St. Maarten Sunrise, he held the position of Sergeant At Arms for the 2015-2016 Rotaract year, and assisted with Public Relations. A strong believer in shooting for the stars, Ruminni decided that it was time to take his services to the next level and took that bold step at an early age of 25 years to transition into Rotary.

President Marcellia Henry stated that ‘Ruminni was chosen by the membership of our club because we believe he is a leader in his particular vocation, as Police Officer, and possesses those qualities and values that Rotarians advocate which is Service Above Self.’ As a young, dynamic, dedicated, and positive role model, we look forward to the contributions he will make to the club and the community of St. Maarten. We are happy that he decided to move on to the next level and have chosen the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise to by the medium through which he can serve the St. Maarten community.

Rotarian Ruminni Rogers expresses gratitude towards the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise for making him feel at home and he looks forward to serving with this extraordinary group of professionals.

Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise meets every Tuesday at the Ginger Bread Café Restaurant at the Belair Hotel at 7:00AM to 8:00AM. . For more information on the club visit us at sxmsunrise.org or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., we are also on Facebook: Rotary Club of Saint Martin Sunrise.

POINTE BLANCHE:---- The purpose of Valentine’s Day is to express ones love for our significant others and sweethearts by giving Valentine’s cards, sending flowers, and doing romantic things.
This Valentine’s Day, Sunday, February 14, make it a date with Walter Loves Valentine – the Lover in You, at the Walter Plantz Square (WPS) at Down Street.
At WPS on Sunday, there will be lots to eat for dinner along with a dance party kicking off from 6.00pm to 1.00am. The entrance is free and everybody is invited to come out with their valentine’s under the stars.
It is an occasion for everybody to come out for great dining and valentine specials with a choice of three restaurants: Irie Gardens for veggie lovers; Lay Back Bar & Grill for BBQ lovers; and Oranje Café for European lover’s cuisine.
All of the aforementioned will be to the rhythms and heartbeats of DJ Mix Master Pauly, DJ Colayshan, DJ Fabulous, and DJ EM.
Parking is available near the square. WPS is a place to visit year-round. It is a great location for visitors, family and friends to hang out through the week or weekends.
The Walter Plantz Square at Down Street has generated a new spirit of life into the area for locals and visitors alike.
WPS comprises of seven small buildings constructed according to the traditional St. Maarten architectural ginger-bread design, to reflect the national heritage of the destination. The essence of the project is to bring in the heritage value of the destination by showcasing the ginger bread homes of the past.
The approximately US$2 million project entailed the construction of a square with cabanas to be used for a bar/restaurant, the selling of arts and crafts and other tourist related goods; water fountain; 12 Sylvester palm trees 12 feet high; toilet/bathroom facilities; lockers; the square will be disabled accessible; parking for five taxi’s; small splash pool for kids; water fountain illuminating 60 different lights at night; 24-hour security.
The square is strategically located next to the Walter Plantz Tender Jetty which connects to the boardwalk/beach promenade, Down Street and Front Street which allows for a broader distribution flow of passengers.

PHILIPSBURG:--- As the largest business representative association on the island we want to make sure that all businesses are complying with the laws of the country, at the same time these rules are in place to secure the wellbeing of our visitors and our employees, therefore recent reports of raid-like inspections by armed Control inspectors in bullet proof vests for seemingly routine controls of Immigration, Labor, Health and Hygiene, in member hotels and restaurants is disconcerting to say the least. Why pray tell is it necessary for a hygiene or labor inspector to arrive with an armed escort? Based on these recently published reports by guests and our own experiences as legitimate business persons operating on this island, we are concerned that the authorities do not cross the very fine line from enforcement to harassment in the process of routine controls. These controls should appear completely non-existent in any tourist experience anywhere in the world; but even more so on an island like St. Maarten that is solely dependent on Tourism and whose moto is “the Friendly Island”.

As Minister Gibson stated in Parliament on Monday, St. Maarten has for many years now been relying on “word of mouth marketing”, these “word of mouth” stories generate an enormous amount of negative marketing that jeopardize all of our livelihoods. More training is needed from the enforcement agencies to stress coordinated efforts with the private sector, to enable the Control Unit to accomplish their regulatory function while creating as minimal as possible negative impact to the guest experience of any establishment. Such as not arriving at the exact dinner hour; such as reviewing all respective paperwork prior to the inspection, knowing the number of employees registered, the relevant permits granted, the name of the manager to contact them upon entering the establishment; properly identify themselves prior to proceeding with the necessary inspections, for example. We are dealing with respectable businesses that have to be registered with at least five different government entities in order to be established and to operate; completing this extensive process already shows that they are willing to cooperate with the authorities. If any deficiencies are found after inspection, surely they can be dealt with in a reasonable and professional fashion. Just as the business owner must understand that the Control Officers simply have a job to do, the Control Officers must understand that treating our local businesses and guests as criminals threatens our very existence as a tourism destination.

The SHTA would also like to emphasize that we are not against inspections, and, in fact, inspections are imperative to the safety of our citizens and our guests as outlined by Minister Lee. Hotels, Restaurants and kitchens should be routinely inspected and staff should be legally documented. This is not something we are questioning. However, reputable businesses have records and paperwork of all of their employees, government officials could simply ask for the appropriate paperwork if they do not have it already. We are asking Government to consider the amount of resources spent (ie costs associated) on these controls and correlate them to the amount infractions actually found. Does the show of force required for an Immigration, Labor and Health Inspection really need to be comparable to a Bank robbery? Couldn’t perhaps a little upfront homework by the respective agencies save everyone time and money and in fact help to create a more healthy environment?
The SHTA is dedicated to bringing quality to all aspects of life on St. Maarten by promoting sustainable economic development for its members in cooperation with the social partners and the creation of a fair marketplace. For more information please contact our offices at 542-0108 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit our website at www.shta.com

Sucker Garden:---- Week 12 of the Ladies Basketball Championship continued with 2 games last Sunday in the senior division at Melford Hazel Sports Complex/

The first senior game of the day saw Learning Unlimited go up against MGM Lightning which saw Lightning outscore LU 15-0 in the first quarter. Learning Unlimited played MGM Lightning pretty evenly throughout the rest of the 3 quarters of the game but could not make up the deficit. MGM Lightning led 29-10 at the half and won 57-36. MGM Lightning was led by Jonelle Richardson with 16 points and Selah Fleming with 10 points. Learning Unlimited was led by 3 players with 10 points, Rachael de Groot, Jakisha Brooks and Sarai Hernandez.

In the second game of the afternoon, Bush T Remedy went up against Thunderz looking for their second win against them. The first quarter was played pretty evenly and ended with Thunderz up 14-13. Thunderz extended the lead to 31-24 at the half but only led 41-46 at the end of the third. The Thunderz increased their defense which led to outscoring Bush T Remedy 11-2 in the quarter to win 57-43. Thunderz was led by Chantel Hodge with 30 points and Joyette Lloyd with 12 points. Bush T Remedy was led by Jacqueline Hodge with 22 points and Minelva Maduro with 11 points.

The senior division standings are Lightning at 11-2, Thunderz at 10-3, Bush T Remedy at 3-10 and Learning Unlimited at 2-11.

Games continue this Sunday for U16 teams at 2pm and senior teams at 3pm as Lightning take on Bush T Remedy and at 5pm as Learning Unlimited take on Thunderz.

Focus on education system, transitioning to high schools and careers

CAY HILL – The Student Support Services Division (SSSD) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs, held an informative session entitled “Transitioning to Secondary School and Beyond” for the parents of sixth graders attending the two campuses of Christian Hillside Schools.
This session was requested by school officials after SSSD held informative sessions as part of their “Aim High” Project for sixth graders of all the elementary schools on the island, in the second half of last year. The Aim High Project informed sixth graders about the importance of the primary school exit examinations in relation to the secondary schools that they will end up attending and their subsequent possible career choices. The students were also informed about the various academic and vocational secondary schools on the island and were also encouraged to do well in school. SSSD’s staff highlighted the importance of having a positive attitude and how it relates to performance in school and reaching their full potential.
Over 50 parents attended the information session evening where they received information about the difference between academic and vocational education, and some changes in the educational system over the years. The parents were shown how systems such as MAVO (junior general secondary education), ETAO (economics, tourism and administrative education), LTS (lower technical education) and BVO (pre-vocational education) were fused and became VSBO/PSVE ( preparatory secondary vocational education), with its three streams, and the Vocational Training School.
The parents were also explained the educational system which includes primary, secondary and tertiary education. Links from each system, to further education as well as to the job market were also outlined to the parents. An overview of systems and their various tracks was also given.

PHILIPSBURG:---- Last week Minister Emil Lee initiated a stepped up level of cooperation between the Dutch and French sides of the Island with regards to health care. “As St. Maarten continues with its plans for the development of a new hospital, determining the level of cooperation between the Dutch and French sides is a critical element of our development strategy” Minister Lee states.
“Our hope is that instead of two independent hospitals, struggling to provide quality care in a sustainable manner, that we synchronize our strategies.”
A formal cooperation agreement has existed since 2014 and is known as the Observatory St. Maarten/St. Martin. As a result of this cooperation already funds from both sides of the island has been supplemented with substantial funding from the European Union in the creation of an ongoing study of the health of the people.
VSA, in agreement with Dr. Louis Jeffrey and Mr. Arnaud Benet, is currently moving forward on new agreements that will further enhance health care on St. Maarten/St. Martin. Key to this will be using the total populations of both sides to make a solid economic basis for a higher level of local health care.
Areas for immediate review include; the sharing of specialists to expand the range of treatments available on the island, training of hospital staffs to synchronize levels of health care, the possibility to make services and space available to French residents in our planned expanded general hospital, and the development of complimentary non-competing services.
The head of the department of Public Health, Fenna Arnell is taking point for VSA along with active cooperation from the Director of the SMMC, Kees Klarenbeek, and the SZV team to negotiate favorable tariffs for our residents to access care through our national health insurances.
“I have committed myself to seeing the relationship strengthen and grow to the benefit of all.” concluded Minister Lee

PHILIPSBURG:--- During the first meeting, after the appointment of the Honorable Minister of Justice Edson G. Kirindongo, Chief of Police Carl John discussed the Police Annual Plan for 2016. In the Annual Plan 2016 (“Safety and Livability” a joint effort by Police and Community) it is extensively outlined what the plans are and how they will be executed. The document also clearly states that due to the budgetary constraints in government spending for 2016, it has become an extreme challenge for the Korps Politie Sint Maarten to continue to grow as a qualified and professional organization, and doing so with limited equipment and manpower. Nevertheless the KPSM will creatively and innovatively continue to search for possibilities in improving safety on Sint Maarten.
The focus mainly lays on working “hand in hand” with all security partners, the community, the private sector and other police (supporting) organizations outside of country Sint Maarten. These regional and inter insular working cooperation are of great importance for the exchange of information and knowledge and mainly concerning what is going on in this region.
The minister promised to give his full support in making the goals that mentioned in this annual plan a reality.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Based on information reaching SMN News states that the former temporary manager William Brooks also approved NAF 12,000.00 which is "back-pay" monies he believed is owed to his brother from the year 2009. The source said that the payment is currently on hold while the internal audit is busy investigating some of the decisions taken by William Brooks while in office. SMN News further learnt that monies paid to Brooks was not due to him because he had some severe issues with the former management some of which ended up in court.
The source said that while the workers are saying that the vehicle bought for Brook’s brother was purchased just two weeks after he was hired.
As for GEBE Supervisory Board Government is busy working on getting the approval from the Corporate Governance Council to send home the board. Last week Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams said in a press conference that the Supervisory Board should make their positions available because they are at loggerheads with government. However, SMN News understands that government is of the opinion that it is the board members that are leaking internal documents to the media and it’s the only government owned company that has most of its dirty laundry in public domain. SMN News further learnt that while the Supervisory Board is at odds with several members of the management board, they fail to address the two year contract given to Curtis Haynes who is operating out of an office upstairs the WIB which is paid for by GEBE while Haynes has a salary that amounts to NAF30,000.00 per month. Further investigation conducted by SMN News shows that Curtis Haynes signed a two year contract with the former COO Romelio Maduro and not with the Supervisory Board. That agreement it is further understood was approved by the Supervisory Board prior to it being signed.
On Wednesday SMN News asked Prime Minister Marlin if he is aware of the contract given to the consultant/employee and the rent being paid for this person by GEBE? Marlin said he was not aware of it.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Marlin was asked if the former government did anything to find a solution to pay off the debt the government of St. Maarten has with SZV and APS even though the former got an instruction to settle its debts. While it is known that the Member of Parliament who posed the questions appointed a Minister of TEATT who did absolutely nothing to collect the outstanding fees, while she was also the head of the Civil Registry that has the archives in a total mess. Marlin said that when he took office he saw a letter from APS where that no one in their right minds would have agreed to. One being that government had to pledge almost everything it owns to APS. Marlin further confirmed that it is his government namely the Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr that negotiated with SZV and came to an agreement for the government building and the settling of the debts that is owed to the two entities.
Marlin said what is currently taking place in Parliament (opposition) will do everything possible to bring down his government or say that the 2016 budget is the worst thing one ever saw, but they conveniently forgot that the draft budget was done by their former Minister of Finance.
Marlin mentioned the statements made by MP Leona Marlin who spoke about continuity in government. He said that he explained what continuity meant, but that same person is the one that was the head of the Census Office that has the archives in deplorable conditions.
Marlin said he is not expecting the opposition to support the budget when the time comes for voting but he did expect the critics and the political game that is being played especially since this is an election year.
He concluded that his government has already done more than the former government who was in office for one year while the Marlin cabinet is in office for 3 months.

Report submitted to Minister of Justice ---budget debate slows down the process.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister William Marlin again stated on Wednesday regarding the suspension of controls until government could get clarity on what exactly transpired at Maho Hotel. Marlin said from Thursday night the company began sending letters where they complained as to how the controllers acted. He said on Friday all Ministers tried to get hold of their department heads but they could not get the information they needed. He said on Friday about 5pm the Council of Ministers met with the director of Immigration Udo Aaron who also told the Council that he was aware of the controls but could not say exactly what transpired. Marlin said at that point since none of the department heads could have provided government with information and there are indications that “things” went out of hand they decided to suspend the controls until they get the information they needed. Marlin said they agreement they had then was by Monday they would have gotten the necessary information but he spent most of his day in Parliament and after that attended several meetings. Marlin said up to Wednesday morning he did not get a report from the various departments as to what happened on Thursday at Maho.
Marlin said that this is an election year, and politicians will find all sorts of things to say one being that the government is protecting a particular business. He said that controls will continue but government must address the complaints that were filed. “We are not saying that if restaurant is unhygienic then it must stay open. It is wrong if companies wrong if companies are violating the rules then the controllers have to do their jobs.”
Minister of Justice Edison Kiridongo confirmed by telephone that he did receive the report from the director of immigration Udo Aaron but due to the budget debate he did not get the chance to full examine the report. Minister Kiridongo said that he have someone reading the report compared to the letters that were sent by the company. Asked if believes that the controls must continue because there is no way he will stop the controls because of the complaints filed. The Minister did say that they will review the policy on how the controls must be conducted.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Brian Deher, Managing Director of Dock Maarten NV, delivered a presentation to the Council of Ministers on Thursday February 8, 2016, where he officially requested that Government initiate a thorough investigation into the many issues that surround the Harbour Group of Companies, specifically the management decisions taken by CEO Mark Mingo and his aggressive and – taking into account the history of the case – incomprehensible stance against Dock Maarten’s marina expansion project.
According to Deher “During Mr. Mingo’s tenure as CEO of the Harbour Group of Companies there have been too many bizarre deals, settlements and issues that question the motives and legalities of the chief executive’s decisions. The evidence that I’ve seen and now presented to the Council of Ministers indicate that there is ample reason for Government to launch a thorough investigation to determine if our Country’s best interests are being compromised.”

During the presentation Deher provided the Council of Ministers with a brief history on the Dock Maarten Project dating back to 1977 when Michel Deher, Dock Maarten’s founder, first took possession of a parcel of property by way of Long Lease from Government to build the Great Bay Marina – now known as Dock Maarten. A large part of the presentation focused on correspondence over the past two decades between Dock Maarten, Government and The Harbour Group of Companies offering evidence that the Harbour’s CEO and other members of their executive team, including its then managing director, knew about Dock Maarten’s plans from as early as 2002 and they had no objection to said plans.

The evidence that Dock Maarten presented to the Council of Ministers, according to Deher, shed light on the real motives of Mr. Mingo’s aggressive action against Dock Maarten’s marina expansion project. All correspondence between parties clearly prove that the Harbour Group of Companies had no objection to Dock Maarten’s project until after the Harbour purchased property on the north side of Dock Maarten from Bobby Velasquez. By purchasing long lease land from Bobby Velasquez the Harbour gained control of property on both sides of Dock Maarten and could start the process of “squeezing” it out of business. Because the Harbour’s new development plans conflicted with Dock Maarten’s plans which were previously approved by Government and acknowledged by the Harbour, Mr. Mingo chose to take Dock Maarten to court three times to try to stop the marina expansion. The Harbour lost all three court cases against Dock Maarten as Dock Maarten has legal title to all water and land rights and an approved building permit from Government. Of great interest to Dock Maarten is how the Harbour’s CEO Mark Mingo can justify their legal action against Dock Maarten when they have taken no action against Bobby’s Marina who has been developing and expanding for many years without legal title to any water rights and without the necessary building permits.

During the presentation, Deher once again focused on the real estate deals that the Harbour has recently engaged in– “the large losses incurred by the Harbour in the Zebec settlement and the questionable methods used to acquire property from Bobby Velasquez certainly force one to question the ethics and legalities under which Mr. Mingo manages a company wholly owned by Country St. Maarten. Under the best case scenario Mr. Mingo made a huge mistake in the Zebec case costing the Harbour over $10 million to settle”. Deher went on to say that “People certainly can and do make mistakes – it’s just that most of us are held accountable for our mistakes; especially ‘mistakes’ that are as costly and questionable as the ones made by Mr. Mingo”

“The fact that executives of the Harbour are allowed to keep the details of what really transpired hidden from the Government and the people of St. Maarten by using non-disclosure agreements is not only insulting to the honest and hardworking people of this Country but also unheard of in the normal world of business. How is it possible that the board and management of a company can withhold pertinent information on questionable issues from its shareholders” asked Deher.

“It’s very clear to me that there are enough issues regarding the Harbour Group of Companies that indicate that there is a well-planned, methodical strategy in use by those that control the Harbour to isolate as much of the Holding’s free cash flow as possible and use it for reasons that may or may not be in the best interest of Country St. Maarten. One thing is for sure: whatever is going on up there is not transparent and legitimate enough for Mr. Mingo to feel comfortable discussing it; at least not without the protection of non-disclosure agreements.”

Mr. Deher ended Dock Maarten’s presentation to the Council of Ministers by thanking them for their time and attention to this crucial matter and stressed that “we hope that Government will pull back the veil of secrecy over the management and operations of not just the Harbour Group of Companies and its executives but all Government owned companies and thus set a precedent that Country St. Maarten, its people, businesses, and Government operate in a transparent and legal manner that serves the best interests of all of the citizens of our young Country.”

Mullet Bay Golf Course February 20 & 21, 2016

MULLET BAY:--- The Golf Association “Les Tamarins”, will organize the 3rd DAUPHIN TELECOM GOLF TROPHY on Saturday and Sunday February 20 & 21, 2016 at Mullet Bay Golf Course.
Players from 0 to 12.4 Handicap will play in first flight group (blue tees) and players from 12.5 to 36 and over (hcp reduced to 36) will play in second flight group (white tees).
Ladies will play in one group (0 to 36).
A driver and a closest to the pin contest will also be included during the 2 days.
Breakfast will be served saturday at 7AM with a tee time at 8AM for all players (shot gun).
Sunday morning the players will have a tee time at 10AM (shot gun) with a breakfast served at 9AM.
Awards & Prize ceremony will take place sunday at 5PM preceded by a putting contest open to all and a closest to the pin contest from 90 yards on green #1 with GPS watches to win.
Last year Dauphin Telecom Trophy received a record amount of 54 registered golfers and expect to reach 60 players this year.
“Les Tamarins” golf association thanks the SMGA golf association, the Mullet Bay golf course management and staff, and all the other sponsors for their support.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Health and Labor Emil Lee announced at the Council of Ministers on Wednesday that he is busy negotiating with agents of the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital to see if they could work out a working agreement as he is busy putting together a plan for the construction of a new hospital on the Dutch side of the island.
Minister Lee said it would not be sensible for both sides of the island to offer the exact same services and to bring in the same specialists, therefore he believes that if the two hospital could come together and have an agreement in place then it would give the Dutch side a better idea on what type of hospital they need to construct on the Dutch side and the types of services that has to be provided.
Asked by SMN News if the persons he discussed with at the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital are competent enough to take decisions for LCF especially since hospitals on the French side falls under the state.
Also SMN News asked the Minister if he managed to discuss the payments for example if the two hospitals would begin to accept the social insurance from both sides of the island, for example LCF accepting the social insurance card from SZV and SMMC from the French Social Security. Minister Lee admitted that the discussions have to go further, one be held in Martinique since the hospitals do fall under state. He said the discussions right now is to decide if they need to go further to get the relevant authorities to continue the discussions and come to an agreement. Minister Lee said that there is a willingness from both sides of the islands and already there is some kind of cooperation in place that he believes have to be structured properly.
He also admitted that costs and payments were discussed one being the acceptance of the social security cards.
Another issue regarding health care is the services that are provided at SZV and how patients are treated. Several patients, some unable to walk are being sent back to work even though their house doctors placed them on sick leave. The patients who went to SZV to have their cards signed told SMN News that the doctor at SZV do not see them or examine their medical condition but instead they are given a number and told to wait while an employee will take their cards to the doctor who would immediately cut short their sick leave despite their medical conditions and order them to return to work.

SMN News contacted Minister Lee on this and asked that he check to see exactly what is taking place at SZV and if there are doctors at the health insurance company that are competent to over-ride the decisions of the house doctors or if the doctors at SZV are purely administrative.
Minister Lee said that while he was contacted by SMN News on the matter he did not get the opportunity to look into the matter as yet but promised to do so shortly.
However, SMN News learnt that SZV is busy restructuring the organization, one being able to hire doctors who would examine patients and decide whether or not the decisions taken by the house doctors are accurate.

PHILIPSBURG:---- Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo plans to request an urgent meeting with the Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) on the issue of the unlawful interference of the Council of Ministers on the closure of food establishments and the hindrance of inspectors to work independently.

“Over the past months many establishments have been rightfully closed by the Inspectorate of VSA Dr. Best for the violation of food safety regulations.

“Recently the Inspectorate closed a prominent restaurant at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, however the decision was immediately overturned despite the restaurant having a sewage pit in the kitchen that releases a bad odour and pest infestation was also found in the kitchen.

“This was a joint effort with the Immigration Department and Customs. Each entity has their own task. This has my full attention as Independent Member of Parliament due to the fact that the Council of Ministers are not allowed to interfere in the work of enforcement agencies.

“The right to question the actions is allowed but interference is not. Furthermore local establishments are not privy to that sort of ‘connected first class treatment,’” stated the MP.

“Moreover, it is the opinion of this Member of Parliament that civil servants are being hindered from doing their jobs, and the decision of the ministers will only frustrate and demotivate them.

“When looking at the recent actions of the Minister and as by extension the Council of Ministers, it is clear that they have crippled the inspectors to carry out their jobs without prejudice.

“It is the duty of the Council of Ministers to empower civil servants to execute their work according to the law,” stated MP Marlin-Romeo, adding that, “...undermining their hard work is insulting and condescending.”

Member of Parliament Leona Marlin Romeo stated that equal treatment should be given to all and not only the privileged and prominent persons on Sint Maarten, neither businesses, nor any special interest group should be able to hold the Council of Ministers hostage.

“It is the job of the Minister to protect the people. The assurance of restaurants following and adhering to the food regulations of Sint Maarten is critical for this island is known for its gastronomic cuisines,” MP Leona Marlin-Romeo concluded.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of VSA Emil Lee did not hesitate to inform the Members of Parliament on Tuesday when he reported to the Central Committee meeting to answer questions that the slashed budget that is being debated in parliament is what the current government inherited. Minister Lee said even though the Ministry of VSA is the Ministry that deals mostly with the lives of people they too had to suffice with the 10% cuts proposed by the Minister of Finance in order for him to be able to provide a balance budget for the year 2016, prior to the deadline while complying with the instructions given to former Government.
The Minister gave Parliament the figures of the unemployed, those figures he said came from statistics done in the year 2013 and at that time there were 1,900 people unemployed. However, he said based on the information he got showed that people with more education were more likely to find jobs.
As for monies to combat the Zika Virus the Minister said that there monies available to purchase the necessary products for fogging and materials for SLS labs for testing of the Zika virus. He assured that if more monies is needed should the island be affected with the latest virus then he is prepared to do some shifting in the budget he has to deal with the health related issues.
The Minister of VSA is scheduled to report to parliament later this week to continue answering questions that were posed by the Members of Parliament.

MARIGOT:-- Louis F. Beauperthuy (87), was laid to rest in a family plot at his home in Orient Bay on Saturday.
Born in Brooklyn, New York to Louis Ferdinand Gaston “Fefe” Beauperthuy and Eulalie Adelia Bryan-Beauperthuy, Louis visited St. Martin when he was six years old. Several decades later, St. Martin would become his home, a place of entrepreneurship, and his final resting place.
Louis was not an idle body, but travelled frequently with his father and uncles to purchase goods for the island’s business community. He later ended up in a boarding school on the French dependency of Martinique. Once completing his studies there, Louis sought adventure and employment abroad and found his way to the Big Apple (New York) where he started working at the Ford Motor Company. His father “Fefe” was a mechanic at the company.
In 1948, Louis (19) joined the United States Army. He started as an enlisted soldier with a specialty in sharp shooting. Being an ambitious young man and willing to climb the ranks, he was selected to go to an Officer Training School in 1954 where he attained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. Before that, Louis, did a tour of duty in Germany, and returned to the U.S. in 1952.
While in Germany, Louis met his lovely wife Hilde. From Germany, Louis briefly returned to the U.S., but then after was posted to France. While there, he continued to climb the ranks within the U.S. Army. Louis became a 1st Lieutenant while stationed in France, and later became a Captain in the early 1960s. He was enlisted in the medical core and acted as a translator for the U.S. Army while in France, participating in the Armed Service meetings that included Charles de Gaulle, the 18th President of France.
After his tour of duty in France which was approximately four years, Louis returned to the U.S., but was no sooner deployed to the Korean peninsula in East Asia. Besides his service there, he also served on behalf of the United States Government in Libya, Panama and several other countries.
Louis career in the U.S. Army came to an end when he suffered injuries during the Korean conflict. He was discharged with honours in 1963 at the age of 34.
After returning to the U.S., Louis and his wife lived in El Paso, Texas. There, he and Hilde owned and operated several businesses. These included realty, car interior upholstery, a furniture business, The Old West restaurant, and a hotel. Besides having a busy life, the couple always took time out to spend weekends with friends in New Mexico where they enjoyed fishing on the lakes.
Louis (56), returned to St. Martin in 1985. After a busy lifestyle back in the U.S. that stretched over two decades, Louis, wasn’t planning to slow down and enjoy early retirement. A man known to be a ‘jack of all trades,’ foresaw opportunities back home and jumped in with both feet on the ground which was a trademark of his entrepreneurial success back in the U.S.
The entrepreneurial spirit that made him and his wife Hilde a success story back in El Paso, Texas, led to the opening of a lumber yard known as ‘Cash, Carry, restaurants ‘Rancho del Sol,’ ‘Palm Beach,’ and a Nightclub. Louis’s brother Rubin Beauperthuy operated Boo Boo Jam.
At his final resting place, the U.S. Government, represented by Sergeant Muriel Smith, presented to his daughter Bonny Louise Linares-Beauperthuy and visiting brother from Aruba Valentin Arrindell, an American Flag along with words of gratitude for his service to country. Titus, caretaker of Captain Louis, on Saturday toasted a bottle of ‘Andre Champagne’ over his tomb along with a goodbye salute in the presence of family and close friends.
Captain Louis F. Beauperthuy, will forever be remembered for his intriguing life here and abroad. May his soul rest in eternity.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Justice Edison Kirindongo made clear during the central committee meeting on Tuesday on the 2016 budget debate that his Ministry received an increase but the extra monies will not fill the gaps and bring the Ministry of Justice up to par. The extra monies the Minister of Justice said will be used to pay police officers their over-time monies owed to them, also to increase the salary scales of the officers that have been waiting for years. He also said that the over-pay as listed in the budget is incorrect because officers that work after 6pm to 6am are entitled to extra monies but it is not over time monies.
As for the life insurance for Police Officers the Minister said he currently working on this matter and shortly a bid will be published.
Minister Kirindongo in his presentation also stated that the Justice Ministry will still lack human and other resources and vehicles. He said that St. Maarten (KPSM) have been working on a skeleton staff ever since the country changed it status in 2010. As for the re-enforcement promised by the Kingdom, the Minister of Justice referred Parliament to the Prime Minister regarding the contested protocol signed between the Kingdom and former Minister of Justice.
He said just last week when the Minister of Kingdom Relations and Interior Affairs Ronald Plasterk visited the island they agreed to hold another round table discussion to further discuss the strengthening of the Justice Ministry on St. Maarten.
As for the prison renovations the Minister told Parliament three phases of the project have been completed but the fourth and largest phase which is the building of extra cells is under review by him.
The Minister of Justice will return to Parliament like all other Ministers later this week to continue the answering of questions on the 2016 national budget.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of VROMI Angel Meyers met with members of the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) management and board on Thursday. The meeting was a follow up on the first presentation given in December 2015 by the SMHDF, which they communicated their goals for the period of 2016-2020.
The Ministry of VROMI and the SMHDF discussed their collaboration with one another and moving forward with a more transparent relationship. Also covered were future projects that will commence this year and in return help with funding the development of social housing.
Minister Meyers and the Ministry VROMI is looking forward to building a trustworthy relationship with the SMHDF and their new management.

Pond Island:--- TelEm Group’s mobile provider, TelCell, was experiencing network interruptions Tuesday afternoon with calls being made within the TelCell voice and data network.

According to Chief Technical Officer (CTO). Mr. Eldert Louisa, alarms were raised around 1:00 pm Tuesday afternoon and at the end of the business day, intermitted problems for pre-paid and post-paid customers remained when calling from TelCell to TelCell handsets, but were slowly being resolved.

“This tells us that the problem is specific to the network, because TelCell customers could still make calls to other mobile providers, to landlines and also international,” said Mr. Louisa.

The technical chief said equipment vendors from overseas are working along with local technical staff through remote support and by 6:00 pm the network interruptions were starting to stabilize.

Until the stabilization is complete, Mr. Louisa has meantime apologized to customers for any inconvenience caused.

Technical chief concerned about long-term impact

Pond Island - TelEm Group Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Mr. Eldert Louisa expressed continued frustration with interference to the company’s mobile voice and data networks from French St. Martin and neighbouring islands, saying unless the issues are resolved permanently, satisfactory service to Dutch side customers cannot be guaranteed.

The Technical Director’s observations were expressed to the Head St. Maarten’s telecommunication regulatory body, the Bureau of Telecommunications and Post, Mr. Anthony Carty, during a meeting last Thursday.

During the meeting, Mr. Louisa introduced the BTP to a visiting consulting company that is assisting TelEm Group to identify the various sources of interference, with recommendations on how the company can work around the matter until a permanent solution or agreement regarding frequency assignments between different territories can be put to paper.

“We have requested the regulator’s permission to use two frequencies that the experts have scanned as being clear of interference, but unfortunately, the regulator has informed us that while one of the frequencies is free of interference at the time of the BTP’s own scans, and another partly clear at the time of the BTP scans last week, there is every possibility that interference can return should carriers on the surrounding islands continue to expand their own networks in the future.

In more technical terms, the BTP has confirmed TelCell N.V. is now assigned 20 MHz of spectrum in the 2100 MHz frequency band, which the regulator says is free of interference of PCS systems from both Anguilla and St. Kitts and therefore this UMTS channel can be used islandwide by TelCell.

Regarding the use of a second frequency to further improve the QoS by TelCell, the BTP has also officially confirmed that the frequency is free of interference from St. Kitts, but is affected by PCS signals originating from Anguilla. “As result, BTPSXM recommends that this channel only be used in areas that are shielded by Anguilla by hills,” states the BTP in response to TelEm Group’s frequency use request.

“There is a lot of work involved in adjusting our networks to the requested frequencies and it would be counter-productive to have to face the same issues again each time our neighbouring carriers expand their networks, therefore we are fully supporting the local regulator in their effort to work with their counterpart regulators and governments in these neighbouring islands to find a permanent solution or some type of bi-lateral agreement that would lay down some ground rules to prevent our respective networks from affecting each other,” said Mr. Louisa.

He said Thursday’s meeting was also to express to the local regulator that TelEm Group’s own well advanced plans to install an island-wide LTE/G4 mobile and data network may well be hampered by the uncertainty of a permanent solution to the present network interference issue.

“Our customers are demanding more data services that we intend to bring with a complete LTE network and which requires a frequency spectrum that is not contaminated in any way either now or in the future,” continued Mr. Louisa.

“We want to give the best service we can to our customers, but until we get a permanent solution to the frequency interference issue we will always be left with a grey area of uncertainly and doubt, which is not the ideal position to be in,” continued the Technical Chief.

He said he was heartened at the meeting to learn that the BTP is working diligently behind the scenes with the neighbouring islands and is hopeful some solid results may soon be forthcoming.

Meantime, on another matter, the Technical chief has praised the local regulator for recent announcements that the BTPSXM will be taking steps against French side companies that are illegally providing devices and connections to Wi-Fi service on the Dutch side of the island. According to the BTP this is in direct contravention of the Telecommunications Act, and persons found using such illegal devices will have them confiscated and will also risk prosecution leading to and fine and/or imprisonment.

Pond Island:---- With more than 71,000 Youtube shares under their belt, organizers of the annual TelCell Night of the Hitmakers Carnival dance event have announced that tickets will be going on sale the day after Valentine’s Day – February 15th.
In what is being billed as St. Maarten Carnival’s Flagship Show, TelCell Night of the Hitmakers will be bringing thumping music from Tsunami, Control Band, Tanya St. Val, Mika Ben, Jean Marc, Ferdinand & Kes The Band to once again “Rock Carnival” as the promoters have done so convincingly for the past three years.

The Hitmaker himself, Berteaux “Mr. Rude” Fleming of Xtratight Entertainment, says a lot of hype for the coming event is being generated by a Youtube video circulating online capturing the throbbing atmosphere at the Festival Village last year – during which TelCell Night of the Hitmakers was labelled Carnival Flagship Show.

As a way of saying “Thank you” to those spreading the word, a Samsung Galaxy mobile smartphone was presented to a representative of Kanya Houtman for being the 500th person to share the video with friends and family. According to the representative, Kanya is currently in Curacao and cannot pick up her prize, so as a good friend she has offered to collect it for her and in turn thank the organizers on her behalf.

“Kanya was very excited when she received a call saying she won a prize. She will be even more when I deliver the prize to her in Curacao,” the close friend said.

Mr. “Rude” says fans of the TelCell Night of the Hitmakers event can look out for more prizewinning opportunities and special offers on tickets as the night of show draws nearer.

He said the number of shares of last year’s show has now topped the 660 mark and he encourages everyone to keep sharing and getting the word around about the premier carnival event.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Nature Foundation is once again conducting its Marine Mammal Monitoring project which will last until May. The Nature Foundation, in cooperation with Dolphin Defenders St. Maarten; the Reserve Naturelle of St. Martin and St. Barths; the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance and various other partners, will be conducting a wide scale census of all Marine Mammals found in St. Maarten/ St. Martin territorial waters, including within the Man of War Shoal Marine Park. “Many on St. Maarten might not be aware that there is a relatively significant Marine Mammal population in the waters surrounding St. Maarten, including numerous species of whales and dolphins. St. Maarten lies within the area of the Western Atlantic where various whale species come to give birth to their young. From February to May several hundreds of Humpback Whales migrate from the northern Atlantic to areas within the Caribbean to give birth and nurse their young before heading back up north”, commented Tadzio Bervoets from the Nature Foundation.

Numerous other species of whale and dolphin, including sperm whales and several types of dolphins, make their home in local waters. Several questions are hoped to be answered as a result of the study, including most numerous species, migration routes and dates, and the feasibility of regulated wild whale and dolphin watching trips. This year the Nature Foundation will once again be partnering with Dolphin Defenders St. Maarten to bring greater awareness to the general public about St. Maarten’s wild Marine Mammal Population and conservation issues faced by Marine Mammals in local waters. The Nature Foundation also hopes that St. Maarten will become a signatory to the Marine Mammal Sanctuary currently being established in the North Eastern Caribbean.

The most abundant Maine Mammal species recorded in 2014 was the Humpback Whale, with the total number recorded at 33 individuals, including calves. The second most abundant species was the Bottle Nose Dolphin, with total of 45 individuals; the third most abundant species recorded was the Long Snouted Spinner Dolphin with 22 individuals recorded within the island’s territorial waters. During research conducted in conjunction with the French Marine Reserve, the MEGARA Foundation and the AGOA Marine Mammal Sanctuary satellite tags were placed on eight Humpback Whales and their migratory patterns tracked. This year research will also be conducted on whether or not ST. Maarten whales have any connectivity with whales which migrate through the waters of the Yarari Marine Mammal Reserve, a recently established marine mammal sanctuary in Saba and Bonaire.

The Man of War Shoal Marine Park had a considerable number of recordings of both whale and dolphin species which adds considerably to the biological value of the Park. Acoustic recordings of Male Humpback Whales singing will also be taken at various points in the waters surrounding St. Maarten using specialized recording equipment donated to the organization by the IMARES research institute in the Netherlands. The public is urged to listen to the local whale songs and look at video and photo of marine mammals in our local waters by looking at the Nature Foundation YouTube and Facebook pages.

If the public is interested in participating in the marine Mammal census they can send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and request a sighting form. Various charter boat and dive operators have been given copies of forms which they can distribute to their clients.

PHILIPSBURG:---- The Special Robbery Unit is presently investigating an armed robbery which took place on Monday February 8th at approximately 06.00 p.m. at Wah Yung Supermarket in Cole Bay. A unknown man with his face covered with a T-shirt, dressed in dark clothing, stormed into the establishment showing the cashier a sword took a handful of money and fled the scene on foot in the direction of Narrow Drive.
The Special Robbery Unit is asking anyone who may have information that could lead to the arrest of this suspect to immediately get in contact with the police department by calling #9300 or Tel: 54-22222 ext. 204-205
Suspect arrested in ongoing investigation
Police arrested a male suspect with initials K.C.L.B. (26) on Monday February 8th at approximately 01.30 p.m. in the Sucker Garden area. The suspect, for whom a warrant for his arrest was issued in connection with an ongoing for ill-treatment, threat and fire-arm possession, was identified by a police patrol on the Walter Nisbeth road. A short pursuit by the patrol lead them to a home in Sucker Garden, which the suspect fled into. The suspect was arrested on the scene and a search of the home was done, because the suspect in question is known to carry a fire-arm at all times. During the search a loaded pistol was found and confiscated. The suspect remains in custody for further investigation.

KPSM Police Report.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police on Friday February 5th 2016 at approximately 05.50 p.m. arrested a male suspect with initials C.T.S. (27), a well-known to the police for illegal fire-arm possession and threat. Part of the investigation included a search of his home but, this did not have any positive results. The fire-arm was confiscated and the suspect remains in custody pending further investigation.

KPSM Police Report

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Nature Foundation has joined with residents and stakeholders in Oyster Pond in calling for the owner of a partially sunken barge that has been in the area for nearly a year to remove the equipment. The Foundation has noticed that the barge has been causing damage to the already significantly depleted sea grass beds in the area during surveys which were recently conducted in Oyster Pond.

Government Stakeholders have also been informed of the barge and residents and stakeholders of the Oyster Pond area have been complaining about its dilapidated condition in the Pond. Many vessel captains are concerned about the threat the structure poses to navigation and residents in Oyster Pond have been calling the dredge an eyesore.

“We are urgently requesting the owner of the barge to remove the equipment from Oyster Pond as soon as possible to minimize environmental effects in the area and to reduce the impact it may have in the Oyster Pond region. During tests we have noticed that the barge is causing quite some damage to an area of Oyster Pond that is already heavily impacted. We will continue with follow-up reports to the authorities on the status of the barge,” commented Tadzio Bervoets, Nature Foundation Manager.

Governing program not yet ready.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister William Marlin who is responsible for the Ministry of General Affairs explained to Members of Parliament on Tuesday that all the Ministries had to face several cuts in order to get the CFT to approve the 2016 budget. Minister Marlin said that St. Maarten never had a realistic budget based on the income government gets, instead the former Minister of Finances prepared budgets based on a so-called wish list.
Marlin said he could not tell Parliament exactly what are the priorities for his government because the governing program is not yet ready. He said he expected the governing program to be ready in the next two weeks. Another point Marlin raised during the central committee meeting is that one must take in consideration that the current government will be in office until October 31st.
The Prime Minister said that the Minister of Finance had to do everything to meet the deadline given to the former government on finalizing the 2016 budget. He also stressed that the idea is not only  to have a balance budget approved by parliament or the CFT but to ensure that the budget stays balance throughout the years ahead.
Marlin said when government gets more monies there will be budget amendments where the additional funds will be reflected. One example he gave is the profit from the Central Bank is not included in the budget simply because St. Maarten did not receive its share as yet.
He also reminded Members of Parliament that the former government got an instruction where by the country must settle its debts with SZV and APS within a period of three years. Therefore government had no choice but to set aside NAF20M for the payments of these debts. Besides that government had sell the government administrative building on Pond Island. He said that the building still belong to government today, but as soon as the completion of the building is finalized then the building will be transferred to SZV with a clause that will be included in the agreement, where government will get the opportunity to buy back the building after 3 years.
Marlin said that when government moves in to the new building government will save monies, while there is already indications that government will save about NAF4M when the garbage contracts are awarded.
MP Leona Marlin Romeo wanted to know if the project of merging ministries were abolished and if there is no continuity in government, she indicated that she is aware of project. Prime Minister Marlin explained to the MP that he is not aware of the project and while she felt the Secretary Generals and department heads should know about project.  Marlin said when he asked his support staff about the project they all indicated to him they did not know of it, however, he told the MP that he will do more research and hopefully before the budget debate ends she will get the answer to her question. The Prime Minister said that what was priority for the former government is not necessarily priority for his government. One example he gave is the deplorable state of the archives of the civil registry, something he intend to address, another project he said he consider priority is solar panels on schools which he is working on. As for continuity he explained the MP what continuity means, again he gave an example to the MP who was determined in getting certain answers. Marlin said when he went into government in 2013 he found the causeway bridge which had to be completed. He also found classrooms that had to be repaired which was also completed, therefore priorities are set by politicians especially those that will benefit the populace.
Marlin also mentioned that the Council of Ministers still have to approve the capital expenditures of the budget. He also mentioned one of the problems that government his Ministry has to address. Marlin said that while government have a number of security guards on the payroll but there is a high rate of absenteeism.
The Prime Minister who is also the acting Minister of Education Youth, Sports and Culture presented the answers for the EYC Ministry. He explained the reasons for the cuts from NIPA, and several school boards, and the amount of monies that are set aside for repairs of schools.

PHILIPSBURG:---- The Central Committee will meet in session on February 9th.
The Central Committee meeting has been reconvened for Tuesday at 10.00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is the draft National Ordinance to establish the National 2016 Budget.

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On behalf of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor (VSA) there are a few misconceptions that need to be clarified. The Inspectors of VSA will continue as normal to conduct their inspections as it pertains to compliance to food safety, however the joint inspections are currently under review by the Council of Ministers. “As Minister responsible for the safety of the health of the population and the visitors to our country, ensuring restaurants and business that are handling food are in compliance remains a priority. Although I do understand the concerns of the business community as it pertains to the negative effect it may have on the economy during the height of our tourist season, compliance is essential toward securing the well-being of our population” said Minister Emil Lee in an invited statement on Tuesday.

In reference to stopping the operations where food was being handled by the Point Restaurant at Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, as of Monday morning the restaurant still remains closed. On Saturday, the Inspectorate of Health made a visit to ensure that tourist establishments could reopen as soon as possible, however the Point restaurant was still not compliant.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Head of New Projects Kurt Ruan told representatives that the project has been in the pipeline for quite a while. He said since these projects are financed by the European Development Fund (EDF) goes through a lengthy procedure. Ruan said he could remember that the current Prime Minister William Marlin was the one who signed off on this particular projects some years ago.
Ruan said the scope of work entails upgrading of Dutch Quarter main road which was identified by the EDF as a project that came into consideration for financing. Also the eastern section from main road which will include Garden of Eden. The cost of the project is Euros 6.1M while the local government will contribute Euros 1.3M. Ruan said that entire project will take between 18 to 24 months before it is fully completed, therefore he called on residents living in the area to cooperate with the workers that will be executing the project.
Prime Minister Marlin said when the signing took place in 2013 it was former Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams that signed off on the project but he spoke at the ceremony as the Minister of VROMI. He said it is known that shortly after a signing then the ground breaking is done. He said because these projects are financed by the EDF is the process takes a bit longer. However, with the signing the government is able to make firmer commitment to the people of St. Maarten. He therefore stated that he hopes the people would not think that this signing is election gimmick, but they will that the signing serious as they could see who are participants who travelled to St. Maarten for this signing. He said that the actual work will not begin before the end of the year, he assured that the funding on behalf of government is budgeted in the 2016 budget.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Together We Can Foundation is once again hosting its annual Battle of the Fittest Basketball Tournament that caters to basketball lovers around the region and the world. We envisage that we will foster a strong united community through the camaraderie of sportsmanship.

Last year’s tournament, which was won by the French St. Martin team, was held over the weekend of July 16th to 19th and was labeled a great success. This year however, the tournament will be held for one week, from July 18th up to and including July 24th.

This year the teams will be competing for the Basketball Bragging Rights Title in a week of fun and action. Others prizes include our MVP Award, and a Grand Prize of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) for the winning team.

The Opening Ceremony on July 18th will include the drawing of brackets, while the title games will start on July 18th and will continue for the rest of the week. The final playoffs and closing ceremony will follow on July 24th at the L.B. Scott Sports Auditorium in Philipsburg.
Last year's champions, are expected to return this year to defend their title against more and fiercer competition.
Application forms to participate in this year's tournament can be obtained via our email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The fee to participate in this year's tournament is US$200 per team. The dead line to register is April 1st, 2016.

The Together We Can Foundation and the organizing committee of BOTF, express their sincerest thanks to last year’s sponsors, the volunteers and basket ball fans for supporting the 2015 Battle of the Fittest Basket Ball tournament event.

We look forward to your support again this year and humbly request the assistance of other businesses to make this year's event another success.

Dominique De Tullio named Paul Harris Fellow

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Rotary Club of St.Maarten named Dominique De Tullio a Paul Harris Fellow on Saturday evening, January 30, 2016. Mr. De Tullio was recognized for his ongoing support of the Rotary Club of St Maarten and service to the community. At the presentation, President of the Rotary Club Sint Maarten, Jeffrey “Dr. Soc” Sochrin said, “Dominique has been a friend of our Club for many years. He has been a friend to numerous charitable organizations on St. Maarten and I can tell from the look on his face, we have completely caught him off guard and by surprise. Whenever our Club has asked for his assistance – whether it was personal or via his company, Antillean Liquors - he has always been there without hesitation. Dominique has supported our fundraising efforts year after year and has supported many other charitable organizations on this island time and time again. On behalf of the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten, I am proud to add you to our list of distinguished Paul Harris Fellows”.

Mr. De Tullio was pinned by his wife, Corinna De Tullio at a Rotary Club of Sint Maarten Wine Tasting Fellowship held at Antillean Liquors in Cole Bay, St Maarten. Surrounded by colleagues and friends, Mr. De Tullio went onto say, “I am completely surprised and speechless, which for those of you that know me, that is a pretty rare thing. Thank you for this honor and I look forward to supporting the Rotary Club of St Maarten again as well as other worthy charitable endeavors. I really am at a loss for words..... thank you”.

A Paul Harris Fellow is named after Paul Harris, the founder of Rotary International. They are awarded to those individuals who have made a financial contribution to the Rotary Foundation, or to those that have had a contribution made on their behalf, as in the case of the Rotary Club of St Maarten’s contribution in the name of Mr. De Tullio. The origins of the Rotary Foundation date back to 1917, when outgoing Rotary International President Arch C. Klumph proposed the creation of an endowment “for the purpose of doing good in the world”. This endowment would become the Rotary Foundation.

For more information about the Rotary Club of St. Maarten, please contact the Rotary Club of St. Maarten Press Officer at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website www.rotarysxm.org.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Board of the National is happy to see that the UPP leader and Board have awaken from their slumber. It is good to see that they are once again concerned about the people of St. Maarten. It is just a shame that this concern does not show itself when the UPP party is in the Executive Branch of Government. It is also a shame the way the UPP leader tries to mislead the people of St. Maarten.

The Board has taken note of the arrogance of the UPP Leader as he considers it thwarting the progress of St. Maarten if he is not in power. This present coalition has already made some positive steps in favor of all the people of St. Maarten and not as is customary with the UPP leader that his ‘projects’ only benefit the selected few.

We also understand his fear as he understands that the current direction of this government will open the eyes of the people so that they realize that the role of government is not to serve the few but to serve the masses.

Is the UPP Leader afraid that the people will realize that Government is supposed to be transparent and Government is not meant to be driven by under the table deals that only comes to light when the deal is done and the people of St. Maarten are left holding the bag?

This Government has already exposed the secret deal with the hospital. As it is customary with the UPP leader, the money is ready to be spent but the plans on how this money would be paid back and how the people of St. Maarten would benefit is still unknown. There was no bid, imagine spending 100 Million Dollars which is almost half of our yearly budget without having a bid.

On the subject of the new medical center, how did the UPP intend to repay SZV the 100 Million Dollars? Was the medical tourism wing a gift to some unknown persons? 35 Million Dollars and no plan on how to pay it back. In fact, any responsible government would have negotiated with an investor before making this plan. We see this as another glaring example of a typical UPP deal. Saddling the local people with a huge debt with no plan as to how to pay it back. What is even worse is that these secret deals seem to only benefit the UPP leader and a few of his friends.

The UPP Leader should take note of the process being followed by the DP appointed Minster, the Honorable Minister Emil Lee. The Minister has undertaken a process that is transparent and outlines a clear path on the exact cost, quality and payback options. So there is a way to undertake large projects in a manner that is not hidden from the public. Proper government under the leadership of Honorable Prime Minister William Marlin.

The UPP Leader comments on the GEBE situation would be a joke if it wasn’t so serious. This Government under the Leadership of PM is in the process of presenting a budget with a surplus. This in spite of the mismanagement of funds by the UPP led Government. Now, the UPP leader wants the public to investigate the funds from the Government owned water Distribution Company.

The board wonders where the UPP leader concern for GEBE was when he was proposing that GEBE take a loan of an estimated 700 Million Guilders. Wouldn’t this loan have damaged GEBE or is it so that the UPP leader feels only he is allowed to damage Government owned companies. The board agrees that all government actions in the government owned companies should be scrutinized and we need to start by the Harbor Group of Companies.

In conclusion, it is not becoming of a leader to be playing the victim and seeking pity from the people of St. Maarten when it is not warranted. The constant ‘the Dutch coming to get us’ is getting a bit tiring. If the UPP Leader was to run his government in a transparent manner with less signs of corruption and nepotism, in a way that benefits all the people of St. Maarten, he would not have to worry about the Dutch.

NATIONAL ALLIANCE BOARD.
TEAM NATIONAL ALLIANCE

#SXMFIRST

Inspections will continue and those businesses that are in violation will have to deal with the consequences.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Inspection team headed by Dr. Earl Best will continue with its inspections as early as this week since the Council of Ministers did not issue a written decision to suspend the controls.
SMN News understands that the team took the decision on Monday morning during their weekly meetings to evaluate the work done last week. According to information provided to SMN News the team will revise their policy to ensure they do not hurt the economy.
The Ministry of VSA will continue with the inspection even if the other departments are afraid and do not participate.
While Prime Minister Marlin informed members of the media on Friday and clarified on Talking Point on Sunday that the Council of Ministers has no intention to stop the controls but instead they suspended it until clarity can be given as to what transpired at Maho on Thursday.
Minister of Emil Lee confirms on Monday that the Ministry of VSA will continue with its controls as normal.

Grand Case:---- Island residents and tourists of all ages are invited to the free grand opening of the exhibit Women, People of Color, and the Making of Natural History in the Caribbean, on Tuesday, February 9 from 6-10pm at Amuseum Naturalis in Grand Case.

The exhibit is a special series at Amuseum Naturalis, created to shine a light on the contributions of women and people of color in the study of natural history in the Caribbean, from the 1600s to the early 1900s. The exhibit brings their discoveries, explorations and stories to life with vivid biographical snapshots and reproductions of beautiful historical zoological and botanical illustrations, engravings, portraits and maps.

“The historical contributions of women and people of color to science have often been hidden, suppressed, or simply not as well publicized as those of their white male contemporaries, and this is just as true in the Caribbean as elsewhere,” explains Jenn Yerkes, Amuseum Naturalis co-curator and Les Fruits de Mer President. “We wanted to create an opportunity for people to discover the fascinating stories of these incredible women and men who helped to build the scientific heritage of the Caribbean.”

The free, public exhibit will launch Tuesday night with the first installation of the series, which will include captivating figures such as naturalist and scientific artist Maria Sibylla Merian (1647 – 1717), known for her expedition to Suriname to document Caribbean insects, reptiles, birds, and plants; Graman Quassi (ca. 1690 – ca. 1780), a renowned Surinamese healer and botanist of African descent; Richard Hill (1795-1872), a trailblazing mixed-race naturalist and anti-slavery activist from Jamaica; and Felipe Poey (1799-1891), a Cuban zoologist known for his pioneering study of Caribbean marine life. The upcoming installations will be added throughout the run of the exhibit, so there will be new additions for visitors to enjoy every week. The exhibit will coincide with Black History Month and run through International Women's Day, March 8, 2016.

Women, People of Color, and the Making of Natural History in the Caribbean will be on display in the special exhibit hall of Amuseum Naturalis, Les Fruits de Mer's free pop-up museum of natural history located at 96 Boulevard de Grand Case. Amuseum Naturalis is open to the public on Tuesdays during the Mardis de Grand Case street fair, and is sponsored by Delta Petroleum.

About Amuseum Naturalis
Amuseum Naturalis is a free, public pop-up museum of the natural history of St. Martin and the Caribbean, created by Les Fruits de Mer for high season 2016 and made possible by the generous sponsorship of Delta Petroleum. Amuseum Naturalis will be open from 6-10pm every Mardi de Grand Case 2016, with additional open hours and dates to be announced. Amuseum Naturalis is located at 96 Boulevard de Grand Case in Grand Case.

About Les Fruits de Mer
Les Fruits de Mer is a non-profit association based in St. Martin whose core mission is to raise awareness about nature, culture, and sport. The organization carries out this mission through publications, an education program, and special public outreach events that entertain, inspire, and inform. The association is currently accepting new member and corporate benefactor member applications on its website, http://www.lesfruitsdemer.com.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The members of the Professional in Intangible and Tangible Cultural Heritage supported by Information and Technology ( PITCH – IT) Foundation are pleased to announce that they will be hosting a Steel Pan Concert fundraising event on Sunday, February 14th, 2016 at the Belair community center located in Cay Hill.
The Steel pan is one of the most significant inventions of the Caribbean that originated in the twin Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. St. Maarten like many Caribbean Islands caught on to the art of playing and making the Steel pan and as such has developed its own trajectory in Steel pan history.
It is arguable that this musical instrument points to the brilliance of our Caribbean people more than any other invention we have created. On the eve of the 60th Anniversary of Chester York’s involvement in the pan movement, the PITCH – IT Foundation cordially invites you to an Ivory and Steel Concert featuring world renowned gospel pianist Huntley Brown, Neville York Steel Pan Virtuoso and the Learning Unlimited Steel Orchestra performing numbers of Johan Sebastian Bach, Mozart, Andre Boceli and much more.
Date: February 14, 2016 Place:The Belair Community Center Time: 4:00 – 6:00 PM Entrance fee: $ 15.00 Dress Code: Caribbean Casual

All net proceeds from the concert will be applied toward design and fabrication of a steel pan float that can accommodate 60+ steel pan players to mark the 60th anniversary of Chester York’s dedication and involvement in Steel Pan on St. Maarten in 2017.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeNtSXArhoE&list=PL_uJhp-mkTOayKG-L6zaVWnuQiP5_l7cp&index=2

GREAT BAY (DCOMM)L--- Minister Hon. Ingrid Arrindell of the Ministry Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications (Ministry TEATT), is extending an invitation to the business community to be a part of the Sint Maarten delegation that will be attending the 35th Annual Colombian Association of Travel and Tourism (ANATO).

The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau will have a joint booth with the Anguilla Tourist Board.

ANATO which is being organized by Vitrina Turistica, will be held at Corferias, Bogota, Colombia from February 24 to 26. The tourism trade fair will attract representatives from Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean and North America.

The three day event is expected to lead to approximately 30,000 business contacts being made between exhibitors translating into an annual turnover of close to US$150 billion, according to the Colombian Association of Travel and Tourism.

This is the third largest trade show in South America, and attracts notable travel agencies, tour operators, wholesalers and media representatives from South and North America and the Caribbean.

According to the latest ANATO figures, over 3.9 million Colombian tourists traveled to a foreign destination on holiday in 2014. This is an increase of 8.5 per cent when compared to 2013 when over 3.6 million took a holiday.

“The business community should not depend on Government alone to promote the destination. Hotel properties, tour operators, transportation providers, all have a role to play, and it’s in their interests to help promote the destination which also promotes their own businesses and at the same time securing business opportunities with other providers.

“Today Colombian tourists do not need a visa to visit Sint Maarten. We need to capitalize on this market where close to four million Colombians took a holiday in 2014. The air access is already there with our partner COPA Airlines out of Panama.

“The three-day event will allow us as a destination to explore business to business opportunities with key partners in the tourism industry that is essential for the sustainable tourism development of our own sector.

“We have to continue to reach out to other travel markets and Colombia is a growing travel market with more than 3.5 million travelers annually.

“We will be using the attendance of the trade show to foster relationships with respective partners in an effort to have our destination included in their product line. It is also an opportunity to meet with the travel media in order to promote travel to the destination. Destination Sint Maarten has much to offer, especially the island-hopping aspect when we look at our sister-island of Anguilla who we are working with to make our representation at the show a success.

“Therefore, I appeal to the business community to get on-board and let us jointly showcase what we have to offer as a destination. Tourism is all about us together working to bring more visitors to destination Sint Maarten.

“Hotel properties, tour operators and other tourists related service provider interested in being part of the trade show delegation should contact the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau for details,” Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Ingrid Arrindell said on Sunday.

ANATO, is a non-profit organization comprising of industry representatives, who defend and promote the general interests of tourism and travel agencies in Colombia. It was created in October 1949.

MARIGOT:--- A man that is well known to police died at the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital at 8:10am Monday morning. Unknown persons fired several shots at the victim identified by bystanders as Kevin Gadaffi Mathura aka "Bones" at the French Cul de Sac round-a-bout. According to information reaching SMN News while several shots were fired only two of the shots hit the victim.
Commandant of the Gendarmerie Sebastien Monzoni confirmed that someone was shot around 10pm Sunday night and that several bullet shells were found on the scene. At the time of the shooting Monzoni said that the victim was taken to the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital in critical condition.
On Monday morning the Commandant of the Gendarmerie confirmed that the victim died of his injuries at LCF hospital at 8:10 am. Monzoni said he could not say how many shots hit the victim whom he did not identify but said that the investigators found about 10 empty shells at the scene where the shooting took place.

PHILIPSBURG:---  Under the umbrella of the Tallahassee-St. Maarten Foundation Inc. (TLH-SXMF) and in conjunction with Photographer Hassan Kareem, Emmy Award winning international journalist and former CNN and Al Jazeera television broadcaster Tony Harris, arrived on the island over the weekend to explore marketing the destination to Celebrities among other opportunities in the area of tourism and hospitality development.

Tony Harris worked with CNN for six-years out of their headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia where for three years he also hosted his own program, “CNN Newsroom.” Harris also served as New York based correspondent for Entertainment Tonight and as a prime time correspondent and host for the FOX Broadcasting news magazine, Front Page.

Through his company Merge Media, a New York based marketing/public relations consultancy, Harris, a self-described “global citizen”, brings more than 30 years of storytelling and relationships as a media professional to the tourism space. On his many media assignments throughout the Caribbean, Tony identifies the unique, underlying spirit of destinations. Through vivid imagery and storytelling, he has become a trusted advocate, elevating the region in the minds of travelers, compelling them to want to visit. Tony believes that the Caribbean has become “a part of his life.” He visits the region frequently and is seasoned in the history, culture and local politics.

Arthur Lugisse, Director of the Tallahassee-St. Maarten Foundation Inc. (TLH-SXMF) along with Bernard Hunt and other members of the foundation, are very excited with the concept of Celebrity-VIP Tourism SXM 2016 and what marketing and tourism opportunities exist to promote this niche market.

Sint Maarten serves as a hub for the neighbouring islands of Anguilla, St. Barths, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Kitts & Nevis. A number of celebrities during the tourism season spend part of their holiday on the islands of St. Barths, Anguilla and Sint Maarten, but TLH-SXMF, which is all about promoting Community, Culture and Commerce, is of the opinion that more can be done to garner a larger share of the market.

“Our destination has much to offer. We need to emphasize and sell the experience of holidaying on Sint Maarten and on the nearby islands, which each have something unique and authentic to offer. The tourism and hospitality sector is always changing, and a destination needs to be able to meet the needs of the customer. There are many destinations that sell sea, sun and sand, but we have to sell the authentic Sint Maarten experience which would incorporate the surrounding islands.

“I foresee many opportunities ahead, but we need to reach out and grasp them. We need to be aware of the trends. Millennial travellers will become the core customer within the hospitality and travel industries over the next five to 10 years according to the Caribbean Hotel & Travel Association. We have to make use of the latest digital technology, and under the umbrella of Merge Media and its Chief Executive Officer Tony Harris, we will be able to turn opportunities into reality.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino for covering part of the visit of Tony Harris which includes lodging at the latest property addition the Sonesta Ocean Point. I would also like to thank the Government of Sint Maarten for its contribution to Tony Harris’s visit,” Arthur Lugisse, Director of TLH-SXMF said on Sunday.

Harris under the coordination of the Tallahassee-St. Maarten Foundation Inc. will be visiting and touring various parts of the destination during his one-week stay, which also includes a visit to the island of Anguilla on Thursday.

On Sunday evening Harris has dinner with Prime Minister William Marlin and meets with the Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Ingrid Arrindell on Wednesday.

PHILIPSBURG – Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo plans to request an urgent meeting with the Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) on the issue of the unlawful interference of the Council of Ministers on the closure of food establishments and the hindrance of inspectors to work independently.

“Over the past months many establishments have been rightfully closed by the Inspectorate of VSA Dr. Best for the violation of food safety regulations.

“Recently the Inspectorate closed a prominent restaurant at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, however the decision was immediately overturned despite the restaurant having a sewage pit in the kitchen that releases a bad odour and pest infestation was also found in the kitchen.

“This was a joint effort with the Immigration Department and Customs. Each entity has their own task. This has my full attention as Independent Member of Parliament due to the fact that the Council of Ministers are not allowed to interfere in the work of enforcement agencies.

“The right to question the actions is allowed but interference is not. Furthermore local establishments are not privy to that sort of ‘connected first class treatment,’” stated the MP.

“Moreover, it is the opinion of this Member of Parliament that civil servants are being hindered from doing their jobs, and the decision of the ministers will only frustrate and demotivate them.

“When looking at the recent actions of the Minister and as by extension the Council of Ministers, it is clear that they have crippled the inspectors to carry out their jobs without prejudice.

“It is the duty of the Council of Ministers to empower civil servants to execute their work according to the law,” stated MP Marlin-Romeo, adding that, “...undermining their hard work is insulting and condescending.”

Member of Parliament Leona Marlin Romeo stated that equal treatment should be given to all and not only the privileged and prominent persons on Sint Maarten, neither businesses, nor any special interest group should be able to hold the Council of Ministers hostage.

“It is the job of the Minister to protect the people. The assurance of restaurants following and adhering to the food regulations of Sint Maarten is critical for this island is known for its gastronomic cuisines,” MP Leona Marlin-Romeo concluded.

PHILIPSBURG – Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Leona Marlin-Romeo plans to request an urgent meeting with the Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) on the issue of the unlawful interference of the Council of Ministers on the closure of food establishments and the hindrance of inspectors to work independently.

“Over the past months many establishments have been rightfully closed by the Inspectorate of VSA Dr. Best for the violation of food safety regulations.

“Recently the Inspectorate closed a prominent restaurant at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, however the decision was immediately overturned despite the restaurant having a sewage pit in the kitchen that releases a bad odour and pest infestation was also found in the kitchen.

“This was a joint effort with the Immigration Department and Customs. Each entity has their own task. This has my full attention as Independent Member of Parliament due to the fact that the Council of Ministers are not allowed to interfere in the work of enforcement agencies.

“The right to question the actions is allowed but interference is not. Furthermore local establishments are not privy to that sort of ‘connected first class treatment,’” stated the MP.

“Moreover, it is the opinion of this Member of Parliament that civil servants are being hindered from doing their jobs, and the decision of the ministers will only frustrate and demotivate them.

“When looking at the recent actions of the Minister and as by extension the Council of Ministers, it is clear that they have crippled the inspectors to carry out their jobs without prejudice.

“It is the duty of the Council of Ministers to empower civil servants to execute their work according to the law,” stated MP Marlin-Romeo, adding that, “...undermining their hard work is insulting and condescending.”

Member of Parliament Leona Marlin Romeo stated that equal treatment should be given to all and not only the privileged and prominent persons on Sint Maarten, neither businesses, nor any special interest group should be able to hold the Council of Ministers hostage.

“It is the job of the Minister to protect the people. The assurance of restaurants following and adhering to the food regulations of Sint Maarten is critical for this island is known for its gastronomic cuisines,” MP Leona Marlin-Romeo concluded.

PHILIPSBURG:--- As an aspiring politician, it has come to my understanding that individuals and mini markets in the community has been selling “funto.”

It’s a leafy green substance sold in small sacks similar to weed. There is even talk that some individuals are brave enough to sell this which could be considered weed. It seems everybody can come here and open up shop and sell whatever.

Goods to be sold to the public needs to be screened. Is this substance a public health hazard?

It is my duty as a law abiding citizen to let the people know that this will cause chaos in our youth. We can’t afford to continue losing one generation after the other.

The corner grocer is becoming a threat to our communities rather than a convenience. It is so easy for under aged youth to go into a corner grocery and purchase hard liquor.

Now the corner grocer is selling “funto.”

I am calling on the Community Police Officers to start investigating this trend. I call on the Inspectorate of Public Health to investigate this “funto” as it could be a public health hazard being sold to our people.

We need to protect our people. There will be no peace if there isn’t justice. We need to have safe communities for our families and we cannot tolerate the sale of this product in our communities which are already suffering from various challenges.
Eugene "Gino" Heyliger

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee will meet in session on February 8th and the Minister of Finance will be present.

The Central Committee meeting has been set for Monday at 10.00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is the draft National Ordinance to establish the National 2016 Budget.

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org.

PHILIPSBURG:--- From February 3-8, 2016, youth baseball clinics will be held on St. Maarten for youngster and coaches. The clinics are an initiative of Jeffrey Richardson together with Representatives of the Board of Directors and Executive board of the Piper Davis National Youth Baseball League.
The clinics will be facilitated by former MLB players Tom McGraw, Andrew Dixon, Rafael Skeete along with the league’s team of athletic directors and coaches. Former Major League player Rafael Skeete who hails from St Maarten and personal friend of Former Minister Claret Connor called on Connor’s assistance in the form of providing transportation for the delegation. Connor was able to arrange a mini-van through the kind support of Tariq Amjad, Managing Director of Motor World N.V.
Connor expressed appreciation to Motor World N.V. for providing the much needed transportation. He also expressed congratulations to Jeffrey Richardson and the organizers of baseball clinics. Connor said “I look forward to positive developments from St. Maarten future athletes whom were able to benefit from this initiative”.
The mission of the Piper Davis Baseball League is to provide structured sporting activities that will enhance sportsmanship, self‐esteem, positive character development, discipline and world‐ class academic support to at risk youth and young adults, creating a safe, positive, nurturing environment through the avenues of sports and academia.

From L-R: Former MLB Rick Adams, former Minister Claret Connor, Founder of the League Fred Plump, Former MBL Rafael Skeete and Marketing Officer of Motor World N.V. , Lorenzo Gomez

Amsterdam:---- Vice Chairman of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance and manager of the Sint Maarten Nature Foundation Tadzio Bervoets attended the Annual Dutch Postcode Lottery at the Carré National Theatre in Amsterdam where he accepted a donation on behalf of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance. The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) is a nonprofit organization created to protect the natural environment and to promote sustainable management of natural resources on the six Dutch Caribbean islands. The NPL also supports the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance Save our Sharks Project.

The National Postcode Lottery supports the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance and its mandate of Nature Conservation on all islands of the Dutch Caribbean. During the charity gala, the lottery proudly announced that thanks to its 2.7 million participants, who bought more than 4 million lottery tickets collectively, a total of 328 million euros will be distributed to non-governmental organizations in 2016. Keynote speaker at the event was actor and social rights activist George Clooney.

“It was an honor to attend this charity event and to receive the continued support of the National Postcode Lottery in our efforts to ensure Nature Conservation not only on St. Maarten where I am the most active but on all islands of the Dutch Caribbean which we all feel so passionately about. This continued support will allow the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance to continue work to safeguard and support nature conservation organizations on all islands, organizations which are often underfunded and work very hard to protect Nature with a minimal of staff,” commented Bervoets.

The pristine nature of the Dutch Caribbean contains the richest biodiversity in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The diverse ecosystems are a magnet for tourism and at the same time the most important source of income for the islanders. Nature on the islands is unique and important but it is also fragile. The lack of sustainable funding, policy support and adequate spatial planning pose the most significant threats.

The Dutch Postcode Lottery has been raising funds since 1989 to support organizations working towards a fairer and greener world. Fifty percent of the lottery’s annual turnover goes to charity. The lottery has steadily grown to become the biggest charity lottery in the Netherlands and supports 95 non-governmental organizations. Since its founding, the lottery has dispensed over 4.7 billion euros to its beneficiaries.

Concerned about Poor State of Animals

BELVEDERE:--- Concerned citizens and organizations tasked with both the welfare of animals and of conservation management on Sint Maarten have asked clarity regarding permits and Government’s position regarding the situation which has developed at the so-called “Iguana Park”. Organizations are concerned regarding cases of animal abuse and neglect at the attraction.

“We have noticed what are according to us several violations of animal husbandry components and of poor quality animal care at the Iguana Park. The animals are showing stress in dirty, confined steel cages, lacking any kind of healthy stimulation, proper nutrition, or access to veterinary care,” read a press statement regarding the situation.

Organizations tasked with animal welfare and environmental protection are urging Government to provide information and clarity on the subject: “Considering that it is essential that transparency and cooperation exist between the various governmental entities and accredited organizations for the crucial protection of our fragile borders, wildlife, and environment, there are pertinent questions regarding the operation as it stands in terms of animal husbandry:

1) Was there a notice in the media allowing the public to protest this permit request, and if so, where and on which date did it appear?
2) Is there a certificate of good health available from a registered veterinarian about the monkey, raccoons, boa constrictor and various tropical birds anywhere reported?
3) Is there a suitable hurricane contingency plan for the park?
4) Is there government water and current at the site?
5) Were transportation regulations followed for import of animals and birds to the park?
6) Did the import of specimens occur in adherence to the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species?
7) Did the necessary due diligence take place as it relates to the Nature Conservation Ordinance AB 2013?
8. Has the VROMI Ministry inventoried species according to their potential for invasiveness and have the enclosures been sufficiently scrutinized for their security?
9) In short: has anyone with professional competence evaluated the general suitability
of the Iguana Park as an attraction?

In view of their concerns, organizations have asked Government for assistance and have delivered an official letter asking for clarity but have not yet received any response. “Since June of last year requests for governmental assistance and cooperation regarding Iguana Park's negligence toward their humane responsibilities have gone without response. In today’s hostile global environment with climate changes and threats of global terrorism, our borders need good governance and respect for the rule of law, pillars of democracy that keep a community and land safe,” read a statement.

Organizations and concerned citizens continued by stating that they respectfully now request an urgent investigation into the issuance of the permits for the Iguana Park; “The issuance of such permits, conformity with statutory guidelines and stipulating conditions must comply with all official requirements. Legal procedures need to be followed; no one should be exempt from respecting the laws of the land. We sincerely hope you share our concerns. It is our further hope that the new government ministries are transparent and responsible in setting goals to seek and maintain the highest standards in health and environmental issues that affect our tourism product and the general population.”

The organizations have also started an online petition urging government to respond to their request, which can be found at https://www.change.org/p/government-of-st-maarten-vromi-ministry-urge-government-to-review-and-make-public-issues-regarding-iguana-park-st-maarten. An online fundraiser was also started in order to raise funds for prossible legal procedings which may be needed in this case. The public is urged to make a donation at https://www.generosity.com/animal-pet-fundraising/raise-legal-fees-to-halt-abuse-at-iguana-park/x/13332610. “The real power lies in the will of the people and their collective effort in demanding changes in the status quo,” concluded the release.

4) Is there government water and current at the site?
5) Were transportation regulations followed for import of animals and birds to the park?
6) Did the import of specimens occur in adherence to the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species?
7) Did the necessary due diligence take place as it relates to the Nature Conservation Ordinance AB 2013?
8. Has the VROMI Ministry inventoried species according to their potential for invasiveness and have the enclosures been sufficiently scrutinized for their security?
9) In short: has anyone with professional competence evaluated the general suitability
of the Iguana Park as an attraction?

In view of their concerns, organizations have asked Government for assistance and have delivered an official letter asking for clarity but have not yet received any response. “Since June of last year requests for governmental assistance and cooperation regarding Iguana Park's negligence toward their humane responsibilities have gone without response. In today’s hostile global environment with climate changes and threats of global terrorism, our borders need good governance and respect for the rule of law, pillars of democracy that keep a community and land safe,” read a statement.

Organizations and concerned citizens continued by stating that they respectfully now request an urgent investigation into the issuance of the permits for the Iguana Park; “The issuance of such permits, conformity with statutory guidelines and stipulating conditions must comply with all official requirements. Legal procedures need to be followed; no one should be exempt from respecting the laws of the land. We sincerely hope you share our concerns. It is our further hope that the new government ministries are transparent and responsible in setting goals to seek and maintain the highest standards in health and environmental issues that affect our tourism product and the general population.”

The organizations have also started an online petition urging government to respond to their request, which can be found at https://www.change.org/p/government-of-st-maarten-vromi-ministry-urge-government-to-review-and-make-public-issues-regarding-iguana-park-st-maarten. An online fundraiser was also started in order to raise funds for prossible legal procedings which may be needed in this case. The public is urged to make a donation at https://www.generosity.com/animal-pet-fundraising/raise-legal-fees-to-halt-abuse-at-iguana-park/x/13332610. “The real power lies in the will of the people and their collective effort in demanding changes in the status quo,” concluded the release.

SMN News further understands that meeting will be held on Monday, to further discuss the situation.

Point Restaurant remain closed.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The politicians that chose to suspend all controls on Friday after Maho was controlled by immigration, customs, Tax Department, SZV, health and labor inspectorate, and economic affairs are walking on thin ice as they are forbidden to interfere with the task and authorities given to enforcements agencies as stipulated by law. However, politicians can give an instruction to these departments which is subjected to review of the courts.
Based on investigations conducted by SMN News a female employee from the Czech Republic who was working in the executive office at Maho became very disrespectful and insulted the immigration officers when they asked her to identify herself and to provide them with her working documents and identification card. A well-placed source said the female employee was so disrespectful that a Dutch colleague working in the same office had to intervene and tell her on more than one occasion that she was out of line and she should not speak to the controllers the way she did. The source said the woman did not have any working documents on her neither in the office and she also did not have her identification card on her. According to the source the controllers told the male Dutch colleague who was in the office at the time that since the woman did not have any type of documents on her they were obliged to take her to IND to verify her working status. The source further explained that the controllers told the both employees that if the woman did not behave herself and cooperate with the controllers they would have no choice but to shackle her as she was becoming aggressive and violent. SMN News learnt that the woman was eventually shackled and brought downstairs and the controllers told her that if she cooperated they will unshackle her prior to entering the lobby of the hotel to avoid embarrassment to which she agreed. The woman was not released as was reported but was taken to IND office on A.Th Illidge Road, where her relatives showed up with her documents.
The POINT RESTAURANT.
Based on the information provided to SMN News the health inspectors found cockroaches and an open drain in the restaurant that had a very high stench, and as such the health inspectors had no choice but to close the restaurant. SMN News further learnt that despite the restaurant being closed it was open Thursday night after someone contacted the inspectorate and asked that the controllers return to the inspect the restaurant and reopen it because they had cleaned up. SMN News understands that the health inspectorate did not send back the controllers Thursday night but instead they went back on Saturday and the POINT Restaurant is still very much untidy and it remained closed until Monday.
Casino had no License in house --- Inspectors had no choice but to close it until management was able to produce the license.
As for the casino that was closed by the inspectors SMN News learnt that the controllers did not see the license for  the casino inside the establsihment and when they asked management they were told that they had to go and look for it. The law clearly states that businesses have to have their business license in their place of business and if inspectors cannot find it they are obliged to close the doors of the establishment. The source said when the female manager went and got the license for the casino it was reopened.
According to the investigation conducted by SMN News all controllers that entered MAHO lobby and those that went to the various administration offices were in civilian clothes while those in uniform that were armed remained outside as the inspectors carry out their duties inside of the well-established hotel.
One source told SMN News that St. Maarten has become a “banana republic” because politicians meet and take decisions because they got phone calls from businessmen that have connections everywhere. “I would like to know if MAHO provided the politicians with any surveillance tape to show the uniform officers that were outside of the building pulled their weapons. Or are they listening to the people that seems to be the ones running the country. I have one piece of advice for the politicians that took the decision to infringe on the work of enforcement agencies and that is they should read the law and know that they are barking up the wrong tree. Too many locals are being fired, and victimized. Too many foreign undocumented workers are working for MAHO group wearing ‘guest bands” several complaints were filed with the immigration and labor department and this is something the politicians should get their hands on before giving instructions.”

Prime Minister William Marlin said on Talking Point Sunday morning that they did not stop the raids and or controls, he said when government got several complaints, some of which indicated that some guests were searched they (government) called in the various department heads who claimed that they did not know what exactly transpired.  Those that were called to the Council of Ministers were the Director of Immigration Udo Aaron who refused to meet with the Minister of Justice on Friday morning. Aaron was given until Monday morning to produce  a report, Chief of Police Carl John was also contacted and he also informed government that he did not know what transpired because the lawmen from KPSM did not participate in the raid. While the Secretary General of Economic Affairs Miguel De Weever also claimed he did not know what had happened at Maho on Thursday.

suspect assisting Gendarmes with investigation.

PHILIPSBURG:--- A woman went berserk on Saturday afternoon in the vicinity of French Quarter Post Office when she stabbed a man identified as Albert Cocks aka Albero/Smuth who was bleeding profusely from the wounds he received. According bystanders the suspect was a Rasta looking woman of Haitian decent who stabbed Cocks who was in front of the restaurant parking lot. Cocks is well known to almost everyone in French Quarter as he cleans fish under the tree for a living and also now working as security at Suki Supermarket. SMN News understands the woman is of unsound mind as only recently she was evicted from her home in the projects in French Quarter and her two children were taken away from her.
Captain of the Gendarmerie Emmanuel Maignon confirmed the stabbing incident. The second in command at the Gendermerie said the victim was stabbed on his hand and in his stomach while he was also hit in the head. Maignon said the victim was taken to the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital for treatment while the suspect who remained on the scene until the Gendarmes arrived there is assisting with the ongoing investigation. The Gendarmes also managed to recover the knife the woman used to inflict the injuries on Cocks.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Council of Ministers and the Members of Parliament that formed the current coalition is at loss regarding the controls done at Maho on Thursday. According to information reaching SMN News Maho group of companies dispatched a number of letters on Friday to the Council of Ministers including various politicians expressing outrage, and frustration due to raids that was conducted at around 6:30pm on Thursday. Based on information SMN News gathered the inspectors from the labor department, immigration and police closed down the casino in order to control all the workers that were working at the time. This action did not sit well with management of Maho group, another action taken by the inspectorate is the closing down of a restaurant for unhygienic conditions.
It is also reported that the inspectors ‘shackled’ someone and shortly after released the person all of which frustrated the management of Maho.
SMN News further learnt that when the Minister of Justice Edison Kiridongo was contacted on Friday morning about the control he called on his department heads for explanations. The source said the Chief of Police Carl John informed the Minister that he was not aware of the controls and what transpired but the Director of Immigration Udo Aaron when called by the Minister for information got a shock of his life when Aaron told the employee that was sent to call him that he should go back and tell the Minister that he was busy gathering information and will write a report on the control and when that report is completed it will be sent to him. SMN News understands that the Minister of Justice is expecting that report on Monday morning.
The coalition called an urgent meeting on Friday afternoon to discuss the matter since they believe the actions of the controllers will destroy the economy and also gave St. Maarten a bad image overseas.
Due to the fact that the coalition and the Council of Ministers have no information from the civil servants that conducted the controls and the lack of cooperation from the Director of Immigration Udo Aaron, the Council of Ministers along with the members of the coalition have decided to suspend the controls until the investigation on the controls done at Maho on Thursday is completed.
It should be noted that the immigration department got a large amount of complaints from employees that were working for Maho Group of Companies including Sonesta Great Bay where the employees informed the immigration department of the influx of foreign labor working at the company while locals are being victimized and fired. SMN News learnt that the managers at Maho and Sonesta would bring in workers and have them wearing the guest’s wrist bands to derail the controllers, thus causing the controllers to go further by starting to control guests at the hotel. All of this dates back to 2013 when the former Minister of Justice Roland Duncan signed an exchange agreement with Maho Group allowing them to bring in foreign workers from Sandals Resort.

3 Types of Sanctions

IMMEDIATE CORRECTION- Correction on site however business still receives a warning (if you violate this consistently for example 6 times then this becomes a serious concern and operations can be ceased)

a. Proper use of gloves and hairnets
 Food handlers must always wear gloves when handling RTE (Ready To Eat Food). Gloves should not be used to protect hands, but to prevent cross contamination.
 Hairnets must be worn with no hair sticking out. b. Food separated and protected
 Food must not be accessible by insects, rats, mice, or birds
c. Food and non-food contact surfaces be able to clean easily and must be hygienic
 Must not have visible and non-visible dirt on the surface. Surface must be sanitized after use with cleaning product such as bleach.
(example: The INPS shows up in the morning and the cutting table is full of
the remains from yesterday)
d. Sewage and garbage properly disposed
 Sewage drains in approved systems like sceptic tank or public sewage systems
 Garbage bins with lid and emptied daily.
e. Proper labeling and expired goods
According to the label ordinance all food products must have at least the following

 Product must be properly identified.
 Proper name of the product
 Common name
 List of ingredients
 Net quantity
 Expiration date
 Instructions for storage
 Country of origin
 Alcohol content
 Name and address of manufacturer f. Food in good condition and safe on sight
 All food must be wholesome (i.e. eggs must not be cracked) and fit (eggs must not be spoiled) to eat.
g. Storage at proper temperature(hot and cold)

 Food that is perishable must be stored either below 40 degr. F or above 140 degr. F. (Food will have to be put in a proper fridge/freezer or buy a new one right away)
h. Wiping cloths properly used and stored
i. Utensils, equipment and linens properly stored, dried and handled
1. 1-3 weeks to cure: Issue a warning with the obligation to remedy within 1 week - 3 weeks depending on violation
a. Food handlers certificate obtained by staff (personal cleanliness, contamination prevention etc)
 Food handler certificate can be obtained by Steflogix
(Company on island Tel: 544-4381 Located Welfare Road in Colebay or
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
The course for managers is 1 whole day whilst the course for food handlers is
½ day.
b. Adequate ventilation and lighting
 Ventilation normally must be about 15 – 25 air changes per hour. Customers should not be able to smell what is coming from the kitchen.
 Lighting should be at least 20 foot candles per hour. Daylight long light bulbs/ one or two per working table. You should be able to see what food you are preparing. Enough light for you to read a book on a cutting table.
c. Ware (utensils and plates) washing facilities installed, maintained and used
d. Water and ice from approved source and/or running water
 By law all food establishment must only use water in their establishment from a Government approved source like GEBE. By alternative water source like from wells, cisterns, or from own water production, the Minister can issue a special permit.
e. Toilets properly constructed , supplied and cleaned
 with tiles on the floor and on walls
 sanitaire (toilets and hand washing facilities)
 running water and soap
 window or fan for exhaust ventilation
 adequate lighting
2. Stop operations where food is being handled and/or in a bar with an obligation to remedy within 1 week - 3 weeks depending on violation
a. Pest infestation (cockroaches, mice, rats, flies) as well as feces b. No running water available

St. Maarten owed NAF 165M to both entities --- Parties agree to reduce the amount --- Building sold for NAF45M while another NAF15M have to spent on finishing it.

PHILIPSBURG:---Minister of Finance Richard Gibson Sr. told members of the media on Friday afternoon that he managed to reach an agreement with both APS and SZV on the outstanding debts the country owes both institutions. Minister Gibson said that St. Maarten owed the two institutions some NAF165M and he managed to get both entities to reduce their claims in order for the country to come to agreement on paying off its debts based on is required by the CFT prior to them approving the country’s budget. Minister Gibson said St. Maarten was able to comply with that specific requirement and gain control over the amount of monies owed to the two organizations.

The Minister of Finance made clear a number of times that the negotiations did not go without growing pains that government had to end up selling the Government Building on Pond Island along with the land. The agreement signed on Friday was to transfer the building to SZV in order to decrease the debt. He said part of the monies will be paid to APS in order to reduce their claim from government. Minister Gibson said part of the agreement allows government to buy back the building when the government of St. Maarten gets its finances in order.
Gibson he had to pledge that the monies St. Maarten will get from the assets of the former Netherlands Antilles will go towards both institutions to further pay off the debts owed by government. The Minister of Finance felt government have reached a milestone, because just weeks ago it seemed as though it was impossible task to resolve this major issue which was an impediment in getting the CFT to approve the country’s budget. Minister Gibson said with the agreement signed on Friday the CFT can no longer disapprove of the country’s budget after parliament passed it. He said in his view government now has its debt with SZV and APS under control and in three years-time the debt will be completely paid off to both institutions.
The Finance Minister further explained that government will rent the building back from SZV at a 6% rate on the value of the building, while SZV will complete the construction of the building, furnish it at an additional amount which would be added to the current debt. He said that the 6% will give government a substantial reduction in the amount of rent they are currently paying for the other buildings they are renting outside of the government building. He said that all the departments will not be able to move into the building when it’s completed. However, he made clear that government is paying NAF1.2M monthly in rent but when the building is completed government will only be paying between NAF 3 to 4 hundred thousand monthly.
Prime Minister William Marlin, thanked the Minister of Finance for a job well done with the negotiation while he thanked the Minister of Public Health Emil Lee who was not present at the signing ceremony who gave the interim director of SZV the green light to go ahead with the signing. Marlin said now that the signing is completed he is now in charge of ensuring that the building is completed, therefore he will be working with SZV in order to ensure that the building is prepared and furnished according to government likeness.
He said when the building is ready his Ministry will then prepare the moving in plan. He said that he is hopeful that the building will be ready for occupancy by end of August or September, even though he would have liked to have it ready by July.
Marlin also admitted for giving the government building several names such as the ‘white elephant” and the most expensive chicken coop. But soon enough the government building will be the most beautiful building in Philipsburg.

PHILIPSBURGL--- On February 2nd 2016 The University of St.Martin’s School of Continuing Education & Life-Long Learning, (SCELL)’s, Journalism course commenced.

The course, “Journalism, Understanding What’s New About News” had started out as a vision of the Member of Parliament, Hon. Tamara Leonard and the “I AM SXM” foundation, and through a collaborative initiative between the former Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic & Telecommunications (TEATT), Mr. Claret Connor, the President of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry (COCI), Ms. Peggy Brandon, and the staff of the USM, a plan was implemented. The funding was provided by the Bureau Telecommunications and Post Sint Maarten (BTPSXM).

This course takes place at the University of St. Martin in room 205 from 3 pm to 6 pm. It is still open to participants who wish to register, call 554-2437 by no later Friday February 12th, 2016 by contacting Ms. Rochana Richardson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

CUL DE SAC:----St. Maarten Academy will be having its annual Open House on Thursday, February 11, 2016, in an effort to provide information to parents of students who are preparing to write the upcoming Foundation Based Education (FBE) examinations.

All parents and students of Grade 6 are invited to attend this important information session to have a full understanding of what St. Maarten Academy has to offer. The Open House will run from 6:00pm-8:00pm.

Prospective CAPE students and their parents are also invited to this information session where students will be helped to decide which degree programme is right for them. Their meeting is slated to begin at 6:45pm.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Caribbean Lottery has announced another winner for its Super Lotto jackpot. Maria Almonte, who resides in Cole Bay, St. Maarten, is US$2.17 million richer. The now super millionaire purchased her ticket from Tackling Shell, selecting her own winning numbers for draw #656 on Friday, January 22, 2016.

Maria’s winning numbers, 04-11-19-21-28 SB: 04, were not selected by chance, but hold great sentimental value. She explains, “I play the same numbers all the time and each number represents birthdays of persons close to me. My mom is represented by 04, my fiancé by 11, my two children by 19 and 21, and my birthday is 28.”

This win is a special one for Maria who has mixed feelings about her windfall. “I am excited, happy, and, at the same time, sad. I am sad because my dad was an avid Lotto player and he never won, and now that I have won this huge jackpot, he is not here to share this special moment with me,” she said.

The Caribbean Lottery has a history of producing winners, having paid out prizes to over 193,334 players in the Eastern Antilles totaling US$5,725,174 in 2015.

Maria spoke to her experience playing Caribbean Lottery games, and is over the moon about her windfall and has big plans for the jackpot prize. Her first priority is to purchase a home, which she has wanted to do for a long time, in addition to a vehicle.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):----The Government Fire Department and the Fire Department at the Princess Juliana International Airport, on Thursday carried out a joint training exercise at the airport.

This is the first of several training exercises that will continue in the months ahead. The training allows the community Fire Department to familiarize itself with airport and aviation firefighting protocols in the event of an incident.

Future trainings will become more complex and real simulated exercises will also take place.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Commission for Electoral Reform hereby informs the public that email - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. used in the Public Survey has been rectified.

The Public Survey has been advertised for the past 2 weeks in the local media and it has come to the attention of the Commission that the email was not functioning properly. With the rectification of the email the Commission has decided to extend the Public Survey for two weeks until February 18th 2016. Please find below the questions of the Public Survey.

Question #1

The phenomenon of "ship jumping" by members of Parliament of St. Maarten, can be described as the phenomenon whereby a member of Parliament, after having been elected as a Member of Parliament, leaves the party leaves by which he or she was elected to Parliament, to position him- or herself as an independent member of Parliament, or to join another political party than the one by which he/she was elected to Parliament. As a result of this, a government coalition can lose the support of the majority in Parliament and falls, should the independent Member of Parliament join another majority in Parliament.

Question: What do you think of this phenomenon and would you please motivate your answer?

Question #2

In 1999 the Island Territory St. Maarten, adopted a proposal to amend the Electoral Regulation of the Island Council of the Windward Islands (AB 1979, no. 2). The proposal entailed, briefly, that candidates of a particular party who obtained the most votes, were the first to qualify to be elected as a member of the Island Council (and presently a member of Parliament) regardless of their position on the list of candidates. The so-called preferential votes.

Before this change was introduced, the position where a candidate was placed on the list (from top to bottom) was decisive for the election as member of Parliament.

Question: Do you think that this change has had an effect on " ship jumping" and consequently on the stability of the Government? Would you please motivate your answer”?

All the reactions will be handed to Government in a separate report. The Commission for Electoral Reform urges the public to reply no later than Thursday, February 18th, 2016, via the following:

Hard Copies - should be delivered at the Government Administration Building at the Department of Records & Information Management (DIV)
Email – This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone – 1 721 543 1167

The Commission for Electoral Reform

PHILIPSBURG:--- Scores of police officers were at the Scotia Bank in Philpsburg  Friday morning clearing the building and searched for a bomb. Information reaching SMN News states that an employee at the bank received a bomb threat from a male person who entered the bank with a letter stating there is a bomb in the building.
Police Spokesman Ricardo Henson said that around 10:30 am on Friday morning a male entered the bank, he approached one of the tellers and gave her a letter and also demanded monies from the teller. Henson said the teller became scared and handed over an unknown amount of monies and then proceeded to open the letter where it stated that there was a bomb inside the building. Henson said police was called and they evacuated the building, then search it to see if there was any bomb inside the building. The police spokesman said no bomb was found but police were busy checking the camera surveillance system to see if they could identify the culprit because he had already left the building when police reached the scene.It should be noted that Scotia Bank was the first bank that got robbed during business hours on St. Maarten. Shortly after that incident the Police Force on St. Maarten organized a course for businesses and banks where the intention was to teach these persons how to handle incidents such as armed robberies. Even though Scotia Bank was the first victim on St Maarten SMN News understands that they bluntly refused to participate in the course citing that their head offices is in Barbados and unless they get approval from their head office they could not participate or contribute towards such programs. Another set back police are having when it comes to capturing criminals that commits broad day light robberies is that most businesses on the island do not have proper working surveillance cameras.

Robbery at bank in Philipsburg
On Friday, February 5th just before 11.00 a.m. a phone call came into the Emergency Dispatch Center informing them of a robbery which took place shortly before at the Scotia Bank located on the Back Street/Cannegieter Street in Philipsburg. The information received was that an unknown man had walked into the bank and handed one of the tellers a note in which he demanded money.
It is unclear if the suspect was in the possession of a weapon or not. The information in the note also was that an explosive device was placed in the vicinity of the bank. At one point the teller handed the suspect an undisclosed amount of cash and the suspect then left bank not drawing any attention to him self.
After the suspect left the bank the police was immediately informed and numerous patrols and detectives were sent to investigate was had taken place. The bank was immediately evacuated and a search for the explosive device was done, but nothing was found.
Members of the Special Robbery Unit Immediately started their investigation by talking to potential witnesses and gathering other information. The investigation is in its preliminary stages and more details or information is unavailable at present.
The police department however is making an appeal to the general public to assist in giving information in connection with this investigation. The numbers to call are # 9300 or 54-22222. The information that is giving might just be what the investigators are looking for to bring those responsible for the criminal act to justice.

KPSM Police Report.

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – Testing of targeted fogging as a mosquito vector control measure will commence on Friday afternoon as the Government prepares to step up its anti-mosquito control measures, the Collective Preventive Services (CPS), a government department under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, announced on Thursday.

Targeted fogging is a mythology to control the mosquito population by knocking down the adult mosquitoes. The CPS vector control surveillance team will determine the continuation of the targeted fogging based on established indicators eg. High mosquito population and/or suspected cases mosquito-borne disease in a particular area. The targeted fogging approach should not to be associated with an island-wide campaign as in the past.

The targeted test approach will commence at two border crossings. The fogging will take place on Friday from 5.00pm to 7.00pm in Oyster Pond and will cover the areas of Defiance Haven road, Dawn Beach, the French border area and up to Bishop Hill.

The second fogging control measure is scheduled for Saturday, February 6 from 5.00am to 7.00am, and will cover the following areas: French Quarter border area, Belvedere Round-a-bout, Bishop Hill, Defiance Haven road, and Middle Region. The timelines chosen is when mosquito presence is the highest and it is considered the most effective time to carry out fogging.

During the fogging campaign, residents should open doors and windows to give the insecticide maximum penetration in order to incapacitate mosquitoes. Food establishments, medical facilities, should take the appropriate measures to protect their produce and medicines.

Zoo, pet shops, should take measures to protect their animals. Parents and guardians should cover toys from insecticides. Persons with respiratory diseases should take precautions to avoid breathing in the insecticides (chemical) during the fogging.

Fogging is destined to kill adult mosquitoes that mostly are outside. Fogging will not reach behind walls, in corners and in dark places where the female mosquitoes are hiding.

The community is therefore encouraged to primarily remove all receptacles like old cans, tires, and make sure cisterns are inaccessible to mosquitoes. Every member of the community has a role to play in keeping the mosquito population down.

Secondly during the fogging cycle(s) the public can spray inside their home with a commercial home spray (never spray on food, always ventilate sprayed area(s), never spray on toys, never spray on animals or people).

In the event it's too windy or raining the fogging mosquito vector control will not take place and will be rescheduled.

CPS is appealing to the community to step up measures to eliminate mosquito breeding sites in and around homes and businesses. The community has a role to play in eliminating mosquitoes and with everybody playing their role, a successful war on the mosquito can take place. Government cannot do it alone, but with everybody in the community taking measures, the mosquito has no chance to breed.

Dengue fever, zika and chikungunya are transmitted by the female vector Aedes aegypti mosquito. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is distinguished by its markings. The body of the mosquito has alternate black and white horizontal stripes. The Aedes aegypti mosquito lays her eggs in clear (clean) stagnant water. Within eight days the mosquito can complete its life cycle from egg, to larvae to pupae and to adult mosquito.
Mosquitoes can be kept out of the home by keeping windows, doors and porches tightly screened (16-18 mesh). Those insects that do get into structures can be eliminated with a fly swatter or an aerosol space spray containing synergized pyrethrum.
It is very important to screen off cistern outlets, cover and screen septic tanks properly.
The aforementioned measures should also be taken in and around the workplace, social gatherings and living quarters to eliminate mosquito breeding sources.

An increase in the mosquito population puts residents and visitors at risk. For information about dengue fever, zika and chikungunya prevention measures, you can call CPS 542-2078 or 542-3003.

POINTE BLANCHE:---  The Simpson Bay Lagoon Authority, a company of Port St. Maarten, is assisting with the removal of a boat wreck along the shoreline of the Simpson Bay Beach near Karakter Beach Bar & Restaurant.
Ministry Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI) requested the assistance of the Lagoon Authority.
An excavator has been contracted to see what sections of the wreckage can be removed. An assessment was carried out on Thursday morning by representatives of the Lagoon Authority with respect to the wreckage.
A diver was used to direct the works of the excavator which was operating from the beach. Some small debris has been removed, but the wreckage measures approximately 120 feet and large sections of it remain under the sand in the water.
The Lagoon Authority will discuss further with stakeholders with respect to the removal of the heavier pieces. One of the proposals is to drag those larger sections (if possible) out into the bay where they would become a natural reef and a fish and coral habitat.
The beaches are an essential part of the destinations product, and any hazards that pose a threat must be dealt with.
According to the Nature Foundation, the boat wreckage is the former Golden Fleece, a yacht that broke anchor in Simpson Bay several years ago.
A number of complaints were made about swimmers getting cut from the underwater wreckage while swimming in the area. The foundation placed a buoy marker warning swimmers about the underwater danger and to refrain from swimming in that particular area.

PHILIPSBURG:--- As a Member of Parliament, I would like to commend the Minister of Education for the tough measures taken against NIPA Board for not cooperating with Government and submitting their audited financial reports. I have been very critical in Parliament in the previous public meetings that if the NIPA Board did not cooperate the only way to get their attention would be to put their subsidy on hold and have SOAB audit them, until Government makes the necessary changes in its policy for subsidized institutions. An audit by SOAB would bring a lot to light of the Institution in which the students, staff and Management have been complaining for months.

I have never expect certain individuals to act this way on the current Board of NIPA. There is already the unlawful dismissal of the Director and so many other issues such as clarity to the staff's pension. Do the worker's pension payments go towards the St. Maarten Pension Fund APS?

This is a serious issue which needs to be looked into among Foundations and School Boards. A Government subsidy should not be used for paying court cases because that money is earmarked for the school programs and payment of operational expenses. Legal expenses are only a part of the operational expenses and cannot be used because of inefficiency by Management to usurp the rights of the personnel.

The NIPA crises is a proper wake up call for Government and board members at other foundations and government owned companies, who feel once appointed by Government they can do as they please and that they can't be held accountable for their actions. The type of steps taken by Minister Jacobs makes the board members behave more responsibly in carrying out their duties instead of playing politics with their appointments. Some of them are not working in the general interest of the institution and St. Maarten

I am looking forward to the Minister of Education presenting Parliament with her written updated report about NIPA. I am also looking forward for Parliament to start addressing the structure and changes of the articles of incorporation for Foundations and Government Owned Companies. I am also not too impressed on how the current Supervisory Board of two members without a Chairperson is handling the affairs of Cadastre, and not adhering to Government’s request to present their financials and other requested documents to the Ombudsman. Government needs to restructure these Boards and Foundations to better serve the general interest of the foundation and St. Maarten.

This phenomena is happening not only at NIPA, but at the St. Maarten Housing Foundation, Cadastre, but also on other Boards. We can't continue using the same old articles and policies. Government needs to restructure the monster they have created with these Foundations giving them the full arm’s length authority and by doing so allowing the Board Members to feel like they are their own little Government and are untouchable and subsequently not adhering to the rules set by Government to receive subsidy.

Government also has to understand they can't use Boards for political decisions and that there needs to be checks and balances set within these institutions to prevent wasteful spending. Government needs to enforce the law and put the proper checks and balances in place in these foundations and government owned companies. They have to be updated and held accountable, since integrity, transparency, screening and accountability are at the forefront of Government.

Independent MP Maurice Lake

PHILIPSBURG:--- A letter was sent on February 2nd 2016 to the President of Parliament requesting an urgent meeting with the Minister of Education Youth Affairs and Sports on the issues related to the National Institute for Professional Advancement (NIPA).

Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Cornelius De Weever and MP Tamara Leonard, supported the request for an urgent meeting taken into consideration the press releases and recent newspaper articles that highlight the management, financial dilemma, court cases, lack of payment to the staff of NIPA.

The responsible minister is being requested to give an account on the ongoing issues as the reputation, the continuity of NIPA and the quality of education is at stake.

PHILIPSBURG:---- NV GEBE announced today the extension of the 62+ Senior Citizen Electricity Relief program for the budgeted year 2016 has been extended until December 31. The program will commence on February 8 and is also opened to new applicants.

Persons who are currently registered in the program will see a relief in their bills for February 2016, however they are required to submit an:

• attestatie de vita (proof of life),
• a valid identification
• and a contract account number
The aforementioned should be submitted before February 23, 2016, to ensure continuity of this relief.

NV GEBE stated that it is very important for persons who are currently enrolled in the 62+ Senior Citizen Electricity Relief program to comply with required information and deadline in order for their applications to be re-processed.

Failure to submit the requested information before the deadline will exclude that senior citizen from the 2016 electricity relief program.

New applicants are encouraged to apply for the program from February 8, and have until February 23 2016, to complete the registration form in order to be eligible.

Forms for the 62+ Senior Citizen Electricity Relief program can be collected at the NV GEBE main office at the receptionist during the hours of 7:30am to 3:00pm.

NV GEBE also stated that the amount of relief that each senior citizen will receive will be determined after all applications are processed in the month of March.

PHILIPSBURG:---- NV GEBE announced today the extension of the 62+ Senior Citizen Electricity Relief program for the budgeted year 2016 has been extended until December 31. The program will commence on February 8 and is also opened to new applicants.

Persons who are currently registered in the program will see a relief in their bills for February 2016, however they are required to submit an:

• attestatie de vita (proof of life),
• a valid identification
• and a contract account number
The aforementioned should be submitted before February 23, 2016, to ensure continuity of this relief.

NV GEBE stated that it is very important for persons who are currently enrolled in the 62+ Senior Citizen Electricity Relief program to comply with required information and deadline in order for their applications to be re-processed.

Failure to submit the requested information before the deadline will exclude that senior citizen from the 2016 electricity relief program.

New applicants are encouraged to apply for the program from February 8, and have until February 23 2016, to complete the registration form in order to be eligible.

Forms for the 62+ Senior Citizen Electricity Relief program can be collected at the NV GEBE main office at the receptionist during the hours of 7:30am to 3:00pm.

NV GEBE also stated that the amount of relief that each senior citizen will receive will be determined after all applications are processed in the month of March.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On January 27th, 2016, Ace Home Center in Cay Hill joined SCELL, The University of St. Martin’s School of Continuing Education & Life Long Learning’s impressive list of sponsors by donating a mini fridge for the SCELL Office located on the 2nd Floor of USM.
The Management Team of Ace Home Center stated: We believe that supporting Education is very important in the St. Maarten community. We have observed the progressive work of SCELL in the community and are impressed with how they have enhanced the lives of so many people in the community and businesses. Many of their programs we are aware of over the last six months are much needed programs for all members of the community. We are pleased to help SCELL and genuinely support Education.
Since the opening of the new school in August 2015, SCELL has established business relationships with multiple companies, Windward Islands Banks, LTD was the first sponsor and so many other business followed suit impressively.
SCELL’s primary goal is to provide customized training, coaching and mentoring to organizations that directly change the performance of the St. Maarten workforce. When employees are educated on the importance of customer service excellence, professional accountability and the keys to effectively managing and supervising work teams organizations strive. That is the SCELL philosophy, says Gittens.
Dr. Gittens, the Director of SCELL stated: The overwhelming support that SCELL has received since August 1 is both impressive and outstanding. My team and I are committed to changing St. Maarten and building Human Capital throughout the island. Our mission is to help organizations place a consistent value on their employees and their education and provide them with the training they need to be successful in their diverse professional roles. Most importantly, we want businesses to encourage their employees to pursue degree programs at the University of St. Martin and The University of the Virgin Islands at USM this January 2015 and in the Fall of August 2016.
If you would like to schedule a training or workshop, call 554-2437, email SCELL @usmonline.net, or fill out the form on our website at http://scell.usmonline.onl/index.php/programs/workshops-form.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister Emil Lee of Public Health, Social Development & Labor would like to applaud and congratulate Mr. Cylred Richardson, Head of the Ambulance Department for taking the initiative to empower his staff to participate in the certification and recertification of an EMD course. The constantly evolving Priority Dispatch System (PDS) will help provide the highest standard of care to the community, allowing Emergency Medical Dispatchers, to better manage limited resources and increase the accuracy and efficiency of the dispatching process.
Ambulance Department Dispatchers took part in a three day certification and recertification training course from Monday February 1st through Wednesday February 3rd 2016 in the Medical Priority Dispatch System™ (MPDS®) to better serve the citizens of St. Maarten in emergency situations. Several Police Dispatchers were also in attendance.
Dispatchers were trained in using the Medical Priority Dispatch System™ which: follow internationally recognized standards, give universal, consistent care and service to every caller, gather critical emergency call information for responders, identify life-threatening situations, safely prioritize calls for appropriate and fast response and provide “Zero Minute” Dispatch Life Support using Pre-Arrival and Post-Dispatch Instructions.
Using the Medical protocol enables dispatchers to accurately assess each emergency situation and increases safety for both citizens and responders. One key benefit of the Ambulance Department dispatchers is to provide a constant stream of crucial and updated scene information to field responder’s en-route to an emergency call. This information will better prepare responders to give precise assistance when they arrive at the scene.
The Priority Dispatch System™ (PDS™) includes cardsets, a three-day certification training course for emergency dispatchers, and continual quality improvement (QI) benchmarks and training. All dispatchers who work within the system are certified by the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch® (IAED™) and must recertify every two years, completing 24 hours of continuing dispatch education (CDE) and passing all requirements for IAED recertification.
The certification and recertification training class covered protocol layout, function and use. The dispatchers received instruction on each of the protocols in the Medical Priority Dispatch System™ to include how and why questions are asked in gathering information to assist patients and responders. Dispatchers receive instruction on using Pre-Arrival and Post-Dispatch Instructions to deliver care to patients before arrival of responders. Further, during the instructional time dispatchers also review call management techniques.
Use of the PDS allows communications centers to assess the quality of the care they are providing their communities, allowing them to make positive adjustments to training and staff in response to these assessments. The training was executed by national quality coordinator Mr. Iggi Dulzaides of Priority Dispatch Corporation from USA.

PHILIPSBURG:---- Last week the Philipsburg Jubilee Library hosted the official opening of the Literacy Helpdesk, which is an initiative by SXM Reads.
Ombudsman Nilda Arduin delivered the keynote address during the opening ceremony. She stressed the importance of literacy which is not only is not only a matter of reading and writing, but also includes other skills and knowledge, such as basic math’s skills, social skills and communication skills. The ombudsman commended the library for the opening of the helpdesk and stated that she would certainly refer her clients to the new helpdesk.
Literacy tutor Mrs. Merlese Lake as well as liteacy student gave emotional testimonials about their experiences with the adult literacy course in the past year.
The official opening act was performed by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Education Youth and Sports Ms. Jorien Wuite on behalf of Education Minister Mrs. Sylveria Jacobs.
The Helpdesk from now on will provide basic assistance to people in the community who may not have strong literacy skills. The assistance will include assistance with matters such as filling out forms, reading letters, etcetera.
The “SXM Reads” campaign was launched in May 2015 and is focused on promoting literacy and supporting people with low literacy skills. Literacy On an individual level adequate literacy is needed to participate, function and contribute to the community in an optimal way. On a community level, better communication, tolerance and understanding is needed for those whose lives are affected by low literacy skills.
The helpdesk will be open from 5 pm until 8 pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and 10 am until 1 pm on Saturday. SXM Reads is proud to host this Helpdesk and looks forward to serving the community via the Literacy Helpdesk.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Public Prosecutors’ Office and the Police Department are informing the public that general controls on different location on the island will continue. Therefore the entire community is advised to, at all time, walk with proper identification. All drivers should make sure to have his/her valid drivers license while operating a motor vehicle, that the vehicle they are driving is in good working condition and all documentation that the vehicle requires are up to date and on hand in the vehicle. This information is to avoid any unnecessary inconvenience in case they are stopped by police for control.
In addition to this information the Public Prosecutors’ Office is informing those persons who have not paid their outstanding fine(s) to have this settled as soon as possible. During the controls the officers will be checking on the list for those persons who have “unpaid fines”. These fines will have to be settled before that person is allowed to continue. If someone who has outstanding fines intends to leave the island via the airport or seaport and their passport is swiped at the Immigration booth, it will also register that they have unpaid fines. These fines will have to be settled before that person leaves on his/her trip. Fines can also be paid at the Receivers Office located on the Soualiga Boulevard and the Police Headquarters in Philipsburg. There is a swiping machine for a valid bankcard or credit card at the locations mentioned for anyone who wants to pay their fine (s). This can be done at anytime during the day. Someone refusing to pay their fine could result in that person spending time in jail.
The total of outstanding fines that have been collected by the police department only for the month of January 2016 is approximately Fl. 8000,- guilders.

Joint Press Release from KPSM and the Public Prosecutor's Office

Too many controversies between the supervisory board and shareholder.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Leader of the Democratic Party and Chairlady of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams did not mingle with words on Thursday when she told members of the medial that the Supervisory Board of GEBE should do the honorable thing and make their positions available to government. The DP leader who forms part of the current coalition said that the saga at GEBE has been going on way too long and government, (not only the current coalition) but other governments have not been on the same wave length with the members of the Supervisory Board. She said the company has a number of positions on the managerial board that has to be filled and in order to do such there needs to be some tranquility at the Government owned company.
Asked on what grounds the Supervisory Board should tender their resignation or make their positions available, and if there are any proof wrongdoings by the members of the supervisory board or if she they believe the supervisory board members are politically affiliated? Wescot Williams said that it has more to do with the relation between governments and the supervisory board and the different sagas that took place over the past months, one being the “Maduro saga”. She said in her opinion because of those issues the supervisory board of directors should say its enough and thus make their positions available. Asked if the Supervisory Board had not taken the necessary actions when they found out about the mismanagement of the company’s funds and did not act if they would not have been held liable? Wescot Williams said she did not want those types of details. Her main point is if there is a government owned company and there are issues between the Supervisory Board and the Shareholder, then the honorable thing to do is to forget as to who is right from wrong and move on.
Wecot Williams said the issues at GEBE has been ongoing for quite some time now between members of the current coalition. She said she fully supports the statements made by government with respect with GEBE which she said is clear in terms of what needs to happen and the approach that has to be taken. She assured that as Member of Parliament that is supporting the current coalition the situation at GEBE has her undivided attention. Wescot Williams said on her way home on Wednesday she saw a number of GEBE employees outside and when she enquired what was going on she said she was informed by the workers that they were awaiting the arrival of the Prime Minister William Marlin whom they said needed to inform them of what was going on with the company they are working for, especially since some politicians has taken the issues at GEBE to create some amount of panic among the workers. One being the accusations that were levied against government that they are seeking funds from GEBE in order to destroy the company. Wescot Williams said because of the loose and unfounded statements made by certain politicians it gave the employees reason to demand answers from government, in addition to all the other issues at GEBE. She confirmed that Prime Minister did spoke to the workers in her presence. She said during that open air meeting it was clear that the workers wanted answers especially regarding the monies government requested from GEBE. It should be noted that the government of St. Maarten requested a loan of NAF20M from the water reserves monies which is fully owned by the government, this she said is separate from the funds generated from electricity. Wescot Williams said she advised government that whatever they do with regards to the financial relationship that it is done in accordance with the corporate governance principles even though they are shareholders they needed to follow certain principles and guidelines.
Wescot Williams looking at ways to broaden the scope of the Constitutional Court.
The chairlady of parliament said that one of the things she is looking to get done is to broaden the scope of the Constitutional Court, one being where they could intervene in matters such as disputes between the governor and government, parliament and government or even with Ministers. She said she discussed this matter with Judge Bob Wit and he felt broadening their scope of work was not a bad idea.
On other matters the chairlady of Parliament said one of her intentions is to curb or properly organize the central committee meetings, in order to keep it to the point and not allow Members of Parliament to have the entire process drawn out for days or long periods.
While she admitted that there is no speakers’ time at Central Committee meetings she believes that she could better organize it so that the process goes faster.
Wescot Williams further gave an update on the St. Maarten Medical Center where Minister Emil Lee has sought to have the bidding process of the new hospital which she assured is not off the books.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Workers of GEBE that are supporting William Brooks, the Temporary Manager that resigned from his post last week citing that he will wait on the shareholder representative to take a decision on his appointment as CEO called on Prime Minister William Marlin on Wednesday afternoon for an urgent meeting since they plan to take action if the shareholder do not appoint Brooks. SMN News understands that Prime Minister Marlin rushed over to the urgent meeting that lasted some hours.
While some of the workers that got perks and promises from William Brooks are fighting for his appointment through their union they fail to realize that the Brooks engaged in nepotism and conflict of interest when he appointed his brother to a senior position shortly after he was hired as a Temporary manager of the government owned company. Brooks then used $35,000.00 of the companies monies to purchase a vehicle for his brother all of which was mentioned in a letter to the Council of Ministers. On the day Brooks resigned he gave his brother a NAF4,000.00 increase on his salary, taking it way above his scale.
While the WIFOL/ASWE are supporting the workers who wanted Brooks on the job, they seem not to know that William Brooks plans to take away all the pension and medical benefits that GEBE is paying for its employees. According to information provided to SMN News Brooks informed the Supervisory Board of Directors when he was hired that he plans to implement some cost cutting measures through ‘cost control’ to take away the benefits the former chairman of the board of GEBE gave the employees. It is understood that Brooks had planned to implement these cost control measures as early as April 1st 2016.
It should be noted that the only Government owned company that pays these benefits for their workers is GEBE.
Reliable information reaching SMN News states that Brooks wanted to make GEBE equal to all the other government owned companies, yet he gave several managers huge increases in their salaries in order to gain their support.

SMN News further learnt that some of the workers plans to meet with the Prime Minister where they intend to ask the Prime Minister to send home the Supervisory Board of Directors whom they accused of being politically motivated. The source said that most of GEBE's problem is coming from the Supervisory Board because they are on top of the job when it comes to the day to day management of GEBE. The workers also said that they will not accept for the Minister of VROMI or Prime Minister to appoint Veronica Jenson Webster to the CEO position because she is not an engineer and in their view she knows nothing on how to manage a utility company. 
Several phone calls placed to the president of WIFOL/ASWE Theophillus Thompson for a comment on the current situation went unanswered.

PHILIPSBURG:---The Sint Maarten Insurance Association (SMIA) installed a new Board following their recent annual elections. The new Board will be led by President elect, Dwayne Elgin (CEO of NAGICO Insurances). Mr. Elgin takes over the reins from outgoing President, Mr. Eric Ellis who served in that capacity from the inception of the Association in 2013 and is also a founding member.
The newly elected board comprises of Vice President- Olivier van de Gevel (Branch Manager of Guardian); Treasurer -Wayne Johnson (Branch Manager of ICWI); Secretary- Cynthia Rotsburg(Branch Manager Caribbean Alliance). Mr. Ellis will now serve as an Advisor to the new elected Board. The SMIA has as its charter, the responsibility for promoting the general interest of the insurance business on St. Maarten as well as to advance and uphold the good reputation and conduct of the insurance business on the island.
The incoming president; Elgin has more than fifteen years experience under his belt and is a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter(CPCU). In an invited comment, Elgin stated that he intends to continue the good work done by the previous board and engage all stakeholders to increase awareness and improve the image and visibility of the association on St. Maarten. He also thanked the association members for their confidence in his ability to lead the organization and was in high praise for the work done and accomplishments of the outgoing board.
Some of the accomplishments of the outgoing board includes, the introduction of the St. Maarten Accident Administration Service, establishment of equitable Medical Tariffs with the St. Maarten Medical Association(SMA) and Windward Islands Medical Association(WIMA) amongst other successful projects.
The new team has already hit the ground running with planned projects; some already in execution phase for 2016 and they have also expressed a positive outlook for the insurance industry on St. Maarten.

SUCKER GARDEN:---  Week 12 of the Ladies Basketball Championship continued with 2 games last Sunday in the senior division at Melford Hazel Sports Complex/

The first senior game of the day saw Learning Unlimited go up against Bush T Remedy. Even though both teams were shorthanded with only 5 players, Bush T imposed their will on Learning Unlimited and led 27-8 after the first quarter and 61 to 14 at the half. Bush T continued to expand on their lead and won handily 109-21. Bush T Remedy was led by Jacqueline Hodge with 40 points and Shandria Lake with 33 points. Learning Unlimited was led by Shama Flurton with 11 points and Pritika Lakhwani with 6 points.

The second game of the afternoon saw Lightning taking on Thunderz. This game was competitive throughout and had Lightning leading 34-26 at the half. Lightning expanded their lead to 11 at the end of the third and continued to put pressure on Thunderz and won 60-41. Lightning had a balanced attack with Jamaiah Newton – Herbert and Selah Fleming with 11 points and Micaela Galva and Tsjaquilla Jeffrey with 10 points. Thunderz was led by Claudia Fleming with 19 points and Joyette Lloyd with 12 points.

The senior division standings are Lightning at 10-2, Thunderz at 9-3, Bush T Remedy at 3-9 and Learning Unlimited at 2-10.

Games continue this Sunday for U16 teams at 2pm and senior teams at 3pm as Lightning take on Learning Unlimited and at 5pm as Bush T Remedy take on Thunderz.

Game Highlights, pictures, game scores and schedule can be viewed on the Facebook page 'Ladies Basketball Championship'. Highlights and full games can be seen on the Youtube page www.youtube.com/walichibasketball and short highlights can be seen on the Instagrampagewww.instagram.com/ladiesbasketballchampionship

PHILIPSBURG:--- NIA Gear up for Carnival Bootcamp will be a fitness program counting down to Carnival 2016. Classes will focus on fat burning exercises, toning your core muscles for slim waistline figure, arms and legs for slender limbs, and your glutes for a lifted derriere. Though Carnival costumes be skimpy, time to start getting your body ready!

Allison Deher will be leading the classes. She is a Pilates teacher for the past ten years, a resident teacher for Art Saves Lives and recently certified NSCA personal trainer. Off days from Bootcamp there will be morning walks planned. Food journaling and support will also be offer to program members.

Classes will be three times a week; Tuesdays at 5am, Thursdays at 5am and Saturdays 8am or
10am. The program will be 10 weeks of classes, starting February 9th and concluding April
14th. The price for the full 10 weeks is $210 upfront, of three payments of $100 (due Feb 2nd, Mar 2nd, Mar 30th). Drop in rate is $12. NIA class cards will be accepted,

Also, Allison Deher will be teaching Pilates classes at NIA Tuesday and Thursday mornings at
6am and Saturdays at 9am.

PHILIPSBURG:--- St. Maarten Electric Center located in Cole Bay joined SCELL, The University of St. Martin’s School of Continuing Education & Life Long Learning’s impressive list of sponsors by donating lights for the SCELL Office located on the 2nd Floor of USM.
Mr. George, Managing Director of St Maarten Electric Center stated: We are impressed with SCELL and have observed all the important work they have done in St. Maarten in such a short space of time, educating members of our community of all ages and professions. We wanted to assist them with the lights for their new office to show our support and our appreciation for their hard work. Dr. Gittens with the support of USM has created a movement in the community. The movement that education and learning is the key! We are proud of her and her team and wish them great success in many years to come. We appreciate the hard and continuous work of USM.
Since the opening of the new school in August 2015, SCELL has established business relationships with multiple companies. Windward Islands Banks, LTD was the first sponsor and so many other business followed suit impressively.
SCELL’s primary goal is to provide customized training, coaching and mentoring to organizations that directly change the performance of the St. Maarten workforce. When employees are educated on the importance of customer service excellence, professional accountability and the keys to effectively managing and supervising work teams organizations strive. That is the SCELL philosophy, says Gittens.
Dr. Gittens, the Director of SCELL stated: The overwhelming support that SCELL has received since August 1 is both impressive and outstanding. My team and I are committed to changing St. Maarten and building Human Capital throughout the island. Our mission is to help organizations place a consistent value on their employees and their education and provide them with the training they need to be successful in their diverse professional roles. Most importantly, we want businesses to encourage their employees to pursue degree programs at the University of St. Martin and The University of the Virgin Islands at USM this January 2015 and in the Fall of August 2016.
If you would like to schedule a training or workshop, call 554-2437, email SCELL @usmonline.net, or fill out the form on our website at http://scell.usmonline.onl/index.php/programs/workshops-form.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The investigating officers in the ongoing human smuggling investigation “Papegaai” has announced that another suspect with initials N.J.P. was arrested and put into custody for further investigation.

KPSM Police Report

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Education the Honorable Sylveria Jacobs visited the Police Head Quarters on Tuesday February 2nd where she was given an extensive explanation regarding the school identification card for students attending secondary schools. In the presence of the head of the Philipsburg District Chief Inspector Bloeiman, project members, the Community Police Officer Felix Richards who have been involved in the coordination of this project gave the minister complete presentation. The presentation also included other ongoing projects that directly tied to this school identification project and also involves the safety and security of all students. The details to these projects will be disclosed once they are finalized and are ready to be implemented.

KPSM Police Report

Data from Labor Department lost since July 2014 --- Bidding process for “Turn Key Hospital in process.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Health, Labor and Social Affairs Emil Lee told reporters on Wednesday that he busy working on empowering the staff members working for the Ministry of VSA. The Minister Lee said he gave the departments some space to do what they need to do without his full presence. He said they do brainstorm and meet regularly but the departments of VSA got some free space to execute their duties.

Minister Lee further explained that the department has been busy fighting the breeding of mosquitoes in order to curtail the Zika virus. A meeting he said was held on Wednesday between the French and Dutch authorities aimed at exchanging information on how to deal with the Zika epidemic.
Another step CPS has taken is they are sending out letters, lawyers, banks, real estates, notaries informing them that they have to take the necessary precautions to ensure that the properties that they are managing do not have breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Minister Lee said a resident contacted him via Facebook and informed of derelict building next to her home that is a breeding ground for mosquitos. The Minister said persons also contacted him informing that some other areas such as Sucker Garden but that he said poses some problems since no specific area or buildings were identified. He further stated that the Ministry have been in contact with the hardware stores for them to stock up on mosquito repellents.
As for the dispute taking place at Stars casino and some of its employees Minister Lee said those employees have approached the labor department for advice and the department is busy working on the case in order to come to an agreement with the employer.
Minister Lee confirmed when asked by SMN News if the labor department is up to par when it comes to storing of data and if there is an unemployment registry at the Labor Department. Minister Lee said when he took office the first thing he found out was that data from the Labor Department got lost in July 2014 due to power outages and there were no back up of that information. He said ever since then he ordered the staff of the labor department to back up all information.
When asked how efficient is the labor department when it comes to representing employees? The Minister said that he do not get into individual cases, but he does know that the department is on top of their jobs even though short staffed.
Bidding process open for Turn Key Hospital. (SMMC Development)
The Minister said that the Ministry had issued a terms of reference for engineering companies to develop a bidding process for a Turn Key Hospital. Minister Lee said three local companies were approached that are partnering with larger construction firms overseas. The Minister said that the bidding should be completed by February 19th. The Minister of Health they are already looking for developers that are specialized in building Turn Key hospitals who will be charged with designing, building and maintaining of the institution. Another request will be that the Ministry will see if these firms will providing financing. He said that he was very pleased with the statements made by Minister Plasterk who said that the Kingdom will be willing to provide financing if the CFT approves the project.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister William Marlin in his remarks on Wednesday at the Council of Ministers press briefing announced that the government of St. Maarten does not agree with the proposal sent to him by the Kingdom Government on the formation of a ‘dispute committee”. Marlin said while the government of St. Maarten cannot agree with the proposal simply because it states that despite any advices the Kingdom is the one that will have the last word on any matters of dispute. Marlin said even if the Council of State is sought for an advice that according to the Kingdom will remain an advice and the Kingdom could ignore the advice if they if they have motivated reasons to deviate from that advice. Marlin said he does not see the proposal sent by Minister Plasterk as a solution, instead he sees the document where the Kingdom is taking the countries for a ‘nice ride around the park” but at the end of the day they “the Dutch government/Kingdom are in charge and whatever they say goes. The Prime Minister said in his view it does not make any sense with the dispute committee, because it makes absolutely no sense having a dispute between two parties, while only one party will have the last word.
Prime Minister peeved about documents from Government owned companies being leaked and published.
Prime Minister William Marlin expressed his dissatisfaction on Wednesday when asked if government is addressing the ciaos at GEBE. Marlin said he does not believe that documents from government or government owned companies should be leaked and published on blogs because in his view, this create confusion while in his opinion it is intended to destabilize the company. He said publication of such information affects the trust of the company, while it also creates some distrust.
One example he made was the lunch receipts and confidential reports were leaked and published.
Marlin said that everyone knows that the company is under stress for some time now and that the government is dealing with the matter. He said the situation has the full attention of government, therefore he is assuring the people as well as the employees of GEBE that Government is dealing with the situation at GEBE. Marlin said there are proposals to appoint board members and there is a discussion ongoing for a manager or CEO of the company. He however said that the way GEBE is structured a CEO, COO and CFO has to be on the managerial board. He said government has to take into consideration the ongoing legal process involving the former CFO and GEBE. Marlin said currently there are discussions taking place between the board and the legal representative of the CFO. “All of these things have to be placed in the proper equation before appointing persons.”
As for the appointments, government has to deal with the Corporate Governance Council while those persons that wants to take up senior positions on the managerial board has to go through the screening process that is conducted by VDSM.
Asked if the shareholder, or the Supervisory Board requested that the Temporary Manager William Brooks to resign, Marlin said that Brooks applied for the position as CEO of the company and he felt that if he will be evaluated based on his performance as a temporary manager, then he “Brooks” preferred to step aside and wait until government takes a decision on his application.
Clem Labega Square will soon be opened.
Marlin further updated the media on the opening of the Clem Labega Square parking which is yet to open. Marlin said that there are some more work that has to be done in order to have the parking lot open and when it does it will be fully automated. He said in the beginning he had to ensure the huge boulders that were placed by one of the entrance removed because it defaces the area. He said the only work that is being done now is creating a parking line for vehicles to wait if the parking lot is full. He said when the parking lot is open, security will be placed at the location to direct traffic for the first two days.
Marlin praised Audit Chamber for a job well done.
The Prime Minister also announced that he met with the Council of Advice where he update the council on the 2016 budget, and the electoral reform that has to take place prior to the September 26th parliamentary elections.
Marlin said one of the issues that is constantly raised is that government has to get a two third majority in order to get a legislation passed. He said in his view the parliament of St. Maarten has a three third majority and one must remember that the it is the former government who wanted to dissolve the parliament of St. Maarten because they felt that would solve the problems of ‘ship jumping.’ Marlin said while the former government used article 59 to dissolve parliament to curb ship jumping but those that were in government did not have anything in place for electoral reform.
Marlin said he also met with the Audit Chamber on Tuesday and he had to tip his hat to the employees of that department since they started off from scratch when St. Maarten became a country and so far they submitted a number of reports. He said that he is hopeful that the Parliament of St. Maarten would make good use of the reports that were prepared by the Audit Chamber.

Government preparing take NIPA board members to court.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Education, Sports and Youth Affairs Silveria Jacobs announced on Wednesday that the Council of Ministers gave instructions to the finance department temporarily suspend the subsidies for NIPA (SOB) school. The Minister said that government have been trying to obtain the financial statements from NIPA board (AVE) but so far they have been unsuccessful. She said that even the meetings called by government to meet with the members of the NIPA board (AVE) did not take place because the board asked that the meeting be postponed. Minister Jacobs said in light of the lien that was placed on the building by an employee that has to be paid due to a Court Order and that the institution lost yet another case the Council of Ministers have decided to take additional measures in order for the board to comply.

Minister Jacobs said that NIPA was given another deadline to submit their financial statements and if that is not done the subsidies for NIPA will be suspended temporarily until further notice, this she said might force government to stop the advanced subsidies since the AVE board is not cooperating with government.
Minister Jacobs further explained that government also requested SOAB to audit the AVE (NIPA). Minister Jacobs said if NIPA does not submit their audited financial report by the due date, then the subsidy will be stopped permanently.
Another step government has taken was to have the inspectorate conduct an investigation at NIPA. The Minister said that based on the contents of the report the institution is not performing optimally. The report she said was sent to the AVE board for comments but they have not responded.
The Minister of Education further explained that they are in discussions with their lawyers, and one of the options government have is to take the members of AVE board to court and hold them personally liable.
She assured that the Ministry is not neglecting its duties when it comes to NIPA because the school is very vital to the country and students.

203 students requested Study Financing.

Minister Jacobs also announced that some 203 students submitted applications for study financing. Of the 203 some 140 students indicated that they will be studying in the Region, while the remaining 63 will go to Europe.

GREAT BAY(DCOMM):--- The Collective Preventive Services (CPS), a government department under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, spearheaded a multi-disciplinary meeting that took place on Monday at the Ministry of Public Health conference room regarding the mosquito-borne Zika virus disease.

The platform guided by CPS will coordinate, monitor and steer actions being taken to combat mosquito-borne diseases.

The multi-disciplinary partners that met on Monday morning were the Princess Juliana International Airport, St. Maarten Medical Center, St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, Public Health Department, Vector Control and Surveillance Officer.

A number of topics were discussed such as a: collective marketing strategy; distribution of public information flyers to stakeholders; information in different languages eg. Spanish, Creole, Mandarin; public information ads at ports of entry; targeted fogging; distribution of mosquito kits; distribution of information from the Caribbean Public Health Agency to the St. Maarten Hotel and Trade Association, ports of entry, with a follow-up discussion with hotels and taxi drivers; and district clean-up parties.

There was also a discussion in preparation for a February 3 meeting health officials from the French Collectivite of St. Martin.

CPS is appealing to the community to step up measures to eliminate mosquito breeding sites in and around their homes and businesses.

Dengue fever, zika and chikungunya are transmitted by the female vector Aedes Aegypti mosquito. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is distinguished by its markings. The body of the mosquito has alternate black and white horizontal stripes. The Aedes Aegypti mosquito lays her eggs in clear (clean) stagnant water. Within eight days the mosquito can complete its life cycle from egg, to larvae to pupae and to adult mosquito.

Actively destroy or dispose of tin cans, old tires, buckets, unused plastic swimming pools or other containers that collect and hold water. Do not allow water to accumulate in the saucers of flowerpots, cemetery urns/vase or in pet dishes for more than two days. Throw out the water and turn them over every time it collects water.
Check around construction sites or do-it-yourself improvements to ensure that proper backfilling and grading is realized to prevent drainage problems which can be a source for standing water. Empty all construction containers such as blue tanks, buckets, paint cans etc.
Mosquitoes can be kept out of the home by keeping windows, doors and porches tightly screened (16-18 mesh). Those insects that do get into structures can be eliminated with a fly swatter or an aerosol space spray containing synergized pyrethrum.
Screen off cistern outlets, cover and screen septic tanks properly.
The aforementioned measures should also be taken in and around the workplace, social gatherings and living quarters to eliminate mosquito breeding sources.

An increase in the mosquito population puts residents and visitors at risk. For information about dengue fever, zika and chikungunya prevention measures, you can call CPS 542-2078 or 542-3003.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Reliable information reaching SMN News states that the Council of Ministers will appoint former Minister of TEATT Romeo Pantophlet Temporary Manager of GEBE. The appointment is expected to take place as early as Wednesday. According to the information SMN News received is the Council of Ministers will appoint Pantophlet to the position until the screening process until the suggested candidate for the Chief Executive Officer position Veronica Jenson Webster is completed. At the moment the files for the CEO candidate and board members were sent to the Corporate Governance Council.
So far the Council of Ministers have remained tightlipped on the continued saga at GEBE even though several meetings with the supervisory board were held as well as coalition meetings.
SMN News further learnt that the Supervisory Board of GEBE got shock of their lives on Friday when they discovered that William Brooks the former Temporary Manager who resigned from his position last week Thursday gave at least five managers huge salary increases which is far above their salary scales.
One of the managers that got a huge increase is Brook’s brother the distribution manager whose salary was with the NAG9,000.00 range but just before Brooks tendered his resignation he increased his brother’s salary to NAF14,500. Other managers such as the Human Resource managers, the commercial managers were among those that got the increase on Thursday. SMN News further learnt that the board has since sent the decisions to the internal audit for review since the managers got increases that are way above their scales.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The SXM DOET Project Management Team is putting out a call to action for freelance and professional photographers and/or videographers to be a part of positive change by assisting us with the documentation of SXM DOET 2016.

March 11th and 12th marks the second annual SXM DOET which is the local edition of the Kingdom-wide community service initiative promoting unity, compassion, and goodwill by encouraging people to lend a helping hand at NGOs, schools and more on St. Maarten.

You can be a part of ensuring that the selfless organizations and volunteers that partake in SXM DOET have memories to cherish for years to come. Persons interested in taking photographs and/or videos at various locations on the days of March 11 and 12 should register on the www.sxmdoet.com website under the "Eternalize SXM DOET" project.

Don't miss out on being a part of the largest volunteer initiative in the Dutch Kingdom because together we can achieve more!

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee will meet in session on February 8th.
The Central Committee meeting has been set for Monday at 10.00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelmina Straat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is the draft National Ordinance to establish the National 2016 Budget.

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org.

GREAT BAY:----  Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), announces that road works will be carried out on Sucker Garden road and Arch road starting Saturday, February 6 up to February 9.

There will be a road closure at the intersection of Sucker Garden road/Arch road; this will be closed for through traffic from both directions. Concrete barriers will be placed from 6.00am on February 6 and will be removed on February 10 at 6.00am.

Only residents living along this section of Arch road will be allowed access to their homes. All other motorized traffic including waste disposal trucks and emergency vehicles, will have to use Sucker Garden road/Walter Nisbeth road/Soualiga boulevard to access the Landfill at Pond Island or take Arch road, right for only residents and left to reach Madame Estate/Dutch Quarter.

Civil works will take place in this area: Sucker Garden road starting intersection Sucker Garden road turn left on to Arch road up to area Robbie Lottery booth.
Civil works will take place from Sucker Garden road via the new road crossing on the intersection Sucker Garden/Arch road – then alongside the left side on the Sucker Garden road ending at United Telecommunications Service (UTS) new cell site on Spring Garden Drive. Works alongside this route will be from intersection to intersection. Starting from intersection Sucker Garden/Arch road to Umbrella cactus drive. After from Umbrella cactus to Leaf cactus – then Leaf cactus drive to Gold Finger cactus drive with the last stretch from Gold Finger cactus drive to Spring Garden drive ending at UTS new cell site.
Civil works will also be in this area starting from Sucker Garden area Flanders up to the former kindergarten school on Sucker Garden road.
These civil works will start at sunrise and will continue until sunset.

The road works are related to UTS laying of new conduits and making a new road crossing at the intersection Arch road/Sucker Garden road.

It also relates to NV GEBE laying of a new water line on a section of the Sucker Garden road.

Motorists must pay attention to signage indicating that work is underway, and therefore should reduce speed and drive with caution due to the workmen and equipment that will be used in the area.
Ministry VROMI apologizes for any inconveniences this may cause.

POINTE BLANCHE:---  Dutch Minister of Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations Ronald Plasterk on Tuesday afternoon visited the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facility where he received a presentation from Port St. Maarten Management.
Port St. Maarten Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Mingo gave an overview of the state of affairs at the port facility and pointed out the importance of job creation for the country due to developments in cruise and cargo. Mingo also explained the compliance processes that are in place under the port’s audit umbrella which are in line with good corporate governance.
The CEO explained how Port St. Maarten contributes to one third of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country which in turn provides thousands of jobs and generates foreign exchange for the government and businesses.
Mingo also explained in detail about the agreement with Ernst & Young Advisory Services, to perform an Enterprise Risk Assessment (ERA), which will prepare Port St. Maarten’s strategic development for 2016 and beyond, as well as the various financial and operational audits that have been carried out over the years.
ERA is the process of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling the activities of an organization in order to minimize the effects of risk on an organization’s capital and earnings.
Enterprise risk management expands the process to include not just risks associated with accidental losses, but also financial, strategic, operational, and other risks.
The CEO also explained the relationship that exist with the shareholder and how the latter approves the strategic growth module of the port once all relevant information has been provided based on discussions between the port and the shareholder.
The Minister was explained with reference being made to the BREA (Business Research & Economic Advisors) Report, which is a survey-based analysis of the impacts of passenger, crew and cruise line spending, that was prepared for the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) and Participating Destinations, October 2015 edition.

Sint Maarten led all destinations with nearly US$423 million in cruise passenger spending, surpassing destinations like the Bahamas, Cozumel (Mexico), the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. Combined, these seven destinations with US$2.11 billion in direct expenditures, accounted for 67 per cent of the total cruise tourism expenditures among the 35 destinations.

35 destinations took part in the study. They were located in the Caribbean, Mexico and Central and South America.

During the 2014/2015 cruise year, cruise tourism generated US$3.16 billion in direct expenditures, 75,050 jobs and US$976 million in employee wages among the aforementioned destinations.

23.6 million cruise passengers disembarked cruise ships and visited the participating destinations or embarked on their cruise at one of the six homeports over the aforementioned period. These passengers spent $2.45 billion for shore excursions and other goods and services during the 2014/2015 cruise year. Average per passenger expenditures ranged from a low of $42.58 in Trinidad to a high of $191.26 in St. Maarten and averaged $103.83 per passenger visit across the 35 destinations.

St. Maarten with $355 million in total passenger expenditures led all destinations and accounted for 14 percent of total passenger spending among the 35 destinations.

An estimated 4.5 million crew members that visited the 35 participating destinations spent an estimated $302 million for goods and services during the 2014/2015 cruise year. Unlike passengers, shore excursions are not a focus of crew spending; rather, crew expenditures are more heavily weighted toward food and beverages, jewelry, and electronic goods. These were followed by spending for clothing and entertainment.

Sint Maarten had the second highest average expenditure of $119.13 per crew visit and the third highest number of crew onshore visits (377,400); Sint. Maarten had the second highest total expenditure among the 35 participating destinations, $45.0 million. In St. Maarten crew expenditures were also concentrated on retail purchases of electronics and jewelry. These were followed by spending for food and beverages and clothing. These four categories accounted for 70 percent of total crew spending in St. Maarten.

The $423 million in direct expenditures, in turn, generated an estimated 9,259 jobs paying $189 million in wage income during the 2014/2015 cruise year. This placed St. Maarten with the highest income impact and the second highest employment impact.
The contributions that the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise and Cargo Facility makes to the Caribbean Netherlands BES islands (mainly St. Eustatius, and Saba) was also profiled in connection with shipping of goods; and the concession fee that is paid by the port to the shareholder.
Mingo informed the Minister and his delegation that Port St. Maarten accommodated 1,901,617 cruise passengers in 2015, and is the #1 cruise port in the Caribbean, the second year in a row according to Cruise Fever.net readers who were asked to vote on the best cruise ports in the Caribbean in the 2015 Cruise Fever Fan Awards.
Another important point that CEO Mingo informed Minister Plasterk about was Port St. Maarten’s strategic security plans that are in place in compliance with International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) standards of the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO), adding that the port works very closely with law enforcement agencies of the country to ensure a secure and safe environment for cruise passengers and crew. This relationship that exists and current port security measures are also in line with cruise line industry security procedures and standards.

At the end of the visit to the port facility, Minister Plasterk and his delegation were taken by water taxi to the Walter Plantz Square for refreshments and to showcase the port’s latest project that highlights cultural and heritage tourism, an avenue that holds great potential for the destination with respect to sustainable development.

The presentation to the minister was supported by senior Port St. Maarten management officials as well as members of the board of supervisors.

Pond Island:---- Telecommunication provider,TelEm Group, once again scored a goal with organizers of St. Maarten’s interscholastic schools soccer program after making a generous donation to the start of tournament play Saturday.

During and official opening ceremony at the Belvedere playing field Saturday morning, President of the St. Maarten Soccer Education Foundation, Mr. David Forsythe, thanked management and staff of TelEm Group for their continued support, noting that this is the third time in a row that the company has contributed toward the Foundation’s efforts to improve technical soccer skills and soccer education in St. Maarten schools.

Mr. Forsythe said it is thanks to sponsors like TelEm Group, that cash awards can go to the schools for their respective soccer programs. The funds also assist with various support initiatives including providing kits, balls, training equipment and soccer boots to youth soccer players.

The Foundation president says since the start of the program there have been many positive results, with one of the main rewards being the raising of the level of soccer coaching and quality of play amongst all the participating schools and also the participation of more girls in the sport.

TelEm Group Chief Commercial Officer (CFO), Mr. Brian Mingo, presented a check to the amount of $5.000 to the Foundation Board members who were also joined by two participating teams for a photo-op during which Mr. Mingo acknowledged that TelEm Group will continue to do all it can to promote sports generally amongst St. Maarten’s youth, and especially at the inter-schools level.

“We continue to be impressed each year by the high level of the games played and also by the dedication shown by all the parents who turn out each Saturday morning to cheer on their school teams in the spirit of good fun and competition,” said Mr. Mingo.

He urged the Foundation to continue doing its good work of hosting the inter-schools soccer tournament while fostering wholesome participation of parents, schools and players themselves in the schools soccer program.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Thanks to the contribution of Island Water World, Spinlock & Essilor the participants of the Kidz At Sea Program will all be able to wear new, high quality lifejackets during sail training and regattas. Island Water World, a longtime supporter of the Kidz At Sea Program secured the sponsorship with Spinlock, one of their suppliers. Spinlock’s ultra lightweight lifejackets are ideal for sailing as they are less bulky than certain models, making it easier to move around the boat swiftly. “All kids involved in the program can swim, but the life jackets provide an additional safety feature when sailing in strong winds and high seas. Fun and safety are the most important aspects of the sailing program. When conditions become a bit more intense, the life jackets are a sensible addition to the sailing gear as the kids are still learning about boat handling and we don’t want to take any unnecessary risks. Besides, some kids actually prefer the lifejackets, it makes them feel more secure and are therefore more comfortable to sail and race hard!” explains President of Kidz At Sea, Garth Steyn.

Minister Plasterk impressed with business plan for new hospital --- offered assistance to St. Maarten if its needed.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister William Marlin, host of the visiting Minister of Kingdom Relations and Interior Affairs said that the Minister came to St. Maarten on a working visit, mostly to officially meet with the Council of Ministers. Marlin said that during that meeting it was decided that the Kingdom and St. Maarten will ceased all discussions relating to the establishing of an integrity chamber and the Protocol that was signed. He said discussions will resume after the Constitutional Court renders its decision on the matter since the Ombudsman took the matter before the Constitutional Court.
As for the budget of 2016 he said St. Maarten is one step ahead because the Council of Ministers managed to approve the budget and send it over to Parliament before the January 31st deadline. However, the Kingdom could not comment on the budget since they are still awaiting the advice from the CFT regarding the budget, while Parliament still has to debate and approve the 2016 budget.
Prime Minister Marlin said that there were some discussions relating to justice especially regarding decisions that were taken earlier. He said currently they are in the process of reviewing those decisions while working on a way forward on  justice related matters. Marlin said further discussions still has to take place on the support the Kingdom promised St. Maarten and he considered that to be a work in progress. Prime Minister Marlin further stated that St. Maarten’s Minister of Justice raised concerns on the monies that is allocated to St. Maarten and how it will benefit the country.
Minister Plasterk in his statements said he was particularly impressed with the Minister of Health and Labor  Emil Lee especially with the business plan he has for the construction of new hospital on St. Maarten. The visiting Minister said that he even offered assistance (help) to St. Maarten if the project is approved by the CFT. Asked what sort of help would the Kingdom provide Minister Plasterk said that if the CFT approve the project then financing it could be provided by the Kingdom and even professionals to work at the new hospital could come from the Kingdom since proper health care is indeed vital. Moreover, he said he made these suggestions because Saba and St. Eustatius could benefit from the hospital on St. Maarten.
The visiting Minister that is responsible for St. Maarten towards the Kingdom said that he was also impressed on the work done by the Minister of TEATT Ingrid Arrindell who is busy working on marking St. Maarten, Saba and Statia as one destination. He said this will indeed attract more visitors to the islands especially since visitors could come to St. Maarten and then travel over to the other two islands. this idea he said will serve as package vacation that will benefit all the islands.
Minister Plasterk said he also visited the St. Maarten Harbor Group of Companies and he was also impressed with the plans the harbor has for the country, and most of all impressed with the statistics on the amount of visitors that comes to St. Maarten. “Based on the statistics I have seen St. Maarten is leading and that is indeed a good thing.
The Minister and his delegation also met the chair and vice chairs of Parliament on Tuesday morning, where he said he had a fruitful meeting.
Asked by SMN News if the Kingdom has another 22M Euros set aside for St. Maarten to strengthen the justice chain, since the 22M Euros allocated to St. Maarten is already designated to sustain the 55 RST detectives that will be coming to St. Maarten. Minister Plasterk said all of that is on hold as they await the decision of the Constitutional Court. Asked if the Kingdom is still hell bent on creating a second CID department within the RST while the law clearly states that there must be one police force and one Chief of Police in every country, as well as one CID department. Minister Plasterk said that the Kingdom has no intention of breaking the country’s laws, but the objective is to get the RST and KPSM to work much closer where both parties could share information. He said the two Ministers of Justice, namely St. Maarten’s Minister of Justice and the Minister of Justice of the Netherlands already have an agreement on this matter and how they intend to move forward

PHILIPSBURG:--- At the first General Board meeting of the St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce & Industry for this year January 27, 2016, elections for among the directors for the position of President, Vice-President and Treasurer was held. The outcome of the election was as followed.

Messrs: Peggy Ann Brandon President,
Anastacio Baker Vice President
Louis Bute Treasurer respectively.
All candidates were unanimously elected.

In further acknowledgement, there was two President awards given. The Board Member of the year award 2015, selected by the President Ms. Peggy Ann Brandon, was presented to Mr. Anastacio Baker in recognition of the Board member who participated in, contributed towards and executed the Chamber of Commerce and Industry board undertakings with undeterred, consistent, continuous dedication and personally ensuring the success of such undertakings all throughout the year 2015.

Most Supportive Board Member to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry 2015 was awarded to Mrs. Pamela Illis-Friday. Mrs. Illis –Friday was presented with this award for passionately supporting the Board, Management and staff of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and also for contributing to the development of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2015.

Board of Director 2016:
Peggy Ann Brandon, Anastacio Baker, Louis Bute, Ajay Rawtani,
Keith Franca, Nzinga Lake, Stanley Lint, Sidhart Bijlani and
Pamela Illis –Friday.
The Operation Manager of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry took the opportunity to wish them every success in their future endeavors.

PHILIPSBURG – On January 28, 2016, Island Real Estate joined SCELL, The University of St. Martin’s School of Continuing Education & Life Long Learning’s impressive list of sponsors by donating a fridge for the SCELL Office located on the 2nd Floor of USM.
Mr. Arun Jagtiani, Owner of Island Real Estate Team, stated: "I believe it is important for all businesses on island to take an active role in helping to develop our future generations. I have always been impressed by those individuals behind the scenes at USM who continue to strive for excellence with whatever resources are available. As a former student of USM, I know firsthand that the campus sometimes has financial challenges. I am proud that ISLAND REAL ESTATE TEAM is in a position to make a small contribution to the campus and we remain committed to helping to improve our island in whatever way we can, as we continue to grow as a company."
Since the opening of the new school in August 2015, SCELL has established business relationships with multiple companies, Windward Islands Banks, LTD was the first sponsor and so many other business followed suit impressively.
SCELL’s primary goal is to provide customized training, coaching and mentoring to organizations that directly change the performance of the St. Maarten workforce. When employees are educated on the importance of customer service excellence, professional accountability and the keys to effectively managing and supervising work teams organizations strive. That is the SCELL philosophy, says Gittens.
Dr. Gittens, the Director of SCELL stated: The overwhelming support that SCELL has received since August 1 is both impressive and outstanding. My team and I are committed to changing St. Maarten and building Human Capital throughout the island. Our mission is to help organizations place a consistent value on their employees and their education and provide them with the training they need to be successful in their diverse professional roles. Most importantly, we want businesses to encourage their employees to pursue degree programs at the University of St. Martin and The University of the Virgin Islands at USM this January 2015 and in the Fall of August 2016.
If you would like to schedule a training or workshop, call 554-2437, email SCELL @usmonline.net, or fill out the form on our website at http://scell.usmonline.onl/index.php/programs/workshops-form.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Public Prosecutor Services is as of today active on You Tube. This especially to reach youngsters ranging in age from 12 to 21 years and those of all ages interested. The You Tube-channel is called OM Carib en has already 20 video’s. They give answers on the 10 most frequently asked questions regarding the Public Prosecutor’s Services. Visitors from Sint Maarten, Curaçao and the BES-islands get answers in English and Papiamento on questions like; what does the Public Prosecutor Services do; what is the work of the Public Prosecutor; what are custodial coercive measures; what is the difference between the oath and affirmation; what is a dismissal; what are the duties of the Attorney General and why does the Public Prosecutor wear a robe. The answers are also available in Dutch on the website http://www.openbaarministerie.org/en/faq-en
De videos are presented by Attorney-general Leomar Angela, Prosecutor Monique Dennaoui, Prosecutor Guillano
Schoop, spokesperson Norman Serphos and assistant to the Prosecutor Altagracia Martis.
The Public Prosecutor’s Services is already very active on social media with its website, Facebook for Sint Maarten, Curacao and BES-islands, LinkedIn and now on You Tube to better serve the public.

OM nu ook actief op You Tube met informatieve video’s

Het Openbaar Ministerie (OM) is met ingang van heden ook actief op You Tube. Met name gericht op jongeren van
12 tot 21 jaar en geïnteresseerden van alle leeftijden. Het You Tube-kanaal heet OM Carib en telt 20 video’s waarop
antwoord wordt gegeven op de 10 meest gestelde vragen bij het Openbaar Ministerie.
Jongeren op Curaçao, Sint Maarten en de BES-eilanden krijgen via You Tube in het Papiamentu en Engels antwoord op vragen als; wat doet het Openbaar Ministerie; wat doet een Officier van Justitie; wat doet de Procureur-generaal; Wat doet de Advocaat-generaal; waarom draagt een OvJ een toga; wat is een sepot, wat is het verschil tussen de eed en belofte en wat zijn vrijheidsbenemende maatregelen. De vragen zijn ook in het Nederlands te vinden op de website http://www.openbaarministerie.org/nl/faq
De video’s worden gepresenteerd door Advocaat-generaal Leomar Angela, Officier van Justitie Monique Dennaoui, Officier van Justitie Guillano Schoop, woordvoerder Norman Serphos en juriste Altagracia Martis.
Het OM is reeds actief op ‘social media’ met een website, Facebook en LinkedIn en sinds deze week ook op You
Tube om zo beter de gemeenschap van dienst te zijn.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The SXM DOET Project Management Team is putting out a call to action for freelance and professional photographers and/or videographers to be a part of positive change by assisting us with the documentation of SXM DOET 2016.

March 11th and 12th marks the second annual SXM DOET which is the local edition of the Kingdom-wide community service initiative promoting unity, compassion, and goodwill by encouraging people to lend a helping hand at NGOs, schools and more on St. Maarten.

You can be a part of ensuring that the selfless organizations and volunteers that partake in SXM DOET have memories to cherish for years to come. Persons interested in taking photographs and/or videos at various locations on the days of March 11 and 12 should register on the www.sxmdoet.com website under the "Eternalize SXM DOET" project.

Don't miss out on being a part of the largest volunteer initiative in the Dutch Kingdom because together we can achieve more!

PHILIPSBURG:--- World Bank Group in partnership with the Caribbean Development Bank and OECS Commission along with local and regional implementing partners have all come together to offer a Pioneering coding “Bootcamp” for Techstartups in the Caribbean.

Bootcamps are very short 3-4 days immersive events which focus teaching people very specific Entrepreneurship Skills to deliver actionable sales and product development strategies to generate repeatable sales. Bootcamps also create an opportunity for teams to networking with like-minded entrepreneurs and investors from across the Caribbean.

Interested Startup Teams from the OECS Member States and Barbados are invited to apply to any one of the series of Tech StartUp Boot Camps, scheduled to be held in

Bridgetown, Barbados from February 14 - 17th 2016 and Castries, Saint Lucia February 21 - 24th 2016

Implementing the Tech Startup Series of Boot Camps is Devlabs, a California based Accelerator, which provides business development & product development support to early stage software start-ups they identify & invest in outlier entrepreneurs solving big problems to expand into global markets. Devlabs assists companies who have a valuable product need to scale from a few customers to hundreds of customers to sales in the 100,000's within 6 -
12 months and they also invest US$25- 75k into companies that have a run rate of 1 million making them more attractive to other investors.

The event is expected to culminate with a live pitching event to regional and international investors as well as corporate executives to generate new customers and expand sales.

Potential applicants are invited to apply at http://www.carib.devlabs.vc/ Successful applicants will be offered Travel or accommodation sponsorships from the World Bank Group. Only one application per Team will be accepted.

The Application Deadline is February 5th 2016. Digital Start up Teams of two or more are encouraged to apply.

For Potential and Existing Startups, Applications are still being accepted for Individuals to participate in the Caribbean’s first, 4 month Premier Pre-Acceleration Programme’s first 1st Call for Applications. Individuals interested in the creation of mobile applications or the establishment of a digital export business will be afforded the opportunity to be trained in Software Development and in Digital Entrepreneurship. These opportunities will be offered through the four Mobile Hub Accelerators in the Caribbean in the following countries; namely, Dominica, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago under PItchITCaribbean (Caribbean Mobile Innovation Project (CMIP). PitchITCaribbean is a programme implemented by a Consortium led by UWI Consulting Inc. with grant funding support from the Canadian Government through the InfoDev/World Bank Group’s US$ 20Million Entrepreneurship Program for Innovation in the Caribbean (EPIC). Deadline for Applications, February 5th 2016. For more information, please visit www.pitchitcaribbean.com or apply directly here.

Rediscovering the collaboration of Lasana Sekou and Angelo Rombley

GRAND CASE:---- The Salt Reaper – selected poems from the flats by Lasana M. Sekou is a poetry-music CD from which each spoken word track unfolds like a morsel for the listener. As the poet’s voice and the negotiating music by Angelo Rombley travel into each poem or enter the listener, the whole palette of the listener’s senses becomes tantalized.

The Salt Reaper poems vary from stingingly salty and succulently sweet, to scorchingly sour and bitingly bitter. The sounds, riffs, and beats manage to add a fresh dimension to reveal The Salt Reaper’s flesh and inner core.
Each time the spoken word-sound hurls through speakers, air, or headphones
there’s a sense of a developing Salt Reaper persona that we can also see, smell, touch, and feel.
St. Martin, Land of Salt, Soualiga, looms large in this recording, competing with personal, regional, and world affairs. I’m more intrigued by how Sekou and Rombley tell
and sound off the St. Martin story to the “nation self” and therefore to the world.
Having any idea of the island’s history leaves the listener with questions, even
before a whole poem or the whole CD is done playing. Is the purpose of the reaper to procure his saline harvest or to act as the vocal Grim Reaper who retrieves the spirits of a myriad of dead and untold stories (and voices them)? What else to make of the lines in “Salt Reaping II”? “we keep hearing how/it was sweet but hard/ah say, we keep hearing how it was sweet but hard/maybe so/it was like loving.”
In his storytelling and free verse style, Sekou is known for using vocal varieties, intonations, and vernacular, and this audio production brings his poetry alive in ways that we can only imagine when reading his books.
The Salt Reaper poems on disc display vivid images and characters that, on an
ordinary day could be found proudly populating the pavements of the ever-expanding palatable paradise of St. Martin with its African, English, French, Dutch, Spanish, Amerindian, and Asian influences.
The Salt Reaper melodically—because I think Sekou sings the words as Rombley
spins the beats—takes the listener from the crevices of “New World” inception to the craters of the island’s future, riding waves of musical genres, styles, instruments, and sounds. You’ll find this collaboration at its peak in “Cradle of The Nation,” which reggae scholar and critic Carolyn Cooper has called a “magisterial” poem.
In the track “Freedom,” Sekou personifies Freedom with the raw opening, “Freedom is my bitch to keep.” He is protective and possessive of her like a champion

rooster guarding a prized hen—“jealous of her like sickness.” He desirously guards Freedom because he sucked salt and diligently labored to have all of her. His ambition drives him and his desired beloved draws him—“daring me always to be man.”
Freedom, whether individual liberties or political independence, is a constant of
Sekou’s poetry, short stories, and essays. His ability to invent and re-invent the duality or multiplicity of that theme keeps him bound to certain traditions of manhood or liberation and yet current, even shockingly new, each time he is read or heard by older or younger generations.
The poem “Freedom” is not all about personal desire. With the music enticing us to do God knows what, the poet also states that Freedom is scorned by “some ah we” but “... you know what?/I want all of our children to look/just like her.”
Rombley’s musical renderings surround each pillar of brackish poetry like stakes,
heightening the poetic effectiveness. The music is scoped from contemporary jazz and revengeful rock, to seducing salsa and futuristic metal. Anyone, regardless of origin, could relate to the musical influences, from Caribbean steel pan to Asian chimes.
Sound effects of wind, rain, and trickling water are incorporated in the opening of
a few tracks, blending timeless elements of earth with timeless topics such as romance, geography, revolution, hatred, drugs, history, poverty, war, culture, migration, emigration, slavery, religion, colonization, sex, and freedom.
The Salt Reaper seasons the listener with a local and global flavor. Revisiting this
CD, seven years since it first appeared is not so much a review but a re-discovery. It is a collection of poetry that is definitely a preservative and a vital stimulant that should be added to your pantry, as this collection is for cooking!
The Salt Reaper is available at Van Dorp, Arnia’s, iTunes,
cdbaby.com/cd/lasanamsekou, Amazon.com, and other bookstores. (The Salt Reaper is also available in book form.)

GREAT BAY:---- Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), announces that road works will be carried out on Welfare road in the vicinity of Mortorworld on Wednesday, February 3.

These works will be carried out over a two-day period and will commence at sunrise and continue to sunset.

The works entail NV GEBE laying a new electrical cable into a trench that will be dug on the side-walk. A small excavator will be used along with a small dump truck.

Though there will be no road closure, motorists and especially pedestrians, should be alert of the works that are taking place in the aforementioned area.
Ministry VROMI apologizes for any inconveniences this may cause.

Cul de Sac:--- Honorable Minister Silveria Jacobs attended the launch ceremony of Taaldorp Project at the St. Maarten Academy. Taaldorp, a collaborative project between the Dutch departments of the St. Maarten Academy and the St. Dominic school to prepare the respective fifth formers for the speaking component of the upcoming Cambridge Examinations in April, 2016.
With a accumulated amount of 167 fifth formers from both the St. Maarten Academy and St. Dominic High, the students were tested and graded in their speaking skills in eight different role play situations. Students were interviewed by 30 volunteers and teachers to make the speaking assessment possible.
Minister Jacobs addressed the students, stating that “As St. Maarteners, the Dutch language is a part of who we are. Whether you have been taught in Dutch prior to attending the St. Maarten Academy or St. Dominic or have only learned Dutch as a second language, it is important to be knowledgeable of it.”
The Minister also commended the Dutch departments of the St. Maarten Academy and the St. Dominic High for taking such an initiative in preparing their students not only for CXC, but for life as St. Maarteners.

Port St. Maarten commends tour provider TRiSPORTS XM for Collaboration

POINTE BLANCHE:--- TRiSPORTS XM is proud to collaborate with the international adventure-travel company Z Adventures for the inaugural Philipsburg Waterfront Marathon set to take place on the Island on February 6.
The marathon is part of the cruise adventure dubbed “Southern Caribbean Challenge” where world renowned amateur athletes will be running six marathons in six countries over a one week cruise vacation.

Port St. Maarten management commends the TRiSPORTS XM home-grown tour operator for its innovativeness and pro-activeness in having the destination included in this initiative as it further profiles and highlights the destination.

“The promotion of the destination involves every business. Each one has a focus and specialized area, and within that area, the opportunities that may exist have to be explored in order to make us a unique but also an authentic destination which has a multitude of things to offer its visitors.

“If we are to remain ahead of the pack, we have to continue to be innovative and offer new ways to explore the island. Biking and a marathon tour is definitely one way, and we commend TRiSPORTS XM for its initiative and collaboration,” Port St. Maarten management said on Monday.

The event will start in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Jan 31, 2016 and will be followed by marathons in St. Thomas on February 1, Barbados on February 3, St. Lucia on February 4, St. Kitts on February 5 and the final one in Sint Maarten on February 6.

The idea was coined by Ziyad Rahim, Founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Z Adventures. Ziyad is no stranger to extreme marathoning. He holds 10 Guinness World Records in long-distance running and is the only athlete in the world to complete a half marathon, marathon and ultra-marathon on all seven continents.

In 2015, he took 36 runners from around the world to attempt seven marathons on seven continents in the least number of days. The team completed the feat in 10 days and thereby broke 13 Guinness World Records in the process.

The strong 34 member group coming to the island comprise of runners who combined together have broken over 20 Guinness World Records, ran a marathon on each continent 15 times and have in excess of 2,500 marathons in over 100 countries. The youngest competitor on the trip is eight years old and the oldest is 78.

Speaking to media, the event organizer, Ziyad Rahim said: “The whole idea of arranging this adventure is to allow runners to complete a marathon in as many countries as they can; and at the cheapest possible price. There are runners who have completed marathons in 80 to 100 countries but not in Sint Maarten.

“Most of the runners are part of Marathon Country Club and Marathon Globetrotters and their aim is tick off as many countries as they can. None of the runners on this adventure are professionals. They are all our everyday folks with a full-time job and families who are keen to attempt challenges that are out of their comfort zones”.

Among the notable athletes who will be on the trip are:

1. Dr. Juergen Kuhlmey (Germany): 78 years old. Has run 541 marathons in 57 countries. World Record holder for the oldest person to complete a marathon on each continent.
2. Dr. Brent Weigner (USA): World Record Holder for completing a marathon on each continent 10 times. Has run 280+ marathons in 97 countries. He is a 3 time cancer survivor.
3. Klaus Westphal (Germany): Run over 500 marathons in 102 countries.
4. Ila Brandli (USA): Celebrated her 70th birthday by completing her 120th marathon. Oldest woman to do the 7 continents in the fastest time (10 days).
5. Troy & Cathie Johnson (USA): Oldest and fastest couple to complete a marathon on each continent. Together, they have run over 250 marathons.
6. Tuedon Morgan (Nigeria): Holder of 2 Guinness World Records. A mother of 4, at the age of 38, she weighed over 300lbs. In the last 4 years, she shed over 180 pounds and started her marathon career. She is a famous nutrition expert and has run a marathon in 35 countries.
7. Vagn Kirkelund (Italy): Run over 500 marathons in 40+ countries.
8. JC Santa Teresa (Philippines): Guinness World Record holder for completing 23 ultramarathons in consecutive days.
9. Sidy Diallo (France): Run over 130 marathon in 42 countries. He runs barefoot.
10. Parvaneh Moayedi (Iran): Run over 700 lifetime marathons and Guinness World Records holder for completing 167 marathons in one year.
Ziyad Rahim thanked TRiSPORTS XM for their commitment in arranging the event for the runners.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association, the largest private sector representative along with the Organizing Committee Culinary Competition SXM 2016, announces the Culinary Competition Sint Maarten/Saint Martin 2016. The competition will be held on Saturday February 6th, 2016 at the Sundial School from 8.30am to 6pm. This competition is designed to provide the opportunity for local chefs to compete for a place in the 2016 St. Maarten/Saint Martin Team. This team will represent the island and compete in the upcoming Caribbean Culinary Competition in Miami – Taste of the Caribbean on June 11th through 14th, 2016.
After being absent from the competition for several years, St. Maarten is considering re- entering this prestigious culinary competition. The eventual team that would be representing St. Maarten will consist of chefs and bartenders from both sides of the island participating as a unified team. Through this initiative SHTA endeavors to showcase the multitude of Culinary and Bartending talent on St. Maarten.
At the beginning of the New year, SHTA announced an open call for Chef's that would like to participate in the June 2016 CHTA competition in Miami, representing St. Maarten/St. Martin team. The open call yielded registrations from both the Dutch and the French side of the island. The preliminary competition will see local young and upcoming chefs and established chefs compete against each other for one of the coveted places on the team. Upon determining the National team members, intense practice sessions will be scheduled to get to team ready for international representation. All expenses will be paid for the National team.
Since 1993, Taste of the Caribbean has been the one Caribbean Culinary competition not to be missed! This is an annual opportunity to network, polish professional skills and cheer on colleagues in competition, before a large audience of industry peers and food & beverage veterans. Taste of the Caribbean provides education and inspiration through tastings and demonstrations, created to enhance performance, style and profitability in food and beverage operations. A forum for gathering practical information, sampling, purchasing, strengthening established supplier relationships and meeting new vendors, all on hand to help Taste of the Caribbean registrants build food and beverage business – and yield benefits on the bottom line. Teams from all over the Caribbean will be vying for the titles of
culinary team of the year, Caribbean Chef of the Year, Caribbean Junior Chef of the Year, Caribbean Pastry Chef of the year, Caribbean Bartender of the year, and Apprentice of the year.

To further ensure that the National Team will be able to practice and participate at the 2016 competition, SHTA and the Organizing committee have called on the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau and the private sector to support this effort by way of sponsorship for the team. This would be a great opportunity to show that the National Team receives the necessary assistance by way of a great private, public partnership.
“We hope that the public entities and the private sector join in the effort to put this team together and ensure their participation by way of their sponsorship. St. Maarten has always performed well at these competitions and we would like to continue to perform well. This can only be done by providing the team members with the correct resources and tools to execute their skills” said the Organizing committee.
Persons interested in seeing the chefs present their talent and skills are welcomed to view the competition on Saturday February 6th, 2016 from 8.30am at the Sundial School.

The SHTA is dedicated to bringing quality to all aspects of life on St. Maarten by promoting sustainable economic development for its members in cooperation with the social partners and the creation of a fair marketplace. For more information please contact our offices at 542-0108 or visit our website at www.shta.com

PHILIPSBURG:--- Two men were arrested by police over the last weekend of January 29th and January 31st as a result of warrants for their arrest that was issued by the Public Prosecutor in connection with ongoing investigations. Both arrests took place without any resistance. The suspects remain in custody for further investigation.
One other male suspect who is well-known to police was arrested on Friday at approximately 05.45 p.m. after he was seen on Back street walking and behaving very suspicious. Due to this suspicious behavior and his past criminal record the investigating officers decided the control him. When the officers approached the suspect he attempted to keep an unknown object hidden under his clothing. The suspect was told to remove the object that he had hidden under his clothing. The suspect then pulled a machete from his waste and handed it to one of the officer. The suspect was arrested on the spot and take to the police station for questioning.

KPSM Police Report

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police traffic is presently investigating a traffic accident which took place on Friday January 29th at approximately 11.55 p.m. in which a female tourist was injured. The accident took place on the Billy Folly road in the vicinity of Hollywood Casino. The female victim from the United States with initials P.J.U was walking from the direction of the casino and crossed the street towards the Flamingo Hotel. At the same time the driver of an SUV with license plate 551ZB971 who did not pay attention reversed and struck the victim.
The victim fell to the ground and suffered a broken leg and lost several teeth in her mouth. She was treated on the scene by paramedics and then taken to the Sint Maarten Medical Center for further treatment. The driver of the vehicle was brought in for questioning.

KPSM Police Report

PHILIPSBURG:--- Inspectors of Bureau Telecommunications and Post St. Maarten performed extensive spectrum measurements over the past 3 months and found clear indications that certain French entities or persons are illegally providing broadband services to end-users on the Dutch side, which is in direct violation of Telecom laws on both sides of the island.

Test results shown that fixed link services have been put in place on the French territory to provide wireless internet connectivity to residents and businesses on the Dutch Side. Based on the Telecom Act no one is allowed to provide telecom services on the Dutch side without being licensed by the Government, and consumers residing on Dutch St. Maarten are not allowed to make use of services that are provided by unlicensed operators.

This issue was brought forward during a regulatory meeting in Paris with the French Frequency Administrator (ANFR) on December 2nd 2015, whereby parties mutually agreed that action will be taken from both sides to prevent the use of non-authorized services on St. Maarten.

BTP will be performing more extensive spectrum measurements in the coming weeks whereby all illegal equipment will be removed immediately. BTP also wants to remind the general public that offenders can be convicted to a maximum of six months imprisonment or be issued an administrative fine to a maximum of Twenty Five Thousand Guilders based on the Telecommunication act of 1995 No.196 art.15 sub1. and art. 20.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Nature Foundation divers placed a white marker Buoy with information warning swimmers away from an area on Simpson Bay beach close to Karakter beach bar. Many swimmers were injured, some seriously, when they cut themselves on an underwater object right in the surf zone as they were bathing in the area. The Nature Foundation was contacted by Member of Parliament the Honorable Maurice Lake as well as the owners of Karakter Beach Bar and residents of Simpson Bay regarding the incident. “We dove the area in order to see exactly what it was that was causing cuts, some quite deep, to swimmers in the area. During the survey we found what appeared to be a steel wreck half buried under the sand very close to shore. We tied a marker buoy on the sight warning swimmers away from the area because of how dangerous the metal pieces were underwater. Apparently the object belongs to the Golden Fleece, a yacht that broke its anchor in Simpson Bay and washed ashore many years ago,” commented Tadzio Bervoets from the Nature Foundation. The Nature Foundation has been in discussions with the Harbor, the VROMI Ministry and Marine Salvage Company Aquatic Solutions on the possible removal of the object. The public is urged to heed the warning sign and to not swim in the area.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Author, success coach, motivational speaker, and marriage and family therapist, Dr. Nicole Erna Mae Francis-Cotton was recently at the library to present her new book entitled “Success from the Heart” to the Director and staff of the Philipsburg Jubilee Library. Commissioned by the largest personal development company in the world, New Peaks, “The book documents the personal journeys and transformation of thirty-five diverse entrepreneurs from around the world, including myself, and will inspire people to go after their dreams,” noted author Francis-Cotton.
The first set of “Success from the Heart” books distributed to Party Extravaganza in Marigot was sold out within a couple of hours. The books are available at Party Extravaganza, Family Book Store, all Ship wreck Shops and Van Dorp Eddine stores, Jezel Shoes and Accessories Boutique and Victorious Living Foundation on Front Street.
The bestselling co-author will be hosting an inspirational and motivational book signing ceremony at the library on February 6th, 2016, starting at 11:00 am, which will include entertainment by St. Maarten’s King of Sax, Connis Vanterpool and a presentation by the author. This free event is the first in the library’s Black History Month series for 2016 and is in collaboration with the Jubilee Library. You are invited to bring your book to be signed if you’ve already bought your copy, or purchase your copy at the event. For more information you may contact 1-721-524-8731 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports, through the Division of Study Financing commissioned the local consultancy firm IMBRACE represented by CEO Jacqueline Louis to conduct an extensive research study to determine the labor market -, and societal needs for short-, medium -and long-term as it pertains to the issuance of study financing. This study will produce a 2017 Study Financing Priority List of studies, qualifications and profession which is better aligned with St. Maarten’s economic- and educational strategic plans.
“Considering the need to increase the study financing return on investment and reduce the demand for foreign human resources and youth unemployment , the Ministry found it essential to establish a study financing priority listing based on scientific research.” states Minister Jacobs. “Ultimately, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports goal is to ensure that the issuance of study financing will enable students’ to pursue academic careers which are conducive to the growth and demands of St. Maarten’s current and emerging labor markets.”
The research and development of the 2017 Study Financing Priority List was awarded to a local business consulting firm entitled IMBRACE, through a public bidding process.. Ms. Jacqueline Louis, CEO of IMBRACE will be leading this initiative along with a dedicated team of specialists. “We will be building upon our previous experience in market research, as well as our understanding of both the education and business/labor markets to efficiently conduct this study,” says Ms. Louis.
In addition, IMBRACE is tasked with translating these findings into a priority listing of study programs, educational qualifications, professions and jobs. This “Priority List” will essentially serve as the guideline for the revision and issuance of study financing to students interested in pursuing their tertiary education on St. Maarten or abroad.
IMBRACE’s comprehensive approach to this study includes consultations and open dialogs with students, parents, schools, guidance counselors, businesses and various organizations that collectively contribute to St. Maarten’s workforce development.
Specifically, the methodology includes surveys and questionnaires that will be conducted in-person and/or online to gain in-depth insight from these stakeholders. Additionally, a business Human Resources (H.R.) Forum as well as Student Focus Group(s) will be held to engage these key target audiences. Targeted participants will be contacted with invitations to attend these major activities with specific dates, times and locations in the coming months.
“Everyone is encouraged to participate and contribute openly to various aspects of the Study. The development of a sustainable labor market affects us all,” says Louis.
For further information, please contact, Jacqueline Louis, CEO IMBRACE (721) 581-7973 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

PHILIPSBURG:--- Back by popular demand the Philipsburg Jubilee Library will be resuming its Senior Internet Classes as of February 2016.
The abovementioned classes will be held in the library’s Media Lab every Friday morning and afternoon, starting February 5th, 2016 to June 24th, 2016, time: 9 am to 12.00 pm and 2 pm to 5pm. The library has provided Senior Internet Classes since 2015 to over 60 seniors, providing access to computer technologies that enrich their lives and enable them to share their skills.
The Senior Internet course consists of a beginner’s introduction to computers, use of e-mails, Animoto, Facebook, and Skyping with your fellow senior mates, family and friends at large. Advanced courses of the abovementioned classes are also being held for those who have participated during the previous year.
If you are looking for some help for learning new or enhance existing computer skills, the Philipsburg Jubilee Library is the right place for you. Come on into our Media Lab all of you who are 50 years and over.
To find out how you can register, all you have to do is simply pick up the phone and dial 721-542-2970 or walk right into the library and ask for Francia Housen and register for the Senior Internet Classes. For more information about the courses and to enroll in any of the classes you can also visit the Media Lab website on www.medialabsintmaarten.com.
The Media lab was launched in 2014 and since then has hosted courses in a variety of topics in the area of multimedia. The Media Lab is an initiative of Foundation Kultuurkameleon and is a part of Digikidz. Digikidz is a project of the Foresee foundation and was made possible through funding from the Windsong Foundation and the Kultura fund.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication (TEATT), Ms. I. Ingrid Arrindell and the Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA), Mr. Emil Lee, and respective stakeholders are being proactive in terms of initiating both short-term and long-term preventative measures to protect both the residents and visitors to Sint Maarten. .
The Department of Collective Services (CPS) has increased its alert level based on current developments in the Americas, and will increase its activities as necessary in the coming days and weeks as needed. These activities have include meeting with all stakeholders to share information about current developments in the Americas and to plan additional measures, , meeting with French St. Martin and Anguilla public health officials, increasing public awareness activities (via social media, government website, radio and TV talk shows, press releases, government information page, distribution of information to schools etc.); and increasing vector controls.

Preventative actions taken by Sint Maarten include:

• Advising members of the community to begin reporting any potential breeding areas to Collective Prevention Services (CPS) by Tel: 721- 542-2078 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
• Recommending the use of on-site fogging with hand-held foggers, which will be used in high priority areas where the Zika, chikungunya and dengue cases are suspected. Fogging is known to be the least effective tool to combat the war against mosquitos as it is highly costly and mosquitos become immune to the chemicals that are being used; however, under present circumstances all possible means of combatting these mosquitos must be used. In order to have an impact, chemicals must be switched on a continuous basis.
• The most important tools are awareness, protection, support from the community, and compliance.
• CPS has launched a communication awareness campaign on how to safeguard our surroundings in order to ensure that we have eliminated potential breeding places. The campaign also provides awareness of the symptoms associated with the ZIKA virus. The best methods of personal protection are to apply insect repellent and/or to wear long sleeves and long pants.
• Additional prevention measures which are being reviewed for island-wide deployment include the distribution of lethal ovitraps designed specifically to target the Aegypti mosquito. These traps are claimed to have eliminated Dengue in certain regions. This prevention measure has proven to be more effective than fogging.

To reduce the risk of contracting the Zika virus - as well as for the other mosquito-borne viruses - Sint Maarten residents and visitors are urged to minimize their exposure to mosquito bites by taking the following preventive measures:

1. Use anti-mosquito devices (insecticide-treated bed nets, coils, smudge pots, spray, repellents) and wear long sleeves and long pants, especially during the hours of highest mosquito activity (early morning and late afternoon); wear light coloured clothing. The use of mosquito repellent based on a 30% DEET concentration is recommended.
2. Before using repellents, pregnant women and children under the age of 12 years should consult a physician or pharmacist.
3. Persons are also requested to keep their homes, yards, neighbourhoods and work environment free from potential mosquito breeding sites. If residents come across areas with a large mosquito population, they should notify CPS.

Since May 2015 the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA), through the Department of Collective Services (CPS) has been in communication with Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in order to set out a plan of action on how to respond if an epidemic were to affect the Caribbean region. In December 2015, the alert was given that a Zika virus was impacting the region.

At the moment, the Department of Collective Prevention Services has indicated that the first case of Zika has been confirmed. However, there is no concrete signs that the virus was locally transmitted, as the person did travel outside Sint Maarten just before being tested. Government has already established a working arrangement with St. Maarten Laboratory Services (SLS) for the collection of samples for investigation that would then be sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for further detail analysis.

Government is committed to working diligently to safeguard the population and visitors to Sint Maarten against the spread of the ZIKA virus. Minister Arrindell and Minister Lee have declared war against mosquitos and are doing everything possible to ensure that the CPS is being proactive in eliminating potential mosquito breeding grounds.

In addition, government is currently in the process of drafting letters to law firms, banks, real estate agencies, and notaries, informing them to pay closer attention to unmanned properties, thereby ensuring that those properties do not become mosquito breeding grounds.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication (TEATT), Ms. I. Ingrid Arrindell and the Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA), Mr. Emil Lee, and respective stakeholders are being proactive in terms of initiating both short-term and long-term preventative measures to protect both the residents and visitors to Sint Maarten. .
The Department of Collective Services (CPS) has increased its alert level based on current developments in the Americas, and will increase its activities as necessary in the coming days and weeks as needed. These activities have include meeting with all stakeholders to share information about current developments in the Americas and to plan additional measures, , meeting with French St. Martin and Anguilla public health officials, increasing public awareness activities (via social media, government website, radio and TV talk shows, press releases, government information page, distribution of information to schools etc.); and increasing vector controls.

Preventative actions taken by Sint Maarten include:
• Advising members of the community to begin reporting any potential breeding areas to Collective Prevention Services (CPS) by Tel: 721- 542-2078 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
• Recommending the use of on-site fogging with hand-held foggers, which will be used in high priority areas where the Zika, chikungunya and dengue cases are suspected. Fogging is known to be the least effective tool to combat the war against mosquitos as it is highly costly and mosquitos become immune to the chemicals that are being used; however, under present circumstances all possible means of combatting these mosquitos must be used. In order to have an impact, chemicals must be switched on a continuous basis.
• The most important tools are awareness, protection, support from the community, and compliance.
• CPS has launched a communication awareness campaign on how to safeguard our surroundings in order to ensure that we have eliminated potential breeding places. The campaign also provides awareness of the symptoms associated with the ZIKA virus. The best methods of personal protection are to apply insect repellent and/or to wear long sleeves and long pants.
• Additional prevention measures which are being reviewed for island-wide deployment include the distribution of lethal ovitraps designed specifically to target the Aegypti mosquito. These traps are claimed to have eliminated Dengue in certain regions. This prevention measure has proven to be more effective than fogging.

To reduce the risk of contracting the Zika virus - as well as for the other mosquito-borne viruses - Sint Maarten residents and visitors are urged to minimize their exposure to mosquito bites by taking the following preventive measures:

1. Use anti-mosquito devices (insecticide-treated bed nets, coils, smudge pots, spray, repellents) and wear long sleeves and long pants, especially during the hours of highest mosquito activity (early morning and late afternoon); wear light coloured clothing. The use of mosquito repellent based on a 30% DEET concentration is recommended.
2. Before using repellents, pregnant women and children under the age of 12 years should consult a physician or pharmacist.
3. Persons are also requested to keep their homes, yards, neighbourhoods and work environment free from potential mosquito breeding sites. If residents come across areas with a large mosquito population, they should notify CPS.

Since May 2015 the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA), through the Department of Collective Services (CPS) has been in communication with Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in order to set out a plan of action on how to respond if an epidemic were to affect the Caribbean region. In December 2015, the alert was given that a Zika virus was impacting the region.

At the moment, the Department of Collective Prevention Services has indicated that the first case of Zika has been confirmed. However, there is no concrete signs that the virus was locally transmitted, as the person did travel outside Sint Maarten just before being tested. Government has already established a working arrangement with St. Maarten Laboratory Services (SLS) for the collection of samples for investigation that would then be sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) for further detail analysis.

Government is committed to working diligently to safeguard the population and visitors to Sint Maarten against the spread of the ZIKA virus. Minister Arrindell and Minister Lee have declared war against mosquitos and are doing everything possible to ensure that the CPS is being proactive in eliminating potential mosquito breeding grounds.

In addition, government is currently in the process of drafting letters to law firms, banks, real estate agencies, and notaries, informing them to pay closer attention to unmanned properties, thereby ensuring that those properties do not become mosquito breeding grounds.