PHILIPSBURG:--- At approximately 8:45 PM on May 18th, Central Police Dispatch received multiple reports of a male victim being struck by a gray Hyundai I-30 near the Old Cable TV area on Arch Road. The driver of the vehicle subsequently fled the scene, heading towards A. Th. Illidge Road.

Several police patrols and the traffic department were dispatched to the location. Shortly thereafter, Central Dispatch received a call from a female stating that she had intentionally struck her boyfriend with the vehicle on Arch Road. The suspect also reported that she had lost control of the vehicle and caused damage to several cars near the gas station on A. Th. Illidge Road. She mentioned that her minor child was in the car during these events.

Upon arriving at the scene, police encountered the female suspect, who approached them and admitted to being involved in the incident. She was immediately arrested and transported to the police station in Philipsburg for further questioning. The minor child was subsequently handed over to a family member.

The male victim was transported to the Sint Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) with bruises and cuts. Fortunately, his injuries were not life-threatening, and he was later discharged and sent home.

Detectives are investigating this incident to gather more details and determine the exact circumstances surrounding the events.

The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) emphasizes that violence is never the solution to disputes. We urge the community to seek better ways to resolve conflicts.

KPSM Press Release.

PHILIPSBURG:---The Caribbean Lottery, through its philanthropic initiatives program, continued to contribute to the White and Yellow Cross Care Foundation (WYCCF) and presented a generous donation to assist with the care of clients with an intellectual disability in their Sister Basilia Center.
The Caribbean Lottery is a long-term supporter of the WYCCF Foundation and was the first donor to the Hospice of WYCCF, which opened in October 2019. After that, they donated to the nursing home and the psychogeriatric daycare in support of clients who have a form of dementia (such as Alzheimer’s disease). Their generous donations have made it possible to purchase many needed materials to further improve the quality of care.
WYCCF offers twelve different care products in its three departments and cares for a large variety of clients. One of its departments is the Sister Basilia Center (SBC), which opened in 1984 and has expanded from offering daycare activities to a Residence in St. John’s Estate and a successful Guided Living unit in Hope Estate. In the SBC Day Activity Center, 65 clients come from Monday through Friday from 8:00 am until 3:30 pm to do meaningful activities that support them in achieving their personal development goals. For these activities, many different materials are needed to do sensory activities such as music, arts and crafts, and to develop self-help (motor) skills and independence. For this purpose, the WYCCF Foundation requested a donation to purchase different materials.
Ms. Paula Williams, Business Operation Manager for the EC region of the Caribbean Lottery, expressed her appreciation for the care the WYCCF offers to our society's most vulnerable. The elderly, persons with dementia and clients with an intellectual disability receive quality care from the WYCCF, and supporting them in this process is important, she said. We encourage other businesses in the community to support the WYCCF initiatives.
On behalf of the WYCCF, Mrs. Bregje Boetekees, who is the Operations Manager, expressed her deep appreciation and gratitude to Caribbean Lottery for their unwavering support in offering trusted quality care.

PHILIPSBURG:--- A wide cross-section of the community came out to witness the launch of Expressions of an Optimistic Soul by Sint Maarten’s newest Author, Rolando Tobias. The lavish event took place on Saturday, May 11th, at the brand-new JW Marriot Resort in Dawn Beach. Attended by family, friends, colleagues, and a section of the business community, the event set a new standard for book launches on the island.
The evening commenced with 2 video expressions by the Author. Arch-deacon Rawlins blessed the evening’s proceeding, and Mike Jarvis, formerly of PJD2 & GBBC, who now resides in London and edited the book, gave the foreword to the Author. An interview-style discussion with the Author about his new book, hosted by Valerie Brazier, with presentations of the book's “expressions,” set the stage for a great evening. The event featured live performances by Toastmasters, who brought several of the book's projects to life with their own expressions. Glendon Wilson performed an expression entitled “Old man boasts” from the chapter “Humorously Speaking” in which he dressed up as an old man and related how old men tend to still be very agile with their mind and to beware of when an old man says “age is just a number”. Annette Marlin-Berkel delivered a monologue entitled “Can I give change in dollars?” in which she lamented the threat to the Guilder currency as the dollarization of the island gradually sunk in. Kareem Rombley had the audience in stitches with his impression of the term “SWAG,” complete with attire that matched his presentation. Emilia Connor-Thomas delivered an impassionate plea as she paid tribute to the island’s Flamboyant tree in her expression of “Ode to the Flamboyant”. Her presentation evoked feelings of pride for the beautiful Flamboyant tree with its rich characteristics as she presented the expression from the chapter “Poetic musings”. Author, Poet & Entrepreneur Tamara Groeneveldt took the lovers in the audience on a nostalgic journey of first-time love with her expression of “Blindsided by Love” from the book’s chapter “Let’s Talk about Love”. The island’s newest and premier drama Company, Judah Jubilee Company, under the directorship of Jamila Javois, interpreted the monologue “The Market Lady” with a powerful dramatic performance by local actresses Rita Carty, Joy Carty, and Isabella Graneua-Hyman, which left the audience in awe. The performance highlighted the plight of local market vendors who now face the challenges of changes to all aspects of our society. As the final item for the event, the new Author Rolando Tobias presented the first book to his 16-year-old daughter, Sacha Magenta Tobias, who then read a part of the final expression in the book entitled “An Open letter to my daughter” in which her Father provides advice to her about life’s journey. The evening was capped off with a book signing ceremony as members of the audience mingled, purchased the book, and received autographs.
JW Marriott served as a beautiful venue for the hosting of the event and main coordinator Valerie Brazier received commendations for the professionally conducted book launch, which many stated has raised the standard of book launches on Sint Maarten. Tobias thanked the cross-section of the community for the support in attending and purchasing the new book. The book “Expressions of an Optimistic Soul is Rolando Tobias’ first book and consists of 67 expressions spread over 9 chapters and 301 pages. The book is now available on Amazon, while locally it can be purchased at Adolphus Richardson Office technology and Van Dorp Eddine.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Honorable Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina, alongside esteemed Ministers of VSA, FIN, TEATT, Minister Plenipotentiary, Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary and Chief of Staff of the Prime Minister recently conducted a courtesy visit to the Tijdelijke Werkorganisatie (TWO) in an effort to strengthen collaboration and foster greater synergy in advancing St. Maarten's development agenda.

During the visit, Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina underscored the importance of closer cohesion and enhanced communication among stakeholders, emphasizing that a unified approach is essential in achieving the broader objectives for St. Maarten. The Prime Minister reiterated the government's commitment to prioritizing the collective interests of the St.Maarten and emphasized the need for alignment towards the bigger picture for the island.

Minister of TEATT stated, "I was pleasantly surprised to learn that we can request additional assistance from the TWO for specific national projects. This discovery has given me hope, as it alleviates the stress of securing funding for several beneficial initiatives for our country."

The Minister of Finance looks forward to the continued professional working relationship with TWO to realize the long-awaited improvements in key government programs, specifically the tax and financial management systems, for the advancement of St. Maarten.

The collaborative engagement between government officials and TWO signifies a significant step towards fostering meaningful partnerships and driving initiatives that will contribute to the socio-economic growth of St. Maarten. By leveraging the expertise and resources of both parties, the aim is to implement effective strategies that address key challenges and capitalize on opportunities for sustainable development.

Thematic sessions have been scheduled with the individual ministers. These in-depth discussions on the various projects will aid in making balanced decisions on the immediate priorities, ensuring tangible change for the people of Sint Maarten.

TWO welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the onboarding process of the new government and took the opportunity to inform the ministers on the content, methods of working and cooperating with implementation of the country package.