PHILIPSBURG:--- As we are awaiting the arrival of hurricane Maria, the public needs to be aware of the fact, that the Sint Maarten Police Force, the Marines, together with the other law enforcement organizations on the island, will enforce a zero-tolerance policy related to the curfew. We advise the entire community to follow this curfew very strictly to avoid being arrested.
Know that the police, Marines and other law enforcement organizations are visible in all communities at full capacity. In case of an emergency call 919 and a patrol will be directed to the location to give you the necessary assistance.
All law enforcement organizations will act firm and strict in case of criminal activities, such as looting. During and after the passing of hurricane Maria, we also have police and unmarked vehicles on the road, patrolling the streets. Criminal acts like looting will not be tolerated and all suspects will be arrested, they will be put into custody for further investigation and prosecution.

KPSM Press Release

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister of St. Maarten, Mr. William Marlin on Monday afternoon stated that his answers to questions posed by a Dutch reporter last week were not properly reflected in the published report in the NRC Handelsblad.

“I regret the unnecessary controversy which this has generated and the distraction from our main focus which is the recovery effort in which we need all positive hands on deck,” Marlin said.

"The Dutch military has been doing a remarkable job. They are very much needed and the government and people of St. Maarten are grateful for their valuable contributions in helping the people cope with this unimaginable disaster.

"At this very moment, we are bracing for another major hurricane, Maria, which is headed in our direction. The people of St. Maarten have not been given a breathing space by Mother Nature. They should be allowed to concentrate on how to survive the next storm and start to rebuild their lives and their island.

"We welcome the cooperation and assistance of our Kingdom partners at this very trying time for St. Maarten and thank everyone for keeping the people of St. Maarten in their prayers.

DCOMM Press Release

PHILIPSBURG:--- People of St. Maarten, as you all know, Hurricane Maria is heading in our direction. It has developed into a major Category 4 hurricane.

St. Maarten has been under Tropical Storm warning since 11:00 am. Maria is expected to pass close to us on Tuesday. We should start experiencing the effects from around 12 noon.

We can expect up to 6 inches of rainfall and tropical storm force winds.
I can understand you saying: Oh, no, not again! Indeed, we seem to be under siege by these monster storms. We have survived Hurricane Irma, and I am sure we will survive Maria as well.
My biggest concern is that you stay safe. Whatever preparations you have to do should have been completed by now.

If you do not have a roof over your head, or if your house has been severely damaged by Irma, please find a family or friend to stay with to weather this approaching storm.
Your life and well-being are all that matter most. I urge everyone, every neighbor, who can offer some kind of shelter to please open up their doors and hearts to ensure that nobody is exposed to any more danger.
All the seven hurricane shelters remain open, should you need to go to one. They are:

1. St. Maarten Academy School Gym (St. Peters)
2. Dutch Quarter Community Center (Dutch Quarter)
3. Belvedere Primary School (Belvedere)
4. National Institute for Professional Advancement (NIPA, Cay Hill)
5. Leonard Connor School (Cay Bay)
6. MAC School (St. John’s Estate)
7. Little League Ball Park (Pond Island, Philipsburg)

Fellow St. Maarteners, I know without doubt how nerve-wrecking all of this experience is. But we’ve gone through the most powerful hurricane ever to hit the Caribbean and by God’s grace, we will also go through this one.
Each storm represents a fresh and new danger to our very existence as a people. Our resilience is being tested to its limit.
But we must not be afraid of tomorrow. Each test strengthens our character; each challenge renews our faith in God and in our unity as a people.
For Hurricane Maria, the curfew goes into effect at 7:00 tonight until further notice. This has been synchronized with authorities on the French half of the island.
When the conditions permit, you will be informed about any changes to the curfew.
Please stay safe.
God bless you and your family. God bless our beloved St. Maarten.

Prime Minister of St. Maarten William Marlin

Heads of state and government, as well as those of the ILO and the OECD, will present a new publication on the business case for social dialogue between the social partners and with governments.

NEW YORK (ILO News):--- Social dialogue can drive productivity and sustainable business growth, as well as result in better training and skills levels for employees, ILO Director-General, Guy Ryder, said at the launch of a new publication by the ILO, the OECD and the Global Deal secretariat.

The Thematic Brief, “Achieving Decent Work and Inclusive Growth: The Business Case for Social Dialogue”, was launched by the ILO Director-General at a Global Deal event attended by company representatives. It highlights how effective social dialogue can result in mutually beneficial outcomes for governments, businesses, workers and wider society.

“Take, for example the case of the construction of Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport in the UK. That four billion pound investment was completed without one single working hour being lost to disputes, with a below-average level of absenteeism, and with reduced costs – all this, while preserving labour standards above the average for the industry,” Ryder said. “And that happened not by accident, but as a result of social dialogue between the unions concerned and the management that created a framework collective agreement for all the multiple producers and suppliers involved.”

The ILO Director-General also cited examples from Africa and Asia, among others, where social dialogue can result in better training and skills levels, or in a downturn can lead to negotiations on job protection in exchange for temporary reductions in working hours and salaries.

“In Sweden itself, for example, the Crisis Agreement during the last major economic downturn is estimated to have saved over 12,000 jobs, while at the same time enabling business to achieve a faster recovery and to retain more of their skilled workers,” Ryder noted.

“The Global Deal is about ensuring that more people around the world have secure and good jobs, and about a more equal distribution of our economic resources,” said Stefan Löfven, Prime Minister of Sweden. “Globalization presents opportunities, but requires a more equal distribution. More people need jobs with decent conditions and a salary they can live on. This is a prerequisite for globalization to be a positive force.”

The Global Deal is a global multi-stakeholder partnership with the objective of jointly addressing the challenges in the global labour market and enabling all people to benefit from globalization.

ILO Press Release