Articles

I would like to address statements made by Member of Parliament Leroy de Weever on radio today, Thursday that I as outgoing Minister of Finance left a deficit of some Naf. 37 million.
This is absolutely not true. First of all it can only be determined if there is a deficit on the budget by compiling a financial statement. A perceived deficit can be discussed however, even for this one needs to consider other factors.
Yes, the plan to raise Naf.21 million in income tax from Real Estate (owners of condominiums who rent to non-residents) seems like it won't be realized, and that is why there was a plan B which was discussed. Furthermore we need to look at the income realized thus far for 2012 which for the first quarter of the year (January up to and including April 2012) shows a marked increase in revenue for Government as compared to budget 2012 estimated income for the first quarter (more than 10 million guilders) as well as compared to 2011, income generated over the same quarter was 20 million guilders more.
Secondly the budget 2012 for the first quarter was underspent by some Naf. 13 million. And in addition, when I left office the Finance Department was busy with the various Ministries preparing the budget amendment for the years 2011 and 2012.
I would also like to make the public aware that new expenditures can be made in order to ensure that there is no budget deficit at the end or even that there is a deficit at the end of the book year (so when finance close off the year for bookings).
And since the finances of government are dynamic in nature the figures are constantly changing and that if one wants a true image of the finances one needs to have access to the first quarterly report for 2012 and the transition document for the Ministry of Finance prepared for the new Minister of Finance.
Both documents were prepared and presented (quarterly report to the CFT and the Council of Ministers, Parliament and the General Audit Chamber) and the transition document for the new Council of Ministers so that all would be up to speed with the country's income/expenditures.
When informing the public Members of Parliament have first of all, the responsibility to inform the public truthfully and entirely and not leave out bits and pieces just to try to discredit persons or create a negative image about the previous government of which his party was a part of.
The budget 2012 was discussed at length with all coalition partners of the former government and before going forward to the Parliamentary handling at that time, the CFT had already mentioned their concern as it pertained to the additional income which was budgeted and now to hear the MP refer to it as the Minister of Finance's crazy plans when the budget 2012 enjoyed a comfortable support of all UP/DP/Illidge coalition MP's. The people of this country are not stupid and can read through the lines that it's all politics
I left an approved budget 2012 behind which of course needs continued careful monitoring over the remainder of 2012 as we don't know how things will be economically although no further growth was anticipated. The monitoring of the budget 2012 has been up to and including the day under tight supervision by our own Finance Department including the Secretary General. And yes there are issues which need to be resolved via budget amendments but some of these were known before the budget 2012 was approved and were discussed within not only the Council of Ministers but also within the three meetings held with the coalition and faction leaders in February 2012, and there were no objections to the budget 2012.
Account Balances
The balance on the current accounts of the government totaled Naf. 38 million up to March 2012. In the same period last year the amount on the current account totaled Naf. 20 million. The current account increased by 90% compared to the same period last year.
On 31/12/10 the government of Sint Maarten bank reserves totaled Naf. 127 million. However, Naf. 65 million has been transferred to APS, as these were funds that belonged to them. This means that the actual reserve on 31/12/10 was Naf. 62 million.
As of 31/3/12 the reserves build at several banks on Sint Maarten totaled Naf. 65 million.
Bank balances for current accounts per May 16, 2012 were:
WIB NAF 7,081,562.48 - payments for today NAF 2,733,430.21 = NAF 4,348,132.27
WIB US 5,747,145.84 - payments for today US 48,284.84 = US 5,698,861.00
RBC Royal Bank NAF 364,531.87 payments for today NAF 10,105,10 = NAF 354,426.77
RBC Royal Bank US 306,458.17
Issues like the finalization of the Plan of Approach of the Ministry of Justice which was not fully incorporated in the budget 2012, as well as other shortcomings which either came along during the first quarter of this year or were known previously.
Not to mention now that the Government has changed, the allowance which is stipulated by law to pay to the four ex Ministers (20 months) has to be provided for in the budget amendment 2012, and budgets 2013 and part of 2014. The pension premium which has to be paid on behalf of all Ministers which comes out of Government's Coffers has to be also budgeted in 2012. Some of the risks (risicos) we can ascertain from the new Government trying to stop projects which most probably will end up in law suits will have to be taken up in the risk table of the Government to be submitted with the budget amendment. Trying to portray that this former Minister of Finance, allowed a deficit of Naf. 37million to be run up is besides not true or based on factual information, and is also a slap in the faces of the employees of the Ministry of Finance who have worked tirelessly alongside my person to try to ensure that the budget 2012 remains balanced. That is why there are plans A, B and in some cases even C.

Please be honest with the people of our country and do the honourable thing by presenting the true picture.

Former Minister of Finance Hon. Hiro Shigemoto

Those of us who were hoping for a new direction will be disappointed, and will continue to see more of the same failed European socialist ideas and policies. Here is why. All of the political parties now in government believe that government is the answer to all of our problems, and they are the only ones qualified to tell us how to live our lives and run our businesses.

I am a firm believer that man is a sovereign individual, and is therefore the only one who is capable of deciding what is ultimately best for him. The left does not accept that fundamental truth. The left-wingers of the world encroach on private enterprise and property, push for dictatorial rule and demonise personal success. For them, space for free thinking, self-reliance, personal responsibility and independent individualism must not be tolerated.

For decades now, our political leaders have been exploiting their own people for political power and financial gain. They empower themselves by making the civil service the biggest employer, while choking and over-regulating private enterprise, which is the source of all income.
They have set up a school system which does not teach children how to think, but what to think, and then call this "brain-washing" education. Most students who go overseas to finish their studies come back with PhDs and Dr degrees, but are not smart enough to start and run their own businesses but must work for government as civil servants, to become the privileged elitist members of society and dictate to the real business people how to run their businesses.

The Caribbean Development Bank recently gave a lecture on St. Maarten concerning development and economic growth for small nation countries in the Caribbean. The four main points of the lecture were (1) Crime: St. Maarten and Caribbean countries must deal with crime in a serious and firm manner. (2) Labour laws must be flexible and liberalized. (3) Business licences and all permits should be an easy and rapid process and (4) Taxes should be reasonable and low to attract investment. I can hear them now. No one is going to tell us what to do, but they will go along with outside forces to take away and restrict our personal freedoms.

Yep, in my opinion, we are on the same path to economic destruction; it's all about me; to heck with the people. I'm sincerely hoping that I'm wrong, but we shall see. I suggest that everyone get hold of the book Sovereignty or Submission by Dr. John Fonte. Mr. Gérard M. Hunt wrote a little about it on the opinion page of the daily Herald newspaper on May 2nd, 2012.

Peter Gunn

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados:--- The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) concluded a five day workshop on Friday, with the launch of a Youth Think Tank (YTT) for the Caribbean at UN House.

The workshop which focused on supporting Caribbean youth with to operationalise the YTT for the Caribbean was organised by UNDP Barbados and the OECS, in partnership with The Constellation Group NGO. Prior to the launch of the think tank, the Caribbean youth were given an opportunity to share their proposed operational plan with international development organisations including, UK Aid Department for International Development (DfiD) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

During the event, in addressing the participants UN Resident Coordinator, and UNDP Resident Representative, explained how the youth representatives from 14 countries in the Caribbean had 'stormed' UN House to build a dream for the Caribbean, shaping their vision for the future they want and setting out a road map on how it can be achieved. Ms. Michelle Gyles-McDonnough also outlined the commitment of the United Nations Development Programme for Barbados and the OECS, in ensuring that there is a space for voices of involvement and engagement in national and regional development.

An "Expression of Commitment" was signed between the 14 members of the YTT and UNDP (represented by Dr. Paula Hidalgo Sanchis, Youth-IN Project coordinator).

The commitment written by the YTT members reads: "As a diverse body, the Caribbean Youth Think Tank, is united and committed to be a voice for youth. With our energy and vision and through partnerships we strive to combat social ills and threats facing youth in the Caribbean. Our youth-driven initiative, seeks to foster continued progress in youth development through our core values:

Accountability; Communication; Teamwork; Inclusion; Opportunities; Networking.

We will create a space for youth where we build capacity for empowerment and innovation starting today."

UNDP's commitment, through the project "Youth-Innovation: A Caribbean network for youth development" (Youth-IN)" that supports Caribbean youth INclusion, youth INnovation, youth INterest and youth Involvement is: "Support the YTT for the Caribbean as a force for progress across the region; enable the YTT actions to support youth policy; empower the YTT as a team to push new thinking and actions to promote youth development; engage with the YTT to open doors for other young people to also make their contribution to sustainable development; and work with the YTT to achieve your dream for the future of the youth in the region."

During the course of the week, each participant was asked to creatively outline their vision for the youth think tank. A song, penned by, Mr. Mario Rose, was chosen by the group to be shared during the official launch. The newly elected members took an opportunity to perform the song to those gathered at UN House. The song, entitled, "The CARICOM Song" will be used by the Caribbean Youth Think Tank for their advocacy and outreach.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Due to flooded streets, debris that has washed unto the public roads, and clean-up efforts that need to get underway, as well as the potential and uncertainty for more rain showers on Friday morning, the Prime Minister has decided that schools should be closed on Friday as a precautionary measure.

The Fire Department/Office of Disaster Management (ODM) and the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Development, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) will continue to conduct preliminary assessments of the various districts throughout Thursday night.

Emergency services will continue to monitor the situation as the night progresses and respond to any emergencies. Several roads in low lying areas were closed Thursday night as a public safety measure.

The Fire Dept./ODM with respect to Friday morning advises the population of the South side of the island to be cautious while driving especially those driving along hillside roads as the potential exist for rock falls and small landslides.

Thorough assessments of the public schools will be carried out on Friday.

UTS and Fun Miles announce the winner of 50000 Fun Miles. The Fun Miles could be won by the person who sent the most SMS messages to the Chippie screens in the festival village over the carnival period. Festival goers could send any text message, by SMS, and this message would be broadcasted on the screens in the festival village. Many carnival goers made use of this possibility and the types of messages varied greatly. The person who sent the most messages was the winner; Mr. Lennox Fleming.

The students and teachers of Imbali Center for Creative Movement will be showcasing their end of year dance recital on Sunday May 27, at 4pm at the Belair Fitness and Community Center.
This recital brings to a closing what was an extremely active dance year for the students of Imbali dance school.
The recital has a dual purpose. First a Thanksgiving ceremony to all the individuals and organizations that assisted with travel expenses to two major events in which Imbali dance students participated. Secondly, the opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of the Imbali students who have had a banner year in 2 major events.
The first being the Regional French Federation of Dance competition in St. Barths, where many of the students medaled, receiving Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals competing against some 77 other students, and to the two Imbali dance student who having won Gold in St. Barths, qualified to compete at the National levels at the "Confederation National De Danse" in Nice, France.
Imbali is humbled by the amount of support the student received. Imbali takes this opportunity to publicly express heartfelt gratitude in particular to two organizations who came forward to assist with the travel expenses of getting Kiara Vanterpool and Jeremiah David to Nice, France. "The Dutch Vertegenwoordiging Representative" here on St. Maarten as well as "Help our Kids Foundation".
It is through their commitment and dedication to children of St. Maarten that today we are able to celebrate in the accomplishments of these stellar children. Their financial contribution made it possible for Kiara Vanterpool and Jeremiah David to travel to France and win three Gold medals for their hard work.
At the Recital you will have an opportunity to see all the competition children perform the works that made them winners. The recital features all the students in a variety of dance styles and techniques from drama to drumming, African dance, ballet, jazz, hip hop, as well as modern contemporary dance.
The tickets for the recital are $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12 Showtime is 4pm sharp.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Hon. Franklin Meyers says the island's premiere show the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, will be on ESPN Caribbean this Saturday.

This is the second year that ESPN has covered the island's premiere sailing event and the organizers of the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta are looking forward towards this type of coverage and cooperation in the coming years.

The general public can tune in to St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 209 and 211 at 7:00pm on Saturday, May 12 to see the regatta and relive those racing moments.

The old adage, "the third time is a charm" rang true for 17 year old Amenzee Amu of Belize who emerged number one in CANTO's sixth annual WTISD essay competition. Amenzee Amu entered the annual WTISD competition three times before copping the coveted prize. The excited biochemistry student when informed of her winnings thanked God profusely with tears in her voice as she remarked: "This is indeed a blessing!"

So what made this time around different? Amenzee recounted to CANTO: "I was moved by the theme this year as it appealed to me; I did a lot of research and prayed a lot".
Amenzee Amu's prayers were definitely answered and she will be joining the rest of the CANTO membership in Miami at the 28th Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition.

The World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) spearheaded by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) is observed annually on the 17th of May. To commemorate this occasion CANTO based in Trinidad & Tobago engages in numerous activities including an annual essay competition. This year CANTO celebrated its sixth year of staging the competition under the current ITU theme of: "Women and Girls in ICTs".
The competition included participating member countries of CANTO. Entries were judged by a panel of experts in the field of telecommunications and education on creativity, organization, mechanics and educational/technical merit. The top four (4) essays were selected and will be awarded the following prizes:

• 1st Place: Trip for 2 plus hotel accommodation to CANTO's 28th Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition in Miami from the 22nd – 25th July, 2012; a Netbook computer plus US$1,000
• 2nd Place: A Netbook computer plus US$500
• 3rd Place: A Smartphone plus US$250
• 4th Place: A Smartphone

The winners were as follows: First Place: Amenzee Amu, St. John's Junior College , Belize; Second Place: Kennisa Laila Celestine, Dominica State College, Dominica ; Third Place: Zachary Luke Subran Ganesh, Presentation College , Trinidad & Tobago ; Fourth Place: LaClaire Robinson , St. Vincent & the Grenadines Community College, St. Vincent & the Grenadines .

CANTO congratulates all the entrants from Antigua, Belize, The Bahamas, Dominica, Guyana, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Jamaica, St. Maarten, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago. We also thank all the members for promoting the campaign in their respective countries and last but not least a hearty thank you to the following judges for their time and patience: Monica Ramjattan (UWI.- St. Augustine) ;Wendy Rocke (Soroptomist, Port of Spain ); Vydia Bhagan (TSTT); Joyce Zijler (Ministry of Education – Suriname) and Dionne Miranda (BTL)

The Board of Directors and CANTO Secretariat extend a happy World Telecommunication and Information Society Day to its membership and urge all to encourage and incorporate women and girls in ICTs.

CANTO 2012 - WTISD Agenda:

• April 26th - Women and Girls in ICT, Bishop's Centenary College, Trinidad & Tobago
• May 17th - Announcement of WTISD essay winner on the 17th of May 2012
• July 24th - Women and Girls in ICT Breakfast Meeting – Hyatt Regency Miami , Florida
• CANTO - 28th Annual Conference & Trade Exhibition – Hyatt Regency Hotel , Miami, Florida
• Sept-Oct - CANTO & UWI - Women and Girls in ICT Program

The Mental Health Foundation has the task of providing care to the community in seven main areas called Care Products, namely Psychiatric Clinic Care, Crisis intervention, Faraja Center for re-integration and education, Psychiatric Home Health Care, Admissions and Prevention and Information.
The Prevention and Information program is presently mainly conducted in schools and on occasion to businesses as well. In schools Information and Prevention also promotes health care vocations as future opportunities for students. Medical students also have to make a choice of specialization during their studies, but certainly need to know what support they can get from psychiatry regardless of the choice they make.

The Psychiatry Perceptorship program provides an opportunity for medical students and others to learn about research methods and clinical care in the field of psychiatry. MHF has an agreement with the American University AUC for medical students.

This program is supervised by the psychiatrist of MHF Dr. Sachin Gandotra who focuses on the observation of psychiatric clinical services with emphasis on the clinical care of patients. The program includes opportunities for:

• Self study from select3ed readings and electronic media
• Informal shadowing of the psychiatrist, psychologist and the clinical staff in the department of psychiatry.
• Informal group meetings with mentors and clients in the department of psychiatry

The first group of 6 students started their preceptorship in January 2012 and each has completed it with an evaluation of the period, their comments were primarily:

• "An Amazing Experience" and asked if they could return to learn and experience more. The experience was above and beyond my expectations and reaffirmed my interest in psychiatry.
• Dr. Gandotra was very good at teaching and explaining concepts to both patients and to me as a student.
• Not only did he make me feel comfortable being there, but also I found the experience to be very valuable and enjoyable a great job.
• It is a great place to do psychiatric rotation and Dr. Gandotra was excellent. Thank you.

For more information go to the MHF web site: www.mhf-sxm.com.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados:--- The United Nations Development Programme for Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), through its Regional Risk Reductive Initiative (R3I) is hosting a three-day capacity building workshop to train participants in the use of geographical information systems (GIS) for disaster management, land use planning and development. The workshop commences on Monday, 21 May in the Cayman Islands.

This fourth regional workshop will focus on introducing officials from Anguilla, Aruba, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat and Sint Maarten to the field of remote sensing and digital image processing and its importance to disaster risk management, and to demonstrate approaches, tools and methodologies for extracting and analysing remotely sense data. It is envisaged that by the end of the training, these countries will have better national capacity to:

• Understand electromagnetic spectrum, and how it applies to remote sensing;
• Interpret the basic features and characteristics of earth surfaces on satellite imagery; and
• Know how to extract and interpret information from remotely sensed data.

Participants will also benefit from shared experiences on the initiatives undertaken to improve their disaster preparedness and response, through a knowledge sharing event which takes place on Thursday, 24 May at the Grand Cayman Marriot Beach Resort. The presentations will focus on results achieved so far through the UNDP R3I project and good practices that can be built on. International development partner organisations and experts will also participate, bringing together their knowledge and expertise on disaster management issues.

UNDP Barbados and the OECS has been working with the 11 British and Dutch overseas territories since 2009, to reduce the risk and exposure of these small islands through intra-regional learning and sharing of tools, knowledge and best practices to enhance their individual and collective capacities to predict and prepare for natural hazards, with the financial support of the European Union. The European Union is providing €4.932 million over four years to achieve project objectives.

For more information on the project, please visit www.bb.undp.org/regional-risk-reduction-initiative.

On Saturday the 19th of May the Prime Minister of St. Maarten Sarah Wescot-Williams gave an address to the 81st District Toastmaster's conference which was held at the Sonesta Maho Resort from the 18th to the 20th of May. "On behalf of the government of St. Maarten, I congratulate the conference planning committee for a superb preparation and meticulous planning of this conference," commented Wescot-Williams, who founded the first corporate Toastmasters Club on St. Maarten in 2004: the Soualiga Corporate club, and who delivered her first Toastmasters Speech in October 1994.

Toastmasters International (TI) is a nonprofit educational organization that operates clubs worldwide for the purpose of helping members improve their communication, public speaking and leadership skills. Through its thousands of member clubs, Toastmasters International offers a program of communication and leadership projects designed to help men and women learn the arts of speaking, listening, and thinking.

"Leaders are good communicators and not only good speakers.
Leaders set the tone; leaders show the way; leaders are themselves learners. To do and to be all this, you need to connect with people, with others for a myriad of reasons," commented the Prime Minister.

Prime Minister Wescot-Williams also commented on how Toastmasters has not stayed behind during the technological revolution. "Technology has opened new windows of opportunity, not in the last place in the area of communication. It has broken down barriers and transcended borders and has connected millions of people who before this all evolved were shut off from the rest of the world and a Toastmaster has quickly tuned in to these developments. Communication in my view also encompasses understanding, not just listening, and accepting, not just tolerating. In this volatile world we live in, these attributes are indispensable," commented the Prime Minister further.

The Prime Minister concluded by stating that the government of St. Maarten has remained an avid supporter of Toastmasters, the advancement of its members and Toastmasters in general.

"Toastmasters makes good leaders and makes good leaders better ones."

Philipsburg:--- The following speech was delivered by the President of Parliament Hon. drs. Gracita Arrindell at the American University of the Caribbean, Saturday May 26, 2012:

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

PROTOCOL HAVING BEEN ESTABLISHED, LET ME MERELY SAY A VERY GOOD AFTERNOON TO YOU AND TURN MY ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY TO THE PEOPLE OF THE MOMENT - OUR FLEDGLING PHYSICIANS WHO AFTER YEARS OF TOIL - AND OF BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL - HAVE TODAY ARRIVED AT THAT BIG DAY IN THEIR LIVES.

TO THE GRADUATING CLASS, I WISH TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS. YOU HAVE WORKED HARD AND YOU HAVE ACHIEVED MUCH.

AS I STAND BEFORE YOU TODAY, I KNOW WHY I AM NOT A DOCTOR BECAUSE I AM REMINDED OF THE PATIENT WHO IS VERY MUCH LIKE ME. THE STORY IS TOLD THAT YEARS AGO, SHE WALKED INTO THE DOCTOR'S SURGERY AND COMPLAINED ABOUT PAIN EVERYWHERE.

SHE SAID: "DOCTOR WHEN I PRESS WITH MY FINGER HERE... IT HURTS, AND WHEN I PRESS HERE... IT HURTS, AND HERE... AND HERE... IT HURTS. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS WRONG WITH ME?"

"YOU HAVE A BROKEN FINGER!" THE DOCTOR REPLIED.

WELL, YOU ARE THE WISE ONES AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE OPTED TO BE DOCTORS. THAT IS WHY I'LL BE PREPARED TO BE YOUR PATIENT.

TODAY, YOU ARE FEELING THAT YOU ARE ON TOP OF THE WORLD, AS INDEED YOU SHOULD. YOU ARE ABOUT TO BE CAPPED AND TO TAKE THE HIPPOCRATIC OATH WHICH HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS "A RITE OF PASSAGE FOR PRACTITIONERS OF MEDICINE" AND BY WHICH YOU WILL PLEDGE TO UPHOLD A NUMBER OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICAL STANDARDS."

IT IS MY HOPE FOR YOU THAT YOU EXCEL IN WHATEVER YOU DO. MY PRAYER FOR YOU IS THAT YOU ALL BECOME GREAT PROFESSIONALS HEALING THE SICK, CURING DISEASES, HELPING PEOPLE TO PULL THEIR LIVES TOGETHER, OFFERING RELIEF TO THE SUFFERING, DOING ALL THESE THINGS WITH GREAT DIGNITY, PRIDE AND HUMILITY AS YOU RELY ON THE COMMON TOUCH.

YOU WILL PROBABLY MAKE LOADS OF MONEY IN YOUR PRACTICE, BUT LET THAT NOT BE YOUR GOAL. ALWAYS BE CONSCIOUS OF YOUR OWN HUMANITY AND OF YOUR OWN MORTALITY. MOST OF ALL, BE HUMBLE, BE HUMBLE AND GREAT FULL; TO YOUR PARENTS, YOUR GUARDIANS, YOUR TEACHERS.

YES, YOU ARE ABOUT TO BECOME PHYSICIANS AFTER YEARS OF STUDY AT THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF THE CARIBBEAN WHICH IS NOW A PART OF THE PRESTIGIOUS DEVRY UNIVERSITY, AND WHICH HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF HERE IN ST. MAARTEN AS A RESPECTED AND MUCH-LIKED COMMUNITY –MINDED INSTITUTION OF GREAT WORTH – OF GREAT VALUE.

AS YOU LEAVE THIS INCREASINGLY WELL-RECOGNISED INSTITUTION AND PREPARE TO ENTER THE REAL WORLD OF REAL WORK, YOU ARE TAKING A PIECE OF ST. MAARTEN WITH YOU AND YOU GO WITH OUR BLESSINGS. TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT. BE PROUD OF IT AND BE WILLING ALLWAYS TO SHOUT FROM THE ROOFTOP AND TELL THE WORLD THAT YOU STUDIED HERE AT AUC IN ST. MAARTEN, MY ISLAND, YOUR ISLAND OUR ISLAND.

ONCE AGAIN GRADUATING CLASS, CONGRATULATIONS.

I WOULD HAVE FAILED IN MY DUTY HERE THIS AFTERNOON IF I DID NOT CONGRATULATE THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF THE CARIBBEAN AND DEVRY UNIVERSITY – THE OWNERS, THE MANAGEMENT, THE FACULTY, THE STUDENTS AND ALL OTHER PERSONS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ESTABLISHMENT - ON THE SPLENDID WORK THEY HAVE DONE, AND ARE DOING, HERE IN ST. MAARTEN AS THEY CONTINUE TO MAKE INVALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO COMMUNITY LIFE THROUGH THEIR VOLUNTEER WORK EVEN AS THEY MAKE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTIONS TO ST. MAARTEN'S ECONOMY.

THE FACT THAT LATER THIS AFTERNOON THERE WILL BE A GROUND-BREAKING CEREMONY AT WHICH DEVRY WILL KICK OFF PHASE ONE OF ITS AUC CAMPUS EXPANSION PROJECT SPEAKS VOLUMES OF THE INSTITUTION'S CONFIDENCE IN ST. MAARTEN, ITS PEOPLES AND ITS ECONOMY.

FINALY; I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS QUOTE FROM A GREAT HUMANITARIAN AND VISIONARY DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. WHO SAID;"IF MAN HAS NOT DISCOVERED SOMETHING THAT HE WILL DIE FOR, HE ISN'T FIT TO LIVE". LIVE ON LIVE GOOD, LIVE GREAT.

ON BEHALF OF PARLIAMENT AND THE PEOPLE OF ST. MAARTEN I SAY A BIG "THANK YOU." I WISH YOU EVERY SUCCESS IN YOUR ENDEAVOURS. LET US CONTINUE ON THIS JOURNEY OF GROWTH TOGETHER.

A group 35 members from the St. Maarten Lions Club along with club members from French St. Martin, Saba, prospect members, spouses, family members and friends paraded through downtown along with other countries in Port of Spain, Trinidad for the Lions 32nd Multiple District 60 Convention.

The St. Maarten Lions Club dressed as doctors, nurses paraded under the theme "Sight First" and encouraged the general public of Trinidad along the route in Port of Spain to test their eyes for glaucoma which was done by handing out a stack of brochures with information about the disease.

"Glaucoma has no cure and can cause blindness if it is left untreated and approximately 10% of people with glaucoma who receive proper treatment still experience loss of vision which was why the St. Maarten Club choose this topic", says incoming District Governor for 60B Lion Tony "Toontje" Buncamper.

Glaucoma is not curable, and vision lost cannot be regained. With medication and/or surgery, it is possible to halt further loss of vision. Since open-angle glaucoma is a chronic condition, it must be monitored for life. Diagnosis is the first step to preserving your vision and it can affect from babies to senior citizens. Older people are at a higher risk for glaucoma.

St. Maarten Lions Club is now preparing for the 60B Convention meeting and the incoming district governor's installation on Friday along with the Multiple District Convention meeting on Saturday morning.

The Lions Multiple District 60 Convention is being hosted at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad by the Lions Club of Port of Spain which is celebrating 50 years of existence and was the first club established in the twin Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee of Parliament meeting scheduled for Thursday afternoon about Identification Cards and Driver's Licenses, will be open to the public.

The meeting will take place on May 24 at 2:00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House of Parliament at Wilhelmina Straat #2.1 in Philipsburg.

The first agenda point is related to the National Ordinance, changes to the Stamp Ordinance 1994 as well as other ordinances regarding the introduction of new identification cards and driver's licenses.

The second agenda point is an initiative draft ordinance which requires changes to the Civil Code Book Seven A, regarding the elimination of misuse of labour contracts.

The public plenary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 20 and via Pearl Radio FM 98.1. The audio will be carried via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com.

...

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- The Fire Department and Office of Disaster Management (ODM) has been notified by the Meteorological Department of Curacao (MDC) that the country has been placed under a heavy rainfall watch until Friday 6:00pm due to heavy rain showers.
The Fire Dept./ODM therefore advises the population of the South side of the island to be cautious for possible flooding in low lying areas, street flooding and rock falls due to possible persistent heavy rainfall.
The following areas are of concern to the Fire Dept. and residents are asked to avoid these areas during heavy rainfall which causes severe flooding and inundating the areas: Dutch Quarter main road; A.T. Illidge Road; L.B. Scot Road; Zagersgut; and Welgelegen Road.
If you do not have to be on the road, remain at home. If you have to go to work, wait until heavy rainfall subsides, and drive cautiously.
The MDC Special Bulletin was issued on Thursday at 5:30pm. The heavy rainfall watch is issued when heavy rainfall is evident within a certain timeframe.
The current watch could also be upgraded to an advisory or warning in case conditions warrant according to the MDC.
The MDC also advises in the case of lightning strikes very close to your location, switch off and disconnect any sensitive electronic equipment; disconnect your telephone and your computer.

Harbour View:--- On Wednesday May 9, 2012, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten drs. E.B. Holiday, started consultations to arrive at the formation of a new cabinet.
On Wednesday morning, the Governor spoke with Vice-Chairperson of the Council of Advice Mrs. Mavis Brooks-Salmon, President of Parliament Ms. Gracita Arrindell, and leader of the National Alliance, Mr. William Marlin.
In the afternoon, the Governor continued the consultations speaking with Member of Parliament of the United People's Party Mrs. Sylvia Olivacce-Meyers, faction leader of the Democratic Party Mr. Roy Marlin, leader of the United People's Party Mr. Theo Heyliger, Independent Member of Parliament Mr. Frans Richardson, Independent Member of Parliament Mr. Patrick Illidge, and Independent Member of Parliament, Mr. Romaine Laville.
Consultations will continue on Thursday.

"Today we took leave of an Icon of our community."

On Wednesday May 9th the Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams attended the funeral of St. Maarten Icon Mr. Walter Adolphus Williams. Mr. Williams, also known as Walter Plantz, plantzie or Bubba, was a well known fishermen and figure in the community of St. Maarten, particularly in Philipsburg. Mr. Williams, who was born on the 2nd of August 1916 and passed away peacefully on the 4th of May, leaves to mourn his wife Geraldine Williams-Blake and numerous family and friends. "Today we took leave of an icon of our community and of the Philipsburg community in particular. He will surely be missed by his family and friends, and of course not to forget 'the boys under the tree'", commented Wescot-Williams. Mr. Williams was interred at the Cul-De-Sac Cemetery.

Already twenty seven invasive and poisonous lionfish have been collected by local dive companies Ocean Explorers, Scuba Fun, Dive Safaris, Aqua Mania, Blue Bubbles and Caribbean Dive College for the 2012 Lionfish Hunt which started earlier this month.

'We really appreciate how the dive shops are doing their best in helping to control the invasion of the venomous lionfish. The involvement of divers and local fishermen are essential in saving our local reef species and maintaining the dive and fishing industry on the island", commented Tineke Van Bussel, lionfish researcher at the Nature Foundation and organizer of the event.

The competition is scheduled to end on the 21st of May with various prizes to be won from businesses as diverse as The Scuba Shop, Vanity First, Ray's Jewelry, Tommy Hilfiger store, Endless Summer and Restaurants Mist the Carib, Chesterfields and Oualichi.

Lionfish are an invasive venomous fish that can inflict a painful and sometimes fatal sting. Lionfish are usually found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans but were introduced into the Atlantic thru the aquarium trade. Native fish species don't recognize the Lionfish as a threat so they are unable to defend themselves against it. In other places were lionfish were spotted there are hardly any snappers and grouper left because those are the type of fish the lionfish likes to eat.

The Nature Foundation encourages fishermen, divers and all those who may have captured or sighted lionfish to report their catch or sightings to the Nature Foundation through calling 5270490 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee of Parliament will meet in a closed door session with representatives from International Liquor and Tobacco NV on May 23.

The discussion between Members of Parliament and International Liquor and Tobacco is related to decoded products of alcoholic spirits.

The meeting will take place on Wednesday afternoon at 2:00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House of Parliament at Wilhelmina Straat #2.1 in Philipsburg.

ANGUILLA:--- “So You Want to be a Bestselling Author? The Real Deal,” was the topic of keynote speaker Terry McMillan, at the inaugural Anguilla Literary Festival on May 25, 2012.

The best-selling US author of How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Waiting to Exhalespoke poolside at the secluded Paradise Cove hotel, about the brutal truths, personal challenges, and the pros and cons of success that are related to writing and the publishing industry.

St. Martin’s children book author Stella Simmons was at the luncheon presentation attended by Anguillans, tourists from the region, the USA and Canada, and, as special guests, high school students from ALHS.

Simmons attended workshops on fiction writing and new publishing rules. (Her story “The Midnight Detectives” is found in the seminal anthology Brother Rich …  –  Creative Writing in St. Martin, Edited by Rhoda Arrindell (HNP, 2007).

SIMPSON BAY:--- Princess Juliana Int'l Airport operating company NV (PJIAE) hosted its Employee of the Month Recognition Program on Friday, May 25.

Airport management, staff members, and close friends and family of those recognized, convened in the training room at PJIAE as the company recognized and rewarded seven employees for their outstanding performance during the latter part of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012.

The seven honorees hailed from the Operations, Security, Air Traffic Control and Facility Maintenance departments.

Edsel Lake, who has spent four years in the Operations Department, said that he loved his job and that "the incentive program lets you know you are not on your own."

Operations Manager Michel Hyman lauded the Employee of the Month Selection Committee for its work and encouraged Lake "to continue striving [as employees] will always be recognized when they stand out." He also encouraged Lake to "continue being a leader."

Shirley Salmon-Samson, a security screener at the airport since 1988, encouraged the younger employees in her emotional remarks to, "always have respect for others and you will be rewarded."

Security Manager Jerry Sprott said that Salmon-Samson "ensures all the rules are adhered to and during the high season always did her best, and now she is being recognized."

Elaine Gumbs, who has been a cleaner for the past 18 years, was pleasantly surprised by the nomination and attested to her faith in God for her success.

Justinien Joe, Manager of the Facility Maintenance Department of which Gumbs is a member, said that Gumbs has been a dedicated employee and advised her to "continue the good work."

Young Valmond Mills was not only a first-time honoree but this is the first time that an employee at the airport was recognized after having only spent a mere eight months in his post!

Mills, now a member of PJIAE Rescue & Fire Fighting Department, told attendees to "always do your best in whatever job you do."

His former manager, Jerry Sprott, said that Mills "is a man of action" and recalled that "Mills, while in the security department, went beyond the call of duty in several situations."

Operations coordinator Edmund Missoudan was employee of the month for December 2011. Hyman said that with the extraordinary contribution of Missoudan in the month of December, PJIAE exceeded its record with regards to the number of aircrafts parked on the tarmac during the holiday season.

Second-time honoree Rovena Richardson, an assistant air traffic controller, said a simple "thank you" to PJIAE upon receiving her employee of the month recognition.

Duncan van Heyningen, ATS Supervisor, who spoke on behalf of Procedural Department Manager Gregory Hassel, said that Richardson "is an asset to the department" and that she has been involved with the training of the employees in the air traffic control department. He encouraged her to "continue the good work."

Reynaldo Richards, air traffic and radar controller, was chosen by consensus by the selection committee. The long-standing employee said that the Employee Recognition Program "is a great incentive and ... it is important that the employee knows that dedication and loyalty are recognized by the company."

Van Heyningen, who spoke on behalf of Radar Department Manager Lloyd Hinds, said that Richards "has had impeccable on-time performance" and he was happy to announce that Richards has been selected to be an instructor for an upcoming ATC course to be offered by the airport.

An emphatic "thank you" to all PJIAE employees was the sentiment of Quality Assurance Manager Anastacio Baker during his remarks as member of the Employee of the Month Committee. He asked that all employees "continue to strive for excellence and continue to be dedicated to PJIAE."

Plaques of appreciation, gift baskets, and checks were presented to all the honorees by their department heads and the Managing Director of PJIAE, Regina LaBega.

LaBega said that all companies should have similar incentive programs because "it helps to motivate employees."

Human Resources Manager Norma Brill said that the criteria for the selection of nominees include outstanding performance, knowledge of the job, "presenteeism," helpfulness and respect.

After the congratulatory speeches, hugs and kisses from family members and fellow colleagues, the honorees and attendees were treated to refreshments. Plaques of the employees of the month will be displayed within the airport terminal.

TALLAHASSEE, Florida:--- The Tallahassee-St. Maarten Foundation Inc. (TLH-SXMF) Director Arthur Lugisse, assisted eight City of Tallahassee officials during a rest and relaxation visit to the island recently by facilitating a business meeting with the Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

The delegation was headed by Deputy Fire Chief John Gatlin from the Tallahassee City Fire Department. It also included representatives from Public Safety, Law enforcement, Government environmental engineering, Medical and Private sector business.

The meeting with the Chamber of Commerce & Industry executives and Tallahassee reps looked at fostering economic development between Tallahassee and Sint Maarten based on the sister-city agreement that has existed for more than a decade.

The meeting with the Chamber of Commerce & Industry according to Lugisse was very fruitful. "Both parties looked at the vast opportunities that exist based on the sister-city agreement for the public and private sectors. One of the areas discussed is exchange programs between law enforcement agencies on the island with the Tallahassee Sheriff and Fire Departments.

"Orientation and training sessions can be organized up to four weeks. There are joint venture opportunities for the private sector especially working closely with the Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce. The City of Tallahassee also has sister-city links with Europe, Russia, Africa and the Middle East. There are great possibilities and opportunities and it is now for us to make use of them as presented in the framework of the city-sister agreement," Executive Director Arhur Lugisse said.

Some reps of the Tallahassee delegation are also members of the annual festival Springtime Tallahassee, which attracts over 200,000 persons over the two-day event that takes place at the end of March.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The scheduled public plenary session of Parliament for May 14 to discuss the Emancipation Day Ordinance has been postponed.

The meeting was scheduled to take place on Monday morning at 10:00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House of Parliament on Wilhelmina Straat #2.1 in Philipsburg.

The plenary session has been postponed until further notice due to funeral services for the late Jane Eliza Richardson-Proctor, the mother of Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. Hyacinth Richardson.

The President of Parliament Hon. drs. Gracita Arrindell extends her condolences to the family of the late Jane Eliza Richardson-Proctor and especially to MP Hon. Hyacinth Richardson on behalf of the Parliament of Sint Maarten and fellow parliamentary colleagues.

GREAT BAY/MARIGOT:--- The 10th annual St. Martin Book Fair, will take place on May 31 – June 2, 2012, said book fair coordinator Shujah Reiph.
Some 14 guest authors and artists, from Asia to the Americas, will be on hand to celebrate the opening of the book fair's 10th anniversary edition at the Belair Community Center on Thursday, May 31, at 8 pm, said Reiph.
Dr. Girvan, leading economist, author, and professor emeritus at UWI-Trinidad, will deliver the keynote address, "The Cost of Moving Forward with Caribbean Unity," at the opening ceremony of the literary festival, said Reiph.
Dr. Girvan is an essential 'go to man' for presidents and prime ministers and was only recently the United Nations Secretary General's Personal Representative on the Guyana-Venezuela Border Controversy (2010), said Reiph.
Books by Dr. Girvan and all of the visiting authors, and titles by the growing number of St. Martin writers, will be available at the book fair.
There are over 20 book fair and pre-book fair activities planned for the festival by the Book Fair Committee (BFC), said Reiph. All book fair activities are free and "the general public is invited to this 'book fair for the entire family,'" said Reiph.
The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau returns in 2012 as the main sponsor of the St. Martin Book Fair. "The Tourist Bureau as the main committed sponsor and the University of St. Martin as the home sponsor of the main book fair day, have been collaborating with the St. Martin Book Fair from the very beginning," said Jacqueline Sample, president of House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP), one of the book fair organizers.
"The Ministry of Education and Culture, headed by the outgoing minister Dr. Rhoda Arrindell, made a contribution this year to the St. Martin Book Fair's 10th anniversary," said Reiph, who is also president of Conscious Lyrics Foundation (CLF).
CLF and HNP have been organizing the St. Martin Book Fair since 2003, in collaboration with the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau and the University of St. Martin.
The opening ceremony of the festival is alternated each year between both parts of the island. Various activities, the main book launch, and the school visits by international and St. Martin writers are conducted island-wide "in keeping with the island's traditional unity," said Reiph.

GREAT BAY/MARIGOT:--- The St. Martin Book Fair has always attracted a diverse group of authors, novelists and poets through the years and this year is no exception.
With authors hailing from the USA, Italy, Barbados, Singapore and more, attendees will have a wide array of activities to choose from. This year is the 10th anniversary of the literary/book festival, which actually runs from May 28 to June 2, 2012.
The week-long anniversary fair include poetry and fiction recitals, live culinary demos, school visits from overseas and St. Martin authors, jazz and dance performances, and workshops that range from how to make guavaberry, a dance workshop by award-winning Broadway dancer Nicole de Weever, to the rise of the eBook.
Historically, the book fair has always included both parts of the island. It has also continued to invite and attract authors, poets and novelists from all across the globe, including Kweyol-, Dutch-, Papiamentu-, Arabic-, Hindu-, Chinese-, Yoruba, Spanish-, and French-speaking authors.
"The multi-lingual approach not only reflects an aspect of the island's traditional culture but also St. Martin's present diverse, linguistic make up," said Jacqueline Sample, president of House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP).
So it is no surprise that the Guadeloupean author Max Rippon will be coming from Marie-Galante to give a lecture, on "Emancipation and Reparations"—and his presentation will be in French and English.
The lecture by Rippon at the Public Library in Marigot, is on Monday, May 28, at 7:30 pm - 9 pm. A discussion will follow with the audience attending this first of two pre-book fair "specials" for the 10th anniversary.
Rippon is just back from a successful lecture and book fair tour in Bordeaux and Nancy, France. In St. Martin, he will also recite from his poetry and novels at the literary evening on Friday, June 1, at the Yacht Club Restaurant, Fort Louis Marina, Marigot Waterfront, at 8 pm.
Rippon, whose work is studied in the schools in St. Martin and Guadeloupe, will be one of nearly 10 authors that will visit schools as part of the book fair's "Meet the Writers" program.
On Saturday, June 2, which is the main book fair day, he will be on campus at the University of St. Martin (USM), where his books can be bought along with new books by other visiting authors.
Rippon's works include Pawòl naïf, Le Dernier Matin, and Blues an tout lang, which is his newest book.
What else is there to know and to be excited about at the St. Martin Book Fair?
Well, the way we read is evolving with the advent of new technology. Instead of having a physical library of a vast amount of books one can now store all of their books on electronic devices like the Kindle and iPad.
Sarah Florian, researcher, new Italian novelist, and Caribbean literary scholar, will be facilitating a workshop entitled, "literature+ future= technology" on Saturday, June 2, at USM, room 107.
Dr. Florian will "explore the evolution of books and make a comparative analysis between past, present and future, and how we are evolving in our way of consuming literature," according to the description of her workshop.
This workshop is not only for modern-thinking people, tech-adept teens and the like but also for those who think that they are "all thumbs" or "don't have a clue" when it comes to the new technology invading their reading space.
Attendees are encouraged to bring their devices like the Kindle, iPad and Blackberry (BB) to the workshop.
Florian, described as a member of the new generation of Caribbeanists, has had her writings and interviews featured in the Jamaican Gleaner, Jamaican Observer, and sx salon. Florian is currently teaching Italian Language and Culture to international students at the University of Singapore.
Conscious Lyrics Foundation and HNP organize the St. Martin Book Fair in collaboration with St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, the Ministry of Education & Culture, the Collectivity of St. Martin, and USM.
All book fair activities are open to the public and are free of charge. For more St. Martin Book Fair information and updates, visit http://www.houseofnehesipublish.com/book_fair2040.html.

President of the Dutch social economic council, Alexander Rinnooy Kan, hosted a delegation of five visitors from SER Sint Maarten on Monday March 21. The SER president expressed great interest in the workings of the 'latest addition to the family of social economic councils in the Kingdom', as he put it. In a symbolic gesture, Rinnooy Kan presented the Sint Maarten SER with a vintage gavel used by one of the first SER presidents in the 1950's. Rinnooy Kan and secretary general Véronique Timmerhuis received SER Sint Maarten's first annual report from chairman René Richardson.
In addition to the chairman, the Sint Maarten the delegation consisted of independent member Elaine Gumbs-Vlaun, industry representative Eveline Henriquez-Dijkhoffz, supported by secretary-general Gerard Richardson and senior policy advisor Arjen Alberts.
The visit to the national Dutch SER continued with in-depth exchanges of information with directors of the council's economic and social policy departments, as well as separate conversations with policy workers on specific topics relevant to Sint Maarten socio-economic situation. Practical agreements were made on internships and other forms of cooperation and support.
To finalize the first day, the delegation paid a courtesy visit to the nearby cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary, were they were welcomed by outgoing deputy Minister Richard Panneflek and staff members Cor James and Perry Geerlings.
Later the same week, the delegation visited a number of regional social economic councils in the Netherlands, who operate on a scale more similar to Sint Maarten. In a meeting with the SER Delft the Sint Maarten representatives were briefed on a successful tradition of cooperation between labor unions, businesses and government on tackling local issues and jointly mapping out strategies for economic development, especially in challenging economic times.
The first provincial SER visited was that of coastal province Zeeland. Important information was exchanged about the local cooperative approach of the development of the sea harbors in the region, as well as the tourism sector and the logistical hub function of this province, not just towards the Netherlands but equally towards Belgium and Germany. Needless to say, these topics met with great interest from the Sint Maarten delegation, as these sectors are the mainstay of our national economy as well.
The concluding visit was to the SER Brabant in 's Hertogenbosch on Thursday May 24, where the timing of the visit permitted the delegation to attend an actual SER meeting. The delegation was subsequently briefed on the tripartite efforts to secure high levels of employment in this province, especially in times of decline of the traditional industrial sectors. The Sint Maarten delegation took notice of the fact that Brabant established its own long term economic development plan 'Brabant 2020'. In den Bosch as well, agreements were made on future cooperation between both social economic councils.
Over the entire week, the SER Sint Maarten succeeded in establishing a valuable network of contacts and cooperation with several Dutch sister organizations, while taking away a wealth of information and a number of inspiring ideas for future application in Sint Maarten.
The costs of the SER Sint Maarten visit to the Netherlands were covered by Dutch development funds from the project 'Establishment of the High Councils of State', managed by USONA.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Motorists are hereby informed that road works will continue on the L.B. Scott Road on Wednesday, 9 May, and Thursday, 10 May.

The road works will be carried out during the evening hours each night from 9:00pm to 5:00am.

Contractor Windward Roads will carry out the works in connection with the recently installed sewage line.

Motorists are advised to observe traffic signs with respect to a detour.

The contractor apologizes for any inconvenience that these necessary works will have on motorized traffic passing through this area.

Harbour View:--- On Thursday May 10, 2012, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, continued consultations to arrive at the formation of a new cabinet.
On Thursday afternoon, the Governor spoke with caretaker Prime-Minister and leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot-Williams and the leader of the National Alliance, Mr. William Marlin.
Consultations will continue on Friday.

...

UTS will be commemorating World Telecommunication Day, which is recognized yearly on May 17th, by giving back to the customers that have made the company's success possible. On May 16th and 17th, the company will offer a top-up promotion to its Chippie prepaid customers on St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius. "After the carnival festivities of St. Maarten have ended, it is usually a time when people would like to get the most bang for their buck when it comes to their usual everyday expenses," stated UTS Marketing and Communications Officer, Ivy Lambert. "And what better occasion to give our customers the opportunity to stretch their dollar than on World Telecommunications Day. We are thankful for the confidence placed in us by our customers want to thank them for allowing us to be their Telecommunications provider of choice by offering them something extra." The Top Up promotion will allow customers to buy Chippie prepaid credit and obtain an additional amount of credit free. The more credit is purchased, the higher the percentage of free credit received. The promotion will be available on May 16 and 17th only and will be available at the UTS stores in Philipsburg and Cole Bay and also through the various Chippie Top-Up locations on St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius. "To be clear" Lambert continued "this offer is applicable for cash top-up only on May 16th and 17th. It does not apply to E-pins purchased at Xtreme Machine self-service kiosks, through SMS or ATM recharge nor Scratch card purchase."

In addition to the aforementioned promotion, UTS will also commemorate World Telecommunication Day by supporting of the Art of Living Foundations' Multicultural Peace event, is to be held on May 20th at the A.C. Wathey Cruise Pier. The focus of the foundation is to increase the level of peace by creating an atmosphere where people can come together with understanding, compassion and love. "We are proud to support this initiative with our diamond sponsorship," said UTS Marketing & Communication Officer, Ivy Lambert. "Communication is the first step towards creating understanding and compassion, so what better way to commemorate World Telecommunication Day than by sponsoring such a unique and positive-minded event. The prosperity of a nation not only depends on its economic growth, but also on how peaceful and happy its people are. We are happy to support a foundation whose goal is to contribute to a more peaceful and stress-free St. Maarten." The event is titled, The Biggest Multicultural Peace Event with the Sub-heading Celebrating Humanity. The event will start at 6 pm and will feature Multicultural local performances, Live Harp Music from a Scotland based harpist and a guided peace meditation by the foundations founder, through direct a video-feed from Germany. The webcast will be followed in 153 countries world-wide. The evening will also feature inspirational talks on peace by various St. Maarten leaders such as the Prime Minister, the Minister of Health and various other spiritual leaders. UTS will also provide a few BlackBerry Smartphones as door-prizes for the evening. The Art of Living Foundation is a non-religious, not-for-profit, educational and humanitarian NGO engaged in stress-management and service initiatives. The organization is entirely made up of volunteers and operates globally in 151 countries and has benefited more than 300 million around the world.

Harbour View:--- On May 20, 2012, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, received the final report of the formateurs W. Marlin and S. Wescot-Williams.
The formateurs have accepted the commission to form a new government that has a majority in Parliament and that consists of Ministers who are committed to the promotion of the well-being of Sint Maarten and dedicated to jointly execute the governing accord "Working for the People", agreed upon by the coalition partners National Alliance, Democratic Party, and the three independent Members of Parliament, Frans Richardson, Patrick Illidge, and Romain Laville.
The formateurs have nominated the following persons for appointment as Ministers and Minister Plenipotentiary:

• Mrs. Sarah A. Wescot-Williams, Prime Minister, also Minister of General Affairs
• Mr. William V. Marlin, Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure, also Deputy Prime Minister
• Mr. Roland E. Duncan, Minister of Justice
• Mr. Roland S. Tuitt, Minister of Finance
• Ms. Silveria Jacobs, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports
• Mr. Van Hugh C. de Weever, Minister of Public Health, Social Development, and Labour
• Mr. Romeo F. Pantophlet, Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication
• Mr. Mathias S. Voges, Minister Plenipotentiary

Mrs. Henrietta Doran-York, has been nominated for appointment in the position of deputy of the Minister Plenipotentiary.
The vetting of the candidate ministers, the candidate Minister Plenipotentiary and the deputy of the Minister Plenipotentiary, carried out by the Security Service Sint Maarten and the Public Prosecutor's Office, has not produced any data that could impede their appointment.

The Governor has scheduled the appointment and swearing in of the Ministers and Minister Plenipotentiary on May 21, 2012 at 9:30 am the Governor's Office. After the ceremony, the Governor and the newly appointed Ministers will have the constituting meeting in the A.C. Wathey legislative hall.
The newly appointed deputy of the Minister Plenipotentiary, Mrs. Doran-York, will take the oath before the Governor on May 22, 2012.
With regard to Mr. W. Marlin and Mrs. S. Wescot-Williams, the Governor has expressed his appreciation for the way they have carried out their commission as formateurs.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- On Monday at 12:00pm the first Constituting Meeting was opened by Prime Minister Hon. Sarah Wescot-Williams followed by His Excellency Governor Eugene Holiday, in the Claude Wathey Legislative Hall at the Government Administration Building.

After the opening, the Governor, followed by the Prime Minister, Vice Prime Minister and other Ministers signed the national decree replacement regulation.

The Prime Minister as chairlady of the Council of Ministers gave an introduction and an overview of the first week in office. The Ministers were also provided with an information package.

The information package included a prepared document by each respective Secretary General about each of the seven Ministries; copies of all organic laws that were established before 10-10-10; law-making procedures; processes of making laws and decrees; the law pertaining to the country's organization with respect to the ministries including the different decisions on responsibilities and tasks per ministry; a memo explaining frequently asked legal questions. All the aforementioned documents have been placed on a specially designed bamboo memory stick, bearing the slogan of the new Government, "Working for the People."

The package also included a separate booklet of the Rules of Order. The booklet includes a brief explanation of the most significant articles of the Rules and additional information on the Secretariat as the support unit of the Council of Ministers.

On Tuesday, May 22 at 9:30am, the new Government will have their first Council of Ministers meeting which will focus on the various logistical aspects of governing.

Wednesday, May 23 at 10:00am, the new Government will have its first Council of Ministers Press Briefing which will be attended by the Prime Minister and the Vice Prime Minister.

Thursday, May 24 at 9:30am, the new Government will have its first extra-ordinary Council of Ministers meeting where they will receive a presentation by the Secretariat of the Council of Ministers.

Friday, May 25 at 9:30am, a second extra-ordinary Council of Ministers meeting will be held to deal with organizational issues.

During the week the respective Ministers will also be meeting with the Secretary Generals of their respective Ministries to be briefed about the current state of affairs regarding matters associated with their Ministry.
His Excellency Governor Eugene Holiday provided information to the Ministers, and his elucidation was about the meeting schedule for the individual ministers (monthly) as well as the Council of Ministers (quarterly). The Governor meets with the Prime Minister on a weekly basis.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Sint Maarten is represented by Marvin Dollison from the Fire Department and Edelmiro Jansen from the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Development, Environment and Infrastructure Maintenance Department at a three-day capacity building workshop to train participants in the use of geographical information systems (GIS) for disaster management, land use planning and development. The workshop commenced on Monday, 21 May in the Cayman Islands.

The organizations behind the workshop are the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for Barbados, and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), through its Regional Risk Reductive Initiative (R3I).

Head of the Section Office of Disaster Management Paul Martens told the Department of Communication (DCOMM) on Tuesday that building local capacity in the area of GIS technology is very important for the country with respect to being able to develop interventions with respect to early warning and disaster management.

This fourth regional workshop is focusing on introducing officials from Anguilla, Aruba, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Montserrat, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten and Turks and Caicos Islands to the field of remote sensing and digital image processing and its importance to disaster risk management, and to demonstrate approaches, tools and methodologies for extracting and analyzing remotely sense data.

It is envisaged that by the end of the training, these countries will have better national capacity to:

• Understand electromagnetic spectrum, and how it applies to remote sensing;
• Interpret the basic features and characteristics of earth surfaces on satellite imagery; and
• Know how to extract and interpret information from remotely sensed data.

Participants will also benefit from shared experiences on the initiatives undertaken to improve their disaster preparedness and response, through a knowledge sharing event which takes place on Thursday, 24 May at the Grand Cayman Marriot Beach Resort.

The presentations will focus on results achieved so far through the UNDP R3I project and good practices that can be built on. International development partner organizations and experts will also participate, bringing together their knowledge and expertise on disaster management issues.

UNDP Barbados and the OECS has been working with the 11 British and Dutch overseas countries/territories since 2009, to reduce the risk and exposure of these small islands through intra-regional learning and sharing of tools, knowledge and best practices to enhance their individual and collective capacities to predict and prepare for natural hazards, with the financial support of the European Union. The European Union is providing €4.932 million over four years to achieve project objectives.

For more information on the project, please visit www.bb.undp.org/regional-risk-reduction-initiative.

MARIGOT:--- The Hon. Alain Richardson, President of the Collectivity of St. Martin (COM), displays the newly released poster of the St. Martin Book Fair 2012 with Ms. Karine Balon, Book Fair Committee (BFC) member. The BFC made its presentation here to the newly elected president in his executive office on Wednesday (5.23.12). The COM is a partner of the 10th annual St. Martin Book Fair, which runs from Thursday, May 31 to Saturday, June 2, 2012, at venues on both parts of the island, said Balon, who is also a teacher in St. Martin. (CLF photo)

Minister Silveria Jacobs was a guest speaker at the 3rd annual Career Day for the sixth graders of Public Schools at the Senior Citizens Recreational Facility in Hope Estate on Friday May 25th upon the invitation of the School Guidance Counselors of Public Education Services.
The ceremony was opened by a prayer, the angelic voices of the M. Genevieve de Weever School Choir, and encouraging words by the Minister as well as Head of Division Public Education Services Glenderlin Davis-Holiday.
In her address Minister Jacobs applauded the School Guidance Counselors for their hard work in organizing this much needed event, which serves to give students insight into the many career possibilities available on St. Maarten. Minister Jacobs challenged the group to organize a similar event at the start of the next school year in order to motivate the new sixth graders while giving them an added boost or encouragement to set goals and strive for them from the beginning of this most important year in their school careers.
As a product of the public school system herself – the minister attended the Leonard Conner School in Cole Bay for 6 years – and has served as a class teacher, Student Care Coordinator and School Manager for Public Education for 20 years, Minister Jacobs further stressed that these students stand to gain the most from all the encouragement and push they could get from all involved, especially events such as these which saw cooperation between school and the community.
She further urged the students to strive to do their best no matter at what level they were at right now. "You can be anything you want to be if you BELIEVE, use hard work, determination and always show respect for self and others!" said Minister Jacobs. This sentiment was also highlighted by the Choir in a rendition from Yolanda Adam 'Yes, you can'.
The students were eager and enthusiastic about the Career Day and excitedly took part, listening to the presenters and asking question of those who had taken time out of their busy schedules to give back to the youngsters. Booths were manned by the Fire Department, Department of Health and Hygiene, Ambulance Department, Coast Guard, Imbali Center for Creative Movement and the Arts as well as other organizations. Prichard Gibson showcased Photography, while Culinary Arts was represented by Sous Chef Renata de Weever who actually allowed the sixth graders to prepare a delicious meal.

GREAT BAY/MARIGOT:--- Aspiring writers, poets, avid and now-and-then readers, young and seniors, families, and lovers of all things cultural are being invited by organizers to the 10th anniversary St. Martin Book Fair, which actually started with pre-Book Fair activities on May 28 and will run to June 2, 2012.

Among the some 20 exciting activities are a workshop on how to write your life's story by Master Teacher Jacqueline Bishop and a recital by award-winning poet, novelist, and journalist Nicole Cage.

Cage will recite her poetry and read from her novels at the Public Library in Marigot, on Saturday, June 2, at 9 am.

Her works include l'espoir, a collection of poems for children, Aime comme musique ou comme mourir d'aimer', and Palabras de paz por tiempos de guerra.

Her novel C'est vole que je vole was awarded the Prix Gros Sel in 2006. Cage is a winner of the prestigious Casa de las Americas award for her writing.

Cage's work has been translated into Creole, Albanian, English, and Spanish and she's been published in Venezuela, Martinique, and France. The author has performed in poetry festivals in Colombia, Tunisia, and Romania among other countries.

The Martinique-born Cage, who is also a Spanish teacher and a psychotherapist, is scheduled to visit a school in St. Martin and talk with students on June 1, 2012. The writer speaks French, English, and Spanish.

Another must-attend activity on Saturday, June 2, is the "Writing Your Life's Story" workshop by Jamaican-born author Jacqueline Bishop – at the University of St. Martin, Room 101, starting at 9 am.

The highly anticipated workshop will give attendees an introduction to how to go about writing their own memoir, autobiography, or specific life experiences, said Shujah Reiph, book fair coordinator.

Features of the workshop include how to identify a unique story to tell in your life and, importantly, the ethics of writing about real people.

Bishop teaches writing and literature at New York University. Her works include My Mother Who Is Me: Life Stories from Jamaican Women in New York, Writers Who Paint/Painters Who Write: Three Jamaican Artists, and two poetry collections, Fauna and Snapshots from Istanbul. She also authored the novel River Song.

Bishop is an accomplished visual artist with exhibitions in the USA, Morocco and Italy. The Fulbright Fellow has received the Cultural Development award in Jamaica for her fiction and poetry.

All book fair activities are open to the public and are free of charge. For Book Fair updates visit http://www.houseofnehesipublish.com/book_fair2040.html.

Conscious Lyrics Foundation and House of Nehesi Publishers organize the St. Martin Book Fair in collaboration with St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, the Ministry of Education & Culture (MECSY), the Collectivity of St. Martin, and the University of St. Martin (USM).

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On April 30, 2012, the honorable Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams and United Nations Development Program (UNDP) representative Edo Stork signed a three year cooperation agreement. Under this agreement, UNDP will assist St. Maarten in designing a National Development Plan, execute two pilot development projects and build capacity. With the signing the preparations for executing the program will be initiated.
The National Development plan will cover a period of 30 years and will be finished a year from now. The development plan will be built on the outcome of a broad democratic dialogue and existing strategic development plans. By bringing together all stakeholders on Sint Maarten, the program will support nation building.
The project will give the citizenry the opportunity to actively participate in the process of the National Development Plan by means of public hearings, advisory committees and via internet. The first step in the process will be to formulate a shared national vision. The success of the dialogues will depend on the participation of the entire society throughout the process.
Another goal within this three year program is the implementation of a Millennium Development Acceleration Framework to tackle the prioritized Millennium Development goals (MDG's). Two pilot projects will be implemented that focus on poverty and environmental sustainability. These projects are budgeted within the program. Funding for additional projects will be pursued within the project.
Capacity building is the final goal within the scope of this program, which will focus on result based management and evidence based management. This means strengthening the collection and processing of statistical information for policy input en performance monitoring. This will also enable government to measure and benchmark St. Maarten's socio-economic development. Census 2012 and other relevant statistical information will be fed into a database system.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ad Hoc Committee of Parliament Revision Rules of Order, will meet on May 07 in a closed door session.

Members of the committee will be meeting to review the House Rules of Order.

The meeting will take place on Monday morning at 10:00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House of Parliament on Wilhelmina Straat #2.1 in Philipsburg.

The committee is headed by Member of Parliament (MP) Hon. L. J. Richardson, MP Roy Marlin Vice Chairman, and MP Sylvia Meyers-Olivacce.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee of Parliament will meet on May 08 to discuss the Emancipation Ordinance and an invitation from the Parliament of Latin America Parlatino.

The meeting will take place on Tuesday morning at 10:00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House of Parliament on Wilhelmina Straat #2.1 in Philipsburg.

The draft ordinance is related to the introduction of Emancipation Day on July 1 as a national holiday.

The second agenda point is an invitation from Parlatino to participate in "VII Encuentro de Parlamentarios Cooperativistas" and the establishment of the "Red de Parlamentarios Cooperativistas de Americas," from May 28 to June 1.

Every day, Red Cross volunteers are proving one person can make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable people everywhere. People all over the world, united in their belief in humanity and their desire to make the world a better place, will take a moment on World Red Cross Day, May 8th to recognize past achievements and look towards a better future.

May 8th was chosen as World Red Cross Day to honor the birthday of Henry Dunant, the Swiss founder of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in 1859. His idea of a volunteer-based humanitarian organization has grown into the world's largest humanitarian network made up of almost 97 million volunteers in 186 countries.

The Red Cross St. Maarten as one of the six branches of the Netherlands. Red Cross is part of this large network – a network which connects volunteers with each other all over the world.
To celebrate World Red Cross Day, members of the Red Cross St. Maarten were present at a church service at the Roman Catholic Church in Philipsburg last Sunday morning. Some members participated in the offertory and others read the 7 fundamental principles (Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity and Universality) of the organization. At the end of the mass, the Red Cross members handed a small token of appreciation to the church members.

Tonight (Tuesday May 8th) all volunteers will gather at their head quarters in Simpson Bay to celebrate this event with an evening of togetherness and sharing.

WILLEMSTAD, Curacao:--- The formerly known website Curacao Legal Portal has renewed the website and scope and is as of today operational for law firms, legal services, and others in the Dutch Caribbean: Aruba, BES Islands, Curacao and St. Maarten.
The Dutch Caribbean houses a large legal community, such as law firms, legal institutions, notaries, in-house counsels, tax advisors, audit firms, trust companies and other organizations. Until 2007 there was no website with general information about the legal system of the Dutch Caribbean in total. This prompted a group of organizations to take the initiative for creating the dutchcaribbeanlegal-website.

The Dutch Caribbean Legal Portal ("DCLP") has a wide variety of members and contacts within the legal areas of the Dutch Caribbean. DCLP offers a database of more than 400 legal organizations, including among others law firms, tax consultants, notaries, trusts, insurance, financial companies and other organizations in the Dutch Caribbean. In our database you will find addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and sometimes additional information of these organizations.
The site is aimed at national and international organizations and individuals. In order to give access to a broad audience, the language of the site is English. However it may occur that some of the laws and documents you find on the site are in Dutch, since this is the official language of Curacao.

DCLP offers also a database of legal documents such as laws, regulations, treaties, etc. that are currently in effect in Aruba, Curacao, The BES Islands and St. Maarten. The database of legal documents contains also judgments, the docket of the Joint Court of Justice and more. DCLP is currently updating the database of legal documents and strives to provide by the end of July 2012 a complete database of laws of the Islands of the Dutch Caribbean.
DCLP also provides on a daily basis news, interviews, articles, statistics, job offerings and more by using our website, a monthly newsletter and social media. Our main purpose is to provide information to our visitors about the legal system of the Dutch Caribbean and the organizations that are working with this system.
Obviously, this website is distinguishing, because it is the only website offering this type of information. In addition, we continuously try to expand the different fields on which information is offered and keep all the information duly updated.

Website: www.dutchcaribbenanlegalportal.com

Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- At the start of Nurses Week, the opening which was held on Monday morning at the St. Maarten Medical Center, the day started off with the raising of the national flag and addresses by Prime Minister Hon. Sarah Wescot-Williams, the Minister of Public Health Hon. Cornelius de Weever and several others. The event was organized by the St. Maarten Nurses' Association presided over by Nurse Candida Mc. Rae-Williams. International Nurses day is Saturday, May 12.

The Department of Statistics (STAT) will conduct the Business Cycle Survey for the first half of 2012, starting on Monday May 7th until June 15th 2012.This survey is conducted twice per year with a purpose to collect up-to-date information on business and economic developments for industries and the business sector as a whole. Additionally, STAT hopes to capture the current opinions and expectations of entrepreneurs in the areas of economic development and the investment climate on St. Maarten.

The survey will be conducted among all businesses with more than ten employees, and a sample is drawn for those businesses with three to ten employees.

STAT interviewers will approach and distribute the questionnaires to the businesses. Should the business require any additional assistance, a STAT interviewer will gladly provide such.

Businesses can expect questions on the level of their turnover, investments made, their competitive status and the company's personnel situation over the year 2012. Additionally, a few questions relate to the entrepreneur's perception on a number of indicators and his/her confidence in the St. Maarten economy during the coming period.

With this information available, government and entrepreneurs can take better, quicker and well-founded decisions. The input of the private sector in this survey will be highly appreciated and is essential for its success.

STAT therefore appeals to all businesses approached to cooperate, only then can STAT timely analyze and publish the survey results for the benefit of the government and the private sector.

Great Bay:--- On Saturday, May 19, 2012 the Ministry of Public Health Social Development & Labor Section Youth Health Care along with other health care providers will be organizing a vaccination campaign from 9AM-4PM at the Festival Village.
"All those that plan on travelling during the summer can have their vaccinations updated by getting the necessary vaccination requirements, I am looking forward to seeing you there, so please come out as it will also be a great family day," said Minister of Public Health Social Development & Labor, Cornelius De Weever.
The community is encouraged to come out and have their children vaccinated free of charge. There will be lots of other stakeholders/vendors on hand to provide you with various information. It will be a fun day with things for the entire family to do.
Anita Priest of Section Youth Health Care stated "It will be a fun filled day and emphasized on the theme, which is "For You! For Me! For everyone! Get vaccinated Get checked."
The aim of this event is to maintain and upgrade the islands vaccination program, and also for those between the ages of birth to 17 years old to catch-up with their vaccinations. The type of vaccinations that will be administered are as follows: Diphtheria; Tetanus; Poliomyelitis; Pertussis and Hemophylis Influenza B); Hepatitis B and MMR = Measles Mumps and Rubella (if children are 1 year of age). The older children will get Hepatitis B (if they need to catch up), MMR and DT-IPV (Diphtheria Tetanus and Polio).
Information will be given on vaccinations; updating of cards, and the section would like to see all the old cards get to their rightful owners. If for any reason you are missing your vaccination card, come by the booth to see if it is there. Persons are advised to walk with the child's vaccination records no matter what country they are from, and they will check and advice or update accordingly. There will be lots of activities for the kids and some surprises, everything is free of charge for the children. In addition, handouts will also be given to parents.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- On Thursday, May 10, 2012, Prime Minister Hon. Sarah Wescot-Williams met with the Progress Monitoring Committee chaired by Bandell. Sint Maarten's representative on the committee is Richard Gibson Sr.

The progress committee was established by Kingdom partners to monitor the progress of several government departments with respect to building up their human resources and work processes and procedures.

Each department has to prepare quarterly progress reports, which are then reviewed by the aforementioned committee, who in turn advices the Dutch Minister of Interior and Kingdom Affairs and Sint Maarten's Prime Minister, after which the latter two have consultations.

Philipsburg:--- The incoming government that is supported by the National Alliance, Democratic Party, and the three independent Members of Parliament Illidge, Richardson, and La Ville might be sworn-in on Monday announced Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams on Wednesday. Wescot Williams said that the screening of the Ministers and incoming Member of Parliament is underway and it is expected that the reports on the screening would be in by the end of this week. She said when the reports are submitted then she will proceed by sending them to the Governor's office where the swearing in will take place. Wescot Williams said following the appointment of the formateurs, the names of the candidates were submitted for screening. Wescot Williams said some of the current Ministers will be re-appointed while the new Ministers will take office immediately after they are sworn-in. She said she does not foresee any problems with the names she submitted, therefore it is likely that the swearing-in will take place on Monday.
The Prime Minister did not divulge any of the names of the candidates that are being screened. However, SMN News learnt that Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams, Minister Cornelius de Weever, and Minister Roland Duncan will be re-appointed while William Marlin, Silveria Jacobs, Romeo Pantophlet, and Roland Tuitt will be sworn-in as Ministers and Rudolph Samuel as a Member of Parliament. SMN News further learnt that Mathias Voges will be reappointed as the Minister of Plenipotentiary while Henrietta Doran York will be sworn in as the deputy Minister of Plenipotentiary.

The Video X Games foundation is proud to announce that Caribserve has come on board as title sponsor of the event, making it possible for the Video X Games to produce the world class international gaming tournament that the foundation had envisioned for many years. The event is slated for July 13th to the 15th and will feature gamers from various parts of the world who come to experience high level competitive gaming with St. Maarten as their venue.

With a cash sponsorship of 12 thousand dollars, in addition to marketing and telecommunications support, Caribserve has secured itself as presenting sponsor, and henceforth the event will be known as the Caribserve 4G Video X Games.

"We are so pleased to have UTS/Caribserve at the helm of this event. We could think of no better company on the island to work with us to bring this event not only the gamers of St. Maarten, but to gamers around the world," said the foundation's President Jeff Oliver. "We know that when UTS partners with any event, it only leads to success. So my team and I are very excited about having them on board. I would sincerely like to thank the entire marketing team of UTS, as well as the rest of UTS management, for understanding the potential this event has for becoming THE event of the Summer."

UTS staff presented a check to the Video X Games staff yesterday at UTS, as some avid gamers looked on. "We are very proud to be the presenting sponsor of this event," said Ms. Ivy Lambert, Marketing and Communications officer at UTS, as she presented the VXG team with their check. "We immediately wanted to be involved when we were first presented with this event. The partnership is a logical choice, as Caribserve 4G is just the technology gamers on the island need in order to compete with gamers around the world."

Philipsburg:--- Former Finance Minister Hiro Shigemoto who will continue to receive his Ministerial salary and benefits for the next two years was appointed head of the MOT. MOT is the department that is attached to the Ministry of Justice to monitor unusual transactions. According to well placed sources, the outgoing Minister of Finance who was also the former head of finance before being appointed Minister of Finance by the UP Leader and Member of Parliament Romaine La Ville was appointed by his father in law Minister of Justice Roland Duncan and the UP leader Theodore Heyliger. It should be noted that candidates that wish to occupy the seats of such positions must apply for it while the Ministry of Justice has to make known the availability of the position through advertising.
SMN News also learnt that Angelique Romou was to be appointed the assistant Secretary General for the Department of Education. The source said Romou was appointed the assistant to Claudette Foresyte Labega who is currently on a one year contract. Sources within the Department of Education said that they were being pressured by the outgoing Ministers to sign off on the decisions granting the UP supporters and candidates the position which also has to be advertised.
Another key position that was up for grabs is the UNESCO representative. SMN News learnt that Linda Richardson was one of the persons to be appointed to the position while Patricia Lourens from the DERPI is also interested in the vacancy. It should be noted that while politicians tried to appoint their supporters and friends to the position, Marcellia Henry has been working on behalf of St. Maarten with the UNESCO for years but she was never appointed or consulted for the position.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee of Parliament will meet in a public hearing on May 22 with the Sint Maarten Insurance Association.

The hearing will take place on Tuesday morning at 10:00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House of Parliament at Wilhelmina Straat #2.1 in Philipsburg.

The hearing will be about the National Ordinance, Civil Code Book Seven, titles 17 and 18 with respect to insurance and annuity/premiums.

The committee hearing will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 20 and via Pearl Radio FM 98.1. The audio will be carried via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com.

ALBANY, New York:--- Dr. Eugene W. Grabowski, a practicing general and trauma surgeon from Vermont, USA, recently made a graduate level presentation about St. Martin at the State University of New York at Albany (SUNY Albany).
"The topic of my presentation was 'the literature, culture and politics of Saint Martin/Sint Maarten,' highlighting the work of Lasana Sekou and the House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP)," stated Dr. Grabowski in an email to the publisher. Sekou is published by HNP.
Dr. Grabowski, MD, FACS, is pursuing his master's degree in French at SUNY Albany. His semester studies, which concluded with the research project and PowerPoint presentation about St. Martin on May 8, 2012, were under the direction of Prof. Eloise Briere.
Incidentally, in April, while conducting his St. Martin research, Dr. Grabowski and HNP president Jacqueline Sample had met in New York at a lecture by Mamadou Badiane, an assistant professor of Spanish at the University of Missouri. Prof. Badiane's lecture was entitled, "Sur la redefinition des identites nationales des Antilles."

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee of Parliament will meet in a closed door session on May 24 with respect to changes to national ordinances.

The meeting will take place on Thursday afternoon at 2:00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House of Parliament at Wilhelmina Straat #2.1 in Philipsburg.

The first agenda point is related to the National Ordinance, changes to the Stamp Ordinance 1994 as well as other ordinances regarding the introduction of new identification cards and driver's licenses.

The second agenda point is an initiative draft ordinance which requires changes to the Civil Code Book Seven A, regarding the elimination of misuse of labour contracts.

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MAHO, St. Maarten:--- Managing Director of Princess Juliana Int'l Airport operating company (PJIAE), Regina LaBega, told the over 200 Toastmasters gathered at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort on May 18, that, "communicating is the manner we live our lives." She was delivering her keynote address to the Toastmasters District 81 Conference under the theme "Communicating ... Connect and Lead."
"Communication, that is effective communicating, is about much more than the words we use; it's about the manner in which we live our lives," she told the audience that included Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams, herself a Toastmaster. LaBega was quoting Jedd Medefind and Erik Lokkesmoe authors of the book titled, The Revolutionary Communicator: Seven Principles Jesus Lived to Impact, Connect and Lead.
"What we consider today as communication amounts to making a lot of noise without much regard for the content or the message. To paraphrase Marshall McLuhan, the message is the noise or the medium itself. No wonder we have so much confusion in the world today with so many contesting noises in varying, ear-splitting decibels," LaBega said.
She continued: "Communication, to use an almost cliché phrase, is a two-way street. This means that when real connection is established, the communicator and his audience share something in common that impacts the lives of both of them. This is what leadership is all about."
LaBega, using John C. Maxwell's definition of leadership, said: "Leadership is influence. If people can increase their influence with others, they can lead more effectively." Cellphones, smartphones, iPads, etc., have revolutionized how we relate to one another, how we communicate with one another, the managing director contended.
She narrated a personal story to illustrate how new technology could negatively impact our connectedness to one another.
"Technology has virtually eliminated distances in terms of communications," she said. "You can have a video call with someone in China on Skype or Messenger. You can be in your yard plucking mangos in St. Martin while talking to a friend in South Africa! But that same technology, paradoxically, can drive a wedge between you and your best friend at the same dinner table, alienating both of you from each other, while you stay connected with some invisible, uninvited guests, with whom you keep laughing over trivialities."
"We have a new Facebook generation that share personal photos, videos and stories with the whole world, while they would not as much as say 'good morning' to their neighbor or classmate!" she continued. "We have two, three cellphones but not two, three minutes for our children who are demanding our attention!"
LaBega added, "Your organization does not only train people in public speaking, but understands fully well that communicating goes much more beyond words and that the ultimate communicator is truly a revolutionary who is at the pinnacle of leadership." Toastmasters International is an education organization that helps its members develop communication, public speaking, and leadership skills.
"You arrived on our island through the gateway to the Northeastern Caribbean, the Princess Juliana International Airport, which I am privileged to head. PJIA is a communication hub that connects the rest of the region, and indeed the whole world. We would appreciate if, after you leave us, you could stay connected, and let us know how well we are doing as regional leaders in aviation," LaBega concluded.
For the first time, Toastmasters District 81 has a St. Maartener as its Governor: Rolando Tobias, who will be overseeing the 17 territories that fall under the District. Tobias was sworn in as Governor during the conference that ended Sunday, May 20, 2012.

• May 31: Opening Ceremony, 8pm, keynote speaker, Dr. Norman Girvan, economist, professor, author, UWI, at Belair Community Center, Cay Hill.
• June 1: Poetry & fiction readings by visiting & St. Martin poets, novelists, spoken word artists. Jazz Interlude by Bobo Claxton, 8pm, Yacht Club Restaurant, Fort Louis Marina, Marigot Waterfront.
• June 2: Presidents Forum – Insights into the life & times of Dr. Walter Rodney (1942-1980), by George Lamming, 2 pm, University of St. Martin, Rm 202, Philipsburg.
• June 2: Main Book Fair day, 8 am – 4 pm, University of St. Martin: Free admission to book sales, signings by authors, workshops, and general sessions for all ages.
• June 2: Main Book Launch & Closing Ceremony, 8 pm, University of St. Martin. New book launch: Haiti and Trans-Caribbean Literary Identity/ Haití y la transcaribenidad literaria, by Emilio Jorge Rodriguez

Contact: (590) 690.30.73.66, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., www.houseofnehesipublish.com.

Organized by Conscious Lyrics Foundation and House of Nehesi Publishers in collaboration with St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, Ministry of Education & Culture, the Collectivity of St. Martin, the University of St. Martin.

The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams attended the celebration commemorating the 164th anniversary of the Abolishment of Slavery and the unveiling of the Lady Liberty statue at the Agrement round-about on Sunday. Dignitaries at the event were treated to a skit and poem centered on the emancipation of slavery and numerous recitals of poetry and song. Wreaths were eventually laid at the statue of lady liberty to commemorate the emancipation of slavery in the French Caribbean.

The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams held a meeting with Central Bank of Curacao and St. Maarten officials on Tuesday. The meeting constituted a part of the periodic briefings given by the Directorate of the Central Bank to the Prime Minister of St. Maarten. The delegation, which included the director and president of the Central Bank, gave the Prime Minister an update with respects to current matters being dealt with within the Central Bank. During the consultations several other Ministers were also briefed as to the activities of the Central Bank.

The Nature Foundation responded to a report of a dead shark on the Boardwalk on Monday, the 28th of May 2012. Upon arrival at the scene Nature Foundation staff recorded a dead Caribbean reed shark with its head and fins removed lying on the Boardwalk in the vicinity of Diamond Casino. Nature Foundation staff talked to the fisherman responsible for catching the animal and informed him on his illegal actions. The presence of the dead animal caused quite a stir on the Boardwalk and Nature Foundation staff contacted the police to inform them of the situation. Upon the arrival of the police information on the incident was given and subsequent follow up was made with the Prosecutor's Office and the Police Department as to the level of penalty for the responsible party.
The practice of intentionally fishing for sharks has been forbidden since October 12th 2011, when the Ministry TEATT temporarily banned the practice of intentionally poaching sharks in the territorial waters of St. Maarten. The act of trying to catch by tracking, stalking, baiting, chasing, trapping, hooking, netting, shooting or otherwise hunting - sharks, rays and skates is prohibited and therefore the animals may not be wounded, caught, landed, or killed. Violators may be punished with jail and a considerable fine may be issued. If Sharks are accidentally caught all steps should be taken to release the animal with as little harm as possible.
Sharks have a very high value to the ecology of the island and the island coral reef ecosystem and they also are a major attraction to visiting dive tourists. The majority of divers who visit the island hope to see a shark while diving. The Nature Foundation and local dive operators have also been using sharks as a control method for the present lionfish invasion. Less and less sharks are being seen and populations have been going from approximately twenty individuals to now only two or three being seen in the locations where they are known to frequent.
Sharks are an apex predator and are essential to the health of local coral reefs. "If we do not have sharks we will loose our coral reef ecosystem. Sharks keep the reefs clean of unhealthy fish which keeps the ecosystem in balance. Also the majority of visiting divers come to see local coral reefs as well as sharks. A system collapse will occur if we loose these species and this very important tourism product will be lost, that is why this step taken by government is a true milestone in Marine Conservation, allowing the shark population to return to numbers needed to sustain a healthy population" commented Nature Foundation Marine Park Manager Tadzio Bervoets.
"We are not against fishing; in fact the whole reason why we established certain rules on some fishing activities is that we hope to replenish our fishing stock to levels they once were. We have lost most of our big fish on all our fishing grounds in the last three decades and we want to once again have St. Maarten people be able to fish at a sustainable level, but the way things are currently nature cannot support wide scale fishery," concluded Bervoets.

St. Maarten resident Claudius Anthony "Toontje" Buncamper was installed as the Lions District Governor for area 60B with responsibility for the Caribbean Islands from Cayman Islands to St. Lucia at 32nd Lions Multiple District 60 Convention which was held at the Trinidad Hyatt Regency Hotel from May 23rd through 27th. The new Lions year starts July 1st, 2012 and end June 30th, 2013.

The newly elected District Governor who started his journey over 22 years ago as a Leo Club member worked his way through various positions in the Leo & Lions Club such President, Secretary, Tail twister and various other board functions along with numerous high profile positions on the district level.

A few years ago, he decided to postulate himself for District Governor which started him out being elected 2nd Vice District Governor at the Lions District Convention which was held in St. Maarten in 2010.

After gaining enough votes in the election amongst various clubs, District Governor Buncamper was led into the hall by two past District Governors from

St. Maarten namely Lion Wally Havertong and Lion Maxime Larmonie which started a 3 minute performance depicting characters from the "Lion King" along with Stilt Walkers. Included in this performance was a large contention of Lions Club members and friends from St. Maarten who were sharply dressed in cream colors waving various district flags. International soca artist Shadow Man was flown in from St. Maarten for the occasion to sing the new District Governor's song which was done by changing up the words of his popular "Follow the White Line" song to "Follow the Lions", an uplifting tune that will be used throughout the District Governor's year on all islands under his jurisdiction.

The focus for the District Governor for the new year is the continued implementation of a five-year strategic plan which aims at improving the membership experience amongst the various clubs. Another is attracting young people to the Leo Clubs in the region which in turn will lead them to become Lion members in the future. According Lions District Governor Buncamper; "Vision without action is day dreaming while action without vision is a nightmare ", which is why the district's proactive approach to bring new members to the organisation. His motto "We Still Believe" was chosen from the simple fact that if Lion Club members do not believe in the their own motto "We serve ", they might as well stop serving the communities.

The District Governor also believes clubs should partner with NGOs and financial institutions and they also should make an urgent assessment of the community needs on their islands in order for the clubs to be successful. In closing he thanked all that made his governorship possible including his mother, wife, family members, his sponsor and mentor Lion Maxime Larmornie and the St. Maarten Lions Club members along with Lion members across the district who were in the audience. He will be assisted by a cabinet of over thirty persons while his cabinet secretary treasurer is Lion Lisandra Havertong, another long serving member of the St. Maarten Lions Club.

This year's Lions Multiple District 60 Convention was hosted by the Lions Club of Port of Spain Central which celebrated 50 years of existence on May 22nd and was the first club established in the twin Republic of Trinidad & Tobago.

Starting from the 13th of April, the St. Maarten Department of Statistics (STAT) will send a few interviewers into the field for a final check of the population. From the 13th of April to 31st of May, interviewers will pass by every house and note if they have been interviewed during last year's Census. Anyone who has not been interviewed will be interviewed at that time.
As the first Census of the Country St. Maarten, STAT wants to make certain that everyone is counted. Missing a single person will have an effect as we rely on these numbers for the next 10 years. As a young country this is extremely important as all policies are built on the facts and figures we learn from the Census.
One of the major reasons for this extra round of interviews is to reconcile the differences between the Civil registry office and the population numbers as reported internationally by STAT. Because of the different methods of compiling these figures, there will always be differences yet this is now a bigger gap than usual.
A population and housing Census is a count of the population. Besides a simple count, we also learn some important facts such as the housing situation, the age of the population, the education level or the health situation of St. Maarten. All these facts help in determining future policies regarding social welfare and financial benefits.
Please call us at the Department of Statistics to arrange an appointment if you have not been interviewed during the initial Census interviews. The number to reach us is 542-9905 or visit us between 9:00 – 11:00 and 14:00 – 16:00 at the Juancho Yrausquin Boulevard 6 (units 7/8) across from Sang's Supermarket.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Voice of our Children (VOOC) kicked off an essay contest on May 7 challenging pupils and students of the country's public schools to write essays on the topic: "How to encourage my peers to become more attentive in school to attain a good education and eliminate bullying."

The contest is for third, fourth and fifth grades of elementary schools and the public secondary schools. One winner will be selected from the public elementary and public secondary school.

"I commend the VOOC for their initiative in asking part of the nation's school going youth to delve into the two essay topics which are very much relevant issues for today's young people.

"I encourage the pupils and students to take part and express themselves on these two important issues on being attentative in school and solutions to the elimination of bullying in our educational system.

"Eradicating bullying and bringing the sometimes deadly consequences of such behaviour to the forefront of discussions between teens and their peers, is highly commendable. This effort deserves all the support by all sectors in our community," President of Parliament Hon. drs. Gracita Arrindell said on Monday when she read about the initiative in the print media.

Essay entries must be submitted by June 15.

For more information about the contest, you can contact VOOC President S. Olivacce at Tel. 523-1361.

With a monetary contribution towards t-shirts, UTS has pledged its support toward the nurses of St. Maarten during the annual Nurses Week Celebration. This week will be celebrated this year from May 6-12 under the theme CLOSING THE GAP: FROM EVIDENCE TO ACTION.

Among the many activities planned for the week is the annual torch march, which will be held on Monday, May 7th. The t-shirts contributed by UTS will be worn during this march, exhibiting the theme of this year. The goal of the St. Maarten Nurses Association is to enhance nursing on St. Maarten through education and promotion of health for the general population and nursing personnel in general. "We fully support the proactive stance the nursing association takes in ensuring the level of health in our community," said UTS Marketing & Communication Officer, Ivy Lambert. "A lot of ailments can be prevented and treated at home with simple household remedies. The key is making people aware what the most effective treatment or preventative measures are. We are happy to support and association that has set this very important task as their goal."

Marigot:--- The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the CHU Fort de France Daniel RIAM clarified the events leading up to the air evacuation of the Cypriot patient last Saturday.
Riam said since the tragedy that occurred on May 5, 2012 off the coast of the island of St. Martin, which has killed four men, including two members of the Emergency Medical Services Personnel of the CHU of FORT de FRANCE, newspaper articles, without basis, are disseminated, involving the public nature of the mission of EMS 972.

The CHU of FRANCE FORT specifies that the request for medical evacuation from St. Maarten to Fort de France of the Cypriot national, was conducted at the request of the intensive care physician of the CHU, based on medical information received from his colleague in St. Maarten, information that the patient needed urgent repatriation to a specialized hospital and referral in cardiology and cardiac surgery.
The request for medical evacuation was then signed by the Director on Guard at CHU Fort de France on May 4, 2012, before the start of the repatriation.
It is in this context that the public repatriation mission was decided after the financial agreement of the insurance company (IWIA) to support the cost of repatriation and hospitalization of the Cypriot national, company that as usual, charters airlines.
Accordingly, the CHU of Fort de France denies the privacy of the public service provided by the EMS 972 and regrets that such use is conducted to downgrade the memory of "fighters for life" that are the medical staff and EMS paramedics.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Outgoing Minister of Tourism & Economic Affairs Hon. Franklin Meyers said he is very pleased that the country has been ranked #9 as one of the Best Islands in the World, according to U.S. News & World Report.

The section "Best Islands in the World," describes what is it about an island that immediately invokes a daydream? That feeling of seclusion, for sure, but also those sprawling beaches, those rolling waves, and those untouched pockets of wilderness. For an island to be considered one of the "best," it must have that je ne sais quoi – that magical spark. The islands listed here have that little extra something that keeps travellers enchanted.

The islands that fall in the top 10 ranking are: Maldives, Bora Bora, St. Kitts & Nevis, Santorini, Seychelles, Fiji, Maui, Cayman Islands, St. Martin/St. Maarten, and U.S. Virgin Islands.

GREAT BAY/MARIGOT:--- The 10th annual St. Martin Book Fair, with "Forward ..." as its theme, will run from May 31 to June 2, 2012, at Belair Community Center, USM, Marigot Public Library, schools and other venues throughout the island, said Shujah Reiph, coordinator of the book fair.
Some 14 visiting authors and artists will participate in the "book fair for the entire family," said Reiph.
Among the famous and fast-rising writers coming to St. Martin will be the illustrious Caribbean novelist/thinker George Lamming, from Barbados. He will head up the book fair's Presidents' Forum at USM on June 2.
Lamming's unique presentation and conversation with the audience will focus on the late Dr. Walter Rodney, the legendary historian and political activist who was assassinated in Guyana in 1980. Copies of Rodney's classic How Europe Underdeveloped Africa, will be available at the book fair, said Reiph.
Also confirmed for the St. Martin Book Fair is novelist, playwright, performer, poet, attorney Wena Poon from Singapore. Her books include Lions in Winter, The Biophilia Omnibus, and Alex y Robert, which has been serialized in London by BBC Radio 4.
Poon has won literary awards in the UK, France, and Singapore for her writings. The subjects of her books range from the Chinese diaspora, modern tales about "a serious English banker, a sexy Taiwanese ingenue, and a dapper Hong Kong leading man," to bull fighting in Spain by an American woman, and a science fiction series, described as "an absorbing video game with a love story embedded in it." (Quest Quest Magazine)
"But we see the St. Martin Book Fair as a way of introducing Wena Poon to the Caribbean," said Reiph.
The fact that the Harvard-trained lawyer speaks English, French and numerous Chinese languages, and that French and Chinese are sometimes used in her English-language fiction, puts her right up the St. Martin multilingual neighborhood, said Reiph.
Poon's workshop at the St. Martin Book Fair is called, "Books Are Boring! Rethinking the Art of Consuming & Creating Fictional Narrative." The workshop is scheduled for June 2, at USM.
On Saturday, June 2, the university campus is the home of the main exhibition of books, multimedia tools, children's games and storytelling, workshops, and symposia.
The all-day Saturday fare also includes a St. Martin film screening and discussion with the director and actors; and a cooking and homemade ice cream-making demonstration by new Caribbean vegan cookbook author Taymer Mason.
However, before the rush on Saturday, there is Friday. On June 1, the Yacht Club Restaurant, at Fort Louis Marina on the Marigot Waterfront, will host the annual literary evening of the St. Martin Book Fair.
About 11 authors from countries and territories such as Haiti, Antigua, Barbados, USA, Italy, Singapore, and Martinique, will treat the audience to "some really great selections" from their original poetry and fiction, said Reiph.
As a 10th anniversary feature, two promising young St. Martin writers that are working on their first manuscripts will read at the evening concert of words. "Usually only writers of published books read at the poetry and fiction recital," said Reiph.
The Book Fair Committee (BFC) and organizers have been meeting over the last few months to put an exciting anniversary program together. "We are busy ironing out the tough wrinkles. We are working hard to give the St. Martin people and our visitors a world-class St. Martin Book Fair," said Reiph.
The BFC will coordinate over 20 book fair and pre-book fair activities for the festival, said Reiph. All book fair activities are free for the general public to attend.
Conscious Lyrics Foundation and House of Nehesi Publishers, both NGOs, organize the St. Martin Book Fair, in collaboration with St. Maarten Tourist Bureau and the University of St. Martin.

Philipsburg:--- Minister of Labour Cornelius de Weever announced on Wednesday during the Council of Ministers press briefing that his Ministry is busy reviewing the 2009 labour policy. Minister de Weever called on all employers to respect the laws of St. Maarten while filing requests for labour permits for their foreign workers.
The Minister said that the employment permit has been a topic of discussion but one of things government has to ensure is that locals are not left out of the job market. The Minister said when he took office he asked the department to work on a draft amendment which will be discussed with the social partners. Minister De Weever said that the 2009 policy has been creating challenges for some businesses on the island. He said government's aim is to be transparent, fair, and responsible.
The Minister said some of the areas they intend to amend is the moratorium for housemaids and security guards and the age limit which states that persons applying for foreign labour permits have to be 25 years of age and over.
In response to a question posed by SMN News regarding foreign teachers that are now being affected because of their foreign degree in education. The Minister said that one of the things government is looking at is making sure that teachers are qualified for the job they are applying for. He said the matter regarding teachers was discussed with the Minister of Education since they both have to make sure that the labour policy and the laws that govern St. Maarten are respected. The labour Minister also confirmed that some teachers who taught on St. Maarten for years have been affected with the application of the law.

PHILIPSBURG:--- University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) officials are scheduled to hold an information session on St. Maarten next week for persons interested in following the Masters in Education program that will be jointly offered with the University of St. Martin (USM).
Some 20 students have already expressed interest in the MAE, through the USM admission office, and other persons who are interested are urged to attend this information session which will be held on Wednesday, May 23, 2012 at 5pm in the Conference Room (208) at USM. Perspective students who are also interested in the Bachelor of Science in business program that UVI offers are also welcomed to attend the session and meet with the UVI representatives.
According to USM Acting Dean of Academic Affairs Glen Yeung, the UVI Vice Provost Dr. Edwin and the Interim Dean of the Education Division Dr. Thomas and other UVI officials will be present to answer questions and provide information.
The aim is to start the MAE program on June 8, 2012, Yeung said, while adding that UVI is looking at between 15 and 18 students to start this program. The program will entail weekend (Friday and Saturday) classes where instructors from UVI will be traveling to St. Maarten.
There will also be faculty members from St. Maarten for this program. These faculty will be proposed by USM and screened and interviewed by UVI to instruct education courses. They will have the flexibility to plan in the hours during the weekdays as deemed necessary, Yeung indicated.
The per credit rate for students in the MAE program is US$550. There are other fees such as registration and technology fees that will give students access to the UVI system, library resources, Blackboard, and video conferencing.
In addition to the MAE program with UVI, the University of St. Martin will also be offering the Bachelor of Science in business program this Fall. Persons who are interested in this program can direct questions to the UVI officials, Yeung noted, while also indicating that UVI is also looking at exploring possibilities of offering Criminal Justice, Psychology and other programs with USM.

Great Bay:--- The String Band Music Foundation, and AVS News presented outgoing Minister of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, Dr. Rhoda Arrindell with the first copy of the "Kais-o-rama 1" DVD, on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 at the Minister's office.
Marvin Dollison (aka, "King Stunky'), made the presentation on behalf of the two organizations. "I wish to express our gratitude and appreciation to you and your Ministry for the support you have extended to us for the pre-St. Martin Day Day cultural event, "Kais-o-rama 1". This DVD is a compilation of all that took place during the event," he said.
Dollison further gave a brief report of Kais-o-rama 1, calling it a relative success, in spite of the blackout of NV GEBE on that night which led to the loss of Internet feed, as the event was being streamed live via Internet, as well as the late start that turned some patrons away.
On the bright side, however, Dollison said the live broadcast on the Internet resulted in large exposure which has inspired the Foundation to host another 'Kais-o-rama" this year. The objective of the event is to attract visitors to the island one day before St. Martin Day, thus creating business opportunities for hotels, car rentals, restaurants and stores.
"We really appreciate your support, because kaiso is an art form that is not recognized in our community as such. Politicians only remember calypsonians at election time when they want them to sing for them," Dollison told Minister Arrindell, who he said, was caught on tape dancing during the event.
The Minister thanked him for the gesture, and asked him to convey her gratitude to String Band Music Foundation and AVS News. She said she believed in the event and its organizers, and recalled how she grew up listening to calypsonians such as Swallow, Short Shirt, and others. She assured him that she would enjoy watching the DVD over and over again.
Minister Arrindell expressed the hope that "Kais-o-rama" would indeed become a permanent feature of St. Martin Day celebrations, regardless of which part of the island the celebrations are held.

Philipsburg:--- Ousted Minister of Labour, Health, and Social Affairs Maria Buncamper Molanus and her husband Claudius Buncamper, Head of Maintenance of VROMI were one of the many people who received government long lease land two weeks ago. The Buncampers received another parcel of land situated on Pond Island just next to where they already have a plot of long lease land. The same parcel of land on Pond Island cost the Minister her Ministerial seat when she was facing a motion of non confidence.
According to decision taken by the outgoing Minister of VROMI Theodore Heyliger, a parcel of land was granted to "MARCLAU NV" on May 4, 2012. Based on the document SMN News received, the Head of Domain Affairs Maria van Zadelhof, Head of VROMI Louis Brown, and the Minister of VROMI Theodore Heyliger all signed off on the document on May 4, 2012. Just a few days after the United Peoples Party and Democratic Party government fell, the UP leader and his staff began working overtime to distribute government lease land and to grant licenses to their friends and cronies.
The documents state that the company MARCLAU NV submitted a request in May 2001 asking for said parcel of land in long lease to construct apartments, storage, and a retail shop. Sometime in 2008 the Executive Council took a decision to grant the Buncampers said parcel of land but the certificate of ad-measurement marked in a meet-brief 321/2008 could not be found. Therefore, the outgoing Minister of VROMI was asked to draft a substitute decision to grant Marclau NV the plot of land on long lease. The parcel of land measures 1000m² and the annual rent will be Naf. 8,000.00 based on the Naf. 8.00 m² which is corresponding to the value of the land at Naf.100.00 per m².
It should be noted that on April 1, 2008, the Buncampers received a plot of land on Pond Island to which they sold the economic rights of the property for a whopping USD 3 million to Eco Green. It is the sale of economic rights of this property that cost Maria Buncamper Molanus her seat as a Minister of Health, Labour, and Social Affairs. Ever since then, the Prosecutor's Office confirmed on several occasions that they were going to investigate the case to see if the Buncampers had committed a crime. To date that investigation has not gotten off the ground. It should also be noted that one Elmer Moses Mardenborough is the one that filled in this section of Pond Island when Government promised to grant him the long lease for the property. Mardenborough applied for the long lease for the property he filled in on April 21, 1995 and to date it has not been granted to him.

Click here to view the decision to grant the Buncampers another parcel of long lease land.

Great Bay:--- The Ministry of Public Health Social Development & Labor under the guidance of Minister Cornelius De Weever is looking towards a sustainable and affordable AOV pension system. The Steering Committee Social Security and Pensions has already drafted a report entitled "Towards a sustainable and affordable AOV Pension System" to the minister with recommendations.
Some of the recommendations are: to increase the maximum income to pay premiums to Naf 100.000,-; to further research the consequences of refraining from reducing the missing years for people with hardly or no income and/or living on St. Maarten as resident for 10 years in connection to the effects on financial assistance; to increase the pension age to 62; to increase the AOV to Naf 1.000,- and to strengthen the so called second layer pension system (private employers and employees pension plans) and research the financial consequences, conditions and constraints of implementing a mandatory second pillar pension plan (private employers and employees pension plans.)
"Although the steering committee recommended the age of 62 for the increase in retirement age, I would prefer a flexible retirement age between the ages of 60-65 depending on the individual and/or the company needs," said Minister of Public Health Social Development & Labor, Cornelius De Weever.
According to the report of the steering committee a relatively conservative reform is recommended. In addition reform is seen as a continuous process that needs to be monitored, evaluated and improved gradually. The report drafted by the steering committee will be sent to the Council of Ministers for approval. In addition, the report will also be sent to the Social Economic Council (SER) and tripartite committee for sensitization, dialogue and feedback. Legislative change to the AOV benefits, retirement age and change in amount of the maximum income to pay premiums will also have to be worked on.
Minister the De Weever further stated that "After listening to the needs of the senior and pensioner association, the cries of the newly retired and those who are receiving financial assistance, I understand the need of the people to raise the AOV pension."
In addition, the minister stated that "As we look toward the future we are looking at mandatory pension plans for all employees to ensure a better retirement package for all workers."

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee of Parliament will meet with the Chamber of Commerce & Industry on May 22 in a public hearing.

The hearing will take place on Tuesday afternoon at 2:00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House of Parliament on Wilhelmina Straat #2.1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda for the hearing is related to the National Ordinance, title 13, Civil Code Book seven regarding Sole Proprietorships.

The committee hearing will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 20 and via Pearl Radio FM 98.1. The audio will be carried via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), is advising parents and guardians to check the vaccination status of their children where pertussis (whooping cough) is concerned, and if the child is not vaccinated against the aforementioned, to do so in order to prevent whooping cough. The infection has become a re-emerging disease, which today is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in children.

Parents are advised to check the vaccination status of their child to see if they are up to date with respect to the pertussis vaccine.

The main victims of this acute respiratory infection are infants younger than six months, usually acquired from their parents or teenage siblings.

In infants, pertussis can be a serious disease that can lead to severe complications or even death, unlike what happens in adults or older children.

Information from the Caribbean Epidemiology Center (CAREC) of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization shows that up until 30 April, 2012, 597 cases of pertussis were confirmed by laboratory testing. In the same period of 2011, there were 315 cases, and this is 90 percent more, according to the data that comes from the National Reference Laboratory for Bordetella pertussis of Argentina.

The cases reported in that period were in turn 1028 in 2011 and 2399 in 2012, which means an increase of 133 percent, perhaps explained by the deepening of the epidemiological surveillance that would result in greater reporting of suspect cases.

The Ministry of Health of Argentina reported that in 2011 the cases reported were more than expected, a situation similar to that recorded in other countries of the region, such as Chile, Uruguay, Cuba and the USA, which also had outbreaks of the disease.

In 2012, the situation has not changed, warned this week the head of the National Program for Control of Vaccine-preventable Diseases, Carla Vizzotti, who pointed out that the figures "indicate a level of suspect cases confirms that we are in an outbreak, as happened in 2011."

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Prime Minister Hon. Sarah Wescot-Williams, chaired the first Council of Ministers (COM) meeting of the new Government on Tuesday morning.

The items discussed in the meeting were of a logistical nature that included agenda procedures, personnel of the Minister's Cabinet, office space and vehicles. In addition the Ministers had the opportunity to announce any matter that they wanted to share with the Council.

Philipsburg:--- Around 40 plus RBC Volunteers gathered in the early morning at Guana Bay to start the first of a series of RBC volunteer beach clean-ups, aimed at helping make the turtle nesting area on that beach more accessible for the endangered Hawksbill, Leatherback and Green sea turtles which nest at Guana Bay. These sea turtles have made it their nesting beach in the period from March to November each year.

The beach clean-up was organized in conjunction with Nature Foundation St. Maarten (NFS), ACE for cleaning equipment, B&C Beverages for refreshments, Public Works, and other collaborating organizations. The Beach clean-up is initiated in connection with the "RBC Blue Water Day 2012 Project" which is the environmental priority program for RBC Royal Bank focusing on the preservation of the world's most precious natural resource: water. RBC in St. Maarten is committed to clean Guana Bay periodically for the duration of the turtle nesting season from March till November each year and commits to support with building awareness on sea turtle nesting

The clean up delivered approximately 350 kg of garbage with dead sea grass, plastic debris and litter. Many of the bags of seaweed were collected by individuals who will be using the seaweed as fertilizer for their gardens. RBC Royal Bank supports with the awareness on the topic of turtle nesting and the preservation of a clean beach for humans and turtles specifically. This project of cleaning up the beach for the turtle nesting season fits perfectly into RBC's philosophy on the sustainable development of the environment. RBC Royal Bank firmly believes that it is the responsibility of the bank to positively influence the social development of the community in which it operates by maximizing its contributions to the state of environment of the island.

The Nature Foundation would like to commend and thank RBC and especially the volunteers for the hard work they did on Saturday morning. St. Maarten is one of the few territories in the Caribbean where turtles come up the beach to lay their eggs. Due to the large amount of seaweed which has been washing up on Guana Bay and the plastic the seaweed brings with it nesting was very difficult for some of the turtles. Through the excellent work done by RBC volunteers the beach is now clean for nesting turtles to lay their eggs.

By means of this environmental initiative RBC Royal Bank moreover wants to add value to its environmental footprint in the St.Maarten community and most importantly demonstrate the bank's commitment to the development and preservation of the environment of the island through the active engagement of its employees.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- The Fire Department will not be handling any requests for beach bonfires until October. This is due to the turtle nesting season that is currently underway.

The department is therefore requesting individuals and establishments to adhere to the aforementioned request in order to protect turtle nesting sites (public beaches) by making sure that they are not disturbed.

The important nesting beaches are Simpson Bay Beach, Guana Bay Beach, Great Bay Beach and Gibbs Bay.

The Fire Department is working closely with the St. Maarten Nature Foundation, the organization responsible for the management and conservation of Sea Turtles on Sint Maarten.

The department was informed about the recent Guana Bay beach clean-up where it was discovered that four bonfires had taken place on the beach.

Further investigation by the Nature Foundation revealed that nesting female turtles aborted their attempt to nest on the beach, and this was clearly observed from the nest crawls.

According to the Nature Foundation, at nesting beaches, beach bonfires and other sources of light pollution is known to modify sea turtle behavior and even discourage egg-bearing females from coming ashore to nest.

Bonfires and beachfront lighting also strongly affects sea turtle hatchlings, luring them inland and away from the sea where they succumb to predators, dehydration, and other hazards and hatchlings can be attracted to and burned by the flames.

Sea turtle population numbers have plummeted to dangerously low numbers throughout the past century due to human impacts, bringing many species close to extinction, causing them to be listed as critically endangered.

In order to reverse this trend, all sea turtle species are now protected by international laws and treaties as well as local laws. Based on ARTICLE 16 and 17 of the Nature Conservation Ordinance St. Maarten it is illegal to kill, wound, and capture or pick-up sea turtles.

It is also illegal to directly or indirectly disturb their environment resulting in a physical threat or damage or to commit other acts which result in disturbance of the animal. It is also forbidden to disturb, damage or destroy sea turtle nests, lairs, or breeding places, and it is also forbidden to pick-up or to destroy the eggs of any species of sea turtle, according to the St. Maarten Nature Foundation.

On Sunday the 27th of May The Honorable Prime Minister of St. Maarten Sarah Wescot-Williams attended the first annual Voice of our children spelling bee. The Spelling Bee, held at the Philipsburg Cultural and Community Center, was the first such event for St. Maarten; the Prime Minister, who addressed the gathering, commented that "spelling bees have been held in different countries for decades and in some cases for hundreds of years and I am proud to be addressing you at the first annual spelling bee for country St. Maarten."

The Prime Minister also stated "our children are our future and hopefully next year will be just as successfully as this year and we will continue to see the Spelling Bee grow in the years to come," said the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister concluded by congratulating the Voice of Our Children and the organizers for this event. It is during events like these that showcase the talent of our youth," concluded Wescot-Williams.

PHILIPSBURG:--- There will be a public plenary session of Parliament on May 21 to discuss the Emancipation Day Ordinance among other issues.

The meeting will take place on Monday morning at 10:00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House of Parliament on Wilhelmina Straat #2.1 in Philipsburg.

The draft ordinance to be discussed is about the introduction of Emancipation Day on July 1 as a national holiday.

The other agenda points are the National Ordinance of the new Criminal Code and incoming documents.

The committee meeting will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 20 and via Pearl Radio FM 98.1. The audio will be carried via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com.

In commemoration of its 55th anniversary, which was celebrated last year, the New Testament Baptist Church embarked on a number of community outreach programs which will take place during its anniversary year.
One of the programs which took place in December 2011, was the donation of exercise machines to several organizations involved with seniors on St. Maarten, the St. Martin Home in St. John, the Senior Citizen Recreation Center in the Hope Estate and the Home away from Home, which meets at the John Larmonie Center. The recently established Aging with Grace Foundation was also donated an exercise machine as a door-prize for the Christmas Karaoke Festival in December 2011.
Another part of the NTBC anniversary outreach program is the organization of a series of lectures on Health and on Finances that will be taking place in the upcoming months.
The first lecture to jumpstart the lecture series will be a lecture on taxes and on the filling in of the Income Tax Forms which was recently sent to the population.
Miss Maria Bass, tax inspector at the Tax Office with many years of experience in tax matters, has been invited by the New Testament Baptist Church to provide information on taxes to its members and to the general public at large.
According to Pastor Smith of the New Testament Baptist Church, too many people are ignorant of the need for paying their taxes and do not know how to handle their taxes. He is of the opinion that many people who do not file their taxes because they do not know how to do so and not because they are acting in bad faith.
Especially with the deadline for submission of the Income Tax Forms for the year 2011 coming up, which is at the end of May, Pastor Smith is inviting the general public to come out and get the relevant information to get equipped to be able file the taxes for 2011.
With St. Maarten becoming a new nation, additional responsibilities and expenditure are required and the population must be informed why the collection of taxes is a necessity and a moral obligation.
The lecture on taxes will take place on Tuesday, May 8, 2011 at 7:30 pm in the Robert Mayer Center at the New Testament Baptist Church, in Philipsburg, next to KFC. The general public is invited to come out and to make use of this opportunity to be informed. There will be a question and answer period so come with your tax forms, notebooks and feel free to ask our Tax Inspector any question you may have.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Prime Minister Hon. Sarah Wescot Williams attended on Saturday the International Track and Field Meet at the Alberic Richards Stadium in Sandy Ground, that brought together over 170 athletes and participants.
The Prime Minister was one of the addressees including President of the Collectivite Hon. Alain Richardson. Both leaders welcomed local and visiting athletes and the general public.
The Prime Minister and the President stressed the importance of cooperation and unity between North and South in the area of sports and the importance of such an event for the island.
Wescot Williams was full of praise for the organizers and encouraged local athletes to go at it with passion and dedication.
"I encouraged the adults, especially those who lead and mold our youth – parents, coaches, teachers – to support our children in what they do and let them know that size does not matter, with the right attitude and support, "lil" Sint Maarten can produce great sportsmen and women," Prime Minister Hon. Sarah Wescot Williams said on Monday.
Speedy Plus Club, an organization led by Calvin Bryan, an experienced and well known coach, hosted the event on May 5 with three events. Sint Maarten and St. Martin united and ran as one team and brought home several medals.
Athletes from these countries took part United States of America, Nigeria, Canada, and Jamaica. France competed on the professional level while on the regional level and local level, Jamaica, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Trinidad & Tobago, and Anguilla, just to name a few competed on the aforementioned levels.
Both leaders took a brief moment to acknowledge the tragic aircraft accident that took place in the early morning hours of Saturday. Wescot and Richardson extended their condolences to the families of those who perished.
Both leaders were presented with a token of appreciation for the unity displayed.

The Mental Health Foundation will be celebrating Nurses' Day and Mother's Day by having customized scented candles on sale.

The candles are produced in the candle Factory of the Mental Health Foundation and are available in various shapes, colors and sizes. Although the candles are already designed, you can still customize them by adding a name or date. This year, there are special "Light in a Martini Glass" candles which will be on sale for US 7 dollars. The candles can also be wrapped on site.

The Candle Factory falls under the Faraja care-product and since 2007 has been the largest community outreach - based project at the Foundation which showcases the skills of participating clients and staff. In addition, the project serves as a means of income as well as a job training program to many of the unemployed clients.

If you or your organization is interested celebrating Nurse's Day or Mother's Day by purchasing any of our candles you may stop by the Mental Health Foundation between: 8am and 4:30pm
At Leopard road #1 Cay Hill, The Faraja Entrance or
Call us at 542-1677 Ext: 516 and ask to speak to Benjamin or Gladys.

Philipsburg:--- President of the Windward Islands Chamber of Labour Unions Theophillus Thompson called on workers to pay keen attention to the contracts they sign. Thompson said workers must be respected and workers have the right to peruse all labour contracts that are presented to them before signing the document. He further explained that companies are also required to submit these contracts to the labour department.
Thompson said it is important for everyone to understand that there are two agreements in contractual agreements. However, employers seem to always put things in these contracts that will benefit them and their company. Nevertheless, employees have the right to ask for amendments in these contracts and the employer has to submit the contract to the labour department prior to giving it the employee.
Thompson said there are also Collective Labour Agreements between the unions and the employers. He said the CLA is an umbrella for workers rights and it's the only policy that supersedes the law regarding workers rights.
In the meantime, Vice President of the WICLU and President of the Windward Islands Teachers Union (WITU) Claire Elshot endorsed the sentiments shared by Thompson regarding the contracts. Elshot said just recently a teacher was fired from her job while on maternity leave because of these phony contracts. Elshot said a faith based school on St. Maarten fired a teacher because she was involved with someone and got pregnant out of wedlock. Elshot explained that the contract states that teachers are not allowed to engage in sexual activities when they are not married nor are they to have children unless they are married.
However, that teacher later married the person who fathered her child. She said the WITU dealt with the school board and they identified the problems in the contract. Elshot said the teacher tried to change her status to "married" but this did not happen until after the birth of her child. Elshot said the WITU did not make this matter public because they thought they could have regulated the matter with the school board.
Regarding the SBRMC, Thompson said the legal battle is still ongoing and while many persons want to see an end to this saga soon he is not able to say when that would happen. Thompson said to date the SBRMC has not respected the April 2nd court ruling which states that the company has to respect the worker's rights based on the CLA between the company and Workers Institute for Organized Labour (WIFOL). Thompson described the owners of SBRMC as defiant, the only company he has seen thus far that refuses to comply with court orders even though there is a penalty involved. Thompson said the union is also questioning the resignation of Jules James who was the Managing Director of SBRMC. The President of WIFOL said that James has been working for Royal Resorts and while he might have resigned from SBRMC he is still working at the Resort and giving orders down there.
He said today (Thursday) is the workers' pay day, the second since the April 2 verdict and already they have indications that the workers will not be paid. Thompson said that the CLA stipulates that the workers have to be paid between 12pm and 3pm and if that is not done then the WIFOL and its legal team will meet to discuss another strategy on their course of action against the SBRMC. However, the SBRMC has filed an appeal against the April 2 verdict and the court case is expected to be heard sometime in June 2012.
The WIFOL president said he is still surprised in how the UP/ DP government and the labour mediator dealt with the SBRMC saga. He said that if St. Maarten was still under of the umbrella of the Netherlands Antilles, he is of the opinion that the matter would have been resolved already.
When asked if he believes that the company is facing financial predicament, Thompson said that Royal Resorts and Quantum Group of Companies are involved in propaganda because the company is still renovating while they said they have no monies to pay their workers. He made clear that Royal Resorts managed to grab the Pelican Resorts from the homeowners association for almost nothing and now they are doing all they can to deprive the workers of their rights but the WIFOL will not relinquish the rights of the workers. He said so far the timeshare association, the SHTA, and government have been very silent even though the economy has been affected by the Pelican legal drama.

The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams will address the participants at the FRED Expo which is to be held in the WTC Center in the Netherlands from the 17th until the 20th of May.
The FRED Expo is a recruitment event having as its main objective the recruitment of professionals and students from the Dutch Caribbean to return to Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten to strengthen the job force and strengthen the economies of their islands. The event is aimed at both professionals wishing to return to their islands as well students and recent graduates who want to orient themselves on the Dutch Caribbean labor market. The intention is that visitors to this event get a better picture of the career possibilities back home.
Participating companies include businesses, organizations and (government) institutions established in the Dutch Caribbean. The participating companies are given the opportunity to directly get in touch with professionals and brand awareness among future professionals to increase.
"This exposition and orientation event is an essential component in strengthening the capacity and capability of professionals and recently graduated students to orientate themselves on the possibility of returning to the Dutch Caribbean and contributing to the strengthening of the economy of their homes. It is also an excellent opportunity for entities in both the private and the public sector to attract a professional, dedicated and motivated workforce. There is a marked need for a knowledge-based, professional workforce on our islands and it is you, both those offering the opportunities and those looking for them, who can provide the right climate to foster and address this need," commented the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister further commented that every year our best and brightest young people leave their homes to live and study in the Netherlands and many become young professionals who are doing excellent work in the workforce there. However many, if not most, of these bright and motivated professionals have a yearning for their home yet fear that the opportunities that their islands have to offer are less compared to those in the Netherlands. Many feel that they will not have the capacity and opportunity to grow personally and professionally despite their yearning for home and the desire to contribute the society of their islands. It is for that reason that an expo and career orientation event like this one is so essential in changing that fear, so essential in making you realize that the opportunities back home are just as diverse and promising as the ones which you might have here in the Netherlands.
The Fred Expo is sponsored by The Government of St. Maarten, ENNIA, Banco di Caribe, and The Government of Curacao.

Philipsburg:--- As part of the upgrading and development of the Police department, 19 participants, all employees working for the Justice Ministry, namely the Police department and Immigration Department successfully followed a course of "Intake and Service". This course started on April 23rd and ended on May 11th. The course was given by Inspector of Police Jaap Yedema from the Netherlands.  

Chief Commisioner Peter de Witte and Commissioner Carl John (Coordinator) congratulated the participants for their tremendous input during this course and wished them great success in the future while putting their acquired knowledge to work.

BELAIR, St. Maarten:--- Princess Juliana Int'l Airport, as Blue Flag-designated company for April, in collaboration with Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) and St. Maarten Nature Foundation, initiated a tree-planting ceremony along Belair Road on Friday, May 11, to culminate its Blue Flag activities and show its commitment to environmental issues.
PJIAE Managing Director Regina LaBega, quoted Frank Lloyd Wright in her remarks, noting "The best friend ... of man is the tree," and added that "the airport believes in the environment and in the greening and re-greening of St. Maarten."
LaBega said that, "Environmental sustainability and economic sustainability go hand in hand and, as PJIAE is a good corporate citizen, (it) will continue to collaborate with organizations of this nature to improve the environmental state of the island."
EPIC Project Manager Rueben Thompson said that, "St. Maarten is no stranger to environmental challenges ... from 1960 we have seen a decline in the number of ponds on the island and Little Bay Pond (which is in the Belair area), is one of the remaining ponds on the island that is ideal for planting trees to help maintain that environment."
The trees that were planted along the Belair Road/Little Bay Pond bank were Sea Grape (Coccoloba uvifera) and Green and Silver Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus). "Both species are hardy and adapted for this environment and require little to no maintenance," said Thompson.
A total of nine trees were planted along the Belair Road/Little Bay Pond bank.
Ten airport employees, including management, took part in the tree-planting activity along with representatives from EPIC, which included visiting research students, and the Nature Foundation, which brought along two St. Maarten students.
Princess Juliana Int'l Airport called on companies in St. Maarten to collaborate with environmental groups and lauded organizations like EPIC and Nature Foundation for their continued efforts in raising environmental awareness among the general public.
Last month, during the St. Maarten Carnival festivities, numerous garbage cans throughout the Festival Village bore the Blue Flag label. Earlier in April, the airport placed garbage cans with the Blue Flag logo at Mullet Bay Beach during the Easter holidays as a public reminder to keep the environment clean.
"Mobilize the Earth" was the theme for this year's international Earth Day, said Thompson, and he wanted to bring that theme closer to home. So he adapted the slogan to, "Mobilize St. Maarten," with the involvement of PJIAE in environmental efforts. Thompson said the airport's involvement was also a way to increase business sector interest in participating in environmental protection and conservation for the benefit of the whole island and its people.
The Blue Flag program is a prestigious international eco-label for beaches, marinas, and tourism destinations. Through the Blue Flag program St. Maarten is part of some 40 Blue Flag destinations around the world.
The eco-label is recognized as a symbol of quality by governments, NGOs, and the travel industry. The Blue Flag label is also used to promote the awarded beach, marina, hotel or destination.

The lecture that was organized by the New Testament Baptist Church last week Tuesday, May 8th 2012 was very successful and insightful for the many persons who came out to the lecture.
The lecture was very well attended and those present got the opportunity to ask questions about the tax system or about their personal issues.

In her opening remarks, the tax inspector, Drs. Maria Bass, commended the New Testament Baptist Church and Pastor Smith for the initiative taken to organize a lecture on this topic at this time. In her lecture, she clarified several issues concerning the tax system that were brought to her attention during the discussion. The lecture was an eye-opener for most persons present.
Drs. Bass brought along with her about 100 Tax return Forms which were issued to those present with the intention to assist with the filling out of the forms. But, on account of the very animated discussion during the almost 3 hours' session, she did not get the opportunity to do so. Many persons in the audience got the chance to ask question related to themselves or to others and after the lecture, indicated that they were very satisfied with the information received and regretted that they had not received such information before.
Because it was getting rather late, Pastor Smith had to intervene in the very interactive discussion and the attendees expressed the wish to have a continuation of the lecture in which Ms. Bass will be able to advise on how to fill out the Tax Refund Forms.
Drs. Maria Bass requested those present to start filling out the first 2 pages of the rather lengthy tax return forms and reminded the attendees that the deadline for submitting the 2011 Tax Return Form is May 31st, 2012. She stated that not submitting this form in due time, could have serious consequences in terms of ever increasing fines. She also indicated that persons who did not receive a 2011 Tax Return Form should go to the Tax Department to collect a form.
Those who attended the lecture were very happy with the information provided as well as with the answers to the many questions on tax issues. They all indicated that they had learnt a lot and regretted that they had not received such information before. It was also indicated that the Tax Department should organize more such information sessions and it was even proposed that information on taxes should be offered in schools to inform the schoolchildren of their civic duties at a young age so that they would not have such anxiety or resistance to filing tax return forms when they grow up.
The follow up lecture on taxes will be held on Thursday, May 17th, 2012 at 7:30 pm at the New Testament Baptist Church. The general public is invited to come out and bring along the 2011 Tax Return Form.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Honorable Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams, Chairman of the Island's Disaster Emergency Management Organization, the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), is calling on the Sint Maarten community to begin to prepare timely for the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, and to have the necessary plans in place by June 1st, the start of the season.

Colorado State University hurricane team Phil Klotzbach and William Gray have forecasted in their early April report reduced activity for the hurricane season with 10 named storms, of which four will become hurricanes, and two of those will become major hurricanes with over 111 miles per hour winds.

Even though the official start of the season is over two weeks away, the Prime Minister is urging residents to use this period to prepare themselves adequately by reviewing their annual hurricane season preparatory list.

The Prime Minister added that the country's disaster preparedness and emergency management mechanism are expected to be ready to deal with any eventuality arising during the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season.

"I am encouraging the nation to begin to prepare now, so as to mitigate the effects of a possible hurricane disaster in our country. Let's use the time wisely to prepare our homes, businesses and other structures adequately in the event of a hurricane strike.

"Save yourself the stress and prepare now by reviewing your disaster plan and reviewing your disaster supply kit.

"Prepare early and avoid being caught unprepared. Minimize your dependence on government, family or friends. Preparedness starts with every one of us within our communities," Prime Minister Hon. Sarah Wescot-Williams told DCOMM on Tuesday.

Some of the preparations that should be carried out now are checking hurricane shutters and the roof of your home or business, and to make sure windows close securely.

Persons living along coastal areas as well as those in flood prone areas should start looking at what measures they would take in the event of a hurricane which could cause flood challenges.

The 2012 hurricane season officially runs through November 30.

MARIGOT:--- Tourism directors and airport and airline officials from St. Martin, St. Maarten, Anguilla, St. Barths, and Saba met at the Tourist Office here on May 18 to further discuss and strategize the development of an Inter-Island Association that would enable the five territories (and St. Eustatius, which was not present) to be marketed as one destination.
The delegation was also formally introduced to the newly elected Territorial Council Member of Economic Development and Affairs Jeanne Rogers-Vanterpool.
May-Ling Chun, director of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, said that having the islands "in close proximity to each other provides a unique package that doesn't exist elsewhere in the region."
During the meeting, St. Barths was chosen as the official headquarters of the new organization, which is still undergoing further development.
Councilor Rogers-Vanterpool in her opening remarks said that "for us (St. Martin/St. Maarten) to move forward in tourism we need to start collecting statistical data to see what markets are profitable."
Chun disclosed at the meeting that the Tourism Statistical Information System (TSIS) was soft-launched on April 15, 2012, with the implementation of new arrival and departure immigration cards. Chun told the attendees that "the cards were already in use."
Princess Juliana Int'l Airport (PJIA) is the pivotal hub airport for the six territories.
Chun said that "the cards carry a barcode and ... passenger information relating to origin and final destinations will be analyzed." The tourism director added that "currently, the form is only in English as a hard copy" and that forms in other languages like French and Spanish will be available online in the near future.
PJIAE Marketing & Communications Manager, Kalifa Hickinson, spoke about the finalization of plans for the new tourist information booths to be constructed at the airport for the respective tourist offices. The booths will also allow each island to market the destination before passengers leave the airport in St. Maarten. The booths are expected to be erected in a few weeks and will be situated in the arrival hall.
Upcoming trade shows, fairs and expos were also discussed at the meeting. Chun said that St. Maarten/St. Martin should look at future marketing to the Scandinavian countries in northern Europe as that is an emerging market for the destination.
Chun noted that the people of the Scandinavian group of countries spend largely on travel and that the Inter-Island Association member islands can offer diversity to travelers from this market.
Winair Director of Marketing and Sales Claudio Buncamper, whose airline will play an important role as a main passenger carrier to and from the islands in the association, asked that tourism organizations call on their respective governments to help small regional carriers like Winair by reducing taxes that contribute to the bulk of the fare.
Silvane John, head of St. Martin Tourist Office, chaired the meeting. The next meeting will be held at PJIA.

PHILIPSBURG:--- There will be a public plenary session of Parliament on May 24 regarding the Criminal Code.

The meeting will take place on Thursday morning at 10:00am in the General Assembly Chamber of the House of Parliament on Wilhelmina Straat #2.1 in Philipsburg.

The first agenda point will deal with incoming documents.

The second agenda point is related to the National Ordinance establishing the new Criminal Law Code.

This plenary session was initially planned for May 21 but had to be postponed due to the swearing in ceremony of the new government.

The public plenary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 20 and via Pearl Radio FM 98.1. The audio will be carried via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com.

Philipsburg:--- On Monday May 21, 2012, a short ceremony was held at the Ministry of Justice's offices at A.Th.Illidge road, to welcome two more additions to the Ministry of Justice's Law Enforcement Agencies, more specifically, by members of the Koninklijke Marechausee (Royal Military Police).

The Honorable Roland Duncan swore in Mr. Wolter de Ruiter, who is a First Class Sergeant and Mr. Hubertus Bloks, a Sergeant Major in the Royal Military Police. The Minister and the local Police Chief Commissioner welcomed both men to the island and congratulated them on their new positions and encouraged them to serve Sint Maarten well. The men were also sternly advised by the local Chief Commissioner; "to prepare to work very hard in St. Maarten, as there is much to be done. The cooperation between the Royal Military Police has improved and he is looking forward to further collaborative efforts."

Also present at the ceremony were two other colleagues of the Royal Military Police, who also expressed words of appreciation for reinforcement.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Secretary General of Parliament Jozef D. Semeleer is calling on contractors to contact the parliamentary secretariat as soon as possible to set up a hearing regarding the Property Law and Contracting of Work draft ordinance.

The draft ordinance on Property Law and Contracting of Work which was submitted to the Parliament of Sint Maarten by the Minister of Justice and published on www.sxmparliament.org, will be held in a hearing format in a public session of the Central Committee of Parliament.

Members of Parliament would like to hear the opinions and recommendations from the general contractors in the business community as to the effects and consequences before handling this draft ordinance in a Public Meeting of Parliament.

Contractors are invited to contact the Secretary General of Parliament to make their interest known in participating in this hearing.

Representatives of contractors will be offered the possibility to make a brief presentation on the draft ordinance on Contracting of Work as it is relevant to their business interests in respect to the possible consequences of the proposed draft to contractors specifically and to the community in general.

Anyone wishing to participate in this hearing can contact the Secretary General via telephone number 542-2557 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for further information. The deadline for submissions is Friday, June 1st, 2012.

Rolande Tobias will be heading the Toastmasters District 81 for the July 1st 2012-2013 year. Tobias was elected during the Business Meeting of the May Conference held last Saturday at the Sonesta Maho Resort.
As District Governor, Tobias will be responsible to oversee the effective functioning of District 81, which consists of 2400 members in 104 clubs spread over 17 territories throughout the Caribbean. He will be assisted by a great team consisting of Ewart Adams as Lieutenant Governor Education & Training, Valerie Brazier as Lieutenant Governor Marketing, Raymond Romeo as Treasurer and Carmen Cordova as Secretary. Immediate Past District Governor Essie Gardner will function as Adviser to the Executive Team.
During his incoming address, Tobias expounded on three main areas of focus for his term as District Governor. The areas are promoting the Big Picture of Toastmasters throughout the Caribbean to ensure greater understanding of and participation in the program. The second area of focus is strengthening the leadership on all levels. The District consists of four levels; Club, Area, Division and District. By using the analogy of soldiers and lieutenants on the battlefield and Generals in the Pentagon; he made his case for the need to constant provide leaders with the necessary resources and support to deliver the right results.
The final area of focus that he outlined is to "light a fire within the Leaders and not under them". He underscored the importance of developing the right leadership skills and behaviours within the Toastmasters. His belief is that if you can encourage the motivate and inspire the members, you will get them to perform optimally. "After all, once you develop the right behaviours, you will get the desired results; Tobias concluded.
He took time out to recognize the founders of District 81 who were present at the Conference. While thanking them for being the giants on whose shoulders his Team was proud to stand, Tobias pledged to continue the efforts to take the District to the next level. Rolande Tobias will begin his term on July 1st 2012.

Philipsburg:--- On Monday April 9, 2012 around 2:00 am, a man was seriously beaten in the "Drive Thru" of Mc Donalds restaurant on the Airport Boulevard in Simpson Bay. The victim suffered a life-threatening beating, and his life is still in danger.

On the same night there was a performance given by a band from the Island of Dominica at the Soggy Dollar bar, which is in the immediate vicinity of where this unfortunate incident took place.

The victim, Mr. Marcus W., also attended that concert. Marcus W. went to the concert with friends and played pool in the bar. Marcus W. left the Soggy Dollar and went in the direction of Mc Donalds restaurant where the incident took place.

The victim was attacked in a cowardly manner and beaten with an object by three young men, who were all  approximately 18 years old. There are no clues which indicate the reason for this senseless criminal act.

The investigation is still on-going and progressing slowly. Nevertheless, the Detective Department is encouraging the public who may have any info that might lead to the apprehension of the culprits, to contact the investigating detectives at the police station in Philipsburg.

The team can be reached through the general number 5422222 ext. 126

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Disaster Coordinator/Fire Chief Winston Salomon is calling on the Sint Maarten community to be prepared for the hurricane season with three-days left to go before the start of the season.

Salomon is calling on the Sint Maarten community to make sure they have plans in place for the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, which has already seen the birth of two tropical storms (Alberto, Beryl) even before the June 1st official start of the season.

The second named storm of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season made landfall after midnight on Monday in Florida bringing rain and gusts up to near hurricane force.

Beryl was downgraded on Monday to a tropical depression, but before that it brought heavy rain and outages (23,000 households left without power in the states of Florida and Georgia) as it hit the South-Eastern coast of the U.S.

Colorado State University hurricane team Phil Klotzbach and William Gray in early April forecasted reduced activity for the hurricane season with 10 named storms, of which four will become hurricanes, and two of those will become major hurricanes with over 111 miles per hour winds.

Since that forecast, the U.S. National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the parent body of the National Hurricane Center (NHC) out of Miami, Florida, last week Thursday issued their own forecasts predicting a near-normal 2012 Atlantic hurricane season.

This revised forecasts has to do with conditions in the atmosphere and the ocean favoring a near-normal season entails nine to 15 named storms, of which four to eight can strengthen to become hurricanes, and of those one to three can become major hurricanes.

Based on the period 1981-2010, an average season produces 12 named storms with six hurricanes, including three major hurricanes.

The remaining names of potential storms for the 2012 season are: Chris, Debby, Ernesto, Florence, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Michael, Nadine, Oscar, Patty, Rafael, Sandy, Tony, Valerie and William.

The 2012 hurricane season officially runs through November 30.

ANGUILLA:--- It was nirvana for literary lovers over the US Memorial Day weekend when the Anguilla Literary Festival was the hottest ticket on the island.

The four-day fête, hosted by Paradise Cove Resort, celebrated the best and the brightest wordsmiths from Anguilla, USA, Canada and Caribbean with readings, workshops, panel discussions, scrumptious breakfast and lunch buffets prepared by the hotel's creative chefs and a welcome reception at the swishy Viceroy resort.

Officially dubbed the "Anguilla Lit Fest: A Literary Jollification," the auspicious festival featured best-selling author and keynote speaker Terry McMillan of How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Waiting to Exhale fame who although did not read from her own work, did offer a treasure chest of tips for aspiring writers and hardcore fans during her workshop, "So You Want to be a Bestselling Author? The Real Deal."

"Write as if your work will not get published," McMillan told the crowd of fans, "this way you use your true voice when telling a story."

Holding court under the white tent at Paradise Cove, she was enthralled by the young writers in the crowd who came from the local high school. "On a personal note," she added, "a good story is like an itch you just have to scratch."

Other fan favorites included Tony award winning actress and author Sheryl Lee Ralph who extolled the virtues of being a diva as she read from her acclaimed book Redefining Diva: Life Lessons from the Original DreamGirl.

Prolific St. Maarten poet, author and House of Nehesi Publishers founder Lasana Sekou opened the Festival with a spirited reading from his Brotherhood of the Spurs delighting the early morning crowd with an excerpt about the drama of the cockfighting tradition in French St. Martin.

"There is Caribbean life beyond the sun, sea and resorts," noted Sekou, "this Festival adds excitement to a Caribbean holiday as so many travelers these days want an experiential vacation and will time their trip with an event that appeals to them, like Anguilla's Literary Festival."

Other five-diamond writers included American Hill Harper, author of Letters to a Young Brother: Manifest Your Destiny and the wildly popular The Wealth Cure: Putting Money in Its Place who entertained with his unique take on the upcoming USA election; Antiguan author Marie-Elena John; and beloved Anguillan storyteller David Carty who delighted festival-goers with his tales of the island's history.

Aptly named hotel packages offered for the Festival included Paradise Cove's "Lit Talk Anguilla"; Cuisinart's "Invitation to Exhale with Terry McMillan"; Little Butterfly's "Lit Talk Anguilla"; and Anacaona's "Book Binder Girls Getaway."

"Literacy has always been of paramount importance to the people of Anguilla," said Hon. Haydn Hughes, Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism, "we look forward to kicking off this worthwhile effort celebrating the literary arts and by so doing, motivate young writers to embark on a career in writing."

Organized by a committee of book-loving Anguillans, the festival was timed to increase visitor arrivals during shoulder season. "Visiting the island in the spring can be a vacation audition by our guests who then decide to return for their winter break," said Sherille Hughes, one of the members of the organizing committee, "we started working on the Festival in February and immediately saw a great interest from the island's public and private sectors and from tourists."

Melanie Reffes is an award-winning travel journalist based in Canada.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Securities and Commerce Institute (SCI) will be having an information and registration session on Monday May 7th, 2012 from 6:30pm to 8pm at the University of St. Martin (USM) in room 209 for the inaugural Edinburgh Business School (EBS) Masters in Business Administration (MBA) program in St. Maarten.
Those interested in obtaining an internationally accredited MBA degree are invited to attend this event at the University of St. Martin.
The first course for the 2012 MBA program is Economics which runs June 25th to June 30th and the deadline to register for this course is Friday May 11th. The second course is Organizational Behavior which will run from September 17 through September 22nd. The classes will be held weekday evenings and all day Saturday. We will be accepting registration and payment for both of these courses at this info-session as well as offering any help you require in filling the forms. Registration is also available online at www.ebscaribbean.com.
The Edinburgh Business School is the Graduate School of Business of Heriot-Watt University in Scotland. EBS is also the world's largest MBA program; the Financial Times number one ranked Online MBA program for 2010 and 2011; and is accredited by the UK Royal Charter.
SCI's two year Executive MBA programme consists of 9 EBS courses which will be taught in 1 week modules, in an executive seminar format held at the University of St. Martin.

Philipsburg:--- On Wednesday morning, leader of the National Alliance William Marlin hand delivered a copy of the letter sent by email to the Prime Minister of St. Maarten Sarah Wescot Williams informing her that four Members of Parliament have withdrawn their support from the current UP/DP Government. Also included in the letter are the details of the formation of the new government involving the National Alliance, Democratic Party, and Independent Members Frans Richardson, Romaine La Ville, and Patrick Illidge.
Marlin also delivered a hard copy of said letter to the Governor of St. Maarten drs. Eugene Holiday and submitted the names of the persons his government will be nominating to the Ministerial positions for vetting. Marlin did not disclose the names of the person's the National Alliance will be nominating to fill the five Ministerial positions. He said that he will make the names public when the vetting process is over and those persons are able to take office. The National Alliance leader and Member of Parliament did not confirm or deny if he will be giving up his seat in Parliament to become part of the Council of Ministers. He said as soon as the vetting process is over and the executive branch of the government apparatus is in place he will make it known to the media.
Marlin told reporters on Wednesday that the Democratic Party and Independent Member of Parliament Patrick Illidge asked him during their negotiations to keep the portfolios they held with the UP coalition and he agreed because for him it is not important who the next Prime Minister is. Marlin explained that the people of St. Maarten are hurting and his intention is to make things better for the people of St. Maarten for the remaining first term. He clarified on Wednesday that the National Alliance won the last election by having won seven seats but they were left out during the formation of government two years ago. Marlin said that St. Maarten lives in a democratic world and while he had no problem living with the decisions taken by politicians, the people of St. Maarten who voted were not happy.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Every May 3 media organizations celebrate the fundamental principles of the freedom of the press. They evaluate this freedom around the world; they defend the media from attacks on their independence and pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.

Prime Minister Hon. Sarah Wescot-Williams, would like to congratulate the media of Sint Maarten on World Press Freedom Day and encourages them to constantly challenge themselves to reach and maintain the highest professional ethics while carrying out their duties, especially when faced with the choice of fast or first news versus balanced and fair reporting.

The 2012 themes for this day are: Media Freedom has The Power to Transform Societies; Difficulty in The Access to Quality Information Undermines Media Freedom; and Challenges to Media in A New Environment.

World Press Freedom Day was jointly established in 1991 by UNESCO and the United Nations Department of Public Information, in the framework of a conference held in Windhoek, Namibia.

The conference emphasized that the idea of press freedom should be understood as necessitating pluralism and independence for the mass media at large.

3 May was proclaimed World Press Freedom Day by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the 26th session of UNESCO's General Conference in 1991.

The Prime Minister who is responsible for the Ministry of General Affairs is also responsible for the Department of Communications which falls under the Ministry.

By popular demand, the AGING WITH GRACE Foundation will once again host a Golden Star Karaoke Festival to celebrate Mother's Day, on May 13th, 2012. This Golden Stars Mother's Day Karaoke Festival/Dance Party will be held under the tent at Port de Plaisance and will take place from 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 13th, 2012.
The objective of this event is to honour mothers, grandmothers, foster mothers, significant others and female role models who have played or are playing a significant role in other people's lives and to offer them a wonderful and fun-filled Sunday afternoon out.
Several Golden Stars, singers of 55 years and older will perform, and members of the audience will be invited to pay tribute to mothers in the audience. Unlike previous Karaoke Festivals organized by the Aging with Grace Foundation, during this Mother's Day Karaoke Festival/Dance Party, the performers from the audience may be of any age and will not be required to sing only songs of the 50s and the 60s.
To further enhance the festive atmosphere, the audience will get the opportunity to dance to great music provided by the well-known D.J. Ruby. There will also be a number of door prizes as well as finger snacks, refreshments and gifts. Food and drinks will be on sale.
As has been the case with previous Golden Stars Karaoke Festivals organized by the AWG Foundation, free admission tickets will be offered to 50 seniors with financial challenges to allow them to come out to a wonderful afternoon. The AWG Foundation hopes to get these tickets sponsored.
The Aging with Grace Foundation is inviting the general public, one and all, young and old to come out to a wonderful fun-filled Sunday afternoon to honour and pay tribute to the ladies. Although not compulsory, the AWG would appreciate if all could come out dressed in summer festive colours (white, yellow, and pink) for the Mother's Day Karaoke Festival/Dance Party.
Tickets for the Karaoke Festival and Dance Party are only $15,- in advance and $20,- at the door. Tickets are on sale at both Van Dorp Store on the Illidge Road, at Van Dorp Store in Simpson Bay, at the Family Bookstore (opposite the Post Office) and at the office of Richniel Investment in the Cannegieter Street.
For information on the Mother's Day Karaoke Festival/Dance Party, please contact Helena Richardson 556 4740 or Linda Richardson at 554 6979, or per email at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Finance Hon. Hiro Shigemoto announced on Thursday that the Government should be able to pay out the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for 2010 by June 30, 2012 to the tune of Naf.17 million inclusive of back service pension premiums.

The Minister added that his Cabinet has been working diligently to secure the necessary funding to meet its obligations towards civil servants of Country Sint Maarten.

"The funding will come from the 2010 balance sheet prior to 10-10-10 and 2011 extended book year financial statement for which provisions have been made to the tune of Naf.11 million and Naf.2 million respectively, and the remainder, approximately Naf.4 million will be covered from the cash reserves," Minister of Finance Hon. Hiro Shigemoto, said on Thursday.

Although the Minister cautioned that this will have to be approved by the Financial Supervisory Committee CFT, and that discussions with the CFT will commence on a technical level.

The Financial Statement 2010 prior to 10-10-10 is still being checked by the SOAB Accounting Bureau, and the 2011 Financial Statement is being finalized to be checked by the SOAB and subsequently to be forwarded on to Parliament in August 2012.

The Minister added that a long-term solution has to be worked out with all stakeholders as this will not be sustainable in the coming years.

Philipsburg:--- The body of an unknown man was found floating in the Simpson Bay Lagoon late Sunday afternoon. SMN News learnt that the body was found behind Hertz Car rental in Simpson Bay. Police detectives along with a Forensic team were at the scene conducting their investigations, confirmed Chief Prosecutor Hans Mos. Mos said based on the police preliminary investigations the victim seems to have died of drowning and the body appears to have been in the water for the past 24 hours. Mos said up to late Sunday evening no one has been reported missing and police was not able to identify the victim.
SMN News further learnt that the victim could be from one of the boats docked in the Simpson Bay Lagoon and he was probably drunk, reasons they believed he drowned. SMN News will bring you more information on the identity of the victim when the information becomes available.

Philipsburg:--- The New Season of WazzUpp TV will roll out next Monday May 14th, 2012. After a very succesfull season one, the producers of the first St. Maarten magazine show to go regional and in the tri-state area of the US has been busy filming and generating footage for WazzUpp's second season.
According to Ronny Busby, the host and producer, this season WazzUp TV will take you to Anguilla for Festival der Mar, to the Grand Case Strip for Harmony Nights, a sit down with Composer Wim Statius Muller and Gramps Morgan of Morgan Heritage fame, and an exclusive with 86 year old Anthony Smith, captain and owner of the Antiki raft.
These are just some of the interesting segments and people to be featured on WazzUp TV season two. "We are very happy with the response we have been receiving so far. People are telling us that WazzUpp TV is something different coming out of St. Maarten and that they enjoy seeing it every week."
WazzUpp TV can be seen in St. Maarten on Monday & Tuesday at 9pm on channel 115 or channel 15. The show also airs in prime time on Saba, Statia, Anguilla, Aruba, Nevis,
St. Thomas, St. Johns, St. Croix and French St. Martin. Regionally it airs on Caribvision Tuesday at 9:30pm and Saturday at 8:30pm with multiple repeats throughout the week. Past editions can be viewed by searching for wazzupptv in google or youtube.
"We strive to bring a different twist from season one. And it's our intent to shoot more exclusives in season two, said Busby". Take note of the starting date for the WazzUpp TV's new season on Monday May 14th, 2012.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad:--- Our spirited moderator Rose-Ann Walker reminded us as we settled in for this, the first poetry reading of Bocas 2012, that both Kendel Hippolyte and Lasana Sekou are studied at the secondary school level. The youth of our Caribbean islands are actively reading the work of both these men, and as I listened and observed, I couldn't help but be reassured at the exceptional quality of regional poetry to which potential budding talent is exposed.
Hippolyte, a St. Lucian poet and playwright (and one of this year's poetry judges), read poems that sounded like entire, compact islands of sound and thought, lushly populated worlds unto themselves. A gleefully self-confessed 'jiver', his offering was panoramic – there were poems on the frustration of loss sitting side by side with cheekily
derisive snubbing of overvaulting academia. There was work that interrogated the heart of a poem's necessity. There was work that reminded, that underscored the infinite possibilities of the Caribbean landscape, the Caribbean imagination. In fifteen minutes or less, I got the impression that I'd been reading Kendel Hippolyte my entire life (and I will be, most assuredly, from this point forward).
Breathing his first piece unapologetically and vividly into life, St. Martinian poet Lasana Sekou took to the AV Room's aisles... to its platform, to the tops of its chairs! Nothing about his rendition seemed in the slightest bit affected. There was, as my friend Leshanta and I discussed afterwards, such honesty and commitment to storytelling, to craft, in Sekou's display, that we wondered if anyone could mistake it for posturing. His words rang out with the rhythmic thrall one typically associates with spoken word, but each line painstakingly hewn, each word a contemplation. When describing the rendition, tour de force feels like the only acceptable term.
The post-reading discussion was predictably lively, seasoned with considerations of the symbiotic relationship between poetry and performance. Hippolyte pointed out that all readings of poetry are, in essence, performance-based, with some performances manifesting themselves as far more glittery and bombastic than others. It occurs to me that the more I hear poets talk, the more I come to the reinforced understanding that in poetry, perhaps above all other fictive genres, the rules are never hard and fast.
Listening to the audience interact with Hippolyte and Sekou reminded me that this talk was no exception. Poems can, both poets agreed, take on different reading shapes and forms, depending on the mood, the alignment of emotion, circumstance, venue and consideration that shape each particular reading... and there is not, I hasten to add, a
blessed thing wrong with this.
Are you surprised that the first poetry session of Bocas 2012 was plenty vibes? Ah, you shouldn't be. When you bring together two outstanding word-makers, and a roomful of people eager to interact with them, well, that creates a certain kind of poetic magic all its own.

(Shivanee Ramlochan is a literary critic and expert in English literature and Spanish from Trinidad & Tobago.)

Philipsburg:--- On December 30, 2009, around 8PM, the Afoo supermarket in Dutch Quarter was robbed by at least four men, who were in the possession of several firearms. During this armed robbery, the manager named Eric Yuan Sam was shot to death.

A large investigation was conducted. During the investigation, many suspects were arrested and many houses were searched. However, this brutal murder could not be solved. Therefore, the investigation ended at the end of 2010.

Many people were shocked by the death of Eric Yuan Sam, who was known by the Sint Maarten community as a very kind and caring person, who was always willing to help when help was needed. Many people nowadays remember this murder and are still feeling shocked about it. So are the Police Force of Sint Maarten and the Prosecutor's Office. It is for this reason that both the Chief of Police and the Prosecutor's Office have decided to re-open this investigation. In 2010, the Afoo Group offered a reward of $20,000 USD for the person that would give the information that would lead to solving of this crime. This reward is still valid.

The police are hereby asking for the help of the people of Sint Maarten in solving this awful crime. At the time of the robbery, a lot of customers were present in the supermarket. They saw and may have overheard the offenders. They may have information, which could lead to the identification of the culprits, which are believed to be young men. All the offenders can be seen on the video images of Afoo's security cameras. Photo images of this video are hereby being made public, in order for everybody - even those who were not present at the time of the robbery – to see if they recognize one or more of the offenders or even the masks, helmet, clothes they had on during this robbery.

The offenders left the supermarket via the alley that is located on the left side of the supermarket and they fled via the bushes behind the Afoo supermarket. Several neighbors saw this and have declared so.

If you were present at the Afoo supermarket at the time of the robbery, or if you were nearby, and if you saw or heard anything, either that same evening or in the days/weeks/months thereafter, that could help us solve this crime, please step forward and contact the police. A special telephone number (hotline) is available, 5531522. Your information could solve this case. You can make the difference.

Eric Yuan Sam was loved very much in Dutch Quarter as well as on the rest of the island. He would help whoever was in need of help. His death cannot remain unsolved. Help the police solve this murder, as Eric Yuan Sam helped so many persons during his life.

Please call the police at 5531522.

All your information will be dealt with in a confidential manner.

Click here to view photos of the 2009 Dutch Quarter Afoo robbery.

Marigot:--- On Tuesday Prefet Delegue Philippe Chopin, Senator Louis Constant Fleming, and President of the Collectivity of St. Martin Alain Richardson joined the war veterans to lay wreaths in the garden of the Collectivity in remembrance of the persons that lost their lives during the six year war between the Nazi of Germany and Europe.

May 8th, 1945 is the date when the Allies celebrated the defeat of the Nazi Germany and end of Adolph Hitler's Reich. It is the date that formally recognizes the end of the Second World War in Europe.

Prefet Delegue Philippe Chopin addressed the small gathering consisting of elected officials and a military troupe mostly represented by the Gendarmerie whose commandant Stephen Brunet was attending his last official ceremony. Brunet's term as the head of the Gendarmerie is scheduled to end early August 2012.

Click here to see more photos of the wreath laying ceremony on Tuesday morning in the garden of the Collectivity of St. Martin.

By popular demand, the AGING WITH GRACE Foundation has extended the hours of the program of the upcoming Mother's Day Karaoke Festival and Dance Party on May 13th, 2012 at the Princess Port de Plaisance to 8:30pm instead of 6:00pm.
The exciting line-up of the Golden Stars (singers of 55 and above) for this event includes performers such as Sinclair Barry, Anlucinda Meit, Bobby Ottley, Josianne Fleming, Peter Cox, Elsa Meyers and many other surprise performers. The M.C. for the Mother's Day Karaoke Festival is Wally Havertong.
Members of the audience will be given the opportunity to pay tribute to mothers, grandmothers, foster mothers, significant others and female role models who have played or are playing a significant role in their lives. The karaoke expert for this event is Skina Kaliente, Mr. Antonio Janga, well-known for his excellent karaoke equipment and sound system.
The festive atmosphere will be further enhanced with great music provided by the well-know D.J. Ruby. Besides the wonderful entertainment, the ticket covers one drink and finger snacks, while food and drinks will be on sale. All mothers in the audience will receive a token of appreciation from the AWG.
Due to the extensive program and by popular demand, the AWG Foundation has extended the hours of the Karaoke Festival and Dance party which now will start at 3pm and go on until 8:30pm.
The Aging with Grace Foundation is inviting one and all, young and old to treat their mothers and significant others to a fun-filled and memorable Mother's Day Celebration. The AWG would appreciate if all could come out dressed in festive colours (pink, white, yellow, green etc).
The price of the tickets for the Mother's Day Karaoke Festival and Dance Party are only $15,- in advance and $20,- at the door. Tickets for children are sold at $8,-.
The general public is advised to buy the tickets beforehand, which is cheaper and also to prevent line-ups and distraction at the beginning of the program.
Tickets for this event are on sale at both Van Dorp Store on the Illidge Road, Van Dorp Store in Simpson Bay, the Family Bookstore (opposite the Post Office), and Richniel N.V. in the Cannegieter Street and from members of the AWG Foundation.

For information on the Mother's Day Karaoke Festival/Dance Party, please contact Helena Richardson 556 4740 or Linda Richardson at 554 6979, or per email at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- The Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications would like to inform the public that the "Sint Maarten Vending Policy" 2009 has been revised and its new title is the "St. Maarten Vending and Beach Policy" 2012.

The new policy is effective immediately.

The purpose of the 2012 policy is to regulate general and beach vending activities on St. Maarten. The revised beach policy of January 2012 replaces all former policies.

The following changes were made: increase the allowable number of permits in the "Great Bay" area for motorized water vehicles from six to nine; increase the allowable number of permits in the "Great Bay" area for non-motorized water vehicles from two to four.

Copies of the policy in its entirety may be obtained via the Government website www.sintmaartengov.org under "What's New."

Hardcopies may also be obtained at the DIV, formerly known as General Affairs, at the Government Administration Building and the Department of Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunications, at Juancho Yrausquin Boulevard #6 (1st floor) during office hours.

Philipsburg:--- On Thursday, Minister of Education, Sports, Youth and Culture Affairs Dr. Rhoda Arrindell who once said she was the new Sheriff in town when she first took office shed tears as she addressed the media on her accomplishments while in office. Minister Arrindell gave a full outline on some of the things she worked on during her 19 months as a Minister under the United Peoples Party. The outline came at the heels of the Minister leaving office after the fall of her government.
Minister Arrindell also said that she will remain a member of the UP party but declined to say whether or not she will be a candidate in the 2014 Parliamentary elections. The Minister said that she will be doing some of the things she neglected to do while working for the people of St. Maarten. "I am first going to spend a lot of my paid time working on the things that I neglected when I took this job. As everyone knows, I am a single mother raising two children and they need my attention now. My daughter will be leaving for college and she would need my support while my 10 year old son needs a lot of attention as well as my garden." Minister Arrindell said she might also start back writing since those are some of the things she did prior to taking office.
When asked about the Monument Council which is somewhat dormant the Minister said that there are lot of things she did not know when she took office. Regarding the advice, she said it is somewhere in the administration building, this advise she explained is to make the Monument Council official.
When asked by SMN News if she feels responsible for the demise of the UP/DP coalition based on some of the decisions she took as a Minister of Education. Minister Arrindell in her response said she is still amazed as to how the people can have all the information regarding a particular issue and yet choose to ignore it. As for the anthem which is still not completed, the Minister said her job was to make sure St. Maarten has a national anthem as is laid down in the country's constitution. "My job was to make sure that is done, but how it was done is a discussion for another time." Minister Arrindell was heavily criticized when she announced that she was going to launch a campaign to select a national anthem for St. Maarten. Several persons including the Council of Ministers were not in favor the Minister's plan to get rid of the St. Maarten song.
As for the teachers contracts, Minister Arrindell said that she is not responsible for terminating the teachers' contracts. She said teachers are paid by the school boards they are also hired and fired by these school boards. The Minister however, explained that foreign teachers need to have a working and residency permit and the labor policy requires that people be qualified for the jobs they apply for before the permits are granted. Minister Arrindell said while in office she asked that the law be upheld since they all swore to uphold the law. She said when the discussions came up she tried to have the teachers that are already on the island be exempted for a period of time. One of her main focuses was to make sure the students on St. Maarten get quality education, this is one of the reasons she emphasized on the TEP program being taught at the University of St. Maarten. Regarding the sick-leave issue that is somewhat abused, Minister Arrindell said she tried to find a solution for the teachers that are chronically ill for a long period of time while students do not have access to full time teachers. She said she was responsible for education and not social welfare. During that meeting, the Minister said the Minister of Labour, the Unions, and SZV personnel were present for the discussions as she asked them to assist her in finding a solution to the problem for those teachers that are on sick leave for the past two to three years. She described the sick leave situation as being a very big problem for St. Maarten. She said if people interpret her actions as the reason for the falling of the UP/ DP coalition then she is guilty as charged. She conceded that St. Maarten has a dualism system that the people are yet to understand. Minister Arrindell said the collapse in government did not occur in the executive branch, instead it happened in parliament. She asked how many pieces of legislation were presented by the UP/DP coalition during the past 19 months. "I do not think that everyone understands their role."
In the meantime, a teacher and friend of Minister Arrindell submitted a request to the Minister almost a year ago to become an official French/English translator but to date the Minister and her Ministry have not responded to the request that was submitted to Minister Arrindell in her office. When SMN News asked the Minister about this she said she was surprised by the story because she and the person in question tried to become legal translators in the past. Minister Arrindell said for the sake of ethics she would not have mentioned the name of the teacher but did so on at least two occasions during her response. She said her friend and her started the venture to become sworn translators and this person is the one who photocopied the law and took it to her which explained what needed to be done for someone to become a legal translator. She said one of the requirements is that the person has to take a central examination based on an outdated law of 1954. However SMN News verified the law, and the law clearly states that persons who have a degree in the language they are requesting to become a legal translator or if they are teaching the language at high school level then they are exonerated from the examination.

Below is the full text of the message delivered by Minister Rhoda Arrindell on Thursday.

Cabinet staff of the ministries of VROMI,
Economic Affairs and Tourism, Finance and Education,
Members of the Media,
People of our beloved St. Martin,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good Morning.

The latest political developments have created a new reality in our community which has increased the cynicism with which many view politics and politicians. In my own case, they have forced me to look back at my reasons for entering the political arena, and weigh if those reasons are still valid today.
Of course, you are all familiar with remarks such as "politics is a dirty game"; or "politicians are only for themselves." For many of our people, "politicians only make promises they know they can't keep" and our calypsonians have reinforced the perception that politicians are a bunch of corrupt, self-serving, greedy, power-hungry people whose trademark is to fool the people, especially at election time.
In fact, our own Philosopher of Humor, Fernando Clark, who was recently crowned the King of MCs by the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation, in one of his most memorable shows, Raw, described politics as the profession you enter after having tried everything else and failed. I can't wait to see how he will depict the recent developments in his next show!
Apparently to save politics from this pervasive negative image, someone coined the word, "politrics" to describe the dishonest and immoral nature of what Bismarck in his classic definition called "the art of the possible."
After 19 months in office, I have come to the conclusion that politics is indeed the art or science of making the impossible possible. It is not a career for the faint-hearted or the thin-skinned; it is not conducive to higher spiritual ideals or morals. Indeed, taking the events of the last few weeks into consideration, Ambrose Bierce might be right in describing politics in his Devil's Dictionary, "the conduct of public affairs for private advantage."
This was certainly not why I entered politics on the platform of the UP Party just about a couple of years ago. I was driven by idealism, by a burning passion to make a difference in the field of education where I have worked as a professional for a whole generation. My motivation then, as it still remains now, was the belief that, as President Barack Obama said, "we were going to do the right thing, even if short-term it was unpopular." That is why I joined the UP party and that is why I am honored to still remain a member of the party with a better balance of experience and fresh blood and of males and females.
I expected that the vast range in backgrounds of people on the list would surely mean that a range of views would be represented, and coming from the world of academia where students are encouraged to present varying views, I was encouraged in the potential of the team. After I took office, I have come to respect the team even more because of this wide range of views on the issues.
I want to thank the people of St. Martin, our beloved island, for the privilege and honor to serve you in the last year and a half. I am eternally grateful to my party, and especially its leader, deputy Prime Minister Theodore Heyliger, for the confidence bestowed in me and the opportunity given me to serve as St. Martin's first Minister of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs.
We came in with a clear vision of the direction our education system should take. We came in with a mission to elevate the quality of education on St. Martin in every aspect and at every level. We may have been too ambitious, and possibly too overzealous to believe we could have achieved all the lofty goals we set for ourselves in the four years we thought we would have had to do so. That term has been cut short by more than a half. But as I look back, I have no regrets. It is a blessing to have had this unique opportunity to serve my island.
We reached for the skies and plucked a few stars in terms of what we can consider a new direction for education, culture, sports and youth affairs. The common thread that links all four portfolios I have been responsible for is the youth. The youth of St. Martin form the base of our party. They are not just the leaders of tomorrow, they are not just the future of our island, they are a very real and present reality we must address to secure that future and make it a glorious one.
From day one of this administration, we have been building a brand new Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, block by block, with an unambiguous plan, and specific goals. It is the first time our island would have its own Ministry, and we wanted to make it reflect and be responsive to our own realities and our collective aspirations of excellence, efficiency and professionalism that would become the cornerstone of this new St. Martin nation we are building together.
Permit me to highlight a few of our accomplishments in the last 19 months.
Education - Highlights
In Education, we began with the continued implementation of Compulsory Education. We embarked on a successful, town-hall style campaign with active participation of the stakeholders and today, we can safely say that, despite all the challenges, there is no turning back anymore: compulsory education is the law!
And speaking of laws, the draft laws on Foundation Based Education (FBE), Higher Education, and amendments to the Compulsory Education Law, which we've spent weeks just revising are now virtually ready to begin the prescribed legislative course. A lot of progress has been made in revising the curriculum of vocational education. The Ministry or Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs has sent out invitations for persons to be on the Committee responsible for installing a management team, teachers, etc. for the new vocational school, which should also offer adult educational courses. The SBO Center has also been working on curriculum development for more courses and at the same time, DERPI, the Department of Education and the Ministry have been investigating the possibilities for integrating TVET courses (Technical Vocational Education and Training for all) – a UNESCO supported effort for life-long learning and sustainable development – with SBO course.
Right now, there are various draft documents for a comprehensive curriculum. These need to be consolidated in a program that fits the vision and the reality for vocational education and the labour market on St. Martin while the Teacher Education Program (TEP) curriculum that would be used at the University of St. Martin will be ready by the end of the week.
We have worked intensively with the Ujima Foundation to establish an experimental project that was expected to begin in the coming school year. Funding for this project has been committed in the budget amendment of the 2012 budget.
Cooperation Protocols
We have signed two cooperation protocols, one with the Dutch Minister of Education, van Bijsterveldt-Vliegenhart to promote studying in the region, while the other was signed between the Ministers of St. Martin, Curaçao, Aruba and the Netherlands to work together in areas of mutual interest as it pertains to Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Emancipation.
We have also signed MOUs with Monroe College and Johnson & Wales University, allowing our students to attend these institutions at affordable fees.
Study Financing
With regards to Study Financing, we received a total of 237 applications for the 2012 – 2013 academic year, out of which a total of 203 were granted, or 85%. Our students applied to study in places as near as Anguilla and as far away as The Philipines/Thailand.
Out of this total number of successful applicants, 38 have been awarded scholarships to attend USM. Of these, 16 who had initially applied to go elsewhere were referred to USM to start their studies. These students will have the possibility to transfer after 2 years to one of the institutions with which we have signed an MOU.
A further breakdown of the scholarships shows that 88 were granted for Holland, 46 for the USA, 14 for Curacao, 6 for Canada, 5 for Aruba and 6 for other islands in the region (including St. Croix, The Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica).
In total, we can see that a total of 63 students were granted study financing to study here at home (USM) and in the Caribbean region. This is the second largest group of study financing recipients, and reflects the emphasis we have placed on studying in the region as much as possible. Europe (including Belgium, Scotland and England) continues to be the largest group. The Netherlands, with 43% of the study financing granted, tops the whole list.
ROI Study
A study financing research project which will determine our return on investment (ROI) has already begun. JS Consulting services was commissioned to carry out this study, and we have just received a first summary report of the focus group sessions carried out recently in The Netherlands.
UNESCO Associate Membership
One of the highlights of our stewardship was without doubt getting St. Martin to be admitted to UNESCO as an associate member. I am confident that the island stands to benefit immensely in future from its membership of this world body that has an admirable track record in assisting its members with projects in the areas of education, science and culture.
Emancipation Day
Under Culture, our single most important achievement has been getting the Emancipation Day legislation to the point where on Monday, May 14, 2012, Parliament will debate and hopefully approve it, thus making July 1, a national public holiday. As you know, the draft legislation passed the Central Committee this week with unanimous support of all the members of parliament present. St. Martin, as far as I know, will be the first territory in the Kingdom of the Netherlands that would have such legislation, and this could not come at a more appropriate time seeing that next year, we will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.
We have established a Cultural Awards, given for the first time during the celebration of St. Martin Day last year, to recognize the work and talent of some of our most outstanding artists and performers. The largely symbolic award is supposed to be a St. Martin Day feature.
Children's Carnival Troupe
This year, we have presented a Children's Troupe in the Children's Carnival Parade consisting mainly of students attending our public schools. In conjunction with the SCDF, the idea is to make this an annual activity that can be incorporated into the school curriculum.
Preservation of Monuments
In terms of preservation of our monuments, we have been able to recommend two important national monuments for funding by the Dutch Monuments Preservation Fund. The Methodist Church and the Passangrahann Royal Guest House are the two monuments in consideration for said funding.
Sports
When we assumed office, we met a Department of Youth and Sports, which was not only understaffed but which the way it was structured did not permit adequate attention to be granted to each of these two important areas. We therefore decided to split it into two autonomous departments, each with its own head and staff. That process in its final stages of implementations as we have received applications from candidates to head the two departments. The selection process needs to continue so that more focus can be given to each.
Draft Sports Policy
In terms of Sports, you will recall that just recently, I received a draft Sports Policy from the Technical Committee I had set up for this purpose. The document was promptly handed over to the National Sports Institute, a foundation we established to implement the policies set forth by the Department of Sports. Part of the task of the National Sports Institute is the preparation of our athletes, trainers and coaches for the Kingdom Games 2013. The total overhaul and reorganization of Sports is still a work in progress.
However, we can point to several outstanding performances of St. Martin sports men and women, particularly in tae-kwan-do, in track and field, where we were able to support and sponsor, albeit partially, the recent highly successful 6th edition of the International Track and Field Meet held at the Alberic Richards Stadium in Marigot last weekend. Two track records and one French national record were set at that meet.
Work was being intensified to establish a St. Martin Youth Football Camp this July which was intended to introduce American Football to our youth, complete with cheerleading. The initiative is an inter-ministerial one, including three ministries – Sports, Tourism and Finance. Members of the Toni James Group, with links to the Washington Redskins, have already conducted two site visits to the island and are expected to come in this Monday for a third, during which they will continue with the arrangements and preparations for this Youth Football Camp. You will recall that we held a press conference with the principals of the group right here during their first site visit to St. Martin.
We had also begun preparations for a Schools Sports Festival scheduled for August this year. Those plans are on the front-burner and hopefully will be completed by our successors.
GB3
Finally, it goes without saying that the flagship project where it concerns Youth Affairs, was the Get off the Block, Get on the Bus, Get Busy or GB3 project. The pilot project which ran for three months was an overwhelming success in terms of participation, motivation and awareness. However, we have had to take stock of the adjustments necessary to make it an ongoing project. For this purpose, we were in the process of project writing and staff recruitment. NAFls 200,000 has been allocated to it in the 2012 budget.
Of course, there are many more projects and policies in the proverbial pipeline. They were not clogged; they were making their way through the normal channels before they could surface as finished products. The new administration will have to decide what to do with them.
We have given it our best shot in the short time we have been privileged to serve. I stress "WE" because this has been a team effort. The real team, TEAM MECSY, did not need a calypsonian to first blast it and then present it to the people as the saviours of St. Martin on a Carnival stage.
Team MECSY consists of ALL members of the staff of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, from the Secretary General to the janitor; from the section and division heads to the secretaries and receptionists. In 19 months, we held two retreats to regroup, rebuild, and replenish our spirits, while refocusing on our mission. We were energized, excited, and extremely driven by our passion to make our Ministry relevant to the needs and aspirations of our people. I cannot thank each and every one of these industrious workers enough. Nothing we achieved could have been done without your exemplary dedication, and commitment.
Personally, I will never forget this experience. Mrs. Claudette Forsythe-Labega, the Secretary General of the Ministry, thank you. I am proud to have been your student and even more proud to have had the privilege of working with you. I hope and pray that your knowledge and experience, your rekindled passion and excitement will continue to inspire the whole Ministry to reach for higher heights.
Mr. Quincy Harrigan, Mrs. Patricia Lourens, Mrs. Shermina Powell-Richardson and all the other pillars of the Ministry, I will continue to cherish your professionalism, your wisdom, and your unreserved cooperation during these last 19 months.
I want to express my gratitude to the WITU and its leadership, particularly its President, Mrs. Claire Elschot. As rough as we have had it at times, I firmly believe that a strong teachers union is the most reliable partner of the Ministry of Education. There is a lot of work to be done to improve teachers' welfare and professionalism, and I am confident that you will not relent in your efforts to make an effective contribution to the all-round improvement of education on St. Martin.
I also want to express my sincerest appreciation to the various school boards. Your enlightened leadership is a pre-requisite for the achievement of the lofty goals we have set for education on the island.
I have saved the best for last. My cabinet: Fabian, Calvin, Maria, Morenika, Gina, Natasha and Chesley, you were the wind beneath my sails throughout this unprecedented journey. I am grateful for your unconditional support, your tireless efforts, and your bright ideas. Above all, I cherish your candour and have the utmost respect for your professionalism. I am blessed to be able to count each of you as a true friend.
In closing, let me say I fully endorse the sentiments expressed by my colleague, Minister Franklin Meyers at his press conference yesterday. There was never any serious problem among the seven members of the Council of Ministers. Personally, I want to thank the three DP ministers I have had the honor to work with in the Council: Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams; former Minister Maria Buncamper-Molanus and Minister of Labor, Mr. Cornelius de Weever, both of whom served as my substitute whenever I was off island. I want to also thank Minister Roland Duncan, my former boss and of course, my UP colleague ministers, the Honorable Theodore Heyliger, Franklin Meyers and Hiroshi Shigemoto. It was great being the only female among a bunch of special guys.
I want to also thank my family, especially my mother, ma, thank you. My brothers, my children, all my friends and relatives who sometimes wanted to go out and defend me when the media was against me, thank you. There was no need for it then, and there is no need for it now.
Today you're down, tomorrow you're up; what goes down, must come UP: the UP party is certainly not out. We will continue to represent the people and provide alternative and real solutions to the challenges we face as a freedom-loving people. There is a time to come; and there is a time to go. Let me therefore leave you with two quotes I believe are appropriate in the present circumstances.
Franklin D. Roosevelt once said: "In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way." That is what happened with the so-called "Carnival Coup."
US Congresswoman, Shirley Chisholm, a role model as a female politician for me, said this: "At present, our country needs women's idealism and determination, perhaps more in politics than anywhere else." I couldn't agree more with her.
This has been a learning experience for me and the media has been a critical ally in that process that has kept me on my toes. A new sheriff is riding into town and I hope you will give her your fullest cooperation as you did with me.
I thank you all.

I will now take your questions.

The Kingdom Council of Ministers has agreed with the recommendation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte to nominate Ms. Sybilla M. Dekker as a member upon proposal of the Netherlands in the Board of financial supervision (College financieel toezicht - Cft) Curaçao and Sint Maarten and the Board of financial supervision Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. The Colleges execute supervision tasks according to the Kingdom Act financial supervision Curaçao and Sint Maarten and the Law on finance public entities Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. The nomination will enter into force on July 1st, 2012.
Sybilla M. Dekker (1942) is a former Minister of Public housing and Regional Planning and Environment management - May 2003 till October 2006 (government Balkenende II and III). In the Caribbean part of the Kingdom she is mostly known for her role as president of the Council of supervision of AMFO; the Antillean Co-financing Organization. She will no longer carry out this function, which she has been executing since 2007.
Besides her activities for the Board, Ms. Dekker will remain closely involved as director of various social organizations (such as the 'Amsterdam Barok Ensemble', the Maritime museum, the Huygens exposition 2013 and the Diabetes foundation). She will also stay committed to stimulate leadership and emancipation of women and minorities on the labor market. As such she is the president of the Taskforce and Foundation "Talent to the Top" ("Talent naar de Top") and member of the Advisory Board of the Dutch-Moroccan leadership institute. Ms. Dekker has seated in various corporate supervisory boards (AKZO-Nobel NL, the Dutch Railroads ('Nederlandse Spoorwegen') and Heineken Netherlands B.V.), she was a member of the Advisory Board of ABN-AMRO holding and a member of the Board of Management/ Supervisory Council of the Rabobank Nederland. Currently she is amongst others Commissioner at the Bank of Dutch Municipalities (Bank Nederlandse Gemeenten), member of the Supervisory Council of the DHV Group and President of the Supervision Council of Kadaster.
Within the Board of financial supervision Sybilla M. Dekker will take the place of Margo Vliegenthart. Her input the Board and the relation with the countries have been considerable and much appreciated. The Board of financial supervision Curaçao and Sint Maarten furthermore consists of the president prof. Age Bakker, member upon proposal of Curaçao Alberto Romero and member upon proposal of Sint Maarten Richard Gibson. In the Board of financial supervision Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, besides prof. Age Bakker and Sybilla M. Dekker, Mr. Max Pandt is member upon proposal of the three islands jointly.

Great Bay:--- The Ministry of Public Health Social Development & Labor Section General Public Health recently held a brainstorming session in collaboration with the St. Maarten Medical Center, St. Maarten Nurses Association and the White & Yellow Cross Foundation where they addressed World Health Organization's question of "Are health workers in St. Maarten adequately trained to address the rights and specific needs of older people."
Minister Cornelius De Weever was part of the brainstorming session and mentioned that"It was good to hear first-hand about the experiences from those in the field that actually deal with the elderly."
The above mentioned activity was part of a series of activities on the island to commemorate World Health Day 2012, of which the theme was "Good health adds life to years." During the brainstorming session, participants had to address the following two areas for St. Maarten, which were: the involvement of the aging in the community and are health workers adequately trained on St. Maarten to address the rights and specific needs of older people.
The brainstorming session looked at the challenges, and what can be done to solve the issues at hand, in addition, it was an opportunity to learn from each other, identify weak areas and see how collectively those areas can be strengthened. The main objective is to educate stakeholders toward the direction of improving health for the aging and the community.
"Many of us do not know the reality of the way some of our elderly live, whether it's the living conditions, family relationships or the lack thereof. By synchronizing our efforts with all stakeholders I believe we can better serve our elderly," said Minister De Weever.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Businesses and vital organizations have a little over one week to apply for a Mobility Passes in connection with the 2012 Hurricane Season.

The pass allows the aforementioned to assess possible damage to their property. Potential applicants have until May 25 to present all relevant information related to the process of requesting a Mobility Pass.

The application form as well as information sheet can be downloaded from the Fire Department's website www.brandweersxm.net

under the tab link "Hurricane Information" followed by the "Hurricane Passes" tab.

The hurricane pass application procedure is only intended for businesses and vital organizations with respect to their key personnel receiving an exemption to a curfew.

The application form has to be completed and submitted to the offices of the Fire Department & Disaster Management, to the attention of the secretary located at Jackal Road 5, Cay Hill by Friday, May 25, 2012, with all necessary documents attached between office hours, Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.

The New Testament Baptist Church is inviting the general public to the continuation of a very interesting lecture on Taxes, which was held last week Tuesday, May 8th, 2012. This follow up lecture will be given by the Tax Inspector, Drs. Maria Bass of the Tax Department. Drs. Bass will be providing advice on how to fill out the Tax Return Form over the fiscal year 2011. The deadline to submit the 2011 Tax Return Form is May 31, 2012.
This follow lecture will take place on Thursday, May 17th, 2012 at 7:30 pm at the New Testament Baptist Church next to Kentucky in Philipsburg, and is free of charge.
The general public is invited to come out and be informed to be able to file the 2011 Tax Return Form on time and avoid the enormous penalties when one fails to do so.

Philipsburg:--- Prime Minister of St. Maarten Sarah Wescot Williams brought some clarity to the AMFO funding which will be replaced by a local agency. The Prime Minister said there is no secret regarding her feelings on the statements that are being made on the debt relief for St. Maarten which was part of the constitutional changes for St. Maarten. She said she is of the opinion that the statements made regarding the debt relief has been overstated especially knowing what St. Maarten went through for the payment of its debts.
The Prime Minister said that St. Maarten could not borrow monies prior to 10/10/10 and the island under the constellation of the Netherlands Antilles did not have huge outstanding loans that had to be paid. Therefore, the statements regarding the debt relief being the cure or fixing prior to the constitutional change is an overstatement. AMFO is scheduled to be dissolved at the end of 2012. AMFO is the agency that manages the Dutch funding for Social Programs and projects. However, St. Maarten will implement an NGO funding agency. This decision was taken by the government of St. Maarten several months ago. She said the proposal for St. Maarten to take over the AMFO funding was done in such a way to stretch the Dutch funding. St. Maarten's government decided to take over the AMFO funding for the year 2012 which was estimated to be close to one million guilders. She said the last Dutch financing would have taken place in 2013.
The Prime Minister made clear that the Dutch government is not providing additional monies. The NGO financing agency already met with AMFO to explain them the government's position on the financing of social projects. She said what is critical is that St. Maarten has a joint project going forward which is the NGO funding and the social funding. St. Maarten will be making use of the expertise and build up that AMFO created over the years.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Planning a summer vacation, then you should use the opportunity to get vaccinated on May 19 at the Youth Health Care (YHC) annual vaccination open house on Saturday.

If you are traveling this summer you should safeguard yourself and your family by ensuring that you and your children's immunizations are up-to-date. Even if you are not traveling for the upcoming holidays, it is still good to get vaccination or at least check to see if you are up to date with the aforementioned.

The theme for this year's open house is "Vaccination: An Act of Love – For you for me for everyone, get checked, get vaccinated."

Immunization is a way of protecting children against serious vaccine preventable diseases. Once a child or an adult has been fully vaccinated, their bodies can fight those diseases if one comes into contact with them.

Unprotected children are at greatest risk of contracting the virus. Parents and guardians must ensure that their children are protected.

The Open House will take place at the Festival Village from 9:00am to 4:00pm on Saturday. Various businesses and stakeholders will be present promoting their services, information and products.

Vaccines have the power not only to save, but giving children and adults a chance to age healthy. Vaccination offers protection not only to children but also to adolescents and adults against life- threatening diseases.

Parents who will be going to the Open House on Saturday should bring along with them their child's vaccination booklet/card. If you are not sure of the vaccination status of your child, you should contact your general practitioner, pediatrician, or YHC for children up and through 17 years of age.

YHC can also be contacted if you want to verify your own vaccination status by calling Tel. 542-3003, 542-2078 or 542-3553.

"The former President of the UMP Federation of Saint-Martin declared in a bitter statement that I was more or less the gravedigger of the right in St Martin and the grain of sand that halted the smooth running of the first government of the collectivité : I refuse to take part in sterile polemics that have no other purpose than to distort the debate on the eve of historical elections in the Northern Islands, "said the UD opposition leader, candidate for deputy. "I invite Louis-Constant Fleming to do some introspection, to take his responsibility and settle, without passing through me, the problems he seems to have with his political family at the national level" firmly stated Daniel Gibbs. "43% of voters in St. Martin, whatever their political orientation, have put their trust in the list that I led, and in the policy I advocated in March: I am a man of unity , not of division, and no offense to some, I am taking the challenge of reconciling Saint-Martiners with politics. It is not the time for division, our situation is too disturbing for me to lose precious time in useless arguments. I understand the impatience and confusion of our people and I approach this election with enthusiasm, determination and a sense of duty that characterizes me and that nothing will shift me from. I plead for appeasement today and I urge everyone to get to work to ensure to our Northern Islands, a brighter future, in reconciliation and in labour."

Daniel GIBBS

GREAT BAY/MARIGOT:--- If you ever wondered what is the secret behind St. Martin's "national drink" then the workshop "How to make your own guavaberry" will pique your interest and answer some of your many questions.
The guavaberry workshop comes off on Saturday, June 2, 2012, at the University of St. Martin, Room 104, from 9 am to 10:30 am, said St. Martin Book Fair coordinator Shujah Reiph.
The Nature Valley Colombier Association, which hails from the village of Colombier, will conduct the guavaberry workshop. Colombier is generally considered to be a central part of the most fertile region in St. Martin.
The cultural association will discuss and explain when is the peak time to pick the guavaberry fruits, where to find the best guavaberries on the island and, if you can imagine, when is the best time to make the guavaberry "punch" or liqueur.
Should you bury your bottle of the freshly-made brew in the ground or is that just a legend, or a shrouded practice of eclectic home brewers?
All the same, the guavaberry workshop should be a treat for everyday folk and connoisseurs of liquors popular and exotic. The young and old with an interest in agriculture should also not miss this workshop, said Reiph.
Whether you never tried guavaberry or you grew up drinking it, prepare your taste buds to be tantalized when the facilitators show you how to make your own liqueur at home!
Guavaberry has been a fixed feature of the island's culture and history dating back to centuries, especially during the Christmas and New Year's Eve parties.
The Guavaberry-making workshop is one of over 20 free activities of the 10th annual St. Martin Book Fair that will take place from Monday, May 28 to Saturday, June 2, 2012, said Reiph. The actual book fair begins on Thursday, May 31 at Belair Community Center, at 8 pm – following the pre-Book Fair activities on Monday and Tuesday.
All book fair activities of "the book fair for the entire family" are free for the general public to attend, said Reiph.
Conscious Lyrics Foundation and House of Nehesi Publishers, both NGOs, organize the St. Martin Book Fair, in collaboration with St. Maarten Tourist Bureau and the University of St. Martin.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Businesses and vital organizations has three days left to apply for a Hurricane Mobility Pass in connection with the 2012 Hurricane Season.

The pass allows the aforementioned to assess possible damage to their property. Potential applicants have until May 25 to present all relevant information related to the process of requesting a Mobility Pass.

The application form as well as information sheet can be downloaded from the Fire Department's website www.brandweersxm.net under the tab link "Hurricane Information" followed by the "Hurricane Passes" tab.

The application form has to be completed and submitted to the offices of the Fire Department & Disaster Management, to the attention of the secretary located at Jackal Road 5, Cay Hill by Friday, May 25, 2012, with all necessary documents attached between office hours, Monday – Friday, 9:00AM – 4:00PM.

On Sunday the 20th of May, during the Annual Aids Candle Light Memorial and Art of Living peace event at the AC Wathey Cruise Facility, Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams commented on the importance of combating stigma, discrimination and denial in the fight against HIV/ AIDS on St. Maarten. "Stigma, discrimination and denial have been classified as the third driver of the HIV epidemic, next to HIV and AIDS themselves," commented the Prime Minister.

The International Aids Candlelight Memorial's mission is to honor, support, and advocate for those who have been affected by the global HIV epidemic through mobilizing communities for a world where people do not die of AIDS and people living with HIV can live in health and with dignity. The candlelight memorial is commemorated around the globe in remembrance of the devastating toll HIV/AIDS has taken on humanity. The International AIDS Candlelight Memorial is committed to ending HIV by raising awareness and advocating for the advancement of effective policies at all levels. This grassroots commemoration started in 1983 and is now in its 29th year.

"We in this part of the world should not allow our concern for the spread of HIV/AIDS and our resolve to fight the disease be dwarfed by the sheer numbers and magnitude of the epidemic worldwide; 34 million people live with HIV/AIDS worldwide and HIV/AIDS is the world's leading infectious killer. About 30 million people have died to date and an estimated 1.8 million people die every year from the disease. An estimated 3.4 million children are living with HIV/AIDS and over 7 million people in need of antiretroviral therapy still have no access to treatment," continued the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister also stated that St. Maarten has her own battles to fight and hurdles to overcome if the country wants to be counted amongst the nations that strive for the zeroing of AIDS related deaths and transmissions and the zeroing of inaccessibility to treatment.

"As we harness our strengths to combat the spread of HIV /AIDS we also face the threat of complacency or stigma and discrimination. Complacency is expecting that the achievement of above mentioned goals will come eventually, will happen some-how. But no they won't. Many think that it is not that bad on St. Maarten. Yes, it is. But on the other hand the more we confront the disease the more present the threat of alienation of those who are afflicted rises and the greater the threat of ignorance becomes. Much has been done over the years to foster awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and we have made great inroads. Look at the numbers that voluntarily heed the call to be tested. A Caribbean advocacy brief of 2011 states the following inter alia: "governments are aware that protecting and promoting human rights is a proven effective means to advance public health. However, the Caribbean, with notable exceptions such as the Bahamas, St. Maarten, and Surinam, have been slow and cautious in its legislative responses." commented the Prime Minister further.

The Prime Minister also commended the businesses that actively participate in the various HIV/AIDS awareness programs and the persons who live with Aids who are encouraged by the fact that they can live full and productive lives.

"To live your life in dignity is the right of every individual. That is not asking too much," concluded Prime Minister Wescot-Williams.

History was made on St Maarten as Toastmasters International District 81 hosted its conference from May 18th thru 20th at the Sonesta Maho Resort.
The conference attracted 210 delegates from 16 of the District 17 territories. This is the second highest group of delegates to attend a conference in the District's history. The majority of the delegates arrived on Wednesday and to ensure they can make full use of the time on the island, a mock Toastmasters meeting was conducted on Thursday evening. Under the theme "Behind these Masks", the event featured speakers and roleplayers from throughout the Caribbean. Started as a membership drive initiative by the St Maarten Toastmasters Clubs, the mock meeting is called "An evening with the Toastmasters" and is a public demonstration of Toastmasters International's education program.
The Conference Planning Committee, under the leadership of Valerie Brazier enlisted the services of the best Toastmasters presenters in the Caribbean. As a result, delegates were treated to several outstanding presentations.
The official opening ceremony was held on Friday evening with Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams delivering words of welcome and officially opening the conference. The paradox and innovations in today's world of communication was the focus of the keynote address delivered by Managing Director of the Princess Juliana International Airport.
Highlights of Saturday's conference proceedings included the Business meeting, where delegates were given the opportunity to let their voices be heard as they approved a new alignment for District 81 and elected the new District Governor and Executive for the 2012-2013 term. The International Speech Contest and Table topic contest saw a record numbers of 12 participants in each contest. The winners were Cheyenne Jacobs of Barbados and Godfrey McAllister of Jamaica.
The District 81 Conference culminated on Saturday evening with the Dinner and Installation ceremony. Specially invited guest Toastmasters International Director Dave Hollingshead conducted the ceremony to install the new District Executive. Rolande Tobias of St Maarten was installed as new District Governor, Ewart Adams of Guyana as Lieutenant Governor Education & Training, Valerie Brazier of St Maarten as Lieutenant Governor Marketing and Carmen Cordova of Puerto Rico as Secretary.
According to Conference Chairlady Valerie Brazier; "the Conference Planning Committee worked tirelessly to ensure an extraordinary conference experience. We are extremely pleased with the overwhelming positive response". She extended sincere thanks and appreciation to the entire Team that worked along with her to make the delegates enjoy the Conference.
District Governor Essie Gardner commended the Team for their hard work and dedication to Toastmasters and to providing the conference attendees with a memorable conference. Toastmasters District 81 hosts two conferences annually; one in May and the other in October.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The rekindling of the relationship between the University of St. Martin (USM) and the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) was lauded on Thursday by both the USM President Annelies van den Assem and the UVI Vice Provost Dr. Judith W. Edwin.
This was done at a press conference after UVI held an information session on Wednesday where more than 30 people expressed interest in the Master of Arts in Education program and 15 in the Bachelor of Business Administration program. These programs will be jointly offered with USM and plans are in place for a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to be signed within short.
According to USM President van den Assem, she is happy with the reestablishment of the relationship since it offers an opportunity for the institution to work in the benefit of the students and offer more programs. USM Acting Dean of Academics Glen Yeung added that the coming together of the institutions is based on the clamor of the perspective students. He said that many St. Maarten students prefer to stay on island and complete their education.
Dr. Edwin emphasized UVI's longstanding relationship with USM and noted, "We are pleased with the response yesterday" where many students turned up for information on the MAE and BBA programs.
"I think we can do justice here on St. Maarten" and enhance the education quality, she added. The UVI vice provost also noted that they initially wanted to focus on Leadership concentration with the MAE program but a majority of students have expressed interest in Guidance and Counseling. She added that they will try to offer both once the agreements are signed and the program starts in the Fall.
Dr. Edwin also stated that funding issues for the program have to be dealt with and various facilities will be approached on the matter. She added that she wants this to be a "win win" for both USM and UVI while stressing, "we know we made the first step."
For the MAE program UVI is offering St. Maarten students a special rate of U.S.550 dollars per credit since the program is a hybrid. This is less than what UVI charges for out-of-territory tuition. The matter of the tuition proposal will be dealt with in a June 8, 2012 meeting of the finance committee of the board, the UVI official stated. She added that she expects no difficulties with the decision but it has to be sure that USM continues to provide support and opportunities to fulfill the requirements of offering the programs.
Many factors were cited by Dr. Edwin as the reasons for the previous USM-UVI relationship being severed including "change in leadership, change in commitment," the issue of non-payment by students and students dropping out of cohorts. The programs will again be offered in cohorts and steps like having a coordinator will facilitate detection and remediation of challenges that arise.
USM President van den Assem also emphasized that what will be needed for the programs to be successful will also be outlined in the MOU. She added that quality assurance is a concern for UVI while USM also wants to be a quality assured organization. So, there is reciprocity there.
USM and UVI are hoping to start the Masters in Education program this Fall. Persons still interested in MAE program or the BBA programs to be jointly offered with UVI, can contact the University of St. Martin Student Service Center at tel. 542-5171 ext 1000.

Sucker Garden:--- Police arrested a national of Jamaica identified as O.A.K., 31 years old on Saturday evening when he surrendered to Police after stabbing one of his compatriots to death on Saturday afternoon. SMN News learnt that Saturday's killing might be a crime of passion since it appears as though a woman was the cause of the fight and ultimate stabbing. Dead is Washington Ellis (52) of Jamaica. The victim died at the St. Maarten Medical Center from the serious chest injuries he sustained.

According to reliable information reaching SMN News, the suspect was arrested shortly after police was notified that the victim died of the severe stab wounds he received in his chest. SMN News learnt that the fatal stabbing took place in the alley opposite Carolina Bar, behind the Sucker Garden Baptist Church. Sources close to the investigation say the victim was transported in critical condition to the St. Maarten Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries.
Eyewitnesses to the stabbing said the suspect and the victim were engaged in a fight when he was fatally stabbed.

Chief Prosecutor Hans Mos said O.A.K. surrendered to police Saturday evening and he was immediately arrested. When asked if the killing can be considered a crime of passion Mos said there are indications of a certain relationship but he could not confirm or deny if the case is in fact a crime of passion.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Friday morning, 25+ fifth graders from the St. Joseph Primary School, along with their teacher and a parent, visited the House of Parliament at Wilhelmina Straat in Philipsburg.

Arrindell during the school visit also commended a parent who took time off from work to be present to assist the class teacher with the school visit.

"I greatly appreciate the effort made by this parent to attend and support her son. Parents have to take time out of their busy schedules to support their children as they are the future and they need that support," the President of Parliament said on Sunday.

Arrindell was very pleased with the interests shown by the fifth graders into the institution of parliament. "I marvelled at their faces when I see the interaction and the interests they have in the highest institution of the land."

The President of Parliament told the students they should aspire to be part of the institution of parliament as it is a fundamental part of the country's parliamentary democracy.

Arrindell explained the students about the workings of the country's parliamentary democracy with respect to the roles of Members of Parliament (MPs); who were the MPs and Council of Ministers.

During the enactment of a parliamentary session, students posed a number of questions to their fellow students who were acting as Ministers.

The questions that students asked each other were about the economy, crime, and independence for Sint Maarten, life sentence for human trafficking, and how disputes between Ministers are dealt with.

The students at the end of the presentation were also given a tour of the House of Parliament.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- The School Bus Inspection Section is once again addressing a school bus incident between a high school and primary school student.

The incident occurred recently on Bishop Hill. A student from a high school in the Philipsburg area entered the school bus and slapped a student from a primary school because of seating preference. The student in question was also aggressive towards the school bus driver.

The high school student parent was notified and was informed that the student may not take the school bus until the incident has been fully addressed.

There have been other incidents in the past by other students such as school bag snatching, removal of lunch money from a student's bag; pushing or demanding one to move from their seat; teasing of timid students that begins on school premises and continues on the bus.

Section Head School Bussing and Taxi Dispatching Inspection Department of Economic Affairs Martha Thewet, says that school bus bullying will be addressed in a workshop for bus drivers with respect to how to handle it should an incident occur on the bus.

Bullying is unwarranted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.

Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

"Parents, and school staff, have a role to play in preventing bullying. Children and young teenagers need to be explained and understand bullying and learn how to treat others with kindness and respect.

"Fighting in a school bus is dangerous and it threatens the safety of those on the bus as well as other motorized traffic on the road. It is the responsibility of the section to ensure reliable, comfortable and safe bussing of students," Section Head School Bussing and Taxi Dispatching Inspection Department of Economic Affairs Martha Thewet told the Department of Communication on Monday.

Bullying can threaten students' physical and emotional safety at school and can negatively impact their ability to learn. The best way to address bullying is to stop it before it starts.

Riding on the school bus is a privilege, a service provided by Government at no cost.

School busses are privately owned vehicles and parents will be held responsible for their child/children's actions.

Anybody who sees any unusual behavior on or with a school bus is encouraged to report this to the Inspection Section at telephone number 542-4511 or 542-4509 or call the Police if it is an immediate danger.

Pointe Blanche:--- The male prisoners at the Pointe Blanche prison are still in lock down as they continue what they describe as a peaceful strike. Prison Director Rudsel Ricardo said in an invited comment to SMN News that some of the prisoners want to end the strike but there is another group that is threatening those that want to work. Ricardo said the last time that same group attacked the prisoners who wanted to work. "The situation at the Pointe Blanche Prison is very tense because several prisoners are afraid for their lives." Ricardo said on Tuesday afternoon some of the prisoners lit some paper and threw it in the garbage bins causing a fire. He said the fire department and police reacted very quickly and brought the fire under control. Ricardo further explained that while that was taking place, the male prisoners were making noise because they claim they were being affected by the smoke.
The Prison Director said that the female prisoners at the Pointe Blanche Prison are not part of the on-going strike. "The female prisoners are working normally and they are working very hard."
In the meantime, Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams said that the Minister of Justice Roland Duncan is on top of the crisis at the Pointe Blanche prison. "The Minister is aware of the matter and he is handling it." In an invited comment, Minister of Justice Roland Duncan said that media has been giving the prisoners too much exposure. He said one has to understand that the prisoners are locked up for the crimes they committed and the Pointe Blanche prison is like a Hotel and Spa. Minister Duncan said he will not comment on the ongoing situation because in his opinion it's causing more trouble.

Philipsburg:--- Former Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, and Culture Dr. Rhoda Arrindell approved scholarships for some 49 students that have not met the criteria announced Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture Silveria Jacobs.
Minister Jacobs told reporters on Wednesday during the Council of Ministers press briefing that she is not a sheriff but an educator, one of the things she will do as the Minister of Education is apply the letter of the law when it comes to handling the people's business. Minister Jacob said that 237 students applied for study financing, of that amount 134 (56.5%) of those students received a positive response based on the advice issued by the study financing committee. 82 (34.6%) received a negative advice while there are 21 (8.9%) applications that are pending. The committee she said granted 60 students financing to go to the Netherlands and another 30 to the USA and other Caribbean Islands.
Minister Jacobs said the Minister of Education may deviate from the committee's advice since it is her prerogative to do so. Minister Jacobs further explained that the former Minister Rhoda Arrindell granted 208 a whopping 87.8% persons study financing which is against the advice of the committee. 22 persons were denied (9.3%) while 7 (3%) are pending.
Minister Jacobs said when she took office on Monday she met with the head of the study financing department and requested more data, including data from some years ago. She said this year the deviation was vast and dramatic compared to the other years, namely 2010 and 2011. There is a difference this year where 20.9% were granted compared to 2010. She said some 74 students were granted study financing this year despite a negative advice from the committee. Of that amount, 41 of the students who were granted study financing did not meet the basic criteria for study financing therefore their applications were placed under review by the study financing committee. Minister Jacobs said the amount that was sent to the former Minister was within the study financing budget which amounted to 2.1 million guilders. However, the granted amount is projected to cost 3.5 million guilders which is 1.1 million guilders over the budget. Minister Jacob said that based on Article 3 of the study financing ordinance, the Minister could only grant study financing for the available budget and she was aware of this ordinance when she granted the extra persons study financing.
Minister Jacob said she will not burden government by allowing students that are not likely to succeed overseas therefore her Ministry are studying the 41 cases extensively and as soon as she has more information she will make it available to the public of St. Maarten.
Minister Jacob said based on the results they have, there has been a very low success rate from students who choose to study in the Netherlands. She said it is cheaper for the government of St. Maarten to send the students to the Netherlands because the government of St. Maarten only incurs the start up cost. However, in the end students studying in the Netherlands cost government more monies since there is a mere 10% success rate. Study Financing is not a right, it is something students have to earn while parents have to be part of the process by taking responsibility and make provisions for their children from early.
On the teacher absenteeism, the Minister said that teacher absenteeism is in fact a problem for government, however, she intends to look at the sources of the problem prior to attacking. She said that her intention is to model and expect prior to trickling down to the teachers. Minister Jacob also announced that she intends to hold a summit and the end of the school year where the teachers would be given an opportunity to vent their frustrations as well as come up with solutions to the problems plaguing them. "I don't expect teachers to function optimally in an unsanitary environment. We have to analyze the sources that are leading to the high absenteeism. Some of it comes from illness but then I would have to deal with the sick leave policy, because if someone is sick they are sick. However, we do have to deal with the issues of the unmanned classrooms and I do have some plans in place for teacher's assistance. Teachers today are burdened with the new school system and many of them are not able to cope," the Minister said.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Central Committee of Parliament will meet in a public session on May 21 to discuss correspondence from the Corporate Governance Council (CGC), Financial Supervision and the Parliament of Latin America Parlatino.

The meeting will take place on Tuesday afternoon at 2:00pm in the General Assembly Chamber of the House of Parliament at Wilhelmina Straat #2.1 in Philipsburg.

The Central Committee will have a discussion about correspondence submitted from CGC to the Council of Ministers applying Article 4 of the Ordinance Corporate Ordinance.

The second agenda point is the half-year report of financial supervision presented by (former) Dutch Minister of Internal Affairs and Kingdom Relations Hon. J.P.H. Donner.

The third agenda point is a proposal by the Parliament of Latin America Parlatino for Sint Maarten to host two committee meetings on November 22 and 23, 2012.

The committee meeting will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 20 and via Pearl Radio FM 98.1. The audio will be carried via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com.

Philipsburg:--- The Members of Parliament from the National Alliance and the Independent Members were engaged in several meetings these past days to form a government. Up to late Tuesday evening, the members of the National Alliance were still in meetings while the Democratic Party met with their members at the Culture Center in Philipsburg.
Leader of the National Alliance William Marlin began meeting with various MP's to seal an agreement to form "Team St. Maarten." The meetings started after MPs Frans Richardson, Patrick Illidge, and Romaine La Ville made their intentions known during the Calypso finals Friday night. According to information confirmed to SMN News, the three MPs signed a political agreement with the National Alliance on Saturday evening while the National Alliance Leader William Marlin met with the DP faction namely Petrus Leroy de Weever on Sunday to see whether or not the Democratic Party faction was interested in supporting the new coalition.
SMN News further learnt that the Democratic Party has agreed to join the new coalition and the Leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot-Williams will remain the Prime Minister of St. Maarten while Cornelius de Weever will remain in office as the Minister of Health and Labour.
Sources close to the National Alliance said that Member of Parliament Frans Richardson has appointed Romeo Pantophlet to be the Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs, while Roland Tuitt will be appointed by the National Alliance as the Minister of Finance. The National Alliance will also appoint Silveria Jacobs as the Minister of Education while the leader of the National Alliance William Marlin will vacate his seat in Parliament to become the Deputy Prime Minister that will hold the VROMI portfolios and be the Minister in charge of all government owned companies. It is further understood that Minister of Justice Roland Duncan will remain in office as he was appointed by MP Patrick Illidge. According to reliable sources, Rudolph Samuel will take the seat vacated by the leader of the National Alliance in Parliament and Samuel will become the next chairman of Parliament when Gracita Arrindell's term is up in September, while the other Members of Parliament who are supporting the newly formed coalition will remain in Parliament. It is understood that Heneretta Doran York will be appointed Deputy Minister of Pleni-Potentiary.
SMN News also learnt that leader of the United People's Party Theodore Heyliger is trying to secure a seat in Parliament by kicking out Johan Janchi Leonard. So far, the UP leader has not made any announcements about the fall of his government and the reasons why Member of Parliament Romain La Ville left the UP faction.
Late Tuesday evening, Leader of the National Alliance William Marlin stated in a press release that a new government has been formed and Prime Minister of St. Maarten Sarah Wescot Williams and Governor Eugene Holiday have been notified.

Below is the press release from Leader of the National Alliance William Marlin.

 

Formation of a new government for St. Maarten.

On April 30th, 2012, four members of Parliament, MP Romain Laville, MP Patrick Illidge, MP Roy Marlin, and MP Petrus Leroy de Weever, signed a letter addressed to the Prime Minister of St. Maarten, the Honourable Mrs. Sarah Wescot-Williams, informing her that with immediate effect they are withdrawing their support from the government of St. Maarten.

Immediately following that, another letter was signed off on, this time by MPs Romain Laville, Patrick Illidge, Roy Marlin, Petrus Leroy de Weever, Frans Richardson, and William Marlin, on behalf of the National Alliance, representing 5 seats.

This letter, addressed to the Honourable Governor of St. Maarten, Drs. Eugene Holiday, states, that the undersigned members of Parliament of Sint Maarten representing a majority of 10 seats in the Parliament of Sint Maarten, hereby inform that they are prepared to form a new government of Sint Maarten as soon as possible and give that government their support for the remainder of the governing period, 2010 – 2014.

The letter, which was copied to the Prime Minister, further states, that in view of the above, we also request you to ensure that the present caretaker government does not sign off on any decisions with major financial, governmental and political consequences.

On Tuesday evening, the new coalition partners met once again to discuss the division of political responsibilities and signed on to the following:

The National Alliance:
The Minister of VROMI - Deputy Prime Minister.
Minister of Finance
Minister of Education
Deputy Minister Pleni-Potentiary
Chairman of Parliament

The Democratic Party:

Minister of General Affairs – Prime Minister
Minister of Public Health & Labour
Minister Pleni-Potentiary
2nd Vice Chair of Parliament

Independent Member Patrick Illidge:
Minister of Justice

Independent Members Frans Richardson and Romain Laville:
Minister of Economic Affairs (Jointly)

Independent Member Romain Laville:
Deputy Chairman of Parliament

Click here to view the letters sent to Prime Minister and Governor Holiday on the formation of new government and division of portfolios.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Preparations are well underway for National Remembrance Day 2012. Prime Minister Hon. Sarah Wescot-Williams announced on Wednesday that Government will again remember the victims who fought during the Second World War.

The commemoration and wreath-laying ceremony will take place on May 4 at 7:30am at the Captain Hodge's Wharf in Philipsburg.

His Excellency Governor Eugene Holiday and President of Parliament Hon. Gracita Arrindell, representatives of government and uniformed officials will be in attendance.

HE Governor Holiday will inspect the honor guard followed by his line-up next to the President of Parliament and the Prime Minister.

At 8:00am the flag of the Netherlands and of Sint Maarten will be hoisted and flown at half-mast and saluted by the honor guard. This will be followed by an invocation by a representative of the Council of Churches.

At 8:05am the wreath-laying will take place by HE Governor Holiday, the Prime Minister and the President of Parliament.

A minute of silence will be observed in memory of those who died during the war.

The Second World War was a global war that started in 1939 and ended in 1945. It has been described as the most widespread war in history, where more than 100 million people served their countries in military groups.

Approximately 50 to 70 million people lost their lives making it the deadliest conflict in human history.

The St. Maarten Nature Foundation is once again warning about the possibility of large amounts of Sargasso Seaweed washing ashore on local beaches. Based on surveys at sea and in the air there are several large patches of Sargassum seaweed heading into the general direction of St. Maarten. 

Sargassum 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 had been plaguing the Caribbean and St. Maarten last year, with the Foundation having to warn swimmers to avoid swimming in Guana Bay in August and September due to the large amount of Sargasso Weed and many beach front residences and hotels having to continuously clean washed up Sargassum. After a few months' respite large mats of Sargassum have once again started to appear in the area. The resulting large influx of Sargasso Weed has been due to a suspected southward shift in the Gulf Stream, which has pushed the Sargasso Sea– an area of the Atlantic Ocean where Sargasso Weed is in thick concentration, south to our area.

"We started to notice patches of Sargassum appearing in the area around the beginning of March and have seen a steady increase since then. We did an aerial survey recently and patrols in that direction and we have indeed seen some large mats of the seaweed headed in our direction. We will monitor the situation closely not only for the interest of the population but also as it relates to the sea turtles that come to nest on our beaches," commented Tadzio Bervoets, Nature Foundation Manager.

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.

Marigot:--- Close to 100 emergency personnel from the French and Dutch side are searching for four persons that were on board a TAI Medivac plane that departed the L'Esperance Airport in Grand Case at 2:39am Saturday morning enroute to Martinique. Prefet Delegue Phillipe Chopin told SMN News that he is currently in charge of the rescue operation taking place between Tintamare, Pinel Island, and Cul de Sac where it is believed the aircraft fell. Chopin said that a doctor, nurse, patient and pilot were on board when the plane fell and up to 10am Saturday morning the bodies of the victims were not found. Chopin further explained that two divers from the Gendarmerie were involved in the operation since early Saturday morning and they are expecting six more divers from Guadeloupe sometime Saturday afternoon to continue the search. Chopin said the divers managed to recover some parts from the plane which are being stored at Anse Marcel. He said an investigation is now underway which will be lead by the Prosecutor Jacques Louvier. Prosecutor Jacques Louvier was also at the Grand Case Airport on Saturday morning with the two divers that were part of the rescue operation.
Prefet Chopin said their priority right now is to find the victims that were on board the aircraft and then they will do their best to locate the aircraft. SMN News learnt that the Dutch sea rescue team left the scene after they found the landing gear and other parts from the aircraft just after 10am.
SMN News has reliably informed that the rescue personnel already found some body parts in the water. One source on the scene said they found half of a body and other body parts of the victims floating in the water. However, Prefet Chopin said he will not confirm if the information we received is true. It should be noted that while Prefet Chopin said there were two divers from the Gendarmerie at the scene, SMN News saw that both divers had already left the scene way before those from Guadeloupe arrived.
Eyewitnesses say that the aircraft burst into flames less than five minutes after take-off and the pilot tried to ditch the plane but somehow misjudged the height of the plane from the sea since it was extremely dark. Sea rescue operators told SMN News that the impact was tragic based on what they saw and recovered at the scene.
SMN News learnt that the St. Maarten Medical Center contacted a hospital in Martinique and asked that they send an air ambulance for the patient sometime late Friday evening. Sources said that an air ambulance came in at the Princess Juliana International Airport just after midnight Friday to pick up the patient but they encountered mechanical problems and the aircraft could not start for them to leave. It is further understood that is when TAI was contacted to transport the patient and the crew that came in to evacuate the patient to Martinique.
According to information reaching SMN News, a Greek-Cypriot tourist on board one of the cruise ships was taken to the St. Maarten Medical Center when he got a severe heart attack. The source said the man, was on his honeymoon on the ship and while on St. Maarten he got a severe heart attack and needed emergency medical care. President of the L'Esperance Airport identified the pilot of TAI as Bruno Le Jeune (43).
It should be noted that the French civil aviation halted the services of Jet Budget on November 15, 2011 after they were informed that TAI was having financial problems and that the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital had terminated TAI contract and awarded it to Jet Budget. According to reports from LCF Hospital, TAI's services were not in compliance with up to date medical evacuation for critically ill patients. The union once said that their timeworn and poorly equipped aircraft offers precarious transportation conditions.

Tiger Sharks hindered Rescue Operation.

SMN News has been reliably informed that a number of Tiger Sharks hindered the search and rescue of the four victims of the crash. According to reports reaching SMN News, divers from the Gendarmerie and St. Maarten Sea Rescue had to halt their mission when they saw a large amount of Tiger Sharks in the water. A source from the St. Maarten Sea Rescue said that they managed to recover the upper body parts of the victims. "Victims of plane crashes are normally cut into two pieces because of the seat belt attachment. Sea Rescue operators managed to recover the right hand side of the upper body and parts of the chest of the victims."

Victims Identified by Prefet Delegue --- French Civil Aviation to lead Investigation.

Prefet Delegue Phillipe Chopin identified the four victims of the Medivac crash on Saturday afternoon at a press conference. The pilot of the ill-fated TAI air ambulance has been identified as Bruno Le Jeune. The doctor who travelled from Martinique to accompany the patient has been identified as Jean Michel Dudiot, the nurse who accompanied him has been identified as Gerard Omere, both from the SMUR of Martinique, while the heart patient, a visitor to St. Maarten has been identified as Panayiotis Vrionides, a Greek- Cypriot.
Chopin also confirmed that the doctor and nurse came to St. Maarten on their own medivac plane but the aircraft encountered mechanical difficulties and that was the reason TAI was contacted. Chopin said the investigation into the crash is being led by the Prefet of Guadeloupe and the French Civil Aviation will be arriving on St. Martin on Sunday to begin an investigation into the cause of the accident. All documentation regarding the TAI air ambulance has been seized by authorities for the investigation on the Piper Cheyenne III with registration number F-GXES.
In the meantime, the Prefet has issued an order to prevent anyone from travelling near to Tintamare Island since most of the debris found thus far was close to Tintamare. Chopin said they expect parts of the plane to wash ashore on Tintamare beach and they need to safeguard everything that is recovered for the investigation.
Prosecutor Jacques Louvier said the Gendarmes will be receiving special assistance to conduct their side of the investigation. He said that the victim was hospitalized on the Dutch side but stopped at the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital Friday night for medication shortly before he was taken to the Grand Case Airport for take-off to Martinique.
Reporters pressed both Prefet Chopin and Prosecutor Jacques Louvier for answers regarding the TAI aircraft since medical professionals at the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital made it clear that the aircraft was not in good order for sanitary evacuation. Prefet Chopin said he is aware of the decisions taken by his colleague Prefet Delegue Jacques Simmonet. He said when he arrived on St. Martin he revoked that order, and to date TAI does not transport patients for the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital. He said while there were media reports about the TAI aircraft, civil aviation did not revoke their license and their contract with L'Esperance Airport was also still valid. TAI transports medical patients that are willing to pay for private air evacuation. The evacuation on Saturday morning was paid for by the patient's insurance company.

Click here to see more photos of the Gendarmes, Prosecutor, and Prefet at the Grand Case Airport on Saturday morning.

Marigot:--- SMN News received detailed information from someone who seems to know exactly what transpired prior to the TAI aircraft crash which took the lives of four people early Saturday morning. A press release dated May 6th 2012 with detailed information states that everyone needs to know the details of the plane crash a Piper Cheyenne III registration F-GXES company TAI (Air Transport Intercaraïbes) which occurred shortly after takeoff from St. Martin Grand Case Espérance May 5, 2012 at 2:38 am while the aircraft was engaged in a private medical evacuation mission to Fort de France, on behalf (charter) company IWIA (International West Indies Assistance) 97200 Fort de France.
The facts they said is the company Iwia (International Assitance West Indies) 97200 Fort de France, whose corporate purpose is to organize repatriation flights was contacted by the latter is contacted by the patient's private insurance Cypriot and organizes the evacuation of the patient who was hospitalized on the Dutch (SMMC) of the island of St Martin bound for Martinique. According to medical personnel at the hospital in the Dutch side (SMMC: St. Maarten Medical Center), the patient was in-transportable because of his cardiac instability. Nevertheless, and against all odds, the company chartering the company IWIA TC AIR (based in Martinique) provided an aircraft, a King Air 90 F-GBPZ registration.
The aircraft took off with a single pilot, a doctor and a nurse. The aircraft landed at Juliana Airport in the evening but could not depart because of a mechanical failure which confined it to the ground.
At 11:55 p.m. The doctor, identified as Jean Michel Dudouit (who died in the accident) called the operations center of the company Jet Budget (St Maarten) requesting assistance to transport the patient to Fort de France Martinique.
The company, Jet Budget through Christopher Chassel informs that the doctor that they have a contract, Louis Constant Fleming Hospital and therefore they must remain available 24/24 for the French side hospital. Mr Chassel Christophe refused to give the patient and doctor any assistance but advised the IWIA doctor to take the patient to the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital so that he could have been stabilized and they could have left the following morning to Fort de France.
According to the press release IWIA and the doctor has perfect knowledge of the security problems of the airline TAI, yet they decided to charter an aircraft from the company. The writer of the press release said that an (Ambulance Eric) transported the patient and medical team, to the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital and they have since confirmed that the patient had no less than five cardiac arrests in the ambulance from Juliana Airport and St Martin Grand Case. (Travel time 30 minutes at this late hour) This statement confirms that the patient was in-transportable. The patient's condition worsens to the point that the doctor on board demanded that medication be furnished by the Louis Constant Fleming Hospital prior to their departure to Fort de France. These medications were given to them and it was administered on the tarmac at the Grand Case Airport.
The unit of TAI (Piper Cheyenne GXES registered F-1981) took off from Grand Case (which opened its runway at night) with a single pilot and crashes shortly after takeoff from Grand Case and the islet of Tintamarre killing four people (pilot, doctor, nurse and patient). All this with the consent of its leader Gerard M April, present on the airport tarmac at the times of the facts.
Note that the second pilot of the TAI, which had to be present was not contacted ... (This demonstrates the operational and organizational TAI makes DIY air ...) Witnesses (on Orient Bay) said they saw the aircraft flying at very low altitude and making a loud and abnormal noise.
The writer of the press release which was written in the French Language gave some background information on the operations of TAI .
"For many years the medical staff of the hospital of St. Martin (Louis Constant Fleming) had protested the conditions and securities of company aircraft TAI denouncing "aircraft trash" The company TAI had his contract terminated for MEDEVAC by Hospital of St Martin in June 2010 on grounds of general interest (clearly dominated by the poor security apparatus) To maintain its hold on the evacuation of the island of St. Martin, the influential leaders of the company TAI even managed to reduce their exclusive benefit traffic rights to other airlines (including some with aircraft type Jet entirely medicalized), so that none of such charterer or originator of the French side of the island of St Martin could not organize a medical evacuation flight ... without prior consultation with the company ... The company TAI, supported by civil aviation authorities locally, regionally and nationally, has appealed the decision breach of contract before the administrative court of Basse Terre. The judge conclude January 5, 2012 "recognized that the TAI is jeopardizing patient safety and medical teams"
On January 5, 2012, coordination of doctors at the hospital of St Martin, asked the Regional Agency for Health to suspend recognition of the company's health TAI! Nothing was done, TAI continues to be allowed to operate flights for medical evacuation.
Questions: 1 - How to society Iwia you she organized the evacuation Health? Using a company whose first unit fails then chartered a second with the TAI with the consequences that we know? The UAS of Fort de France is not the principal, it is Iwia which is principal, because it is a private medical flight.

2 - Why such stubbornness in wanting to transport a patient "in-transportable" Hospital of the Dutch party to Martinique? The simple transfer of the patient from the hospital in the Dutch part of the island, to the hospital in the French side could have saved lives! Indeed the French hospital could have triggered the evacuation under contract with the operator! The patient with Cyprus may be a European social security ...

3 - It seems that the financial implications (Payment of a nice amount of money by insurance
private company Iwia) have surpassed all the principles of medical ethics and aviation safety.

4 - How full-time employees of the Hospital of Fort de France, may find themselves engaged in a private medical evacuation abroad? Should check the list of personnel of this company, but also the list of shareholders ...

5 - Witnesses report seeing the aircraft flying at an altitude abnormal and emitting considerable noise. These testimonials are key because it can be said that the inhabitants of the island of St Martin have a significant visual and sensory experience in aviation (every day people see dozens of aircraft in flight around the island of St Martin and they have dens and visual sensory unconscious)

6 - What is happened between 11:55 p.m. hours call the doctor Iwia is 2:33 departure time? The patient care "ambulance" they would have been different or better at the Centre Hospitalier of St Martin? Why a stubborn way?

7 - A single-pilot! It's a habit with TAI, especially at 2:30 am! Doctors at the Hospital Louis Constant Fleming for years always denounced this fact.

8 - The device Piper PA-42 Cheyenne III of the company F-GXES is a unit of more than 30 years old (built in 1981). It'sa device "reformed" by the French customs with which he had already provided 20 years of missions! How a camera by reformed the state can still be used to make medical evacuation flights private or public?
9 - A former pilot who died suddenly of TAI (Michel Desbois) to openly declared and publicly denounced multiple failures and other serious problems on the device Piper PA42-F GXES ... Many witnesses and meeting minutes from the hospital demonstrate. It would have informed the DGCA Regional. For having spoken too much, this driver was dismissal procedure just before his death.
10 - Rumor has it that the company TAI because of these influential leaders, obtained easily and at will "opt out" administrative! But also exceptions "potential drivers" on the F-GXES. BEA and its experts will focus on our audits.

11 - The financial resources and maintenance of the company TAI will be scrutinized.
12 - With what exceptions the company TAI to you it could re-open the track in Grand Case at 2:30 am? Under what procedures? With what alternate airport "open" at this late hour? Recall that the control tower juliana which manages air traffic in the area
was closed at the time. Remember that airport Grand Case is known to be an airport "special" for takeoffs / landings at night?
13 - A meeting of staff of the control tower of Grand Case was held recently before the Drama. The latter denounced the obligation by the managers of the Grand Case airport to "reopen" the night (no requisition of the prefecture!) On behalf of the company TAI while the latter is no longer under contract public service with the hospital of St Martin!! Response of the company managing the airport in Grand Case, "If you do not open at night, it lowers your wages!" 14 - M Belloti (Expert recognized air) and M Mangenot (DGAC St Martin) close friends of Mr. Jack Gerard Simmonet April and will be excluded from the survey. Here are 14 points, the obvious questions about the "chain of responsibility" that led to the death of four persons. This accident demonstrates alone, while all public authorities were warned of severe long-standing security problems of TAI, but their actions were improperly supported "a French company and its influential leaders" at the expense of safety. And finally, again, that all arguments, whether personal, financial or competitive must never override safety.

(Above is an un-edited version of the English Translation of the press release sent to SMN News.)

Click here to view the French version of the press release sent to SMN News.

Great Bay:--- Minister of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, Dr. Rhoda Arrindell says she is "terribly disappointed and seriously concerned" about the recent dismissal of the Director of the St. Maarten Student Support Services (S4) in The Netherlands, Drs. Marva Richardson by the Board of the S4 Foundation.
"This comes at a most inappropriate time, seeing that preparations for the new batch of students going to study in The Netherlands this year will soon commence. I am terribly disappointed and seriously concerned about the latest developments," Minister Arrindell said in her first public comments on the dismissal.
"Of course, as a private foundation and employer of Drs. Marva Richardson, the S4 board has every right to act in the way it deems fit. However, the foundation was established by the St. Martin government with the sole purpose of taking care of St. Martin students in The Netherlands, thereby replacing the former SSNA which performed that function before," the Minister noted.
"What concerns me most about the manner in which the dismissal of the director took place is that the reasons given by the board are so vague and unsubstantiated," she added.
Recalling events that apparently led to this new situation, Minister Arrindell said: "On March 6, 2012, I held discussions with members of the S4 board at a meeting I had convened in my office and informed them that based on the actions of the S4 board and reports in the media, I had concerns that the board was not following the same path as the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, and Youth Affairs regarding its study financing policies for students abroad. I also made it clear to the board that as minister, I was very satisfied with the functioning of the S4 director Drs. Marva Richardson. I stressed that, in my opinion, the director had been executing the ministry's policies almost to the letter."
"At the aforementioned meeting, the S4 treasurer assured me that there would be improved communication between the S4 board and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, and Youth Affairs. However, rather than improve, communication between the S4 board and the Ministry became almost non-existent while, at the same time, the Board prohibited the S4 director from communicating directly with the Ministry, contrary to the explicit stipulations of the existing Service Level Agreement between government and S4."
"The following facts may shed some light on what is happening at S4:

1. "The S4 board consists of five members—none of them from St. Martin, and none, with the exception of the treasurer, who recently moved to St. Martin to work, have ever lived in St. Martin and cannot therefore relate to the reality of the St. Martin student. The S4 director is a St. Martiner, who has a profound understanding of the St. Martin students' needs and government's policy direction.
2. The treasurer, a prominent member of the S4 board, the one who apparently orchestrated the demise of the S4 director, has been parading himself as the advisor to MP Romain Laville and the NA faction. Among the personal reasons he may have for wanting to dismiss the S4 director is the fact the S4 director had dismissed a staff member with whom he reportedly had a relationship at the time.
3. Could it be a coincidence that the S4 director was fired immediately after the so-called "Carnival coup" to bring down the UP-led coalition government? The episode brings to mind the riveting 1999 play, "Coups and Calypsos" by award-winning author and playwright, Marlene Nourbese Philip.
4. At the meeting with the S4 board I mentioned earlier, the same board member had inquired if by expressing my confidence in the S4 Director, it was implied that the Board should take their "hands off" her. I answered that basically that was the idea because she was executing very well the policies of the Ministry. Her subsequent dismissal shortly thereafter could therefore be construed as a power play: the Board trying to show that it could do as it pleases, regardless of the opinion of the Minister.
5. It is certainly worth noting that this is not the first time the S4 Board has had problems with its directors. There have been only two Directors since S4 was established, both of them highly qualified St. Martin women and both of them unceremoniously dismissed by the Board. How can a person have a problem with all his neighbors and the neighbors all be the problem?
6. In the past two years the S4 director has been able to save government over a million guilders. When she cooperated with government to have the funds returned to St. Martin to use for other education projects, she was reprimanded by the board.
7. In February of this year, as part of its efforts to undermine the S4 Director, the Board hired a so-called "coach" at a fee of 14,000 Euros per month, even though she does not work full-time. When I raised the issue of where the board would find the money to pay her, I was informed that her appointment was just for a month. Yet the "coach" remains employed up to this day.

"I am sure Drs. Marva Richardson is very capable of defending herself against the media campaign unleashed against her by the S4 Board following her dismissal. However, I want to make it abundantly clear that the interests of the over 200 St. Martin students in Holland is certainly not best served by the modus operandi of the current S4 Board."

Since last week's fall of the UP/DP Government of St. Maarten which was installed on October 10th 2010, The Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams last night commented on the political uncertainty and speculation which has been occurring on the island.

"That the UP/DP government had lost its majority support became evident from a declaration to that effect signed on April 28th, 2012 by the now former UP Parliamentarian Mr. Romain Laville and Independent member of Parliament Mr. Patrick Illidge. This declaration was signed in collaboration with the N.A. faction and Independent Member of Parliament Mr. Frans Richardson which, in essence, commanded a majority of 8 seats in the Parliament of St. Maarten" commented the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister continued by stating that left in the middle were the factions of the UP with five seats and the DP with two seats. "Following communications by the Members of Parliament who jointly represented 8 seats, talks were formally initiated with the Democratic Party about broadening the base of support for the next government of St. Maarten. That broadening of support was one option available to the Democratic Party, the other being the Democratic Party choosing to take its two current seats and joining the UP in the opposition benches,"

Wescot-Williams also stated that it is public knowledge by now that the Democratic Party, strengthened by the support of its membership and the overall public sentiment, chose to be part of the next coalition consisting of the NA and Independent Members Laville, Richardson and Illidge.

"Based on the UP/DP governing program and the actions of the UP/DP government for the past 19 months, the focal points for the Democratic Party have been shown to be a people-oriented, strong and transparent government with an emphasis on checks and balances and sustainable development. The process may have been been slower than we might have wanted but it was durable. How these goals are to be pursued in the new political reality remains a point of discussion with the new partners forming the government of St. Maarten," continued the Prime Minister.

"As Prime Minister of this country and leader of the Democratic Party it is my pledge that as St. Maarten goes into this new week, when it is expected that I will tender the resignation of the UP/DP cabinet and enter into formal discussions regarding the next government for our country St. Maarten, that we who have taken the responsibility of governing must now truly lead by example, an example of unity amongst ALL of our people. While politics will be politics, it is for the sake of all of our people that we do not have the luxury to draw political divides across our country. This is a first for country St. Maarten and I believe it is my duty, especially at this present moment, to ensure that the foundation that is laid for future generations and young people who have political aspirations is a strong and solid one," said the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister continued by stating that although the basic laws that govern our electoral and political systems are in place, many regulations as a result of these laws are yet to be devised. The Prime Minister also believes that some of these laws need to be amended, allowing St. Maarten to grow and find its own way.
"There has also been some speculation about intermittent elections, which according to our constitution would take place if the parliament is dissolved. While the decision to dissolve parliament rests with government, it should be in my opinion a last resort. Furthermore, if certain laws are not amended or further worked out, dissolving Parliament and calling for new elections will only be a solution until the next political disagreement," concluded Prime Minister Wescot-Williams.

Great Bay:--- "Two world records and one French national record were set right here on St. Martin on Saturday, May 5, but when we open the papers today, we don't find nothing about this. Where is the love on this island for sports? This has to change."
This observation was made by Patricio Bridgewater, chairman of the Technical Committee, in presenting the draft Sports Policy the Committee had been working on for the last three months to Minister of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs, Dr. Rhoda Arrindell, in a simple ceremony at the Dr. A. C. Wathey Hall, Monday morning. He was referring to the performance of international athletes at the 6th St. Maarten/St. Martin International Track and Field Meet held at the Alberic Richards stadium in Marigot over the weekend.
Minister Arrindell thanked the Technical Committee for a job well-done. She had set up and given three months to produce a draft Sports policy for the island. The Minister further presented a copy of the draft Sports Policy to the chairman of the National Sports Institute, Al Wathey, stressing that the Institute was established to execute government policy in sports.
The Minister stated that the idea of a sports policy was not hers, and pointed to the fact that her predecessors have also drafted similar policies but which needed to be updated.
"A policy is a living document; it's a dynamic document that evolves with time as we change but the policy should also be able to adjust. This is a three to four year policy plan. We intended to take the document back to the stakeholders for their feedback," Minister Arrindell said.
The objective, she continued, was to publish the final policy document in the form of a manual by the end of this year.
Bridgewater remarked that the policy indeed is just words on paper. "The only way it would have value is if it is put into action. This is therefore the starting point, the guideline for the Sports Institute," he said, adding that three months is not enough to do justice to a document of this nature.
He pledged the support of the Technical Committee should the board (of the National Sports Institute) need such support or advice.
Chairman of the Board of the Sports Institute, Mr. Al Wathey, in thanking the Technical Committee for its work, said the Institute was the brainchild of the Minister. "When we look on paper at the purpose of the Sports Institute, we see the easy part; the easy part is the management of sports facilities on St. Martin, but the real challenge is the reconstructing and the organizing of sports on St. Martin," he said.
"Frankly speaking," Wathey continued, "Mr. Bridgewater said three months is not enough; I will tell you three months sitting on the bench untried, untested, was a long time. I'm happy to receive the draft policy, and ready to read it, have set up a structure to remain in contact with the Technical Committee and we're very anxious to get started."
Minister Arrindell presented each member of the Technical Committee with a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition of the work they had done in such a short period of time.

Philipsburg:--- On Tuesday 8th May, 2012 at approximately five in the afternoon the Prime Minister of St. Maarten the Honorable Sarah Wescot-Williams personally handed in her Cabinet's resignation to the Governor of St. Maarten Drs. Eugene Holiday. The Prime Minister handed in her Cabinet's resignation after having received the official resignation of the four UP members Deputy Prime Minister Theo Heyliger, Minister Hiro Shigemoto, Minister Rhoda Arrindell, and Minister Franklin Meyers as well as the signatures of Minister Roland Duncan and Minister Cornelius de Weever. The official letter indicating the Prime Minister's resignation will also be forwarded to the Parliament of St. Maarten.

In comments earlier this week, the Prime Minister stated that as Prime Minister of this country and leader of the Democratic Party it is her pledge that as formal discussions regarding the next government for our country St. Maarten begins, it is those who have taken the responsibility of governing that must now truly lead by example, an example of unity amongst all of our people. The Prime Minister further stressed that new elections should be in her opinion, a last resort. "If certain laws are not amended or further worked out, dissolving Parliament and calling for new elections will only be a solution until the next political disagreement," commented Prime Minister Wescot-Williams.

"While politics will be politics, it is for the sake of all of our people that we do not have the luxury to draw political divides across our country. This is a first for country St. Maarten and I believe it is my duty, especially at this present moment, to ensure that the foundation that is laid for future generations," concluded the Prime Minister.

 

Press Release from His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday.

 

Resignation of current government and start of Consultations.

Harbour View:--- On Tuesday May 8, 2012 Prime Minister Wescot-Williams presented His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, a letter dated May 8, 2012, making the portfolios of the Ministers and the Minister Plenipotentiary available and tendering the resignation of her entire Cabinet.
The Governor informed the Prime-Minister that he will consider her request. He called upon the Ministers and the Minister Plenipotentiary to continue their duties in the interest of Sint Maarten and to continue working with him until a decision has been taken concerning the request for resignation.
The Governor decided to start consultations, directly following the request for resignation, in order to arrive at the formation of a new Cabinet. The consultations will take place on May 9 and 10 with the Vice-Chairperson of the Advisory Council, the President of Parliament, and the leaders of all the political parties who have a seat in Parliament.

Philipsburg:--- Appointed Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Franklin Meyers decided to clear the air on Wednesday on the fall of the UP/DP government. Meyers said there were lots of things he had to tolerate while in office for the past 19 months simply because he was an appointed Minister and not one that was elected by the voters.
Minister Meyers said that he feels that the former coalition government UP/DP was a stable government and they worked hard over the period of time they held office. Meyers said now that his government fell he is not looking for anyone's sympathy instead he wants to clear the air regarding certain rumors because if they are not addressed they will live a life of their own. Meyers said that everyone on St. Maarten knows that his companion is Brenda Wathey, furthermore one of the reasons given for the fall of the UP/DP government is because many persons are of the opinion that most of the government contracts were awarded to Brenda Wathey. Minister Meyers said several Members of Parliament have been making these comments behind the scenes. He said should these Members of Parliament make the statements publicly then his intention is to take them to court where they would have to prove what they are saying. "My challenge to Frans Richardson, Romaine La Ville, Roy Marlin, and Petrus Le Roy de Weever is to prove what they have said about Brenda Wathey and Franklin Meyers. If these MP's can prove what they are saying then I am guilty as charged, but I know they cannot prove those things and if they say it publicly then I intend to take them to court, because this government has fallen because of their greed and self interest." Furthermore, St. Maarten is heading to a dangerous place because of self interest. "What I am saying now will manifest itself. I am not crying sour grapes because the people of St. Maarten know what they got when I was in office. I have always been open to the media and the only time I did not respond to the media was when May Lyn Chung was appointed as the Director of the Tourism Office. I was not ready at the time to release the information when the media asked me. I have never used my office for my own self interest and if anyone says that publicly I will loose my lawyers on them because it's all blatant lies. I advised Brenda to go out there and defend herself. She was accused of having shares in Pelican."
Meyers said that it is rumored the catering and cleaning services for the Princess Juliana International Airport were supposed to be taken away from the present contractors (GODDART and Eugene James) and given to Brenda Wathey. Meyers said it is also rumored that the taxi concessions at the AC Wathey Cruise Facility will be taken away from the Dutch Taxi Association (DSTA) and be given to Brenda Wathey, all of which he said has no truth and it is all blatant lies. Meyers said that since he was not an elected Minister he did not think he should be the one to say things that would have jeopardize the UP/DP government. Meyers further explained that over the past year and a half he and his family were targeted to the point where he could not defend themselves because if he did he would have been used as the scapegoat for the demise of the government. "Today, I am able to talk and defend myself because the baby has been born and I am the father," as he refers to the fall of the UP/DP government.
Minister Meyers has since issued a challenge to the Members of Parliament that are saying that all of the contracts were going to be awarded to Brenda Wathey; to prove such since he has always lived his life as an open book. Minister Meyers said that he was referred to as the "mafia and king-pin" during his tenure in government all of which has taken him by surprise. Meyers said one thing for sure he never made any two million dollar deal and neither did he ask for payment in exchange of licenses as the Minister of Economic Affairs. He further stated that he sleeps well at night. Meyers said that while certain MP's are saying publicly that they have not received anything and that it's about the people of St. Maarten. He said they are all using their seats in Parliament for their own interest.
"Nowhere in the world you have Parliamentarians go to the offices of Ministers and set up meetings with people and travel to Miami and inviting the Ministers. These are some of the real reasons why the UP/DP government fell." Meyers said those are some of the conditions they were forced to work under yet they did it. He said at no time did he disrespect any of the MP's and he did meet with them whenever they wanted to meet. He also made clear that there are certain legislative measures and rules that had to be followed. Meyers said that was one of the reasons he did not attend the meetings that were planned in Miami because he had to be able to defend himself and his name. The outgoing Minister said he is not afraid to be in St. Maarten even though he was born in Sint Eustatius to St. Maarten parents. Meyers went as far as saying that he helped the St. Maarten people in several ways throughout in his life. "I have saved people who were about to lose their homes, and I also help people by granting them taxi licenses. I also went to banks and guaranteed loans for people whether or not I was in politics."
As for the UP faction leader Romaine La Ville who claims he is an activist and a man for the people and who could not fly first class to see a fight and lose $1000.00 in a bet. Meyers said he is guilty of going to Las Vegas to see a boxing match on November 12th 2011 but he did not bet any money on the fight. Meyers said it would have been a tragedy if he had traveled on government's expense but he traveled to Las Vegas at his own expense. Furthermore, he made clear that he traveled the world at his own expense and people should be rewarded when they work hard. Meyers said there are lots of things he cannot relate to for example he cannot relate to going to Tantra night club and spending $1,500 in the VIP lounge on weekends. Meyers said people need to know how to spend their money. His advice however, especially the young people should spend their monies wisely. Meyers said he resigned from politics in 2007 and because of the support the UP received in 2010 he was appointed. Meyers also announced on Thursday that he will be contesting the 2014 Parliamentary elections and he will expose the MP's that are currently in Parliament. "I will be their worst nightmare I will expose them and show what it is to be for the people of St. Maarten because I have always looked out for the people of St. Maarten." Meyers said he knows his limits and cheap service. "Let's talk about Sucker Garden I once lived in Pelican with Brenda Wathey but I built my house in Sucker Garden, the business that I owned is in Sucker Garden while I built a sports facility in Sucker Garden when I was Commissioner of Sports. I don't do lip service I live by example and I am a true Sucker Garden man. I did not move from Sucker Garden to the Suburb, instead I moved from the Suburb to Sucker Garden." Meyers made clear that he will not tolerate blame for anything that he did not do because he is able and capable of defending himself. Meyers said that the UP is down now but they are definitely not out. He predicted that the incoming coalition will not last seven months.
Minister Meyers said that as of Friday he will no longer be in office as a Minister but will continue to receive his salary for the next two years. He said throwing the government down adds more stress on the government's budget. "I will be doing nothing for the next two years but being a pain in the new government's backside while campaigning for the 2014 elections."

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You are cordially invited to: "An Evening with the Toastmasters" a sample presentation of what Toastmasters is all about.
This special sample meeting will feature an array of Toastmasters presenters from throughout the Caribbean.
DATE: Thursday, May 17th 2012.
VENUE: Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Royal Pavilion
TIME: 7:15pm
Entrance FREE

Come out and witness Toastmasters at its very best!

The St. Maarten Nature Foundation has partnered with local fishermen Roger Lesperance and Macklin Davis in an effort to further control the lionfish population. On Wednesday evening the two fishermen brough in a total of eleven lionfish which were caught in fish traps in local waters. The Lionfish were handed over to the Nature Foundation for dissection and stomach content analysis. "Fishermen are at the forefront in combating the lionfish infestation on the island and we are very grateful for their help in this issue," commented Nature Foundation Manager Tadzio Bervoets.
The lionfish is an invasive species which was introduced into the Caribbean through the aquarium trade. The fish is a threat to local fisheries because they have the potential to destroy local fishing grounds and the economies which depend on them. The lionfish is also a venomous species which can inflict a dangerous sting; therefore the Nature Foundation requests that if a lionfish is spotted to please contact the Foundation at 5444267 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Philipsburg:--- Territorial Councilor and Leader of Team Daniel Gibbs, Daniel Gibbs declared his candidacy for the Legislative Elections which is to be held on June 9th and 16th 2012.
At a press conference on Friday, Gibbs also introduced his running mate and Co-deputy Mrs. Karine Miot of St. Barthelemy. Miot is the third vice president of the Territorial Council of St. Barthelemy. Miot attended the press conference where she was introduced for the upcoming race. Gibbs said Miot will be more than a co-deputy, instead she will be of real assistance since St. Martin is much different that St. Barths. However, their experiences will be key to the islands' success. He thanked Miot for placing her confidence in him as well as for accepting to be his running mate.

TALLAHASSEE, Florida:--- The Tallahassee-St. Maarten Foundation Inc. (TLH-SXMF) Director Arthur Lugisse, assisted eight City of Tallahassee delegates during a recent rest and relaxation visit to the island.

One of the visits coordinated by TLH-SXMF Executive Director Lugisse was a meeting with President of the Collectivite Hon. Alain Richardson. Lugisse said it was a good opportunity for the Tallahassee officials to also meet the head of the Government of the North side of the island and explore possibilities with respect to the sister-city agreement that already exists with Sint Maarten, hoping to create positive opportunities by way of the partnership when it comes to the development of St. Martin/St. Maarten, where both sides should work together.

"The TLH-SXMF will act as the main promoter and maintain contact with President Richardson with respect to exploring further the opportunities that exist under the existing framework of the city-sister agreement," Executive Director Arthur Lugisse said.

The delegation that visited the island was headed by Deputy Fire Chief John Gatlin from the Tallahassee City Fire Department. It also included representatives from Public Safety, Law enforcement, Government environmental engineering, Medical and Private sector business.

Philipsburg:--- UTS announces the winner of 6 months Caribserve Broadband Internet service. During select nights of carnival 2012, the Chippie promo team conducted a survey in the Festival Village amongst Chippie customers. As as a thank you for participation customers received $ 5 Chippie prepaid credit and were also entered for a chance to win 6 months of Caribserve Broadband Internet service. "We appreciate the time taken by our customers to complete our survey," stated UTS Marketing and Communications Officer Ivy Lambert. "We value their feedback and took time out during carnival to learn about who they are and what matters most to them. We have analyzed the information gathered and will work hard to continue to be our customers' telecom provider of choice". The winner of the 6 months free Caribserve broadband internet service was the ecstatic South Reward resident; Mr. Cavin Bridgewater.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Outgoing Minister of Finance Hon. Hiro Shigemoto says that he has responded to the Committee of Financial Supervision (CFT) two letters dated May 9, 2012 with respect to the 2012 National Budget.

The CFT correspondence was concerning a perceived deficit related to the 2012 budget.

"I would like to set the record straight with respect to certain circles in the media misinforming the community. In my two letters to the CFT of May 14, 2012, I address the first quarterly report wherein it is explained that due to the increased income for the first quarter as well as the under spending of the budget 2012, we do not foresee a deficit as yet.

"There are other issues which need to be dealt with in the budget amendment and for which coverage must be sought. However, as I mentioned in my press conference last Wednesday, those are decisions which need to be made which will have consequences for the 2013 National Budget and further if they are not dealt with, i.e. methodology of calculating the payment of cost of living adjustment from 2011 onward, increasing the pensionable age or going over to a pension calculated on the average salary as opposed to the end salary. These are decisions which the new government have to deal with as they were about to be dealt with by the outgoing government.

"Furthermore both letters from the CFT were answered by my person and sent via fax and email to the secretariat. Had the Today Newspaper checked its facts before printing the story they would have known this although the knowledge of such doesn't guarantee that they would have printed it as it starkly contradicts their story," Outgoing Minister of Finance Hon. Hiro Shigemoto, said on Sunday.

Philipsburg:--- The Chairman of the General Audit Chamber submitted his notification of resignation to the Board of the General Audit Chamber in a letter dated May 20, 2012. Mr. R.S. Tuitt was sworn in as the Minister of Finance on Monday, May 21. As per the National Ordinance on the General Audit Chamber as well as the Constitution, the function of member of the board of the Audit Chamber and Minister of Finance are incompatible.
Mr. Tuitt was the chairman of the General Audit Chamber from the start of the institution in 2010. His term, along with the other members, was for two years.
Operations will not be affected by the departure of the Chairman. Mr. Ronald Halman will serve as acting chairman. The remaining members of the board will continue to serve until the completion of their terms later this year.
Board, management, and staff wish Mr. R.S. Tuitt much success in his new function.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, and Youth Silveria Jacobs met with two young dancers of the Imbali Center for Creative Movement lead by Clara Reyes at the John Larmonie Cultural and Community Center.

The two young dancers, Kiara Vanterpool and Jeremiah David, both eleven years old, won gold medals on May 16 for Contemporary Duet, choreographed by Peggy Oulerish. Jeremiah won second gold for Jazz/Modern Jazz in the individual category. These two dancers continue to excel over the past three years under the tutelage of their tireless instructors, Clara, Peggy, and Rudy among others.

The French Federation of Dance 4-day competition held in Nice, France, was open to 3000 participants, ranging in age from four to twenty years old.

Minister Jacobs commended the young students as well as their instructors, hailing their accomplishments as a tremendous example of what little St. Maarten can produce—world class talent. As Minister of Culture, her office will promote excellence and support the arts, culture and sports and will aim to make these more available to each child as part of the school curriculum. Each child should have the opportunity to explore his/her talent.

As a former dancer of the Motiance and Imbali Dance Schools, Minister Jacobs said, "It is an additional honor for me in my first official function to be able to welcome Kiara and Jeremiah back home after they were able to accomplish this extraordinary feat. I encourage them to continue dancing and to reach for the stars. They are indeed an example for the St. Maarten community. They and the Imbali Center for Creative Arts have made us extremely proud. "

SIMPSON BAY:--- The Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) contributed, as a silver sponsor, to the Toastmasters District 81 Conference, which was held in St. Maarten from May 18 – 20.
For the first time ever, St. Maarten will have a toastmaster heading District 81, following the swearing in on May 19 of Distinguished Toastmaster Rolando Tobias as the District Governor supervising all 17 territories that fall under the District.
With the conference theme of "Beyond Communicating...Connect & Lead," the conference aimed to solidify the communication and leadership attributes that make the 17 territories in District 81 so unique.
One of the major promotional tools used this year was a video in which Toastmasters promoted, not only the conference, but also the island of St. Maarten/St. Martin and its attractions. This video was presented at the last District conference in Puerto Rico and was reportedly widely received. The 3.21-minute video has also been placed on YouTube http://youtu.be/rmXVGVs_5v0.
"Princess Juliana International Airport is proud to have sponsored this conference, as well as extend certain courtesies to the organizers," said Kalifa Hickinson, Marketing and Communications Manager at PJIAE.
PJIA also provided financial support to another organization recently – the Charlotte Brookson Academy for the Performing Arts. The academy is planning the opening of a school for secondary education in August, modeled after the Charter Schools in the USA.
"As a good corporate citizen, PJIA does its best to assist organizations dedicated to educational pursuits on the island, however, this is done within the limits imposed by our own means as well as the stated policy of the company," added Regina LaBega, Managing Director of PJIAE.

The President of the Collectivité, Alain Richardson, met on Friday, May 18, 2012 with a delegation of from Anguilla, led by the Governor, His Excellency Governor Alistair Harrison and the Chief Minister, Mr. Hubert Hughes. The meeting, which was requested by Anguilla centered on the April 18th 2012 Order issued by the French Government that set new rules as to visa requirements for foreigners entering the territories of both the Collectivité Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin.
After welcoming the officials each one in his capacity and their respective delegation, President Richardson has recapitulated the reason for the meeting. In his introductory words, the President has deemed it necessary to stress what could be the immediate consequences derived from the immediate enforcing of this order. To do so, he has once more emphasized the importance of the nature of the longstanding relationship between Saint-Martin and Anguilla. He did so by highlighting the similarities between the surnames of the families that constitute the population of the Northern coast of the island of Saint-Martin and those of the families that constitute the population of Anguilla. "Blood is thicker than water", this cannot be disregarded. He went on to remind all attending that today still, the Anguillans have to come to St Martin for medical treatment. The island of Saint-Martin has enjoyed a level of economic development which has caused it to play a leading provider's role of goods and services for the population of the neighboring island territory. This role has caused Saint-Martin to derive significant benefits which it cannot afford to lose at this point. The President reiterated that the immediate implementation of this measure would not be without negative effect on the economy of the entire territory and particularly on the economy of the Galisbay Commercial Port that enjoys the business associated with the transportation of passengers and freight to and from Anguilla through its facilities. Before concluding President Richardson also stated that even for the people of Saint-Martin the immediate implementation of this measure could be perceived as inopportune in that relations and family gatherings for occasions of all sorts which were once simple would overnight become complicated and sometimes impossible. The consequences for Anguillan nationals are real but they also are consequent for the economy of Saint-Martin.
Under the new order, holders of British passports on which the nationality mentioned on the page of personal data is not "British Citizen", must have a visa to enter Saint-Martin. In fact, Anguillan citizens who are in possession of a local Anguilla Passport instead of the European Union passport must apply for a visa if they want to come to the French side of Saint Martin. Chief Minister Hubert Hughes in his statement during the meeting requested that a moratorium be placed on the enforcement this order which he deemed contrary to the good relations existing between the two islands and to the common interest of both territories to facilitate the exchange of people, goods and commerce. In addition, Mr. Hughes explained that most Anguillans, who possessed the local Anguilla passport were in fact eligible for the European passports as British citizens. Many he continued had not applied for the EU passport because of logistical, financial or simple expediency. He explained that those wanting the EU passport were required to apply to Britain for the document. In addition the EU passport was considerably more expensive than the local passport, especially for those who only require a travel document to come to Saint Martin.
Préfet Délégué Philippe Chopin who explained that he understood the concerns of the Anguillan delegation noted that the order had come as somewhat of a surprise to his services as well, especially, since it did not originate out of any local concern. He explained that, in fact, before the change of government in France he had already addressed a letter seeking instruction on the issue. Now that there was a new Minister of Overseas he would expedite the request. In the mean time, Mr. Chopin has indicated his willingness to postpone the application of the order pending instructions from the new Minister, Mr. Lurel.
Both Chief Minister Hughes and Governor Harrison expressed satisfaction with the Préfet's decision and the hope that there would be a positive outcome from the Minister on the subject.
The Anguillan delegation was composed of H.E. Governor Alistair Harrison, the Hon. Chief Minister Hubert B. Hughes, the Hon. Walcott Richardson – Minister of Home Affairs, the Permanent Secretary of Home Affairs Aurjul Wilson, the Permanent Secretary of Economic Development Foster Rogers, Ms. Claire Haskins of the Attorney General's Office.
The Préfet Délégué was accompanied by his Chief of Cabinet, Matthieu Doligez.
President Richardson was accompanied by the Director General of Services, Pascal Averne, Alex Richards - Chargé of Cooperation and European Affairs, Felicia Baly-Stanford- President's Cabinet and the Director of the Port Services, Albéric Ellis.

GREAT BAY/MARIGOT:--- The St. Martin Book Fair Committee (BFC) is coordinating the workshop on bullying in schools and at the book fair, said Ari Sutton, a senior BFC member.
"How to stop bullying" is the name of the workshop that will be held at USM, Room 202, on Saturday, June 2, at 9 am – conducted by Eric Fenwick, a certified non-violence intervention counselor.
"The workshop will help participating parents and teachers to identify and handle bullying whether it occurs in the classroom, on the playground, on BB or on Facebook and other online social media," said Sutton.
On June 1, Fenwick will also participate in the "Meet the Writers" school program of the 10th annual St. Martin Book Fair.
"According to educators, the instances of bullying among children in our schools in St. Maarten are on the rise and starting at an earlier age," said Sutton.
"The BFC wants Mr. Fenwick to hear from teachers as well, about their experiences with addressing bullying in their schools," said Sutton. Fenwick is also the Executive Director of Aunt Hattie's Place, a residential foster care program in Maryland, USA.
Bullies are not born, they are created, said BFC workshop coordinators Merlyn Williams-Joseph and Leandra Edwards, both teachers on the island.
Another facet of the anti-bullying workshop is that the USM session will conclude with the launch of a year-long BFC collaboration with the Peace Is foundation, to address this issue, said Williams-Joseph.
The BFC workshop coordinators invited Fenwick because of his "extensive history of working with adolescents affected by sexual, emotional, and verbal abuse, and has had to deal with the issue of bullying both personally and professionally," said Sutton.
In a telephone interview with Fenwick this week, he said that, "When children feel unaccepted and left out they often turn to bullying because they don't understand the difference between fear and respect."
"We have to keep stressing the consequences of bullying and involving parents more in the everyday lives of their children in order to combat this problem," said Fenwick.
Fenwick said that he intends to focus on what causes children to become bullies, how children who are bullied deal with the pain of being bullied and most importantly what parents and teachers can do to prevent it.
"We have to identify and assist. We seek to teach children that you don't have to humiliate someone else to bolster your self-image," Fenwick said.
"Mr. Fenwick considers helping children his ministry, and looks forward to meeting teachers and children during his visit," added Sutton.
Conscious Lyrics Foundation and House of Nehesi Publishers organize the St. Martin Book Fair, which takes place from May 31 – June 2, 2012, in collaboration with the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, the Ministry of Education & Culture (MECSY), the Collectivity of St. Martin, and the University of St. Martin (USM).

Pointe Blanche:--- Relatives of the prisoners that are housed at the Pointe Blanche house of detention were turned away on Sunday when they showed up to visit their relatives that are inmates at the facility.
SMN News learnt that the inmates notified the management of the prison on Saturday that they will be holding a peaceful strike on Sunday as they protest against inhumane conditions.
Sources at the facility said the Minister of Justice Roland Duncan then reacted by informing the prison management that the prisoners should not be let out of their cells on Sunday and they could not have visitors if they are on strike. It should be noted that the prisoners had two incidents last week where they smashed several items inside the prison. It is understood that a number of prisoners were let out for recreation at one time and they refused to go back to their cells. The refusal turned into an uproar.
SMN News further learnt that the police conducted a raid of the cells at the Pointe Blanche house of detention and they seized a number of cellular phones and weapons. Last week's raid has now brought into question the security at the Pointe Blanche prison. Right now law enforcement and the Justice Ministry are beginning to question the competence of the prison management.
In an email to SMN News, a relative of an inmate said that Sunday's strike was peaceful and righteous. Furthermore the inmates association gave notice of the strike to the director of the prison on Saturday.

The notice contained the grievances of the inmates pertaining to their living conditions. It was a peaceful strike in order to stop the violation of their human rights. "These violations are going on for decades now and it is time for that to stop. The inmates that have a job, for example in the kitchen or in the sewing room just refused to report 'at work', nothing more, nothing less."
The relative said they sent several articles to the media and the Ministry of Justice regarding the deplorable conditions inside the Pointe Blanche prison. Up to last week there was no running water at the facility. The relative said that there is constant water shortage at the facility even though there is a huge water tank on the inner side of the prison premises.
"Everyone has the right to running water and a healthy environment. No water, rats, and cockroaches in the old and rusty kitchen, no toilets etc. They should not be punished by humiliation and taking away their primary needs. Sint Maarten is violating human rights on a large and organized scale. The civilization of one's country is shown by the detention facilities of that country. A civilized country treats their detainees with dignity and respect. A third world country treats their detainees like animals. I dare to say that Sint Maarten is a third world country. Politicians allowed the situation at Pointe Blanche to continue and worsen for many years, despite several court orders, despite financial aid from Holland (still don't know where that money went), despite promises that the renovation would finally start. Up to now, nothing has been done."

The Ministry of VROMI, Department of new Projects Development and Planning on behalf of the Government of St. Maarten is hereby informing the general public that:
L.B. SCOTT ROAD will be partially closed in connection with placement of ROAD MARKINGS;
Road Marking works will be executed in four segments of the L.B. Scott Road; with a total length of approximately 1,300 m. This section includes the road section from the St. Peters Sol Gas Station to the intersection at Cake House Supermarket;
CLOSURE AND DURATION
Segment 1 of the Road Marking works will take place on the road section starting from St. Peters Sol Gas Station to the Arbutus Road/L.B. Scott Road intersection. This segment will be closed on Thursday May 31st, 2012 from 10:00 p.m. to Friday June 1st, 2012 at 4:00 a.m.

COLE BAY:--- Customers of Motorworld and Caribbean Auto can be assured of a whole new level of customer service according to Tariq Amjad, Managing Director of Motorworld, Caribbean Auto and Dollar / Thrifty Car Rental. His comments follow a three week intensive period of training for 104 staff conducted onsite by UTS/TDC trainer David McGregor.

McGregor said "I am extremely impressed by a company that invests this much time and money into the training of its staff. Everyone from the cleaner to the CEO attended the training and most importantly they follow it up. Too many people expect trainers to sprinkle magic dust on staff but the management themselves do not change or develop along with them. This company is an example of how management should invest its time and energy into reinforcing the training given. They are a professional and committed group and it was a real pleasure to be part of their ongoing development."

Amjad said "The training has been informative and extremely motivational. All the staff has responded very well to the training and we have a commitment to follow up the training both by using the trainer and by good management. It is important to our company that people on this island receive the best we have to offer. We do not want to simply solve issues; we must also satisfy our customers to maintain our position as the number one car company on this island"

CEO, Rena Amjad added "A company is only as good as its employees. All our Managers and many Supervisors have undergone training in Leadership Skills for Managers; Our Accounting Department has done Time Management training and now every one of our Management and Staff has undergone the Customer Care training. We have vowed to constantly update the skill levels of our Management and Staff to make sure that we are always on the cutting edge of our industry. Early next month, our mechanics will be undergoing a technical training from Hyundai which will update them on their latest technology."

Managing Director, Reza Amjad quoted: "Customer service training is not just for customers. It's so that we and all our colleagues are good to each other and work well with each other, which in turn translates to a better experience for our customers. We treat each other as if we are customers too. "

Members of staff and management at both companies received their certificates during two short ceremonies held at the Motorworld and Caribbean Autos premises on Wednesday morning.

Philipsburg:--- Well known radio personality Gary Euton (Gee Money) was convicted in the Court of First Instance on Wednesday. Gee Money was convicted for assaulting one of his colleagues Glenfield Gibson (Mystic 1) from PJD2 in the Festival Village during the Carnival celebrations.
Euton was convicted to two weeks suspended sentence while he has to pay a fine of $500.00 and repay Gibson $950.00 for the expenses he incurred because of the incident.

Philipsburg:--- Minister of Finance Roland Tuitt said he already requested more time from the CFT to deal with the 2012 budget deficit. Tuitt said the CFT sent a worrisome letter to government regarding the shortfall which stands at 21 million guilders. The Finance Minister said he asked for a period of three weeks in which time he will find the solutions that are necessary to fix the deficits in the budget. He said if government does not take action now then they would be heading down the same road as Curacao and St. Maarten does not want that to happen.
Minister Tuitt said the Department of Finance is working on repairing the shortfall in 2012 budget. He said another item that was not budgeted in the 2012 budget but was announced by the former Minister of Finance is the 2010 Cost of Living Adjustment payments (COLA). Minister Tuitt said that there must be a budget amendment for the two items he mentioned but there must be enough revenues to cover the cost. The 2010 COLA is expected to cost government 17 million guilders. The Minister said that he is currently looking to see if there is enough money to make the payments but if government does not have enough money in their coffers for the COLA payment then government will have to see how they will deal with it. In addition, Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams made clear that the indexation has to be adjusted by a general decree, this is why government has been working with the unions to come to an agreement. Wescot Williams further explained that government cannot continue to adjust the salaries of civil servants structurally every year. "If we continue this way then personnel cost will take up a major part of the budget and that is not government's intention." Wescot Williams assured that the 2010 COLA payments will be paid since there is an agreement in place for it.
Minister Tuitt said one good news the new government received is that the TOT levied on customers yielded an approximate 19 million guilders more than was budgeted. The extra TOT monies will be used to cover the deficits in the budget. Minister Tuitt said the SOAB is working on the 2010 financial statements and it should be ready shortly while government is busy preparing the financial statement for 2011.
The Finance Minister said his department is busy working on the budget amendments for the 2012 budget therefore he is calling on all the Ministries within government to submit their amendments to the Finance Department so that they can be worked upon.
Regarding the TAXAN, the Minister of Finance said that he stopped the project. Minister Tuitt said TAXAN was hired to revamp St. Maarten's tax system but one item regarding compliance which was authorized by the former Finance Minister is now under review.
When asked by media personnel about his view on dollarization, Minister Tuitt said that he is of the opinion that the current guilder system is still working very well. It has been in place for the past 50 years and for him there is no need to change that. However, he will be meeting with the Central Bank to further discuss the matter. Tuitt said the issue of dollarization must be properly researched before any changes are made. Furthermore, he said he has not seen any formal decision that was taken by the former government on dollarization. Minister Tuitt also made clear that based on the accord signed by the current government "Working for the People" they will soon take a decision on what would be the official currency for St. Maarten.
The Finance Minister also made clear that the outgoing Ministers will be paid for a period of one year. He said the law stipulates that these persons have to be paid while they seek alternative work. "The Ministers will not be paid to stay home, I believe this issue was misconstrued and I hope with this people will understand that the Ministers were in a high scale and they are going to be paid while being unemployed and seeking work." Tuitt said based on what he has seen thus far, the extra costs will not be a huge burden for government.
Tuitts's statements on dollarization are in contradiction to statements made by Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams who said that the former government did take a decision on dollarization and the splitting up of the Central Bank. She said the former government had decided that dollarization would have been their point of departure going forward. Wescot Williams said they still felt they needed some professional recommendations on the issue even though the banks on St. Maarten had advised otherwise.

Philipsburg:--- The Public Prosecutor's Office has taken a decision to charge the appointed coordinator of the Brook Tower Accord (BTA 2) Evelyn Hodge with fraud and human smuggling, confirmed Chief Prosecutor Hans Mos. Hodge has been summoned to appear in the Court of First Instance on May 23, 2012. Mos said at least four of the suspects that were arrested last year in the BTA 2 scandal have been charged.
Evelyn Hodge and several other persons who were hired to execute the BTA 2 project were arrested in January 2011 after an immigration stamp went missing and was used for inappropriate purposes. Investigators seized a number of forged documents and monies at one of the suspect's home. However, the missing stamp was never recovered. Hodge spent 14 days at the Pointe Blanche prison as investigators pieced their case together.
Former Lt. Governor Denis Richardson and former Island Secretary Joan Dovale Meit were commissioned by the Prosecutor's Office to compile a report from the documents seized during the raid at the BTA office on A.T. Illidge Road. Reporters also had access to the statements taken from each of the suspects.
SMN News managed to obtain a copy of the report which was submitted to the Prosecutor's Office in February 2012. The report states that one of the main problems the team encountered was the lack of a Ministerial decree from the Minister of Justice. Furthermore, the entire operation could have been considered as "chaotic" since there were no written orders for the BTA workers to follow. It was ill-conceived, badly executed, and poorly supervised. The report further states that there was no Ministerial Decree authorizing the BTA2 procedure and because of that there were no checks and balances thus there was no way to verify if decisions were made in a correct manner. These factors created a situation in which irregularities could flourish. The report states that when those incharge realized a stamp was missing there were no attempts being made to relocate the stamp neither was an alarm raised. They further said that no stringent measures were taken to tighten the irregularities.

Eveyn Hodge worked for at least six Lt. Governors on St. Maarten as their secretary. She has worked for over 26 years with the Government of St. Maarten. Ever since her arrest and the investigation into the BTA 2 scandal, Hodge was placed on inactive duty pending the outcome of the investigations.

Philipsburg:--- Independent Member of Parliament Romaine La Ville has finally broken his silence on the reasons he chose to become an Independent Member of Parliament and to support the National Alliance coalition government that was formed last week. La Ville made clear that while he is part of the new coalition government he is not a member of the National Alliance, instead he is an Independent Member of Parliament that will support the UP, DP, and NA factions when they are working or proposing anything that will benefit the people of St. Maarten.
La Ville decided to speak out on Monday because statements he made to the Teen Times Youth group were used in a headline story in one of the local newspapers.
La Ville told reporters that he did everything possible to make his party leader and faction members understand that he was not satisfied with certain decisions taken by the UP Party. He further explained that shortly after the UP/DP government took office on October 10, 2010 he was having disagreements with his party leader.
La Ville said one the major contentions he had with his party was about the Pelican saga and the layoff of the workers of Pelican Resorts. He said from the very inception he pleaded with his party leader and his colleague in Parliament Member of Parliament Jules James to resign from his Managerial position at the Simpson Bay Resort Management Company. He said despite his pleas he did not receive any cooperation from his party and faction members in Parliament. La Ville said on the contrary he was the one who was blamed by his party for the Pelican affair and the layoff of the workers. La Ville said members of the UP faction blamed him behind the scenes instead of taking responsibility for the layoff of the Pelican workers.
Furthermore, he said his political career was threatened by persons higher up in the United Peoples Party. "Right now I am being blamed because certain persons working in the Ministers cabinet stand to lose their jobs because of the fall of the UP/DP coalition. I consider this to be hypocritical because I need to know how come no one in government or the UP Party thought of the 183 persons who lost their jobs at the Pelican Resort (SBRMC). The workers of Pelican were not paid since November 2011 and those people have mortgages, they have to pay rent, some of them have children in school overseas to support while they also have to put food on their table and no one thought of them. These workers came and knocked on our doors and begged us to intervene and we (UP) faction did not consider them."
La Ville went as far as saying that when he was elected to office in October 2010 he resigned from his job at the harbor so that he could work full time for the people of St. Maarten. "I left the job I was trained for to take public office and while I have a job secured for the next two years, I too would become jobless at the end of my term. I don't know what will happen then but I know that God will provide," La Ville said.
The former UP Member of Parliament explained that everything he requested for the people of St. Maarten were flushed down the drain by the UP Party. He said he wanted equal opportunity for the young people of St. Maarten, which was to create jobs in the various districts in order to remove the youths from the blocks, and to reduce crime and the party on which he was elected refused to support his ideas and plans. La Ville said that on the night of the budget debate he had eight motions one of which was to adopt certain parts of the civil code of the Netherlands that would protect worker's rights. "I wanted to make sure that what happened to the Pelican workers never happen again with another company but my faction refused to support the motion that I wanted to present to Parliament." La Ville further explained that he quickly realized that he was fighting a losing battle within the UP faction, while knowing that his political career was at stake. La Ville said the relationship with his UP party was irreconcilable. He said he was told on several occasions that he did not support a motion regarding Jules James and the Pelican affair he could consider himself an Independent Member of Parliament immediately. La Ville said the very night he was told that he wrote his resignation letter but did not submit it to his party leader because he was hoping that things within the UP party would have gotten better. He said those are only some of the issues he faced throughout the two year period while being part of the UP faction.
He said many people say he is foolish for leaving his party and not securing anything for himself while negotiating with the National Alliance to form the NA/DP and Independent coalition. "I want to make clear that I did not enter into government to enrich myself. My father has a construction company and I never asked for a job for him and I did not ask the National Alliance for anything for my person or for my relatives. When I saw the breakdown the National Alliance made I saw they gave me a joint portfolio with MP Frans Richardson and I also saw that I was appointed deputy chairman of Parliament. I did not ask for none of these things. Being in government is not for me to enrich myself. The same discussion I had with my party leader is the same discussion I had with the National Alliance leader William Marlin. All I want is to make sure our people are given equal opportunity to work and tackle the root cause of crime by improving education and career parts for the younger generation." La Ville said for the remainder of his term he wants to work in the interest of the people of St. Maarten. He said he made it his duty to point out things when it's wrong and when things are right. He said his main intention is make sure some of the promises made to the people of St. Maarten on the campaign trail are fulfilled even though he does not hold any grudges for anyone. La Ville said while he is young politician he understands the dirty game of politics that is played by those persons that are in politics for years now.
When asked why he did not submit his resignation on November 17, 2011 when he said on the floor of Parliament that he was willing to tie his own shoe string. La Ville said that he had hoped things would have gotten better within the UP faction, but he quickly realized that some of the people within the UP faction do not understand poverty. "Some of them don't know what it is not to be able to put food on their tables or to pay their rents and I told my party that I don't understand what it is to fly first class every time, neither do I understand what it is to march in a restaurant and buy a bottle of champagne for $300. Therefore, it is clear that we have people from two different worlds within the UP faction and we needed to find a balance if we were to work in the interest of all the people of St. Maarten. When I made those statements about tying my own shoe string I was tired of the silence from my party regarding the Pelican saga. I did not see my party leader taking a forceful decision for the workers of SBRMC."

Philipsburg:--- The Ministers from the United Peoples Party that have to resign from their offices before the end of this week are busy signing off all types of requests that were submitted to government. SMN News has been reliably informed that Minister of Public Transportation Frankie Meyers moved his staff into the offices of the Control Unit at the Yellow Building where they were processing all the requests that were submitted for bus and taxi licenses.

The source said there were over 50 licenses that were signed off on Monday afternoon. According to one person, his son was contacted in the United States on Monday and was informed that the license he requested some years ago has been signed off and that he could pick up his license anytime Monday afternoon. Another person said he submitted a request for a building permit years now and government contacted him on Monday to inform him that his building permit was ready. The man said he was shocked when he received the phone call because he submitted his requests years now and he was pushed around by government.

SMN News also understands that the Minister of VROMI and leader of the United Peoples Party Theodore Heyliger distributed several parcels of land around the ring road on Monday. The source said Heyliger gave land to everyone he knew wanted land around the ring road before he left his office. According to one recipient who asked to remain anonymous, is it is clear that the UP government is angry that they have to leave office and they are doing everything to create havoc for the incoming coalition government.

So far there is no indication as to when the Ministers from the UP faction in the Council of Ministers will resign from their posts.

Roxanne "Roxxy" Webster of St. Martin, the Caribbean's newest soca artist launched her first official music video on YouTube in March 2012 for her hit release "DELETE", and has been receiving great feedback on her music track and video.

The nominating committee of the 10th Annual International Soca Awards, based in New York, has recently informed Roxxy of her nomination for awards in the categories of "Best New Female Soca Artist" and "Best New Music Video" in the Caribbean for 2012.

Roxxy was selected in the top 6 for new female soca artists and top 10 for new music videos in the Caribbean. Roxanne is very excited to be nominated and is looking forward to attending this red carpet event in Hollywood, California in July 2012.

She would like to thank everyone who made the music track, video, and nomination possible; she couldn't have done it without everyone's support and encouragement.

Check out the music video on YouTube "ROXXY DELETE" or visit her Facebook fan page "ROXXY". She would like to ask everyone to support her by going to www.SOCAAWARDS.COM/NOMINEES and voting for ROXXY by clicking the big red vote button to begin selecting.

The Social Economic Council of Sint Maarten, one of the institutions connected to the country status, concluded its first year of operations by presenting its annual report to Governor Eugene Holiday.
The Social Economic Council was officially established in May of 2011, three members being nominated by the main labor unions and the same number by the business community of Sint Maarten, its tripartite composition completed by three government appointed impartial experts. Currently, nominees of the SHTA and the Chamber of Commerce are represented in the SER, joined from the side of organized labor by WIFOL, UFA and WICSU. Independent experts are René Richardson, who is also chairing the council, Dwight Williams and Elaine Gumbs-Vlaun.
The main goal of the SER is to advise government on policies and draft laws in the social economic field, such as labor laws, the minimum wage and business regulations. Government is under obligation to request SER advice on main economic issues and laws, however, the SER is entitled to provide government with unsollicited advice when this is deemed necessary.
The SER annual report covers the starting up and first efforts of the social economic council during 2011 and early 2012. The first advice produced by the council dealt with the intention of government to institute the first of July as official holiday or 'Emancipation Day' in commemoration of the 1863 abolition of slavery in the Kingdom.
While the council itself saw well-attended meetings during the year 2011, the support staff was gradually recruited, resulting in a fully operational secretariat as of March, 2012. In the meantime, during the period under report important international connections with similar organisations were forged on the level of the council as well as the secretariat with working visits to Curaçao, Aruba, the Dominican Republic and within short to Brazil and the Netherlands.
The coming year will undoubtedly see an increase in the SER core task which is advising the political executives, while it is the intention of the SER to publicize their products and let the general public share in the efforts and products of the council.

Philipsburg:--- Ten Members representing the Parliament of St. Maarten along with Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams signed a political accord “Working for the People” on Friday morning to form what can be considered the first broad based government of St. Maarten. The signing took place at the A.C. Wathey Legislative Hall shortly after 9am on Friday morning. Members of the GOA witnessed the signing of the agreement. While MPs Hyacinth Richardson and Petrus Leroy de Weever signed the agreement in absentia since they could not be present on Friday morning.

The Members of Parliament that signed the document are William Marlin, Dr. Lloyd Richardson, Hyacinth Richardson, George Pantophlet, Louis Laviest (National Alliance Faction) Frans Richardson, Patrick Illidge, Romaine La Ville (Independent Members of Parliament) Roy Marlin and Petrus Leroy de Weever (DP Faction) and Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams.

The signing came just one day after Governor Eugene Holiday appointed both William Marlin and Sarah Wescot-Williams as the formateurs to form the government.

Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams said the political accord they all signed and delivered to the governor indicated that the various political parties represented in parliament has found common ground to form the next government of St. Maarten and it is their desire to continue working for the remainder of the term 2010 -2014. Leader of the National Alliance and Member of Parliament William Marlin said since the Prime Minister submitted the resignation of the UP/DP cabinet on Tuesday the process to install a new government started. Marlin said the governor held consultations with the chairlady of Parliament, the leaders of the various political parties, the faction leaders in parliament as well as with the three independent members of parliament. Marlin explained that the meetings resulted in the Governor appointing two formateurs for the formation of the new government. Marlin said they worked diligently and concluded the governing accord with the party leaders that are supporting the new government. Marlin further explained that after the signed accord was submitted to the Governor the secret services of St. Maarten will be conducting the screening and vetting of the candidates that will be occupying the Ministerial seats. Those persons to be vetted are Silveria Jacobs and Romeo Pantophlet. Silveria Jacobs will be appointed Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports Affairs while Romeo Pantophlet will appointed Minister of Economic Affairs and Tourism. The screening process he said will take a week to ten days and as soon that is completed the new broad based government will be sworn in.

Marlin said the new and incoming government will focus on reducing cost of living on St. Maarten since the people of St. Maarten need government's assistance now more than ever. Marlin said they formed a team of parliamentarians whose primary goal are the people of St. Maarten. This team he said will ensure that cost of living is reduced in the form of reducing the price of electricity, cooking gas, and gasoline. Marlin said this new government will also focus on getting the boys off the block that are getting involved in criminal activities. Government’s intention is to get these young men in the job market and to provide sustainable and meaningful employment. He said government will also concentrate on the abuse of the short term labour agreements that they are aiming to put an end to. Marlin did not unleash the governing program they are to finalize within a 90-day period but gave a clear indication as to where the focus of the government will be for the next two years. Focus will be placed on district improvements, education, safety, economy, the environment, infrastructure, health care, social welfare, and housing.

Governor Holiday engaged in two days of discussion with the Members of Parliament and Prime Minister after he received the official resignation from the Ministers from the United Peoples Party on Tuesday. While the UP Ministers only tendered their resignation on Tuesday last, the UP/DP government fell on April 27^th 2012 when the three Independent Members of Parliament made their un-official declaration in Festival Village to save the people of St. Maarten from the current crisis they are facing. Letters were sent to the Prime Minister and Governor of St. Maarten since early last week informing that the UP/DP coalition had collapsed and that a new government has been formed. However, the process could not have moved forward unless the UP Ministers tendered their resignation. It should be noted that since St. Maarten became a country in October 2010, this is the first government to have the required two thirds majority in Parliament that consists of Members from all fractions.

Several political pundits said that they are of the opinion that St. Maarten will head in the right direction now because the two main leaders of the island is now at the helm of the government. It should be noted that Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams led the political delegation for ten years during the Constitutional talks while William Marlin was also present during the discussions. Marlin however, finalized the discussions after he led the delegation for a mere year and half.

Click here to view more photos of the political accord signing on Friday.

A copy of the political agreement signed on Friday morning reads as follows:--

 

NA/DP/I-3 GOVERNING ACCORD

"Working For the People"

The political leaders of the National Alliance and the Democratic Party of St. Maarten, William V. Marlin and Sarah A. Wescot-Williams respectively,

And the undersigned members of  the Parliament of St. Maarten, Patrick Illidge, Frans Richardson, Romain Laville, George Pantophlet, Hyacinth Richardson, Lloyd Richardson, Louie Laveist, Roy Marlin, Leroy de Weever, representing a majority of 10 seats in the Parliament of St. Maarten and hereinafter referred to as "The Parties"

Considering:

Their expressed desire to work together in the interest of St. Maarten following the loss of support for the UP/DP government by a parliamentary majority:

Hereby declare to have reached an agreement in principle on the formation of the next government of St. Maarten and further declare that:

Central to this agreement is a government that is tuned to the needs of the residents of our country; cognizant of the importance of a sustainable development; respectful of the diversity of persons residing here harmoniously; and committed to improving the lives of all citizens through a balanced approach of job creation, enabling entrepreneurship and  a social system that is efficient,  cost-effective and responsive.

This agreement in entered into for the remainder of the governing period, 2010 – 2014.

Parties agree that the National Alliance shall designate 3 Ministers, viz. the Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure, the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Education.

The Democratic Party shall designate two (2) ministers, viz. the Prime Minister/Minister of General Affairs and the Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour.

Independent Members Richardson and Laville will jointly designate the Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunication and Independent member Illidge shall designate the Minister of Justice.

The substitution for these Ministers shall be regulated as follows:

For the Prime Minister/Minister of General Affairs, the Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure;

For the Minister of Finance, the Prime Minister/Minister of General Affairs

For the Minister of Education, the Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour;

For the Minister of Tourism, the Minister of Education

For the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Finance

For the Minister of Housing, the Minister of Economic Affairs

For the Minister of Public Health, the Minister of Justice.

Parties further agree that  the National Alliance  will designate the Chairperson of Parliament of St. Maarten, Independent member Laville will serve as the deputy Chairperson and the Democratic Party will designate the  Second Deputy Chairperson of Parliament of St. Maarten;

Parties further agree that The Democratic Party shall designate the Minister Plenipotentiary in The Hague and the National Alliance shall designate the Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary.

The Ministers of Government shall be called upon to work diligently to avoid any disruption as a result of the change in government and call upon the civil service to aid in this endeavor.

Of paramount importance are the prudent management of government finances and the preparations for the drafting of the budget 2013. Large scale programs such as the reform of our fiscal system and  the general health insurance must be provided all the necessary resources to be concluded within 180 days.

Parties recognize the urgent need for implementation of ordinances, decreed by several organic laws and for redefining parts of the government structure. Transparency and a reduction of bureaucracy are vital components of this redefinition.

As part of its social development programs, focus will be on specific target groups, such as the elderly, the disabled and the youth.

The undersigned signatories to this declaration jointly and individually pledge their full support to carry out the provisions of this declaration to the fullest extent possible.

Parties commit themselves to establish a Governing Program for the Government of St. Maarten within 90 days after taking office and which will be based on the following premises and principles:

The NA/DP/I-3 governing program shall include a Plan of Action that shall set forth the projects and programs to be carried out as priorities of the Government of St. Maarten for the remainder of the 2010-2014 governing term, the duration and cost of these projects and the financing modalities.

The following areas of initial concentration are being highlighted and shall be further developed in the Action Plan:

DISTRICT IMPROVEMENTS

EDUCATION

SAFETY

ECONOMY

THE ENVIRONMENT

INFRASTRUCTURE

HEALTH CARE

SOCIAL WELFARE

HOUSING

There shall be coalition meetings of the Members of Parliament supporting the government and shall further include all the Ministers. William Marlin shall be the chairman of the coalition meetings and in his absence Mrs. Sarah Wescot-Williams will chair the meeting.

Coalition meetings shall be held every fortnight and or prior to public meetings of the Parliament.

The coalition shall meet on all important and key issues and matters confronting the government of St. Maarten or the execution of the governing accord.

Parties shall inform the Governor of St. Maarten, the Governments of the Kingdom, Curacao and Aruba, as well as the Governments of the BES Islands of this declaration.

Neither party, the signatories hereto nor any members or functionary of the parties hereto shall do anything to hinder, disturb, frustrate or impede the execution of this accord, agreements or actions resulting from this accord.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF parties have placed their signatures on this 11^th day of May, 2012.

_______________      ___________________          _____________          _______________

William V. Marlin      Sarah Wescot-Williams,         Patrick Illidge,            Frans Richardson,

_____________          ___________________          __________________

Romain Laville,          George Pantophlet,                Hyacinth Richardson,

_______________      _____________                      _____________          _________________

Lloyd Richardson       Louie Laveist,                        Roy Marlin,                Petrus L. de Weever,

Member of Parliament George Pantophlet says that the task ahead for the incoming government is one of humongous proportions. But it is not an impossible one. He knows that this statement sounds repetitious;" all hands must be on deck" but it is true. The new government will have to prioritize and start working. The key to its functioning successfully is the civil apparatus. Cooperation between Members of Parliament, Ministers, Secretary Generals and civil servants is crucial. The Supervisory bodies just to name a few such as the Advisory Council, General Auditing Chamber, and the Corporate Governance Council must be provided with the necessary equipment to function in an optimal manner. Everyone has to execute his or her responsibility. Professional behavior is expected from all sides. Loyalty should be first and foremost to the people who pay our salaries, the general public. Stagnating or prolonging the preparation of vital advice because of personal political affiliation should not be tolerated because this negatively affects the people of St. Maarten. While this is a continuation of a governing period which ends in 2014 the reality is that we have a new government. This new government has to deal with many problems. Taking care of our pensioners by ensuring they have a comfortable way life. Revamping our educational system which allows equal access and opportunity and also addressing the matter of the school fees, creating a realistic, reliable and simple tax system especially where it concerns tax collections. Find ways and means to encourage businesses who have deposited millions overseas to bring these funds back without penalties and probably a reduced tax rate. Reduce unemployment especially amongst our youth. Another major challenge is our healthcare system and last but not least poverty. There is a lot to be done and government will need its citizens to be patient and give it time to work. No one knows what they will meet when they take up their offices. The findings should be made known to the public to avoid being blamed for a mess the incoming government did not create. The task ahead indeed is a difficult but who said governing was easy.

Philipsburg:--- The Minister of Justice Roland Duncan in collaboration with the Police Department signed an agreement with the Miami Dade Justice School. The Director of the Miami Dade School of Justice Hector Garcia met with the Minister of Justice on Wednesday. The aim of the agreement is to train police officers for community policing. The first batch of five police officers have been selected and they will participate in a five day course prior to leaving for Miami where they will continue their training. The five officers that were selected are Helen Christiania Romeo, Felix Richards, Edualdus Josepha, Sylvania Michael Angelo, and Juan Statie. The five officers were designated as community police officers on May 1, 2012. Upon completion of the courses, the community police officers will be assigned to work in neighborhoods such as Lowlands, Philipsburg (including Pointe Blanche and Fort Willem), St. Peters (including South Reward and Betty's Estate), Dutch Quarter, and Middle Region.
A second group is expected to start the course sometime in July and complete it by the end of October 2012.

Philipsburg:--- Deputy Prime Minister Theodore Heyliger chose to let off some steam during an off the air press conference on Wednesday against what he called constant rumors against his person or that of the United Peoples Party. Heyliger told reporters that he will not be taking up his seat in Parliament right now but he did not rule out that possibility for the new Parliamentary year which begins in September. "It is not my intention to take up the parliamentary seat as yet; I have been in office since 1995 both in the legislative and executive branches. I believe that after 17 years in government I deserve some time off. One of the reasons I chose to stay out of public office is to enjoy seeing the rumors being created on others rather than my person." Heyliger said most of the rumors regarding him are fabricated and he as well as his colleagues would like to see the rumors proven. Heyliger said when that is done then he will stand guilty as charged. Heyliger further explained that he is taken back by the fact that many things he started could not be finalized during his tenure while he intends to make known to the population the strife of the people of St. Maarten while out of office. He said while one might say he should give the new government an opportunity, in his view the new and incoming government is filled with veteran politicians, therefore he expects to see a lot from the incoming government. The Deputy Prime Minister said that the population should also demand a lot from the National Alliance, Democratic Party, and Independent Members government because it will not be a learning process for them. They will have experienced Ministers while the Members of Parliament supporting the government are experienced politicians.
Heyliger said that he wants to make clear that the outgoing Ministers deserve the financial packages that are given to them. He said former Ministers and commissioners were paid out as well and it is not the Council of Ministers who took the decision to have these outgoing Ministers remain with their huge financial packages. Heyliger said that decision was taken in Parliament.
The UP leader and outgoing Deputy Prime Minister said that he will be on the sidelines watching to see what the new government will do for the people of St. Maarten. Heyliger further explained that for once he would be able to read the news without his name being mentioned in constant rumors on the island. The outgoing Minister of VROMI said that he laid the foundation for several road projects and social homes to which the contracts and financing have been set aside. Therefore, the new government can hit the ground running. He said the ground work is already laid out and it's only a matter of execution for the various projects he started.
When asked by SMN News to explain if it is the Ministries that have to work on legislations and take it to Parliament for ratification or if it's the Parliamentarians that have to work on the legislations and laws. Heyliger said that Parliamentarians have to take an initiative and work on legislations and not wait on the Ministries to take laws to them. He said one of the things he intends to do while out of public office is to make sure his faction works on legislations and presents them to Parliament. Furthermore, the UP leader said that he believes that Parliament should take some of the monies they have for traveling and put it towards the preparation of laws. When Minister Heyliger was asked to name the two companies that were contracted by the Carnival Development Foundation for marketing and events planning, Heyliger said that he could not say which contractors were contracted by SCDF instead he is willing to speak about the rumors regarding the government owned companies.

Contracts Signed for Causeway.

Heyliger said the contracts and financing are already in place for the causeway however, it will be up to the new government to continue with the execution. "All permits for the causeway have been signed, the contracts and financing are in place and the construction is scheduled to start. It will be up to the incoming government to stop what has been signed off on already." Heyliger also confirmed that he signed off on a number of projects while his colleagues signed off on several licenses. He said that there are people who requested taxi and bus licenses some 12 years ago and they were not granted. Heyliger further explained that he did not break the law when his government signed off on the projects and licenses because it is the norm. "The last outgoing government signed off on 100 taxi and bus licenses but the former Lt. Governor only approved 30 to 40 of them. What I did and what my government did is not against the law and there was dialogue with the taxi associations regarding the new licenses that were issued," Heyliger said.

Philipsburg:--- The seven Ministers that form the new government "Working for the People" and the Minister of Plenipotentiary were officially sworn-in on Monday at the Governor's Office at Harbour View. The Ministers along with close relatives met at the Government Administration Building after which they were taken by bus to the Governor's office where the official swearing-in took place. Among those invited was the President of the Collectivity of Saint Martin Alain Richardson. However, it was quite noticeable that several Members of Parliament especially those from the United People's Party faction did not attend the official swearing in ceremony. One Parliamentarian from the UP faction told SMN News that they were not invited to attend the ceremony. While the Chairlady of Parliament Gracita Arrindell was present, the UP MP said they were not told and there was no official invitation in their mail boxes. "We are nobody now so they did not invite us but they invited the French side," the UP MP said. SMN News understands that the only person from Parliament that was officially invited was the chairlady.
SMN News further learnt that Governor Holiday limited the invitations to four per family since he held the ceremony at his office in order to cut expenditures.
A press release issued by the Governor's office stated that the ceremony was officiated by Governor Eugene Holiday. The release further states that all the Ministers have met the regulatory requirements and they were appointed as follows:

• Mrs. Sarah A. Wescot-Williams, Prime Minister, also Minister of General Affairs
• Mr. William V. Marlin, Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure, also Deputy Prime Minister
• Mr. Roland E. Duncan, Minister of Justice
• Mr. Roland S. Tuitt, Minister of Finance
• Mrs. Silveria Jacobs, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports
• Mr. Van Hugh C. de Weever, Minister of Public Health , Social Development and Labour
• Mr. Romeo F. Pantophlet, Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication
• Mr. Mathias S. Voges, Minister Plenipotentiary

Mrs. Doran-York, who has been appointed in the position of deputy of the Minister Plenipotentiary, will take the oath before the Governor on May 22, 2012.
The NA/DP/I3 government will execute the governing accord "Working for the People", as agreed upon by the coalition partners National Alliance, Democratic Party, and the three independent Members of Parliament, Frans Richardson, Patrick Illidge, and Romain Laville.

Click here to view more photos of the swearing-in Ceremony for the National Alliance, Democratic Party, and Independent MPs Government.

Below is the address that was given by Governor Eugene Holiday.

Chairlady of Parliament,
Madame Prime-Minister, Ministers,
President of the Collectivity of Saint Martin
Vice-Chairlady of the Council of Advice
Invited Guests,
Good Morning,
Today's appointment and swearing in ceremony marks the transfer of executive responsibility for the governance of our island Sint Maarten from one team of ministers to a new team of ministers. This transfer is a first and as such a new and educational page in the history of our parliamentary democracy.
It is, following a period of uncertainty, the culmination of the official formation process of the past week and half. During that period I consulted with various persons and named and worked with "formateurs" Mr. William Marlin and Mrs. Sarah Wescot-Williams. Both formateurs informed me on the formation of the government through the nomination of ministers, through the results of the judicial and security vetting of the nominated ministers and through the governing program entitled "working for the people". To all who gave their input to the formation process I hereby express my gratitude. And in particular I wish to express my appreciation for the work performed by Mrs. Wescot and Mr. Marlin as formateurs. Having reviewed the information provided I convened today's ceremony to administer the appointment and swearing in of the new team of ministers, in keeping with the Constitution of St. Maarten.

As such, each of you, in accepting your respective functions as ministers have taken the oath of office, as prescribe by the highest national law of Sint Maarten.
Accepting the function of minister through the taking of the oath is a solemn expression of your commitment to perform your function with integrity, it is your pledge of allegiance to the Queen and the Kingdom Charter, it is your individual declaration to always uphold the Constitution of Sint Maarten and to always dedicate yourself to foster the wellbeing of the People of Sint Maarten. In that regard there rests on you individually as ministers and jointly as Council of Ministers a great responsibility. Through your oath you have accepted the obligation to serve all the people of Sint Maarten. This based on the principles of democracy, on the rule of law, on the principle of the division of powers, and on respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of all persons.

Today, just over a year and a half since obtaining the status of country, this new team has been entrusted with the task of governing the affairs of the people. And in keeping with the title of your governing accord, the people will be looking to you for education, security, social and economic development and more. It is my hope and trust that as you continue the march, where your predecessors left off, that you will through the application of the principles of good governance, answer the call towards the further overall and balanced development of our island nation. Your decisions will have lasting influences on the lives of the people of Sint Maarten. Thus as you deliberate on taking action on the matters before you during your governing period, I wish you wisdom, severally and jointly, in the conduct of your responsibilities as you seek to serve the people of Sint Maarten.
With that in mind, I hereby congratulate the people of Sint Maarten with the installation of this new government and similarly congratulate each of you individually and jointly with your appointments as Prime-Minister, Ministers and Minister Plenipotentiary.

Thank you and God Bless you.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau hosted its first annual "Blue Jean & Flip Flop Marketing Summit" May 13-15 at the Sonesta Great Bay Beach Resort as part of an expanded SMART week program to provide a more comprehensive marketing plan for all tourism stakeholders.
The Marketing Summit has been so named because it is designed to be a Caribbean-themed "power meeting" between all tourism and hospitality stakeholders on island plus tour operator and airline partners and the Tourist Bureau's off-shore marketing agencies.
This first-ever pre-SMART event brought together hotels, restaurants, shops, airport and cruise port officials, local attractions, ground operators and taxi operators to discuss how everyone can work together for the same goal of expanding arrivals and visitor spending on St. Maarten.
This marketing event began with a Networking Reception on Sunday evening May 13 followed by an all-day seminar on Monday May 14 with discussions between all stakeholders and partners and the goal of creation of a Tourism Outlook White Paper at the conclusion of the meetings.
"The objective of the seminar and discussion group is to find ways in which we can work together, not just to promote tourism to the destination, but to support revenue growth for all stakeholders that want to participate," said May-Ling Chun, Director of Tourism.
The most important segment of this Marketing Summit took place on Monday May 14 with a participation working session facilitated by Billy Taylor, former star running back with the New York Giants. Mr. Taylor, now a well traveled motivational speaker has worked with resorts and governments in the Caribbean for nearly 20 years. He set the stage for a working plan to be developed by participants that will lead to actionable items for the Tourist Bureau marketing agencies to implement.
The third and final day of this event was devoted to the collective thoughts and plans of the Tourist Bureau's off-shore agencies who are being be tasked with coming up with solutions and implementing the programs and plans that St. Maarten stakeholders and participants, ask for during day-one meetings and discussions.
The Tourist Bureau and the Marketing Agencies met to discuss creation of a final Plan of Action with specific responsibilities and timelines that can be implemented for the destination.
"It was important to have the diverse private sector interests participate and for the Tourist Bureau and the various public relations and advertising agencies from around the world listen to these private sector messages about what is needed to improve business," said Richard S. Kahn, president of KTCpr, the agency which planned the event for the Tourist Bureau.
A report is being prepared and the outcome will be shared as a Tourism White Paper with all stakeholders.

GREAT BAY/MARIGOT:--- The plans and preparations for the 10th annual St Martin Book Fair, May 31 to June 2, is moving "Forward," said Shujah Reiph, book fair coordinator.
In fact, "Forward" is the 2012 theme and both St. Martin's people and tourists can expect a bold and beautiful international blend of novelists, poets, scholars, and artists from the USA, Italy, Singapore, the Caribbean and more.
Throughout the three book fair days, attendees can expect to have available to them a wider than usual range of books for purchase, they would have an opportunity to meet famous authors and participate in workshops that range from how to write your life's story, making guavaberry, and the e-Book workshop, "literature + technology = future."
Certified instructor of the International Non Violent Crisis Intervention (USA) Eric Fenwick will be facilitating the workshop entitled "How to Stop Bullying."
This workshop can benefit children and parents as Fenwick will discuss useful and modern tools to reduce bullying and violence in the island's schools.
Children can also learn ways how to deal with bullies in a non-violent manner, said Ari Sutton, member of the Book Fair Committee (BFC), which is also coordinating this workshop with various schools during the book fair. The anti-bullying workshop is at USM on Saturday, June 2, and it runs from 9 am to 10:30 am.
On the happier side of childhood, parents can peruse their favorite books, talk with authors, or attend a workshop while leaving their children in the Children's Room, in the care of coordinator Bernadette Hasell.
The annual child-centered "space" is open to children from 4 to 12 years old, at USM, Room 102. Children can expect to participate in games, songs, listen to stories and folklore, some possibly in more than one language.
Special guest appearances would be made by storyteller Papa Mpho and Kiara Meyers, Little Miss St. Martin 2012. Kiara will read folktales from selected books to her fellow youngsters. The Children's Room is open from 9 am to 1 pm.
The Book Fair Committee (BFC) will be coordinating over 20 free pre-book fair and book fair activities for the literary festival, said Reiph.
The St. Martin Book Fair is organized by Conscious Lyrics Foundation and House of Nehesi Publishers in collaboration with St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, the Ministry of Education & Culture (MECSY), the Collectivity of St. Martin, and the University of St. Martin (USM).

Marigot:--- Newly elected President Alain Richardson may soon have some explaining to do if he remains at the helm of the Collectivity and at the helm of the Office du Tourisme. President Richardson in his first press conference told reporters that he will be the President of the EPIC for at least one year. While the President of the Collectivity may have good intentions as he said that he wants to "straighten" the functions of the Tourist Office which has been a subject of constant scandal, the Loi Organique under which St. Martin is governed clearly states that the two functions are not compatible.
According to article 6322-3 of Loi Organic, the President of the Territorial Council is a function that is incompatible with other public functions that are non-elective. The President of the COM cannot be a member of the EU commission neither can he or she be a member of the Central Bank or the monetary committee of the Bank of France. The Loi Organique can be found on the COM's website along with the articles of incorporation for the EPIC board. The presidency of the EPIC board is a function that is acquired through appointment or by election. The EPIC which was established in 2009 clearly states in its provisions that eight of its members can be appointed by the territorial council including the chair.

GREAT BAY (DCOMM):--- Head of the Civil Registry Department Leona Romeo-Marlin announced on Tuesday that the Civil Registry Department as of June 1st, 2012 will no longer issue driver's licenses to persons registered on French Saint Martin.

The aforementioned is in accordance with the Ministerial Decree issued on 07/06 2011.

All French residents with a license issued on Dutch Sint Maarten are hereby advised to take note of this.

Persons requiring additional information can call the Civil Registry Department at 542-2457.

After 5 years at the SHTA, Executive Director Valya Pantophlet has resigned from the SHTA to work alongside the honorable Minister of TEZVT, Romeo F. Pantophlet as his Advisor for Tourism.

Valya Pantophlet started at the SHTA in 2006 as an intern and returned 2007 as member of staff upon request of the Board. She worked her way through the organization, from Junior Project Manager to Executive Director, the function she has held for the last year and a half.

Upon receiving the offer to work alongside Minister Pantophlet, Valya informed her Board of Directors and asked for their support in this new endeavor. She was pleased to learn that all Board members wholeheartedly supported her decision to take on this new challenge.

In her letter to the Board, Miss Pantophlet commended the SHTA for helping to shape her beliefs on how to change Sint Maarten for the better and showing her the importance of getting involved in order to affect change. "I have seen this island change governments several times with few politicians truly understanding the core issue affecting our economy and social ills, which we all agree is the under performing tourism industry. Honestly, without SHTA I probably would not have understood the root of the problem either. Hence the reason I have been so committed to SHTA and its vision. However, at some point it gets tiring discussing the same issues/solutions and hearing our cries repeatedly fall on deaf ears, which is why I could not pass up this unique opportunity to influence change." - Valya Pantophlet stated in the letter to SHTA Board of Directors.

SHTA President, Emil Lee, commented: "Valya has been a great asset to SHTA. She has helped the association grow in so many different ways and we will definitely miss her. However, we understand and support her decision and we all wish her much success in this new endeavor."

Valya Pantophlet has already taken up her post alongside Minister Pantophlet. However, her official resignation from the SHTA goes into effect June 1.

Philipsburg:--- There is no policy or ordinance in place to curtail the amount of lease land that can be given to one family confirmed Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams on Wednesday at the Council of Minister's press briefing. The Prime Minister was responding to a question posed by SMN News regarding the piece of land that was given to former Minister of Health and Labour Maria Buncamper Molanus. The former Minister of VROMI Theodore Heyliger and the Secretary General of VROMI signed off on a parcel of land located on Pond Island on May 4th 2012 for MARCLAU NV.
Wescot Williams said the current Minister of VROMI William Marlin discussed this matter with the Council of Ministers last week and one of the things they believe should be part of a policy is how many plots of lease land can be given to one family. The Prime Minister said that there is a situation where government is leasing land to individuals and those individuals are then forming companies to lease more land. This creates a situation where the person in question is not the same as the company. She said these were part of the discussions with Marlin last week but she said Marlin did not get all the necessary information regarding the matter.

Philipsburg/Marigot:--- The Greek-Cypriot, Panagiotis Vryonides who lost his life in the tragic aircraft accident early Saturday morning as he was being airlifted to Martinique for medical care, took over the counter medication on board the Allure of the Seas confirmed his wife Machi Gavriel, who is currently hospitalized in Martinique.
Gavriel said her husband is someone that suffers from sea sickness and she bought some medication from Cyprus which she travelled with and her husband was using. Gavriel further explained that her husband was feeling dizzy while on board the ship on Thursday and they both went to the pharmacy on board the ship and bought some over the counter medication which her husband took. "We asked the woman in the pharmacy if it was okay for my husband to take the medication she sold us because my husband had already taken the medication we bought in Cyprus and the woman told us the medication she sold to us was better and my husband should take the medication before meals." Gavriel said her husband's condition worsened on the ship and he was seen by the doctor on board who advised him to go to the St. Maarten Medical Center for further treatment. The bereaved wife who was on her honeymoon cruise with her husband said that they went to the St. Maarten Medical Center and a heart specialist saw her husband and recommended that he travel to Martinique for further medical care. "On Friday morning, my husband said he was feeling better and he did not want to go to Martinique but the doctor said he had to go there for treatment."
Tony Pantophlet, Manager of Patient Care of the St. Maarten Medical Center told SMN News in an invited comment that the cardiologist at the St. Maarten Medical Center saw the patient and he coordinated the transfer of the patient with a Cardio-logical Center in Martinique. Pantophlet said an aircraft equipped with a doctor and nurse came in at the Princess Juliana International Airport on Friday evening to pick up the patient and took him to the Princess Juliana International Airport for Air Evacuation to Martinique. Pantophlet said that the staff of the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) had no knowledge as to how the patient got on the French side of St. Martin and that they did not make any contact with Transport Aériens Intercaraïbes (TAI) to transport the patient. "We were of the opinion that the patient was taken to Martinique and we were all shocked when we learnt that the plane crashed on the French side." Pantophlet said the St. Maarten Medical Center had no contact with TAI and they do not know who contacted the French company to evacuate the patient. SMMC is expected to make a full statement to the media sometime Sunday afternoon.
As for the man's wife, Pantophlet said the woman wanted to travel with her husband on the Air Ambulance and the doctors refused to allow her to travel with him because they did not want to hamper patient care while a family member is on board the same flight. "The medical team did not want to have any distraction with family members if they had to resuscitate a patient while in flight."
Pantophlet said Gavriel departed St. Maarten Friday afternoon and she was to meet her husband in Martinique. "His wife took a commercial flight out of St. Maarten on Friday afternoon because she knew her husband was going to leave that night."
In the meantime, the Inspectorate of Health Dr. Earl Best has launched an investigation in the plane crash that took the lives of four people. In an invited comment, Dr. Best said he has to make sure proper procedures were followed with the medical evacuation from the St. Maarten Medical Center to Martinique. He said up to Sunday morning the cardiologist from the St. Maarten Medical Center did not submit the dossier on the patient to his office.

In the meantime, the search and rescue team that came into St. Martin from Guadeloupe have resumed their mission on Sunday morning to locate the bodies of the four victims. In an invited comment, Prefet Delegue Philippe Chopin said that no bodies were recovered. When asked if body parts were found, Prefet Chopin said he could not confirm that information.

Philipsburg:--- Member of Parliament Hyacinth Richardson is mourning the loss of his mother Jane Eliza Richardson (Proctor) 91 who passed away yesterday at the St. Maarten Medical Center. Members of Parliament from the various factions extend their deepest condolences to the Richardson families.
In the meantime, a civil servant working at Public Works indentified as Curtis Conner also lost his life suddenly Tuesday morning while in a bus on his way to work.

SIMPSON BAY, St. Maarten:--- The Princess Juliana Int'l Airport (PJIAE) will be represented at the 12th annual European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE), in Geneva, Switzerland, May 14 – 16, 2012.
PJIAE Operations Manager Michel Hyman and Special Projects Coordinator Robert Brown will have a packed agenda of events that include exhibits, what is being billed as "an incredible Static Display of Aircraft," education sessions, maintenance and operations sessions (M&Os), and safety workshops.
The events will take place at the Palexpo and Geneva International Airport under the theme, "Flying the Return to Growth."
Brown explained that the focus would be on growing the "Business Aviation Industry," "Runway Capacity Planning and Non-scheduled Operations," as well as "Opportunities in the European Business Aviation." The future and direction of Business Aviation will also be examined and discussed, he said.
St. Maarten is second only to The Bahamas in the Caribbean in terms of Business Aviation and PJIAE is focused on further developing this market, Brown disclosed.
PJIAE is currently working on developing a new Fixed Based Operation (FBO), in line with its vision and strategy for FBO and Business Aviation Development with the aim of maintaining its leadership position in the region.
FBOs are companies that are generally defined as "primary providers of support services to general aviation operators at a public use airport."
The vast majority of Business Aviation in St. Maarten comes from the US, and the airport intends to explore the European market to grow this business.
Passenger movement figures for Business Aviation in St. Maarten have increased significantly from 2009, when they stood at 9,140 passengers to a peak of 16,305 passengers in 2011, a jump of more than 78%. Nevertheless, this does not mean, according to Princess Juliana Int'l Airport Managing Director, Regina LaBega, that St. Maarten can remain complacent.
"Competition is increasing all over the region," LaBega said. This is why it is important for the airport to attend events such as EBACE, which is the premier meeting place for the European business aviation community," said LaBega.
"We have to stay abreast of the latest developments in this fast-changing sector if we want to remain competitive," LaBega added.
According to Brown, EBACE is where all the new trends and innovations in Business Aviation are displayed. "One can get a sense of what others are doing and where the industry is going," he said.
"[At EBACE] contacts will be made and new possibilities will be identified to attract new business to St. Maarten. This is another step in further developing our position in the Caribbean concerning Business Aviation," said Brown.

Philipsburg:--- Appointed Minister of Finance Hiro Shigemoto attended his first and last press conference since taking office some 20 months ago on Wednesday to bring clarity to some of the decisions he took. While taking jabs at some reporters, Shigemoto said that the new tax reform system was signed with a UK company and not a Canadian company as reported in the media. He further explained that the signing was done on March 22, 2012 when the Council of Ministers approved the agreement.
In his statements, the outgoing Minister of Finance contradicted an answer provided by Prime Minister Sarah Wescot Williams when she was asked by SMN News if there was a bidding process for the 14 million guilder project and if other companies were interested in the project. Wescot Williams said that there was no bidding process and that could be done if the Minister motivates his reasons for not conducting a bidding, she also said based on her knowledge there was only one company that showed interest in the project.
However, Minister Shigemoto said that there were two companies that were interested in the tax reform system. He said the first company wanted 30 million Euros for their services while they also wanted to send the St. Maarten tax payer's information to the Netherlands to be processed. Minister Shigemoto said he refused that company because he could not agree to send peoples personal information to another country. The Minister also pulled out a sheet of paper and showed it to reporters claiming that everything was in order including the signatures of six Ministers approving the agreement with the UK company.
Shigemoto explained that when the tax system is reformed St. Maarteners will pay less taxes while the visitors and immigrant workers will face heavier taxation. He said his intention was to reduce the TOT and implement VAT (Value added Tax or Sales Tax) but after calculations were done he realized that low income earners would have been severely affected. Government he said also intended to add taxation on alcohol and tobacco. The outgoing Finance Minister also shed light on the agreement he had in place to complete the government building on Pond Island, a project which he said would have taken 10 to 12 months after the financing is secured. Shigemoto said that he is leaving 38 million guilders in the government coffers compared to 20 million in 2011. Government also has 10 million guilders set aside in an account at Banco de Caribe for the construction of social homes. The project is in collaboration with the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation.

Great Bay:--- Marcellina Loblack of the Mediator's Office recently returned from Aruba where she worked with the mediator's office there for a period of one week, where she was introduced to various aspects of the mediation on the island of Aruba.
Loblack on her first day was explained the entire process of requesting a referendum, which was followed by a meeting with President of the Chamber of Commerce on Aruba, as they explained their views on various socio/economic topics.
On the second day of Loblack's trip, she met with the new Government Mediator of Aruba Anselmo Pontilius where he explained to her their approach as it relates to mediation between the employers and the unions. Pontilius also explained that the mediator's office will be coordinating education and information programs for union board members as well as employers' associations.
The remainder of Loblacks trip was filled with meetings and presentations, such as a meeting with the General Manager of Divi resorts, which has over one thousand employees, as he shared his longtime experience working with trade unions. The Labor Department made a presentation on a labor market survey that will be conducted on Aruba, and the different programs they are executing.
On her last day, Loblack met the president of a local trade union and other board members, as they shared their experience with the Mediator's Office.
"It is extremely important for the development of St. Maarten that Ms. Loblack applies the knowledge that she learnt, each exposure in Aruba, I believe was worthwhile and will help St. Maarten grow. I hope that businesses and trade unions find the common the ground with government to make the system work efficiently," said Minister of Public Health Social Development & Labor, Cornelius De Weever.

Marigot:--- The team of Gendarmes investigating the TAI Air Ambulance crash that took place early Saturday morning confirmed to reporters on Monday afternoon that they recovered body parts from all four of the victims. Prosecutor Jacques Louvier who was among the investigators at the press conference said the body parts now have to be analyzed and forensic testing has to be done to legally identify the four victims.

Louvier and the team of investigators said that since the whole bodies were not found they have to find relatives of the victims to do detailed DNA testing to identify the victims. Gendarmes who specialize in airline crashes that are currently on the island heading the investigation said that the testing and identification process will take time especially since one of the victims is from Cyprus. Investigation coordinator Fredrick Dozieres said that they would have to involve Interpol in order for them to get a close relative of the foreign victim so that he could be identified. The four victims have been identified as Bruno Le Jeune, Dr. Jean Michel Dudiot, Nurse Gerard Omer, and the cardiac patient Panayiotis Vrionides.

Prosecutor Louvier also announced on Monday that he submitted a request to the Dutch authorities requesting judicial cooperation from the Dutch side of the island so that the investigators could piece together exactly what happened and how the victims ended up on the French side of the island since the patient was hospitalized at the St. Maarten Medical Center.

Special aircraft investigator attached to the Gendarmerie Philippe Mola said that the divers already located the aircraft which is over 10 meters underwater. He said by the end of this week the investigators will be able to bring the wreckage to land so that they could continue their in-depth investigation into the cause of the accident. Mola said as an expert in aircraft crash investigations he could already say that there is no single cause of such an accident. Based on the damages he has seen thus far, it is clear that the aircraft had a huge impact when it crashed into the water. Mola said they have issued an order to all beach lovers and boat users not to venture in close proximity of the accident since they need every single piece of evidence that washed ashore.

The Gendarmes and special investigators that are busy conducting the three phase investigation is also calling on anyone who might have witnessed the fatal crash of the Piper Cheyenne III early Saturday morning to contact the Gendarmerie at telephone number 17 or 0590 52 30 00.

Philipsburg:--- The government of St. Maarten has signed an ordinance to make July 1, 2012 an official holiday for Emancipation Day announced Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, and Culture Silveria Jacobs. Minister Jacobs said that Parliament rescheduled the debate on making the day a holiday. She said while government is doing all that it can to make it possible for the day to be a national holiday they do have to wait on Parliament's decision when it's taken. Minister Jacobs assured that on this Emancipation Day a ceremony will be held.
Discussions are already taking place as to whether or not it is an official holiday. The Education Minister said she participated in the French side's Emancipation Day celebration last week and she is of the opinion that the Dutch side residents were freed the same time even though there was nothing in writing for the Dutch side at the time. "I can tell you when the French side got emancipated we all ran across the border and celebrated because there was no way they (the Dutch) could have stopped us from being free. Next year, the Dutch side will be celebrating 150 years of freedom but I think it's much more than that."
The Minister further said that she is fully aware of the modern day slavery taking place on the island and that is something they have to take a hard look at and deal with.