The station ship HNLMS Holland started on Monday, September 2, with her patrols in the Caribbean Sea. Four days later, on Friday, September 6, in the morning, it was a direct hit. They received notification that morning that the patrol plane Dash 8 from the Coastguard Caribbean Region localized a suspicious go-fast in the neighborhood of the ABC islands. HNLMS Holland immediately took action upon this and launched the rapid interception boats, the FRISCs, with onboard combined teams consisting of the ship’s crew, the US Coast Guard, and the Fleet Marine Squadron. Also, the ship’s helicopter, the NH90, helped from the air during this counter-drug operation. The suspects on the drugs boat, several times, ignored the order to stop. The go-fast only stopped after targeted shots at the boat’s engines.

Cocaine and Marijuana
On board the smuggling boat were 9 passengers; a total of 52 packages were confiscated. These contained 210 kilograms of cocaine and 2110 kilograms of marijuana. The suspects and the drugs were handed over to the US Coast Guard. One suspect was wounded and, therefore, had to be brought to Curaçao by the NH90 helicopter to receive medical care.

Station ship
The station ship HNLMS Holland amongst other things is deployed mostly for counter drugs operations. In order to do this, the crewmembers alternately work together with the US Coast Guard and Coastguard Caribbean Region.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Addendum to the ENNIA Outline Agreement, which Minister of Finance Marinka Gumbs presented to Parliament on September 6, will save St. Maarten a cumulative total of about 37 million guilders.
In addition, Min. Gumbs successfully secured priority for St. Maarten in the potential sale of Mullet Bay. The Minister had returned to Parliament to answer questions posed by members of the legislative body at the meeting of June 27, 2024.
Among the highlights of the Addendum are that St. Maarten will not be responsible for covering costs for the Bonaire, St. Eustatius, Saba (BES) and Suriname policyholders, which will save government some 5 million guilders.
Similarly, St. Maarten will not bear the operational expenses of the resolution fund, as contemplated in the signed Outline Agreement, thus resulting in savings of 15 million guilders.
Furthermore, St. Maarten has requested the separation of its peak facility from that of Curaçao to prevent any cost overlap. The reduction in St. Maarten’s usage of the peak facility will save approximately 3 million guilders in interest expenses, Minister Gumbs explained.
According to the Minister, “A separate administration and yearly audit report for St. Maarten will be provided by April 1, detailing St. Maarten’s portion in the resolution fund.”
All these reductions will contribute to a positive cash balance of 14 million guilders for St. Maarten for a total savings of 37 million guilders.
“Although I would have preferred an alternative solution, after a detailed review of the short-term refinancing agreement signed by the previous government, it became clear that any alternative would impose a heavy financial burden on St. Maarten,” the Minister stated.
“This is because the signed Outline Agreement stipulates that if no solution is found for Ennia, an automatic increase in interest rates will take effect in October 2024, significantly impacting both Curaçao and St. Maarten, and therefore effectively binding St. Maarten to the Ennia deal for more than 30 years,” Minister Gumbs further explained.
The Minister reiterated her firm opposition to the Netherlands linking the interest rate on national COVID loans to a solution for the private company Ennia.
Minister Gumbs highlighted the fact that, while the Netherlands received grants from the EU to address the COVID-19 pandemic, it has charged interest on the loans provided to the islands, with the potential for even higher interest rates, resulting in profits for the Netherlands on pandemic loans.
This, she warned, would create a significant financial burden for the islands and reduce their ability to undertake necessary development, especially given the vulnerabilities of small island developing states like St. Maarten, which is in a hurricane belt and faces ongoing risk due to climate change.
Minister Gumbs stressed that the BES and Suriname policyholders are not associated with the St. Maarten Ennia office. For her, St. Maarten policyholders are defined as those whose policies are tied to the St. Maarten Ennia office.
The Minister further emphasized that the continuation of Ennia as an ongoing private business primarily benefits Curaçao, as the taxes and social premiums for the Ennia group are paid to the Curaçao government, and most of the employment is based there.
“Therefore, St. Maarten should not be expected to cover operational expenses when it does not benefit equally from all the benefits of these continued operations,” she said.
The Minister added that, “the taxes paid to Curaçao will not be shared with St. Maarten, putting the two on unequal footing. As a result, these changes will not impact Curaçao as significantly as they would St. Maarten.”
“St. Maarten is willing to pay for its own policyholders but not for the operational costs of the Ennia group of companies,” Minister Gumbs stressed. The Minister is expected to return to Parliament soon to address further clarifications requested by members.

HARBOR VIEW:---  After a 16-month hiatus, the Social Economic Council (SER) was reinstated on Monday, August 5th, 2024. On Thursday, September 5th, 2024, Mr. Harlec Doran, representing the independent members on the Board, was elected as Chairman of the SER by his fellow board members. The SER is an independent advisory organization of Sint Maarten. The Board consists of three representatives from employers’ organizations, three representatives from employees’ organizations, and three independent experts. Each member has a substitute.

Harlec Doran takes over the position from former Chairman ir. Damian Richardson bid farewell to the SER on April 30th, 2023, when the three-year tenure of the former SER Board came to an end. A new nine-member Board was installed by national decree and was published in the National Gazette of August 30th, 2024.

Born on the island of Sint Maarten, Harlec Doran holds a degree in human resources management. Returning for a second term, Mr. Doran previously served on several boards, including the Vidanova Pension Fund. As chairman, his first order of business is to meet with all stakeholders of the SER and strengthen valued relationships and collaboration. Mr. Doran is currently the Human Resource manager at the Sint Maarten Medical Center (SMMC).
On the same day, Mr. Judensy Coffie was elected as Vice-Chairman of the SER by his fellow board members. Mr. Coffie holds a degree in business economics. Returning for a second term, Mr. Coffie now serves as a member representing the independent experts on the Board. Next to his membership of the SER, Mr. Coffie is an active member in our community, and is part of the Destined for Greatness Foundation. The non-profit organization focuses on youth development, community engagement, and skill development in the areas of youth sports. The term of the Chair and Vice-Chair will come to a conclusion on April 30, 2026, at which time the tenure of the entire SER Board comes to an end.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Hearts United Holistic Care Foundation (HUHCF) held its Closing Ceremony for the Advanced Adult Literacy program 2024, on Wednesday, August 28th at the John Larmonie Center in Philipsburg. It was a bittersweet moment as this batch of students have come to the end of their session in the program. This advance program concluded with thirteen of the fourteen students graduating. Eleven were in attendance, while two were absent due to circumstances beyond their control.
Mr. Glendon Wilson, the co-founder of Hearts United Foundation, moderated the event. The Hon. Minister of VSA, Mrs. Veronica Jansen-Webster, and Ms. Chantal Groeneveldt, head of the Department of Community Development, Family & Humanitarian Affairs under the Ministry of VSA, were in attendance. The minister shared inspiring words of encouragement with the graduates.
Similar sentiments were shared by the Representative of Resources for Community Resilience - R4CR, Mr. Steve Duzanson, who also agreed that the Government should continue to play a meaningful part in the success and continuation of programs such as the much-needed Adult Literacy programs that are executed by Hearts United Holistic Care Foundation. This concluded with a toast to the continued success of the graduates as they moved to higher heights, along with dinner and socializing.
Overall, the Adult Literacy Program proved to be a transformative experience for participants, empowering them with essential skills and knowledge to navigate the complexities of communication, entrepreneurship, finance, and marketing. The dedication and progress demonstrated by the participants reflect the program's success in fostering lifelong learning and personal growth.
On September 8th International Literacy Day was celebrated all around the world. This day continues to evolve as a potent force driving the global literacy agenda. With ever-changing challenges and opportunities presented by the digital age, the Day remains a crucial platform for advocating for inclusive, equitable, and sustainable literacy for all.
By participating in this day, sharing awareness, and actively supporting literacy initiatives, we can all contribute to a world where everyone has the power to read, write, and unlock their full potential through the transformative magic of literacy.
We are currently conducting a basic program (Registration & Assessment September 9th -13th) Classes commences on Monday, September 16th. Classes will be held every Monday, Wednesday & Friday from 5:00-7:00pm). We have a few spaces remaining, if interested or know of anyone who can benefit from this program, feel free to call or Whats-app 1 721 523-8460. Or email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Check us out on Facebook at Hearts United Holistic Care Foundation SXM.
Special thanks to Resources for Community Resilience - R4CR, Ministry of VSA, President & Board of HUHCF, Volunteers, Program Coordinator and Teachers, the students and their family members.
“This project has been funded by the Government of the Netherlands via the Sint Maarten Trust Fund. The R4CR (Resources for Community Resilience) program is administered by the World Bank, implemented by VNGI, and overseen by the NRPB.