PHILIPSBURG:--- Officers of the RST and TBO searched the home and office of Member of Parliament Kevin Maingrette on Friday morning.
The detectives are working on a new case, which they have not disclosed. Sources say the case involves bribery.
SMN News learned via reliable sources that the detectives will conduct two searches.
Since the arrest on Friday morning, the Prosecutor’s Office has not released any information on the questioning and searches that have taken place.
According to several persons in the community, Maingrette allegedly issued several bus and taxi licenses leading up to the January 2024 Parliamentary Elections while working as a policy advisor at the Ministry of TEATT cabinet.
Maingrette is also responsible for the fall of the 2 x 4 government that fell on May 20th, 2024, which resulted in Prime Minister  Dr.Luc Mercelina calling for new elections scheduled for  August 19th, 2024. One week after collapsing the 2 x 4 government, Maingrette apologized to the people of St. Maarten and jumped back in the 2 x 4 fold, hoping it would have stopped the snap elections that were called when Prime Minister Mercelina invoked article 59 of the constitution and dissolve the Parliament of St. Maarten.

Shortly after the publication of this release, the prosecutor's Office sent out a press release. Click here

~Helping Sister Islands in the Southern Caribbean~

PHILIPSBURG:---  Today, many of the Rotary Clubs in our territory, including the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten, the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise, the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset, the Rotary Club of Saint-Martin Nord and the Rotary Club of Anguilla, joined together to announce their support for Hurricane Beryl survivors.

According to the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten Disaster Relief Chair, Laura Hartman, "It was important for us to ensure that our efforts would reach the right place at the right time. In order to accomplish this objective, we are partnering with our counterparts in Rotary District 7030 to our south. After careful consideration, we have determined that the most effective way to help survivors of Beryl is to work with the Rotary District 7030 Disaster Relief Team because we have verified that they are working with those impacted by the hurricane directly on the front lines. Anyone interested in supporting our efforts can join us by submitting a donation online to the Rotary District 7030 Disaster Fund at https://bit.ly/RotaryDistrict7030."

Rotary Assistant Governor for St. Maarten and Anguilla, Elisia Lake, added, "Being able to trust that your contributions will be used for the intended purpose is very important during this time when we are all working to prepare for an above normal, very active hurricane season. Working with Rotary gives you that very assurance, especially when you consider Rotary International has earned Charity Navigator's highest rating for the 15th consecutive year. Your contributions will be used directly to assist survivors of Hurricane Beryl in Carriacou, Petite Martinique, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and the surrounding areas."

To start things off and show their support and solidarity with our neighbors to our south, the Board of Directors of the Rotary Club of Sint Maarten has contributed US $1,000 to Rotary District 7030 Disaster Relief Fund, according to Club President Jeffrey "Dr. Soc" Sochrin.

For more information about the Rotary Club of St. Maarten, don't hesitate to get in touch with the Rotary Club of St. Maarten Press Officer at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the website www.rotarysxm.com.

PHILIPSBURG:---  The Parliament of Sint Maarten invites the public to submit nominations for the Annual President of Parliament Award.

The nomination form can be found on the Parliament’s website www.sxmparliament.org , under the public section of the site. Select the President of Parliament Award, and you will be able to fill in the application form. Persons have until August 16, 2024, to submit their nominations. 

The purpose of the President of Parliament award is to recognize and award young persons of Sint Maarten who have contributed to the community and the country positively, whether it be academically, voluntarily or through sporting achievements.

The eligibility criteria are:

• the candidate must have the Dutch nationality and/or has been legally residing in Sint Maarten for 10 years or more consecutively and has been registered in the Civil Registry for that period of time;
• must be between the ages of 15-24 years;
• has made a worthwhile contribution to the development of the community and the country;
• these contributions/achievements must have taken place within the last three years;
• contributions/achievements must have been made while the individual was acting as a private citizen, not as an appointed or elected government official; and
• must have demonstrated a capacity for leadership and ability to motivate.

An award committee consisting of three Members of Parliament reviews the nominations and selects the recipient of the award in consultation with the President of Parliament.

The award is presented yearly to the recipient during the reception ceremony of the Opening of the Parliamentary Year.

Nominations for the Annual President of Parliament Award may be submitted by any citizen of Sint Maarten who believes that the individual that he or she is nominating meets the abovementioned criteria. Nominations can be submitted by delivering a hardcopy to:

The Parliament of Sint Maarten

Attn: Annual President of Parliament Award Committee

Wilhelminastraart 1

Philipsburg, Sint Maarten

Or via e-mail to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

St Peters:--- The St Maarten Farmers’ Cooperative (SMFC) extends heartfelt gratitude to the community for their overwhelming support and attendance at the grand opening of our Farmers' Market and Distribution Center on June 29th. The event, held on L.B. Scott Road in St Peters, was a resounding success, with a fantastic turnout and enthusiastic participation from both local farmers and residents.
Attendees enjoyed a vibrant marketplace filled with fresh produce, seedlings, plants, gardening supplies, baked goods, natural juices, sea moss products, and some good Ital (Veggie Soup) traditionally made fueled by wood under the Cole pot, all provided by our dedicated local farmers.
The positive feedback and community spirit were truly inspiring, and we are excited to build on this momentum.
With great anticipation, the SMFC is pleased to announce that our next Farmers' Market event will take place on Saturday, July 13th, from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the same location. We are committed to making this event better each time with a wider variety of products to offer the public.
The members of the SMFC are looking forward to seeing even more members of the community at this upcoming event. Everyone should mark their calendars for this Saturday, July 13, 2024, and join us in supporting the local farmers and enjoying the freshest, highest-quality products that St Maarten and our region has to offer.
The SMFC is dedicated towards bridging the gaps between farmers and product developers in efforts to bring more diversity to our local community market and its consumers..
General meetings continue amongst its members to assess current project goals and shark tank on new ideas toward improvement. Currently, SMFC's focus is to increase crop production that will add towards the sustainability of the marketplace.
We Thank you once again for your tremendous support and look forward to seeing you Saturday, July 13, 2024. Together, we are fostering a vibrant, sustainable agricultural community in St Maarten.
**About St Maarten Farmers Cooperative (SMFC):**
The St Maarten Farmers Cooperative (SMFC), a proactive committee of ECO St Maarten Agricultural Research and Development Center Foundation is a collective of local farmers, skillful community members and business professionals, dedicated to enhancing the production and distribution of agricultural products on the island. By pooling resources and expertise, the SMFC aims to promote sustainable farming practices, support local economies and provide the community with fresh high-quality produce and agro-processed products as We Thrive for the Balance of life together.
For more information on SMFC ( St, Maarten Farmers Cooperative ), follow us on FB or feel free to send us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.