PHILIPSBURG:--- Former Member of Parliament and former Minister of VROMI Theodore Heyliger was taken to the Sint Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) on Thursday afternoon, where he was admitted.

SMN News understands that Heyliger had been experiencing pain and was taken to a doctor on Thursday morning. He was subsequently transported to SMMC for further medical attention and admission.

Up to the time of publication, neither the  Pointe Blanche Prison Services nor Heyliger’s family had issued an official statement regarding his condition or the circumstances surrounding his hospitalization.

This is a developing story. SMN News will publish additional information as it becomes available.

~Worker identifies recruiter only as “Abel,” says he is still owed $200 and the return of his rake after completing publicly related cleaning work~

PHILIPSBURG:--- Nearly one week after SMN News exposed allegations that workers were recruited informally to perform cleaning work connected to VROMI and were then left unpaid, at least one worker says nothing has changed.

No payment. No explanation. No accountability.

In a new statement provided to SMN News on Friday morning, the worker said he is still owed $200 for cleaning a trench in Dutch Quarter. He also claims that the person who recruited him has failed to return his rake—an essential tool he needs to secure other work and support his family.

“Another week gone and I hear nothing from him,” the worker said.

The worker identified the person who allegedly recruited him only by the first name “Abel.” However, he said he still does not know the name of the company holding the government contract, the principal contractor involved, or the person ultimately responsible for the assignment.

“I don’t know the boss man's name,” he explained. “I don’t know who has the contract from the government, from VROMI, to clean the trenches in Dutch Quarter.”

That statement deepens the concerns first raised by SMN News regarding the apparent use of unidentified intermediaries to recruit vulnerable workers for government-related projects without contracts, purchase orders, or documentation showing who is responsible for paying them.

Worker demands his money and equipment

The worker said he completed the trench-cleaning work and has photographs showing what he did. Yet he still cannot collect the money allegedly promised to him.

“I want my money. My $200, and I want my rake,” he said repeatedly.

He added that the missing rake is preventing him from properly pursuing other jobs.

“I have to look for another way to do my job now,” he said. “It’s not fair.”

The worker said he does not know whether the two other men who reportedly participated in the work have been paid. He emphasized that he was speaking only about his own outstanding payment and equipment.

“I got bills to pay. I got three children. I don’t work for free,” he said.

His statement should disturb every official responsible for supervising public contracts. A government-related cleaning programme cannot be permitted to operate through a shadowy chain in which the workers know only the first name of the person recruiting them, while the identity of the principal contractor remains hidden.

Was the contractor paid while the worker was abandoned?

VROMI must now determine whether the Dutch Quarter trench-cleaning work was performed under one of the ministry’s existing contracts and, if so, identify the company responsible for that zone.

The ministry must also disclose:

• Which contractor was assigned to clean the trench in the Dutch Quarter?
• Is a person identified as “Abel” employed by or subcontracted to that company?
• Was VROMI aware that workers were being recruited informally?
• Did the ministry authorize any subcontracting arrangement?
• Has the government already paid the contractor?
• What safeguards exist to ensure workers performing government-financed labor receive their wages?
• Why was a worker allowed to complete the assignment without knowing the legal identity of the company responsible for paying him?

SMN News previously reported that the government’s trench-cleaning contracts were valued at slightly more than Cg 2.8 million, covered four zones and ran for 36 months beginning September 1, 2024. The contracts reportedly cover the maintenance of trenches, drains, grills and culverts.

If the work in Dutch Quarter falls under one of those multimillion-guilder contracts, there should be no mystery surrounding who holds the contract, who supervised the work and who must pay the laborers.

Public contracts cannot operate like street deals

The worker said vegetation is already growing back in the area and believes the person who recruited him will eventually have to return.

“The grass is growing back, and they have to cut,” he said.

That is hardly a proper system of accountability. A worker should not have to wait on the side of the road or search Dutch Quarter hoping to encounter the person who owes him money.

Government contracts are paid with taxpayers’ money. They cannot be treated as private hustles passed from one unidentified person to another while the laborers doing the hardest and dirtiest work are abandoned.

Someone received—or expects to receive—public money for maintaining these areas. Yet the worker who entered the trench, performed the labor, and used his own equipment says he cannot collect $200 or even recover his rake.

Minister of VROMI Patrice Gumbs Jr. and the ministry cannot continue treating this as someone else’s problem. If an authorized contractor was involved, VROMI must identify that contractor and demand payment to the worker. If no authorized contractor was involved, then the ministry must explain how individuals were allowed to perform work presented as government-related trench cleaning without official supervision or documentation.

This is no longer simply a complaint about delayed payment. It tests whether VROMI knows who is performing publicly financed work, who is collecting the money, and whether people at the bottom of the contracting chain have any protection at all.

The worker has made his position clear:

He wants his $200. He wants his rake. And he refuses to work for free.

VROMI must now tell the public who is responsible.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA) is advising the public to take necessary precautions following the Air Quality Advisory issued by the Meteorological Department St. Maarten, which indicates that deteriorating air quality conditions are expected from 12:00 p.m. today, Thursday 10 September 2026, until 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, 12 September 2026.
According to the advisory, air quality levels are forecast to reach the "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" category due to elevated concentrations of fine airborne particles. Individuals who are particularly vulnerable, including persons with asthma, chronic respiratory illnesses, heart conditions, allergies, older adults, pregnant women, and young children, may experience adverse health effects.
The Ministry notes that exposure to airborne particulate matter may result in coughing, throat and eye irritation, shortness of breath, wheezing, headaches, and aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.
Recommended Preventive Measures
The Ministry encourages residents to take the following precautions:
• Limit outdoor activities, particularly prolonged or strenuous exercise.
• Remain indoors as much as possible, especially during periods of visible haze or poor air quality.
• Keep doors and windows closed when practical to reduce the entry of dust and airborne particles.
• Use air conditioning on recirculation mode or air filtration systems where possible or available.
• Persons who must be outdoors for extended periods should consider wearing a properly fitted KN95 or N95 mask.
• Individuals with asthma, allergies, chronic lung disease, or heart conditions should carry and use prescribed medications as directed.
• Drink adequate amounts of water and avoid exposure to cigarette smoke and other indoor pollutants.
• Seek immediate medical attention if experiencing significant breathing difficulties, chest pain, severe coughing, or worsening of existing medical conditions.
Guidance for Employers of Outdoor Workers
Employers of workers whose duties require outdoor presence, including but not limited to construction, landscaping, waste collection, delivery, and outdoor security, are reminded of their obligation under the Safety Ordinance to protect workers from harmful airborne substances, including the provision of appropriate respiratory protection at no cost to the worker where outdoor work cannot reasonably be postponed or relocated.

The Ministry of VSA advises employers to assess whether outdoor work scheduled during this advisory period can be rescheduled, shortened, or supplemented with increased rest and hydration breaks, and to give particular attention to employees with known respiratory or cardiovascular conditions.

The Ministry of VSA will continue to monitor the situation in collaboration with the Meteorological Department St. Maarten and other relevant authorities. Residents are encouraged to follow official government channels and meteorological updates for the latest information.
Protecting your health during periods of reduced air quality is a shared responsibility. By taking simple preventive actions, residents can significantly reduce the risk of adverse health effects associated with airborne particles and haze.

Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA)
Government of Sint Maarten

PHILIPSBURG:---  Parliament unanimously approved the installation and composition of its permanent and ad hoc committees, as well as the committees of the Latin American Parliament, during a public meeting held on Friday morning, September 11, 2026.
The meeting opened with a quorum of 10 Members of Parliament.

 Parliament proceeded with three agenda points:
1. The list of incoming documents.
2. Advice regarding the installation and composition of Parliament’s permanent and ad hoc committees.
3. Advice regarding the installation and composition of the Parlatino committees.
Incoming Documents Approved
Parliament first considered incoming documents numbered IS/1325 through IS/1350 from the 2025–2026 parliamentary year.
No Member of Parliament requested the floor to discuss the documents. The list and the proposed handling of the documents were subsequently approved.

Parliament Establishes 17 Committees
Under the second agenda point, Parliament considered the advice concerning the installation and composition of its permanent and ad hoc committees.
The chairperson explained that Article 21, paragraph three, of Parliament’s Rules of Order requires establishing and constituting the committees.
Faction leaders were asked by letter dated August 10, 2026, to indicate which members of their respective factions would participate in the different committees. The Central Committee discussed the submissions during Meeting Number One, held on Wednesday, September 9.
Parliament has established a total of 17 permanent and ad hoc committees:
• Committee of General Affairs
• Committee of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure
• Committee of Justice
• Committee of Finance
• Committee of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication
• Committee of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs
• Committee of Public Health, Social Development and Labor
• Committee of Kingdom Affairs and Interparliamentary Relations
• Committee for Petitions
• Committee for the Country’s Expenditures
• Committee of Parlatino Matters
• Ad Hoc Committee for the Preparation of the Construction of a New Parliament Building
• Ad Hoc Committee on Integrity
• Ad Hoc Committee on Electoral Reform
• Committee for District Councils
• Committee for Constitutional Affairs and Decolonization
• Committee for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Husbandry
No member requested the floor on the proposal, and no one requested a roll-call vote. The Central Committee's advice was therefore approved unanimously.

Travel Rules and Four-Member Limit Approved
Parliament also approved the Central Committee’s proposal that the guidelines governing parliamentary work visits, adopted on June 8, 2015, must be observed.
For work visits connected to the national holidays of the other islands of the former Netherlands Antilles, participation will be limited to a maximum of four delegates—one representative from each faction—based on a rotation schedule. 

Thirteen Parlatino Committees Approved

Under the third agenda point, Parliament unanimously approved the installation and composition of 13 Parlatino committees.
Faction leaders had also been asked to submit the names of the MPs they wanted to serve on those committees. The Central Committee considered those submissions before presenting the proposal to the public meeting.
Parliament approved continuing to apply the 2015 travel guidelines to committee-related Parlatino work visits.
For Parlatino committees consisting of three or more members, only two members will travel to attend a meeting. Participation will be determined through a rotation schedule involving members one and two, followed by members three and four, and then members five and six where applicable.
No MP requested the floor, and no roll-call vote was sought. The Central Committee’s advice was therefore accepted unanimously.
Before closing the meeting, the chairperson explained that the committees must now meet internally to elect their respective chairpersons and vice-chairpersons.