PHILIPSBURG  (DCOMM):--- World Oral Health Day (WOHD) 2023 this year will be observed on Monday, 20 March under the theme: “Be Proud of Your Mouth.”

According to the last edition of the Global Oral Health Status Report published by the World Health Organization, almost half of the world’s population (45 per cent or 3.5 billion people) suffer from oral diseases.

Oral health is important for overall health, and prevention, early detection and treatment of oral diseases is important to stop any negative effects on the rest of the body.

Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department within the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA), calls on the community to not neglect oral health as oral diseases can be prevented and treated.

Oral health means the health of the mouth. A healthy mouth allows you to speak, smile, smell, taste, touch, chew, swallow and convey a range of emotions with confidence and without pain, discomfort, and disease. No matter what your age – 5, 25, 65 or 85 years – oral health is vital to your general health and well-being.

Oral diseases are the most common noncommunicable disease (NCD) and affect people throughout their lifetime, causing pain, discomfort, disfigurement and disfigurement.

Behavioral risk factors for oral diseases are shared with other major NCDs, such as an unhealthy diet high in free sugars, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol.

WOHD is an international day to celebrate the benefits of a healthy mouth and to promote worldwide awareness of the issues surrounding oral health and the importance of oral hygiene.

To reduce oral diseases, it is up to you to take preventative measures.

Twice-daily tooth brushing with fluoride-containing toothpaste (1000 to 1500 ppm) is encouraged. Long-term exposure to an optimal level of fluoride results in substantially lower incidence and prevalence of tooth decay across all ages.

Eat a well-balanced diet low in sugar; eat adequate amounts of fruit and vegetables which may have a protective role in oral cancer prevention; and reduce smoking and alcohol consumption.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The team at NAGICO Insurances is thrilled to announce the launch of our newly refined Serenity Plan, which is a Funeral insurance, designed to guarantee that your final farewell can be one done with dignity and that the cost will not financially burden your loved ones.

The Serenity Plan has a low premium, requires no medical exam, and is available to anyone between the ages of 20-70 years old. This policy can cover funeral costs such as memorial service, headstones, urns, and other final expenses and it can also be used to help settle bills left behind such as medical expenses, legal fees, credit card bills, and loans.

“Our Serenity Plan is a great product because the premium is low, so it is very affordable and the payout benefit automatically increases by 2.5% each year, after the 2nd year of the policy’s inception,” Lisa Brown Marketing Manager explains. “Imagine being able to decide what your farewell will be like and knowing that your family will not have to bear the cost on top of their grief. That is true independence and the definition of love because you are ensuring that both you and your loved ones are well taken care of in a time of need.”

We understand that death is an uncomfortable subject, but it is the one certainty we have in life, and we owe it to ourselves and our families to plan responsibly for it. As such, at NAGICO we want to normalize these types of discussions and make the process easy, straightforward, and pain-free for you to select and purchase a plan that matches your needs. Our team is available to answer any questions you may have and help you take that necessary step to wise financial planning.

“Final arrangements and discussions about estate planning are not conversations people like to discuss because it is not fun, sometimes it creates anxiety and sadness, however, we can all agree that it is very necessary. We have all witnessed or experienced the passing of a loved one and how expensive the process can be. These situations can cause undue stress, and conflict and sometimes put families in serious debt,” Brown explained. “That is why at NAGICO, we want to get the conversation started, lets's normalize smart financial planning, let’s normalize wise and responsible thinking.”

We invite you to visit our website nagico.com or contact us directly to learn more about our affordable Serenity Plan. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you protect what matters most.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police Force of St. Maarten KPSM received the very sad news today, March 19, 2023, that a former police officer of St. Maarten has lost his life after a shooting incident in Curacao.

According to the information from the Police Force of Curacao KPC, the former colleague's car was blocked on one of the roads and he was shot at and subsequently lost his life.

The young officer tendered his resignation from KPSM a few months ago and moved back to Curacao.
KPSM is monitoring the ongoing investigation in Curacao.

The management team of KPSM expressed condolences to the former police officer's family, friends, and fellow colleagues of KPSM on his passing.

KPSM Press Release

PHILIPSBURG:--- The leader of the United Peoples Party and Member of Parliament Rolando Brison was released from police custody on Saturday evening.
Brison was arrested around midday on Friday when members of the RST raided his home at Port de Plaisance and also his office at the Parliament Building. Even though released from Police custody Brison remains a suspect in the Lissabon investigation says the Prosecutor’s Office in a press release.

Based on a press release issued by the prosecutor's office on Friday states that Brison is suspected of taking bribes and abusing his position as a Member of Parliament.
The MP is suspected of taking bribes and abusing his position.
The investigation is ongoing and further arrests or searches are not ruled out.

The "Lissabon" investigation is being conducted by RST under the direction of the Central Team of the Attorney General's Office of Curaçao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba.

The Central Team focuses on a specialized approach to combat corruption and subversive crimes.