PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in an urgent Public meeting on April 23, 2026.

The Public meeting, which was adjourned on March 9, 2026, will be reconvened on Thursday at 11.00 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sport will return to Parliament to provide answers to questions posed in the first round.

The agenda point is:

Deliberations on the current state of operational and sanitary conditions in Public Schools, including supply shortages and instructional resource constraints (IS/739/2025-2026 dated February 26, 2026)

This meeting was requested by MP E.J. Doran, MP A.M.R. Irion, MP D.T.J. York, MP O.E.C. Ottley, MP L.C.J. Lewis and MP F.A. Lacroes

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. All persons visiting the House of Parliament must adhere to the house rules.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on TV 15, Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament and www.pearlfmradio.sx

PHILIPSBURG:--- 

The House of Parliament will sit in a Central Committee meeting on April 22, 2026.
The Central Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 13.00 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda points are:
1. Report from the Committee of Parlatino Matters regarding the First Vice Chairmanship of a Parlatino Committee (IS/962/2025-2026 dated April 15, 2026)

2. Approval of composition delegation and provisions for Members of Parliament to participate in the 22nd ParlAmericas Plenary Assembly and the 10th Gathering of the Open Parliament Network, in Ottawa, Canada, from May 19- 22, 2026 (IS/936/2025-2026 dated April 7, 2026)

3. Approval of composition delegation and provisions for Members of Parliament to participate in IPKO and Tripartite meetings in the The Hague, the Netherlands from June 4-8, 2026 (IS/724/2025-2026 dated February 23, 2026)

4. Debriefing on ParlAmericas workshop on care systems for Caribbean Parliamentarians from April 16-17, 2026, in St. George’s, Grenada

5. Discussion regarding the proposal of Kingdom Law amending the Netherlands-Sint Maarten Tax Arrangement in connection with the implementation of the outcomes of the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting project of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, as well as other amendments (IS/256/2025-2026 dated October 30, 2025)
Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.
All persons visiting the House of Parliament must adhere to the house rules.
The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.
The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx and www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament

PHILIPSBURG:---  The Nature Foundation Sint Maarten is once again voicing its concerns for environmental conservation and public access on the island, following recent news about developments around Mullet Bay, Beacon Hill, and Little Bay.

For nearly three decades, since our founding in 1997, the Nature Foundation has worked – often quietly and behind closed doors – to protect Sint Maarten’s coastlines, wetlands, and hillsides. We have submitted countless assessments, provided formal advice, and engaged directly with the government. Sint Maarten’s natural ecosystems are essential to wildlife, recreation, culture, economy, and wellbeing, but we continue to lose them at alarming rates. The past few weeks have seen a flurry of activity, causing renewed concerns about the future of our remaining coastlines.

Last week, the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) revealed that it is currently in court to keep Mullet Bay’s coastal area in public hands. Should the owner of the surrounding lands in Mullet Bay, Sunresorts Ltd. N.V., win the case, the rest of our beaches are at risk of the same. This means private owners may be able to deny access to residents through physical fencing or private security. While we remain critical of how our beach use has been managed under successive governments, and watchful of the potential impact on Mullet Pond - a nearby wetland of international importance – the privatization of public beach access is unacceptable.

Further cause for concern is the series of approved building permits for an address linked to The Morgan, published in the National Gazette last week. A March 3 Daily Herald article noted that future phases may include a breakwater and lagoon. This is the same site where, in 2020, a request for water rights was rejected after community members took to the streets in protest over concerns about a planned dolphinarium. We have not forgotten this, and we are watching closely. The Nature Foundation firmly opposes any coastal infrastructure of this scale without a full Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) - an independent process that evaluates how a project will impact our environment and communities before construction is permitted to occur.

Finally, active heavy machinery has also been spotted at the shoreline next to Little Bay Pond in recent weeks. Earlier this year, a website advertising a development called "Lagune Bay," showing buildings surrounding the pond and beach, drew public attention. The Nature Foundation has submitted negative advice on proposed developments around this pond multiple times. Little Bay Pond is one of only four remaining ponds in a country that once had nineteen. It is an internationally recognized Important Bird Area (IBA) due to its brown pelican fishing grounds, Sint Maarten’s national bird. It is also a site of deep cultural and historical significance, as this pond sustained the lives of enslaved people on surrounding plantations for generations.

These three sites represent only a fraction of the harmful development that has caused so much frustration and hopelessness in Sint Maarten. We maintain that sustainable economic development and infrastructure can be pursued through a national spatial plan, high standards for construction approval, and meaningful community input. But our current pattern of development will not result in improved livelihoods – instead, it will deliver the destruction of habitats for our wildlife, loss of public access, increased strain on our electricity grid, more traffic on our oversaturated roads, and the erosion of our resilience in the face of hurricanes, energy crises, and economic shocks.

As a small non-profit organization, the Nature Foundation cannot change decisions made by courts or the Government of Sint Maarten. We can only provide advice on what sorts of decisions are in the interest of Sint Maarten’s communities, both people and wildlife. But much of our guidance has been disregarded in favor of more – more concrete, more permits, more money – rather than better – better living, better planning, better management. We urge residents and visitors alike to voice their feelings to elected officials, and for elected officials to overcome their partisan issues and work towards envisioning a better Sint Maarten. There is no time to lose.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Motorworld, the Caribbean distributor for GAC, officially marked the grand launch of the full GAC vehicle line-up in Jamaica on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, delivering an immersive test drive experience that highlighted the brand’s accelerating growth and strong early reception in the local market.
Held at the National Indoor Sports Center, the large-scale event welcomed a wide cross-section of over 800 guests and stakeholders and represented a defining milestone for GAC’s expansion in the region. While a smaller media launch was conducted in late November 2025 at Fidelity Motors in Kingston, that event was intentionally limited following the passage of Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica. This April event, therefore, represented the brand’s full-scale debut to the Jamaican public, with six models on display: the GS3 Emzoom, Emkoo, GS8, Empow, AION V, and the highly anticipated debut of the all-new S7.
Speaking on the significance of the occasion, Motorworld Chairman Tariq Amjad underscored the company’s long-term vision for the brand in the Caribbean. “This launch represents more than just the introduction of a new vehicle line-up. It reflects Motorworld’s commitment to bringing world-class automotive innovation to the Caribbean. We’ve always been confident in the strength of the GAC brand and its potential in the Jamaican market. Today’s event is the realization of that vision, and we are proud to officially present GAC to the Jamaican public in a way that truly reflects the brand.”
Jamaica’s introduction of GAC comes at a time when the brand is experiencing exceptional global momentum. In March 2026, GAC recorded sales of 42,165 units worldwide, representing an 86% year-on-year increase. This growth is further supported by strong industry recognition, including top rankings in residual value among Chinese automotive brands.
Motorworld emphasized that these global achievements translate directly into value for Caribbean customers, particularly in areas such as durability, resale value, and long-term ownership confidence. Backed by partnerships with leading international suppliers and rigorous testing standards exceeding four million kilometres, GAC vehicles are engineered to meet the demands of modern drivers. The manufacturer also has extensive experience producing vehicles for major global brands, including Toyota and Honda in China, further reinforcing its reputation for quality and reliability.
The launch event was organized by the appointed GAC dealer in Jamaica, Fidelity Motors Limited, which is supported by the extensive automotive framework of Goddard Enterprises Limited (GEL) Auto.
General Manager of Fidelity Motors Limited, Deborah Stewart, said the event celebrated a shift in the local automotive landscape. “As we celebrate 25 years, we are seeing a clear shift in what customers value - not just affordability, but technology, design, safety and overall driving experience. GAC delivers on all these fronts,” Stewart said.
She continued, “This launch was about more than showcasing vehicles; it was about demonstrating a new standard in the market. The response since our introduction late last year has been extremely encouraging, and with the introduction of the S7, we are building on that momentum with a line-up that is innovative, accessible and aligned with the needs of today’s Jamaican driver.”