PHILIPSBURG:--- The Civil Registry employee who was arrested by the National Detectives (Landsrecherche) under the direction of the Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten has been released following six hours of interrogation. SMN News has learned that the employee was interrogated without her legal representative present. The civil servant is suspected of accepting payments in exchange for improperly advancing appointment times for government services.

The employee was released on Monday, but the Prosecutor’s Office has yet to issue an official announcement regarding the case. The investigation remains ongoing.

The Civil Registry Department provides essential public services, including the registration of births, deaths, marriages, and divorces, the issuance of official certificates, passport and identification card applications, address changes, and updates to personal records. Many of these services require appointments, which are intended to ensure fair and equal access for all citizens.

The National Detectives specialise in investigating criminal activities within the government, with a particular focus on civil servants.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM) participated with several police officers in Language Village 2026 on Friday, January 23, 2026, held at the Asha Stevens Hillside Christian School. Through this participation, KPSM contributed to strengthening the students’ language skills and communicative development.
KPSM extends its sincere appreciation to the Asha Stevens Hillside Christian School for the invitation and the excellent organization of this valuable educational initiative. KPSM also expresses its gratitude to all police officers who voluntarily participated and actively contributed to the success of this important event.
To properly prepare the students, sample dialogues were developed for each profession. These served as guidelines for the conversations, while allowing room for additional interaction and student initiative. This resulted in educational and dynamic exchanges.
During each conversation, volunteers completed an evaluation form. Each student had a personal passport listing the various booths. Students were assessed based on the following criteria:
• Correct language use (pronunciation)
• Content (clarity and comprehension)
• Interaction (response to questions)
KPSM emphasizes the importance of cooperation between the education sector and community partners and remains committed to supporting initiatives that contribute to the development of youth within the community.

PHILIPSBURG:--- During the period January 19 through January 25, 2026, the Police Force of Sint Maarten carried out control and enforcement actions in the Philipsburg area through its KPSM team. The focus was on maintaining public order and safety, with particular attention to robberies, traffic violations, taxi-related activities, and suspicious vehicle and scooter activity.
During several operations, action was taken against taxi drivers who removed barricades without authorization in order to gain access to Front Street. The drivers involved were addressed and informed that removing or relocating street barricades without permission is a violation of the law, specifically Article 24(c) of the General Police Ordinance, which prohibits the unauthorized removal of traffic barriers or street closures.
During a traffic control, a black Nissan Kicks was identified and linked to an armed robbery that occurred on January 2, 2026, on the French side of the island. Further investigation revealed that the vehicle had a fake license plate. The vehicle was later confirmed to be the property of a local car rental on the island.

On Friday, January 23, 2026, the KPSM team conducted a large-scale scooter control on Walter Nisbeth Road, Harold Jack Road, and L.B. Scot Road. Multiple violations were observed, including scooters operating without the required documentation
Control Overview (January 19–25, 2026):
• Vehicles checked: 23
• Scooters checked: 36
• Persons preventively checked: 46
• Scooters confiscated: 7
The Police Force of Sint Maarten remains committed to safeguarding the community and encourages the public to report any suspicious activities.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The process of selecting St. Maarten’s worker delegation for the upcoming International Labour Organization (ILO) conference has become complicated, following the emergence of two conflicting sets of nominations. While a coalition of five unions unanimously selected a representative, another union independently submitted a different list of names to the Department of Labor, creating confusion over who will rightfully represent the island’s workforce.

The Department of Labor recently initiated its annual standard procedure, requesting that all local labor unions submit their operational documents. This includes Articles of Incorporation, Chamber of Commerce registrations, and current membership data. This yearly review is crucial for verifying that all unions are compliant with local regulations and for determining the composition of the tripartite delegation sent to the ILO conference.

This delegation is structured to include government advisors, a government-paid representative, and one representative for all workers' organizations. For the unions, reaching a consensus on this single workers' representative is a key step.

In an effort to reach this consensus, five unions—WICSU/PSU, WIHCUA, WIFOL, NAPB, and WITU—met on January 8, 2026. During this meeting, the attendees unanimously nominated the President of the Windward Islands Civil Servant Union and Private Sector Union (WICSU/PSU), Sharon Canigieter, to be the official workers' delegate at the ILO.

However, the situation took an unexpected turn when the ABVO union, which was absent from the January 8 meeting, submitted its own letter to the Department of Labor. Unbeknownst to the other unions, ABVO’s correspondence proposed a completely different delegation, which included two representatives from their own union and two from the police union NAPB, among others.

This unilateral action by ABVO has undermined the collaborative decision made by the five unions and has prompted the Department of Labor to scrutinize the legitimacy of the competing claims. The department is now tasked with determining the valid representative based on the official documentation submitted by all parties. The submission deadline is January 30, 2026.

The other unions involved have formally communicated their decision from the January 8 meeting to the Department of Labor, contesting the delegation proposed by ABVO. The outcome now rests on the department's verification process. Unions that fail to provide complete and updated documentation risk being excluded from the final decision, potentially losing their voice at this important international forum. As the deadline approaches, the labor community awaits a resolution that will clarify who will officially speak for St. Maarten's workers.