PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prosecutor’s Office has formally appealed the full acquittal of Fernando Clark, setting the stage for a retrial before the Joint Court of Justice on March 5.

Clark had been cleared of sexual assault allegations involving two women who separately accused him of misconduct during medical examinations. The judge in the original trial ruled that there was insufficient evidence to convict, citing doubts about aspects of the testimonies and the lack of corroborating witnesses.

Both women had told the court that the alleged assaults occurred in the upstairs examining room after they had been scanned. According to the prosecution, the women — who did not know each other and filed complaints roughly eight months apart — described a similar pattern of behavior. They testified that Clark asked them to stand up after their examinations, requested hugs, and attempted to kiss them.

“They describe almost the same thing, the same modus operandi,” the prosecutor argued during the trial, maintaining that the similarities between the accounts strengthened their credibility.

However, defense attorney Safira Ibrahim successfully challenged that position. She pointed out that one of the women had been examined while two family members were present in the room. Neither family member reported seeing anything inappropriate during the 15-minute examination.

Ibrahim also highlighted parts of the woman’s police interview in which she said she had been under significant stress at the time and was “not in all my senses.”

In his ruling, the judge said that while the testimonies bore similarities, there were also notable differences that prevented them from serving as linking evidence. Among those differences was one woman’s claim that Clark had asked invasive questions about her sexual partners and whether she would consider having a “sugar daddy” — an allegation not made by the other complainant.

The appeal hearing is scheduled for March 5.

PHILIPSBURG:---  The House of Parliament will sit in a Central Committee meeting on March 2, 2026.

The Central Committee meeting is scheduled for Monday at 14.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of Finance will be in attendance.

The agenda points are:
1. Approval of travel schedule for the 1stSemester of the year 2026 in connection with Committee, General Assembly (Assamblea), Board of Directors (Junta Directiva), and Eurolat meetings of Parlatino (IS/636/2025-2026 dated February 2, 2026)
2. Ontwerplandsverordening houdende regels inzake het toezicht op effectenbemiddelaars en vermogensbeheerders (Landsverordening toezicht effectenbemiddelaars en vermogensbeheerders) (IS/ 065/2023-2024 d.d. 2 oktober 2023) (ZJ 2023-2024-171)
(National Ordinance containing rules on the supervision of securities intermediaries and asset managers (National Ordinance on the Supervision of Securities Intermediaries and Asset Managers) (Parliamentary year 2023-2024-171))

3. Ontwerplandsverordening houdende regels inzake het toezicht op betaaldienstverleners (Ontwerplandsverordening toezicht betaaldienstverleners) (Zittingsjaar 2025-2026-187) (IS/526/2025-2026 dated January 7, 2026)
(National Ordinance containing rules on the supervision of payment service providers (National Ordinance on the Supervision of Payment Service Providers) (Parliamentary Year 2025 2026–187))

4. Ontwerplandsverordening houdende regels inzake het toezicht op virtuele activa dienstverleners (Ontwerplandsverordening toezicht virtuele activa dienstverleners) (Zittingsjaar 2025-2026-188) (IS/527/2025-2026 dated January 7, 2026)
(National Ordinance containing rules on the supervision of virtual asset service providers (National Ordinance on the Supervision of Virtual Asset Service Providers) (Parliamentary Year 2025 2026–188))

5. Ontwerplandsverordening houdende regels inzake oversight door de Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (Ontwerplandsverordening oversight op systemen in het betalings- of effectenverkeer) (Zittingsjaar 2025-2026-189) (IS/528/2025-2026 dated January 7, 2026)
National Ordinance containing rules concerning oversight by the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (National Ordinance on Oversight of Systems in the Payment or Securities Settlement System) (Parliamentary Year 2025 2026–189)

6. Ontwerplandsverordening houdende regels inzake de clearing- en settlementsystemen in de monetaire unie van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (Ontwerplandsverordening toezicht beheerders FMI-systemen) (Zittingsjaar 2025-2026-190) (IS/529/2025-2026 dated January 7, 2026)
(National Ordinance containing rules concerning clearing and settlement systems in the monetary union of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (National Ordinance on the Supervision of Operators of FMI Systems) (Parliamentary Year 2025 2026–190))

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/Marigot:--- On February 26, the Department of Communication of the Government of Sint Maarten paid a working visit to their French side counterparts of the Collectivité of Saint-Martin, Communication Department, which includes the protocol section.

The working visit was to get a deeper understanding of how the French side Department of Communication functions within the Collectivité, to exchange mutual operational information and ideas, and to continue fostering the working relationship.

In their Marigot offices, the head/director of the French side Department of Communication Nathalie Longato gave a short presentation and shared an overview of the work and responsibilities. After doing so, the two departments made informative exchanges of ideas, policies, and procedures.

Following the discussions, the staff of DCOMM was given a tour of the operational section, where demonstrations of what and how takes place with respect to equipment, photo and video tapings, programs, and further discussions about their graphic designs, internet, social media products and operations.

Head of the Communication Department Maurice Lake said, "Our visit to the communications department of the Collectivité of Saint-Martin was an invaluable exercise in synergy and professional exchange.

“It provided a unique platform to align our operational protocols and compare logistical setups, ensuring that both departments are working toward a unified standard of excellence. Beyond the technical discussions on infrastructure and communication workflows, the meeting allowed us to build the interpersonal rapport necessary for seamless cross-border collaboration.

“We left with a deeper understanding of our shared challenges and a strengthened commitment to streamlining our information-sharing processes for the benefit of all our communities."

Both departments exchanged tokens of appreciation.

DCOMM head has extended an invitation to the French side Communication Department for a visit in the near future.

PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- The Collective Prevention Service (CPS) says up to four in 10 cancer cases worldwide could be prevented, according to a new global analysis from the World Health Organization (WHO) and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

The study examines 30 preventable causes, including tobacco, alcohol, high body mass index, physical inactivity, air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, and, for the first time, nine cancer-causing infections.
The analysis estimates that 37% of all new cancer cases in 2022, around 7.1 million cases, were linked to preventable causes. The findings highlight the enormous potential of prevention in reducing the global cancer burden.
Drawing on data from 185 countries and 36 cancer types, the study identifies tobacco as the leading preventable cause of cancer, globally responsible for 15% of all new cancer cases, followed by infections (10%) and alcohol consumption (3%).
Three cancer types – lung, stomach and cervical cancer – accounted for nearly half of all preventable cancer cases in both men and women, globally.
Lung cancer was primarily linked to smoking and air pollution, stomach cancer was largely attributable to Helicobacter pylori infection, and cervical cancer was overwhelmingly caused by human papillomavirus (HPV).

According to the WHO, this is the first global analysis to show how much cancer risk comes from causes we can prevent.
The burden of preventable cancer based on the global study was substantially higher in men than in women, with 45% of new cancer cases in men compared with 30% in women.
The study revealed that in men, smoking accounted for an estimated 23% of all new cancer cases, followed by infections at 9% and alcohol at 4%.
Among women globally, infections accounted for 11% of all new cancer cases, followed by smoking at 6% and high body mass index at 3%.
CPS advises members of the community to consult with their physician to determine prevention strategies. Cancer mortality is reduced when cases are detected and treated early. There are two components of early detection: early diagnosis and screening.