St. Martin News Network - St. Maarten

Prostate Cancer screening, COVID-19 vaccination pop-up and health check corner at SMMC

smmcrojas16092021 CAY HILL:--- On Saturday, September 25th, 2021, St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) will resume its annual prostate cancer screenings in collaboration with the Positive Foundation and the Elektralytes Foundation. From 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, attendees have the opportunity to be screened for prostate cancer by SMMC’s Urologists.
In addition to prostate cancer screenings for men, SMMC will offer blood pressure and glucose monitoring for men and women, and CPS and the Ministry of VSA will host a COVID-19 vaccination pop-up at SMMC. Healthcare professionals will also be on hand to provide information and answer any questions about the COVID-19 vaccine.
To avoid long lines and allow for proper social distancing, pre-registering for prostate cancer screening is strongly encouraged. Men over the age of 45 who have not had a Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test within the last two years are asked to email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with their name, date of birth, and phone number to register. In light of the pandemic, only a limited number of walk-ins will be facilitated.
To ensure the safety of all attendees and volunteers, SMMC’s universal masking policy remains in effect and will be enforced. Persons making use of the prostate cancer screenings and the health checks will also be subjected to a temperature check and SMMC’s COVID-19 questionnaire.
SMMC kindly asks that persons who are experiencing flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, headaches, difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, vomiting, and diarrhea avoid attending the event but encourage them to make an appointment once they are no longer experiencing symptoms.
Prostate cancer screening is available year-round at SMMC’s Urology Department and appointments can be made by calling + 1 (721) 543-1111 extension 1378, 1379 or 1307.
SMMC also plans to resume its annual Breast Cancer screenings in October which will also feature a COVID-19 vaccination pop-up and a health check corner.

20 COVID-19 recoveries today.

omarottley23022021 PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor, Omar Ottley hereby extends his deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Sint Maarten’s 59th COVID-19 victim, who has passed away. Minister Ottley wishes the family strength and peace during this time.

As of September 15th, there were thirteen (13) persons who tested positive for COVID-19; however twenty (20)) persons have recovered; bringing the total active cases to one hundred eighty-seven (187). The total number of confirmed cases is now four thousand thirty-four (4034).

The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) are monitoring one hundred seventy-eight (178) people in home isolation. Nine (9) patients remain hospitalized at the St. Maarten Medical Center. The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 has increased to fifty-nine (59).

The number of people recovered since the first case surfaced on St. Maarten has increased to three thousand seven hundred eighty-eight (3788). One hundred sixty-four (164) people are in quarantine based on contact tracing investigations carried out by CPS.

The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, and Labour (VSA) Airport Health Team in collaboration with Health Care Laboratory Sint Maarten (HCLS) have tested 3, 682 travelers arriving at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA), while CPS tested 41, 509 people throughout the community. As the numbers continue to fluctuate, CPS will continue to actively execute its contact tracing measures.

Minister Ottley urges everyone to remain vigilant when in public. Wear your mask, reduce social contacts, and sanitize or wash your hands frequently.

ODM: Remain Vigilant and Prepared. Hurricane Season Not Yet Over.

PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- The hurricane season runs through November 30 two and a half months are still to go.

Currently, there are a number of weather systems in the eastern Atlantic Ocean between the Lesser Antilles and Africa, and therefore for the remaining 10+ weeks of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, residents and businesses are advised to remain vigilant and prepared, the Office of Disaster Management (ODM) which falls under the Fire Department (Ministry of General Affairs) headed by Fire Chief/National Disaster Coordinator Clive Richardson, said on Thursday.

The remaining storm names for the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season are Odette, Peter, Rose, Sam, Teresa, Victor, and Wanda.

The 14th-named storm, and sixth hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season Nicholas, has dissipated into remnants over the Central Gulf Coast near the U.S. state of Louisiana.

Continue to monitor local weather reports issued by the Meteorological Department of Sint Maarten for advisories related to any adverse weather.

The community is urged to learn more about hurricane hazards and how to prepare for a storm/hurricane strike by visiting the Government website: www.sintmaartengov.org/hurricane where you will be able to download your “Hurricane Season Readiness Guide’ and “Hurricane Tracking Chart.”

Listen to the Government Radio station – 107.9FM - for official information and news before, during, and after a hurricane.

For official weather-related information, check out the website of the Meteorological Department of St. Maarten (MDS): www.meteosxm.com or visit their social media page Facebook.com/sxmweather/

Remember, it only takes one hurricane to make it a bad season. Remain vigilant and prepared!

Committee for Constitutional Affairs and Decolonization of Parliament to meet with representatives of the Dutch Quarter Community Council on Friday.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Committee for Constitutional Affairs and Decolonization (CCAD), of Parliament will meet on September 17, 2021.
The Committee meeting is scheduled for Friday at 14.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. Representatives of the Dutch Quarter Community Council will be present.

The agenda point is:
Presentation by the Dutch Quarter Community Council on community challenges and needs (IS/499/2020-2021 dated March 16, 2021)
This meeting was requested by MP S.L. Duncan

Due to measures taken to mitigate the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the House of Parliament is only allowing persons with an appointment to enter the Parliament building.
The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, 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 Parliament’s Facebook page: Parliament of Sint Maarten

Plenary Session of Parliament regarding advice on the installation and composition of Committees of Parliament and Committees of the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino) & Ratification decision list IPKO.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a plenary public meeting on Friday, September 17, 2021.
The plenary public meeting is scheduled for 10.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda points are:
1. Incoming documents
2. Advice regarding the installation and composition of the Permanent and Ad hoc Committees of Parliament
3. Advice regarding the installation and composition of the Committees of the Latin American Parliament (Parlatino)
4. Ratification of the decision list of the Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultations (IPKO) held from August 23-25, 2021 on Bonaire (IS/978/2020-2021 dated September 3, 2021)

Due to measures taken to mitigate the coronavirus (COVID-19), the House of Parliament is only allowing persons with an appointment to enter the Parliament building.
The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, and www.pearlfmradio.sx