PHILIPSBURG:--- The Department of Community Development, Family, & Humanitarian Affairs Section Women’s Desk, in observation of the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls, is having its first women’s basic self-defense training.

With the theme being, “Your own defense is your best defense,” the Basic Self-Defense is a two-part project, one being the actual self-defense training classes and the other community awareness on the importance of defending yourself and awareness of your surroundings.

Interested persons can register at a Community Help desk in their district or working area that is convenient to you. The first cohort can accommodate only 15 participants. Selection is on a first come first serve basis.

Registration begins today and ends October 21st. Training starts November 3, Tuesdays and Thursday from 6pm - 8pm. The duration of the training is three (3) months, at the Gaston Boasman Help Desk for & Elderly and Disabled and Women’s Desk Hope Estate.

This project is carried out in collaboration with Sint Maarten High Performance and Education Institute (SHEI).

Please see listed the Community Help Desks, and phone numbers:
1. Cole Bay, Ocean Building (opposite Ace), 520-4315,
2. Dutch Quarter, Dr. Bryson Complex, 520-3418,
3. St. Peters, Rupert Maynard Community Center, 520-3418,
4. Hope Estate, Gaston Boasman Help Desk for the Elderly and Disabled, 559-0819, and at Women’s Desk 520-6291, located at the same location.
Interested persons can send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):---The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), will commence with the rollout of COVID-19 Pfizer Bivalent Booster on Thursday, October 06 for persons 60+ as well as health care providers and essential workers. The booster is entirely free of charge and voluntary.

The COVID-19 Pfizer Bivalent Booster will be administered at CPS Offices at the Vineyard Building Office Park in Philipsburg from 08:30 AM to 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM every Thursday.

The next group eligible for the booster is the under-60s with underlying conditions starting on Thursday, October 27. Persons 12+ will be eligible from Thursday, November 03.

You must bring with you your vaccination card and a form of Identification (ID), and you must wear your mask while inside the clinic.
COVID-19 remains a reality for Sint Maarten. The disease has not gone away, and people are still falling ill.

The virus that causes COVID-19 has been changing over time into various variants. In order for the vaccine to be relevant and up-to-date and protect you from serious disease, Pfizer has come out with the bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster dose.

The bivalent COVID-19 vaccines are different compared to previous doses in that it includes a component of the original virus strain to provide broad protection against COVID-19 and a component of the omicron variant to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by the omicron variant.

These are called bivalent COVID-19 vaccines because they contain these two components. The bivalent COVID-19 vaccines may also be referred to as “updated” COVID-19 vaccines booster dose.

COVID-19 vaccines continue to help protect against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 disease. As the virus changes and your immunity naturally decreases over time, you may lose some of that protection, and therefore it is very important for you to get the latest booster. The booster jab should keep any symptoms mild and prevent you from ending up in the hospital.

For more information, you can call CPS 914, 542-1122 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Out of 16 submitted pictures for the 2023 Event Calendar Photo Contest, a winning picture was selected today by the St Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA). The association congratulates Richard Santaga for his beautiful photograph capturing four colorful sailing boats on a sunny St. Maarten day. The SHTA would like to thank all candidates who participated in the contest and shared their art.
With his winning picture, Mr. Santaga wins a weekend stay at The Azure Hotel & Art Studio, donated to this special cause by the Hotel.
Santaga’s picture will be one of the 12-month images on the Event Calendar 2023, features also in VISIT Magazine, the official in-room magazine of SHTA, exclusively distributed to SHTA member hotel rooms.
To qualify, the photo needed to portray the island’s attractiveness through landscapes, cultural symbols, or art. Amongst other sent-in photos, displaying the iconic Front Street, nature, and night views portraying the lively St. Maarten nightlife, beautiful beaches, and many more impressive locations.
The Calendar is used throughout the island and beyond for sharing the island’s liveliness. To reserve your free copy of the Event Calendar 2023 please do so at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

On Sunday the 2^nd  of October around 9:30 pm, the police received a report of a loud exchange of words in a public place in Windwarside in Saba. Once at the scene, officers suspected that one of those involved was under the influence of alcohol. The police tried to calm the situation, but this was in vain. The 50-year-old man with the initials H.M.H. was arrested for public intoxication.

Arrest in connection with an assault with a weapon
On Sunday the 2^nd  of October at around 06:45 am, the police central received a report of an assault on Oranjebaaiweg in St Eustatius. When police arrived, the suspect was found with visible blood and cuts on his hands. The victim stated that the suspect had knocked her to the ground and wanted to injure her with a weapon. A 40-year-old man with the initials J.L.J. was arrested in connection with an assault with a weapon. The investigation into the case is ongoing.

KPCN Press Release.