PHILIPSBURG:--- It is with great sadness and immense outrage that the Government of St. Maarten learned of the sudden passing of Mrs. Lelia Manning on Sunday, May 29. Mrs. Leila Manning was well known in the community as a kind-hearted, warm-spirited, and nurturing person. Her impact has had a generational effect as Founder of the Jack & Jill Playschool which laid the foundation for many.
Her contribution to St. Maarten is valued as she fulfilled the role of mother, nurse, teacher, mentor, and friend to all who came into contact with her. Her sudden passing under such negative circumstances has shocked, saddened, and even angered our close-knit community. All are asked to remember her peaceful and kind nature and seek forgiveness for the perpetrators whose actions have led to her demise. The community is therefore asked to come together to address the social ills that lead to acts such as these while allowing law enforcement to do their due diligence.
“On behalf of the Council of Ministers, we extend our deepest condolences to her husband and former Judge, Mr. Wilfred Manning, her family, dear friends, and the wider St. Maarten community. May her soul rest in eternal peace" stated Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs.
