Cul de Sac:---  St. Maarten Academy on Friday last opened its doors to all high school students and educators to showcase exciting opportunities they can experience through the school’s Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) Programme.
The CAPE Open House highlighted the various Caribbean Associate degree programmes offered by its Sixth Form division, thereby bridging the gap between secondary education and higher learning.
The event aimed to expose students and their parents not only to the CAPE structure and curriculum, but also to the school’s internal framework, which redefines the acronym CAPE to reflect its core mission: CARE for students and their future success, AFFORDABILITY in access to quality education, PRODUCTION of outstanding academic outcomes, and a commitment to EXCELLENCE in all areas, explained CAPE Coordinator, Mrs. Doreen Edwards Mac Intosh.
With its focus on providing an affordable and high-quality pathway to academic success, the event highlighted the programme’s ongoing assurance to empower the next generation of scholars. This empowerment, stated Principal Kim Lucas-Felix, is not an idle boast, as the results year after year speak for themselves.
“Under the leadership of Mrs. Edwards MacIntosh, we have seen an exponential increase in the number of students who are making the Regional CXC Merit list. We know that this is no easy feat when students of the St. Maarten Academy CAPE Programme are placed in the top ten at the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) examinations from among thousands of students across the region. So anyone who chooses CAPE is definitely choosing quality education that can put them in great standing at any university of their choice,” Mrs. Lucas-Felix stated.
Invitations were extended to all local schools offering the CSEC programme, and Milton Peters College (MPC) led the way with a delegation of 48 attendees, including 4th- and 5th-form students and their teachers. Students from Forms 3 - 5 at St. Maarten Academy also participated, gaining valuable insight into the opportunities the CAPE 6th Form Programme offers.
The Open House featured lively, interactive engagement. Visitors didn’t just observe; they participated. The event featured subject displays led by teachers and current students, showcasing key aspects of the curriculum. Current CAPE 6th Formers served as campus guides and co-presenters, sharing their experiences and enthusiasm with younger students.
Vice Principal Ms. Joanna Trim opened the proceedings with a warm welcome, setting the tone for the day, while Mrs. Edwards Mac Intosh gave informative presentations, outlining the programme’s structure, benefits, and record of excellence. Mrs. Shameda Delaney-Weekes, the school’s Career Guidance Counselor, also played a vital role in ensuring the event’s smooth and successful execution.
“The excitement and curiosity from the students and some of our teachers were truly inspiring,” said Mrs. Edwards MacIntosh. “It was equally encouraging to see parents showing genuine interest in their children’s academic futures. Their engagement reminds us why we continue to strive for excellence each year.”
While organizers noted lower-than-anticipated parent turnout, students' enthusiasm and engagement made the day a resounding success.
The CAPE 6th Form Programme continues to welcome inquiries from parents and the wider community, encouraging all to discover how the programme upholds its motto, “Choose Excellence!” Students who have completed their fifth form year of high school can apply to the CAPE Programme via our school website https://www.stmaartenacademy.com/cape

PHILIPSBURG:--- As part of its ongoing efforts to engage positively with Sint Maarten's youth, the Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) has visited several schools over the past few weeks to connect with students, raise awareness, and promote education.

On January 28, 2026, officers from the KPSM Traffic Department visited Sister Magda Primary School. During this visit, officers shared important information on traffic rules, general road safety, and helped prepare students for their upcoming traffic examinations.

KPSM believes that early education and positive interaction are key to building responsible road users and strengthening trust between the police and the community.

KPSM takes this opportunity to thank the management of Sister Magda Primary School and the officers who participated in these meaningful engagements with the youth.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday, 28 and Thursday, 29 January, police forces, chain partners, and training institutes gathered in Curaçao for the annual Training Conference. The two-day conference focused on how to organize a sustainable, professional, and regionally aligned education and development system for law enforcement.
The conference emphasized the importance of clearly identifying training needs and setting long-term priorities. On the first day, the Platform of Training Coordinators Caribbean (POC) discussed both content-related and organizational themes, including qualification dossiers, Basic Police Training (BPO), Integrated Professional Training (IBT), innovation, twinning, accreditation, and governance.
BPO is the foundational training program for new police officers, providing essential knowledge and skills to perform police duties. IBT is the mandatory ongoing training for serving officers, designed to maintain and improve operational skills such as use of force, arrest techniques, and professional readiness.
These discussions resulted in a series of decision cards, which were presented on the second day to the College of Police Chiefs (CvK) for further discussion and decision-making.
The conference demonstrated significant progress in recent years in professionalism and regional cooperation. Examples include joint regional training for IBT instructors currently taking place in the Netherlands and the development of a structured approach to qualification dossiers. Sexual Offences serves as a pilot dossier, and this approach will also be applied to BPO in 2026.
Challenges remain, particularly in ensuring sustainable follow-up within the police forces. This includes decisions on joint IBT policy, regional exchange, and how to keep IBT instructors adequately trained after completing their initial education. While the decision cards led to constructive and, at times, in-depth discussions, not all items received final approval. Where agreement was not reached, it became clear that further research is needed to support decision-making.
The role of the RST within the POC is twofold. On the one hand, the RST is responsible for training and maintaining expertise within the police forces in the areas assigned to it, namely technical support, digital support, and interception. On the other hand, the RST funds specific training programs for police forces, aligned with the tasks and priorities of the embedded teams. From both roles, training activities are planned for 2026, with attention to multi-year continuity.
Using the conference outcomes—both the decisions made and the discussions held—the POC will continue to define the multi-year training needs. Together with the training institutes, efforts will also focus on further strengthening cooperation, with a strong emphasis on long-term sustainability.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) advises the public that persistent and ongoing illegal parking along Rhine Road in the Maho area and at the entrance of Beacon Hill Road has forced the police to take decisive enforcement action. Despite repeated complaints, warnings, and preventive measures implemented over an extended period, traffic violations at this location have persisted, creating serious disruptions to traffic flow and posing risks to road users and pedestrians.
Over the past several weeks, KPSM has received multiple requests and complaints regarding illegal parking along Rhine Road leading into the Maho area, as well as at the entrance of Beacon Hill Road. Community officers assigned to the Maho area have, over time, implemented several measures to discourage drivers from parking on sidewalks.
In collaboration with concerned parents and community members, concrete dividers were placed to prevent vehicles from parking on pedestrian walkways. However, drivers have adjusted their behavior and have begun parking on the roadway itself. This has narrowed the entrance to Beacon Hill Road and the roundabout leading into Maho, significantly affecting traffic flow in this heavily used area.
As the preventive measures proved ineffective, KPSM transitioned to active enforcement. On Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026, police officers conducted enforcement at the location, during which fines were issued, and several vehicles were towed for traffic violations. These actions were taken in accordance with the clearly posted no-stopping/no-parking signs present in the area.
KPSM strongly urges residents, tour operators (including large and small buses), ATV rental companies, and visitors to refrain from parking along Rhine Road in Maho and at the entrance of Beacon Hill Road. Illegal parking in these locations continues to obstruct traffic flow and compromise public safety.

Due to continued non-compliance, the police are forced to divert personnel from already limited operational resources to address this behavior—resources that could otherwise be deployed to manage other critical policing duties.
KPSM calls on all road users to cooperate and comply with traffic regulations to ensure a safe, orderly, and accessible traffic environment in the Maho area.

KPSM Press Release.