PHILIPSBURG:---  The St. Maarten Marine Trades Association (SMMTA), in collaboration with the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau (STB), proudly represented St. Maarten at the Annapolis Sailboat Show this past weekend. With support from key sponsors including Budget Marine, Island Water World, FKG, Bobby’s Marina, Nomad Marine Solutions, and David Walters Yachts, St. Maarten brought its marine-tourism proposition directly to sailors, boat owners, and charter prospects at one of the United States’ premier boating events.

The Annapolis Sailboat Show is widely recognized as one of the largest and most influential sailboat shows in the U.S. — the Fall edition alone features a fleet of some 155 boats and hosts hundreds of exhibitors across marine gear, yacht brokers, charter firms, and destination marketing.  Attendance for the combined sail and power boat shows in past years has reached approximately 50,000 or more visitors. The show draws attendees from across the U.S. and internationally, including industry decision-makers, charterers, vessel owners, and destination marketers.

St. Maarten’s booth was strategically situated in the Vacation Basin, among numerous sailing destinations, charter exhibitors, and marine service providers. This gave the island direct exposure to a concentrated audience of active sailors and boat owners seeking new cruising grounds, charter options, or expansion of their travel plans.

Over the show’s four days, the St. Maarten booth saw consistent foot traffic. Many visitors expressed curiosity about visiting St. Maarten with their own yachts, while others indicated interest in chartering in SXM waters. Several attendees mentioned they were already planning trips to the island—or had visited in the past—and were pleased to reconnect with St. Maarten as a destination.

“Our presence reasserted that beyond being a leading vacation destination, St. Maarten is a world-class maritime hub where sailors, yacht owners, and charter guests can find first-class services, natural beauty, and we invite you to explore,” said May-Ling Chun, Director of Tourism for St. Maarten.

The combined presence of SMMTA and STB enabled meaningful conversations about infrastructure needs, cruising logistics, berthing, provisioning, and charter support. The show also allowed the Island’s representatives to gauge what potential visitors view as priorities and constraints when considering Caribbean cruising, and more specifically regarding St. Maarten.

Gaby Eman, representing Island Water World and the SMMTA, reflected on the experience: “Participating in the Annapolis Sail Boat Show was an incredibly rewarding experience — it allowed us not only to showcase the island’s thriving marine industry and its wide range of trade and service opportunities, but also to connect directly with a wide variety of potential customers and industry professionals. The enthusiasm we encountered reaffirmed the island’s potential as a dynamic hub for marine commerce, yacht services, and sustainable blue economy growth.”

The success of St. Maarten’s presence in Annapolis underscores the island’s potential to expand its visibility among the U.S. sailing and charter market. Moving ahead, SMMTA and STB plan to follow up on leads, refine promotional materials, and evaluate attendance for next year’s Annapolis Sailboat Show. The insights gained will also inform efforts to strengthen marine infrastructure—berthing, services, logistics, and marketing—to better match the expectations of international cruising sailors and charter clients.

PHILIPSBURG:---  Following a police report about a shooting incident on Sunday, October 12, 2025, owners of local beach bars have come forward to clarify the location of the event. While the Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) initially stated the shooting occurred at Kimsha Beach, business owners contend the incident took place at one of the nearby booths, not on the beach itself.

The original police report detailed a shooting that happened just after 10:00 p.m. in Simpson Bay. KPSM patrols and ambulance personnel were dispatched to the scene, where they found a male victim with a gunshot wound to his abdomen. The victim was treated on-site before being transported to the Sint Maarten Medical Center (SMMC), where he remains in critical but stable condition.

However, according to the beach bar owners, the altercation did not happen on the main beach area. They explained that a group of men were drinking at one of the booths when an argument broke out. One of the men then allegedly pulled out a firearm and fired two shots. The sound of the gunfire caused widespread panic, sending people on the beach and at the surrounding bars running for cover.

In light of this conflicting information, the beach bar owners have called on KPSM to issue a clarification to their initial press release to accurately reflect the incident's location.

The Criminal Investigation Department is actively investigating the shooting. KPSM urges anyone with information to contact detectives at +1 (721) 542-2222 ext. 204 or 205, or to use the anonymous tip line at 9300. Information can also be provided in person at the Philipsburg Police Station.

PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):---  The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department from the Sint Maarten Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, advises the Sint Maarten community to continue to practice prevention measures on a daily basis as the world observes Global Handwashing Day on Tuesday, October 15.

Global Handwashing Day is dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an effective and affordable way to prevent diseases, the spread of germs, and save lives.

Washing hands often reduces the transmission of diseases such as respiratory illnesses such as the flu, common cold and COVID-19.

It is also very important to wash hands with soap before cooking or preparing food, before eating, and before feeding someone (including breastfeeding) or taking care of others ill or not.

Help children to stay healthy by teaching them about handwashing and show them how to properly wash their hands. Wash your hands with clean, running water and soap for 20 seconds, in general, and before and after handling food.

If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 per cent alcohol.

Many infections start when hands are contaminated with disease-causing bacteria and viruses. This can happen after using the toilet, changing a child’s diaper, coughing, sneezing in your hands, touching other people’s hands, taking care of ill persons, and touching other contaminated surfaces.

Handwashing with soap works by removing bacteria and viruses from hands before they get a chance to cause infections or spread to other people. Handwashing stops the spread of germs! Studies have shown that handwashing can prevent one in three diarrhea-related sicknesses and one in five respiratory infections.

Join CPS in their efforts to continue to promote proper handwashing in your home, school, or workplace.

For more information, you can call CPS 914, 542-1570 or email cps.healthpromoThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Global Handwashing Day was founded by the Global Handwashing Partnership, and is an opportunity to design, test, and replicate creative ways to encourage people to wash their hands with soap at critical times. 

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs, Dr. Luc Mercelina, recently met with representatives of the European Union Delegation to Barbados, the Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS, CARICOM, and CARIFORUM to strengthen cooperation and advance ongoing and upcoming development initiatives for Sint Maarten.

The EU delegation included Ms. Chiara Tardivo (Team Leader, Economic Resilience and Trade), Mr. Laurent Bal (Head of Contract, Finance & Audit), Ms. Teodora Deaconu (Contracts and Finance Officer), and Mr. Nuno Silva (Programme Manager, Economic Resilience and Trade).

As of September 1, 2025, the portfolio for the Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) has officially been transferred from the EU Delegation in Guyana to the Delegation in Barbados. The new Head of Delegation, Ms. Fiona Ramsey, and Head of Cooperation, Mr. David Mogollon, will now oversee the OCT portfolio, ensuring continued engagement and cooperation with Sint Maarten and the region.

“Sint Maarten’s relationship with the European Union continues to be one rooted in mutual respect and partnership,” stated Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina. “The transfer of the Caribbean OCT portfolio to the Barbados office reflects a strengthening of our regional engagement and will enhance coordination on critical development and infrastructure initiatives.”

During the mission, discussions also centered around the implementation of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) Dutch Quarter Sewerage Project, a vital infrastructure initiative aimed at improving sanitation and quality of life in the Dutch Quarter community.

Present at this meeting were Acting Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Development, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), Ms. Melissa Gumbs, and the Secretary General of the Ministry of VROMI, Mr. Kenson Plaisimond, along with representatives from the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), including Mr. Antonio Baio (Senior Project Manager) and Mr. William Squier Gonzalez (Head of Programme).

The Government of Sint Maarten has taken an inclusive approach to the implementation of major infrastructure projects, ensuring that local communities are actively engaged in the process. This includes direct participation of community representatives in high-level management and decision-making as part of the 11th EDF Steering Committee, which will convene its inaugural meeting in the coming weeks.

“Our government believes in empowering our people through participation,” said Prime Minister Mercelina. “By involving community representatives in the oversight of the 11th EDF project, we are ensuring transparency, accountability, and shared ownership of progress. This is how we build trust and deliver results that truly reflect the needs of our citizens.”

“The Dutch Quarter project has been long awaited, and I am pleased that through close collaboration with the European Union and UNOPS, we are now moving toward the implementation phase,” the Prime Minister added. “This initiative embodies our collective commitment to improving living conditions, strengthening infrastructure resilience, and ensuring that no community is left behind.”

The Government of Sint Maarten expresses its gratitude to the European Union Delegation and UNOPS for their continued partnership and technical support in advancing the island’s development priorities.

“This engagement with the EU team reaffirms Sint Maarten’s commitment to responsible governance, international cooperation, and sustainable development,” concluded Prime Minister Mercelina. “Together, we are laying the foundation for a stronger, more resilient Sint Maarten.”