PHILIPSBURG:--- The General Audit Chamber has added new upgrades to its interactive environment, which citizens can use to learn how the government spends taxpayers’ money. The platform features two new ‘worlds’. The Building Permit World and Budget World. The Building Permit World shows the necessity for structural improvements and greater transparency in the permit department. It also allows users to learn more about the decision-making process and the relevant Minister's authorities.
The Budget World features the Audit Chamber’s Audit Intelligence GPT, which answers questions about the budget and other important issues in St. Maarten. It also includes a downloadable, easy-to-follow financial calendar that shows important national budget deadlines and decisions.
The new features empower citizens to keep track of the government’s responsibilities. The interactive environment, located on the Audit Chamber’s website: www.arsxm.org, was created to provide an engaging way to explore how government functions and discover tools that help hold government accountable.
The environment contains surveys, quizzes, games, and relevant information that keep users up to date on government decisions and the impact they have on daily life. One resource the Audit Chamber encourages users to explore is the Citizen Corner. It contains a free petition template that citizens can use to express public concerns, discuss policy issues, and encourage decision-makers to act.
Parliament must address and respond to petitions in writing within 12 weeks.
The interactive environment also features additional “worlds” that users can explore, such as the Road Tax World, Public Travel World and Procurement World. The enhanced platform provides useful insights into government operations and decisions that influence everyday realities. Completing all worlds will give the user a personalized certificated on public financial management, recognized and signed by the Chairman of the Audit Chamber.
Interested persons can visit arsxm.org and access the interactive environment through the website’s homepage www.arsxm.org.

PHILIPSBURG:--- NV GEBE wishes to address concerns regarding customer accounts with outstanding balances and to provide clarity on the company's ongoing efforts to work with customers facing payment challenges.
As the utility provider for our community, NV GEBE remains committed to delivering reliable electricity and water services to homes and businesses across St. Maarten. We recognize that some customers may have accumulated balances over an extended period of time due to various circumstances. Our goal is not to create hardship but to work with customers to find reasonable solutions before service interruptions become necessary.
We strongly encourage customers with outstanding balances to visit our offices and speak with our Customer Care Representative as soon as possible. Early communication allows us to review individual situations and discuss the possibility of a payment plan. This will help customers avoid the inconvenience of disconnection of service.
NV GEBE understands that utility services are essential to daily life. At the same time, the continued provision of these services depends on the timely payment of accounts. Just as NV GEBE is responsible for providing safe and reliable electricity and water to the community, customers are responsible for paying for the services they consume. Maintaining this balance is essential to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the utility services upon which our entire community depends.
Additionally, NV GEBE wishes to remind the public that threats, intimidation, harassment, or abusive behavior directed toward our employees will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Whether such behavior occurs in person, by telephone, through social media platforms, or by any other means, it will be taken seriously and may be referred to the appropriate authorities when necessary.
Our employees are dedicated members of the community who work every day to serve the public and carry out the responsibilities entrusted to them. They deserve to perform their duties in a safe and respectful environment.
NV GEBE remains committed to serving the people of St. Maarten with professionalism, fairness, and transparency. We encourage any customer with concerns about their account to contact us directly so that we can work together toward a solution.

Vienna, Austria:---  Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling has concluded a week of engagements in Vienna, Austria, where she represented Sint Maarten at the 35th Session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), held from June 1–5.
Throughout the week, the Minister attended plenaries, contributed to international side events, and met with United Nations agencies, international experts, and Kingdom partners to advance key justice priorities for Sint Maarten.
A central focus of the visit was the Detention Sector Reform Program (DSRP). During meetings with senior leadership of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the parties reviewed progress under the program and discussed ways to further support rehabilitation, reintegration, staff development, and other non-infrastructure components of the reform.
Beyond detention reform, the Minister engaged with specialists working in border management, cybercrime, firearms trafficking, wildlife trafficking, organized crime, corruption prevention, criminal justice reform, youth violence prevention, justice statistics, and institutional capacity building. These discussions provided valuable insights into international approaches to addressing these challenges and helped the Ministry identify areas that warrant further exploration in the future.
The Minister also visited the UNODC narcotics laboratory, where she received a tour and learned about international efforts to identify emerging drug threats, strengthen forensic analysis, and support countries in responding to new substances and evolving trends within the global drug market.
Recognizing the growing impact of youth violence and illegal firearms across the region, several engagements focused on prevention strategies that emphasize early intervention, education, mental health, community engagement, and reducing youth involvement in criminal activity.
Sint Maarten also contributed directly to international discussions through two side events. At Advancing Access to Justice for Women Through the Implementation of the Bangkok Rules, the Minister highlighted the importance of gender-responsive justice systems and the need to ensure that rehabilitation, reintegration, mental health support, and family connections form part of justice responses for women and girls.
At Advancing Penal Reform in Island Contexts: Perspectives from the Caribbean and the Pacific, the Minister shared Sint Maarten's experience in reimagining detention reform through the DSRP, emphasizing the importance of locally driven solutions that reflect the realities of small island jurisdictions.
The visit also included discussions with H.E. Ambassador Peter Potman, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Vienna, on opportunities to elevate Caribbean justice priorities within Kingdom and international forums.
Reflecting on the week, Minister Tackling noted that participation in CCPCJ was not simply about attending international meetings but about ensuring that Sint Maarten remains connected to the expertise, partnerships, and ideas that can strengthen local institutions and support safer communities.
The Ministry of Justice will continue following up on the discussions held during the week and evaluating how relevant experiences, expertise, and best practices may support ongoing reform efforts in Sint Maarten.

PHILIPSBURG:---  The Reason for Hope Foundation is set to make a major impact on Caribbean basketball with the launch of the "Bring Ya Best (BYB)" Invitational Basketball Tournament. The anticipated event is scheduled for July 12–18, 2026, at the L.B. Scott Sports Auditorium on Long Wall Road, St. Maarten.

The week-long invitational tournament will bring together elite teams from across the Caribbean and North America, creating what organizers hope will become one of the region’s premier basketball events.

Founded in 2024, the Reason for Hope Foundation focuses on youth development, community empowerment, and bridging the gap between sports, tourism, and entertainment. The BYB tournament represents the organization's first major international

sporting event. This tournament is also about creating an experience that equally showcases St. Maarten as a destination and its sports tourism.

According to the President of the Reason for Hope Foundation, Shabazz Buchanan, the tournament is also designed to provide high-level competition while creating opportunities for young athletes

to advance their basketball careers. 

“The primary objective is to provide exposure for talented players, and we are also bringing basketball scouts and coaches from the United States to evaluate athletes, with the hope of creating pathways to college and professional basketball opportunities in the U.S. and Europe. We're building a complete basketball experience, from the competition, international participation to the entertainment and fan engagement. We have a great variety of teams and cultures coming together," summarized Buchanan.

Several registered teams have never competed in St. Maarten, adding a fresh and exciting dynamic to the upcoming event. Teams confirmed for the tournament include representatives from:

• Aruba
• Canada
• United States
• St. Kitts and Nevis (Achievers Elite)
• St. Eustatius
• St. Maarten
• British Virgin Islands (Virgin Gorda and Tortola)
• Haiti
• Dominica

(Moreover, an additional team from the U.S. Virgin Islands is also being considered)

ATTRACTIVE PRIZE PURSE:

One of the tournament’s biggest attractions is its substantial prize packages. These incentives add another level of excitement and competitiveness to the event. The champions will receive cash prizes of US$20,000, while the runner-up will earn US$5,000 and the third-place team will receive US$2,500.

Individual awards include:

• Tournament MVP – US$1,000
• Slam Dunk Champion – US$300
• Three-Point Shootout Champion – US$200

MORE THAN BASKETBALL:

In addition to the on-court action, the Reason for Hope foundation is also planning nightly entertainment, giveaways and social activities designed to enhance the overall fan experience. 

BUILDING A REGIONAL SHOWCASE:

The tournament has the potential to become a flagship sporting event for St. Maarten, and the wider Caribbean with promises to becoming one of the premier basketball events in the region.