PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- Women ages 18+ across the country are being reminded to register by February 19th for the free breast and health screening taking place on Saturday, February 22nd.
The screening on Saturday will take place from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. The deadline to register is three (3) days before the scheduled event, and the screenings will take place at the Vineyard Office Park Building, building #3 in Philipsburg at the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA). Those who have not participated in past AUC breast screenings are welcome to participate.
To make an appointment, WhatsApp: 1-317-640-1721 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The screenings are taking place with the assistance of the American University of the Caribbean (AUC) School of Medicine.
The health screening will be conducted by AUC medical students. They will be checking your height, weight, vision, blood sugar, blood pressure and total cholesterol while the breast exam will be performed by board-certified AUC physician, Dr. Naira Chobanyan.
AUC is conducting these screenings, with support from the Positive Foundation and Ministry VSA, to help the St. Maarten population understand the risk factors associated with breast abnormalities and breast cancers.
During this free screening opportunity, participants will also be educated and informed on 1. What are the signs and symptoms of breast cancer? 2. What can be done to decrease the risk? 3. How the risk is evaluated 4. How the risk can be calculated.
The Positive Foundation urges women to take measures to “Feel it, Find it, and Fight it” early on when it’s easiest to treat. The results from this research project may provide a basis for screening guidelines for Sint Maarten, which could lead to earlier detection for all of us on Sint Maarten.

PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- The Collective Preventive Services (CPS), a government department under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, is calling on the community to take immediate measures to prevent mosquito breeding.

Several days of rainfall would have risen the chance of mosquito breeding sites. Check household yards and business outdoor work areas in search of potential mosquito breeding sites and eliminate them. Keep Sint Maarten mosquito-free. Prevention is the Cure.
Breeding sites include anywhere that water can settle. This includes tin cans, old tires, empty paint cans, buckets, old saucers, flowerpots, cemetery urns/vase, old pet dishes, unused plastic swimming pools or other containers that collect and hold water.
In addition, owners of boats whether at home or in boatyards for repair, need to make sure that they are properly covered; tire repair shops and garages also need to take preventive measures to get rid of old tires and vehicles, as these can collect rainwater and become a breeding ground for mosquitoes’. The same applies to contractors and owners of properties being repaired.
Every household and business must do its part to eliminate Aedes Aegypti mosquito breeding sites and keep the country mosquito-free.
Once again it is very important to check around your yard and your business to make sure there is no standing water after rain. Install mosquito screens in windows and doors and store rainwater in well-covered tanks.
The public is also advised to wear light-colored, loose fitting clothing during outdoor activities, as mosquitoes are attracted to dark colors. When practical, wear long-sleeves and pants when going outdoors i.o. to decrease the risk of being bitten by mosquitoes.
To report mosquito breeding sites or to request information about eliminating mosquito breeding sites, contact the Coordinator of the Vector Program by sending an email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call the hotline: 520-2874.

PHILIPSBURG:---  The House of Parliament will sit in a Plenary Public session on Monday, February 17, 2020.
The Public meeting which was adjourned on January 21, 2020, will be reconvened on Monday at 9.30 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda points are:
2. Advice on appointment Chairperson General Audit Chamber (IS/210/2019-2020 dated October 29, 2019)
3. Advice on appointment member General Audit Chamber (IS/277/2019-2020 dated November 8, 2019)

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.
The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1 www.pearlfmradio.sx, via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, and Parliament’s Facebook page: Parliament of Sint Maarten.

NASSAU, The Bahamas:---  Trinidadian Brian Frontin is the newly elected President of the Caribbean Society of Hotel Association Executives (CSHAE).

Over his two-year term, Frontin said: "considerable emphasis will be placed on enhancing the profiles of CSHAE and all of its Association Executive (AE) members."

The incoming leader also wants to strengthen the capacity of national hotel and tourism associations (NHTAs) and their staff leadership to increase their value proposition and to review and redefine the role of CSHAE within the governance framework of the umbrella Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA).

Meeting in The Bahamas, the CSHAE Executive and Board crafted an Action Plan to address priorities and convened working committees to execute various items over the next six months.

Frontin was confident that the CSHAE transformational agenda underway would yield positive results for the benefit of AEs, NHTAs, and CHTA.

For his 2020-2022 tenure, President Frontin is supported by an Executive Committee comprising Stacy Cox (Immediate Past President/Chairman), who serves as CEO of the Turks & Caicos Hotel & Tourism Association; Noorani Azeez (Vice President/President-Elect), who is Executive Vice President of the Saint Lucia Hospitality & Tourism Association; Miles B. M. Mercera (Treasurer), CEO of the Curaçao Hospitality & Tourism Association; and Véronique Legris (Secretary), Executive Director of the Saint Martin Hotel Association.
The Executive Committee will be supported by CSHAE Board members Senator Rudy Grant, CEO of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association; Tisa LaSorte, CEO & President of the Aruba Hotel & Tourism Association; and Stephen Todd, CEO of the Bermuda Hotel Association.

CSHAE is an independent organization established by CHTA to support the professional development of national hotel and tourism association executives from the 33 CHTA member NHTAs.

The organization serves as a network for the region's associations by supporting the professional development of the staff and voluntary leadership; facilitating the gathering and flow of information; advancing programs in support of regional advocacy and product improvement efforts; and serving as a two-way conduit with CHTA in achieving mutual goals.