SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES TO REBUILD A SUSTAINABLE SINT MAARTEN REMARKS AT THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY OF THE NEW GOVERNMNET by His Excellency drs. Eugene B. Holiday Governor of Sint Maarten Chairperson of Parliament, Members of Parliament Prime-Minister, Ministers, Préfète déléguée of Saint Martin and St. Barths President of the Collectivity of Saint Martin Distinguished Guests, Good Morning, On February 26th, 2018, the people of Sint Maarten went to the polls and elected a new group of parliamentarians. In doing so creating the basis for the formation of a new government. Today, four (4) months later we have before us a new council…
Author: Desk Editor
The St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) congratulated former President of the foundation, Stuart Johnson, on being sworn in as St. Maarten’s Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs. “We are very proud of you,” the SCDF said on Monday. “We know Minister Johnson as a hard working individual as is evident from his years with the SCDF, not just a President but in various capacities with the foundation for over a decade,” President of the SCDF Alston Lourens said. “He loves St. Maarten, its people and its culture and he loves his Carnival. We have the fullest confidence that he…
PHILIPSBURG — My fellow Sint Maarteners, My tenure as Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (MECYS) in the Interim Romeo-Marlin Cabinet has come to an end. When I transitioned into the role as Minister on January 15th of this year, I was overwhelmed with a sense optimism and gratitude for being given the opportunity to serve my Country. In this short time, during which we have been through a parliamentary election and the formation of a new government while still very much in the midst of our Recovery process, I recognize that there have been continued challenging moments and…
The Dominica Foundation Sint Maarten wishes to invite its membership and the general public for its extraordinary monthly general meeting at the St Maarten University on Thursday June 28th at 7.30pm sharp. The Social security personnel will be on hand to make a presentation on the voluntary contribution program as well as to interview and register persons who may be interested in enrolling with the social security program in Dominica. All Dominicans should partake in this opportunity to facilitate a secure future for yourself and family in these uncertain economic times. Please bring along your passport or the old social…
Twenty four high school seniors of Learning Unlimited (LU) graduated on Thursday, June 21 and, including securing scholarships at prestigious colleges and universities the world over, will also forever be known as the class that had to persevere in the aftermath of the worst natural disaster to strike St. Maarten. In addressing the students, President of Parliament MP Sarah Wescot-Williams encouraged the graduates to use hurricane Irma experience to persevere, to endure, to overcome and to excel, no matter the obstacles encountered along the way of the educational journey. “That experience is worth years of education, if internalized and processed…
PORT ST. MAARTEN — In the post-Irma era, cargo operations at Port St. Maarten have been showing double-digit figures – close to 20 per cent increase in imports double digit increase in trans-shipment – in 2018 in comparison to the first quarter (Q.1 January to March) of 2017. Transshipment cargo continues to bolster the hub function of the port with the Caribbean region and the double-digit figure trend is expected to continue. The number of cargo vessel calls for the first quarter have grown by nine per cent; and the number of barge calls importing dry bulk (e.g. Sand, cement and…
Great Bay — St. Maarten — On June 21th, members of school boards, school managers and academia, have visited a presentation given by the department of the Interior and Kingdom Relation, BAK, on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its relevancy for the Educational sector. At the new Government Building an explanation was given on the former 8 Millennium Development Goals, transitioning into the Sustainable Development Goals that applies since 2016. Morales emphasized the need to engage the educational sector in not only raising awareness, but also giving content to implementation of SDGs locally. Zooming in on SDG nr.…
The Learning Unlimited Student Government, under the guidance of Danny Fleming, LU’s Dean of Students, Head of Middle and High School, presented Coach Tom Burnett with much needed supplies for families in need on Thursday, June 21. Coach Tom heads up the Player Development program in Philipsburg whose volunteers and other supporters has been active in helping the families of ball players and others in need. President of LU’s Student Government Hanaya Merlet explained that funds to purchase the supplies were raised through fundraising bake sales and pizza days hosted by the senior class throughout the 2018 school year. She…
As the great value of education for every citizen, since last century, has been recognized by almost all governments in the world, such generally has resulted in better attention being given to elevate the quality of life for all their citizens by means of government policies promoting education. But while we all know how important politics itself also is for our lives (“from the cradle to the grave”) still, in major parts of the world, including on our islands of the former Netherlands Antilles, the education regarding politics has remained very limited. What here exists is mainly some school literature…
Philipsburg — Harbour View — On June 22, 2018, His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, drs. E.B. Holiday, received the final report from formateur Theodore Heyliger. The formateur has accepted the commission to form a new government supported by as broad a majority in Parliament as possible. Based on the coalition agreement signed on April 5, 2018 the new government is supported by the UD-fraction and the SMPC-fraction in parliament and consists of Ministers who are committed to the promotion of the wellbeing of Sint Maarten. The new government will in its governing program entitled: “Building a sustainable Sint…
