Lissabon case highlights growing cryptocurrency use and shadow economy in St. Maarten PHILIPSBURG—The high-profile Lissabon case involving former Member of Parliament Rolando Brison has drawn renewed attention to the growing role of cryptocurrency in St. Maarten’s economy and the challenges authorities face in monitoring digital financial activity. Brison, the former leader of the United People’s (UP) party, is accused of passive bribery and abuse of office as Member and Chair of Parliament. During court proceedings he addressed questions about cryptocurrency transactions referenced in the case, explaining that he trades in several digital currencies and that Bitcoin Cash is particularly popular among users on the island. The…
Author: The Publisher
THE HAGUE – The Dutch Council of State has issued a positive advice about the initiative law that regulates disputes between countries in the kingdom. The draft law was submitted for advice by Aruba’s Minister Plenipotentiary. The crucial point of the advice is that rulings on disputes do not always have to be binding. The Dutch government would only have to adhere to advice about judicial disputes. If the argument is of a political character the Dutch could still ignore an advice, but only if it presents serious objections. The obligation to establish a dispute regulation is part of the…
PHILIPSBURG – The public prosecutors office demands a 2-year prison sentence against former parliamentarian Rolando Brison. In 2023 Brison was a member of parliament for the United People’s Party (UP) when he was arrested after making a passionate plea for the introduction of cryptocurrency as legal tender in Sint Maarten. According to prosecutors, Brison received between $50,000 and $60,000 from Robbie dos Santos for this effort. Prosecutors also demand a 5-year ban on holding public office and restitution of more than $52,000 in illegally obtained funds. Brison’s paymasters are allegedly Robbie dos Santos, the founder of Robbie’s Lottery and Sunil…
Caribbean St. Tosia becomes a situation comedyby Cdr Bud Slabbaert A weary U.S. mid-career TV producer arrives in St. Tosia expecting a small, simple assignment about island artisans. After fifteen years in Los Angeles’ formulaic situation comedy development hell, rewrites, canceled pilots, he’s numb to creativity. But St. Tosia hits him like a tropical storm. He discovers a vibrant island culture, unexpected comedic talent and natural humor. Inspired by the locals’ daily lives and wit, he ends up creating a story which transforms into international hit sitcom that reshapes Caribbean representation on global television. St. Tosia greeted Evan Carter with…
PHILIPSBURG — The dismissal of Anthony Carty from his position as director of Bureau Telecommunication and Post (BTP) per April 15, 2024 was justified, the Court for Civil Servants Affairs stated in a recent ruling. Therefore, Carty’s appeal against an earlier ruling failed. The court found Carty again guilty of neglect of duty, failure to report side activities and incompatible commercial activities. Already in 2015 a critical report from the General Audit Chamber noted that Carty did not have a performance contract, had hardly any responsibilities and had carte blanche with the BTP-budget. His outrageous salary, estimated to be around…
In 2016, France adopted Law No. 2016‑138 on fighting food waste (often called the “Garot Law,” linked to Guillaume Garot). It wrote a clear priority order into the Environment Code: prevent waste first, then use unsold food that is still safe for people (donation or processing), then animal feed, and only after that composting or turning it into energy. It also created a concrete duty for large food retailers. Stores above the 400 m² threshold must offer to sign a donation agreement (a formal convention) with one or more approved food aid charities, so edible unsold food has a real…
InterCaribbean Airways made a celebrated return to St. Maarten on Monday, marking the occasion with an inaugural flight and a ceremony at Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA). The event coincided with International Women’s Day, making the return of the airline especially symbolic as the flight was operated by an all-female crew. The ceremony drew a wide array of aviation and tourism leaders, including InterCaribbean Airways Chairman Lyndon Gardner, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Trevor Sadler, Chief Operating Officer (COO) Craig Chapple, and airport leadership, such as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Michael Lake, COO Emile Levons, and Director of Operations Michael Peters. Representing the tourism sector were May-Ling Chun of the St. Maarten…
In a continued effort to strengthen crisis preparedness, operational leadership, and regional cooperation within the Dutch Caribbean, the Police Force of Sint Maarten has successfully completed an intensive Staff and Crisis Management (SGBO) training program. The week-long training, held from Monday, March 2 to Friday, March 6, 2026, at the Philipsburg Police Station, was delivered by expert instructors from the Netherlands Police Academy (Nederlandse Politie Academie – NPA). This training forms part of a broader strategic development project under the framework of the College van Korpschefs, which aims to enhance crisis management structures, harmonise operational procedures, and strengthen cooperation among…
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed on Thursday that the suspect wanted in connection with the alleged theft of more than US $46 million in cryptocurrency from the United States Marshals Service was arrested on St. Martin during a joint international law enforcement operation. In a statement posted on the social media platform X (Twitter), Patel said the suspect, identified as John Daghita, was taken into custody overnight by the elite intervention unit of the French Gendarmerie in cooperation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Patel’s post quickly gained traction online, and by midnight it had received approximately 2.6 million views…
CONCORDIA–A small fire broke out near the Fresh Food Market at the intersection of Rue de Concordia and Rue Antoine Lake on Wednesday, initially raising concerns among residents. Authorities confirmed that the blaze involved a pile of garbage and did not threaten nearby homes or businesses. Residents in the area acted quickly, attempting to put out the fire before emergency crews arrived. Their efforts helped prevent the fire from spreading until fire response teams reached the scene. The Shift Leader of the Fire Department stated that the cause of the fire is still unknown and will require further investigation. Police Territorial officers, including Officer…
