Solidarity is defined as: unity or agreement of feeling or action, especially among individuals with a common interest; mutual support within a group. In a recent article by Kathryn Jean Lopez for the National Review, she said ‘to stand in solidarity with the vulnerable is to become vulnerable’. The people of St. Maarten, like people all over the world right now are vulnerable. Vulnerable to disease and death and vulnerable to the certain economic recession this pandemic will bring in the months and years to come. The number of deaths have shown the absolute poor state of our health care…
Author: The Publisher
PHOTO CAPTION: Broadcasting the word per speaker in the different districts and shanty towns on the Dutch side of St. Maarten in the different languages English, Creole and Spanish was the objective of a speaker car that toured the Dutch side of St. Maarten, starting in Cape Bay today, as can be seen the above photo. Photo provided by DCOMM. Publisher’s Note: The recordings that were broadcasted via the speaker car in the various districts were made in English, Spanish and Creole. For a copy of these recordings – in order to distribute them via social media to your family…
MHF opens a Mental Health Support line – Call 311 CAY HILL — The Mental Health Foundation understands that many persons are confronted with elevated stress levels during this global Covid-19 pandemic. The consequences of this pandemic can take a toll on our mental health. The World Health Organization established that mental health is a human right and services should always be available near and within the community. MHF supports the WHO stance and is, therefore, opening the support line. Since COVID 19 is preventing access to our regular care services, the foundation has decided to become more accessible through…
Dear Editor, Decision makers in our islands are going to be challenged with tradeoffs that have better medical assurances on the one hand and quicker economic recovery on the other hand. Both sides of this tradeoff are currently unpredictable although there are probably epidemiologists with considerable insight into where the cards are likely to fall in the near future. For the economic growth return it will depend on the structure of any economy and its dependence on exports and people exposure. In the case of Sint Maarten we are clearly almost totally dependent on exports and our exports are dependent…
PHILIPSBURG – Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion and his team, with the information and recommendations gathered by the ESFs and their relevant teams and task forces, prepared a Support Relief Plan (SRP) costing ANG 254 million for the first 3 months. In a press release issued by the cabinet of the ministry of Finance, the minister explains that economies across the world have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and St. Maarten is no exception. The necessary measures of closing the borders in order to control the spread of the virus has resulted in a practical halt of all…
MINISTERS & PARLIAMENTARIANS AGREE TO SALARY REDUCTION IN SOLIDARITY INITIATIVE ~ Liquidity support 2019 becoming a reality ~ PHILIPSBURG – Current and previous Ministers back initiative to support island recovery with a ten percent salary cut. The Minister of Finance, Ardwell Irion sought and received the support from his colleagues in both the Parliament of St. Maarten and the Council of Ministers. The Minister of Finance presented his colleagues with the initiative as far back at February, that expressed solidarity with the people of St. Maarten by the top officials of the country. All signatories agreed that legislation will be…
Update Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs & SMMC Receives Medical Equipment from the Netherlands for St. Maarten Philipsburg—St. Maarten is now the recipient of the much-needed medical equipment sent this morning on the Military C 17 aircraft, from the Netherlands at approximately 2:00 pm on Sunday, April 5, 2020, to SXM Airport. The equipment was received by a delegation consisting of Honorable Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs, Dr. Felix Holiday representing St. Maarten Medical Centre (SMMC), ESF 6 Coordinator Fenna Arnell, SXM Airport CEO Brian Mingo, SXM Airport COO Michel Hyman and Head of the Dutch Representation Office in St. Maarten Chris…
PHILIPSBURG – A C-17 transport plane has arrived in St. Maarten with emergency aid and equipment to treat corona-patients in the Caribbean part of the kingdom. The supplies and the equipment are not exclusively for patients in St. Maarten, but also for those from the BES-islands, Curacao and Aruba. The plane carried a partially mobile hospital with six intensive-care beds and equipment to realize another six IC-beds at the St. Maarten Medical Center. Furthermore, the C-17 brought protective gear for doctors and nurses, medication for corona-patients and medical equipment. State Secretary for Public Health, Welfare and Sport Paul Blokhuis was…
With the declaration of a state of emergency last night during the Prime Minister’s online press briefing the island is on lockdown 24/7, effectively a police state for two weeks. While the purpose of this shutdown is clearly understood, implementing an island-wide testing program on the island as well would have served an even greater purpose and would have effectively helped to corner and isolate the virus once and for all. Our neighboring island St. Barths understands that as well apparently and they will be testing the entire population. We should be doing the same as well. Time to take…
PHILIPSBURG – The state of emergency has far-reaching consequences for the civil rights of St. Maarten’s inhabitants. The national decree that declared the state of emergency refers rather casually to article 112 of the Constitution, but that article actually puts civil rights established in ten different articles on hold. The decree furthermore mentions eight specific articles from the national ordinance emergency situation (Landsverordening uitzonderingstoestand) but it is currently unclear whether other articles from this ordinance also apply without prior notice. First, let’s take a look at the LV uitzonderingstoestand. Article 3 stipulates that terminating the state of emergency can be…
