CAY HILL, ST. MAARTEN: St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) wishes to address recent claims regarding conditions at our facility and provide accurate information to our patients, staff and the wider community. The recent heavy rainfall has caused some drainage issues at our facility, resulting in water backup from regular drainage pipes. We want to clearly state that at no point was there sewage water in the Sterilization Department, contrary to recent reports. SMMC management has been actively addressing this situation: Multiple meetings were held with department supervisors earlier this week to address and resolve the drainage issues. A requested union…
Author: The Publisher
HARBOUR VIEW, PHILIPSBURG — Today November 26, 2024, members of the incoming Council of Ministers Cabinet Mercelina II were appointed and sworn in by His Excellency the Governor of Sint Maarten, Mr. Ajamu G. Baly. Governor Baly gave the following speech: Government Prefet of Saint Barthelemy and Saint Martin; Chairlady of Parliament; Members of Parliament; Acting Vice-chairlady of the Council of Advice; Acting Chairlady of the Audit Chamber; Ombudsman; Prime Minister; Ministers; Minister Plenipotentiary; Secretary general of the Council of Minister: Acting Vice-President of the Joint Court of Justice; Chief Public Prosecutor; Acting Chairlady of the Central Voting Bureau; Chairman…
SIMPSON BAY — St. Maarten, an island renowned for its many beaches, vibrant nightlife and busy tourist seasons, is facing an increasingly urgent challenge: traffic congestion. While many issues plague developing nations, our tiny Caribbean island seems to be gridlocked by its own popularity. The sheer number of cars on the island—compounded by narrow roads, poor infrastructure, and unregulated vehicle imports—has turned our daily commutes into a test of patience and creativity. This past week, StMaartenNews.com engaged the public in an active discussion about the island’s traffic woes. Through a social media post, residents shared a myriad of perspectives on…
GREAT BAY, St. Maarten (November, 2024) – I have taken note of an article attributed to Member of Parliament Egbert Jurendy Doran, that seeks to call into question my stand on the sale of Mullet Bay in view of the Ennia Outline Agreement and can only ask where has the honorable MP been in the last four years? First, if the good MP has any concerns about the Ennia Outline Agreement, which his colleagues in the National Alliance (NA) signed a little over six months ago, I never heard him express those publicly until now. But what is the real…
PHILIPSBURG — On November 18, 2024, Minister of Justice Lyndon Lewis, representing the Government of St. Maarten, officially signed an agreement to initiate Phase 2 of the New Prison Project. This phase, supported by a joint investment of $52 million USD from St. Maarten and the Dutch Ministry of Internal Affairs and Kingdom Relations, marks a pivotal transition to the construction of a state-of-the-art correctional facility designed to meet the highest international standards. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has been designated to oversee the project management of the new prison’s construction. UNOPS has also developed the prison’s…
PHILIPSBURG — November 19, 2024 — Following severe weather impacts over the past week, Chair of the VROMI Committee, MP York, has formally submitted an urgent request for a committee meeting to address the state of Sint Maarten’s infrastructure. The flooding and widespread damage across the island have raised serious concerns about the country’s readiness for extreme weather, revealing vulnerabilities that need immediate attention. The purpose of the meeting is to assess the condition of Sint Maarten’s infrastructure and evaluate the government’s immediate and long-term responses to these challenges. With increasing climate-related incidents, addressing these vulnerabilities proactively is essential. A…
PHILIPSBURG — November 19th, 2024 — MP Egbert Doran is voicing serious concerns over the government’s recent handling of the Ennia amendment, specifically regarding the sale of the Sun Resorts Ltd. N.V.-owned portion of Mullet Bay. What was initially presented as a crucial move to secure local influence over this valuable land has now become a source of public confusion, raising questions about the true intentions of Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs and Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina. Doran is urging the community to stay vigilant and keep a close watch on the government’s actions. When the Ennia amendment was first…
PHOTO CAPTION: Representatives from Sint Maarten’s marine and yachting sector gathered at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) to strengthen partnerships and explore new opportunities within the industry. Key figures in attendance included Jadira Veen from Commodore Suites Sint Maarten, Valeska Luckert, Managing Director of La Palapa Marina, and Ichel Moeslikan, Caribbean Operations Manager for Acquera Yachting. Photo provided by Jadira Veen. ### PUBLISHER’S NOTE: St. Maarten Marine Leaders Forge New Alliances at Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show Fort Lauderdale, FL – The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS), renowned as the world’s largest in-water boat show, set the…
Sunday, St. Maarten found itself drowning—not just in water, but in the stark reality of decades of poor planning, negligence, and outright disregard for sustainable development. Torrential rains have once again exposed the cracks in our overdeveloped island’s infrastructure, leaving homes, businesses, and communities inundated. The question we must ask ourselves is: how many more times will history repeat itself before we see real change? Flooded streets, impassable roads, and submerged neighborhoods are no longer freak occurrences—they are the new normal. The situation today is not merely an act of nature but a direct consequence of human failure. The evidence…
Washington D.C., November 14, 2024 – Sint Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport officially reopened today, following extensive rehabilitation after the airport was destroyed by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The destruction of the airport, a key connection hub for neighboring countries, severely impacted local revenue on the tourism-dependent island. The airport terminal reconstruction was financed through $92 million from the World Bank-managed Sint Maarten Reconstruction, Resilience and Recovery Trust Fund, comprising a grant from the Government of the Netherlands and a $50 million loan from the European Investment Bank. The initiative was facilitated by on-lending agreements between the Government of St…
