Dear Editor, In light of the renewed emphasis on reigniting agriculture on the island, it is important to also realize that without conservation measures to protect our natural resources this ambition may be but a pipe dream if we continue along our current path. As a Small Island Developing State, St. Maarten’s efforts toward self-sufficiency and food security through agricultural development are vital, especially given our island’s vulnerability to external shocks driven by climate change. However, while these developments are promising, it is essential to recognize that any agricultural revival will remain unsustainable unless it is firmly grounded in the…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG – The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunrise continues its annual “Back to School Program,” a long-standing initiative designed to equip students with the essential tools for academic success. This program led by Rotarian Marcellia Henry, Club Leadership Chair and Facilitator, was a resounding success. Several members of the club joined the distribution at different schools, making the event a collaborative and impactful experience for all involved. This year’s project, in collaboration with Princess International Group of Companies Sint Maarten and Qredits, has made a significant impact by distributing school bags and supplies to local schools and foster homes.…
The international Fintech Islands Experience (FiX) returns to the Caribbean for its third successive year, from January 22-24, 2025, focusing on three core pillars, as it seeks to fulfil its mission to build out the fintech ecosystem in the region. The highly successful financial conference will be held again at the Sam Lord’s Castle Wyndham Grand Barbados Resort. FiX25 aims to bring together a community of disruptive and innovative leaders who are redefining financial services under its core pillars—entrepreneurship, policy, and talent. These pillars are designed to foster a thriving fintech ecosystem by providing start-ups with the foundation they need,…
Rum and Sargassum Inc., a local deep-tech start-up, and The University of the West Indies Cave Hill campus have launched the first vehicle powered by bio-compressed natural gas (CNG). The bio-CNG uses rum distillery wastewater and a sargassum-based biomethane, an innovative fuel source derived from the invasive seaweed which is plaguing the region’s coasts. The seasonal issue posed by sargassum on the island’s beaches is now being turned into a valuable resource as the country seeks to achieve its goal of becoming a 100 per cent renewable energy and carbon-neutral island state by 2030. The project, spearheaded by Rum and…
HARBOUR VIEW, PHILIPSBURG — On Friday September 20, 2024, Her Excellency Acting Governor Emiko Bird-Lake, in accordance with article 56 of the Sint Maarten constitution, administered the oath to the Members of Parliament at the Governor’s Cabinet. The new Members of Parliament were elected in the August 19, 2024 Snap elections. In a public meeting of Parliament on September 16, the MP’s credentials were examined by the parliamentary committee on the credentials in accordance with article 54 of the Sint Maarten constitution. The official swearing in of the members of parliament is the last formal step that is taken to…
Dear Editor, Please allow me the opportunity to express my concerns regarding the unfortunate incidents that occurred on August 22, 2024, involving the St. Kitts & Nevis registered motor vessels ‘Blue Wave’ and ‘Paradise Sun,’ during our planned travel, scheduled for 9:00 AM, from St. Eustatius (Statia) to St. Kitts. Eighteen (18) passengers, including young children, were keenly anticipating the celebrations surrounding a family wedding set to take place in St. Kitts on August 24. Despite our careful planning and compliance with all necessary arrangements, our experience was marred by an unexpected and unnecessary delay caused by the Dutch Caribbean…
GREAT BAY — The persistent power outages plaguing St. Maarten have become a national crisis, severely impacting small hoteliers and their guests. The St. Maarten Small Properties Association (SMSPA), led by President Ms. Paulina Nzinga Lake, has voiced its concerns, applauding Honorable MP Ludmila de Weever for bringing this critical issue to the floor of Parliament. Small hoteliers, the backbone of St. Maarten’s hospitality industry, are grappling with the harsh realities of inconsistent power supply. These outages not only disrupt essential services like air conditioning, internet, lights, telephone, and security systems but also significantly tarnish the overall guest experience. “The…
~ MP Ludmila De Weever’s Candid Speech on Party Leadership and Policy Recommendations ~ PHILIPSBURG – In a bold and revealing address, Member of Parliament (MP) Ludmila De Weever expressed her frustrations with Party for Progress (PFP) leadership while offering crucial insights and recommendations for the incoming ministers in the Council of Ministers. On the day of the closing of the parliamentary year, De Weever not only addressed personal political struggles but emphasized the necessity for political leaders to prioritize the struggles of the people over power dynamics within their ranks. Highlighting her disappointment with the internal dynamics of the…
HARBOUR VIEW, PHILIPSBURG — Considering the results of the August 19, 2024, elections, consultations held with the political leaders of all seven political parties that have succeeded in gaining at least one seat, and in taking due account of the four parties that signed the declaration of intent to form a coalition on Thursday August 22, 2024, namely the SAM, the PFP, the DP and the URSM, His Excellency Governor Ajamu G. Baly, LL.M. has requested the leader of the URSM, Mr. Luc Mercelina, to take into consideration an assignment as Formateur. In that capacity, the Governor has requested…
Speculation is rampant about who will be ministers of which ministries. Initially it was expected that an information and a formation process with respectively an informateur and a formateur would be followed. Somehow that idea – that was proposed by Melissa Gumbs, party leader of the PFP party – got torpedoed quickly and a coalition was immediately agreed to by the URSM, DP, PFP and SAM after elections. To hell with a (in)formation process. And there went integrity and transparency – long championed by the PFP party – out the window. Remarkably, one coalition party was quickly abandoned in this…
