PHILIPSBURG — The St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) will produce a children’s coloring book for Carnival 2019 as one of the many projects to mark the 50th Anniversary of Carnival. The foundation is actively trying to re-vive the youth participation and interest in cultural aspects of Carnival and has chosen to so starting with the children in elementary levels. President of the SCDF Alston Lourens said the coloring book will feature about 15 pages of Carnival icons and things typical to Carnival. Well known Carnival artists and other stakeholders will be depicted as well as Carnival trucks, something representative…
Author: The Publisher
A post on Facebook caught our attention today. The topic was Codes of Conduct. Apparently, this was triggered by screenshots of a chat conversation circulating on Whatsapp. For all intents and purposes, the chat conversation seems to be between a minister and an associate. Sources have confirmed that these chats are genuine. As was pointed out, by now the whole of St. Maarten will have seen and read the whatsapp messages. We agree with the poster. Clearly, this is a breach of codes of conduct in all aspects of the behaviour surrounding the origination and the circulation of these whatsapp…
~ Focus on great music to remain ~ PHILIPSBURG — My88.3FM will launch its new daily lineup of radio shows on Monday, November 19, spearheaded by its morning and mid-morning-to-afternoon programs which the station announced over the weekend. Local celebrity King Vers and Sjenaya will hold down the coveted morning slots on My88.3 with “My A.M. Shine”, giving the station a morning broadcast with new, innovative ideas to involve the community first and foremost as well as businesses who wish to advertise on the show/station. My A.M. Shine will also give listeners the opportunity to win cash daily, engaging the…
GREAT BAY—Minister of Justice Cornelius De Weever described the taking of the oath by some 22 prison officers as “a milestone” with a sense of accomplishment. He pointed out that the ceremonies that took place at the Government Administration Building on Friday morning as a part of the civil service obligation. The Justice Minister remarked that the Pointe Blanche Prison is “sometimes seen as the forgotten place” except for the time of an election or when something bad happens. “Many times people forget those who work there and the inmates that live in the Pointe Blanche prison that also make…
PHILIPSBURG — In the recovery process of country Sint Maarten KPSM have written and presented several “Quick Win” projects with the urgency to get KPSM up and running as soon as possible. The entire recovery process has been a very challenging one; however one of the main projects that were presented was the purchasing of new police vehicles. These vehicles are necessary to provide service and assistance to the community. This project has finally been accomplished. The vehicles have been purchased and this was possible through direct financing from the Netherlands. On Wednesday October 10th 2018 during a short ceremony…
Prime Minister Romeo Marlin visits Postal Services Sint Maarten new location at former Civil Registry Building PHILIPSBURG – On Wednesday afternoon, Prime Minister Leona Romeo Marlin visited the new location of Postal Services St. Maarten N V located at Soualuiga Road in the former Civil Registry Building. Together with members of the newly appointed PSS Supervisory Board, PSS management, Bureau Telecommunication and Post (BTP) and key partners that made the relocation possible, the Prime Minister took the opportunity to tour the renovated office space on its first day of operation. As of Wednesday, PSS will be offering its services from…
PHILIPSBURG — Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Miklos Giterson recently returned from a working visit to the Ministry of Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning (VVRP) in Curacao. Mr. Harry Huisden and Ms. Cidy Do Rego of the SOAB organized the visit, with the objective of receiving information and guidance on best practices from the recent successes that VVRP’s Permits and Domain Affairs departments have experienced. In Curacao, these departments have initiated comprehensive projects that have yielded positive results within the previous two years, in spite of the variety of challenges facing them. In addition to…
PHILIPSBURG — The Sint Maarten Nature Foundation is urging the SCDF to find sustainable alternatives to using balloons during two events for next year’s celebration of fifty years of carnival. The Nature Foundation has sent a letter to the SCDF on Monday, October 1st asking the organization to consider sustainable alternatives, also during events at the Carnival Village, to single use plastics. During last year’s carnival the Foundation recorded a significant increase in plastic litter and debris. “We are urging the SCDF to not only make the celebration for 50 years of carnival fun and exciting, but also sustainable and…
By Hilbert Haar Environmental issues have taken central stage in St. Maarten ever since Barbara Cannegieter et al filed a lawsuit against the government over the persistent fires at the dump. Add the Pride’s Foundation’s annual coastal cleanup to the mix, together with MP Sarah Wescot-Williams draft initiative law to ban single use plastic bags and you’d think there isn’t a soul on our island left who is not aware of these issues. But the pitfalls along the road towards environmental awareness are manifold. I should be the last one to criticize the St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation for putting…
By Hilbert Haar We stay in the old center of Hanoi at the City Backpackers Hostel on Bat Su Street. To say that the city is a bit overwhelming is an understatement. With 7.5 million inhabitants, 5 million scooters and 500,000 cars the buzz in this place never stops. About those scooters: everybody wears a helmet here – often combined with a facemask that would make bank robbers in St. Maarten envious – and nobody makes wheelies. Crossing a road is a combination of art and science. You have to throw yourself into the flow, being aware that nobody will…
