PHILIPSBURG — The board of the Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM) has responded to a letter issued by its Minister of Public Health (VSA) Richinel Brug with a lengthy and yet unclear statement. It accuses Minister Brug of “false narratives and coordinated attempts at public manipulation” without providing any specifics. Towards the end of the statement, the board announces that it is finalizing a formal reply to Minister Brug’s letter. “Every claim, assertion and misrepresentation will be addressed thoroughly, factually and in proper context.” Before getting to that point, the URSM-board alleges that Minister Brug has deliberately “spread misinformation,…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten (April 8, 2026) — St, Maarten welcomed Southwest Airlines’ inaugural nonstop flight from Orlando on Tuesday, marking a significant expansion of the island’s airlift and strengthening its connection to the United States market. Southwest Flight 1873 touched down at Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM) just after midday, inaugurating a new daily nonstop service between Orlando International Airport (MCO) and St. Maarten, with a flight time of approximately three hours. The new route provides direct access to one of the United States’ busiest travel hubs, connecting St. Maarten to millions of potential visitors and offering onward access to…
Simpson Bay, St. Maarten, April 2nd, 2026 — Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE) is proud to announce the return of its aviation photography competition, ToppiX, after a 10-year hiatus. Last held in 2016, the competition is making a highly anticipated comeback in 2026, marking a special moment for aviation enthusiasts and the local community. The relaunch of ToppiX coincides with the inaugural arrival of Southwest Airlines to Sint Maarten on April 7, 2026, offering participants a unique opportunity to capture this historic milestone. Participants are invited to photograph the first Southwest landing at SXM from any safe and permitted location,…
MARIGOT–The Territorial Council of Saint-Martin has approved its 2026 draft budget, described as “constrained but balanced,” maintaining investment levels while tightening operational spending in a challenging financial environment. Meeting in plenary session on March 27, 2026, council members voted by majority to adopt the budget, which totals €276.3 million and is balanced in both revenue and expenditure. Despite fiscal pressures, the Collectivité has opted to sustain key public investments while implementing modest savings in day-to-day operations. The 2026 budget allocates €105.4 million to investment, a level broadly consistent with 2025, when €107.7 million was committed. At the same time, operating expenditures have been reduced by approximately €2 million,…
MARIGOT–One of the standout decisions taken during the Territorial Council meeting of March 26, 2026, was the adoption of an ambitious strategy to develop the Social and Solidarity Economy (ESS) in Saint-Martin over the next three years, signaling a shift toward a more inclusive and diversified economic model. During a session that examined 13 deliberations ranging from infrastructure financing to public-private settlements, elected officials placed particular emphasis on strengthening the island’s economic resilience through social innovation and community-based enterprise. The ESS strategy, covering the period 2026–2028, was widely viewed as a cornerstone decision with long-term implications for the territory’s development.…
MARIGOT–The Collectivité of Saint-Martin has approved a settlement agreement with SEMSAMAR, bringing an end to a long-running dispute over the management of the Fort Louis Marina and closing a chapter that dates back to the termination of a public service concession in 2018. The agreement, adopted by the Territorial Council, establishes that the Collectivité will pay €910,730.61 to SEMSAMAR in full and final settlement of all outstanding claims related to the marina’s former operation. The decision aims to definitively resolve a complex financial disagreement without further legal proceedings. The dispute stems from the public service delegation under which SEMSAMAR was responsible for operating the Fort Louis Marina. That arrangement officially ended on…
MARIGOT–The Préfecture has announced temporary restrictions on water usage, now in effect from April 2 through April 10. The measures come in response to a significant disruption in the island’s water production system, raising concerns about the continuity of potable water supply across Saint-Martin. The restrictions prohibit the use of tap water for a range of non-essential activities, including watering lawns and ornamental gardens, irrigating sports fields and green spaces, filling or refilling swimming pools, washing cars, cleaning boats, and washing public roads. Authorities say these steps are necessary to preserve limited resources and prioritize essential water needs. The situation stems from a breakdown…
St. Maarten today finds itself under mounting pressure as global developments continue to spiral in an increasingly negative direction, tightening their grip on small, open economies that rely heavily on external stability. From rising geopolitical tensions driving up energy costs to weakening global growth and shifting tourism dynamics, the island is being squeezed from all sides. What once felt distant is now immediate, as higher fuel prices, increased cost of living, and uncertainty in global travel begin to weigh on households, businesses, and government alike. This is not a passing phase but a convergence of pressures that demand clarity, focus,…
By Hilbert Haar The dog fight between the board of the Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM) and its minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor Richinel Brug marks a new low point in political discourse. Attorney Brenda Brooks, who is the president of the URSM-board wrote a letter that contains plenty of accusations that would make most politicians run for the hills. But Minister Brug showed that he has plenty of backbone and, even better, that he has plenty of ammunition to dismiss the allegations against him. It is for an outsider impossible to predict how all this…
PHILIPSBURG — Minister Richinel Brug (Public Health, Social Development and Labor, or VSA) stands firm in his decision not to step down from his position and not to give up his membership of the United Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM). He reacted to a letter from URSM’s board president, attorney Brenda Brooks to step down with a detailed 12-page letter that sheds light on the ugly things that are going on behind the scenes at the party that was founded by former surgeon and current Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina, Brooks wrote to Brug that the party had taken the…
