Delft, The Netherlands – 31 July 2018. An international team of researchers, led by IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, has developed adaptive risk management strategies for coastal communities. Coastal floods are regarded as one of the most dangerous and harmful of all natural disasters. The researchers have collected data from several sites around the world to measure how vulnerable an area is, when hit by a tsunami or hurricane. With this information, governments can make better decisions to prepare for extreme hydro-meteorological events. Hurricane Irma Rapid urbanisation in coastal areas, combined with climate change and poor governance, poses a…
Author: The Publisher
By Alfred Harley PHILIPSBURG/THE BAHAMAS–What motivates this African born ‘Sculpting King’ to exceed every level of excellence previously attained, is in his words “the joy of sculpting history’s heroes.” Known to everyone locally as “Africa,” Michael Ikechukwu Maghiro, was recently bestowed some of the highest praises, by the Bahamian Government. Maghiro was invited to a special ceremony on July 19th, in Nassau Bahamas where he unveiled the statue depicting one of the country’s most loved musical legend calypso “King” Eric Gibson inside the recently inaugurated ‘Legends Garden’ at the University of Bahamas. Maghiro has been commissioned to create several statues,…
By Hilbert Haar We’re getting closer to the beginning of our big trip towards Asia. St. Maarten is in the rearview mirror, after we left the island at the end of June. It is still weird not to be involved in what’s happening out there. There is so much to say – and to write – about this place that we’ve called home with great pleasure for twelve years. But with so much distance between us, I don’t think it’s fair to open my big mouth telling everybody what’s what. That’s history now, but St. Maarten will for always be…
PHILIPSBURG — On Monday July 30th at approximately 10.30 a.m. the fire alarm at the Police Head Quarters in Philipsburg went off causing all employees in the building at the time to be evacuated and guided to a safe area. The fire department was notified who responded immediately to the call. The ambulance department was also notified in case of persons suffering injuries. The traffic in the immediate area and surroundings of the Police Head Quarters was diverted allowing the emergency services to carry out their duties. These actions attracted a lot of attention from the general public as they…
Simpson Bay, St. Maarten (Monday July 30, 2018) – In a judgment of 30 July 2018, the Sint Maarten Court of First Instance ordered Nagico to pay to Princess Juliana Airport (PJIA) an advance of USD 33,2 million. This amount is in addition to an advance of USD 25 million that was already paid by Nagico. In its judgment, the Court considered that, although the dispute between PJIA and Nagico is complicated both legally and technically, PJIA has a pressing interest in obtaining an advance on the insurance payments that it is entitled to, so that it can continue the restoration…
Philipsburg — MP Ardwell Irion, the current Chair of the Committee of Finance, is calling to question the continued lack of availability by the Minister of Finance. MP Irion initially requested multiple meetings as early as April 20 of this year, when the position was held by the then Minister of Finance, Michael Ferrier. The MP has since then requested for the follow up meetings which were postponed by Minister Geerlings in consideration of his adjustment period. Without the attendance of the Minister, many urgent topics cannot be finalized nor be called to question. On the agenda for deliberation were…
PHILIPSBURG — Repairs have begun on the former Island Receiver’s Building on Pond Island. Contractors started gutting the building on Monday this week, following the inspection of the facility by Minister of Finance Perry Geerlings. Geerlings pushed for the urgent repairs in a bid to alleviate the long lines at the Government Administration Building. Geerlings visited the old building on Friday July 20 and spoke to the Head of Facility Services for the Government Rignald “Rick” Martina and Head of New Projects Kurt Ruan about the urgent need to repair the building. He said in a press statement issued Thursday,…
The ‘problem’ at the Kadaster highlights another problem we have here in St. Maarten. The fact that it is so hard to find qualified people for the various (top) positions here on St. Maarten, that we have to bring back people from retirement or bring in people from abroad to fill these positions, should make an alarm bell go off by someone in education, if not the Minister of Education himself. We need to start making assessments of the positions that need to be filled and start selecting and training candidates to fill these positions on a timely basis. Even…
PHILIPSBURG—Robert Boekhold has officially been appointed as Interim Mortgage Custodian and Acting Director of Kadaster. On Thursday July 26, Director of the Cabinet of the Minister of Finance Wilgo Lieveld handed Boekhold the Ministerial Decree. Boekhold is a Land Surveyor and has worked for Kadaster office for over 24 years. He will immediately take up his post and work with the support of former and retired Mortgage Custodian, Marie De Weever. Boekhold was officially sworn in as the Mortgage Custodian by his Excellency Mr. Reynold Groeneveldt, Acting Governor for St. Maarten, at 10:00am on July 26. As well as being…
Philipsburg — The Asset Recovery Team St. Maarten confiscated on Thursday, July 26, 2018 – during a first action – a car and continued with a house search at an address in Meadowlands Drive in Cul de Sac. During the search several articles such as datacarriers (telephones and computers) and administration was confiscated. At the address attributes for a hemp nursery were also confiscated. It relates to the investigation “KES” in which two persons are suspect, namely the woman T.M.M. (1989, Sint Maarten) and the man O.L.M.H. (1984, Sint Maarten). They are suspected, among other things, of money laundering, forgery…
