Author: The Publisher

PHILIPSBURG, ST.MAARTEN – 22 May, 2018 – COSME, a European Union funded programme, has launched the online business incubator CaribConnect in four of the Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba and Cayman.  CaribConnect.net, is simple to use and is currently free to anyone conducting or wishing to conduct business in the Caribbean. There are three profiles for registration in CaribConnect.net, Entrepreneurs, Mentors and Investors. CaribConnect has over 500 registered businesses and over 70 mentors in its Caribbean database. On 24 May, the launch for CaribConnect will take place at Produce Wealth Revolution Agency also known as “The…

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CAYHILL — The St. Maarten Medical Center has expanded its services. The Urologist, Dr. Diego Ramos, has recently added several new surgical procedures to the department. The specialist, who began his tenure at the SMMC last year, has worked continuously to develop the Urology department to a standard that can facilitate much needed treatment to all patients. With the introduction of this new service, new equipment was required. In October of 2017 the hospital received new laser equipment. The system has the capability of addressing a diverse spectrum of Urological conditions. It is specially designed for the treatment of kidney/bladder…

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By Hilbert Haar A cornered cat tends to make unexpected and at times weird moves, a Dutch expression suggests. This applies to a certain extent to MP Frans Richardson whom one could label – with a stretch of the imagination – the minority opposition leader in our Parliament. When Richardson launched his criticism on the interim-government last week with a diatribe about the lack of progress with the reconstruction of St. Maarten after Hurricane Irma he managed – in the best Trumpian tradition – to ignore a couple of obvious facts. “The people of St. Maarten have not received financial…

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PHILIPSBURG — The Special Robbery Unit is presently investigating an armed robbery which took place on Saturday May 19th at approximately 08.00 p.m. at a numbers-office located on the L.B. Scot Road. According to the report two men riding at a scooter arrived at the location. The passenger jumped of the scooter and stormed into the office with a shotgun in his hand. He then threatened the female working with the weapon and forced her to handover the money. After receiving an undisclosed amount of money the suspect jumped back onto the scooter and both suspect fled the scene.

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FRENCH QUARTER – Dozens of children and adults flocked to the Old House in French Quarter on Sunday morning for the first Endemic Animal Festival at this location. The non-profit organization Les Fruits de Mer has been working hard with the help of countless volunteers to turn the Old House into the new location for Amuseum Naturalis, formerly located in Grand Case. The museum will open later this year, but on Sunday the place was ready to host the Endemic Animal Festival. The open air exhibition offered visitors the opportunity to learn about the animals that live on the island…

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PHILIPSBURG — The Police traffic Department is presently investigating a serious traffic accident which took place on Saturday May 19th at approximately 11:20 p.m. on the Walter Nisbeth Road in the vicinity of the Central Bank. The accident was between two private vehicles with license plate 8751AAC and P-2267. The driver of the 8751AAC making a left turn did not give the right of way to the oncoming traffic P-2267 heading in the direction of the Salt Pickers Round about causing the vehicles to collide head-on. The occupants of the 8751AAC complained of pain in the neck while the driver…

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PHILIPSBURG — On Monday May 14th at approximately 02.30. p.m. the Justice K-9 Unit visited the Sister Magda Primary School to give the students attending afternoon classes a demonstration of the capabilities of these dogs. The K-9 Unit has seven dogs; one patrol dog which is highly trained to assist in arresting violent and aggressive suspects in dangerous situations and six sniffer dogs which are very highly trained for traces of drugs, fire-arms and explosives, cellular phones and money. These dogs carry out searches on a daily bases at our seaport and airport to prevent the entry of illegal drugs…

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by Chris Morvan It always amazes me that in places where there are beautiful beaches and clean, refreshing sea, anyone should choose instead to use a pool full of chlorinated water, and yet the world is full of them. There are resorts right on the coast, where holidaymakers spend their time baking on ‘beach beds’ (the clue is in the name) and plunging into sandless water, lolling around in what is essentially very diluted bleach. Perhaps they subscribe to the same beliefs as my brother-in-law, a pale Scots landlubber who, even though he married my island-girl sister, decries the idea…

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Dear Editor, The widely circulated video – via social media – of the approximately 10-man strong Dutch delegation, including Government Commissioner Mike Franco, Dutch State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Relations Raymond Knops and Minister of Justice and Security Ferd Grapperhaus, purchasing groceries at Duggins Supermarket on Statia in early May, was curious to say the least. Firstly, the caption was, perhaps unintentionally, misleading. It erroneously read: ‘Dutch delegation shopping at Duggins Supermarket for a hundred dollars ($100) worth of groceries’, while the customer monitor clearly displayed the actual amount spent, a grand total of $57.86. A difference of…

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According to a news report on DutchNews.nl, almost three in 10 youngsters aged 18 to 25 say they are addicted to social media and keep their phones with them at all times. This according to new research by the national statistics office CBS. This is a sharp rise compared to three years ago, when 19% of young adults said they could not stop constantly checking their phones. Young adults are also spending an increasing amount of time using social media. Some 29% say they are busy with social media websites for three to five hours a day and nearly 9% admitting to spending…

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