The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) is calling on residents, visitors, and the broader business community to cooperate fully with law enforcement as the island gears up for one of its most celebrated annual events — the St. Maarten Heineken Regatta, set to take place during the first week of March 2026. The Heineken Regatta is one of Sint Maarten’s important events, drawing thousands of sailing enthusiasts and visitors from around the world each year. With that influx comes a significant increase in activity across the island, and KPSM wants to ensure the experience remains safe and enjoyable for…
Author: The Publisher
The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) is sending a clear message: enforcement is active, visible, and ongoing. Over the past week, the Action Team conducted a series of targeted operations across multiple districts, combining traffic controls, preventative searches, and rapid response to an armed threat — reinforcing KPSM’s commitment to keeping Sint Maarten’s roads and communities safe. On Wednesday, officers deployed to the Maho area with a focus on traffic compliance and order. In a welcome sign of progress, no vehicles were found parked in the designated “No Parking Zone” — a direct result of sustained enforcement efforts and…
St. Maarten is mentioned multiple times in a sweeping release of documents made public by the United States Department of Justice in connection with the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Department has published approximately three million pages of records through a dedicated online portal known as the “Epstein Library.” Officials have warned that parts of the archive contain graphic descriptions of sexual abuse. A review of the publicly accessible documents shows that “St. Maarten,” “Saint Martin,” “Philipsburg,” and “Orient Bay” appear mainly in email exchanges concerning travel logistics. The correspondence involves Epstein, members of his inner circle, flight crew, yacht staff and close associates. At the same time,…
By MP Darryl York Member of Parliament Darryl York says he is deeply disappointed in the direction signaled by Government following recent remarks by Minister of Finance Marinka Gumbs suggesting that one or two additional casinos may enter the market. “At a time when families are struggling, when the cost of living continues to rise, and when many of our people are searching for financial stability, the idea that expanding the casino footprint is even being entertained is troubling,” MP York stated. The Minister indicated that St. Maarten already has a significant casino presence and that any expansion must be…
Innovate 2026 is a featured event of Inaugural Caribbean Tech Week bring leaders Great Bay, Sint Maarten – As artificial intelligence reshapes global economies, Caribbean executives, business owners, and institutional leaders are being called to lead — not follow. Islandpreneur International today announces INNOVATE 2026: The Live AI Transformation Strategy Lab, one of the featured events of the inaugural Caribbean Tech Week 2026 — a landmark regional series positioning the Caribbean as a serious and strategic participant in the global AI conversation. Taking place on February 26, 2026 and hosted by Ife Badejo, one of St. Maarten’s AI Ambassadors, founder…
MARIGTOT — As of Monday, February 23, swimming and water sports activities are prohibited at Grand Case and Galisbay beaches until further notice. The measure follows the decision by the Collectivité de Saint-Martin to open the outflows at Galisbay and Grand Case ponds, a necessary intervention to regulate water levels amid current hydrological and ecological conditions. According to the Collectivité, such operations are essential to prevent flooding and maintain hydraulic balance. The opening, authorized by decree of the President, will result in water flowing toward the coastline, which may temporarily affect bathing water quality. As a precautionary public health measure, access to the water for swimming and nautical activities…
The President of the Collectivité of Saint-Martin, Louis Mussington, has issued an official decree prohibiting the sale of beverages in glass bottles along Boulevard Bertin-Maurice Léonel in Grand-Case during the 22nd edition of “Les Mardis de Grand-Case.” The ban applies on Tuesday evenings on the following dates: February 24; March 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31, 2026. In the event of bad weather or other disruptions, the restrictions will automatically extend to April 7 and April 14, 2026. According to the decree, the measure is intended to ensure public safety, sanitation and public order during the popular weekly cultural event, which draws large crowds to Grand-Case. The prohibition applies…
ORANJESTAD – Rachnilda Arduin has been appointed as a member of a parliamentary committee of experts that is charged with developing proposals to diminish the democratic deficit within the kingdom. The other members are Mildred Schwengle (Aruba), Aubrich Bakhuis (Curacao) and Leonard Besselink (the Netherlands).The establishment of this committee is one of the results of the interparliamentary kingdom consultation (Ipko) that took place in Aruba. It is not the first time that the Caribbean parliaments make an effort to tackle the democratic deficit. The unequal structure of the kingdom has been a source of dissatisfaction for years and it has…
Dear Editor, I generally stay away from weighing in on Sint Maarten issues lately. There is too much going on, and most public commentary is noise. And for two decades I worked relentlessly for this island, so now that I’m more active regionally I tend to hold my tongue. To keep my peace when I am at home with my family. This one crosses a line with me though. What was published is sloppy, uninformed, and unfair. A Letter to the Editor that reads like a rushed Facebook post dressed up as “commentary,” built on assumptions, weak logic, and bad…
By Hilbert Haar Former Minister of Education Omayra Leeflang hit a nerve when she said in an interview that it is wrong to link the history of slavery consistently with victimhood. The answer, she said, is to be found in two things: fighting poverty and strengthening education. In the past, I have written about the way our generation deals with the history of slavery. In an article that appeared in the newspaper Today I argued that it makes no sense to complain about the great injustice (no argument there) the slavery-practice has done to thousands of people if you close…
