Philipsburg, Sint Maarten – April 1st, 2026 Recently, the Ministry of Justice, together with its implementation partner the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), welcomed the new Prefect of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin, Cyrille Le Vély, his chief of staff Marie-Hildegarde Chauveau and representatives from the Agence Publique pour l’Immobilier de la Justice (APIJ) for a working meeting focused on prison reform and opportunities for strengthened cooperation between the French and Dutch sides of the island. The meeting aimed to foster dialogue, exchange technical insights, and explore areas of mutual interest regarding correctional infrastructure initiatives underway on both sides of…
Author: The Publisher
By Hilbert Haar Governor Ajamu Baly has delivered a measured response to the criticism directed at him through a legal advice from constitutional expert prof. Arjen van Rijn. He didn’t go off the rails, he did not use swear words and he did not point the finger at anyone. He did not have to. Based on the governor’s response to the advice that concludes that he overstepped his authority as an attendant to meetings of the Council of Ministers it seems highly likely that Van Rijn did not receive all the information he needed. That information, or rather the lack…
PHILIPSBURG — The non-profit organization TREY Foundation has taken the initiative to develop a sustainable digital platform that will celebrate all memorial projects that are financed by the Memorial Committee Slavery History. The objective is to make all projects visible and accessible across all islands of the former Netherlands Antilles. The committee has denied the request to subsidize this effort with $50,000 but Terrance Rey, Publisher of StMaartenNews.com and Chairman of the TREY Foundation is determined to launch his project anyway. The project aims to design and launch a public digital platform that documents and profiles all projects that are…
PHILIPSBURG – Governor Ajamu Baly has sent a tersely-worded reaction to the Council of Ministers in reaction to legal advice from constitutional scholar Prof. Arjen van Rijn. In that advice, Van Rijn concluded that the governor overstepped his authority by attending meetings of the Council of Ministers, even labeling his behavior as “unacceptable.” Governor Baly states in his letter dated March 27 explicitly that he did not act outside the authority of ministers by not signing a draft national decree that suspended a civil servant. The person the governor alludes to is Suëna Laville-Martis who reportedly had a dispute with…
Stronger oversight, improved policy execution and greater accountability are needed to ensure that public funds in St. Maarten are used effectively—particularly in climate policy—according to the 2025 annual report of the General Audit Chamber of St. Maarten. The report, released on March 31, 2026, concludes that while progress has been made in several areas, gaps remain between policy goals and actual results. The Chamber stresses that more consistent implementation and monitoring are required to safeguard good governance and public finances. Chairman Alphons M. Gumbs notes that 2025 was marked by a strong focus on climate-related audits, reflecting growing concerns about how effectively the government is responding to environmental challenges. The institution assessed whether…
PHILIPSBURG — Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs on Tuesday delivered a frank assessment of the state of the monetary union with Curaçao, telling Parliament that the Central Bank of Curaçao and St. Maarten (CBCS) has not consistently functioned as an equal partnership. Speaking during a Central Committee meeting on the future of the monetary union, Gumbs said the Central Bank’s performance over the past 15 years has been “mixed,” pointing to structural imbalances that, in her view, have disadvantaged Sint Maarten. “In theory, it was to serve both countries independently and impartially with balanced representation and shared consensus decision-making,” Gumbs said…
PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten — Winair has taken a significant step in strengthening its aviation services with the addition of Southwest Airlines as a new ground handling client at Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM). The national carrier announced that its ground handling division, Winair Ground Handling (WGH), will provide full operational support for Southwest Airlines starting April 7, 2026. This includes both above-the-wing services, such as passenger check-in and boarding, and below-the-wing services, including ramp handling and aircraft turnaround. Boost for Connectivity and Tourism Southwest Airlines is set to launch nine weekly flights to St. Maarten, connecting the island directly with key…
PHILIPSBURG — Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten on Tuesday outlined reforms aimed at improving the ease of doing business, during the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (COCI) Town Hall at the Belair Community Center. Addressing a cross section of the business community, the Minister stressed that economic growth requires partnership between Government and the private sector, supported by trust, dialogue, and collaboration. A key development is a pilot within the Department of Economic Licenses allowing certain applications to be submitted online, moving toward more accessible and transparent service delivery. This forms part of broader…
By Terence Jandroep, CRA, CQA, CLA Certified Risk Auditor & Forensic Integrity Specialist In the specialized field of Forensic Integrity Auditing (FIA) and preemptive risk analysis, we often identify vulnerabilities within systems that are not merely technical, but behavioral. One of the most corrosive structural risks to fiscal integrity emerged in the late 1980s and has since solidified into a systemic crisis: the transition of government tax inspectors into private independent consultancy. To protect the sanctity of the public treasury and the objectivity of the audit process, we must address this “revolving door” not as a career move, but as a…
Offering Extended Hours, Instant Reconnection, and Added Customer Convenience Philipsburg, Sint Maarten (March 30, 2026) – Leading telecoms provider Flow is pleased to announce the launch of its latest customer-focused innovation: a modern outdoor Self-Service Payment Kiosk, accessible seven days a week and beyond regular store hours. This initiative underscores Flow’s ongoing commitment to innovation, accessibility, and seamless digital experiences for customers across St. Maarten. Strategically positioned at the rear of the Flow Retail Store in Philipsburg, the kiosk offers a new level of convenience for customers who wish to manage their mobile bill payments at a time that best…
