GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – The Office of Disaster Management (ODM) which falls under the Fire Department, has been receiving queries with respect to a WhatsApp video circulating about a weather system that will impact the islands of the North-Eastern Caribbean in the coming days. The Meteorological Department of St. Maarten (MDS) is not associated with the WhatsApp video clip. (See screenshot below – Ed.) ODM and the Department of Communication (DCOMM) has sought clarity with respect to the aforementioned as it has caused some alarm within the community. MDS in its midday forecast of Tuesday says there is…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG – “I already presented my report to the Governor and I hope that the process will be completed by the end of this week,’ formateur Sarah Wescot-Williams said at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon. The formateur expects that the interim-government can be presented by Friday. “It is important to get out this situation now,” Wescot-Williams said. “The Parliament does not support the caretaker government and it has no instruments left to hold the government accountable.” Wescot-Williams took some time to discuss the screening process candidate ministers have to go through. “The dynamics of this process are changing compared…
PORT ST. MAARTEN – On Thursday, January 11, it will be the first four ship day for the 2018 cruise season. The four cruise ships will have approximately 12,000 passengers and crew onboard. The vessels that will be calling on Thursday are: Regal Princess (passenger capacity 3,500/crew 1,300), ms Eurodam (passengers 2,100/crew 900), Silver Wind (passengers 294/crew 208) and Anthem of the Seas (passengers 4,500/crew 1600). January 11 is also Princess Cruises debut since the passing of Hurricane Irma and Maria in September 2017. Princess Cruises returns with one of its newest vessels the Regal Princess that carries over 3,500 guests. Port St.…
SIMPSON BAY, St. Maarten (Monday 8 January 2018) – The Management Team of the Princess Juliana International SXM Airport kicked off a series of meetings it will be holding with the hub partners during the first quarter of the new year with an extensive exchange of information with the Anguillan authorities. “The importance of meeting with the hub partners cannot be over-emphasized,” said Michel Hyman, COO and Acting CEO of SXM Airport. “It is quite essential for the continued working relationship between the Princes Juliana International Airport and all its hub partners,” adding that “partnership” depends on timely and effective…
Philipsburg — Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Mellissa Arrindell-Doncher on Tuesday stressed that the economic recovery and development of St. Maarten must be sustainable and based on collaborative initiatives and policies between the public and private sector. “We also have to be daring and step out of comfort zones that do not work for us anymore,” she said. She said if a better, stronger, smarter and more sustainable St. Maarten is to arise out of the devastation of Hurricane Irma, focus must be placed on several key areas. She said the Department of Economy, Transportation and Telecommunication (ETT) under…
Over the holidays, several local artists (headed by Nick Henrietta aka Magic) organized a Christmas school tour entitled the “We Give Back” Christmas tour. Local artists such as King Kembe, King James, Kenyo, King Rumer and DJ Siwroo visited several high schools on the island and performed during their annual Christmas shows. The “We Give Back” Christmas tour was done in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport as part of the #SXMSTRONG Christmas events.
Pond Island – On Monday, January 8th, Endorsement Day, four parties were required to garner 142 signatures in order to have their political party registered for the upcoming February 26th elections. The final count indicated that the SDM obtained 194 signatures, SMCP 189 signatures, P.P.A. 86 signatures and the United Democrats 268 signatures. Below is a news clip by StMaartenNews.com with interviews with UD leader Theo Heyliger and SDM leader Benjamin Ortega on the question how it feels to be back in this position again.
Philipsburg — The Office of the Civil Registry of St. Maarten is the subject of much criticism, due to its new policy of providing services via appointment only. The phone and email service that is supposed to facilitate the “by-appointment-only” policy is alleged to be way below par. It would help greatly if the motivation for this management decision and an overview of the numbers and data involved would be provided. For example: How many requests for appointment have been made? How many requests have been honored? What was the subject of these requests ( ID, passport, etc. )? How…
Philipsburg — The first national decree promulgating the dissolution of parliament was dated November 3, 2017, LB-17/0575) with the first convening of the new parliament on January 31, 2018. By decree of November 12th, one day before nomination day (kandidaatstelling), this decree was amended to establish the day of election on February 26th. However, in the amended decree ( LB-17/0619), the first convening of the new parliament is now set for April 2nd 2018, in gross violation of article 59 of the Constitution of St. Maarten. The 3 month period, prescribed by the constitution has been exceeded with nearly 2…
Dear Editor, “Please hold the line while we try to connect you, the person you are calling, knows you are waiting”, except that in this case, the person probably doesn’t care or is it that the calls are not being picked up because only one person or one phone is responsible for handling the many issues associated with the census office? Isn’t this the latest song in town especially when you try to reach the Census Office and you have done that several times? I recently went by the government building to complain about my inability to reach the telephone…
