Philipsburg — The St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation played an important role in feeding the community immediately after Hurricane Irma battered St. Maarten with powerful winds on September 6, when many families lost their homes and food and water were scarce. The foundation used items from its reserves to baked fresh, warm bread daily and distributed them to the public free of charge. The bread distribution began three days after Hurricane Irma on September 8, and continued until October 31, 2017. In total the foundation distributed 65,105 warm loaves of fresh bread to residents in 29 different areas around the…
Author: The Publisher
Harbour View – On Wednesday, December 20th, 2017, the Governor of Sint Maarten, His Excellency drs. E.B. Holiday, met with from formateur Mr. Franklin Meyers. The formateur based on a progress review of the formation process has decided to withdraw himself as formateur and return the commission to form a new government. Governor Holiday has accepted the decision of Mr. Meyers and taken the developments under consideration
PHILIPSBURG – On Monday, December 18th, 2017 representatives of the University of St. Martin and the Ministry of Education finally arrived at an agreement and signed the MOU securing the continuity of education for students of the USM. This, after the representatives of University of St. Martin had not seen it possible to sign the proposed MOU on December 11th, 2017. However, after hearing an interview by the Minister on the topic on December 12th, the University promptly contacted the Department of Education with a willingness to resume talks, which commenced on Wednesday December 13th. Joint Press Release by the…
PHILIPSBURG – Neighboring islands are benefitting immensely from the way Hurricane Irma brought St. Maarten’s cruise industry to its knees. Cruise ships that had St. Maarten on their itinerary before the hurricane changed everything are now massively turning to destinations like the French-speaking islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. Guadeloupe expects this season 100,000 more cruise visitors than previously expected. In October alone, Guadeloupe received 51 additional cruise ships, bringing the total for the upcoming season to 230. Martinique is also looking forward to an exceptional tourism season. The island will see the arrival of 200 cruise ships carrying between them…
Simpson Bay – The Princess Juliana International Airport Air Traffic Services (ATS) met with the ATS team of the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport out of Anguilla. The Civil Aviation management was also in attendance, to lend its expertise as air space matters are on a state level. The meeting was held at the PJIAE Air Traffic Service tower on Thursday November 30, 2017. “The meeting was hosted to foster cooperation between both parties and exchange shared concerns. It is evident that both airports were affected by hurricane Irma, but it is rewarding that we’ve been successful at resurrecting operations,…
GREAT BAY – The Sint Maarten Fire Department, which falls under the Ministry of General Affairs, has decided in consultation with the Ministry of VROMI to limit the type of consumer fireworks to be sold and lighted in the year’s end of 2017 celebrations on Sint Maarten. This decision was taken in the interest of general safety of the districts and is based upon the assessment of both the Fire Department and Ministry of VROMI which shows that there are still many exposed roofs and buildings with tarpaulins. Roofs and buildings are less protected against fireworks that has an effect…
Philipsburg — Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication (TEATT) Mellissa Arrindell-Doncher on Tuesday thanked the general media on St. Maarten for its cooperation and professional working relationship over her 10-month tenure as Minister. Over approximately 10 months, the Minister issued 123 press releases with pictures in an effort to keep the public informed about the Ministry of TEATT. That averages out to 12 articles a month from the Minister or about 3 per week. The Minister said she respected the fact that the media had its job to do and she strove to always maintained an open line…
PHILIPSBURG — As per January 1st, 2018 customers of the Social & Health Insurances SZV will be encouraged to use alternative payment options as cash payments will no longer be accepted. SZV offers customers four (4) alternative payment options: check, via Maestro card, bank transfer or direct deposit to the account(s) of SZV. Customers who do not have a bank account and/or bank card have until March 1st, 2018 to arrange this as after this period the no cash policy at SZV will be strictly enforced. Banking details and instructions can be found on the website of SZV and at…
PHILIPSBURG – The Supreme Court in The Hague wrote history on Monday with a ruling that establishes that imposing life imprisonment is possible in the Netherlands. Before this ruling, life sentences were routinely thrown out because they violated article 3 of the European Human Rights Treaty. Based on the same argument, the Common Court of Justice threw out the life sentences against Sherwan Roberts and Curley Allison Richards in Philipsburg on September 18, 2012. Instead, the court sentenced the so-called Regatta-killers to the maximum temporary prison sentence of 30 years. With good behavior, the two men will now be released…
PHILIPSBURG – The choice of VROMI-Minister Christophe Emmanuel for the Canadian company Envirogreen Energy for the waste-to-energy facility on Pond Island seems to be more than a coincidence. Envirogreen Energy belongs to the GK Group Holdings that also owns another company: Sea to Sky Ventures. The website of Sea to Sky ventures just happens to show a brief video featuring Claudius Buncamper, currently the Acting Secretary-General at Minister Emmanuel’s VROMI-ministry, where he promotes the development of a zip-line project on the Buncamper property that overlooks the port in Philipsburg.
