HATO — Curacao-based commuter airline, Divi Divi Air, has expanded its fleet with a 19-seater De Haviland DHC 6-300 ‘Twin Otter’ twin-engine aircraft. This is the first of two Twin Otters scheduled to arrive on Curacao. The Twin Otter flying under Canadian registration, C-GLAI, landed on Curacao on Monday, October 16th, 2017, at exactly 4:27pm. The second aircraft is expected by arrive by the end of October or the beginning of November, according to the owner and accountable manager, Germaine Richie-Durand. In a telephone interview with Today.sx, the company managing director, Richie-Durand, explained that the Twin Otter is currently under…
Author: The Publisher
By Hilbert Haar In times of crisis you get to know who your friends are. That certainly applies to our young country St. Maarten now that it is picking up the pieces after the devastation created by Hurricane Irma. The debate about financial assistance from the Netherlands is not over yet. The Dutch have made demands, St. Maarten has refused and some people have started wondering whether the local government has lost its collective mind. The short term reward – money, money – seems to be on everybody’s mind, while the long-term consequences of accepting debatable conditions are deemed irrelevant…
PHILIPSBURG – Rainforest Adventures has announced a November 2017 opening for the new St. Maarten Rockland Estate eco-park. The park will launch with two signature attractions, The Flying Dutchman — the world’s steepest zip line — and the Soualiga Sky Explorer chairlift, as well as the Emilio Wilson Museum and Emilio’s Restaurant. Additional attractions, including the Sentry Hill Zip Line and the Schooner Ride will open in early 2018. In partnership with the St. Maarten delegation, representatives of Rockland Estate will be attending the 24th Annual FCCA Cruise Conference & Trade Show in Merida, Mexico, October 23 – October 27,…
MARIGOT- The Dutch deck cargo pontoon H283 Panama has taken its first bites out of the commercial vessel El Maud in the Baie de la Potence, just outside Marigot this week. The pontoon, sailing under Panamese flag, uses a crane to rip the vessel to pieces. The El Maud sank at its current location after Hurricane Lenny in 1999. Over the past eighteen years, El Maud became a favorite spot for divers. The shipwreck attracted people from all over the world. At one time, a Croatian visitor hand-painted the name of his favorite soccer team on the bow: Hajduk Split.…
ORANJESTAD – Politician Clyde van Putten has apologized to residents of St. Eustatius for his highly criticized statement on murdering and burning the Dutch military. He said he would take ‘full responsibility’ if he has to appear before the judge in court. In the strive for more autonomy, the Island Councilman said last week that the Dutch military would be ‘killed and burnt in the streets of St. Eustatius’ if Minister Ronald Plasterk were to send troops to the island. “I think that the statement I made about ‘killing’ and ‘burning’, was uncalled for. I believe it was reprehensible. I…
Simpson Bay — The Nature Foundation is continuously monitoring the state of St. Maarten’s beaches to ensure the safety of bathers and prepare for the upcoming tourist season. If the visibility is sufficient the shore is surveyed up to three meters in depth and hurricane debris is removed if possible. The Foundation continuously advises to be cautious when entering the water and to wear protective footwear when visiting the beach; hurricane debris is still washing up ashore and could cause potential injury. On Simpson Bay Beach visibility and water quality improved significantly and hurricane debris from Halley Drive to Karakter…
NEW YORK — Head of the St. Maarten Tourist Bureau (STB) Rolando Brison is currently taking part in several strategic meetings with St. Maarten’s North American marketing firm and other stakeholders to outline and fine-tune the island’s short, mid, and long-term plans for tourism recovery in the aftermath of hurricane Irma. The STB and St. Maarten’s North American marketing firm MMGY Global has identified a number of activities that will be initiated in collaboration with stakeholders on St. Maarten and abroad. To kick-off the strategic sessions on Tuesday in New York, Brison and MMGY representatives hosted a conference call with…
Philipsburg — The St. Maarten Guyanese Association (SMGA) would like to wish all Hindus a Happy Diwali, especially those in the Diaspora who are spending this festival of lights away from our beautiful ‘Land of Many Waters’. This year, especially after the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Irma just over a month ago, this observance should more poignant as we stop to reflect and be thankful for life and the fact that good will always overcome evil. As an association, we call on our Hindu brothers and sisters to celebrate this day as you would have done before to signify the…
Philipsburg — ART HEALS was conceived by the need to create activities for children and adults geared to offering relief from stresses and trauma brought on by the passing of hurricane IRMA and its aftermath. ART HEALS Hurricane Relief Arts Program is a program open to all and free of cost to the participants. Classes are daily from 3:30pm to 6:30 pm to children and teens of all ages. Classes are also offered on Saturday morning at NIA located at the John Larmonie Center in Philipsburg. “What I know for sure” says Clara Reyes Co-Director of NIA, “is that the…
Philipsburg — The Sint Maarten Hospitality and Trade Association (SHTA) calls on membership to share their possible reopenings after hurricane Irma. The association can assist its businesses by providing clarity regarding their post-Irma status. Hotels and accommodations are requested to update weekly as demand is high. Many relief workers, construction teams and airline personnel need lodging in order to help the country recover. To keep up exact numbers, SHTA has created www.shta.com/we-are-open. Business openings will be promoted by means of publication on SHTA’s social media and website. Accommodation availability will be shared with incoming demand. Over the past weeks, SHTA…
