~ Establishing a Community Investment Fund to Support Local Businesses: A Path to Sustainable Growth for St. Maarten ~ In recent weeks, the potential closure of Carl & Sons Unique Bakery has highlighted the urgent need for greater community support for local businesses in St. Maarten. The bakery, a cherished institution with a loyal customer base, narrowly avoided a government auction due to outstanding tax debts. This close call has sparked a wider debate about the challenges faced by local businesses, especially in the face of growing competition from foreign-owned enterprises and regulatory hurdles. In response, a call to action…
Author: The Publisher
PHILIPSBURG — The National Alliance wishes to express our heartfelt gratitude to MP Jacobs, who has announced her resignation as the leader of our party, effective September 19, 2024. MP Jacobs has been at the helm of the National Alliance since 2018 and has served the people of St. Maarten with dedication and passion for over a decade. Related news: MP Silveria Jacobs resigns as leader of the NA During her time as our leader, MP Jacobs guided the National Alliance through both challenging and triumphant moments. Her commitment to our party and her genuine care for the people of…
PHILIPSBURG — Offices in the TelEm building on Pond Island are currently unused due to layoffs and staff reductions and the debate about what to do with it is raging on social media. One thing is for sure: the building belongs to the company and not to the government. So selling the property to government and housing the telecom provider elsewhere does sound like a viable option though. Suggestions on social media range from, indeed, selling the building and use the proceeds to improve the company’s financial situation, to using it as an alternative for the current parliament building and…
PHILIPSBURG — About half a year from now the Antillean guilder will cease to exist and be replaced by the Caribbean guilder, the new common currency of the monetary union of Curacao and St. Maarten. The new currency has been long in the making. When both countries obtained autonomous status on October 10, 2010, they already announced the introduction of the Caribbean guilder. It took almost fifteen years before this will become a reality. In a changing financial environment citizens have expressed concerns about the money they are using to pay for almost everything. According to data provided by the…
CUL-DE-SAC — Throngs of participants supported the Stop Youth Violence march organized by the KPSM on Friday, August 23, during the mid-morning hours. The gathering took place at the Scott’s property in St. Peters and moved along to the various schools with music trucks starting at St. Maarten Academy, then MPC, and ending at St. Dominic. The activities comprised prayers by various members of the clergy at each school and affirmations from local celebrities including DJ Kembe, King James and DJ Outkast, among others. The gathering featured strong support from the students of each school, politicians from the various political…
St. Peters, August 22, 2024 — A dedicated group of St. Peters residents convened to explore the revival of the Community Council of St. Peters. The meeting, organized by members of the St. Peters Activity Committee, marked a significant step toward strengthening community bonds and enhancing local representation. During the gathering, attendees discussed plans to host a series of community-based activities through the end of the year. These events aim to foster reconnection among residents and promote a renewed sense of togetherness within the St. Peters community. “In bringing back the Community Council, we hope to create a platform where…
Today, August 22, 2024, we witness the signing of a letter of intent by a new coalition to govern our beloved Country of St. Maarten. This marks yet another chapter in our political history, which has seen numerous governments since 10-10-10. The recent snap parliamentary elections, called by the Honorable Prime Minister Luc Mercelina and held on August 19th, 2024, resulted in no single party securing an absolute majority. However, in a commendable display of unity, four parties have come together to form a coalition with a combined majority of nine seats. The Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM), Democratic…
~ Political Scientist Julio Romney “Cautiously optimistic”~ PHILIPSBURG – Four political parties have agreed to form the next government of St. Maarten: Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM), the Democratic Party (DP), Party for Progress (PFP) and Soualiga Action Movement (SAM). This was announced on Thursday August 22. According to the agreement, URSM will hold the portfolios of Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs; Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour VSA; and Minister Plenipotentiary. The DP will hold Minister of Finance and Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT). The DP will also receive the…
PHILIPSBURG — Election results can be brutal for parties and for individual candidates. The August 19 elections were no different. The National Alliance remained its position as the largest party by a slim margin, but compared to its results in January it still lost a stunning 1,200 votes, a decline of 34.6 percent. The United People’s party (UP) did not fare much better; it lost the support of 771 voters (38 percent). Both parties also lost a seat in parliament. The NA now has three, the UP just two. In terms of percentages, the Democratic Party led the way with…
The people have spoken!I would like to thank everyone who supported me during this election campaign. Many of you who know me, know I always keep it real. For me it is back to business as usual. My number is +17215880800 and as usual you all can call or whatsapp me day or night.I also have a foundation called the TREY Foundation. So I welcome you all to make a donation to my foundation, which is pro e-commerce and encourages anyone and everyone to set up their own online business to help generate a side income.Continue to follow me with…
