PHILIPSBURG — The Progress Committee published its fiftieth progress report since St. Maarten became an autonomous country on October 10, 2010, in September. The committee monitors the progress with plans of approach for the police force and the Pointe Blanche prison. Sad conclusion: there is no progress. Chairperson Jurenne Hooi nevertheless states in the introduction of the report that she presents the results of its latest report “with pleasure,” even though the committee did not manage to speak with the governor, the prime minister and the office for rehabilitation during its visit to the island in March. The general impression,…
Author: The Publisher
Islandpreneur and ACU Credit Union Equipping St. Maarten with AI Skills to Thrive Great Bay, St. Maarten – Islandpreneur International is proud to announce a groundbreaking partnership with ACU Credit Union to deliver a three-part AI Workshop Series from September to November 2025. This strategic partnership reflects both organizations’ commitment to staying relevant amid rapid technological advancements. By prioritizing AI training, Islandpreneur and ACU aim to equip members with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in a digital-first world, ensuring they remain at the forefront of innovation and industry trends. The workshop series will be led by Ife Badejo,…
by Cdr. Bud Slabbaert The Caribbean is being stuck with economies that are over-proportionally depending on revenue from tourism and related activities. No, this is not just about hurricanes. If it wasn’t the weather, then it was the Covid virus or a recession. It is an economy that was directed in an unsafe direction. What was in the past is history and what evolved over the years shall not be judged. There is no time for blame games and this is not around politics or politicians from the past until today. It is not about one particular territory but rather…
PHILIPSBURG — The Ministry of VROMI was fully within it rights when it ended a contract for garbage collection with Avyanna Cleanup and Construction, the court ruled in summary procedures. Aryanna, whose owner is Mhalik Ottley, the younger brother of former Minister of VSA Omar Ottley – demanded in summary procedures the continuation of the contract. To no avail: the court ruled that the ministry had acted correctly. According to a report in the Daily Herald Mhalik Ottley has a criminal record and he is still waiting for a space in the Pointe Blanche prison to serve a 5-month sentence…
Philipsburg, Sint Maarten — The Kingdom Chair on Democratic Representation, in partnership with the University of St. Martin (USM), will host a seminar titled “Democracy in Focus: 15 Years of Autonomy in St. Maarten” on Friday, September 19, 2025, at USM’s Lecture Hall, opening at 8:30am. This marks the first event in St. Maarten organized by the Kingdom Chair, established in 2024 at Leiden University under Professor Wouter Veenendaal. The Chair’s mission is to strengthen academic research and education on Kingdom Relations, with particular attention to democratic representation in the Dutch Caribbean . Moderated by local research assistant Leandra Leslie,…
Welcome to the weekly column nobody asked for and everybody secretly needed: Time for a Reyality Check—a public service announcement disguised as journalism, brought to you by the Satirical Publisher & Editor who can find a raincloud in a rainbow: Terrance Rey. You know me. The guy who studies glowing press releases like they are crime scenes and then mutters, “Hmmm.” Some call that being a negative sourpuss. I call it community cardio—keeping everyone’s expectations in shape. Around the newsroom, my aliases have multiplied like iguanas after a rainy season. I’m your Reyality Check — your brand of “facts with…
~ Discontent Grows Despite Double-Digit Arrival Growth ~ The Department of Statistics (STAT) has released new figures showing strong growth in St. Maarten’s tourism sector for the second quarter of 2025. According to the report, air arrivals rose 16.9% year-on-year, totaling 209,876 visitors, while cruise passenger arrivals jumped 14% to 236,391 passengers between April and June. On paper, this is good news. The official narrative describes a “healthy and growing industry” that reaffirms St. Maarten’s position as both a Caribbean air hub and a premier cruise port. But step onto Front Street, talk to taxi drivers at the cruise terminal,…
Philipsburg — The Department of Statistics (STAT) reports continued positive developments in the tourism sector for the second quarter of 2025. Airport Passenger Arrivals Because of the change in methodology, direct comparisons with data from previous years cannot be made. To maintain some level of continuity during this transition and following the advice of PJIAE, STAT used the January to December 2024 airport arrival figures as a baseline, adjusted by deducting 10% to account for resident travelers. This adjustment is consistent with historical Immigration Office data collected over the past decade. It should be noted that PJIAE has not traditionally…
Philipsburg, St. Maarten — In an unexpected political maneuver, Aruba’s Prime Minister Mike Eman has submitted a draft Kingdom Law on Kingdom Disputes (Rijkswet Koninkrijksgeschillen) to the Dutch House of Representatives. The move, carried out with little fanfare, caught many observers in The Hague and the Caribbean off guard. See Dutch news report on DossierKoninkrijksrelaties.nl>>> The proposal, backed by letters of consent from the parliaments of Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Maarten, would give the Dutch Council of State (Raad van State) the authority to adjudicate legal disputes within the Kingdom. Importantly, the Council’s rulings would be binding, a longstanding demand…
Drone photo by Fly4U SXM for StMaartenNews.com. Philipsburg, St. Maarten — September 11, 2025 PORT ST. MAARTEN — The world’s largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s brand-new Star of the Seas, arrived at Port St. Maarten on Thursday to an enthusiastic welcome. The colossal vessel — widely described as a “floating city” — is on its maiden voyage and made St. Maarten one of its very first ports of call. A Floating City Comes to Shore Port officials had been preparing for weeks to host the Star of the Seas, which can carry up to 5,610 guests (double occupancy) and as…
