Philipsburg, Sint Maarten – Member of Parliament Darryl York has formally submitted his first legislative initiative to Parliament: a comprehensive Road Fund reform proposal aimed at strengthening the country’s ability to finance, maintain and improve its road infrastructure for generations to come. The submission marks an important milestone in MP York’s parliamentary career and is intended to address longstanding structural challenges that have contributed to recurring maintenance backlogs, inconsistent infrastructure investment and the absence of long-term continuity in infrastructure development. The proposal follows years of concerns about the condition of the road network and is informed by findings and recommendations…
Author: The Publisher
By Hilbert Haar I understand the argument that the tourism industry ought to benefit St. Maarten, instead of foreign entitities. It sounds logical: tourists come to our island, they use our infrastructure and our beaches and they cannot have all that without paying for it. One could also wonder about the money shopkeepers earn by selling souvenirs. Who benefits the most? The retailer or the wholesaler? Yeah, if it is the wholesaler and his company is established elsewhere then a lot of money is disappearing into the wrong pockets – at least, that is the way many people like to…
Philipsburg, Sint Maarten – Member of Parliament Francisco A. Lacroes has submitted an amendment to Article 9 of the Road Traffic Ordinance aimed at closing a legal loophole regarding drivers who leave the scene of a traffic accident. MP Lacroes stated that the proposed amendment is necessary to prevent drivers involved in serious traffic accidents resulting in death or serious bodily injury from making use of the existing 24-hour reporting exception to avoid immediate investigation and accountability. The current provision allows a driver who leaves the scene of an accident to avoid prosecution for that specific offense if the driver…
Caribbean Sea — Premios Verdes has recognized Caribbean Marine Conservation through Community Conservation at the Alligator Head Foundation Jamaica, the Caribbean Shark Coalition in the wider Caribbean, and the UNESCO IOC Ocean Decade Task Force as part of its regional platform highlighting social and environmental initiatives from Latin America and the Caribbean. Premios Verdes is one of the leading social and environmental movements in Latin America and the Caribbean, identifying, connecting, and amplifying projects that contribute to sustainability, innovation, and measurable impact across the region. Each year, the platform highlights projects that address urgent social and environmental challenges and support…
More than 20 persons attended Workshop Focused on Stocks, ETFs, AI Tools and Wealth Creation Great Bay, St. Maarten — On Sunday, June 28, 2026, Islandpreneur hosted Invest in 2026, a hands-on financial education workshop that helped more than 20 residents understand investing, the stock market, and how to build long-term wealth from St. Maarten. Held from 3:00 to 7:00 PM as part of Islandpreneur’s Essentials series, the workshop covered how the stock market works, how to choose between stocks and ETFs, and how to start investing locally. The workshop was facilitated by Isaiah Peterson, a National Youth Pitch (NYP)…
Every year, the Caribbean travel industry gathers in Sint Maarten for one of the region’s largest tourisms & hospitality events SMART, the St. Maarten / St. Martin Annual Regional Tradeshow. More than a business event, SMART brings together hotels, tourism boards, airlines, travel agents and industry partners to strengthen the relationships that keep Caribbean tourism thriving. Now in its 18th edition, SMART 2026 welcomed its largest attendance to date, creating an exciting atmosphere filled with new opportunities, meaningful conversations and regional collaboration. As always, Winair was proud to be part of the event. Hosted at the JW Marriott St. Maarten…
MARIGOT, Saint Martin — Passenger traffic at Grand Case–L’Espérance Airport (SFG) remained largely stable in May 2026, while general aviation experienced significant growth, highlighting the airport’s expanding role as a regional aviation hub. At the same time, airport operator EDEIS has reinforced its commitment to environmental stewardship through a new partnership with the Saint-Martin Nature Reserve. According to EDEIS Saint-Martin’s latest monthly “FlashInfo” report, the airport handled 19,451 arriving passengers in May, virtually unchanged from the 19,379 recorded during the same month in 2025. Departing passenger traffic rose modestly by 3%, increasing from 19,100 to 19,269 passengers. For the year…
Great Bay— The Caribbean Shark Coalition has welcomed the designation of the Sint Maarten Insular Shelf as an Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA), a global benchmark identified by the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Shark Specialist Group. The recognition confirms that the waters off the island’s southern coast are among the discrete marine habitats worldwide that are critical to the survival of threatened sharks and rays. Covering roughly 72.76 square kilometres and reaching from the surface to 300 metres depth, the Sint Maarten Insular Shelf ISRA overlaps the existing Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area. It qualified under three…
Opinion By Terrance Rey Over the past few days, readers have been treated to two thoughtful opinion pieces published on The Peoples’ Tribune examining the future of St. Maarten’s government-owned companies. The first article by Regina Labega argues that socio-economic obligations should be written directly into the Articles of Incorporation of government-owned companies. The second article by Franklin Richards contends that good governance ultimately depends less on what is written in legal documents and more on competent boards, professional management, transparency and accountability. After reading both articles carefully, my conclusion is simple. They are both right. But neither article fully…
PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Member of Parliament Francisco A. Lacroes has submitted questions to the Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) concerning sewage discharge, septic overflows, and wastewater issues affecting various neighborhoods throughout Sint Maarten. MP Lacroes made it known that numerous residents have raised concerns regarding septic water flowing onto public roads, drains, yards, and residential areas, creating potential public health and environmental concerns for years. “Residents have repeatedly expressed concerns about sewage and septic water entering public spaces. These situations not only affect the quality of life within our communities but may also pose…
