Business incubators
Cdr. Bud Slabbaert floated an interesting concept in a column that describes the benefits of business incubators. Incubators have a strong resemblance with the business centers that were all the rage in the eighties in the Netherlands. It is still a valid concept though: it focuses on creating jobs by building businesses, rather than on teaching job More...
Central Bank report: red tape hampers economic growth
PHILIPSBURG — Businesses perceive government more as a hurdle than a help in realizing their dreams of creating and running a successful business. That is the rather sad conclusion of a working paper published More...
Terms end for Dutch Members Progress Committee
THE HAGUE/PHILIPSBURG -- Both chairman of the Progress Committee Sint Maarten, Nico Schoof, and member for the Netherlands, Michel Marijnen (former chairman of the Progress Committee Curacao), retire after 12 years More...
Caribbean aviation of the future
By Cdr. Bud Slabbaert Just imagine. A small island, or a short runway, or just a resort with ample open space. Out of the blue sky comes an airplane and lands right there, like a helicopter, and brings forty passengers. More...
Ombudsman asked to investigate fairness of tax system
PHILIPSBURG — Citizen John A. Richardson has approached the Ombudsman in an open letter with a request to investigate the fairness of St. Maarten’s fiscal system. The letter addresses in particular the More...
Caribavia-founder Slabbaert envisions huge expansion
PHILIPSBURG — Cdr. Bud Slabbaert founder of the annual aviation conference Caribavia envisions a huge expansion of this event into a multifunctional organization that covers everything from the establishment More...
Lottery booths target low-income areas
PHILIPSBURG — There are 360 lottery venues in St. Maarten per February 2021, according to a study by the Social Economic Council (SER). That is, assuming population of 40,000, one booth for every 111 inhabitants. More...
Breathless asks attention for sleep apnea
PHILIPSBURG — In December 2022, journalist Hilbert Haar was diagnosed with vascular dementia, or cognitive impairment. Main cause: years of sleep apnea, a disorder general practitioners seldom consider, mainly More...
Cusha Columns unravels the enigma that is St. Maarten
PHILIPSBURG — Cusha Colums, a collection of 18 columns written by StMaartenNews.com Publisher Terrance Rey for DossierKoninkrijksRelaties.nl, is now available in book form at the Van Dorp bookstores and at More...
Government’s financial statements remain unreliable, Audit Chamber says
PHILIPSBURG — The government still has not put its financial household in order. According to the government’s accountants bureau SOAB the uncertainties in the financial statements add up to a whopping More...
