SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) - The Sint Maarten Police Force KPSM Community Police Officers (CPOs) collaborated with various companies on the island to be able to collect several tablets that were donated to six secondary schools on the island. 

The initiative was created in lieu of the new virtual direction learning has now taken due to the ongoing pandemic. The Sint Maarten Police Force understands the importance of all children being able to stay connected in order to receive adequate education and we also understand that not everyone is fortunate to be able to purchase the necessary equipment.

We would like to thank Brooks & Associates, Checkmate Security Services, Shirley Roseta Woods, Domino’s Pizza, Aluglass NV, Energy Gas, Platinum Vacation Properties, Simpson Bay Resort, Antoine AKL, Bommel B.V, and the St. Maarten Chinese Foundation for their generous contributions. 

On Wednesday morning, September 30th, the tablets that were donated from the businesses were distributed to the management team of six secondary schools. 

The CPO’s distributed the tablets donated equally among Milton Peters College, St. Maarten Vocational School, Charlotte Brookson Academy, Sundial School, St. Maarten Academy- Academic, and the P.S.V.E. section.

The Sint Maarten Police Force would like to thank all the businesses once again for their role in making these donations possible. (KPSM)  

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – The Collective Prevention Service (CPS), a department of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA), is advising the public to pay attention to proper food handling procedures when preparing meals as the public health agency has received reports of four cases of fish poisoning during the Epidemiological weeks 36 and 37 (September 5th & 7th)

As with all reportable diseases, CPS surveillance nurses conduct case follow up to identify the possible source (s) of exposure. During the investigation, it came to light that the purchasing, storage, and preparation of the seafood played a major role in the source of food poisoning.

CPS would like to remind persons when purchasing fish, or any type of sea food, that it is important to handle the products safely to reduce the risk of foodborne illness often called food poisoning.

The safe handling tips for buying, preparing, and storing fish are: Buy only buy fish that is refrigerated or displayed on a thick bed of fresh ice (preferably in a case or under some type of cover).

The fish color can be affected by several factors including diet, environment, treatment with a color fixative such as carbon monoxide or other packaging processes. Color alone is not an indicator of freshness.

Tips that can help when deciding to buy Fish should smell fresh and mild, not fishy, sour or ammonia-like; a fish’s eyes should be clean and shiny; whole fish should have firm flesh and red gills with no odor.

Fish can spoil during transport if it is left at warm temperatures for too long before cooking. It is important to store fish properly, put on ice or in the refrigerator or freezer soon after buying it.

If seafood will be used within two-days after purchase, store it in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40F or below. Wrap it tightly in plastic, foil or moisture-proof paper and store it in the freezer.

When preparing fresh or thawed seafood, avoid cross contamination by preventing bacteria from fish spreading to ready to eat foods. To avoid cross contamination, keep fish separate from raw seafood by dividers; wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water after handling any raw food.

Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils and counter tops with soap and hot water between the preparation of raw foods such as seafood, and the preparation of cooked or ready-to-eat foods.

For added protection, kitchen sanitizers can be used on cutting boards and countertops after use. Or use a solution of one tablespoon of unscented liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water. When buying fresh fish always walk with a cooler with cold elements or ice to keep your fish fresh, especially when you don’t know how much time you will be on the road to ensure the food you eat is safe and healthy.

Most seafood should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145F degrees. If you don’t have a food thermometer, there are other ways to determine whether seafood is cooked: fish: the flesh is clear and separates easily with a fork. If you smell sour, rancid or fish odors in raw or cooked seafood do not eat it.

For serving, never leave seafood or other perishable food out of the refrigerator for more than two hours or for more than one hour when temperatures are above 90F degrees.

Bacteria that can cause illness grow quickly at warm temperatures (between 40F and 140F degrees). Some are at greater risk of foodborne illness and are also more likely to have a lengthier illness, undergo hospitalization or even die e.g. persons with weakened immune systems, children older adults or pregnant women.

Symptoms of foodborne illness are vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain; flu like symptoms such as fever, headache, and body ache.

It is imperative to ensure food safety from the purchase to the point of consuming fish and/or any other food, and always practice food safety. Be conscious of what and when you eat, CPS advises.

SINT MAARTEN (POND ISLAND) - Prime Minister Jacobs and the Council of Ministers have made several attempts to meet with the CCSU and particularly the secretariat of the CCSU whose role is to serve as an impartial mediator between Government and the unions.

The Minister of General Affairs as was requested by the CCSU members in their letter of June 1^st, 2020, sent a draft Covenant on July 27^th, 2020 to solidify the cost cutting measures proposed. Along with the draft Covenant the Minister sent a cover letter requesting to initiate a workgroup on the agreements and further proposals of the CCSU Members, to be discussed on August 7^th, 2020.

On July 31^st, 2020, the CCSU’s secretariat responded to the Minister asking for clarity on the purpose and content of the recent draft covenant they received. The unions WICSU, PSU and WITU along with associate members NAPB and ABVO responded to the draft covenant, stating they were not in agreement with the way in which the conditions would be applied. They also stated that they would not be able to sign the agreement as requested by the Council of Ministers.

It should be noted that, the draft covenant was sent in order to receive feedback from the members in order for the Council of Ministers and the CCSU to come to a mutual agreement on the proposed cost cutting measures. To date the Minister has sent two requests to the CCSU members for meetings, which the CCSU did not accept.

Meanwhile, on August 31^st, 2020 the CCSU filed a complaint with the Ombudsman against the Minister of General Affairs and the Minister of Finance claiming that both ministers have violated the law regarding the handling of the labour rights of the Civil Servants of St. Maarten. Although this complaint was filed on August 31^st, the ministers did not receive this notice until Monday, September 7^th, 2020, two weeks later.

In order to diffuse the ongoing tension with the unions the Minister of General of Affairs once again requested a meeting with the secretariat of the CCSU on the 11^th of September which they again declined until after the hearing of the Ombudsman.

The Minister requested clarity from the Ombudsman on the complaint submitted by the CCSU on Friday, September 11^th, 2020. Due to pre-set arrangements, the proposed date of the hearing is now scheduled for October 2^nd, 2020. The Minister of General Affairs is awaiting the hearing of the Ombudsman after which, the much-anticipated negotiations with the members will continue.

It is unfortunate that the Council of Ministers was informed yesterday, September 29^th, 2020 by convocation of a public meeting of parliament to be held on September 30^th, 2020, with the WICLU & CCSU unions prior to the hearing of the Ombudsman. The Government remain open to discussions with the CCSU and the WICLU respectively, with the main focus of both parties coming to an amicable agreement on the proposed cost cutting measures.

SINT MAARTEN (SIMPSON BAY) - On Saturday 26^th September 2020, the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset launched its fourth Little Free Library on the island at the Allen C. Halley Community Center in Simpson Bay in the presence of the center’s Director, Brigitte Halley, as well as members and guests of the club.

The concept of the Little Free Library was initially introduced in 2009 by Rotarian Todd Bol of Hudson, Wisconsin and the idea quickly spread throughout thousands of communities in the United States, with the goal of creating awareness on the importance of literacy.

This newly installed Little Free Library is not new to the island of St. Martin, as Rotary Sunset introduced the first Little Free Library on the Marigot Waterfront in December of 2018 and throughout the years have installed Little Free Libraries at the Raoul Illidge Sports Complex in Cay Hill, the University of St. Martin and now it’s fourth at the Simpson Bay Allen C. Halley Community Center. The objective of the little free library is mainly to encourage more reading and to promote literacy throughout our communities.

“Rotary advocates basic education and literacy and with an initiative such as this, it is very beneficial to promote reading, especially in the communities. It is the club’s hope that the community of Simpson Bay appreciates this gesture and will utilize the box effectively. Anyone in the nearby communities of Cole Bay, Cay Bay, Pelican and even as far as the Mullet Bay area can stop to take a book and leave a book. Multilingual books and various gestures can be found and are accepted in the Little Free Library . Heartfelt gratitude is extended to Mr. Martin Canzius of Canzius Designs N.V. for constructing the Little Free Library and Mr. Larry Yankey for affixing the signs,” President of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset, Elisia Lake stated.

The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset would like to encourage the general public to visit any of the four little libraries on the island, as we continue to promote the importance of reading. The club has partnered with Rotary and Rotaract clubs in neighboring islands such as Virgin Gorda and Turks and Caicos and installed 2 Little Free Libraries. A Little Free Library is also in the process of being installed in Anguilla of which Rotary Sunset is ecstatic about. Community members are urged to donate books they are no longer using, to either of the club’s little libraries or any member of the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset. For persons interested in sponsoring a Little Free Library, please feel free to contact the club via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call +1 721 587 4193