February 02, 2026 No comments
St. Maarten Breast Cancer Support Group Hosts First Support Session of 2026
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The St. Maarten Breast Cancer Support Group officially launched its first monthly support session for 2026, hosted collaboratively by the Still Beautiful Foundation, the Positive Foundation, and the Elektralyets Foundation. The session marked a positive and empowering start to the new year, as the foundations welcomed participants with a shared focus on courage, education, and community support. The first guest speaker of the year was the Honorable Minister Richinel S.J. Brug of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA). Minister Brug, accompanied by members of his team, Mr. Selby Philip, Head of Department of Labor and Ms. Nakita Nicholls Policy Advisor from the Department of Public Health. They delivered an informative and engaging presentation outlining...
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February 02, 2026 No comments
Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard Marks 30 Years of Service
SINT MAARTEN (SIMPSON BAY) - The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard today commemorated its 30th anniversary with simultaneous celebrations held in Aruba, Curaçao, and also here in Sint Maarten. Each location marked the occasion with an official opening ceremony. At Sub-Station Sint Maarten, the celebration took place in the presence of the Minister of Justice, Mrs. Tackling, alongside other justice-sector partners and government officials. The official anniversary address here in Sint Maarten was delivered by the Head of the Sub-Station, Captain Randy Paskel. Established on February 1, 1996, the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard has grown from a modest, developing organization, into a professional, mature, and locally rooted maritime law enforcement organization. Over three decades, it has become a cornerstone of maritime safety, security,...
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February 02, 2026 No comments
USM Staff Meet New Board of Directors During Campus Introduction Session
SINT MAARTEN (POND ISLAND) - The University of St. Martin (USM) recently welcomed members of its Board of Directors during an introduction session held on campus on Thursday, January 29, 2026. The engagement provided an opportunity for staff and board members to become acquainted as the university continues to strengthen its governance and institutional support structure. Members of the Management Team were also present and had the opportunity to meet and engage with the new board members. The Board of Directors has expanded with the addition of new board members Eunelda Cairo, LL.M., and Dr. Cherina Fleming, alongside continuing members Valerie Giterson Pantophlet, M.Ed., drs. Vasco Daal, Mr. Benson Pompier, Al Wathey, and Dr. Sharine Daniel. Representatives from the USM Endowment Foundation were...
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February 02, 2026 No comments
Former MP to serve additional sentence following Supreme Court Verdict
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Former Member of Parliament F.R., who is currently serving a 20-month prison sentence for bribery and abuse of office in the “Emerald” case, will remain in detention to also serve an additional sentence following a recent judgment of the Supreme Court (Hoge Raad). The new verdict relates to the separate criminal investigation known as “Aquamarine”, in which F.R. was convicted for accepting bribes and abusing his position as a Member of Parliament. The case concerned corrupt conduct during the period 2013–2019, including the acceptance of payments from private companies in exchange for political influence over government contracts within the telecommunications sector. In its ruling, the Supreme Court rejected all remaining grounds of appeal. This means that the...
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February 02, 2026 No comments
KPSM Continues Investment in Training and Professional Development of Personnel
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) continues to invest in the training and professional development of its personnel as part of its ongoing commitment to quality policing and community engagement. Over the past weeks, several KPSM officers successfully completed specialized training and educational upgrading at Miami-Dade College in Florida. A first group of five (5) officers participated in a Train-the-Trainer course in EHBO (First Aid), strengthening the organization’s internal capacity to provide lifesaving instruction and emergency response training. Additionally, a second group of four (4) officers attended the Miami-Dade School of Justice, where they completed training as School Resource Officers for Sint Maarten. This marks the second group of School Resource Officers trained for the island,...
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