May 10, 2026 No comments
MP Lewis: “Our local professionals are respected more in other countries than their own”
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) – Nation Opportunity Wealth (NOW), Member of Parliament (MP) Lyndon Lewis has expressed deep disappointment and concern regarding recent reports that the Ministry of VROMI has allegedly failed to compensate Fleming Waste Solutions, a key company contracted by the Government since 2021 to operate government-owned equipment and execute critical landfill operations." The Minister of VROMI, Patrice Gumbs, should take some kind of accountability and stop playing the blame game." MP Lewis stated. MP Lewis stated that the situation reflects a troubling and ongoing pattern in which qualified local businesses and professionals are not treated with the respect, urgency, and fairness they deserve, despite the essential services they provide to the country. He emphasized that Fleming Waste...
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May 10, 2026 No comments
Hantavirus, the Hondius, and Sint Maarten's Garbage Crisis
SINT MAARTEN (COMMENTARY – By Tadzio Bervoets) - The garbage situation on Sint Maarten has been a serious concern for some time, and in recent weeks it has become harder to ignore. Piles have been building up in Cole Bay and other neighborhoods, contractual disputes between government and the local waste haulers have moved into public view, and the landfill itself has been described in recent reporting as being in a precarious state. I want to read this alongside another story currently in the international news, because the two echo. Over the past few days, media and health authorities have been covering a cluster of Andes hantavirus cases connected to the MV Hondius, a Dutch-flagged cruise vessel, with several passenger fatalities following...
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May 10, 2026 No comments
FOSTER THE FUTURE. Sint Maarten Unites to Launch Foster Care Awareness Month 2026
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - On the evening of Tuesday, May 5, 2026, the Belair Community Center in Cay Hill was transformed into a living testament to what a village looks like when it shows up for its children. Under the theme “Foster the Future,” the Judicial & Institutional Services Foundation (J&IS), through its Foster Families Central Department, officially launched Foster Care Awareness Month 2026, an evening that moved hearts, stirred consciences, and called an entire community to action. Government officials, social workers, foster families, volunteers, artists, educators, policy workers, foster children, community leaders, and members of the public filled the hall, united by a shared belief: that every child deserves a safe, loving, and permanent place to call home. A Prayer...
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May 10, 2026 No comments
NV GEBE Fuel Clause Adjusted Upward due to Fluctuations in Global Oil Prices
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Ongoing geopolitical tensions and conflicts in the Middle East have contributed to unpredictable fluctuations in global fuel prices, directly impacting the cost of fuel required to generate electricity in St. Maarten; which is beyond the control of NV GEBE. As an island that depends heavily on imported fuel for power production, changes in global oil prices can significantly affect operational costs. The fuel clause is therefore adjusted monthly to reflect the actual cost of fuel used to generate electricity. Consequently, NV GEBE hereby informs the general public that the fuel clause for the month of May 2026 has been adjusted to NAf. 0.45 per kWh, compared to NAf. 0.36 per kWh in April 2026, reflecting an increase...
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May 09, 2026 No comments
UPP Honors Lupus Warriors Across Sint Maarten
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - On the occasion of Lupus Awareness Day, the UPP is paying tribute to the many Lupus warriors across Sint Maarten who continue to face one of life’s toughest battles with strength, dignity, and determination. While Lupus is often described as an invisible illness, the fight faced by those living with the disease is very real. Behind every diagnosis is a person pushing through pain, exhaustion, uncertainty, and emotional hardship while still showing up for their families, careers, and communities. “Today is not only about awareness. It is about recognizing fighters,” the UPP stated. “There are people in our community carrying burdens many will never fully see or understand, yet they continue to rise every single day. That...
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