September 09, 2026 No comments
CPS: Thursday is World Suicide Prevention Day – “Changing the Narrative on Suicide, Start the Conversation”
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY, (DCOMM) – Suicide remains a major public-health challenge, claiming more than 720,000 lives worldwide each year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Thursday, September 10, 2026, marks World Suicide Prevention Day. The Collective Prevention Service (CPS), an executive agency of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA), is using the observance to raise awareness, reduce stigma and encourage persons experiencing emotional distress to seek support. Suicide affects people of all ages and from every region of the world. Globally, it is the third-leading cause of death among persons between the ages of 15 and 29. The 2026 observance marks the third and final year of the triennial theme, “Changing the Narrative on Suicide,” accompanied by...
Read more
September 08, 2026 No comments
Sint Maarten Library Reconstruction Breaks Ground on International Literacy Day
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The official groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction of the Sint Maarten Library has taken place on September 8, International Literacy Day. The ceremony marked the start of the second major construction project under the Fostering Resilient Learning Project (FRLP), following the start of works at Sister Marie Laurence Primary School in Middle Region in May this year. The National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB), on behalf of the Government of Sint Maarten, has signed the contract with Steel Structures T&T Ltd for the reconstruction of the library. The activity is one of several investments financed through the Sint Maarten Trust Fund that support the country's recovery while building stronger, more resilient education infrastructure and public services. “We are...
Read more
September 08, 2026 No comments
New Awareness Sign Installed at Princess Juliana International Airport by Nature Foundation
SINT MAARTEN (SIMPSON BAY-AIRPORT) - The Nature Foundation Sint Maarten is pleased to announce the installation of a new awareness sign in the arrival area of Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) as part of the Keep the Reef Off the Runway campaign, funded by the CITES Secretariat. The campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of leaving marine life and natural materials where they belong and discouraging visitors from collecting shells, corals, and other marine species as souvenirs. In 2025 alone, more than 6,000 kilograms of marine materials — including shells, corals, and rocks — were confiscated at the airport. This staggering amount highlights the importance of raising awareness among visitors about the impacts and legal implications of removing marine materials...
Read more
September 08, 2026 No comments
Ministry of Justice Moves to Expand Detention Capacity Through Foreign Detention Center Upgrades
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Ministry of Justice is advancing plans to temporarily expand Sint Maarten’s detention capacity through upgrades to the Foreign Detention Center (FDC), creating accommodation for up to 16 low-risk detainees while the new Point Blanche Prison is under construction. The intervention forms part of the Ministry’s broader Detention Sector Reform Program (DSRP) and was formalized through an amendment expanding the Sint Maarten Rule of Law Facilities Project under the existing agreement between the Government of Sint Maarten, the Government of the Netherlands and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). A preliminary technical assessment identified the adaptation of the Foreign Detention Center (FDC) in Simpson Bay as the most feasible and time-efficient option for expanding short-term...
Read more
September 08, 2026 No comments
Tadzio Bervoets Leads Barbados Training on Sustainable Fisheries and Marine Spatial Planning
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Sint Maarten marine biologist and natural resource manager Tadzio Bervoets recently delivered three days of practical training in Barbados to support sustainable fisheries and marine spatial planning. Held from September 1 to 3 at the invitation of the Barbados Marine Spatial Planning office, in collaboration with the Barbados fisheries department, the training brought together fisheries and conservation professionals to build, deploy and analyse footage from Baited Remote Underwater Video systems, commonly known as BRUVs. These underwater camera systems record marine life without capturing or handling animals. Bervoets guided participants through the process, from constructing the equipment to reviewing footage and discussing how the findings can inform fisheries management and ocean planning. “The goal was to provide practical skills...
Read more
