May 11, 2026 No comments
PM Mercelina Addresses NV GEBE Fuel Clause Increase and Calls for Urgent Clarification
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina has formally addressed the Supervisory Board of Directors (SBOD) and Management of NV GEBE following the utility company’s announcement of an increase in the fuel clause from Xcg. 0.36 per kWh in April 2026 to Xcg. 0.45 per kWh for May 2026. In his correspondence of today, the Prime Minister acknowledged the global geopolitical tensions and fuel market instability impacting electricity generation costs worldwide, while expressing serious concern about the growing burden being placed on the people of Sint Maarten. “The people of Sint Maarten are already facing considerable economic pressure and rising living expenses. Government has consistently advocated for measures that would protect consumers and provide meaningful relief, especially for our...
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May 10, 2026 No comments
PM Mercelina Holds Constructive High-Level Meeting with Dutch PM Rob Jetten
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Prime Minister (PM) of Sint Maarten, Dr. Luc Mercelina, welcomed Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten for a high-level meeting on Saturday. The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation within the Kingdom and addressing key issues impacting Sint Maarten’s long-term sustainability and resilience, including recent geopolitical developments. Representing Sint Maarten were Chief of Staff, Stuart Johnson, Secretary-General of the Ministry of General Affairs, Dr. Abel Knottnerus, and Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers, Ms. Cassandra Jansen. The Dutch delegation included Director-General Kingdom Relations, Mrs. Barbara Wolfensberger and the Representative of the Netherlands in Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, Gerbert Kunst. During the discussions, Prime Minister Mercelina emphasized the importance of maintaining strong and pragmatic cooperation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands,...
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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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