April 19, 2026 No comments
St. Maarten and Kingdom partners to strengthen investigation of maritime accidents
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Sint Maarten has taken a concrete step to strengthen maritime safety, with Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten signing a Kingdom-wide agreement to improve how shipping accidents are investigated. The agreement, signed on April 17, 2026, in Sint Maarten during the Four Countries Consultation with Aruba, Curaçao, and the Netherlands, ensures that maritime incidents will be investigated in a more structured, independent, and professional manner across the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. Minister Heyliger-Marten emphasized the importance of the move: “This agreement strengthens how we respond when something goes wrong at sea. It ensures that incidents are properly investigated so that lessons are learned, and risks are reduced.” Maritime accidents, such as collisions,...
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April 19, 2026 No comments
New Kingdom protocol strengthens how St. Maarten works with partners on maritime matters
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Sint Maarten has taken a step to strengthen how it manages maritime responsibilities, with Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten signing an updated Kingdom protocol to improve cooperation across maritime sectors. The agreement, signed on April 17, 2026, in Sint Maarten during the Four Countries Consultation with Aruba, Curaçao, and the Netherlands, establishes a more structured and consistent way for the countries to work together on maritime matters. It also supports agreements reached on specific areas such as maritime accident investigation, ensuring that cooperation is consistently applied. Minister Heyliger-Marten stated: “This ensures that we are not working in isolation. It creates a clear structure for cooperation, so that we can meet our...
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April 19, 2026 No comments
MP Wescot-Williams Seeks Clarity on Kingdom Position in UN Slavery Declaration Vote
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams has formally written to the Prime Minister requesting full disclosure and clarification regarding the (Kingdom of) the Netherlands’ recent abstention at the United Nations General Assembly on a declaration recognizing slavery and the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans as the gravest crime against humanity. The resolution, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, carries profound historical and contemporary significance, particularly for Caribbean countries within the Kingdom, including Sint Maarten. In her letter, MP Wescot-Williams raises critical questions concerning whether Sint Maarten was consulted prior to the Kingdom’s vote, and if so, the nature and extent of that consultation. She further seeks clarity on whether the Government of Sint Maarten expressed a position...
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April 19, 2026 No comments
Care Cannot Remain Invisible: Sint Maarten Calls for Action on the Care Economy
SINT MAARTEN/GRENADA - Last Thursday and Friday, President of Parliament, MP Wescot-Williams led the Sint Maarten parliamentary delegation at a workshop hosted by Parlamericas in Grenada, focused on one of the most fundamental yet overlooked pillars of Caribbean economies: paid and unpaid care work. Reflecting on the engagement, MP Wescot -Williams noted that the discussions brought into sharp focus a persistent reality; economies across the region are sustained not only by what is formally measured, but also by what remains largely invisible. Care work, in all its forms, underpins the functioning of societies. It encompasses raising children, supporting the elderly, caring for the sick, and maintaining households. Despite its essential nature, such work continues to be undervalued, underpaid, and in many instances, unrecognized across the Caribbean,...
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April 19, 2026 No comments
MINISTRY OF VROMI AND UNOPS MEET WITH D.Q. COUNCIL REPS ON SANITATION PROJECT
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), the Honorable Patrice Gumbs, and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) project team met with a representative of the Dutch Quarter Community Council to provide updates on the upcoming sanitation project in the area. Underscoring the commitment to a participative approach and community ownership, the Ministry of VROMI and UNOPS organized this informative session to brief the council on project activities. This meeting serves as the first in a series of initiatives designed to foster ongoing community involvement and engagement throughout the project’s life cycle. The Sanitation Project, led by the Ministry of VROMI, will feature the construction of a sewage collection network, a...
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