SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - In recognition of Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, the Positive and Elektralyets Foundations have partnered with Collective Prevention Services (CPS) to host a special two-part event: Let’s Talk About Sex TOO and Men’s Night Out. This engaging event aims to raise awareness about prostate cancer and other men’s health issues.

CPS emphasizes the importance of community education and dialogue on men’s health issues. Their collaboration with the Positive and Elektralyets Foundations aligns with their mission to enhance public health through preventative measures and awareness campaigns, promoting a higher quality of life for all.

The event will be held September 26th, 2024, at 6:00 PM in the Government Administration Building, Conference Room 1, located on Soualiga Road, Pond Island, Great Bay. The Let’s talk About Sex Too prostate cancer awareness panel will feature prominent speakers, including:

• Dr. Danny Dennaoui, St. Maarten Diagnostic Center
• Mr. Ahmad Gumbs, Men’s Mental Health Awareness Foundation
• Mr. Gordon Snow, Prostate Cancer Survivor

This two-hour event will provide valuable insights about prostate cancer, its effects on men’s health, and the impact of treatments on sexual health. Hosted in collaboration with CPS, and Benu Pharmacy, organizers extend a special invitation to all men on St. Maarten aged 40 and above.

Why Attend?

According the to Global Cancer Observatory, prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting men, making awareness about early detection and its effects on overall and sexual health critical. Treatments like surgery, radiation, or hormone therapy can result in side effects such as erectile dysfunction or decreased libido. Open conversations with healthcare providers are crucial for managing these side effects.

Understanding risk factors like age, family history, and ethnicity helps individuals make informed health decisions. Regular screenings, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests, are vital for early detection and improved treatment outcomes.

This event will provide a platform for open discussion on prevention, early detection, and the potential impact of prostate cancer on sexual health.

Open dialogue can help break the stigma surrounding prostate cancer and encourage men to take proactive steps toward their health. Since launching the “Man Up Check Up” campaign in 2019 in partnership with St. Maarten Medical Center, the foundations have been committed to spreading awareness and promoting early screenings, leading to better health outcomes for men in St. Maarten.

Program for the Evening:

• 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Men’s Night Out – Happy Hour (Sponsored by ILTT International Liquors and Tobacco)
• 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Let’s Talk About Sex TOO – Prostate Cancer Awareness Panel Discussion with interactive Q&A

Last year, over 100 men attended this event, engaging in discussions, sharing personal experiences, and asking insightful questions. The openness and honesty of the discussions provided a strong foundation for breaking the silence surrounding men’s health, particularly prostate cancer.

The Positive and Elektralyets Foundations, and CPS hope this event will continue to inspire men in the community to prioritize their health and take action toward prostate cancer awareness and early detection.

For more information, visit Positive Foundations or The Positive Foundation on Facebook. You may also call +1-721-580-9658 or +1-721-523-7418, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Dr. Danny Denaoui

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Department of Community Development, Family & Humanitarian Affairs (CDFHA), through its Women's Desk, in collaboration with Kingdom Courtyard, successfully hosted an informative session on grief counseling on Saturday, September 21, at the Government Administration Office.

The session, moderated by Ms. Ramona Riley, was well attended, offering participants the opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of grief, its causes, and various coping mechanisms. Attendees were also introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Cabey, founders of Kingdom Courtyard, along with its members, Dr. Tasheena Thomas and Mrs. Zoya Hyman, both seasoned professionals in the field of counseling. A significant highlight of the event was when several parents shared their personal stories of losing a child and spoke about the profound positive impact the counseling services have had on their healing journeys. Additionally, they encouraged attendees to make use of the available services, stressing the importance of seeking support during such challenging times.

CDFHA, is an executing department within the Ministry of VSA whose mission is to deliver efficient and high-quality services in the areas of community development, family support, and humanitarian affairs, emphasized the importance of this collaboration with Kingdom Courtyard. Together, they aim to provide much-needed counseling services and establish support groups for individuals dealing with grief. Recognizing that grief, when left unaddressed, can have profound effects on individuals, families, and the community at large, CDFHA is committed to ensuring these services continue beyond Kingdom Courtyard's initial eight-month funding period under the R4CR (Resources for Community Resilience) program.

Both organizations acknowledged the positive impact the grief counseling services have had thus far, as well as the growing demand for these services. Grief is a complex issue that many people struggle to talk about or even recognize. Some are unaware they are experiencing it, while others may not know that support is available to them. In light of this, CDFHA and Kingdom Courtyard are proud to offer these services at the Gaston Boasman Community Helpdesk for the Elderly & Disabled, located in Hope Estate.

Minister Jansen - Webster who was also in attendance and shared her personal story on grief, applauded the partnership between CDFHA and Kingdom Courtyard, commending their efforts to provide vital services to those in need.

For more information, please contact Women's Desk via WhatsApp at +1 (721) 520-6291 or Kingdom Courtyard at +1 (721) 550-3212.

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The new printing of Ti Koko and Kush Kush by Patricia G. Turnbull is at Van Dorp bookstore, Simpson Bay, just in time for Literacy Month, said publisher Jacqueline Sample.

Here’s one for home, school, library, community center, babysitting, or Sunday school, said Sample. “Patricia Turnbull magically weaves this precious work for our children” about the importance of nature for our future, said Tadzio Bervoets, a leading St. Martin environmentalist.

The “brilliantly crafted story” is “about a happy little coconut tree and a friendly, wise yam and the power of friendship,” working together to save their Caribbean Island beach community, said Dr. Nicole Phillip-Dowe, UWI, Grenada.

The hardcover, color illustrated storybook, published in St. Martin by House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP), is also available at Arnia’s Bookstore, Zagersgut Road/Bush Road.

“Our children’s books, like Ti Koko, are for the joy of reading at home. And they are ‘cross-curricular resource’ titles, with richly illustrated stories set in St. Martin and other islands, perfect for our classrooms,” said HNP president Sample.

Talking about storybooks and literary texts for improving literacy and supporting the curriculum, HNP books have been busy here in September for Literacy Month. The month’s activities are inspired by International Literacy Day, observed annually on September 8.

Several St. Martin writers, government officials, and other guests have read at primary schools on the island. HNP authors have been in the mix, with performative readings to school children. Our indie press writers have read from their own books and from books by other St. Martin authors and writers from around the world.

“It was exciting to see social media posts of Faizah Tabasamu read from her poetry book Tangle to a packed assembly of attentive little ones at Asha Stevens Hillside Christian School,” said Sample.

“At MAC primary, Dr. Rhoda Arrindell read kids-accessible hurricane poems from the literary/earth science textbook Disaster Matters. She then performed selections from Lizzy Lizard’s storybook journey around the Great Salt Pond, for Teacher Elisia Lake’s class at Martin Luther King, Jr. Primary school,” said Sample. 

Lizzy Lizard by Robin Boasman was also a selected book for guest reader Hon. Anna Richardson at Teacher Amanda James-Nicholas’ Grade 2 class at the MAC, said Sample.

“The writing quality, and the book design and production of these books also make for a competitive fit for classrooms anywhere that are seeking original St. Martin stories and fascinating Caribbean experiences,” said Sample.

SINT MAARTEN (CAY HILL) - The Positive and Elektralyets Foundations, in collaboration with St. Maarten Laboratory Services, St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC), and NAPA Auto Parts, are pleased to announce a follow-up event for the recent prostate cancer screenings.

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024
• Time: From 9:00 AM to 2 PM
• Location: St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) in Cayhill

Join us for the annual Men’s Health Day, where we will review the PSA test results from the screenings held on September 7 and 14. This event will also feature a variety of other health screenings and informative sessions aimed at promoting men’s health and wellness. On September 21, we have partnered with the St. Maarten Aids Foundation, SZV, Guardian Group, FLOW and the SMMC team will be present to provide additional support and information. Please note that we will not be doing any PSA testing of September 21, 2024.

Screening Recap:

• On September 7, 213 men received a Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test performed by the St. Maarten Laboratory Services (SLS) AND
• On September 14, 162 men were tested for PSA. Bringing the total number of men tested to 375. The Foundations issued 100 vouchers to cover the uninsured.

“We are committed to improving men’s health in our community,” said Shelly Alphonso, President of the Positive Foundation. “Early detection of prostate cancer can save lives, and we encourage all eligible men to participate in these screenings and follow-up events.”

For more information, please contact Shelly Alphonso or Mercedes Van Der Waals Wyatt at +1-721-580-9658 or +1-721-523-7418, or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.