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Team SXM dominates both fleets during sailing race on French St. Martin

SAINT-MARTIN (MARIGOT) - On Saturday March 23rd, 8 members of the Sint Maarten Yacht Club Racing Team participated in a Sailing Race on the French side of the island, organized by the Club de Voile de Fryers Bay, together with Saint Martin Voile Pour Tous. 

Together with Racing Coach Sam Nathan Sheppard, Oskar Jarrett Versteegden, Harper and Adilyn Treadwell, Aden Stomp, Chris Meekhof in the Optimist Class and Rio Stomp and Massimo Lapierre in the ILCA class participated in the race.

Eight races were sailed in challenging conditions.

Nathan Sheppard managed to win the Optimist Fleet, Oskar finished in fifth position, Harper in 7th, Aden in 8th, Adilyn in 9th position and Chris finished 12th out of 13 competitors.

In the ILCA fleet Rio Stomp won the racing day, Massimo finished 8th out of nine competitors. 

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Eleonore Astier -Petin GM at La Samanna Resort to deliver keynote address at Peridot Foundation women' event on Friday evening

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Peridot Foundation's President Gracita Arrindell announced on Wednesday that everything is on track for Eleonore Astier -Petin, the esteemed General Manager (GM) of the luxurious five-star La Samanna, a Belmond Hotel in Saint Martin resort, to deliver the keynote speech at the event planned for March 29 to celebrate the occasion of International Women’s Day.

Arrindell states: “Gleaning the impressive resume of Ms. Astier-Petin clearly exposes her passion for being an exemplary professional in the luxury hotel business as well as being an executive with over 17 years of experience. Paving the road to her future positions in the luxury hotel industry and travel around the world Eleonore was born to French and American Parents, Eleonore grew up in New York, the South of France and Charleston, South Carolina, where she earned her two Bachelor degrees in Corporate Communications and French studies with Magna cum Laude honors. 

“Starting her career in hospitality on the paradisical island of Bora Bora in 2003 with Starwood Hotels and Resorts as a Guest Relations Officer, she went on to managerial roles in Sales & Marketing and Operations. Her work has taken her to the French Alps, The Grenadines on the famed island of Mustique, China, Indonesia, and Cambodia until she took over General Management of La Samanna in 2018.

“A big fan of yoga and Pilates in her off time Eleonore also adores everything art and design and cultivates a passion for discovering new talent, very often the more eccentric the better. She resides on the Dutch side with her husband, Stephane, and their French Bulldog, Pearl.

“We once more remind our esteemed audience to take note of the location of our highly anticipated event at the Simpson Bay Conference Center #1 Sister Patientia Houtman street, Simpson Bay starting at 8:00 PM and closing at 9:30 PM on Friday, March 29.

“We truly appreciate the support of our many patrons and donors who joined us in our yearly celebration (over 20 years and counting) of women’s achievements, struggles and triumphs in the month of March. A heartfelt thank you to every person or business that contributed to making our programs and events successful and memorable.

“This year’s theme: ‘Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress designated by the United Nations, once more underscores the need to keep women’s issues on the front burner of our policies and social agendas.”

Gracita concludes: "In addition to hearing the address of our keynote speaker, we take a moment to recognize two women who in their own areas of expertise made their contribution to our society.  Entertainment by one of our local talents and pleasant gift surprises will close our 2024 celebration of International Women’s Day.”  

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Improved collaboration in the border protection and immigration chain in the Caribbean Netherlands

SINT MAARTEN/BONAIRE - Collaboration within the border protection and immigration chain in the Caribbean Netherlands has improved since 2017, partly due to the appointment of the chain coordinator in 2021.

This is concluded by the Council for Law Enforcement (the Council) in a recent report examining the implementation of recommendations from the reports "Foreign Nationals Policy" (2017) and "Tackling Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling" (2019) in recent years. The report indicates that, although collaboration has improved, the approach to human trafficking and migrant smuggling still falls short in some areas: only one of the eight recommendations from 2019 has been followed.

New Recommendations

The Council now makes eight new recommendations to the Dutch Minister of Justice and Security (JenV). These include the critically necessary improvement of the theme register and the improvement of steering by JenV and the Caribbean Netherlands Police Force (KPCN). The Council has requested the Minister of JenV to prepare a report six months after the publication of the inspection report on the concrete status of the (progress in the) implementation of the new recommendations.

Theme Register for Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling

In a theme register for human trafficking and migrant smuggling, signals from chain partners can be brought together and analyzed. The goal is to generate visibility on the nature and extent of human trafficking and migrant smuggling on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. The KPCN is responsible for managing the register, but as in 2019, it still does not function well.

Regarding the KPCN, the Council identifies two bottlenecks. Firstly, registration discipline continues to be a persistent major concern. Secondly, there is still a lack of internal awareness within the police, resulting in signals of human trafficking and migrant smuggling not being recognized and therefore not registered. (Potential) victims of these serious crimes are therefore insufficiently identified. The Council considers this a risk.

The evaluations promised by the minister regarding the results of theme processing have not been conducted by the KPCN with the relevant chain partners. Steering on this by both the police leadership and the Ministry of JenV is lacking.

Lack of Steering

The Council concludes that there is also a lack of necessary steering by the Ministry of JenV and the KPCN on the implementation of recommendations stemming from previous reports. It is important that the Ministry of JenV and the executing organizations henceforth more explicitly steer towards concrete results. Deficient steering appears to be a recurring and persistent bottleneck in the Council's investigations.

Equipment of Royal Marechaussee (KMar) in the Caribbean Netherlands a bottleneck

The Royal Marechaussee (KMar) indicates to have insufficient capacity to carry out its legal tasks in the field of border control and immigration control on Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. Financial resources to realize the expansion supported by the KMar in the Caribbean Netherlands have been lacking to date.

However, the Council notes that the capacity of the KMar in Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten has been expanded. In the Council's opinion, the claim for expansion of the KMar in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba should also be assigned with priority by the Minister of JenV.

The Council's inspection report is public and available on the Council's website: www.raadrechtshandhaving.com

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Successful SXM Lagoon Festival 2024 Wraps Up: Celebrating Culinary Excellence, Mixology, St. Maarten Culture and More

SINT MAARTEN (SIMPSON BAY) – The 2nd annual SXM Lagoon Festival 2024 concluded this past weekend, marking a resounding success in celebrating the vibrant culture, culinary arts, and maritime heritage of St. Maarten. From March 21st to March 24th, locals and visitors immersed themselves in a weekend of festivities set against the picturesque backdrop of the island's lagoon.

The festival kicked off with the Best of the Best Chef Competition on Thursday, March 21, hosted at The Yacht Club at Port de Plaisance. Attendees witnessed culinary excellence as talented chefs showcased their skills, with Antoine Malet from Motor Yacht TC emerging victorious as the winner of the 2nd Annual SXM Lagoon Fest, Best of the Best Chef Competition. The evening continued with the Kickoff Party, featuring a fire show and robot dancer, definitely generating excitement for the days to come.

Friday, March 22, saw mixologists showcase their craft at the Cocktail Competition held at Palapa Marina. Kevin Jeremie clinched the title of the mixologist competition winner, dazzling judges and attendees with his expertly crafted cocktails. He took home a round trip to St. Maarten, including accommodation. 2nd place saw Julio Bofill as the winner, who won a gift certificate from La Palapa and third place winner Erion Peterson received a beautiful gift basket from sponsor CC1. The night culminated in the Jungle Party, featuring electrifying beats by DJs Jayson Miro and Cal Um.

Saturday, March 23, delighted food enthusiasts with the Food Truck Festival at Skyport Marina. Attendees savored a diverse array of mouthwatering dishes served up by local food trucks, experiencing the island's rich culinary heritage in one vibrant location.

The festival reached its climax on Sunday, March 24, with the Carnival by the Bay & Closing Party at Yacht Club Isle del Sol, where attendees danced to the rhythm of Caribbean beats, with the steelpan band, carnival and stilt dancers bringing cultural carnival influences. A raffle saw three lucky winners: Stacy De Leon, who won a ticket to Miami, Nadika Carti, winner of a Cost U Less Beach Cabana and Kathy Tromp took home a Cost U Less Beach Table, making this a grand finale to an already unforgettable weekend of celebration.

"We are thrilled with the overwhelming success of the SXM Lagoon Festival 2024," said organizers. "The festival showcased the best of St. Maarten's culinary scene, mixology talents, and maritime traditions, creating cherished memories for all who attended."

The SXM Lagoon Festival wouldn’t be possible without the support of its sponsors: Ezshop powered by Prime, CC1, PDG Supplies, Cost U Less, Molongo and St. Maarten Tourist Bureau.

Prepare to bask in the Caribbean sun, tantalize your taste buds with exquisite flavors, and immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of St. Maarten at the SXM Lagoon Festival 2025. 

LAG stilts frpg

LAG cheque

LAG food

LAG folks eating

LAG bbq

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LAG three

 

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Hillside Christian Schools celebrate “Plant-A-Tree Day” with the Nature Foundation

SINT MAARTEN (CAY HILL) - On March 22, the Hillside Christian Schools planted 31 Surinamese cherry trees and 1 basil plant on school grounds for Plant-A-Tree Day. Two planting events were organized at both the Helmich Snijders and Asha Stevens campuses as part of Biodiversity Awareness Month, an educational initiative spearheaded by the Nature Foundation Sint Maarten to promote awareness about the importance of diversity of life, from the genetic level to the ecosystem level.  

The events were attended by Mrs. Asha Stevens-Mohabier, Chief Executive Director of Hillside Christian Schools; Mrs. Jacqueline Holiday, School Board Member; Mrs. Wendy Jack and Mrs. Avril Isaac, Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of TEATT; representatives of the Nature Foundation; and staff and students of both Hillside Christian School campuses.  

Mrs. Stevens-Mohabier spoke at both events, touching on the significance of “putting down roots” and on the importance of learning to nurture life at a young age. Nature Foundation staff also made opening remarks in which they spoke about some of the crucial ecosystem services that trees provide. The seedlings were then placed into the ground by students from Groups 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, covered with dirt, and watered.  

The Surinamese cherry seeds were obtained from Mrs. Stevens-Mohabier’s personal garden. They were originally planted by graduating Group 8 students from the previous school year and grown in the greenhouse on the Asha Stevens campus. The Hillside Christian Schools hope that this will become a new tradition for each graduating class, maintaining a physical and emotional connection to the school community that would persist for years to come.  

It is also hoped that these trees will become part of the Hillside Christian School experience for current and future students. “At first, there was some concern about the chosen location, right in front of the school gate, where children may pick the cherries and eat them,” said Nina Edstrom, executive assistant, human resource manager, and coordinator of the event. “But then we decided that’s part of the beauty of it! We want our students to interact with the trees.”  

Biodiversity Awareness Month is a Nature Foundation educational initiative running throughout the month of March. Each day, social media posts explore a different topic related to biodiversity on Sint Maarten and prompt readers and local organizations to take action. 

NAT Hill pix1

 Students plant a tree in the school yard and are instructed on how to take care of them.

 

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World Tuberculosis Day: “Yes! We can end TB!”

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY, (DCOMM) – Sunday, March 24 marked World Tuberculosis Day (TB) under the theme, “Yes! We can end TB!”

10.6 million people fell ill with TB in 2022 and 1.3 million people died of TB in that same year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (Ministry VSA) Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department within the ministry, says World TB Day is commemorated annually to raise public awareness about the consequences of TB for those who suffer from this preventable and curable disease, and is part of CPSs annual calendar on health matters.

TB is caused by bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) that most often affect the lungs. Tuberculosis is curable and preventable. TB mostly affects adults; however, all age groups are at risk.

TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze, or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air. A person needs to inhale only a few of these germs to become infected.

About one-third of the world's population has latent TB, which means people have been infected by TB bacteria but are not (yet) ill with the disease and cannot transmit the disease.

People infected with TB bacteria have a 10% lifetime risk of falling ill with TB. However, persons with compromised immune systems, such as people living with HIV, malnutrition or diabetes, or people who use tobacco, have a much higher risk of falling ill.

When a person develops active TB disease, the symptoms (such as cough, fever, night sweats, or weight loss) may be mild for many months. This can lead to delays in seeking care, and results in transmission of the bacteria to others.

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A Reprise of Rumannan Purunchi

SINT MAARTEN/CURACAO - The Music theater piece Rumannan Purunchi is again being seen briefly in Teatro Aula Habaai, as part of the International Theater Day. Last weekend and for the last time on March 27, the play written and directed by Milushka Birge will be performed.

Rumannan Purunchi is based on a compilation of the books ’Freckle Bunch’ and ‘Tropical Shelter’ by Loekie Morales, which was published as one thick book in Papiamentu as 'Rumannan Purunchi', stories from a tropical nest, for the Leeward Islands.

In 2022 All schools in the Windward Islands have gotten this book from the Beyond Kultura Events Foundation. It has conducted a pilot reading project on a school in Sint Maarten.

The theater musical piece premiered last September.

In her book, Morales shares the family's rich spiritual legacy. Milushka Birge has used this to entertain the theater play with an extra dimension for today's young people. The stories provide a realistic picture of the lives of the Moraal children, who grow up in a single-parent family.

The play is about happy and painful events. It makes the audience think about the strength and limitations of the individual and their interaction in the family context and ultimately the value of community spirit; our own cultural and historical heritage.

Together with composer Eric Calmes, Birge creates a multi-colored 'nest', in which the authors portray different characters in playing and singing. The cast consists of Gian van Eiker, Rachelle Le Blanc, Maxine Fabian, Greisha Niebe en Kionn Yung. The very last performance is on March 27 at 8 a.m. in the Teatro Aula Habaai and tickets can be purchased online at Caribbean Ticketshop and at sales centers in Curaçao.

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Fire Dept. Advisory: Part of Sucker Garden Road Closed to Motorized Traffic

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY, (DCOMM) – The Fire Department on Saturday evening closed part of the Sucker Garden Road in connection with the bush fire on Middle Region Hill.

According to Fire Officer on Duty William York, part of the Sucker Garden Road from the intersection to the Arch Road leading up to Gas King has been closed to motorized traffic until further notice in connection with fire fighting equipment (hoses) that has been set-up in the area in order to fight the fire should that become necessary overnight.

Residents living downwind from the fire in various districts who have respiratory ailments/pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, have difficulty breathing, or heart disease, are reminded to close windows and doors from the smoke until the air quality improves.

The Fire Department will continue to monitor the situation very closely during the course of the night.

The primary objective remains to protect homes and businesses in the affected area.

The fire personnel are currently in a ‘wait and see’ mode ready to respond to any eventuality.

Listen to the Government Radio station SXMGOV – 107.9FM - for official information, news, and weather information. You can also follow weather related news and information by going to @SXMGOV Facebook Page.

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Fire Dept. Advisory: Residents Downwind from Middle Region Hill Bush Fire Advised to Close Windows & Doors

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY, (DCOMM) – The Fire Department is currently closely monitoring a bush fire on Middle Region Hill.

According to Fire Officer on Duty William York, residents downwind from the fire who have respiratory ailments/pre-existing medical conditions such as asthma, have difficulty breathing, or heart disease, are advised to close windows and doors from the smoke until the air quality improves.

The Fire Department will continue to monitor the situation very closely. The department responded with three fire trucks and 12 fire officers who are currently on scene.

The primary objective is to protect homes and businesses in the affected area. The fire personnel are currently in a ‘wait and see’ mode ready to respond to any eventuality.

Listen to the Government Radio station SXMGOV – 107.9FM - for official information, news, and weather information. You can also follow weather related news and information by going to @SXMGOV Facebook Page.

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Saba Tourist Bureau attends the Atlanta Travel & Adventure Show

SABA (WINDWARDSIDE) - The Saba Tourist Bureau, in collaboration with the St. Eustatius Tourism Bureau, attended the Travel & Adventure Show in Atlanta. The event, which spanned two days, saw enthusiastic participation from travel aficionados, media, and travel agents, as they discovered more about what Saba has to offer.
 
Visitors to the Saba booth were treated to a comprehensive insight into the island's offerings, including the activities, accommodations, and transportation options. From thrilling outdoor adventures to serene relaxation spots, attendees were captivated by the diverse experiences that Saba has to offer. Additionally, they received valuable information on island-hopping opportunities facilitated by our connectivity partners.
 
One of the highlights was the convenient direct flights from Atlanta to St. Maarten, which serve as a gateway to hop over and explore Saba. The strategic positioning of Atlanta as a prime hub for travel creates an ideal platform for spreading awareness about Saba's unique attractions and fostering increased visitor engagement. This marked the first time participating in the Atlanta Travel & Adventure Show, signaling a significant milestone in expanding the island's presence in key markets.
 
Adding excitement to the event, visitors had the opportunity to sign up for a chance to win enticing prizes generously sponsored by Cottage Club, Makana Ferry Service, and Sea Saba.
Representing the island was Malinda Hassell, Director of Tourism, and Stephanie Peterson, Tourist Bureau Receptionist.
 
Commenting on the participation, Malinda Hassell stated, "The Atlanta Travel & Adventure Show provided an invaluable platform for us to showcase Saba's unique charm and adventure opportunities to a diverse audience. We are thrilled by the enthusiastic response received and look forward to welcoming more travelers to experience Saba firsthand. These shows not only allow us to showcase our island but also provide invaluable insights on how to effectively represent and promote Saba. The island continues to captivate travelers' interest, the Saba Tourist Bureau remains focused on positioning the island as a premier destination for adventure seekers and nature enthusiasts in our key source markets."
 
SAB Atlanta tourism pix1
 
 
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