SINT MAARTEN (SOUTH REWARD) - As part of our recent 30th Anniversary Celebration, St. Dominic High School was proud to recognize the generosity and continued support of Mr. Suraj Amarnani, Class of 2003. 

In June of 2025, Mr. Amarnani made a remarkable donation of US$5,101.00, which enabled the school to complete its purchase of a new Toshiba digital laser color printer for the School Library. 

This valuable addition will directly benefit our students by providing access to high-quality color printing for School-Based Assessments (SBAs), Internal Assessments (IAs), projects, and assignments. Students will now be able to print their work conveniently at the library for a small fee, helping to support their academic success. 

We are deeply grateful to Suraj for giving back to his alma mater and investing in the success of current and future generations of St. Dominic students. His generosity is a wonderful example of the lasting impact that our alumni continue to have on our school community. 

Thank you, Suraj Amarnani (Class of 2003), for helping us continue our legacy of excellence and for supporting student learning at St. Dominic High School! 

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Following yesterday’s formal presentation of the draft 2027 National Budget, the board of NAPB Sint Maarten hopes that the coming parliamentary debate will provide clear details on how the budget will strengthen the justice system and fulfil government’s long-outstanding obligations to justice workers.

NAPB recognizes the importance of presenting the budget on time. However, President of NAPB Sint Maarten, Marcus Pantophlet stressed that timely presentation must now be followed by serious examination, transparent debate and eventual approval by Parliament.

“Presenting a budget is the beginning of the process, not the final achievement,” Pantophlet said. “For NAPB and its members, the real question is what will this budget deliver for the men and women who protect our borders, patrol our communities, manage our prison and carry the daily responsibilities of the justice system.”

During the recent 2026 budget debate, government indicated that approximately Cg. 5.1 million would be budgeted in both 2026 and 2027 for financial obligations connected to the long-running placement process. The board of NAPB hopes that Parliament will confirm whether this funding is clearly and securely included in the 2027 draft budget.

“Justice workers have waited long enough for the completion of their placements, corrected national decrees and retroactive payments,” Pantophlet said. “These are not gifts being requested from government. They are outstanding obligations owed to employees who continued serving this country while their legal positions and proper compensation remained unresolved.”

The outstanding retroactive amounts concern the period from October 10, 2010, through December 31, 2022. Pantophlet said the coming debate must provide a clear payment schedule rather than another general promise.

“Workers and their families need to know who will be paid, how much has been reserved, when payments will begin and how long the complete process will take,” he said. “A budget line without a transparent implementation plan will not resolve years of uncertainty.”

The board of NAPB also wants the 2027 budget debate to address serious staffing shortages across the justice chain. Recent information presented to Parliament indicated that only 591 of 1,096 approved positions within the Ministry of Justice were filled.

“Public safety cannot be maintained through goodwill and overtime alone,” Pantophlet said. “Insufficient staffing places additional pressure on the officers who report for duty every day. It contributes to exhaustion, weakens morale and can affect the quality and speed of services delivered to the public.”

Pantophlet said NAPB hopes to see detailed provisions for:

-Completion of all outstanding placements and national decrees;

-Retroactive payments owed to active, retired and former justice workers;

-Adequate insurance, disability and death benefits;

-Recruitment to fill critical vacancies throughout the justice chain;

-Proper equipment, vehicles and reliable communications systems;

-Training and professional development;

-Mental-health and wellness support for frontline personnel; and

-Safe and suitable working conditions at police, immigration, customs and prison facilities.

“Government often speaks about fighting crime and strengthening public safety,” Pantophlet said. “The 2027 budget must show how those statements will be financed. You cannot demand more from justice workers while continuously postponing what is owed to them.”

The board of NAPB is therefore calling on Members of Parliament to question the government thoroughly during the budget debate and ensure that the final approved budget contains realistic funding, deadlines and accountability measures.

“This is an opportunity for Parliament to question the government thoroughly during the budget debate and ensure that the final approved budget contains realistic funding, deadlines and accountability measures.

“This is an opportunity for Parliament and government to demonstrate that justice workers are essential partners, not an afterthought,” Pantophlet concluded. “NAPB will study the details carefully. We hope the 2027 budget will finally translate years of agreements and promises into payments, protection, proper staffing and measurable improvements throughout the justice system.”

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - A new class of the Basic Police and Coast Guard Training (BOPK) has successfully completed the four-week introductory program Stronger Together.

The introductory period officially concluded today with an entry ceremony and cap ceremony held at Parera Naval Base, marking the commencement of the recruits’ two-year professional training program.

The new class consists of 23 recruits, including 13 recruits from the Coast Guard, five from the Caribbean Netherlands Police Force (KPCN), and five from the Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM).

The joint training program reflects the continued commitment to cooperation and strengthening the partnership between the various law enforcement services within the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Throughout the Stronger Together introductory period, the recruits were challenged both physically and mentally, with particular emphasis placed on personal development, resilience, teamwork, discipline, and professional conduct. The program was designed to prepare the recruits for the demands of their future roles while emphasizing the importance of working together as one team.

The introductory period concluded with a final exercise, after which the recruits returned collectively to Parera Naval Base. Upon their arrival, they were welcomed in accordance with tradition during the official entry ceremony.

Over the next two years, the recruits will undergo extensive professional training and development in preparation for their future duties within the Coast Guard and the respective police forces. The training will focus on strengthening their professional knowledge, operational capabilities, integrity, teamwork, discipline, and ability to perform their duties effectively and professionally under a variety of circumstances.

The Sint Maarten Police Force congratulates all 23 recruits on successfully completing this important first phase of their training and wishes them continued success throughout the remainder of their program.

With their commitment, discipline, and dedication to public service, these recruits are taking an important step toward contributing to the safety, security, and effective law enforcement of the Caribbean community.

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 rebuilding the Sint Maarten Library as an investment in our people and their future. The new Library will be a modern center for learning and innovation, while providing a dedicated place to preserve and share our culture. Future generations will have access to the tools and opportunities they need to learn and succeed. This project demonstrates our commitment to strengthening public institutions and ensuring they can continue serving the people of Sint Maarten for years to come.” – Honorable Prime Minister, Dr. Luc Mercelina 

“I grew up spending lots of time in the library, so this one is personal for me. It was a place to read, explore and feed my curiosity, sometimes without even realizing how much I was learning. That is what I want this new library to be for another generation of Sint Maarten children: a place that opens their world a little wider and lets them imagine what is possible.” – Honorable Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Melissa Gumbs

Designed to respond to the changing ways people learn, work, create and access information, the new library will have modern facilities including children's areas, facilities for book collections, conference and meeting areas, recording rooms, a café space and a dedicated Sint Maarten Collection to preserve the island's cultural archives. The bust of Simón Bolívar and the commemorative Rotary Club sculpture currently located on the site will be carefully preserved during construction before being reinstated once the project is complete.

“We have been operating from a temporary home since 2019, but we haven’t been standing still while waiting for a new building. The Library has continued to serve the community and develop its services during that time. Now we have get to bring that work into a permanent home again, and we’re looking forward to what this next chapter will mean for the Library and the community we serve.” – Joseanne Peterson, President of the Board, St. Maarten Library

The design for the library was developed through consultation during both the conceptual and detailed design phases. Representatives of the Library Board, former librarians, members of the public and other stakeholders contributed feedback that was incorporated into the final design.

The library will be a single-story building constructed with a structural steel frame, concrete pile foundations, and reinforced concrete masonry walls. Construction is expected to take approximately 14 months following mobilization on site. The revised site layout will improve access and make more efficient use of the available land, with future public access and additional parking to be available from Buncamper Road.

Consulting civil and structural engineering firm KS&P Ltd designed the library and will also provide construction supervision throughout the works. The design allows for future expansion. The structural steel frame and foundations have been designed to support an additional floor should more space be needed in the future. The building has also been designed to withstand Category 5 hurricane winds and earthquake risks relevant to Sint Maarten. Flood hazard assessments informed the design of the drainage system and the elevation of the building to strengthen its resilience.

The project is implemented in accordance with the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), which helps protect workers, neighboring communities and the environment throughout construction and after. Members of the public can submit concerns or complaints through the project's Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) which can be found on the NRPB website.

The groundbreaking also represents a new chapter in a history that stretches back more than a century. The Sint Maarten Library first opened in 1923 as the Philipsburg Jubilee Library, named to mark the Silver Jubilee of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. After Hurricane Irma in 2017, the library building was extensively damaged and services were relocated. Since March 2019, the library has operated from a temporary location on the second floor of the Adolphus Richardson Building on W.J.A. Nisbeth Road.

Satellite branches of the library have also been in operation in Cay Hill, Belvedere and, at the Point Blanche correctional facility, expanding access to library services across the community. The library has continued expanding its digital services, increasing its digital collection from approximately 600 e-books in 2019 to more than 6,000 today. Library members also have access to approximately 70,000 digital books through a partnership with the Royal Library of the Netherlands.

$26.7 million has been allocated to the Fostering Resilient Learning Project (FRLP) from the Trust Fund to support the reconstruction of the Sint Maarten Library, Sister Marie Laurence Primary School and Charles Leopold Bell Primary School, the development of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport's Management Information System (MMIS), inclusive education programs and educator training and national learning assessments.

FRLP is implemented by the National Recovery Program Bureau on behalf of the Government of Sint Maarten in close collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport. It is financed by the Government of the Netherlands through the Sint Maarten Trust Fund and administered by the World Bank.