SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY – By Terence Jandroep) - In the tax administration systems of Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten, the right to object to a tax assessment is a fundamental legal shield for the taxpayer. However, many business owners discover a harsh reality too late: writing a protest letter is not merely an administrative formality; it is a strict legal procedure.

Every year, dozens of valid corporate tax disputes are thrown out before they are even evaluated on their financial merits. The verdict? Inadmissibility (Niet-ontvankelijkheidsverklaring).

When a protest letter is declared inadmissible, the Tax Inspectorate legally closes the door on the dispute. The assessment becomes final, the legal avenues are blocked, and the file is handed directly to the Tax Receiver for Compliance by Force—leading straight to bank liens and asset auctions.

Understanding why protest letters fail on technical grounds is the first step in avoiding operational paralysis.

The Anatomy of Inadmissibility: Why the Door Slams Shut
Inadmissibility does not mean the Tax Inspector looked at your math and disagreed. It means your protest letter failed to meet the strict procedural rules mandated by Dutch Caribbean tax law. In simple terms, the Inspector rejected the letter without ever reading your arguments.

The most common triggers for immediate inadmissibility include:

*The Hard 2-Month Deadline: Tax ordinances across the islands dictate a strict timeframe (typically two months from the date of the assessment notice) to lodge a formal objection. Missing this window by even a single day results in automatic inadmissibility, regardless of how incorrect the tax bill is.

*The "Premature" Protest: Filing an objection before the assessment has been officially issued or finalized by the Inspectorate is procedurally invalid.

*Lack of Explicit Authorization: If a consultant signs the protest letter but fails to submit a legally binding power of attorney (machtiging) signed by the corporate director, the letter is procedurally dead on arrival.

*Failure to State Grounds: A letter that simply says, "I disagree with this assessment because it is too high," is legally insufficient. The protest must explicitly state the factual and legal grounds for the objection.

The Danger of the "Accountant's Exit"
The primary reason businesses fall into the inadmissibility trap is a structural gap in regional representation. Many local business owners rely on standard accountants to draft their protest letters.

Because standard accountants are trained for compliance and historical bookkeeping rather than formal litigation, they frequently treat the protest letter as a casual administrative request. When the Inspectorate responds with a declaration of inadmissibility, the accountant reaches their technical ceiling and exits the equation.

The taxpayer is then left in the "War Room" confronted with frozen bank accounts and imminent asset seizures, realizing too late that their original defense was procedurally flawed.

The Post-Inadmissibility Crisis: Entering the War Room
Once a protest letter is declared inadmissible, traditional litigation options collapse. You cannot easily appeal the substance of the tax bill to the Board of Appeals or the Court of First Instance because you failed to complete a valid objection phase.

At this precise point of crisis, the Tax Receiver takes control of the file to execute the debt. This is where the business enters a phase of immediate operational threat:

*Bank Liens: Working capital is frozen instantly, halting payroll and supplier payments.

*Public Auctions: Corporate assets, vehicles, and inventory are slated for forced liquidation on the courthouse steps.

The Alternative Pathway: Tax Stay of Execution Mediation
When a protest letter is thrown out for inadmissibility, the legal battle over the law is over. The debt is locked. However, the battle for business survival is not.

This is where the paradigm must shift from legal litigation to Forensic Mediation. As a Certified Risk Auditor (CRA), Terence Jandroep pioneers a specialized intervention known as Compliance by Acceptance.

Instead of trying to revive a dead legal protest, this methodology focuses on the clinical reality of the business's current liquidity. By constructing an international ISO-standard Technical Evidence Binder, Jandroep bypasses the procedural wreckage and presents the Tax Receiver with an undeniable financial alternative: halting the destructive auction and replacing it with a structured, audited framework that guarantees 100% recovery for the state treasury over time.

"An inadmissible protest letter locks the legal door," says Jandroep. "But forensic mediation behaves like a financial locksmith. We accept the liability determined by the state, but we forensically restructure the recovery method so the government gets paid and the enterprise keeps breathing."

By Certified Risk Auditor (CRA), Terence Jandroep

SINT MAARTEN/DANIA BEACH, Fla. – Spirit Aviation Holdings, Inc., parent company of Spirit Airlines, LLC (“Spirit” or the “Company”), today, Saturday, May 2, 2026 regretfully announced that the Company has started an orderly winddown of operations, effective immediately.

All Spirit flights have been cancelled, and Spirit Guests should not go to the airport. The wind-down follows the Company’s extensive and comprehensive efforts to restructure the business and pursue transactions to strengthen Spirit’s financial position and create a sustainable path forward.

Unfortunately, despite the Company’s efforts, the recent material increase in oil prices and other pressures on the business have significantly impacted Spirit’s financial outlook. With no additional funding available to the Company, Spirit had no choice but to begin this wind-down.

“For more than 30 years, Spirit Airlines has played a pioneering role in making travel more accessible and bringing people together while driving affordability across the industry,” said Dave Davis, Spirit’s President and Chief Executive Officer.

“In March 2026, we reached an agreement with our bondholders on a restructuring plan that would have allowed us to emerge as a go-forward business. However, the sudden and sustained rise in fuel prices in recent weeks ultimately has left us with no alternative but to pursue an orderly wind-down of the Company.

“Sustaining the business required hundreds of millions of additional dollars of liquidity that Spirit simply does not have and could not procure. This is tremendously disappointing and not the outcome any of us wanted.”

“I want to thank the Administration, in particular Secretary Howard Lutnick and the U.S. Department of Commerce, for their extraordinary efforts to try to preserve jobs and service across the country, along with the U.S. Department of Transportation for their assistance to minimize the disruption to our Guests in the days and weeks ahead,” Davis continued.

“Many stakeholders have stepped up for Spirit through our restructuring. We are grateful to our labor union partners, aircraft lessors, other business partners and our financial stakeholders including Citadel, Cyrus Capital and Ares Management Corp, for working with us on tangible solutions to restructure our business.”

“Most of all, we are grateful to our relentless Spirit team for their tremendous effort during our restructuring,” Davis added.

“They have tirelessly provided a safe, affordable and award-winning option to the traveling public.”

Spirit will automatically process refunds for any flights purchased through Spirit with a credit or debit card to the original form of payment.

Guests who booked flights via a travel agent should contact the travel agent directly to request a refund.

Compensation for Guests who booked flights using any other methods, including a voucher, credit or Free Spirit points, will be determined at a later date through the bankruptcy process.

Guests can visit https://spiritrestructuring.com for more information about Spirit’s wind-down process.

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) is deeply saddened about the passing of Brigadier Keri Hyman, one of our most dedicated and beloved officers.

Brigadier Hyman, who passed away on April 23, 2026, following a long and courageous battle with illness, was an integral part of our team and one of the cornerstones of the KPSM family, particularly during the Carnival season, where she played an important role during carnival and supporting the Jouvert festivities.

Throughout her illness, Brigadier Hyman demonstrated the same strength, resilience, and grace that defined her years of service to the force. She faced her journey with quiet courage, and her commitment to KPSM never wavered.

In honor of Brigadier Hyman's passion and unwavering dedication to the force, KPSM officers will wear pink polo-shirts as part of their uniform during the upcoming Jouvert celebrations. This symbolic gesture is a heartfelt tribute to her strength, spirit, and love for the Carnival season.

A special ceremony will be held at the rear of the Philipsburg Police Station on April 27, 2026, at 4:00 a.m., just before the Jouvert Jump-Up begins. The ceremony will include a solemn moment of silence in Brigadier Hyman's honor, as we gather together with her family and friends to pay our respects before the festivities commence.

KPSM extends its most sincere and heartfelt condolences to Brigadier Hyman's family, friends, and colleagues. She will be profoundly missed, and her spirit will forever remain a cherished part of the KPSM family.

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) provides the public with an update regarding the physical altercation that took place in the early morning hours of April 24, 2026, shortly after the closing of the Festival Village.

During the preliminary investigation, detectives established that two off-duty female police officers were involved in the incident. This development has prompted both an internal and criminal investigation into the matter.

KPSM confirms that its Internal Affairs Department has initiated a formal investigation into the conduct of the officers involved. It should be noted that one of the officers identified in this incident was already suspended in connection with a separate, earlier internal investigation.

Based on digital evidence reviewed as part of the ongoing inquiry, both officers have been summoned by detectives to provide official statements regarding their involvement in the altercation. The case is also being investigated from a criminal standpoint.

The Prosecutor’s Office has been formally informed and remains engaged in the handling of this matter. The Prosecutor’s Office will make the final decision regarding the development of this case in relation to any criminal acts identified during the investigation.

KPSM emphasizes that its zero-tolerance policy applies to everyone without exception. No individual is above the law, and any involvement in criminal or disorderly behavior will be addressed accordingly.

The Police Force remains committed to transparency, accountability, and maintaining public trust, while ensuring the safety and security of the community.