SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The ribbon-cutting ceremony to declare the St. Martin Book Fair open on June 1, 2018, was performed by primary school winners of the “Letter and Essay Writing Competition,” said competition organizer Rochelle “Faizah” Ward. 

The St. Maarten Seven-day Adventist School student Makeela Isaac won first place in the primary school “letter division,” said Ward. “Nicholas Russo and Charriol Halley of the St. Maarten Montessori School tied for the second place prize,” said Ward.

“The first place winner in the high school essay division is Vanessa Saint-Hilaire of St. Dominic High School. Amoya Menzie of the St. Maarten Academy-Academic placed second,” said Ward.        

The island-wide writing competition with a unique twist of linking hair care, self-esteem, and school pride was organized by Don’t Break the Comb (DBC), the Natural Hair Lifestyle brand of which Ward is the owner.

“Both students and teachers of primary schools and high schools from both parts of the island were eligible to participate in the writing competition,” said Ward.

“The first place winner in the teacher division is Marianne Tefft, Head Teacher, Upper Elementary at the Sint Maarten Montessori School. The second place prize went to Tracy Holness, a fourth grade teacher at the Methodist Agogic Center,” said Ward.

“I was pleased with the turnout” from the schools, said Ward. “The letters and essays were quite enjoyable to read. Congratulations to the winners. Many thanks to the participants,” said Ward. The winning prizes were also presented by Ward during the opening night of the literary festival.

The teachers and students of all participating schools, the prize winners and their families were invited by DBC to the Opening Ceremony of the 16^th annual St. Martin Book Fair at Motorworld Showroom in Cole Bay, to enjoy the literary program and to witness the ribbon-cutting with the competition winners, said Ward.

The students performed the ribbon-cutting honors alongside a young author who was also invited by the book fair to be part of the ceremony.

PHILIPSBURG - On Saturday June 2^nd a Bike/Walk-a-thon will beheld starting at 06.00 a.m. at the Asha Stevens Hillside Christian School and end at 10.00 a.m. at the same location, a police press release said on Thursday.

The route of the Bike/Walk-a-thon is as follows: Welgelegen road- A.J.C. Brouwers road-Bush road- Prins Bernard bridge- Front Street- Hotel lane- Short Lane-Cornelius M. Vlaun Street- Walter J.A. Nisbet road- A. Th. Illidge road- zagersgut road- Bush road- A.J.C. Brouwers road- Welgelegen road- Asha Stevens Campus.

Triathlon

On Sunday June 3^rd a triathlon will be held on the public streets on the Dutch Side of the island starting at 07.00 a.m. and ending at 11.30 a.m.

The race will start with a swimming race in Great bay followed by a cycling event which will start on the Boardwalk- Front Street- D.C. Peterson Steeg- Back Street- Gevangenis Steeg- Cannegieter Street- D.A. Peterson street- Walter J.A. Nisbet road- Freedom Fighter round about- Walter J.A. Nisbet road-Prins Bernard Bridge- Bush road- Churchill round about- A.J.C. Brouwers road- Alexis Arnell road- Godfried Richardson Street- Link One- Little Bay road- Kerkhof Steeg- Wilhelmina steeg- Front Street- Sint Rose Arcade. The race will end after running the full length of the Board walk four times.

All drivers making use of these streets during the race are asked to pay good attention to the participants of the race and to give all necessary cooperation to make this event a safe one. (Sint Maarten Police Force)

SINT MAARTEN (POND ISLAND) – With the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season to open on June 1, the Cabinet of the Prime Minister issued the following statement on behalf of the Prime Minister Leona Romeo Marlin to the nation.

“To the people of Sint Maarten and guests visiting our shores, today June 1^st marks the official start of the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season. However, the first named storm of the season, Sub-Tropical Storm Alberto, formed late last week and made landfall on Monday in the U.S. State of Florida. This represents a reminder of how important it is to be PREPARED!

“At the beginning of every season, every household and business, needs to prepare for the season. This is an individual responsibility.

“Everyone in every household needs to know how to be storm-ready. Every business owner/manager should also have an exercise for their employees about being storm-ready, and the month of June is a good time to do so.

“Last year, our country experienced one of the worst hurricane seasons ever in recent memory when Hurricanes Irma and Maria caused devastation across the country. No community was left untouched and everyone has a story to tell about their experiences.

“It’s been 9 months later and our country is still recovering from the devastation that was caused. Together, much has been accomplished by Government, the business sector and individuals but so much more is still left to be done. Every household and business organization needs to review their hurricane disaster preparedness plans today.

“I urge you NOT to wait until a hurricane is knocking at our door. Do NOT wait for the last moment to run to the shop to buy batteries, canned goods, diapers, etc. Do so well before the peak of the hurricane season because, it is beneficial to you and your family that you prepare early!

“We have had the experience for many years now, of what needs to be done to prepare for the annual hurricane season.

“As a community we need to take every precautionary measure to minimize the impact of damage and destruction that storms or hurricanes wreak.

“As Prime Minister, I am ultimately responsible for Disaster Management on the island, a responsibility that I take seriously. As such, I have been meeting with our disaster management system the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) over the past weeks in meetings and at the recently held Disaster Preparedness Conference in order to prepare the country to the best of our abilities for any eventualities that may develop. Each Emergency Support Function (ESF) Group in the EOC is busy amending their Disaster Plans to reflect a new approach based on lessons learnt from the experience of Hurricane Irma and Maria.

“Having said this, a very important part of this process is for the key external stakeholders in our community for example NGO’s and Community Councils, to have their own plans in place and ready to be implemented when the time comes.

“With everybody taking their responsibility serious, the damage across the country can be mitigated and limited, leading to a speedier recovery and reopening of the country and return to normalcy.

“Review and restock your disaster supply kit with food, medication, drinking water, and other essentials; secure and safe guard your homes and places of business; trim overhanging trees near buildings; check leaking roofs; install storm shutters; review the structure of your roof and strengthen it; repair windows and doors if necessary.

“If you live along the beach or in flood prone areas make plans to move before the storm hits to stay with family, friends or make alternative housing arrangements. Make plans for elderly family members who live alone as well as those family members who are physically challenged. Remember, preparing early is the key!

“I would also like to inform you that the relevant authorities are busy with the review and preparation of the proposed shelters. Therefore, within short, the shelter list for 2018 will be published for your awareness.

“The 2018 Atlantic hurricane season without a doubt already has members of our communities nervous, because many homes and businesses that sustained damage from the hurricanes of September 2017 may not be finalized with their repairs. To you I say keep the rebuilding efforts going and if any severe weather is approaching please take the necessary precautions as advised for construction sites. The removal of cranes, loose lying lumber and debris should be your first priority as we know flying debris during a hurricane causes unnecessary damage to surrounding properties.

“I know everyone is working with the goal of having their homes and businesses completed before the peak months of the hurricane season arrives in August, September and October. Please work diligently with a plan and you will be able to complete your goals and objectives.

“There are also several non-Governmental and Governmental programs underway for home/roof repairs of seniors and other vulnerable groups within our communities. We are all working with the same goals in mind to complete these works before the peak of the season.

“As a community, let us come together and collectively prepare Sint Maarten for this season. I call on Civic organizations, community councils and other non-governmental organizations, to continue to contribute in preparing our communities to be storm-ready. A collective effort will make a huge difference! Remember it only takes one, BE PREPARED! Thank You”

SINT MAARTEN - Benjamin & Parker (B&P) Corporation (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) conducted a study in Latin America (Colombia, Valle del Cauca) and the Dutch Caribbean on the implementation of Corporate Efficiency Guidelines, B&P Executive Terrence Jandroep said in a media statement on Wednesday.

“The disclosures revealed that the Efficiency in the corporate perceptions is Accessibility, Reliability and Availability of Financial information (ARA principle) on which stakeholder’s decision are made or has to rely on.

“Fact is that the corporate financial requirement cannot depend only on the ARA principle as a new turn in technology has created new threats while impact and containment hereof is not thoroughly and sufficiently addressed.

“Corporate Effectiveness is measured by the achievement of a set goal, which is barely defined within the Efficiency objectives. The misrepresentation that Efficiency is Cost savings, which mathematically cannot be determined, and that Effectiveness, which objectives are not clear, is monitored by Efficiency baseline guidelines is an unsustainable science that has been embedded in the corporate world for decades, but today’s business community demands much more thorough studies.

“Efficiency is a tool to promote administrative accuracy; however, there is no formula to determine how to measure cost savings achievement levels within the administrative cycle. 

“Effectiveness measurement emphasizes in today’s competitive world on how cash improvement actions are implemented to secure profits and or how to contain losses evolution. In addition, B-Parker, identifies the urgent need by businessmen to secure the money channels based upon expressions like: ”We are trying to get the money through the front door while its flying out the backdoor”. This statement confirms that waste of resources is not handled correctly, and these losses are deliberately allocated into the selling price, conditioning inflation, creating the new scientific term “negligence inflation”.

“It’s fair to say that untreated waste of resource by the companies is being allocated to the customers, resulting in the decrease and limitation of the purchase power by the community consciously, who subsequently blames Governments for the increase of the cost of living. 

“High waste of resources is known in the following corporate branches:
Energy suppliers
Food whole and retail sale
Medical field

“The aftermath when the recovery of the waste is not achieved through sales, profits capsize, management takes the ultimate action to secure their financial expectations by firing personnel. The general corporate culture dictates that personnel is the first account to be addressed, without considering the impact of corporate image self-destruction by compromising customer quality management and not to mention the increase of unemployment statistics.

“The decrease of employment opportunities, the increase of unemployment, brain drain, brain waste, taxation ambushes and no financial incentives for new investors is the formula for economic instability in any country, which based upon our study, initiates in the corporate environment.

“Fact is that the customer is between rising of cost of living, unemployment, poor employment possibilities which may have been triggered by the same corporations and businesses, due to negligence to detect cost and or waste evolution of their products.

“The chain for survival determines that unemployment enhances crime. Corporate effectiveness determines a great part of the inflation exceling conditions, and the derived impact if remain untreated,” B&P concludes.