October 29, 2026 No comments
Sint Maarten marks eight years of recovery through US$119.7 million Emergency Recovery Project I
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Emergency Recovery Project I (ERP-I), the first project financed through the Sint Maarten Recovery and Resilience Trust Fund, is approaching its scheduled closure in December 2026 following eight years of investment in the country's housing, education, public infrastructure and emergency services. With approximately US$119.7 million in financing, the project has supported repairs to more than 500 homes, restored 19 schools and placed 21 kilometers of electricity distribution infrastructure underground. Sint Maarten has also gained new emergency response vehicles, increased water-storage capacity and more advanced systems for monitoring severe weather and communicating public warnings. Representatives of the Government of Sint Maarten, the Government of the Netherlands, the World Bank and the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) gathered...
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October 28, 2026 No comments
MP Lyndon Lewis Urges Coalition to Put Country First Amid VROMI Tender Concerns
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Nation Opportunity Wealth (NOW) Member of Parliament (MP) and Chairman of the Justice Committee Lyndon Lewis is calling on the governing coalition to place the interests of the St. Maarten people above political loyalty as concerns surrounding the garbage collection tender under Minister of VROMI Patrice Gumbs draw public scrutiny. Recent news reports highlight dissatisfied bidders’ questions about changes to the tender, including allowing companies to receive two collection parcels instead of one, the reasons for retendering, and the assessment of contractors’ equipment, staffing and financial capacity. Government has indicated that scoring results remain subject to verification and do not constitute final contract awards. These concerns require examination and do not, by themselves, establish wrongdoing. "The situation...
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October 28, 2026 No comments
Sint Maarten Strengthens Human Trafficking Response Through Specialized Training Amid Tier 3 Ranking
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Strengthening Sint Maarten's ability to recognize human trafficking, protect victims and bring traffickers to justice was the focus of a five-day training programme organized by the National Reporting Center (NRC), in partnership with the Prosecutor's Office (OM), from October 19 to 23, 2026. The training responds to shortcomings highlighted in the United States Department of State's Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, which placed Sint Maarten in Tier 3, the lowest classification for governments' efforts to combat human trafficking. Tier 3 means a country does not fully meet minimum anti-trafficking standards and is not making significant efforts to do so. The classification brings increased international scrutiny and potential restrictions on certain forms of US assistance, subject to applicable...
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October 28, 2026 No comments
TEATT Launches St. Maarten’s First Fish Aggregating Devices to Strengthen the Fisheries Industry
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - On Wednesday September 23rd, the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation and Telecommunication (TEATT), through the Department of Economy, Transportation and Telecommunication (ETT), launched two Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) in the waters surrounding St. Maarten. The island’s first deployment of its kind marks a milestone for the fisheries industry in improving access to offshore fishing grounds while supporting fisher livelihoods, food security, and sustainable marine resource use. Generously donated by the Government of Curaçao, the FADs will help attract pelagic fish such as tuna, mahi-mahi, and wahoo. This can reduce fishers’ search time and fuel costs, while easing pressure on sensitive nearshore reef ecosystems. “This deployment marks an important step for St. Maarten’s fishing community and the continued...
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October 28, 2026 No comments
Court of Appeal imposes 30-month sentence in Pandora sexual abuse case
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Court of Appeal sentenced a woman, R.S.D.M., on October 20, to 30 months in prison for sexually abusing a minor girl and for complicity in the rape of two other girls by her then-husband, B.E.M.S. The case arose from the wider Pandora investigation into sexual abuse of minors, which also resulted in convictions against B.E.M.S. and a female friend of the household, J.W. The Prosecutor’s Office and KPSM previously reported that a victim’s disclosure to a trusted adult had led to action in the case. The offences for which R.S.D.M. was convicted occurred between 2006 and 2020. The case concerned repeated sexual abuse of girls entrusted to the adults’ care, with the youngest only four years...
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