May 28, 2026 No comments
Indisu Dance Theater & Dynamics Sporting Club Named Youth Service Excellence Award Recipients
SINT MAARTEN (COLE BAY) - The Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset hosted a heartfelt and inspiring Youth Service Month celebration on May 25th, 2026, bringing together more than 100 attendees, including Rotarians, Interactors, youth leaders, community organizations, invited guests, and supporters for an unforgettable evening dedicated to honoring the achievements, talents, leadership, and limitless potential of the youth of Sint Maarten. In celebration of Rotary International’s Youth Service Month, the meeting was proudly co-chaired by the Presidents of the Interact Clubs of the Methodist Agogic Centre, St. Dominic High School, and Learning Unlimited Preparatory School. The young leaders confidently guided the evening while sharing highlights from their clubs’ year in review, highlighting impactful service projects, leadership initiatives, and the positive difference...
Read more
May 28, 2026 No comments
Three men sentenced to Seven years imprisonment in Defiance shooting case
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Court of First Instance has sentenced suspects R.N., J.A., and B.B. each to seven years imprisonment in connection with the March 13, 2025, shooting incident in Defiance Quarter. R.N. was convicted of attempted manslaughter and unlawful firearm possession, while J.A. and B.B. were convicted of co-perpetration of attempted manslaughter. A.A. and B.B. were also convicted for unlawful firearm possession. The Court found the attempted manslaughter charge against R.N. legally and convincingly proven and rejected the defense arguments of self-defense and excessive self-defense. Similarly, the Court rejected the defense arguments of self-defense and excessive self-defense of J.A. and B.B. In addition to the prison sentence, the Court ordered R.N. to pay the victim, identified by initials C.P.J., an...
Read more
May 27, 2026 No comments
Coalition Chooses Survival Over Accountability
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The final vote — six in favor and seven against the dismissal of Minister of VROMI Patrice Gumbs of the PFP party — sent a clear and troubling message to the people of St. Maarten: for this coalition of DP, URSM, and PFP, political survival appears to matter more than public suffering, Member of Parliament (MP) Omar Ottley said in a statement on Wednesday. “For nearly two years, the people of this country have voiced growing frustration over worsening conditions: overflowing sewage, uncollected garbage, permit stagnation, deteriorating infrastructure, and a general sense that basic governance has stalled. Yet despite these repeated complaints from citizens and businesses alike, the coalition demonstrated through its actions that these concerns...
Read more
May 27, 2026 No comments
Five-year ban, community service for former immigration officer in human-smuggling-related case
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) – The Court of First Instance has convicted former immigration officer W.C.C. for violating official secrecy in connection with a human smuggling investigation. The defendant was not tried or convicted for human smuggling offenses themselves. The Court, in its sitting of imposed a sentence of 180 hours of community service, with a conditional prison sentence of three months suspended on a probation period of three years. In addition, the Court ordered a five-year ban preventing the defendant from working as a civil servant. The case stems from an investigation launched in 2024 into suspected human smuggling activities. On May 29, 2024, the Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM), in cooperation with the Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten (OM SXM),...
Read more
May 27, 2026 No comments
CBCS publishes policy note National Adaptation Plans to help translate climate change awareness into concrete actions
SINT MAARTEN/CURACAO - As climate change risks become increasingly evident, the Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS) highlights the importance of translating awareness into concrete and coordinated action in Curaçao and Sint Maarten. In a newly published policy note, the CBCS outlines how both countries can strengthen their climate adaptation efforts through National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), highlighting best practices for their design and implementation. The development of a National Adaptation Plan will help both countries better prepare for the impacts of climate change. The policy note discusses four key pillars of effective adaptation planning: framing, evaluation, governance and implementation, and broader development considerations. The findings highlight several practical priorities for Curaçao and Sint Maarten, including the need to establish clear roles...
Read more
