St.MaartenNews Print Edition December 2022

Toxic organizations: GEBE is not alone

PHILIPSBURG -- In November of last year, the Court in First Instance described the atmosphere at utilities company GEBE as toxic. The case revolved around the (failed) attempt to fire Sharine Daniel. “GEBE has devised a strategy to get rid of its employee and it shunned few methods. Normally, an employee whom this happens to would not even want to work for such an employer anymore,” the court ruling states.

Turns out that GEBE is not the only company in the world where labor conditions can be described as toxic. The Professional Association of Independent Researchers in the Netherlands published a research paper about the issue in August 2021 and its findings offer plenty of food for thought. The research paper describes the characteristics of toxic leadership and offers a few examples for context. “Some toxic organizations like the SS are clearly wrong and dangerous and they promote systematic toxic behavior in their ranks.”

Obviously, not all present-day organizations operate like Adolf Hitler’s infamous paramilitary Schutzstaffel. “Other organizations are clearly unpleasant for employees and for citizens. Searching the in-

ternet on terms like culture of fear, abuse of power by local authorities and nepotism indicate that this is not exceptional in the Dutch context,” the researchers wrote.

They quote a survey by the largest Dutch labor union, FNV, that found that 15 percent of employees experiences inappropriate pressure at work.

Furthermore, the researchers point out that 1 percent of the population is psychopath and that half a percent is narcissistic. Four percent of leaders meet these two criteria.

In the St. Maarten context, assuming a population of 43,000, there could be 430 psychopaths among us and 215 narcissists if the conditions are similar to those in the Netherlands.

The criminal psychologist Robert Hare has confirmed the 1 percent the researchers have used for the prevalence of psychopaths. Hare also has asserted that their prevalence in the business world is higher - possibly 3 to 4 percent - than it is in the general population. He has identified media mogul Robert Maxwell as a corporate psychopath.

MPC’s Upcycl Wins National YOUTH PITCH COMPETITION

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten

— The finals of the first-ever National Youth Pith Competition was held on November 20, 2022, with seven (7) teams representing 70% of the secondary schools pitched in front of five (5) judges vying to win ANG 10 000. The National Youth Pitch Competition was designed to develop financial literacy, hone entrepreneurial skills and foster an innovative culture among the youth. These finals were held at the Government Administration Building with more than 100

persons in the audience. The finals were also streamed live to the Facebook Pages of Global Entrepreneurship Week Sint Maarten, Islandpreneur, TelEm, and the Government of Sint Maarten. It was also streamed live on Youtube and TV15. It is estimated that more than 2000 viewed the finals.

The host for the evening was King Vers, an artist, brand ambassador and motivational speaker. The finals opened with the St. Maarten song on live steel pan and was immedi-

ately followed with prayer and declarations from faith-based leader and IEP Peace Ambassador, Dr. Alicia Liverpool. First to welcome the audience was Dr. Ife Badejo, the project manager of the National Youth Pitch Competition and Executive Producer of Islandpreneur. Dr. Badejo expressed in her opening address that entrepreneurship is not about “making money but making a difference” and sees this project as a real catalyst to further

STMAARTENSPORTS.COM soon to be launched

~ Sports to get its own platform on St. Maarten ~

PHILIPSBURG -- It is long overdue in the making, but StMaartenSports.com is set to be launched early 2023 as a new vertical in publishing next to StMaartenNews.com and focusing exclusively on sports news in St. Maarten.

The website at StMaartenSports. com is currently under construction. In the meantime, avid sports enthusiasts and followers can like the St. Maarten Sports Facebook Page via https://www.facebook. com/StMaartenSportsdotcom.

The new StMaartenSports.com website will be used as a platform for the promotion of local St. Maarten sports via media publications, printed as well as internet-based and via social media. StMaartenSports. com will be the media platform and technology provider for all sports on St. Maarten providing live broadcasting and hosting an online database of sports stats, images and videos of sporting athletes.

StMaartenSports.com has the platforms and the technology to broadcast and publicize sporting events live and via pay-per-view. StMaartenSports.com will sup-

port the maintenance of a stats database per league, per team and per player. This way fans and scouts can go on the website and look up stats on any league, team or player St. Maarten. StMaartenNews.com would also like it to be known that for artists, history and culture buffs, we are also working on another vertical called StMaartenArts. com. More information will be published about that soon.

In the meantime, if you have a sporting event, feel free to contact us at StMaartenNews.com to discuss promoting your event on StMaartenSports.com.

The National Youth Pitch Competition was a huge success. St. Dominic wins Crowd Favorite.

Minister Doran: ”

approach to

prevent progress

ing up.” Asked about his plans for 2023, he said: “I have made a conscious decision a little over a month ago that I am going to put all my energy into new things and getting things done. I am going to limit the time dedicated to court cases, because that has been taking up a lot of my time. Don’t underestimate,” he added, “There is a systematic approach to keep me busy and to prevent progress.”

Related articles: Minister Doran intends to bring life to Philipsburg

The tender for the demolition of the old structures is “in the evaluation stage,” he added. “This is going to be done very quickly at the beginning of the new year.”

Minister Doran

PHILIPSBURG -- “If it were up to me, I would fix all infrastructure. But it is all about the money and about prioritizing. Financing is one of our major issues,” Minister of Public Housing, Urban Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Egbert Jurendy Doran said during an interview with Grace Blijden (Lady Grace) in the radio broadcast The Breakfast Lounge on Thursday. “We have to pick and choose. We would need 10 million guilders to properly resurface all our major roads, but we only have 2 million in the budget for road maintenance. We have a list of deplorable roads. We will begin with the most deplorable one and work our way up from there.”

Minister Doran touched upon a variety of issues during the interview, from the court ruling about the long lease rights for Alegria that went his way to the quest for affordable housing.

Doran said that there had been “a lot of pressure from all corners” to make him sign off on Alegria’s request for rights of long lease to a water parcel adjacent to the Morgan Resort in Burgeaux Bay. He repeated that the favorable court ruling was “a monumental victory, not for me, but for St. Maarten.”

See related article: Alegria loses battle for long lease rights

The minister said that all he has been doing since taking office back in 2020 is “clean-

One of the items on Doran’s agenda is the quest for social houses, affordable homes and home ownership. “I believe in home ownership and I know personally how difficult it is to get a mortgage. Due to inflation and rising construction prices it is only going to become more difficult. So if we can put something in place to promote home ownership, then that is the direction I’ll be going.”

The minister said that there are “a lot of people” living in social houses “that are not supposed to be there. They can afford better. I want to make it possible for people to move from social homes into their own homes and to create thereby space for those who really need social homes.”

Doran also revealed his personal view on the development of the location of the former government administration building and the post office: “Commercial units at the bottom and residential units - one bedroom or studios - at the top. And a multilevel parking garage,” he said.

Minister Doran also addressed the staffing issues at his ministry. On Friday, December 9, he will be at a “job mixer” at the office of the minister plenipotentiary in The Hague. “We have trouble with recruitment and we currently have six critical vacancies,” he said. “The government has to facilitate and make it attractive for people to come back to the island Doran said that when he became minister at VROMI, there was just one of the six required department heads. “We miss a lot of leadership. We lost key staff to the NRPB (National Recovery Program Bureau).”

Another issue on Doran’s mind is accessibility. “We lack a lot of infrastructure for people who cannot move around like you and me,” he said, at a given moment referring to such citizens as “differently abled.” As an example he referred to the current parliament building of which the first floor is only accessibly via a rather steep staircase. “That is not correct. In the new parliament building we have to make sure that all the bells and whistles are there.” That remark referred specifically to the installation of elevators.

Pie de Foto: Lastly, the minister used the occasion to congratulate Keshia Richards, daughter of former Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards, with the opening of her notary office. The minister also complimented his acting secretarygeneral Raitza Narain for doing a great job.

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“There is a systematic

keep me busy and to

Whether there are corporate psychopaths at the helm at government-owned companies in St. Maarten is anybody’s guess. we simply do not know, but the research paper this article is mainly based on gives us a few pointers.

The researchers have identified what they call “the dirty dozen” - twelve characteristics that apply to corporate psychopaths.

They manipulate others to promote their own interests; they cheat and lie to promote their own interests in a dishonest way; they use flattery to serve their purposes; they exploit others for personal benefit; they do not show regret; they lack morality; they are hard and insensitive towards others; they are cynical; they crave admiration and they crave the attention of others; they have a need for prestige and status; and they expect special favors from others.

Toxic organizations offer no fertile ground for integrity: “A code that states that you have to act with integrity does not find a breeding ground in a toxic organization; it will at best be complied with strategically.”

The researchers present a harsh picture of toxic leaders: ‘A toxic leader can be characterized as focused on personal interests, maintaining

and increasing power, fame and prestige. He knows no or little empathy or morality and is prepared to lie, intimidate and manipulate. The psychopath knows little fear. Other than the cases that quickly end up in prison, the corporate psychopath has the necessary self-control that enables him to keep his charm and charisma.”

In a toxic organization, the researchers found, mistakes are not acknowledged but swept under the carpet. Employees, clients and citizens are irrelevant. There is a significant risk of abuse of power through favoritism, corruption and fraud. These organizations highly value awards and publicity. The researchers define this as “morally bragging.”

The researchers arrive at a rather depressing conclusion. “Toxic individuals and toxic public and private organizations exist. We do not know yet how many there are, and which toxic processes are in play. A toxic leader cannot become an ethical leader and a toxic organization is incapable of changing without external intervention.”

The researchers, Caroline Raat and Joop Remmé, say that management-science ought to devote more attention to this issue - for private companies and for government-organizations.

Airport on the road to recovery

PHILIPSBURG -- In the first seven months of the year, Princess Juliana international airport handled 425,000 departing passengers. “The airport is currently at 95 percent recovery in terms of traffic and movements,” airportdirector Brian Mingo says.

Twenty percent of departing passengers used American Airlines (85,325) while 14 percent (59,070 passengers) flew with JetBlue, followed by Delta with 12 percent (56,006).

The majority of passengers (53.1 percent) were Americans, followed by Europeans (18.5 percent) and Caribbeans (11 percent). At the bottom of the seven top-rated airlines is KLM with 4 percent (17,423 passengers). Of the 425,000 passengers, just half a percent came from Latin America.

The three top destinations for departing passengers were Miami (13 percent, 56,287 passengers), John F. Kennedy (12 percent, 49,607) and Charles de Gaulle (10 percent, 42,977).

At the bottom of this top-ten is Toronto Pearson International

Airport with 3 percent and 13,810 passengers.

Princess Juliana International Airport had a top year in 2016 when it handled 1.8 million passenger movements and 890,000 departures. In 2019, the recovery year after Hurricane Irma, the airport registered 1.5 million passenger movements and 750,000 departures. This represented 85 percent of the 2016-traffic. In 2021 the airport forecasted an average of 50 percent of the 2019 numbers and the year ended just above that prediction. “We are not out of the woods yet but the forecast looks promising,” the airport stated at the time.

The airport’s strategic plan 2021-2025 contains six organizational goals to guide its improvement, rebuilding and development. Among those objectives are building financial stability, rebuilding the airport of the future and ensuring quality and safety through a renewed management system.

Improving the employee-experience is one of the key objectives, as the airport realizes

that achieving its goals lies “solely in the hands of the employees.”

The airport went through a tough time in the wake of Hurricane Irma followed by the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a dramatic drop in air traffic and an almost complete paralysis of revenue. Working on a $100 million reconstruction project, the airport recorded a $18.3 million loss in 2020. Important capital investments that were identified in the 2013 master plan, such as the fuel farm, the FBO and preclearance, were delayed because of financial restraints. The focus had to be on survival and on creating a sustainable future for one of St. Maarten’s most critical pieces of infrastructure.

The airport wants to grow hub and international passenger services by 25 percent to 830,000 enplanements by 2026. Furthermore, it aims to have the terminal building restored and upgraded by the second quarter of 2023 as “the hub airport of the Caribbean with designs and technologies to enhance the customer experience.”

Taxi association alarmed about intention to issue more permits

PHILIPSBURG -- The Dutch St. Maarten Taxi Association (DSTA) has sounded the alarm over rumors that the acting Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Omar Ottley intends to lift the moratorium on taxi licenses and that he is about the issue forty new licenses.

DSTA President May Friday confirmed the rumor and the

unrest it has created in a written statement. “Word is out that the honorable minister of TEATT will be lifting the moratorium on the permits. Supposedly, forty permits will be issued,” she stated. The DSTA does not mention the minister by name and emphasizes that its statement is not a personal attack on him.

Nevertheless, the taxi association is not at all happy with

this turn of events. “We are not in favor of the minister doing so without the reinstatement of the steering committee,” Friday stated. “The current state of our island’s main economy does not support a demand for more taxis.”

Friday suspects that other motives are in play. “The public transportation sector has been turned into a playing field for political leverage, gov-

ernment personnel’s interests and clouded judgment due to greed. These persons do not see the negative impact their personal interests are having on the tourism industry and the island’s main source of income.”

Friday adds that St. Maarten “may be the only place in the world where an island ambassador does not have to know

anything about the very island they are an ambassador of.” The taxi association urges Minister Ottley to do his best “to work in the interest of the people of St. Maarten. We are kindly requesting that the messy pile that has been created over the years does not grow into an even messier situation where the trickle down effects compromise the island in its entirety.”

Front men

By Terrance Rey

The time-tested and true use of a front man in business on Sint Maarten is

This phenomenon is in line with the strategy: Own nothing, control everything. Unfortunately, this usage comes from the need to misuse many of the loopholes found in the island ordinances of Sint Maarten when it was just a pristine island consisting only of beaches, lagoons and ponds and investors were looking for prime properties to develop on the island.

When I migrated back to Sint Maarten in 2007 and wanted to establish a company on the island, I was told about a well-known way to avoid the lengthy bureaucratic process. You could go through the licensing process quickly if you appointed a white person to be the director of your company. It didn’t matter what kind of white person. It could be American, Canadian, French or British. But it is always better if it was a Dutchman. Because there was also a way to create a ‘short cut’ to speed up the permit process. This was achieved by drafting the permit application entirely in Dutch: the language of the notaries and lawyers on the island. Also judges, doctors, registered accountants and consultants. Most of the civil servants appointed back in the day by the political establishment as a reward for their support during elections barely spoke or read a word of Dutch, let alone understood what those official-sounding words in deeds and extracts meant. They would quickly rubberstamp these documents for approval to get them off their desk.

The use of front men was a well-known way for politicians (read: commissioners back in the day) to hide their possession of government land, permits and lucrative water rights. The most used straw man on the island of Sint Maarten at the time was called “De Blanke”. He is even said to be the father of a then young and ambitious politician, a rising star in the political firmament. Unfortunately, like Icarus, this young politician turned out to have wanted to fly too close to the sun and burned himself with the desire to be in ‘greener pastures’ too fast and too soon. The fate, unfortunately, of many millennials who find themselves on a political slippery slope, driven by a desire (call it ‘greed’) to get rich quick. These politicians looked to become rich on the backs of the people of Sint Maarten who vote for them and put their trust in them, with or without a little incentive of, for example, 300 dollars to pay their GEBE bills.

De Blanke was notorious on Sint Maarten. Few know his story, however. It’s a good thing too. Because many politicians, some dead and gone by now, knew how to put him to good use and to put him to work for them. As a result, an important part of the history of the economic development of Sint Maarten remains untold. But some of the generation before my time know very well where the ‘bones are buried’, to quote an old Sint Maarten saying, when it comes to corruption cases in which De Blanke was happy and eager to give his cooperation. I always say: what happens on Sint Maarten, also happens on Curacao, and vice versa. There you had the late Nelson Monte on Curacao. He knew better than any other how to put straw men - and women - in front of his cart. The most pathetic straw man I know from that period was Ben Komproe. He was briefly Prime Minister and then Minister of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles in the cabinet of Mirna Louise-Godett, with the duo Anthony Godett and Nelson Monte in offices right next to his in Forti, the government building in Willemstad. The antics they pulled off and the pressure they put him under, Komproe suffered physically from the severe stress this caused until his untimely death in 2004 at the age of 62. A very pathetic case.

Sint Maarten politicians were nothing compared to these politicians on Curacao. On Sint Maarten they had gentlemen’s agreements. It was expected, for instance, that when a commissioner was in power, it was simply his turn to ensure that his bed was well-spread financially for himself and for his family and closest friends and advisors. Once, when a commissioner refused to participate in this self-enrichment carousel, he was unceremoniously voted out in the next election. When asked how that could happen, political pundits had the answer ready: If a politician can’t take care of himself, how do you expect him to take care of others. That commissioner was never re-elected again.

Note: The use of front men is still very much active on Sint Maarten to this day. For example, we now have ‘De Gele’. You can see him on the streets of Philipsburg and on the Boardwalk on his little motorbike. A simple man, friendly and very helpful. But few know that he is a front man for the biggest harbor barons on the island and, as such, is the director of one of the largest real estate companies on the island with assets in the harbor, on the cruise port and on the most famous arcade on the boardwalk of Great Bay. Looks can be very deceiving on Sint Maarten. You will be surprised to know who all is linked to whom and who actually owns what.

[Publisher’s Note: Front Men is one of the many columns to be found in the upcoming book by Terrance Rey called Cusha Columns.]

Freedom of choice

By Hilbert Haar

The Common Court of Justice has ordered Aruba and Curacao to allow marriages between partners of the same sex. That order had not gone into effect yet, because both countries could appeal the ruling at the Supreme Court. Would that change anything? Damn good question.

Freedom of choice is a fundamental principle in constitutional states. We have freedom of religion. Freedom of education. Freedom of association. Freedom of speech. And so on.

But countries that make it impossible for its citizens to marry the person of their choice are somehow still living in the dark ages. The objections against same-sex marriages come, traditionally, from religious corners.

Up to a point, I can understand that. After all we have freedom of expression, and therefore freedom of opinion in our country. We are allowed, taking some legal restrictions into account, to say and write whatever the hell we want. There is no law saying that you cannot oppose same-sex marriage. Opponents of same-sex-marriage do not have my sympathy but they are entitled to their opinion.

However, if those opponents make it impossible for others to make their own choices, for instance by marrying someone of the same sex, they cross a line that I find unacceptable.

I wrote this already years ago: freedom stops where it intrudes upon the freedom of others. People are free to believe that some guy they never met was able to walk on water, or to turn five pieces of bread and two fish into an unforgettable lunch for 5,000 people. The thing is: you don’t have to believe these fairytales. Feel free. Knock yourself out. You know?

Here is another useful observation. If you disapprove of marriage between people of the same sex, there is a simple solution: do not marry somebody of the same sex and leave people with a different approach alone.

But no. That is too much to ask from people who continue to believe in fairytales. In this sense, I have a lot of respect for Wycliffe Smith, the founder of the St. Maarten Christian Party. Given his background, he does not support same-sex marriage. He once told me that, if the parliament wanted to legislate such marriages, he would obviously vote against. But he would respect the ultimate decision.

What does that tell you? That you can stay true to your own beliefs and at the same time show respect for others who happen to have a different approach to life. Chapeau.

Will the court rulings that now affect Aruba and Curacao also have consequences for St. Maarten? Another damn good question.

Fact: the constitutions of all three countries are similar. They all prohibit discrimination on any grounds. Will somebody in the government (or the parliament) take proactive action and say something like: hey, let’s save us the shame of a court case and do voluntarily what the court has ordered Aruba and Curacao to do? I doubt it, because our politicians have always been very good at ignoring reality.

But that same-sex marriages will become legal in St. Maarten sooner or later is inevitable. Like with hurricanes, it only takes one. One court case.

a well-known phenomenon.

Kadushi Column

columns Hypocrisy rules

Hundreds of children go to school without breakfast. Elderly people who cannot afford a hot meal every day. Three generations who, due to a shortage of affordable housing, live under one (if all goes well not leaking) roof. Single mothers who have two jobs to make ends meet at the end of the month. In the Caribbean part of the kingdom, the excesses of bitter poverty are the rule rather than the exception. Yet you never or rarely hear about it in the media in the European Netherlands. How different it was this week when the Common Court paved the way for same-sex marriage in Curaçao and Aruba.

All national and regional newspapers – from the NRC to a village newspaper like the IJmuider Courant, radio stations and news sites brought it as breaking news. Even the ultra-Christian Reformatorisch Dagblad reported on it – albeit with little enthusiasm. An elated Secretary of State for Kingdom Relations made a joyful jump and tweeted that “in our Kingdom it does not matter where you live and who you love.” Well, we’ll have to see. The governments have three months to appeal in cassation. And even then: the paper reality of the law in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom is not always in sync with daily practice.

Even if same-sex couples are allowed to get married, it will still take many a lawsuit before gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders and non-binary people and whatever other tastes there are, can live a normal life on the islands, without being rejected for a rental property or insurance for vague reasons. Courage is required from wedding officials. After all, they run the risk of being denounced by the church and their families. And that in societies in which the non-hetero-density per square kilometer is higher than in the free-spirited motherland.

We all know the ministers, journalists, directors, teachers and yes, even the pastors who practice gentleman’s or women’s love against the odds. But (openly) accepting that people live by who and what they are, is not one of them. Not that the populations of Curaçao and Aruba are so incredibly homophobic, they are mainly hypocritical. Instead of chasing genuine love into the closet, it would be better to worry about real (too common) excesses such as child abuse, domestic violence, men who have children with five or more women and refuse to contribute to the upbringing. The Istanbul Convention (against domestic violence) has been awaiting ratification by the governments in Willemstad, Oranjestad and Philipsburg for years.

Illustrative of the hypocrisy is Campo Alegre on Curaçao, the largest brothel populated exclusively with foreign employees in the Caribbean that was opened shortly after the Second World with the blessing of the bishop. With the noble aim of an excuse packaged in keeping Curaçao women from going into prostitution. The real reason was to protect the privacy of – for example – judges and bank directors who managed to find their way to Campo even without the advertising billboard in the form of a fig leaf, which towered over everything. The now defunct camp has not been able to prevent many dignitaries from having a handful of outside women plus at least one side chick.

If the politicians in Curaçao and Aruba have any heart for human rights (Kadushi remains an optimist against his better judgment), the first same-sex marriages can be performed in March. No doubt in the presence of photographers and reporters from the European Netherlands who will come over in large numbers. It would be nice if they could use the long trip to also tell their home audience that on top of scandals such as the child allowances affair and the earthquake scandals in Groningen, the cabinet is also letting a part of the population suffer in the Dutch tropical backyard.

Kadushi is the black sheep of DossierKoninkrijksrelaties.nl: a prickly column that can sometimes make one go ‘ouch!’

Court orders marriages

WILLEMSTAD -- Curacao and Aruba can no longer prevent marriages between partners of the same sex. The Common Court of Justice ruled on December 6 in two separate, though identical cases, that refusing to marry same sex partners violates an article in the local constitutions that prohibits discrimination. The court has ordered civil servants in both countries tasked with conducting marriage ceremonies to cooperate with marriages between same-sex partners by issuing marriage certificates. The ruling goes into effect once it has become irrevocable. Both countries could still challenge it by submitting an appeal at the Supreme Court.

The case in Curacao pitted the Human Rights Foundation and two women against the country’s refusal to marry them. In Aruba the Pride Foundation (Fundacion Orguyo Aruba) and two women did the same thing.

The appeals used arguments from the European Human Rights Court and from the IVBPR (International Treaty for the Protection of Human and Political Rights) to support their demands. The court denied those arguments, saying that the EVRM (European Human Rights Treaty) anchors the traditional marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

The constitutions of Aruba and Curacao do not contain a similar article. Those same constitutions however, saved the day for the plaintiffs, because they prohibit discrimination in similar circumstances “on whatever ground.”

The court ruled that two men

or two women who want to marry find themselves in the same situation as a man who wants to marry a woman.

“That two persons of the same sex cannot, while two persons of different sex can marry amounts to a clear difference in treatment by the legislator,” the ruling states.

The court states that marriage is a strong institution and that there is no objective justification for the fear that this will change by opening the civil marriage for persons of the same sex.

“The objections of opponents of same-sex marriage often have a religious foundation. Freedom of religion must be guaranteed, but that freedom does not mean that people can impose their own religious values onto others. Same-sex marriage does not rob its opponents of the right to marry the person of their choice,” the ruling states.

The countries fielded yet another argument against same-sex marriages: the fact that it is impossible for samesex partners to have children together. “This argument falls short. Marriage is not linked to procreation. There are different-sex couples who cannot or do not want to have children.”

The court also dismissed the argument that a majority of the population opposes samesex marriages. This has not been researched properly and it has not been established.

And even so, it would not be a decisive factor, the court pointed out.

That same-sex partners have the option to get married in Bonaire is not a valid argument either: “This denies the

fundamental character of the case. It is up to a country to guard the basic rights of its citizens.”

The court concluded that there are no good arguments to justify the exclusion of same-sex partners from marriage. “And if there would be, they would lack the proportionality between means and objective.”

Because Aruba and Curacao do not plan to introduce the registered partnership in the short term, the court considers excluding same-sex partners from marriage as a violation of the constitutional prohibition of discrimination and of the article that guarantees the right to privacy. The court notes that it is within its authority to correct legislative shortcomings. “These shortcomings have been in existence for quite some time. In the Netherlands the legislator has opened marriage for same-sex partners already twenty years ago. In other countries, the courts have intervened.”

The ruling furthermore points out that local legislation only requires minor adjustments to legalize same-sex marriages. It declared that the relevant article in the civil code (marriage can only exist between a man and a woman) violates two articles in the local constitutions and that it therefore has to be ignored. The rulings do not have any consequences for the laws that regulate adoption.

In the Caribbean region, same-sex marriages are already legal in Bonaire, Saba, Statia, Puerto Rico, French overseas territories, the US Virgin islands and Cuba.

Its Time SXM Foundation Congratulates WIEMS on 30th Anniversary

Members of It’s Time SXM Foundation and Kreative Juices Restaurant were available on Saturday 26th November to cook up a storm. A delicious buffet for special guests, invitees, and supporters at large, that attended the WIEMS 30th Anniversary Celebration Fundraising Dinner was prepared with all hands on deck.

President of It’s Time SXM Foundation, Mr. Cloyd Ohndhae Marlin: It was our honor to sponsor the dinner for this prestigious organization. The Board of It’s Time SXM Foundation continues to emphasize the importance of recognizing and supporting groups in our community that have withstood the test of time as it relates to their invaluable contributions to St. Maarten. Thirty years of service is a significant milestone, and we could

not have foregone the support requested from the board members of WIEMS, to sponsor the dinner. We congratulate WIEMS and encourage them to continue to push forward, entering a new chapter, built on a 30year strong foundation.” WIEMS has maintained a positive continued presence over the past 30 years and just recently provided their services during the first annual Caribbean Baseball Tournament. An event that was also organized with the support of It’s Time SXM Foundation.

Mr. Marlin continued: “We can not stop expressing the importance of collaboration efforts, for together we are stronger, and stronger we can withstand the test of time and any challenges that we may face – resolving all that comes before us positively together. Congratulations WIEMS!”

Local

Be careful what you wish for

By Hilbert Haar

Independence. That term has been doing the rounds among politicians and among civil proponents of it like José Lake Jr. for a very, very long time. And now independent MP Grisha Heyliger-Marten has lit the fire under this debate again.

Related article: MP Heyliger-Marten calls for independence

Let me make one thing clear: every people is entitled to the right of selfdetermination. It is an inalienable right that can only be taken away from citizens at gun point. Think Myanmar.

St. Maarten finds itself obviously in a completely different position. It is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. But how autonomous is our country really? We are under financial supervision and the responsibility for, for instance, foreign affairs and defense are still in the hands of our big brother across the ocean. Let us not forget how we got there. St. Maarten wanted to become an autonomous country within the kingdom. For decades this desire was treated like the Holy Grail. Philipsburg would become independent from Willemstad. Hurray! Freedom.

But more than ten years of autonomy have not brought our country the freedom it so often dreamt off. On the contrary. We are up to our eyeballs in debt and we would not have been able to overcome the consequences of Hurricane Irma and the COVID-19 pandemic without financial assistance from the Netherlands. We would have been well underway to become a second Haiti.

But still, the feeling of being secondhand Dutch citizens does not sit well with some of our decision-makers. The so-called democratic deficit hurts. That is understandable and in a proper constitutional setup, there is no solution for it either.

The majority rules in any democracy and in the kingdom it is no different. Just look at the numbers. The Netherlands: 17.2 million inhabitants; Curacao: 150,000; Aruba: 110,000; St. Maarten: 43,800; Bonaire: 22,575; Statia: 3,200; Saba: 2,155. Total for the

six Caribbean islands: 331,730.

Related article: Eerlijk duurt het langst

In other words: the Caribbean population of the kingdom represents around 1.9 percent of the population of the Netherlands.

There is no way any electoral system could give the Caribbean islands a voice strong enough to stand up to the Netherlands.

I think there is also no way an amended Kingdom Charter is able to eradicate the democratic deficit. From that perspective, a call for independence is more than understandable; inevitable is probably a better word to use here.

The road to independence is not all that simple. The parliament in Philipsburg has to call a referendum and a majority of the people has to vote in favor of independence. So why is this not happening?

The first hurdle is the parliament that has consistently failed to call such a referendum. Question: why not? My thoughts about this have not changed. The population of St. Maarten is fractured. There are many different groups and the original St. Maarteners represent around twenty percent. Other citizens are either Dutch, Chinese, Jamaican, Haitian, Dominican and a host of other nationalities [140, Publisher’s note]. Those who have obtained Dutch nationality cherish their Dutch passport. The question is: will these people be prepared to give it up in exchange for a St. Maarten passport? Will the matter of the passport affect the way they would vote in a referendum?

I doubt this very much. Not because I have anything against St. Maarten becoming an independent country but because I get the feeling that most politicians think that there is no majority among our good citizens in favor of independence.

I am not saying that the independence-debate should therefore be put to rest. Not at all. It is good to have such discussions, but one ought to also include alternatives, like a better relationship with the Netherlands. That relationship will remain forever inequal, but it does not mean that our big brother will forever remain deaf to reasonable arguments.

How could we improve that relationship? Two things come to mind. First and foremost: financial responsibility. Secondly: truly good governance on all levels, be it in our ministries, our parliament or our government-owned companies. Next to that we need a vision for our future. Where do we want to go and how do we want to get there? What are opportunities and what are threats to those same opportunities? Let us be realistic. Our country has a lot of potential and we should not waste it quibbling over issues (like democratic deficit) that we cannot change anyway. (At least: I would not know how, but I welcome brilliant ideas about this topic). Currently, calling for independence unfortunately smells a lot like the calls for autonomy from our recent past. Remember: an independent St. Maarten will not have an army to impress anyone and it will not be able to count on assistance from the Netherlands when the next natural disaster hits. In other words: be careful what you wish for.

More than 6,500 people under the poverty line on Saba, Statia and Bonaire

PHILIPSBURG -- More than 6,500 inhabitants in Caribbean Netherlands (Saba, Statia and Bonaire) are living under the poverty line. This appears from a study by the Dutch Central Bureau for Statistics (CBS), entitled Monitor Broad Welfare and Sustainable Development Goals.

The study deviates from listing income per capita by presenting the median income of the islanders. Median income eliminates the effect of high income earners on the average income per capita.

The median income is the highest on Saba ($21,200), followed by Statia ($18,400) and Bonaire ($17,500). By comparison, the median income in the Netherlands is $34,756.

The study defines the poverty line as 60 percent of median income Therefore the poverty line on Saba is $12,720,

on Statia $11,040 and on Bonaire $10,500. The poverty line in the Netherlands is currently $20,854, almost higher than the median income on all three islands

One in five Sabans lives under that poverty line. In Bonaire 23 percent finds itself in that position and on Statia it is 28%. With populations of respectively 1,933, 22,573 and 3,139, the number of citizens under the poverty line on Saba is 387, on Bonaire 5,292 and on Statia 879 for a total of 6,558.

A CBS-press release states nevertheless that the three islands are heading in the right direction in the fight against poverty, though income inequality is higher on the islands than it is in the Netherlands.

The Monitor is a development project, according to CBS. The first edition focuses on economy-related issues. It aims to track the “broad welfare” on the islands based on the sev-

enteen Sustainable Development Goals. Seven of these SDGs are part of the first monitor: 1. No poverty; 3 good health and wellbeing; 5. gender equality; 8. decent work and economic growth; 10. de-

crease inequality; 11 sustainable cities and communities; 16. peace, justice and strong public services. The researchers plan to expand the monitor with each new edition.

CBS says that the median

income in Bonaire and Saba is increasing, while it is remaining stable on Statia. It furthermore found that the number of people living under the poverty line is trending downwards on Saba and Bonaire, while it is stable on Statia.

One thing has not changed: the distribution of income. On Bonaire, the richest twenty percent earns 9.3 times more than the poorest twenty percent. The richest people on Saba earn 6.5 times more than as their poorest brethren, and the richest Bonairians make even 10.5 times more than the poorest twenty percent of the population. In the Netherlands, the twenty percent richest citizens earn 4.4 times more than the poorest people.

Demographic pressure gives an indication of the ratio between working and nonworking part of the population. These ratios have an effect on long-term broad welfare. The ratio between people older than 65 and those between the ages of 20 and 64 is 21% in Bonaire and Saba and 24 percent in Statia. This so-called “grey pressure” is currently 34 percent in the Netherlands, but the trend on the three islands shows an increase.

CBS also mentions the phenomenon of “green pressure”: the ratio between those younger than 20 and those in the age category of 20 to 64. Decreasing green pressure means that there will be fewer people working in the future. The green pressure on Bonaire is decreasing, while it is on the increase on Statia.

MP Sidharth ‘Cookie’ Bijlani elected Chairman of Parliament

PHILIPSBURG -- Parliament elected MP Sidharth Bijlani (UP) as the successor of MP Grisha Heyliger-Marten for the function of chairman. MP Rolando Brison (UP) was elected as the second vicechair.

MP Heyliger-Marten was “relieved of her function,” as vice-chair MP William Marlin put it, on October 27. While that event was surrounded by quite a lot of (political) drama the election of her successor was stripped of all emotion. Not a single MP wished to

speak before the voting took place, most likely because there was not much to say anyway, and because the decision about Heyliger-Marten’s successor had already been taken behind closed doors..

MP Angelique Roumou and MP Brison functioned as the teller committee, distributing ballots and collecting them. Roumou announced the results.

There were 14 votes, of which 8 went to MP Bijlani, and 5 to MP Sarah Wescot-Williams.

One vote remained blank. The same number of votes was cast for the function of second vice-chair. MP Brison came out on top with 8 votes, MP Wescot-Williams received four votes and MP HeyligerMarten one. Again, one MP opted to return a bank ballot. With the election of MPs Bijlani and Brison the control of parliament remains firmly in the hands of the United People’s party (UP). MP William Marlin (National Alliance) kept his position as vice-chair.

Agreement for New Prison signed between Sint Maarten and UNOPS

Philipsburg – The Government of Sint Maarten represented by the Hon. Minister of Justice Anna Richardson and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) represented by Director of the UNOPS Multi-Country Office for Panama, Costa Rica and the English & Dutch Speaking Caribbean, Mr. Alejandro Rossi signed the Letter of Agreement for the execution of the first phase of the new prison project termed “Sint Maarten Rule of Law Facilities”.

The Sint Maarten Rule of Law Facilities project will define a new model of

prison infrastructure that will benefit both the prison population and the employees of the prison, ensuring full compliance of human rights and the consideration of social, gender and environmental components in its design. The first phase of this project is funded by the Government of the Netherlands through its Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) for an amount of US$ 4 million. Phase 1 is estimated to take 20 months in total, and will deliver a comprehensive master plan, that will include the design for transitional facilities for the temporary housing of prisoners, as well as the design and procurement process for

the construction of the long term facility. Present at the signing of the agreements were the Hon. Prime Minister Ms. Silveria E. Jacobs, State Secretary for the Interior and Kingdom Relations and Digitisation Mrs. Alexandra van Huffelen, who joined from The Hague virtually, Minister Richardson, and UNOPS representative Mr. Rossi, who were all supported by their support staff. Along with the signing of the Letter of Agreement between Sint Maarten and UNOPS, a Project Agreement was also signed between State Secretary van Huffelen on behalf of the Netherlands government and Mr. Rossi on behalf of UNOPS.

Due to several structural challenges over the past decades, Sint Maarten’s detention infrastructure reached a critical juncture, as a result of which firm decisions had to be taken on a new course for the country’s detention system. To this end, the Minister of Justice with support from her colleague Ministers and the Netherlands’ Ministry of Interior and Kingdom Relations, since taking office in 2020, made strong efforts towards improving the country’s current prison facility for both employees and prisoners. A strong criminal justice system is a fundamental pillar for compliance with human rights and freedoms, legal certainty and good governance for citizens.

At the signing of the agreement Minister Richardson stated, “I am elated that the realization of Sint Maarten’s new prison is one step closer with the signing of the Letter of Agreement and the Project Agreement.

I am looking forward to a new prison that will offer sufficient detention capacity and being a facility that complies with all international standards regarding human rights.

“I would further like to sincerely thank the Council of Ministers for its support, the State Secretary and her team at BZK, Mr. Alejandro Rossi and his extraordinary team at UNOPS, and my

team consisting of members from my Cabinet, Judicial Affairs, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DBB) and the prison. Thank you for helping the country arrive at this point and I look forward to the start of phase one of this project”.

State Secretary Van Huffelen emphasized the importance of the signing of the agreements for the Sint Maarten community stating, “We are very happy to be signing this agreement today. A lot of people have been working very hard towards this moment to ensure the building of a new prison that will be up to international standards. The two countries as well as the United Nations, have joined forces to get this off the ground. It is an important step forward.”

The government of the Netherlands has made US$30 million available for the improvements of the prison system of Sint Maarten, of which US$4 million is provided for the first phase of this project. State Secretary Van Huffelen stated, “I am very pleased that by joining our efforts, we can ensure that the prison system on Sint Maarten improves and will be in line with international standards to ensure human rights. I am happy that together we are making this happen for the people of Sint Maarten.”

Editorial Being Busy

Public encouraged to make use of Ministry of Justice Law Enforcement Complaint Committee

Minister Egbert J. Doran recently caught my attention with a very interesting statement. He said during an interview with Lady Grace on The Breakfast Lounge that and I quote “There is a systematic approach to keep me busy and to prevent progress.”

See related article: Minister Doran: “There is a systematic approach to keep me busy and to prevent progress”

That statement was enough to inspire me to listen to the rest of the interview and to publish an article about it. Listening to the rest of the interview confirmed a phenomenon I have been noticing with other ministers as well such as Anna Richardson and Ardwell Irion: the longer they remain in their positions as ministers, the more confident they are becoming and are starting to own their positions as ministers. All these ministers are faced with enormous limitations due to budgetary constraints, but slowly but surely, they are realizing that financial constraints do not limit a minister from having a vision and doing all possible to implement it.

The Minister of Justice is seeking to implement the function books at the end of the year and finally after 12 years to regulate the legal positions of the civil servants in the justice departments. This despite the lack of funding for the financial consequences. No mean feat. Minister of Finance is facing the heavy burden of balancing the budget. At the very least, staying within the boundaries of the limits set and monitored by the CFT. He

has to bring the financial statements up to date and he has to cut costs across all ministries in order to make room for badly needed capital investments. King Solomon had better choices to make. Lastly, Minister of VROMI is facing a multitudes of challenges, as many as there are potholes in the roads of St. Maarten. His biggest challenge is that he only has available 20% of the monies needed in his dream budget to get everything done within his ministry.

What does this tell me? What should this tell us as a people of St. Maarten? It is all hands on deck, people.

As a country we need to set priorities and execute policies from that perspective. And the number one priority should be revenue-generating policies such as jumpstarting the economy, job creation, boosting the economy through economic activities such as construction, tourism development, sports tourism, community development, and spearheading the (re)development of certain sectors through education and training. The entrepreneurial programs being promoted through the ministries of TEATT and Finance are programs that will in the long run bear fruit. But we need to set the priorities for these objectives today. Not tomorrow.

So, I agree with Minister Egbert Doran: Being busy doesn’t mean you are making progress. Quite the contrary!

Terrance Rey Publisher StMaartenNews.com

Philipsburg – In acc ordance with the Landsverordening Klachtencommissie Politieel Optreden a Law Enforcement Complaint Committee was established by National Decree. The Ministry of Justice established this committee to create the opportunity for members of the community to submit an official complaint about the conduct of Law Enforcement Officers. The legal basis for the installment of such a complaint committee has been in effect since 2010. Minister Richardson in her strong ambition to strengthen the Ministry of Justice and understanding of the high impact that actions of law enforcement officers could have on an individual, has taken it upon herself to ensure that the already existing framework for an external law enforcement complaint committee was finally implemented and staffed with qualified professionals.

“It is my goal to establish a reality where respect is at the core of every moment of interaction between the officers and employees of the Ministry of Justice with every person within our community. The appointment of committee members and a secretary took longer than expected as it was imperative that we could guarantee suitable candidate members who

could fulfill the roles with the high requirements of integrity, knowledge and quality of work. I encourage the public to take a moment to review the complaints process and use this platform to support a healthy process whereby the Ministry through the complaints committee is ensuring accountability where and when identified necessary,” stated Minister Richardson. A complaint is a written formal expression of dissatisfaction or concerns made to or about the service or behavior of a law enforcement officer. Complaints are a valuable source of feedback and an excellent tool for organizational development. Diligent and prompt attention to complaints can help identify and understand the shortcomings, within the organization and the employees, and improve the overall performance of the ministry.

The complaint committee consists of three members with the relevant level of expertise and knowledge in the law enforcement, legal and social field. Recently, a secretary has been appointed as well. The committee is an external and independent body that handles complaints about the conduct of law enforcement officers. Moreover, the committee forms a separate body and operation as a complaint instrument than

the existing complaint procedure of the Internal Affairs Bureau of the Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) and the Ombudsman.

The complaints procedure involves an initial assessment of the complaint followed by further investigation, the hearing of parties, preliminary findings, and responses to pre-findings. Once the committee comes to a conclusion and motivation, a report of the complaint processed is then submitted to the Minister of Justice for further decision-making.

The complaint committee is also responsible for thoroughly investigating complaints; ensuring that the complaints are resolved within 30 days, depending on the severity or complexity of each case; treating all parties fairly throughout the complaint process; practicing a high level of confidentiality throughout the grievance process; maintaining accurate and comprehensive records of each complaint, and the creation of a comprehensive database and secured filling system.

Complaints can be filed by filling in an online form at the website of the Ministry of Justice

http://ministryofjustice.sx/. complaint or via email to complaints@justice.gov.sx.

St Lucia Win ECVA Female Volleyball Title

Culture , Youth and Sports Rudolph Samuel in the presence of Glen Quinlan from St Kitts, head of

Great Bay– St Lucia’s female volleyball team played unbeaten to emerge as the undisputed winners when they won in three straight sets against the British Virgin Islands 25-17, 25-10 and 25-13 when the curtains went down on the 2022 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association Championships at the LB Scot Sports Auditorium last evening. The sheer dominance by St Lucia was evident with the performance by Kerin Neptune, who was awarded the MVP trophy, best server trophy, best outside hitter trophy and best receiv-

er trophy. The title for the best scorer went to Shoranda Pickering from the BVI.

Host team St Maarten were denied a bronze medal position which was won eventually by Antigua and Barbuda. However that highly anticipated encounter was not without excitement much to the delight of those in attendance.

Antigua and Barbuda won the first set by 25 to 12 and just when you thought that Antigua and Barbuda were going to make light work of that match, a case of sheer resilience and ut-

ter desperation by St Maarten resulted in an extended period where they won by 31 to 29. However, the final two sets went to Antigua and Barbuda winning by 25-21 and 25 to 23. St Maarten’s Tivona Trotman won the best digger trophy, best outside hitter trophy was won by Amalia Louis from St Lucia, best middle blocker trophy went to Shoranda Pickering from the BVI, the best middle blocker trophy went to Tyna William from St Lucia, the best setter was won by Jomelar Billy from Grenada, best opposite was won by Chenoa Ev-

ans from St Lucia and the best libero was won by Trotman.

Speaking exclusively with St Maarten Sports, Head Coach for St Lucia Kendel Charlie was extremely elated after the outcome of the competition decider. “We were very much expected to win after playing undefeated. We had the opportunity to go up against our opponent and we knew their game plan. So we knew what we had to do and came out victorious.” Charlie said. While extended his

praises to the entire team, he said that the team had a balanced attack and for each game played they had a strong attack formation. “We made it our business to stop their main attackers and that was what we did. We also knew three we would win it in three sets because we were motivated, he added. On hand to assist with the handing out of the trophies and medals was Minister of Education, Culture , Youth and Sports Rudolph Samuel in the presence of Glen Quinlan from St Kitts, head of the regional block.

Netball Association in Jamaica for Friendship Training Matches: It’s Time SXM Foundation Continues Support

The netball association and its team members, coaches and supporting family members headed off on Saturday via airline flight to games in Jamaica. The teams proudly wore polo shirts depicting the logo of It’s Time SXM Foundation – the latter being one of the Netball Association Sponsors.

Cloyd

Ohndhae Marlin: “Princess Juliana International Airport depar-

ture hall was a buzz of excitement as we watched the players and their coach check-in in preparation for boarding their flight to Jamaica. As a foundation we came out to show our continued appreciation for how these players remain committed to not only playing the game but also representing St. Maarten abroad, as they enhance their skills with other professional players in Jamaica under these friendship

games.”

It’s Time SXM Youth, Sports and Education community support and sponsorship projects continue to provide for opportunities to various sports activists and their respective organizations. Through the sponsorship programs, costs of holding sports competition or representing the country abroad are covered together with other collaborating sponsors in our community.

the regional block.

Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (MECYS)

MPC’s Upcycl Wins National YOUTH PITCH COMPETITION

develop the nation. The Minister of Finance, a collaborative partner in the pitch competition, Hon. Ardwell Irion then shared why the Ministry not only supported the project but he became a collaborating partner. Minister Irion saw a gap from his experience with the Enterprise Support Project and recognized that training needed to be done at a younger age for businesses and these programs to be successful.

The Prime Minister of St. Maarten, Hon. Silveria Jacobs gave her address and identified the importance of Government to facilitate opportunities to grow. Prime Minister Jacobs stated that the young people of St. Maarten are natural entrepreneurs and recognized how fitting that the finals were held on the International Day of the Child with the motto, “No Child Left Behind”. The keynote speaker for the evening was Giomarra Olivaccee (14), CEO of Bolder Baking and Winner of the International Youth Exchange Program 2021.

was followed by questions by the judges, much like the famous show, “Shark Tank”. Each team brought a sample of the product or a demo of their site or their app. Additional prizes became available from the island’s business community. Computech has pledged a surface pro for a student and committed to contributing to the trip of the winning team. Fit Foods will open its doors to the two food entrepreneurs of the National Youth Pitch Competition, so they can learn from the CEO/ Founder, herself, on how to further develop their products.

After tallying up the points, Upcycl from Milton Peters College rose as the grand prize winner of the National Youth Pitch Competition, with 275.5 points total. As the Grand Prize winner, Upcycl won ANG 10,000 and a trip abroad in 2023. Also, the public had an opportunity to vote for their favorite team or pitch and results were shown live. Smart Hax was the Crowd’s Favorite and so won ANG 2500.

Press Release

Proceeds from Brown Pelican Sport Awards 2022 donated to Soualiga Youth Basketball Association

PHILIPSBURG-----The Minister of Education, Culture, Youth & Sport, Rodolphe Samuel, the Department of Sport and the National Sports Institute are pleased to announce that the proceeds from the 2022 Brown Pelican Sport awards have been donated to the Soualiga Youth Basketball Association.

On Wednesday, November 30th 2022, Minister Samuel, Head of the Department of Sports, Ms. Jonelle Richardson, National Sports Institute Sport Coordinator Jackie Brown, along with the Soualiga Youth Basketball (SYBA) resident, Marvio Cooks, SYBA trea-

surer Jamal Newton, and Marketing manager Robbie Pantophlet were all present for the handing over of the Brown Pelican Sports Award proceeds in support of youth basketball.

On November 13th, 2022, the Department of Sports, in collaboration with the National Sport Institute and the St. Maarten Sports & Olympic Federation hosted the 6th annual Brown Pelican Sports Award at the Aleeze Convention Center & Event Hall before a large crowd of athletes, coaches and supporters.

The evening highlighted the sport of basketball and honored 10 basketball legends in light of their outstanding contribution to the sport. Awards were also given out to the winners of the various categories which consisted of best male and female athletes, best coaches,

best sporting organization, best overall team, and best sponsor.

In addition to honoring legends and awarding winners, the Brown Pelican Sports Award, also sought to raise funds in aid of supporting the development of sports on St. Maarten. This year, the focus for the funds was placed on basketball and the needs highlighted by the Soualiga Youth Basketball Association. Specifically, support was given for medical event insurance and basketball equipment for the 2023 5-on-5 youth basketball season.

We are pleased with the funds that were generated from the event and Minister Samuel and the team would once again like to thank the general public for coming out in support of and to celebrate the best of St. Maarten Sport.

Some of the island’s leaders and entrepreneurs were in attendance in support of the young entrepreneurs. These were: the Governor of Sint Maarten, His Excellency Ajamu Baly and his Aide-de-Camp, Captain F. Hartgers; Member of Parliament, Ludmila de Weever, Secretary General of Parliament, Mr. Garrick Richardson; Melanie Choisy of St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF) and Be the Change Foundation; Julisa Frans, board member of CFT, Edsel Gumbs, Qredits, and Catalina Ahlip of Fit foods to name a few.

The judges for the evening were: Alain Roper, CoManaging Director of CompuTech, Glen Carty, Director of SZV Social & Health Insurances and entrepreneur, Tiana Songha, Entrepreneur and former CFO of Four Seasons Anguilla, Jessica Rogers, an entrepreneur and now Policy Advisor within the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunications, and the Head Judge was Minister of Finance, Hon. Ardwell Irion. All seven teams had two minutes to pitch which

The organizers would like to congratulate Isaiah Peterson, Rani Plattel, Kymora Reed, Jael Jong-A-Lock Ms. Fleming, their teacher, their extended team members and Milton Peters College for being the first Grand Prize Winners of the National Youth Pitch Competition. Similarly, the organizers want to also congratulate Saheli Kirpalani, Disha Daryani, Ivan Wu, and Siddharth Shroff of Smart Hax from St. Dominic High for being the Crowd Favorite.

The organizers would like to thank the community of St. Maarten and all who contributed to this event being a success. This includes, but is not limited to, the Ministry of Finance, TelEm Group, TV 15, all the coaches, all the speakers for the evening, the jury, the business community for the additional prizes, the team, parents, teachers, and most importantly the students.

For more information, stay connected on Facebook, www.fb.com/iamislandpreneur, visit www.islandpreneur.co or contact the team at Islandpreneur at hello@ islandpreneur.co.

Minister Richardson signs decree to relax restricted hours for heavy equipment operators

Philipsburg – The Honorable Minister of Justice Anna E. Richardson met with a group of heavy equipment operators together with her support staff. A meeting was held after the operators raised concerns in response to a publication released by the Ministry of Justice reminding the general public of the strict enforcement of the reinstated restricted hours for heavy equipment vehicles to be on the public road per December 1, 2022. In attendance were the Chief of Police Carl John, Chief Inspector Delano Baptist, Head of Judicial Affairs Romona Ismail, and Senior Legal Policy Advisor of Judicial Affairs Geertje van Haperen.

Minister Richardson stated, “For the past 4.5 years, heavy equipment operators have been operating during the restricted hours that were relaxed by the former Minister of Justice after hurricanes Irma and Maria with the intention to do so until the island was cleared of debris. However, with the increase of complaints the Ministry has been receiving from the public concerning heavy equipment driving behavior on the public roads, I believe it was best to rein-

state the restricted hours as stated in the Traffic Ordinance.”

During the meeting, operators stated that the Traffic Ordinance prior to the relaxing of the restricted hours poses an impediment to their operational ability during a time when there is still a very urgent need for reconstruction material, concrete and lumber, and general goods and services resulting in an increase of costs. Minister Richardson took the time to hear the grievances of the operators and presented them with an alternative proposal to implement a Ministerial Decree that will temporarily limit the strict enforcement of Article 60A of the Traffic Ordinance to all school zones.

Minister Richardson’s decree as per December 6, 2022, will serve as a temporarily limited implementation of one article of the Traffic Ordinance prohibiting any heavy equipment vehicle from being operated or driven on the public road in school zones to ensure the safety of not only students but all public road users. During weekdays, heavy equipment vehicles may operate on the public roads with the exception of school zones during the following hours: 6:308:30 AM and 12:00-2:00 PM. The school zones included

eral streets in Philipsburg, Dutch Cul-de-Sac, St. Peters, Ebenezer, South Reward, Cay Hill, Cole Bay, Simpson Bay, Cupecoy and Belvedere. In addition, operators must adhere to all the other technical requirements in the regulation and traffic rules for heavy equipment vehicles as determined in the regulation.

“The concerns of the public have been heard and hence the reason the law has been restored. At the same time, I understand the challenge the operators and other affiliates are subjected to with the restricted hours. The decree is of a temporary nature and will be evaluated after six months. It is quite an adjustment but we must all coexist and this is the reason I have proposed the decree as we explore options that ensure the safety of the community at large,” stated Minister Richardson.

The safety and security of all who use public roads remain an important matter for the Ministry of Justice. As such, the Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) will carry out regular traffic controls to enforce the regulations of the Traffic Ordinance and related legislation. Failure to adhere to the reinstated traffic regulations can lead to imposed sanctions.

TEATT Set To Launch Online Business License Application

PHILIPSBURG – The Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transportation & Telecommunication (TEATT), will be introducing its online business license application services on January 1st, 2023.

The Honorable Minister Omar Ottley and the Ministry of TEATT introduced the online system that will revolutionize the way we request a business license on St. Maarten. The system has been introduced to the various notaries and the administration offices that help the population with various requests.

Members of the business community is scheduled to meet with the department of TEATT later this week to provide feedback. In the next few weeks, the public will be informed on how the online application system works via the Government’s website,

the local media, and the Government’s Facebook page. Although the system had been near completion for some time, the Department of Economic Licenses’ (DEL) focus has primarily been on eliminating the backlog. The department has been working diligently to clear and organize itself in a way that they could be ready to handle more requests in a shorter time.

The goal is 2-4 weeks with exceptions on certain types of licenses that require some extra due diligence. For example, operating licenses requests for restaurants, bars, etc; because these requests have a different handling process.

Minister Ottley has made it priority that all staff will be trained and verse in the online process and system in the coming weeks. “St. Maarten is open and ready to take on your business,” said Minister Ottley.

Great Bay -- The friendly football match between the female visiting team from Anguilla and the host team turned out to be more challenging that was expected. Apart from the distinct playing advantage displayed by the eventual winners, they all had had to deal with the imposing threats of lightning which caused the game to be stopped twice.

But it was evident that the visitors had more ball possession and a goal in the 21st minute by Jakeda Bryan give them an early lead. Anguilla went ahead by 2 goals after a penalty was converted by Bryan. The St Maarten defense was not up to the task and that placed the pressure on Aarti Gianchandani, the goal keeper.

A ball struck from the corner by Camile Gumbs in the dying stages of the 1st half was headed into the goal by Nesha Carty to give the visitors a 3 goal cushion going into the 2nd half. However despite the inability to score in the first half, the local girls were not about to give up. The passing was more effective and they managed to get the ball into the 18 yard box and after several attempts, a goal in the 76th minute by Filippa Vriezen salvaged

the pride of the young team. They did their best, but they have a long way to go.

“The girls did their best going up against Anguilla who had a fairly mixed team. We all know that they have to play regularly to get the cohesion and understanding of each other’s position on the field. We now have video footage so we can go back and recap what went wrong and learn from our mistakes” said coach

Anguilla 3, St Maarten 1 in weather affected game and shareSpinnerz spotlight Babylons

The Manager of the visiting team and head of women football in Anguilla, Claudina Richardson also took the opportunity to speak about the team. “This is an all-star team that we put together, it’s made up of younger players along with former national players. But i must say that it has been a long time since the much older players have not competed” she stated.

Unlike St Maarten which only has one female team, Anguilla has seven female teams who play on grass.

Roxanne Romney, a member of the Anguilla delegation described the team as well rounded and was proud to say that for this friendly encounter, they only trained for two weeks.

Great Bay -- The ‘Police’ Babylons and the Spinnerz teams now have something to brag about after securing the championship titles in the just concluded 1st Emancipation 10-10-10 Softball championships which took place at the Erwin ‘Baco’ Richardson Stadium on Pond Island last evening.

The charitable event which was organized by the ‘Its Time Foundation’ involved 4 female teams and six male teams. The Sluggers, Scorpions, Sparks and Spinnerz, the male teams were Super Stars, Police Babylons, Controllers, Bombers, Illegales and the Sluggers.

Competition stats game 1 Survivors 4 Scorpion 2, G2 Sparks 8, Spinners 4, G3 Superstars 7, Babylons 6, G4 Bombers 8, Controllers 3, G5 Illegales 10, Sluggers 2, G6 Spinnerz 12, Scorpions 2, G7 Sparks 8, Survivors 6, G8 Bombers 15, Super Stars 12, G9 Babylons 13, Controllers 6, G 10 Babylons 10, Sluggers 9, G11 Spinnerz 5, Survivors 4, G12 Superstars 7, Illegales 2 and G 13, Bombers 7, Illegales 3.

The intensity among the teams reached the highest point for the last 5 matches even with the prevailing weather conditions. All was set for the final set of matches on Monday which started off

with the Babylons defeating the Superstars by 9 runs to 8. The best batters for the winning team were M Martina, 2-2 and F Boekhaudt also 2-2. For the Superstars, R Mota 2-2 and R Page also 2-2. With that win, the Babylons were one step closer to qualifying for the finals.

In the 2nd game of the day, the Spinnerz defeated the Sparks by 13 runs to 5. Debbie vander Tolk batted 2-4 and Marquilla Ambrosina batted 1-2. For the Sparks, Esmeralda Reed batted 2-3 and Margarita Hassell batted 2-3.

Playing their 2nd game of the day, the Babylons defeated the Bombers by 13 runs to 5. J Elisa batted 2-2 and for the Bombers, J Niever 1-1 and L Rijo also 1-1. In the championship game for women, the Spinnerz defeated the Sparks by 11 runs to 8 to lift the championship title.

Tamika Lambert batted 1-4 for the winners and Marg

In the final match of the competition which had to be rescheduled to last evening, the Police Babylons defeated the Bombers by 12 runs to 10. J Elisa batted 2-5 and L Estrada batted 2-4. For the Bombers E Martina batted 2-4, J Richardson batted 2-4 and A Williams batted 2-4. “We have been playing this tournament for years, every time we had to settle for sub

champions spot, a 3rd and even a 4th sometimes. But this is the one we will always cherish the most,” said Ettienne Levenstone, speaking on behalf of the Babylons team.

According to Levenstone, it has been years since the Babylons have not won a title, “now with fresh blood and new management, we can show off our championship trophy with pride,” he added.

In the award ceremony that followed, the MVP trophy went to Esperancia York, she also won the best pitcher title, the best batter trophy was won by Tamisha York and the Golden Glove trophy went to Rhodine Martina.

The youngest player in the tournament Francine ‘Kiki’ Fraser an aspiring Pitcher on the Survivors team was presented with a special award for her performances.

In the male category, the MVP title went to Luis Borges, the best batter trophy of the tournament went to Luis Estrada, The Golden Glove trophy went to Alexander Alvarez and the winning pitcher trophy went to Luis Borges .

On hand to assist with the presentations of the trophies were Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Rudolph Samuel, Meredith Concincion and Ohndhea Marlin from the ‘Its Time Foundation’.

Sports

Proceeds from Brown Pelican Sport Awards 2022 donated to Soualiga Youth Basketball Association

Letter to the Editor

PHILIPSBURG-----The

Minister of Education, Culture, Youth & Sport, Rodolphe Samuel, the Department of Sport and the National Sports Institute are pleased to announce that the proceeds from the 2022 Brown Pelican Sport awards have been donated to the Soualiga Youth Basketball Association.

On Wednesday, November 30th 2022, Minister Samuel, Head of the Department of Sports, Ms. Jonelle Richardson, National Sports Institute Sport Coordinator Jackie Brown, along with the Soualiga Youth Basketball (SYBA) resident, Marvio Cooks, SYBA treasurer Jamal Newton, and Marketing manager Robbie Pantophlet were all present for the handing over of the Brown Pelican Sports

Award proceeds in support of youth basketball.

On November 13th, 2022, the Department of Sports, in collaboration with the National Sport Institute and the St. Maarten Sports & Olympic Federation hosted the 6th annual Brown Pelican Sports Award at the Aleeze Convention Center & Event Hall before a large crowd of athletes, coaches and supporters.

The evening highlighted the sport of basketball and honored 10 basketball legends in light of their outstanding contribution to the sport. Awards were also given out to the winners of the various categories which consisted of best male and female athletes, best coaches, best sporting organization, best overall team, and best sponsor.

In addition to honoring legends and awarding winners, the Brown Pelican Sports Award, also sought to raise funds in aid of supporting the development of sports on St. Maarten. This year, the focus for the funds was placed on basketball and the needs highlighted by the Soualiga Youth Basketball Association. Specifically, support was given for medical event insurance and basketball equipment for the 2023 5-on-5 youth basketball season.

We are pleased with the funds that were generated from the event and Minister Samuel and the team would once again like to thank the general public for coming out in support of and to celebrate the best of St. Maarten Sport.

Corrupted judicial system in labour matters

Dear Editor, Listening to a recent radio program hosted by ONESXM Association, in which the Head of the Labour Department was the guest, turned out to be a sad state of affairs where employers behavior are concerned.

The Labour Department, is tasked in carrying out its function to safeguard employment for nationals of this territory, and prevent employers from blatantly discriminating in their hiring practices, which are aided and abetted by judges.

Case in point. The Labour Department denied a work permit for a foreigner as requested by an employer, because nationals are available to perform the work that was advertised.

The employer not satisfied with the decision, went to court and appealed the decision rendered by the Labour Department.

The judge handling the appeal rendered a judgement overturning the decision of the Labour Department, by stating that employers have the right to employ whom they want. This allows foreigners to enter this territory and be employed without any sanctions to employers.

It was also revealed that discriminatory practices in hiring nationals are blatantly taking place without any sanctions. Employers are boldly stating that only “whites” may apply.

So the question is, where are our members of government when these practices takes place? Or aren’t they informed?

Further, Americans can be employed without a work permit, as mentioned by the official of the Labour Department. This practice is baffling. Since when a law was passed by our government allowing Americans to be employed without a work permit?

Perhaps the official from the Labour Department can shed more light if there’s such a law.

Considering the openly discriminatory practices and skirting of Labour laws by employers, the question is: are Labour Unions dormant?

Better waste management in the pipeline with launch of solid waste management project

PHILIPSBURG, Sint

Maarten – The Government of Sint Maarten wants to transform the country’s existing methods of waste disposal at the two landfills on Pond Island into an integrated system of solid waste management that prioritizes waste prevention, reduction, reuse, recycling, and controlled, sanitized disposal. The first steps in this process are being taken with the launch of the project “Moving to Integrated Solid Waste Management on Sint Maarten” (ISWM-SXM).

In Sint Maarten’s current situation, most of the solid waste collected in neighborhoods goes to the Pond Island landfills. The country has had challenges managing the types and volume of waste disposed of there, and, as a result, the main landfill’s footprint has grown considerably in the last two decades. The adjacent landfill – known as the ‘Irma Dump’ – was intended to be a temporary solution to store debris from the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season and is quickly accumulating larger waste materials, such as discarded furniture and waste from construction sites.

For Sint Maarten, introducing the principles of integrated solid waste management means changing the current situation to a comprehensive system for prevention, reduction, re-use, recycling, composting, and waste disposal, also known as the waste hierarchy. In this system, residents, businesses, and government at-

tempt to prevent waste from being generated in the first place and divert as much of the generated waste as possible to other useful purposes.

This can only be achieved by the conscious efforts of everyone by, for example, refusing single-use plastics, buying recyclable products, repairing or refurbishing old products, and recycling and composting waste materials. In doing so, the amount of non-recyclable waste streams that must be disposed of by less-preferred options - such as energy recovery, landfilling and controlled disposal - will be diminished. These efforts will contribute to a healthier and less polluted environment, and will stimulate industry and innovation by creating jobs in waste collection, processing, and safe disposal.

With the project ISWMSXM, the Government of Sint Maarten is taking the first steps to realize these reforms. An inter-ministe-

rial working group was established by Ministerial Decree in November 2022 to spearhead ISWM-SXM. By the end of 2023, the team will deliver a sketch of the Solid Waste Authority, advise on its financing, as well as advise on updating relevant legislation. To raise awareness and public engagement, a multi-annual public communication campaign will be slated in 2023. ISWM-SXM builds on an advice of the Social and Economic Council (SER) in 2016, the outcomes of the forum ‘No time to Waste’ organized by the Ministry of VROMI in 2018, and the Waste Management Roadmap, which the Council of Ministers approved in 2018. Furthermore, the project uses studies conducted by the World Bank between 2019 and 2020, which proposed strategies on how Sint Maarten can improve its waste management system.

Additionally, the ISWMSXM team is drafting a vision for integrated solid waste management on Sint

Maarten until 2030. A public consultation meeting will be organized to gather the ideas and opinions of residents, businesses, visitors, governmental institutions, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Over the past three (3) years, the Sint Maarten Trust Fund’s Debris Management Project (EDMP) has invested in improvements at the two landfills.

To help mitigate surface and underground fires, a prevalent issue in 2018, EDMP procured heavy equipment and alternative daily cover (ADC) materials and applicators for the landfills. This non-organic and non-flammable material can be sprayed onto solid waste, thereby preventing fires. It also seals cracks and air pockets that can form within areas of disposed waste that would allow underground fires to erupt on the surface.

ISWM-SXM and EDMP are now working together with complementary activities that are designed to change how Sint Maarten manages

its solid waste. Within the next five (5) years, EDMP will oversee the construction of waste processing facilities near the landfill, which will identify and sort incoming waste from the country’s neighborhoods and allow for adequate disposal methods to occur, in line with regional and international standards. These waste processing facilities are expected to be handed over to the Solid Waste Authority.

The Government of Sint Maarten implements ISWM-SXM with the support of the International Cooperation Agency of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG International) and the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB).

EDMP is a project of the Sint Maarten Recovery, Reconstruction, and Resilience Trust Fund, which is financed by the Government of the Netherlands, managed by the World Bank, and implemented by the NRPB on behalf of the Government of Sint Maarten.

SHTA - STB Campaign Results in 60% Growth in Demand on Expedia over Summer

This week, St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA) released the results of a summer campaign with Expedia Group’s advertising organization Expedia Group Media Solutions released and St. Maarten Tourism Bureau (STB). Results attribute three fifths of an overall 25 % growth in booking demand over the summer months compared to 2021 via the platform to the campaign on Expedia.

In June this year, in a joint effort of 62 SHTA members and other private sector entities, funds were raised for a joint campaign to boost St. Maarten’s tourism based

economy over the summer months and beyond, ensuring the high season geared up with a strong advance booking pace.

Over the three summer months, historically providing room for growth on St. Maarten, demand on Expedia saw a rise of nearly 45% in booking demand, 35% of hotel demand booked via the platform. According to Expedia, at least 60% of those added room nights can be directly attributed to the private sector - initiated campaign supported by the tourist board.

SHTA believes that although the value added in restaurant visits, retail expenditures and

activity engagement is not included in assessments, they need to be taken into account.

Comparisons year over year also confirmed 2022 would have been a more difficult summer without the campaign. Downward trending bookings were ostensibly countered by the effort in early summer, later to align with regular booking performance in previous years.

In its June Annual General Meeting, SHTA provided evidence that traditional tourism performance leaves 63% room for growth per year, without any hotel room needed to be added. It is important to note the positive results of this

campaign in a direct measurable return on investment in room tax revenues, airport arrival fees. Indirectly it is a given that more occupancy and more visitors translates to more spent in restaurants, retail outlets and activity providers, in their turn contributing to government coffers via Turn Over Tax.

Therefore, given the positive results of this relatively small campaign SHTA hopes it will reinforce the importance of year-round ongoing marketing support for its dominant economic pillar of tourism. Current government tourism marketing investments per hotel room do not equal 15% of that of Aruba or 25% that

of Curacao, whereas return on investment for government by a campaign like this could not become clearer. It is imminent for government to have a solid marketing budget for the destination so we are once again the desired choice of travelers to the Caribbean. In addition, St. Maarten needs to make sure the island infrastructure and product is up to par as well.

SHTA thanks all contributors and invites the many supporters of the campaign for an online presentation by Expedia about the campaign this week. All supporting associations, hotels and other companies and a summary report can be found at shta.com/expedia.

Sint Maarten Trust Fund Shows Strategic Results for Long-Term Resilience

THE HAGUE, The Sint Maarten Reconstruction, Recovery and Resilience Trust Fund is advancing critical reforms needed to ensure long-term national sustainability and through its projects producing many positive outcomes.

This includes enabling financial resilience with almost 2,000 people receiving support and skills training to enhance their income and building climate resilience with majority of the population now protected from future impact of disasters. In addition, over 500 homes, roofs, and other critical facilities serving the public are repaired, 139 shipwrecks removed, and over 10.5km of the country’s shorelines cleaned.

Residents and businesses located next to the landfill are being resettled, paving the way for better management of the country’s solid waste.

The Steering Committee of the Trust Fund, financed by the Government of the Netherlands, administered by the World Bank, and implemented by the Government of Sint Maarten, met this week in the Netherlands to review progress and discuss next steps. The program is supporting

Sint Maarten in rebuilding better after Hurricane Irma.

With effective work by the National Recovery Program Bureau, an implementing agency created by the Government of Sint Maarten, the Trust Fund continues to make a positive impact in the lives of Sint Maarteners.

Building local capacity, enabling local ownership, prioritizing investments in society, economy, and improving the livelihoods of people and most vulnerable is central to the program. The Trust Fund is leveraging change by providing much-needed capital to over 150 small businesses, resources to 26 local civil society organizations so community programs can continue and expand, and by expanding healthcare services in Sint Maarten, healthcare costs have declined as 92 percent of people seeking care no longer need overseas referrals.

“There has been progress made in many areas, as reflected in the World Bank’s Mid-term Review, especially through the different emergency projects, the larger infrastructure projects, and the Enterprise Support Project,” said Sint Maarten Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs. “The

Government and the people of St. Maarten hope to see a continuous commitment of all parties to realize progress in improving the quality of life on the island.

In reviewing the Fund’s performance – which in four years committed over US$360 million to 11 projects - the Steering Committee welcomed the additional allocation of €7 million provided by the Government of the Netherlands toward the Sint Maarten Hospital.

“This additional one-off contribution by the Netherlands to the Trust Fund will allow the new hospital in Sint Maarten to be completed. As a result, there is no need to cut back on other reconstruction projects,” said Dutch State Secretary Van Huffelen. “This will keep the all-important reconstruction of Sint Maarten on track.”

The Steering Committee recognized the Trust Fund’s challenging implementation outlook exacerbated by several global shocks impacting the program, including inflationary pressures, labor shortages, and supply chain disruptions making construction materials, among other things, more expensive.

“For Caribbean countries

inherently vulnerable to external shocks due their size and distance to markets, the disruptions in global supply chains and subsequent rise in inflation deeply impacted the cost of goods, food prices, and energy,” said Lilia Burunciuc, Director for Caribbean Countries, World Bank, and Steering Committee Chair. “We are

prioritizing investments that will have the highest impact and are putting in place better buffers to protect against global pressures.”

The Steering Committee of the Sint Maarten Reconstruction, Recovery and Resilience Trust Fund will reconvene in March 2023.

Photo Caption: From left to right: Frans Weekers, Dutch representative Trust Fund Steering Committee, Lilia Buruncic, World Bank representative Trust Fund Steering Committee, Alexandra van Huffelen, Dutch State Secretary of Kingdom Relations and Digitalising, Prime Minister of Sint Maarten Silveria Jacobs, Minister of Finance of Sint Maarten Irion Ardwell, Marcel Gumbs, Sint Maarten representative Trust Fund Steering Committee.

King orders investigation into his family’s role in colonial history

THE HAGUE -- Prof. Dr. Gert Oostindie has been appointed as the chairman and lead researcher of a committee that will investigate the role of the royal family in the colonial history. King Willem-Alexander has ordered the investigation. The investigation will take three years. In 2026 the findings will be made public.

The king’s announcement comes shortly before the Dutch government plans to offer apologies for the country’s slavery history on December 19 on eight dif-

ferent locations: in the Netherlands, in Suriname and on the six islands of the former Netherlands Antilles. Minister Ernst Kuipers (Public Health) is scheduled to offer these apologies in St. Maarten. Suriname opposes the date of 19 December and wants a postponement until July 1, 2023.

King Willem-Alexander stated in a press release issued by the Dutch Government Information service (RVD): “Profound knowledge of the past is essential for understanding historical facts and developments and their impact on people and communities as clear and honest as

possible. I find it important that this knowledge also becomes available about the House Oranje-Nassau in the colonial history. This must be done based on profound, critical and independent research.”

The research the king ordered will be done at Leiden University by an independent committee consisting of Prof. Oostindie, historian Dr. Esther Captain, Drs. Kathleen Ferrier and Prof. Henk te Velde.

Oostindie is a retired professor in colonial and post-colonial history at the university’s History Institute. Until

the end of 2021 he was the director of the Royal Dutch Institute for South-East Asian and Caribbean Studies (KILTV). In 2006 he published an exploration of the historic role of the House Oranje in the colonial history, entitled The Pearls and the Crown.

Dr. Esther Captain is a historian and a senior researcher at KILTV. She is an expert in post-colonial Netherlands related to Indonesia and the Caribbean region and contributed to researches into slavery and colonialism in Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague.

Drs. Kathleen Ferrier is an expert in international relationships, human rights, diversity and inclusion. She advised the municipality of Amsterdam about the creation of a slavery museum. She also was a member of the Dutch parliament for the CDA where she had international cooperation, education, health and social affairs in her portfolio.

Prof. Henk te Velde is a professor in Dutch history at Leiden University’s History Institute. He is the chairman of the Royal Dutch Historical Society and a member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Science.

The Prins Bernhard Culture Fund awards NIA for its efforts in the fields of Arts and Culture on St. Maarten

PHILIPSBURG - His Excellency, Mr. Ajamu Baly, Governor of St. Maarten addressed the attendees at the Prins Bernard Culture Funds Caribbean Region award ceremony for the National Institute of Arts (NIA) on the novelty culture has on the island of St. Maarten. This novelty of culture defines the commonalities of a nation and ignites the creativity for national innovation that safeguards and develops St. Maarten’s social and economic well-being.

At the ceremony, t he Prins Bernhard Culture

Fund Caribbean Region awarded The National Institute of Arts for its outstanding efforts in the fields of Arts and Culture. To date, NIA has created the first ever youth orchestra on St. Maarten and currently provides at least 2000 students with formal training in the arts.

The atmosphere of the ceremony provided a sense of love, passion, the importance of collaborations, consistency, and persistence it took to provide a centre for the arts on St. Maarten.

During the ceremony both founders of NIA, Miss Ar-

lene Halley and Miss Clara Reyes share a heart-warming story on the humble beginnings of The National Institute of Arts. They both express sharing the same dream of creating a centre for the artistic expressions and professional development of local talents. They both even illustrated the inspiration of NIA’s logo through demonstrating a dance position called “tendu devant efface with arms in 4th position back layout”.

At the acceptance moment of the award, Miss Arlene Halley along with her board members and staff at her side expressed their grati-

tude for the funding NIA received after Hurricane IRMA and during Covid-19 from The Prins Bernhard Culture Fund. Moreover, Miss Arlene Halley stated that the funds covered the crucial operations of NIA at that time. As a result, NIA was able to cover the core activities and other crucial operating expenses.

Miss Clara Reyes, the Department Head of Culture under the Ministry of Education, Youth, Culture and Sports, expressed her intentions to support the continuous progression of the Arts and Culture through

a multi-interdependent approach between local communities, civil society, and the Department of Culture. The slogan of night “we are going to keep going strong”. NIA envisions itself to continuously expand its artistic excellence to become the Caribbean finest accredited institute of inter-disciplinary arts in education. This vision evokes the notion of positioning St. Maarten as a country that develops professional talents that will have the artistic interdisciplinary acumen to become worldwide working professionals in the Arts.

Grisha praises Estika for her Strength and Courage

Philipsburg, Estika Halley has received accolades from MP Grisha Heyliger-Marten for her incredible fortitude and bravery she has shown after surviving the vicious attack on her life. Halley suffered many stab wounds and had her neck cut earlier this year. “Estika is a stunning example for all women, demonstrating that no force is stronger than a woman who is determined to survive. As she led a march to the courthouse for the hearing, her bravery was evident. Estika deserves special recognition for her bravery and strength as we recognize the In-

ternational Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, said MP Heyliger-Marten.

Additionally, MP Heyliger-Marten urged the general public to buy Tshirts to support Estika’s cause. Proceeds will be used to cover Estika’s legal expenses. Persons willing to support can send an email to estikahalley1996@gmail.com.

I urge everyone to support Estika by purchasing one of these powerful tees, adorned with a powerful message: “She is the voice for those who were silenced,” MP HeyligerMarten concluded.

The Prins Bernhard Culture Fund awards NIA for its efforts in the fields of Arts and Culture on St. Maarten

... ever youth orchestra on St. Maarten and currently provides at least 2000 students with formal training in the arts.

The atmosphere of the ceremony provided a sense of love, passion, the importance of collaborations, consistency, and persistence it took to provide a centre for the arts on St. Maarten.

During the ceremony both founders of NIA, Miss Arlene Halley and Miss Clara

Reyes share a heart-warming story on the humble beginnings of The National Institute of Arts. They both express sharing the same dream of creating a centre for the artistic expressions and professional development of local talents. They both even illustrated the inspiration of NIA’s logo through demonstrating a dance position called “tendu devant efface with arms in 4th position back layout”.

At the acceptance moment of the award, Miss Arlene Halley along with her board members and staff at her side expressed their gratitude for the funding NIA received after Hurricane IRMA and during Covid-19 from The Prins Bernhard Culture Fund. Moreover, Miss Arlene Halley stated that the funds covered the crucial operations of NIA at that time. As a result, NIA was able to cover the core

activities and other crucial operating expenses.

Miss Clara Reyes, the Department Head of Culture under the Ministry of Education, Youth, Culture and Sports, expressed her intentions to support the continuous progression of the Arts and Culture through a multi-interdependent approach between local communities, civil society, and the Department of Culture.

The slogan of night “we are

going to keep going strong”. NIA envisions itself to continuously expand its artistic excellence to become the Caribbean finest accredited institute of inter-disciplinary arts in education. This vision evokes the notion of positioning St. Maarten as a country that develops professional talents that will have the artistic interdisciplinary acumen to become worldwide working professionals in the Arts.