PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ad Hoc Committee Integrity (AHCI), will meet on February 21, 2019.
The AHCI Committee meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 10.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.
The agenda points are:
1. Discussion on the Danish Code of Conduct for research integrity
(IS/477/2016-2017/ dated February 17, 2017)

2. Codes of conduct in national Parliaments: Transparency
(IS/478/2016-2017 dated February 17, 2017)

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx and Parliament’s Facebook page: Parliament of Sint Maarten.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a Plenary Public meeting on Thursday, February 21, 2019.
The Public meeting is scheduled for 14.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of Justice will be present.
The agenda points are:

1. Incoming documents
2. Regulation of tasks
3. Discussion on handling of sexual molestation cases that have been surfacing in the media
(IS/539/2018-2019 dated January 30, 2019)

(This meeting was requested by MP T.E. Leonard, MP F. A. Meyers, MP S.M. Bijlani and MP C.A.H. Peterson)

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.
The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx and Parliament’s Facebook page: Parliament of Sint Maarten.

The 2019 Honda HR-V has arrived at the Motorworld showroom with multiple upgrades to ensure a smooth and sweet ride which gives life to the “power of dreams.” For 2019, HR-V expands its appeal with refreshed styling, new technology, and more refined driving experience, adding to an already established reputation as a versatile and sporty 5-door subcompact SUV.
“We stand by Honda’s ‘power of dreams,’ slogan, says Tariq Amjad, Managing Director, Motorworld. “This exemplifies the powerful award-winning quality of the Honda brand, which many customers have a dream to own. We work with everyone towards making that dream into reality, and have a vast line-up of Honda models to suit various customers’ needs and budgets.”
All 2019 HR-V models feature new styling, with revised bumpers, grill, headlights, LED DRLs, and taillights, while the EX-L model gets LED fog lights.
A rearview camera is now standard on all HR-V models. Inside, it benefits from a new Display Audio system featuring a simplified interface that includes a volume knob and the addition of Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ integration. EX models and higher now come standard with smart entry and push button start, as well as a one-touch power moon roof.
The 2019 HR-V benefits from refinements to its standard Continuously Variable automatic Transmission (CVT), resulting in a more natural driving feel and quieter operation. Other measures to reduce interior noise include additional sound deadening in the fenders and floor, plus the inclusion of Active Noise Cancelling on EX-L trims.
EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR

For 2019, HR-V receives exterior styling updates to further expand its appeal. The grille is enhanced by a new interpretation of the “flying wing” rendered in dark chrome and extending over the new projector-style headlights. Under the chrome band the grille opening has been restyled to emphasize a wide look, and the fog light housings have been enlarged to help give HR-V a more aggressive stance. In the rear, new smoked turn signal lenses are connected by a thin chrome band, lending an upscale air to HR-V's exterior. Three new colors have been added to HR-V's palette: Aegean Blue Metallic, Midnight Amethyst Metallic, and Platinum White Pearl. Inside, in addition to the new Display Audio system and its easy-to-use interface, the HR-V has an updated interior with new seat fabrics and upper door panels, and a revised cupholder.
EX/EX-L models now come with the new In-Car Smartphone Integration App with Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™.
All 2019 HR-Vs benefit from additional sound deadening measures. Additional sound absorbing materials have been placed in the firewall, under the floor, and in the passenger-side foot well. EX-L trims also receive Active Noise Cancellation, which sends reverse-phase audio signals through the HR-V audio system to cancel out low-frequency road noise.
Regardless of trim, the 2019 HR-V offers voluminous interior space for passengers and cargo inside an exterior package that's compact and easy to park. Thanks to a revised stay-spring mechanism for the hatch, it's now easier than ever to access HR-V's cargo space of 24.3 cubic feet behind the rear seats (23.2 cubic feet with AWD). HR-V also uses the multi-position 2nd row Magic Seat®, similar to Fit, which is easily reconfigured for maximum cargo and passenger carrying capacity. HR-V also offers up to 100.1 cubic feet of passenger space with abundant rear seat head and legroom, especially considering HR-V's compact outer dimensions.
POWERTRAIN

The 2019 Honda HR-V is powered by a 141 horsepower, 1.8-liter SOHC i-VTEC® 4-cylinder engine. Driving either the front or all four wheels, all HR-V models now use a Continuously Variable automatic Transmission (CVT). 

HR-V's CVT receives numerous upgrades for the 2019 model year to help provide a more natural feeling driving experience. At full throttle, the CVT now features revised shift mapping that, under hard acceleration, more closely resembles the stepped gear changes of a conventional fixed-gear transmission. This “stepped” feel gives HR-V a more familiar feel during acceleration, while also helping to reduce interior noise levels. Additionally, HR-V's CVT uses a more refined and natural feeling engagement, staying at lower revs more often. Other improvements include HR-V shifting to higher revs under deceleration, providing a measure of engine braking force and better responsiveness when the driver returns to the gas pedal.
TECHNOLOGY

The 2019 HR-V incorporates numerous upgrades to its in-vehicle technologies. Headlining the changes is an updated Display Audio system available in EX and EX-L trims. Its 7-inch touchscreen has been reconfigured with new icons for ease of use, with Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ integration.

Standard on EX models and higher are walk-away door locks, which automatically lock HR-V’s doors when it detects the key fob is no longer near the vehicle. EX-L models benefit from Active Noise Cancellation for a quieter cabin, Smart Entry and push-button start, fully automatic headlights, and variable intermittent wipers.

MODELS
The 2019 Honda HR-V lineup offers a variety of trims to choose from, suitable for a wide variety of budgets and buyer tastes from LX to the line-topping EX-L. All HR-Vs now come standard with a rear view camera and LED Daytime Running Lights.

In addition, the Honda CR-V and other Honda models were awarded with the 2019 Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Awards to honor automakers' outstanding achievements in producing vehicles that best retain their value over the first five years (60 months) of new-vehicle ownership. This is a very good indicator of the model's overall value-retention ability.

Honda's 2019 Kelley Blue Book Best Resale Value Award winners are:
• Best Resale Value: Hybrid Car – 2019 Honda Insight
• Best Resale Value: Compact Car – 2019 Honda Civic
• Best Resale Value: Subcompact SUV/Crossover – 2019 Honda HR-V
• Best Resale Value: Minivan – 2019 Honda Odyssey
• Best Resale Value: Top 10 – 2019 Honda Ridgeline

~ Says PJIAE needs to bring in Dutch Financial Advisor pending the recruitment of CFO. ~

PHILIPSBURG: --- Newly appointed CEO of Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE) Brian Mingo told SMN News in an exclusive interview that while he supports the US pre-clearance for PJIAE he said the Airport simply does not have the money at this time to invest in such a project. Further Mingo said that PJIAE has to conduct more studies on the US preclearance and what benefits it could bring to St. Maarten. He said the US preclearance is indeed is a great concept, but the timing is out  of whack especially since the Airport does not have the money.

Asked if he is working on getting US Pre Clearance for St. Maarten Mingo said he is working towards that, but more research needs to be done since it’s a big investment. “We cannot invest in projects such as these in a hurry because that will run us into problems.” Asked if did any type of research and if he has tangible information to show what the Return on Investment will be for St. Maarten, Mingo said there are projections as there is a report available. He made clear that he is busy doing the “quick fixes” at the Airport since he has only been there for 6 weeks. “Don’t forget that when I get the Airport Terminal fixed, I would then have a second loan of USD 100M to pay along with the existing loan. The USD 100M I am going to get now is sufficient to fix the damaged terminal building to bring it back like it was pre- IRMA along with some additional improvements.
“The US Preclearance is not included in Phase 2 of the project because we do not have the money, while more studies must be done on the retail part of this project. If we are going to channel 70% of the US passengers through another gate then I have to wonder what will happen to the other stores that will not be getting the same traffic, these other store owners will get upset because they would not be making the same money as they were in the beginning.”
Asked if the Management Team of PJIAE made a final decision on how they will proceed Mingo said he sent a proposal to the Supervisory Board informing them on what will be done with the USD 100M which he said is geared towards restoring the Terminal Building and the businesses inside of the Terminal. Mingo said that the US Pre-clearance will be included in package 3 and 4 simply because PJIAE does not have the money. He said there are 4 phases in which PJIAE will be restructured ranging from Phase 1 thru 4 he said Phase one is already completed by restoring the roof which costs USD 14. 7M and now they are busy with Phase 2 which is expected to be completed by 2020 if the funds are available. Mingo said that if the funds are not available then nothing will happen. Asked if he is aware that the Prime Minister already sent a letter to the US counterpart in July 2018 assuring them that the US preclearance has priority Mingo said that he is fully aware but one has one has to know that the US preclearance has conditions such as the US Department of Security would have to visit PJIAE and basically have to inspect the Terminal Building and see how they could fit in the plan of the US Clearance. “If the Terminal Building is not fully functional how could we have them come in for such inspection, therefore the restructuring of the Terminal Building has to be finalized before the idea of US Pre Clearance can be entertained since it’s a security issue especially since goods also will be taken to the US territory. Besides that, the price tag for US pre-clearance ranges from USD 6M to USD 8M per year.
Mingo said Aruba managed to get US clearance because it stimulated their tourism market and also combat problematic drug trafficking of the 90's he said that instead of the US stopping the drugs in their territory they stopped it in Aruba since its cheaper while boosting the tourism economy “There was a deal made back then and now there is a deal made between the Kingdom and the United States, which resulted in having the US aircraft in Curacao watching over the situation in Venezuela. "I beleive there is a probably relationship and Washington which allowed the US defence to make use of the Dutch Territories. “Government will be looking into these things when having these understandings when establishing US preclearance since it will benefit WINAIR since it opens the gateway to the US via St. Maarten, he also considered it to be a great business model for St. Maarten.

While Mingo said that more research and or studies have to be conducted SMN News understands that PJIAE already invested heavily by hiring certified companies to conduct the necessary research.
SMN News further understands that the conceptual drawing for the layout of their services and office spaces has already been approved. There is a plan is to expand towards the east of the existing terminal building to accommodate the US preclearance services. There is also a commercial plan in place, a consultant was on St. Maarten who looked at the drawings and have presented options to PJIAE on how to put in commercial strategy in place in the US preclearance area. There is a study available on possible financing and the current bondholders also expressed their desire in the past to finance the US preclearance project.

Dutch CFO and Financial Advisor.

Mingo said he never said that PJIAE should hire a CFO from the Netherlands however he said his advice is for PJIAE to bring in someone from the Netherlands with the financial capabilities as a financial advisor. Mingo said PJIAE cannot afford to wait three to four months for a CFO to be appointed because the screening process takes time and he believes that PJIAE simply cannot wait that long for a CFO. “We need someone who would work in the Finance Department of PJIAE to crunch the numbers in order for them to secure the loan. “I never said to appoint a CFO from the Netherlands I already have someone that could work with the staff to identify the liquidity problem. The financial problems at the airport were created because we have overextended ourselves with projects without having the necessary funding.”
One example is the commitment given to the contractor for the roof which in my view is an expensive roof thus placing the company in financial predicament. “If PJIAE had a good CFO in place that person would have blocked that project until the finances are secured, one option was getting the local banks involved.”
Mingo said that believes that the Prime Minister is doing a great job and people need to stop the bickering. He said one of the things the PM is doing is helping him find the money to keep the company afloat. He said people cannot be cursing out the Dutch and or the mother country that is providing St. Maarten with money, for example, the USD 15M which will be tied into the USD 100M grant. “Den Haag is willing to support me so that we can move forward.”

To edify a community through Entrepreneurship!"

 Herewith, I would like to present to Investors near and far, the community of Saint Eustatius, Statians and "Friends of Statia" in the Diaspora the current project of "SanD's Vastgoed" at Concordia as an investment opportunity on the Island of Saint Eustatius.

The re-start and completion, forecasted within a two-year span (Ground Floor within 6 months), formed the basis of my Thesis upon graduation from The Hague University of Applied Sciences under the faculty of International Business & Management.

Point of departure being the (un)availability of finance modules for the Island obtainable locally or within the Region for 'New' Entrepreneurs (Start-ups) and/or existing businesses. In order to forge a breakthrough in the impasse (vicious cycle), I contended to establish "SanD's Guaranteed Fund" to finance the completion of the Commercial Complex adjacent to the
'FDR Airport' on Saint Eustatius. Through broad-based participation and Group profit sharing, Investors would be sought to finance collective interests on the Island. In this instance, beginning with the much-needed project of "SanD's Vastgoed" at a prime location on the Island, surrounded by the larger residential areas.

The Prospectus of the Company outlines the establishment of a Retail (Supermarket) Outlet accompanied by 4 compatible commercial entities for individual entrepreneurs, including, a
'Wellness Centre'. Atop the Ground Floor 8 residential units will be built for lease, also
utilizing the roof of the complex to source solar energy.

The “SanD’s Guaranteed Fund” gives the investor the possibility to directly influence the usage of funds. The investor is guaranteed herein, an 8% annual dividend on all invested capital into the project. Whereby, the full yield is earned by the participant. E.g. a $ 10,000.00 investment in the "SanD's Guaranteed Fund" yields $ 4,000.00 over 5 years compare to savings of 0.5 - 1% per annum, yielding $ 250.00 - 500.00 over the same 5-year period.
The initial term of the emission is set at 5 years - with the possibility to opt out after the second year – total redeemable up to an amount of US $ 50,000.00 yearly (Notice to be received before the 31st January in subsequent years). The C-Shares of the "SanD's Guaranteed Fund" are redeemable by the Company after 5 years or may be converted to "Common B-Shares" of the Company by the Holder. The investor also shares in the further distribution of profits along with the "Common Shares" Holders.

To encourage financial literacy amongst the Children, and preparations for tertiary education an added incentive is granted of $ 1,500.00 on an investment of $ 1,000.00 or $ 30,000.00 on an investment of $ 20,000.00, both reserved towards a Child.

Fund Manager of the "SanD's Guaranteed Fund" is Ms Antoinette Schmidt - Managing Director of the legal entity "SanD's Vastgoed & Beheermaatschappij N.V.", established on Saint Eustatius, under Chamber of Commerce registration number 946.

Do contact us (Telephone: +599-319-1263) to request a copy of the Prospectus along with the 'Share Application Form'. By E-mail at: SanDs.GuaranteedFund@gmail.com.

Inscription to the "SanD's Guaranteed Fund" commenced on the 15th February 2019. The
'Inception Date' is set for the 1st March 2019.

Cole Bay:--- The Sint Maarten Nature Foundation over the past week has been monitoring the spread and extent of a Harmful Algal Bloom currently ongoing in the Cole Bay Corner section of the Simpson Bay Lagoon. Harmful algal blooms, or HABs, occur when colonies of algae—simple plants that live in the sea and freshwater—grow out of control while producing toxic or harmful effects on people and wildlife.
“Over the past week, we have noticed an increase in harmful algae in sections of the Simpson Bay Lagoon, in particular in the Cole Bay Corner section of the Lagoon. It started out small but unfortunately, over the past few days we have noticed an increase in the extent of the bloom,” commented Nature Foundation Manager Tadzio Bervoets.

Although there have not been any signs of fish kills or human impacts yet, the Foundation is monitoring the situation closely considering the potential for harmful effects caused by the bloom; “right now we hope that the conditions will stabilize which will allow the bloom to dissipate. However, considering the potential for harmful impacts we will be keeping a close eye on the situation,” continued Bervoets.

Harmful Algal Blooms occurs when nutrients (mainly phosphorus, nitrogen, and carbon) from sources such as sewage and wastewater 'overfeeds' the algae that exist normally in the environment, causing the algae to bloom. “Unfortunately this is an example of poor water quality leading into a wider issue within our environment. In addition to this bloom we are also struggling with the health of our coral both on the reefs and within our coral nursery. This issue highlights the need for addressing our wastewater management on the island,” concluded Bervoets.

Kralendijk:--- The Board of financial supervision of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (Cft) has called on both the Executive Council and the Island Council to show more decisiveness in the realization of policy intentions and financial management actions. The Cft observes that too many financial resources have remained unused in recent years, while necessary improvements are still lacking in various policy areas. When the financial management is put in order, a timely and reliable budget and accountability cycle can be attained.
Preliminary figures show that Bonaire has realized a surplus of approximately USD 12 million over the year 2018. The revenues were approximately USD 3 million higher and the expenditures approximately USD 9 million lower compared to the 2018 budget. In almost all policy areas the available resources have not been fully utilized. The Cft has advised the Executive Council to ensure that the 2018 financial statements are finalized in time, so that a proposal can still be made to the Island Council to spend the money that has remained unused. Discussions were held with the Executive Council about the possibilities to achieve a situation whereby the policy intentions that are incorporated in the budget will be fully implemented in 2019.

In November 2018 a government agreement (bestuursakkoord) was concluded between the State of the Netherlands and Bonaire. The Cft will monitor the execution of the agreements to improve financial management and has received an explanation from the Executive Council on the current state of affairs. The Cft has agreed that the present financial management improvement plan will be finalized in February 2019. This is important since it has been agreed with Bonaire that the 2021 financial statements will receive an unqualified auditor's report.

The government enterprises have also been discussed. These companies carry out government tasks and their proper functioning is therefore of great importance for the citizens. The Cft has called for the improvement of the governance and to comply with the agreements in the government agreement. Specifically, the full staffing of the supervisory boards was discussed and the timely drafting and submittal of the annual accounts. Also in this area decisiveness is essential in the short term.

During the visit of the Board on Tuesday, February 19th, meetings were held with the Lieutenant Governor, the Executive Council and the Island Council.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The WICSU/PSU and ABVO have come together to issue a joint demand to the Council of Ministers, Parliament, Supervisory Board and Management of PJIAE N.V. We are demanding they work together to secure the much-needed funding for the Airport.

To the Council of Ministers and Parliament, now is not the time for party politics and self-interests. The last thing our members and our economy needs right now is instability within Government. This will further prolong the much-needed injection of cash that PJIAE N.V. needs in order to make payroll for February and to begin the reconstruction process. This has been recently confirmed by the CEO of PJIAE N.V. Mr. Brian Mingo. The ripple effect this vote of no-confidence will have on our members and our fragile economy, which is currently struggling to strengthen, will be profound.

ABVO and WICSU/PSU will be attending the Parliament meeting on Friday. We would like to witness for ourselves, all the members of parliament that does not have the best interest of the 270 employees at PJIAE N.V., and the pillar of this economy at heart.

~ Judge to give the decision on whether the prosecution can take place on Monday. ~

PHILIPSBURG:--- The judge at the Court of First Instance granted the prosecution their request to hold Leader of the United Democrats (UD) Theodore Heyliger for the next 8 days in pretrial detention.
The Prosecutor’s Office also petitions the court on Thursday afternoon to grant them permission to prosecute Heyliger in the LARIMAR Investigation.
Spokesman for the TBO Roderick Gouverneur confirmed the request for extension was granted while he said the Judge will render its verdict on whether or not the Prosecution will be allowed to prosecute Heyliger.
LARIMAR Corruption Investigation can be considered one of the biggest corruption cases that involves politicians, civil servants and persons in the private sector such as construction companies.
Heyliger was due to appear in court at 2pm on Thursday afternoon his appearance was delayed while members of his immediate family and few supporters waited for him outside of the Court House.

Heyliger was arrested on Tuesday morning after several persons including his stepfather George Pelgrim was arrested two weeks ago. TBO officers also arrested Ron Elferink both men spent eight days 10 days on pretrial detention they were released when they petitioned the court to release them due to medical conditions.
Prior to the recent arrests, the Managing Director of Windward Road Jan Hendrick Boekaar was also arrested while his home and office were searched.
Windward Roads managed to secure a deal with the TBO and Prosecutor’s Office where they will pay a fine of USD2M. However, the money will be deducted from new projects that the Department of VROMI has to provide for the Dutch company.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On behalf of our members, and by extension in the interest of the people of St. Maarten, the Board of the SHTA calls upon Parliament, both coalition members as well as the opposition to consider the consequences of their pending actions tomorrow and what will be the wider impact to the country and the impact to our collective endeavors to improve the socio-economic circumstances of Sint Maarten.
Sint Maarten cannot afford, at this time, the disruption of government that would result from the adoption of the motions of no confidence. Without forsaking our Constitution and Democratic rights, we implore on all stakeholders involved especially at this point to ponder and do not underestimate the value of stability, vs. the cost of instability.

Let’s together, focus on the interests of Sint Maarten and expedite the refinancing and repair of our airport, the gateway to Sint Maarten. Let’s together, work and support efforts to provide the financial means and other support to those who still need to repair their homes and/or their businesses. Let’s, together, ensure that destination Sint Maarten can be properly marketed abroad and create the positive economic growth that we all so desperately need.

GREAT BAY/MARIGOT:--- Lasana Sekou’s first Spanish-language book of St. Martin short stories, Fraternidad de las espuelas, has been published in Cuba by Editorial Arte y Literatura.
The book was launched at the 28th International Book Fair of Havana, Cuba, February 7-19, 2019, according to Iyaimi Palomares, director of Arte y Literatura.
Sekou’s stories allow readers to explore a Caribbean universe that is filled with “tension and intensity,” said Gertrudis “Tula” Ortiz during her review of the title at the book launch last Thursday, in the Sala Jose Portuondo.
The stories, from the original English Brotherhood of the Spurs (HNP, 1997, 2007), were translated by Emilio Jorge Rodriguez, an independent scholar, and Caribbean literary historian.
Rodriguez worked closely with Adriana Marcelo Costa, the book’s editor at Arte y Literatura, to realize “a faithful translation of the spirit of the book” – from Brotherhood to Fraternidad – said Ortiz.
Ortiz, a professor of Caribbean cultural studies at the University of the Arts, Havana, critiqued Fraternidad within a wide Caribbean context: “The four stories of Fraternidad de las espuelas (Brotherhood of the Spurs) are written with a singular voice, with its own registries.”
Ortiz said that, “There are significant intertextual occurrences of Western culture, and quotes of classics of Greek and other cultures that allow us to classify Lasana … as another type of Caliban.”
Ortiz, who is also a researcher in Latin American studies, said that, “He (Lasana), like George Lamming, Derek Walcott, Aida Cartagena and even our own writer, Virgilio Piñera and others, appropriates these codes using the registries, the language of the colonizer, to construct a universe, a route that leads to a new aesthetic experience, which must be read with a differentiating look and to convince us that, as Benítez Rojo said in his seminal essay ‘The Repeating Island,’ the Caribbean is an engine of flow and interruption at the same time, a technological-poetic engine or a meta-engine of diversity.”
Literary critic Fabian Badejo broke the new book news here last Sunday on “Culture Time,” his popular PJD-2 Radio magazine. “The translation of Brotherhood of the Spurs extends St. Martin literature and culture, and books by Lasana into the Spanish-speaking Caribbean and Latin America,” reiterated Badejo on Thursday.
“This exciting news also comes within the 40th anniversary year of Lasana Sekou as a St. Martin author of over 20 books,” said Badejo.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in Continuation Plenary Public meeting on Friday, February 22, 2019. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Tourism Economic Affairs, Transport, and Telecommunications will be present.
The Plenary Public meeting which was adjourned on Monday, February 4, 2019 will be reconvened on Friday, February 22, 2019 at 10.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is:
Discussion on the decision of the Council of Ministers taken on Tuesday to go with the Dutch government and European Investment Bank (EIB) financing proposal to the tune of US $100 million for the reconstruction of St. Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA) (IS/487/18-19 d.d 14 January 2019)

(This meeting was requested by MP A.M.R. Irion, MP E.J. Doran, MP C.T. Emmanuel, MP S.E. Jacobs, MP F.G. Richardson, and MP R. Brison)

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.com and Parliament’s Facebook page: Parliament of Sint Maarten.

~Will Sarah Wescot Williams sag her for not following thru on various recommendations?~

PHILIPSBURG:---The feelings about the passing of a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Leona Romeo Marlin and Minister Stuart Johnson is a bittersweet one especially in particular against Romeo Marlin. The motion that was tabled by the Opposition MPs of Parliament is expected to hit a deadlock if the current coalition that is in limbo now that their party leader is in pretrial detention does not fall into place.
It is alleged that over the past months the Prime Minister has been very disrespectful towards her own Ministers and also towards senior Civil Servants who are fed up with her bullying attitude and disrespectful behavior.
It must be noted that Romeo Marlin has been very disrespectful towards her fellow colleagues in the Council of Minister in particular Minister of TEATT Stuart Johnson and Minister of VROMI Miklos Giterson. It is alleged that the Prime Minister has been calling Minister Stuart Johnson “a Flamingo” who has no clue of what he is doing and would rather see someone else fulfilling the post of Minister of TEATT rather than Stuart Johnson.
With regards to the Minister of VROMI, she is labeling him as a drunkard and a substance abuser who doesn’t show up to meetings. Sources say the Prime Minister is also constantly harassing him asking when he is going to repair the Government vehicle the MR-6 that was involved in a traffic accident in September 2018, that up until this week was parked up on the Government parking lot behind the Government building. Romeo Marlin allegedly went as far as labeling her fellow Ministers corrupt and has threatened she would report them to RST and TBO. What one would question why would Romeo Marlin label her colleague Ministers so negatively but now seeking their support if a motion is passed against her in calling for new elections.
Recommendations based on a recent Parliament meeting as requested by the Chairlady of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams to review the rules and guidelines of the World Bank went on deaf ears as Romeo Marlin allegedly said that Sarah Wescot Williams is not going to tell her how to run her show. It goes to show that Romeo Marlin is not willing to follow thru on the advice of her seasoned Coalition Members among others MP Sarah Wescot-Williams. Romeo Marlin allegedly has been giving Minister Wycliffe Smith a hard time in getting the Library up and running of which Minister Wycliffe Smith is planning to take this issue to another level as a coalition member besides being a member of the Council of Ministers.
Senior Civil servants are also in a silent uproar against the constant rude behavior of the Prime Minister who shows no respect to Civil Servant and continues to threaten them with warning and dismissal letters. It must also be noted that Romeo Marlin is centered around wrongdoings such as misleading the Governor with the Smith Orloff & Associates contract and the appointment of personnel for not following the correct procedures but yet she is quick to blame others.
The general sentiment of those persons who spoke to SMN News is that Romeo Marlin is sent home by Parliament she only has herself to blame as she has not been behaving in the manner that is expected of a Prime Minister but rather as a Leader of a bush organization who is not trustworthy and loves to blame others for her failures such as the World Bank projects that are on a standstill. The only World Bank Trust Fund project that is in execution is the Repairs of the Police Station.

All other projects such as Roof repairs, School Buildings, repairs of Hurricane Shelters are on hold due to the incompetence of the Prime Minister who refuse to follow thru on the advice of the Chairlady of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams to evaluate the World bank Trust fund rules and guidelines and adjust them accordingly in order to get things moving.
Another big failure of the Prime Minister is the current financial situation of the Princess Juliana International Airport and PSS workers who lost their jobs since Romeo Marlin took office.
Based on a Whatsapp message that circulated this past weekend it alleges that the Leader of the United Democrats Theodore Heyliger in his last remarks at Holland House in the presence of Minister Miklos Giterson and his public relation officer, prior to his detention on Tuesday morning, said that “Leona has to go and will be gone by Friday if all goes well. The text further states that Leona doesn’t answer his calls and she has been behaving very arrogant as if it’s the Dutch Government that had appointed her and she seemingly had prior knowledge that he would have been detained this week.”
One would wonder if the loyal UD Members of Parliament will follow thru on his intentions to send Romeo Marlin home.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a Central Committee meeting on Friday. The Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor will be present.
The Continuation Central Committee meeting no. 9 which was adjourned on Friday, November 16, 2018, will be reconvened on Friday, February 22, 2019, at 14.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is:
The current financial status of SZV and the revenue losses since the passing of hurricanes Irma and Maria (IS/116/2018-2019 dated September 26, 2018)
Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.com and Parliament’s Facebook page: Parliament of Sint Maarten.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a Central Committee meeting on Friday, February 22, 2019.
The Central Committee meeting is scheduled for 9.00 hrs. in the General Assembly Chamber of the House at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.
The agenda point is:
Debriefing Tripartite and Work visit Suriname

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 115, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx and Parliament’s Facebook page: Parliament of Sint Maarten.

PM Leona Romeo Marlin and Minister Stuart Johnson.

PHILIPSBURG:--- An arrogant Prime Minister Leona Romeo Marlin and a scared Minister of TEATT Stuart Johnson escaped the motions of no confidence tabled against them. The motions which were tabled over two weeks ago were finally voted upon on Friday when the discussion on the decision taken by the Council of Ministers to go along with the World Bank and the European Investment Bank to obtain financing for the Princess Juliana International Airport ended
14 Members of Parliament attended the meeting of Parliament, seven from the Opposition benches voted in favor of the motions they tabled while the other seven Members of Parliament supporting the coalition voted against thus creating a tie vote.
Chairlady of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams announced that since the votes were tied and there was no majority the motions presented against Minister Johnson and the Prime Minister were rejected. Wescot- Williams further explained that the rules of order do not make any provisions for second voting when votes are tied.
In her presentation, Prime Minister Leona Romeo Marlin insulted the Members of Parliament that tabled the motions by referring to them as “the opposition” Romeo Marlin even went as far as saying that the opposition members do not take the time to read the information she provided to Parliament and thus calling it a shame. Romeo Marlin also thanked the WICSU/PSU and the SHTA for the sentiments they echoed on Thursday about the motions of no confidence.
Members of Parliament Jurendy Doran shared his disappointment when the CEO of PJIAE Brian Mingo told Parliament that PJIAE needs a person with CFO capabilities from Schipol to crunch numbers and someone to work along with the Human Resource Department of PJIAE. Doran said that the CEO of PJIAE Brian Mingo basically insulted the intelligence of the people of St. Maarten because he does not think St. Maarten has people that are capable of crunching numbers.

PHILIPSBURG:--- If there is one thing the Caribbean is known for as much as its beaches, is its rum. The spirit was first distilled on the islands during the 17th century when sugar plantation owners discovered molasses, a byproduct of the sugar refining process, which could be fermented into alcohol. Caribbean rum producers have spent centuries since perfecting the process of distillation, aging and blending. Many of the world's best rums come from the Caribbean.

Yesterday, USA Today awarded St. Maarten’s Topper's Rhum Distillery 1st place in the 10 Best Caribbean Rum Distillery contest. This prestigious competition is amongst some of the most famous rum brands in the world such as Bacardi, Brugal, Angostura, Cruzan, Mount Gay, Appleton Estate and Barbancourt.

USA TODAY’s 10Best.com, provides travelers with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content around the world. At its core is a team of well-traveled and well-educated experts who in their fields are known for their discriminating tastes.

Topper’s Rhum, a truly locally made product, is a world-class, multi-award winning, premium rhum that is handmade, bottled, and packaged with precision right here in Cole Bay, St. Maarten. Topper’s Rhum only uses all natural premium ingredients and no preservatives. They are committed to producing the world’s best tasting rhum and flavored rhum spirits, using the highest standards of quality. They are re-inventing rhum by continually innovating and delivering unique products to their customers worldwide.

Topper’s Rhum is very environmentally conscientious and well known for their signature reusable swing-top bottles. This official St. Maarten rhum is the only international multiple award-winning spirit distilled and exported from St. Maarten. They currently export to 7 countries and 23 states in the USA and are the official rhum of the Dutch Army. Their products are also sold online throughout the world. Topper’s Rhum has already won 24 international medals awarded by the most prominent rum tasting contests in the world.

Through their tours and their continuing expansion overseas, they are notably promoting St. Maarten internationally. Topper’s Rhum Distillery is one of the top unique places to visit on St. Maarten, according to the St. Maarten Tourism Bureau.

Come by and visit their newly installed and soon to be world famous Rhum Tap which offers 12 specialty flavors, ready for sampling or enjoy one of their hands-on tours. A guide will take you through the 6,000 sq. ft. distillery where you will learn the history of rum making and you’ll get a behind the scenes look at how they ferment, distill, age, blend and bottle. At the tasting bar you can try some of their 50 unique flavors that are in development and enjoy unlimited samples of all their artisanal products as well as their delicious rhum cake. Visit their boutique where you can purchase unique St. Maarten gifts and of course plenty of rhum including limited edition flavors that are only available at the distillery.

Topper’s Rhum distillery is open for free rhum tastings and shopping from 9:00am – 4:00pm
Monday – Friday and from 9:00am – 12:00pm on Saturdays. Tours are available for $20 at
10:00am and 4:00pm, Monday – Saturday. Sundays are available by appointment only. Call
721-520-0008 for an appointment or book it online at www.toppersrhumtours.com.

PHILIPSBURG:--- A female victim with initials K.H.S. was hit by a motorbike while attempting to cross the Walter Nisbeth road, on Thursday 21st of February.
According to reports from the Traffic department, cars heading in both directions stopped to allow the victim to cross but three motorbikes speeding pass did not take heed. The victim managed to escape being hit by the first two bikes and was hit by the third. The driver of the motorbike continued riding in the direction of the Prince Bernard Bridge after hitting the victim.
The victim sustained bruises to various parts of her body. Paramedics were called to the scene to treat the victim for bruises she sustained; she was transported to the Sint Maarten Medical Center for further treatment.
The St. Maarten Police Traffic Department is still investigating the accident and hopes to arrest the person responsible soon. As this investigation continues, the police are asking those persons who were in the vicinity at the time of the accident and can provide more information, to get in contact with Traffic Department as soon as possible by calling 54-22222, the TIP line 9300 or send a private message via our police Facebook page.

KPSM Press Release.

The Ministry of Health is implementing the Smart Health Facilities Project, with technical cooperation from PAHO/WHO and financing from the United Kingdom and the European Union.

Belize City (PAHO:---Eleven hospitals and health centers and a laboratory in Belize will be retrofitted to make them safer, “green” and able to continue operating during emergencies and disasters as part of the Smart Health Facilities Project, a Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) initiative, financed by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (UKaid) and the European Union. 

The Matron Roberts, Cleopatra White, Independence II, and Isabel Palma I polyclinics, as well as the San Ignacio community hospital and the Palm Center were selected to form part of the initiative, following an assessment of country priorities and the facilities’ vulnerability to disaster risks. The Western Regional Hospital, the Northern Regional Hospital and the Southern Regional Hospital, as well as the Punta Gorda and Corozal Community hospitals and the Central Medical Laboratory will also form part of this initiative.
“PAHO has been working on disaster prevention and response for 40 years and this has enabled many countries in the Americas to be better prepared to face them,” said the Director of PAHO, Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, during her official visit to the country. “To save more lives, we need health centers with plans in place as well as better prepared communities,” she added.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, seven out of ten hospitals are located in areas at high risk of disasters, which can leave them out of service in the event of a hurricane, earthquake or flood. The health sector is also a contributor to climate change and faces high energy and water costs, particularly in small island states.
“When disaster strikes, hospitals must remain accessible to people and must be able to operate at full capacity in order to provide care to those affected by an emergency as well as to regular patients that need care,” said Dr. Ciro Ugarte, Director of the Department of Health Emergencies at PAHO.
Ugarte explained that the project will enable select health centers to be retrofitted in order to become resilient and sustainable – by reducing operating costs-, as well as being more efficient service providers and more environmentally friendly.
Claire Bruce, Deputy High Commissioner of the British High Commission in Belize said that, for her country, “it is an honor to support this project because it has a real impact on peoples’ lives”. She said that the United Kingdom is supporting the second phase of the Smart Health Facilities Initiative in 7 Caribbean countries with more than 39 million pounds sterling. The Project is being implemented in Dominica, Belize Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The European Union also joined the Project in Belize. Nicolaus Hansmann, Head of the European Union team in Belize, highlighted the contribution of 7 million euros for the project – which also includes a laboratory – and said that this support not only seeks to ensure changes to the facilities but also aims to improve the quality of care and contribute to the country’s national health plan. Hansmann mentioned that the creation of a national implementation committee will be important to ensure project accountability.
The Project in Belize has advanced in a variety of ways. So far, a safety assessment has been carried out in the facilitates using a guide developed by PAHO, as well as an index that determines how green they are and what measures can be taken to reduce their carbon footprint. The redesign of the first six selected health institutions has also been completed, staff has been trained and meetings held with the community in order to receive their input. The first works are expected to begin within the next 3 months in the San Ignacio community hospital.
“It is imperative that we prepare ourselves to become more resilient,” said Ángel Campos, Secretary of State for Health at the Belize Ministry of Health. “Valuable contributions from international partners and local work will enable us to be better prepared to face natural disasters in the future,” he added.
Dr. Noreen Jack, PAHO/WHO Representative in Belize said that the initiative is timely as “climate change is upon us. The health sector must therefore be prepared and resilient when natural and other disasters strike.”
The interventions that will be carried out to ensure that the health facilities are more resilient include improvements to the ceilings to that they can withstand heavy rain, wind and hurricanes; structural improvements to prevent buildings from collapsing in the event of an earthquake; and the installation of solar panels to enable energy savings. Changes are also foreseen in the circulation of patients and the work of health personnel, as well as to improve ventilation and ensure that the facilities are more accessible for people with disabilities. Together, all of these interventions will ensure the provision of better quality health care for the population.

French Quarter:--- Anyone looking to add some green to their yard or neighborhood can get free plants at Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House in French Quarter. The free plant stand is located just in front of the Amuseum, and is stocked with an assortment of native plants and trees. The plants are provided by the Les Fruits de Mer association.

“Native plants are great for native animals, and after the destruction of Hurricane Irma, we still need to replace plants that were lost,” said Les Fruits de Mer co-founder Mark Yokoyama. “St. Martin is the most densely-populated island in the Caribbean, so there is not a lot of open space. Adding native plants around our homes can help make up for a lack of wild spaces.”

Les Fruits de Mer’s native plants nursery is one of several plant projects at Amuseum Naturalis. Promoting native plants helps local species and hopefully reduces demand for imported plants, which may arrive with unwanted pests. The project is funded by donations and a grant from BirdsCaribbean’s Hurricane Relief Fund. This fund has provided support for birds and nature on islands impacted by the hurricanes of 2017.

Other plant projects at Amuseum Naturalis include a native plant trail, a bush tea and bush medicine garden, and plantings of traditional food crops. Amuseum visitors are invited to learn all about plants and plant use on St. Martin. They are also welcome to share knowledge about plants and how they are used. The association will also give away seedlings of heritage plants used in bush teas.

“Please come by and pick up some free plants,” invited Les Fruits de Mer President Jenn Yerkes. “You can also visit the Amuseum for free while you are there! And please continue to share what you know about local plants and how they are used, so this knowledge can be passed on to future generations.”

Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House is a free museum sharing all that is special about St. Martin. It is open 9am to noon Tuesday to Saturday, and is located at The Old House on the hill above Le Galion beach in French Quarter. The free plant stand is in front of the Amuseum and accessible at all times.