Paris / St.Maarten:---  St. Maarten leader recognized on the global stage for distinguished public service and inspirational life experience.

Women Changing the World (WCW) has announced its 2026 global winners, and St. Maarten’s own Sarah A. Wescot-Williams stands out as a double honoree, earning recognition in two distinct categories.

Wescot-Williams took 1st Place in Women in Corporate & Public Sector, a testament to her decades of leadership and public service in the Caribbean region. She also claimed 2nd Place in Experience That Inspires (65+), a category celebrating women whose lived experience and wisdom continue to drive meaningful change.

The WCW Awards recognize outstanding women from around the world making a positive impact through their work. This year's winners represent a diverse range of fields and nationalities, with Wescot-Williams among a select group to receive more than one award.

“To be recognized not once but twice reflects a lifetime dedicated to public life and to the people of this Country. St. Maarten, this is for you,” stated Wescot-Williams.

https://wcwawards.com/winners-2026/

PHILIPSBURG:--- Motorworld proudly announces its recognition at the 2026 international conferences hosted by GAC and Changan, securing multiple prestigious awards that highlight the group’s excellence in performance, leadership, and brand execution.
At the 2026 GAC International Partner Conference held in Guangzhou, China, Motorworld was honored with the Outstanding Distributor Gold Award, Global Benchmark Store Award, and Distributor Excellence Award. In addition, Chairman Tariq Amjad was recognized with the Outstanding General Manager Award, while Group Brand & Logistics Director Dylan Smith received the Brand Leadership Award for his exceptional contribution to brand growth and positioning. Dealer teams and individuals who received these awards were recognized for their excellent sales performance, customer service, and market promotion over the past year.
Further reinforcing this achievement, Tariq Amjad was also awarded the Excellent General Manager Award at the Changan Global Partner Conference that was held in Chongqing, China, recognizing his continued leadership and impact across the organization.

“These awards are a tremendous honor and a reflection of the collective effort behind everything we do,” said Tariq Amjad. “While it is deeply rewarding to be recognized at this level, this couldn’t have been possible without our distribution team, whose dedication, consistency, and passion make achievements like this possible. This recognition motivates us to continue raising the bar and delivering excellence across every market we serve.”
These accolades reflect Motorworld’s ongoing commitment to operational excellence, innovative customer experiences, and strong leadership across its regional markets. Building on this momentum, the company continues to focus on expanding its distribution network across the Caribbean, while strengthening support for its dealer partners across the islands to ensure consistently high standards of customer experience and accessible, forward-thinking mobility solutions.

PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department within the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA), through its Youth Health Care Baby Wellness Clinic, has planned several vaccine outreach events for community members in May.

The vaccine outreach efforts are geared primarily towards children ages 4 to 9 who have not yet received their vaccine boosters. If parents have missed recent vaccine appointments, CPS encourages them to use this opportunity for children ages 2 months to 17 years old.

Parents and guardians can bring children and teenagers to the clinic at the Vineyard Office Park between 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM on Wednesday, May 13; between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM on Saturday, May 16; and between 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM on Wednesday, May 27. You should also bring along your child’s vaccination record.

The vaccines that are provided include: DTaP-IPV-Hib (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, and Poliomyelitis and Haemophilus influenzae type B), PCV13 (Pneumococcus Conjugate Vaccine 13-valent), MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella), DT-IPV (Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Poliomyelitis), and HPV (Human Papillomavirus).

For those who would like additional information to verify their child(ren) 's status or to make an appointment, you can call 721-542-3003 or message CPS via WhatsApp at 721-520-4163.

Vaccination is essential in preventing a wide range of childhood diseases and significantly reduces the risk of illness, disability, and death.

These include conditions such as cervical cancer, diphtheria, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, pertussis (whooping cough), pneumonia, polio, rotavirus, diarrhea, rubella, and tetanus.

CPS also highlights the importance of the HPV vaccine, which is recommended for girls between the ages of nine and 17. This vaccine offers long-term protection against cervical cancer, one of the leading causes of death among women, making early vaccination a vital preventive measure.

Maintaining routine vaccination coverage is crucial. According to PAHO, gaps in vaccination can leave children vulnerable to preventable diseases such as polio, tetanus, measles, and diphtheria, particularly those with weakened immune systems. Ensuring full immunization not only protects individuals but also strengthens community immunity.

Vaccines remain one of the most effective tools in eliminating childhood diseases. CPS urges parents and guardians to treat vaccination records with the same importance as other essential documents, such as passports or identification, ensuring they are up to date and safely stored.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Construction has begun on the Philipsburg Marketplace without a valid building permit, and while the sound of machinery may feel like progress, MP Darryl York says what is actually happening on that site is illegal. At the most recent public Parliamentary meeting, the Minister of TEATT confirmed on record that no permit had yet been granted and that construction would begin once one was granted. That permit still has not been issued. The equipment is moving anyway. And if you are one of the 400-plus families who have been waiting years for your own building permit, watching your loan get canceled, your construction costs climb, and your life sit on hold, MP York says you already know exactly what is wrong with this picture.

There are over 400 families, small business owners, and everyday people who have been waiting years for their building permits. Years. While they waited, construction costs rose, and their budgets no longer covered what they had planned to build. Pre-approved loans were canceled because banks require a valid permit. Lives put on hold. Businesses that never opened. Homes that were never built. These people did everything right. They submitted their plans. They paid their fees. They waited and kept waiting because the rules said they had to. Now they are watching the government build without the very document it has yet to provide them. Rule for one. Rule for all.

MP York is clear that he supports the development of the Philipsburg Marketplace and the recent urgency behind it. Sint Maarten needs it, vendors need it. But he has said since day one in Parliament: do it the right way, or don't do it at all.

It is not the people's fault, he argues, that the government held a groundbreaking two years ago without a permit in hand. It is not their fault that the design kept changing and the permit kept not coming. And the answer to those failures cannot be to simply ignore the rules that every ordinary resident is forced to follow. If the government can build without a permit, on what grounds can an inspector stop a resident from doing the same? On what authority does a minister lecture the private sector about compliance when the ministry itself is not compliant? You cannot enforce rules you are not willing to follow.

MP York's call to the Government is direct: pause, obtain the permit through the proper process, and then build. Not because he wants to see this project delayed, but because the integrity of the system that over 400 families are depending on and binded too, cannot be selectively applied. Fix the backlog. Streamline the process. Give people their permits.

You do not fix a broken system by exempting yourself from it.

Rule for one. Rule for all.