Allegations Surface over PM Mercelina’s approval of SCDF's Management of Festival Village.

PHILIPSBURG: --- Concerns have been raised regarding Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina’s alleged decision to grant preliminary approval for St. Maarten Carnival Development Foundation (SCDF) members to manage and operate Festival Village. Critics argue that this move may have sidestepped the rules laid out in the Corporate Governance Code, sparking questions over transparency and accountability.

According to reports, Prime Minister Dr. Mercelina, representing the Council of Ministers (COM), is accused of granting his approval “behind closed doors...

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Firefighters and Ambulance Workers Resume Duties Ahead of Carnival Parade.

PHILIPSBURG:---   After weeks of dispute and a notable halt in operations, St. Maarten’s firefighters and ambulance personnel have resumed all duties ahead of this year’s Carnival parade. The resolution comes following two key meetings where government officials and union representatives reached an agreement to address the workers’ urgent concerns.

The workers had initiated a go-slow on April 17, citing various grievances. These included a lack of respect towards their profession, inadequate facilities, and unaddressed issues concerning the...

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MP Irion: "No One Should Have to Stand in Long Lines for Basic Banking Services"

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Ardwell Irion has taken decisive action to future-proof Sint Maarten’s financial system by submitting powerful amendments to the Basic Banking Account law (Landsverordening basisbetaalrekening).

Reflecting on his time as Minister of Finance when he initiated and presented the original legislation to Parliament in a Central Committee meeting in November 2023, Irion said the goal was always financial inclusion, but the world has changed rapidly. “Today, digital access is survival. It’s not an extra,” Irion stat...

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Two Arrested Following Firearm Threat Incident in “Over the Bank” Area.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On the morning of Monday, April 28, 2025, at approximately 7:30 AM, the Central Dispatch of the Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM) received a report of a firearm threat in the area of “Over the Bank.” The suspect vehicle, described as a blue Renault carry-van, was reported to have fled the scene.

Multiple police patrols were immediately dispatched to the area. Shortly after, officers located the vehicle traveling along Sucker Garden Road. The van was stopped and searched.

During the vehicle inspection, officers discovered a firearm ...

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