PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):---  The Collective Prevention Service (CPS) calls on the population after every rainfall event, it is important to inspect your property for potential mosquito breeding spots.

Mosquitoes can lay eggs in even the smallest amounts of standing water, and these eggs can develop into biting adults in as little as a week.

By removing standing water after each rain, you can significantly reduce mosquito populations around your home and help protect your family and community from mosquito-borne diseases such as Dengue, Zika, and Chikungunya.

By identifying and removing sources of stagnant water—ranging from discarded containers to clogged gutters—communities can drastically reduce the population of Aedes aegypti at their source.

Ultimately, maintaining a "clean and dry" environment is not merely a household chore; it is a vital civic responsibility that safeguards the most vulnerable members of the population and ensures a healthier, more resilient community.
Mosquitoes breed in small amounts of standing water, especially in containers around homes and businesses (e.g., buckets, plant saucers, discarded items, tires, clogged gutters).
Mosquitoes are often active during the daytime, with biting frequently occurring outdoors in shaded areas and it can spread through transport and trade when eggs/larvae are moved in water-holding items.
Eliminating breeding sites is the most effective way to reduce mosquito populations. We urge everyone to take the following actions at least once per week: Tip it, toss it, cover it.
Empty and scrub containers that hold water: buckets, coolers, flowerpot saucers, pet bowls, vases, toys, tarps. Properly dispose of unused items that collect rainwater.
Cover water storage. Ensure cisterns, drums, and barrels are securely covered with tight lids or fine mesh. Clean drains and gutters. Remove leaves and debris to prevent water from pooling.
Manage tires and bulky items. Store tires under cover or disposing of them properly—tires are a high-risk breeding site. Businesses and property managers, construction sites, tire shops, marinas, and rental properties are asked to intensify weekly checks and maintain premises free of standing water.
Mosquito control cannot be achieved by government services alone. It requires sustained action by households, communities, and businesses across the entire island.
By working together, we can reduce breeding sites, lower mosquito populations, and protect residents and visitors.
To report any concerns with mosquito breeding or for any assistance, contact CPS’ vector control team by phone +1(721) 520-4161, 542-1222/1570, or 914.
Vector control can also be contacted by email at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a Public meeting on February 11, 2026.

The Public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 11.30 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda points are:
1. Incoming documents
2. Advice on the proposal by the Committee for Petitions on the establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee related to NV GEBE

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. All persons visiting the House of Parliament must adhere to the house rules.
The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on TV 15, Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament and www.pearlfmradio.sx

PHILIPSBURG:---  The Sint Maarten Tax Administration is pleased to announce that seniors aged 62 and older will receive priority service during the 2026 Motor Vehicle Sticker distribution at the Receiver's Office on Pond Island.

At Window 6, seniors will receive fast-track assistance for payments and priority when collecting their stickers at the collection window. This initiative is designed to reduce waiting times and provide a smooth and convenient experience for the senior community.

Seniors are reminded that the Receivers' Office opens from 8:00 AM to 3:30 PM throughout the month of February, with cash payments accepted until 3:00 PM daily.

To ensure a seamless experience, seniors are encouraged to come prepared with their valid insurance, inspection card, and bill of sale (if applicable), and to take full advantage of this priority service.

The final deadline to complete payments and collect the 2026 stickers is Friday, February 27.

by Cdr. Bud Slabbaert

The synthesizer turned a single musician into an orchestra. AI turns a single thinker into a team. The synthesizer did not replace the orchestra. It gave a single musician the power of many by using the synthesizer. Now the workplace has AI. AI does the same for work: it puts the capability of a full team into the hands of one decisive mind. AI can collapse an entire team into the mind of one strategist.

A synthesizer doesn’t replace the artistry of an orchestra. It compresses the capabilities of dozens of instrumentalists into a single interface. One person can trigger strings, brass, percussion, and textures that normally require 60–100 musicians. The musician becomes a conductor, performer, and arranger at once. The synthesizer is a force multiplier: it gives a single creator access to a full sonic palette. This is a shift from labor‑intensive to leverage‑intensive creativity.

AI does something structurally similar, but in the domain of knowledge work. One person can now perform tasks that previously required a team: research, drafting, analysis, design, QA, scheduling, and more. The individual becomes a creative director, orchestrating multiple AI “instruments” rather than doing every task manually. AI transforms work from task execution to task direction. It is compression and amplification.

AI will not cause changes on its own; humans using AI will. However, AI will enable fewer people to make decisions and changes, leaving others on the sidelines.

Institutions should invest in AI literacy for staff and develop internal hybrid talent. Reskill, don’t replace. AI is a threat to outdated structures. Institutions that prepare now will gain efficiency, productivity and competitiveness. Those that delay will face widening skills gaps, rising costs, and vulnerability.

Work models will change. It compresses the labor, expands the leverage, and reshapes the hierarchy. AI can do in 6 minutes what used to take 6 hours. AI gives two people the firepower of a 20-people-team. In‑house teams grow stronger when AI-augmented capability is internalized. AI will automate the paperwork backbone of an institution.

AI is not the future of technology. It is the future of human potential. AI doesn’t replace talent; it empowers it. It does not erase a team. It elevates the individual to operate at team‑scale. The age of human limitation is ending. An era of human leverage has begun.