PHILIPSBURG:---  Shops in Philipsburg will be permitted to open on St. Maarten’s Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day under a special exemption announced by the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication (TEATT).

The exemption allows shops in the designated Philipsburg area to operate between 6:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on November 11, 2026, December 25, 2026, and January 1, 2027.

According to the Ministry’s public announcement, the decision follows the number of cruise ships scheduled to visit Sint Maarten on those holidays. The measure is intended to improve the visitor experience and support economic activity during the holiday season.

The announcement includes a map outlining the Philipsburg area covered by the exemption.

TEATT Minister Grisha Heyliger-Marten reminded businesses that the three dates are official public holidays. Under the National Ordinance on Shop Closure, businesses—including stand-alone casinos and lottery establishments—must generally remain closed on those days unless an applicable exemption permits them to operate.

Businesses that choose to open under the Philipsburg exemption must fully comply with all applicable labor regulations, the Ministry emphasized.

The announcement also identifies categories of businesses that may continue operating under Article 3 of the National Ordinance on Shop Closure. These include:

• Pharmacies, insofar as they sell medicines and medical products.
• Bars and restaurants.
• Hotels and guesthouses.
• Stores located in hotels, at the airport and on harbor premises.
• Funeral parlors.
• Gas stations.
• Bakeries selling pastries, milk and/or milk products.

The special holiday opening permission applies to shops within the designated Philipsburg area. Other businesses remain subject to the general closure requirements and the exceptions outlined in the announcement.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Court of Appeal has upheld the 12-year prison sentence imposed on J.J.M.J.H. for the fatal stabbing of E.M.R. in Dutch Quarter on February 6, 2025, rejecting both the defense’s request for acquittal and the Prosecutor General’s demand for a longer sentence.

J.J.M.J.H. was convicted of manslaughter by the Court of First Instance on December 18, 2025. The court sentenced him to 12 years in prison, deducting time spent in pre-trial detention. On appeal, the Prosecutor General sought to increase the sentence to 14 years.

The defense challenged the evidence linking J.J.M.J.H. to the killing, arguing that his DNA on a backpack and knife did not establish that he had carried out the stabbing. It also questioned the reliability of a witness who identified him and maintained that another person had used his knife to stab the victim.

The Court of Appeal rejected those arguments after reviewing the evidence and, at the defense’s request, hearing two witnesses.

One witness, identified as N.N., gave evidence that the Court found materially consistent with her earlier police statements. Although she could no longer recall certain details, the Court ruled that those gaps did not make her earlier account unreliable, considering the time that had elapsed.

A second witness, G.P.R., testified that he was elsewhere on the island that evening and did not know the person J.J.M.J.H. identified as the alleged perpetrator. The Court found no reason to doubt his testimony.

The judges also rejected the defense’s interpretation of the forensic evidence. According to the Court, the claim that DNA from an unidentified third person had been found on the backpack and knife rested on a misreading of the forensic report.

With the alternative account rejected, the Court upheld the manslaughter conviction and confirmed the original sentence, supplementing and correcting parts of the lower court’s reasoning.

J.J.M.J.H.’s sentence remains 12 years, with credit for time already spent in pre-trial detention.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Constitution of Sint Maarten allows referendums, but the national ordinance regulating how they are conducted has not yet been enacted. 

President of Parliament, MP Sarah Wescot-Williams, used a panel on the Constitution, organized by Mr. Wendell Moore and the PMIA, to once again stress the need for referendum legislation.

MP Wescot-Williams added that she personally initiated the process to create the ordinance. The draft legislation is now under consideration via the appropriate channels. 

“While we often think of referendums in terms of our constitutional status, I value the instrument of a referendum as a constitutional tool to hear the population on any matter of great national importance.”

The Constitution provides for consultative referendums, she explained. They aim to gather the public's opinion on a specific matter. They do not, by themselves, decide it.

MP  Wescot-Williams stressed that to put a matter to a referendum, the government or Parliament must take the lead, not the other way around. They decide when to consult the people on important issues.

Ms. Wescot-Williams also drew a clear line between a referendum and a petition. Under the Constitution and Parliament’s Rules of Order, petitions let citizens bring grievances to Parliament or suggest changes to legislation that affect them specifically. A petition does not automatically trigger a referendum.

“Until the ordinance is in place, the practical mechanism for holding a referendum remains incomplete. The draft now before Parliament is intended to close that gap by setting out how referendums are to be conducted.”

The October 12th panel also stressed the Constitution's role in Sint Maarten's governance and the need for civic education:

• A social contract. Drafted after the 2000 referendum, the Constitution frames Sint Maarten's autonomy within the Kingdom and sets out how government is structured, citizens' rights, and the duties of those in power.
• Separate from the Kingdom Charter. The Charter governs relations among the countries of the Kingdom. The Constitution governs Sint Maarten's own democratic order.
• Civic knowledge. An informed public understands how government and Parliament work, and is better equipped to hold elected officials accountable.
• Constitutional Court. It helps ensure laws passed by Parliament comply with the Constitution.
• 10-10-10. MP Wescot-Williams, one of the main architects of the new status, recalled that on October 10, 2010, Sint Maarten removed a layer of bureaucracy and became solely responsible for its internal affairs on the basis of its Constitution. 

PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the Collective Prevention Service (CPS) says that while breast cancer cannot always be prevented, adopting healthy lifestyle practices can contribute to reducing the risk of breast cancer and several other noncommunicable diseases.

CPS encourages the community to maintain a healthy body weight, stay physically active, eat a balanced diet, avoid tobacco, and limit alcohol consumption.

These healthy lifestyle practices can also reduce the risk of other chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is also a time to recognize women and families currently facing breast cancer, those undergoing treatment, survivors, caregivers, and families who have lost loved ones to the disease.

A breast cancer diagnosis can affect much more than a person's physical health. It can have emotional, psychological, social and financial consequences for patients and their families.

Family members, friends, colleagues, and the wider community can provide valuable support by listening, helping with practical needs, encouraging adherence to medical care, and respecting the individual choices and experiences of people undergoing treatment.

CPS encourages the community to avoid stigma, misinformation and assumptions about breast cancer. Each person's diagnosis and treatment experience is different.

The 2026 theme, “Every story is unique, every journey matters,” reminds the community that no person affected by breast cancer should have to face that journey alone.

Throughout October, CPS encourages women to use Breast Cancer Awareness Month as a reminder to prioritize their health, understand their individual risks, pay attention to changes in their breasts and seek professional medical advice when necessary.

CPS also encourages families to have conversations about family medical history where possible, as this information can assist healthcare providers in assessing individual breast cancer risk.

Breast cancer awareness should extend beyond the month of October. Knowing the warning signs, making healthy lifestyle choices, participating in appropriate screening and seeking timely medical attention should remain part of women's health throughout the year.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month forms part of the CPS annual calendar of health observances and provides an opportunity to increase public awareness about one of the most common cancers affecting women worldwide.