PHILIPSBURG:---  The House of Parliament will sit in a Public meeting on February 2, 2026.  

The Public meeting is scheduled for Monday at 13.00 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of Finance will be in attendance.

The agenda point is:

Question hour: Questions from MP F.A. Lacroes directed to the Minister of Finance on the application and extension of tax holiday legislation under the Landsverordening ter bevordering van bedrijfsvestiging en hotelbouw (LBBH) and broader framework of fiscal incentives. (IS/362/2025-2026 dated November 18, 2025)

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.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx and www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament 

PHILIPSBURG:---President of Parliament Sarah A. Wescot-Williams has expressed disappointment over how Thursday’s parliamentary meeting on the Fire and Ambulance Departments unfolded, particularly for the workers who have endured years of uncertainty and delays while political maneuvering continues around them.

The meeting in question was not a sudden development. It was formally requested in November of last year and commenced a week later with initial questions posed. Delays in continuation were experienced for various reasons, including ministerial unavailability. As President of Parliament, Wescot-Williams reiterated that it has long been standard practice to request that, if a minister is unable to attend a parliamentary meeting, the deputy minister be present to respond on behalf of the government.

“Parliament has repeatedly insisted on this very principle, precisely to prevent unnecessary postponements and to ensure continuity and accountability”, Wescot-Williams stated.

In Thursday’s meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister was present and prepared to respond. However, objections were  raised by some Members of Parliament regarding the Deputy Prime Minister’s presence, despite full knowledge that the Prime Minister was off-island.

“These objections did not arise in a vacuum,” Wescot-Williams explained. “It became clear that certain members were positioning themselves politically, having a draft motion against the Prime Minister ‘in their back pocket’, rather than focusing on the substantive issues affecting the Fire and Ambulance personnel.”

After consulting with both the Deputy Prime Minister and the Prime Minister regarding the earliest availability for the Prime Minister to attend in person, Wescot-Williams took the decision, in her capacity as President of Parliament, to adjourn the meeting and continue it as soon as the Prime Minister could be present. This decision was taken to ensure fairness, due process, and the right of the Prime Minister to respond directly to a motion in which he is named personally.

“At the same time,” she noted, “it is imperative that when this meeting resumes, Parliament receives a clear, concise, and factual breakdown of the status of all outstanding matters -whether relating to job classification, placement, retroactive issues, or other sticking points. We cannot solve a problem we do not fully understand or have a complete overview of.

Wescot-Williams also addressed concerns raised about motions of no confidence, referencing her own legislative initiative aimed at bringing greater structure, proportionality, and fairness to how such motions are introduced and handled. She emphasized that disagreement with policy or execution should not automatically escalate to the most extreme parliamentary instrument, particularly when facts are incomplete or emotions are high.

“What deeply concerns me,” she added, “is the narrative that is being created -that delaying a vote or insisting on proper procedure somehow means being ‘against’ the Fire and Ambulance workers. Nothing could be further from the truth.”

The President of Parliament underscored that the real victims of this political posturing are the men and women of the Fire and Ambulance Departments, who have lived with this unresolved situation for years.

“They deserve solutions, not symbolism. Parliament needs to recognize that attempts to force any minister’s hand by a motion and by doing so puts parties even further apart in an already strenuous situation, is not conducive to solving this impasse, which obviously it has become. 

If the breakdown of trust has indeed become  dire, we should not exacerbate that, but rather look for solutions. Attention has now turned away from the workers  to the political gamesmanship and that is unfortunate.

The continuation of the meeting will be scheduled for early this week, with the Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina present, to allow Parliament to proceed responsibly and substantively in the interest of the affected parties and the public at large.

Federation Afro Diaspora Network (FADN) Builds Bridges: “Collaboration as the Key to Sustainable Impact”
On Saturday, 24 January 2026, the proclamation of the Federation Afro Diaspora Network (FADN) took place at the Public Library of Amsterdam.
Founded on 31 October 2025, the federation marks a new phase of collective organization and cooperation within the Afro-diaspora. With the mission of uniting organizations, initiatives, and communities, the FADN positions itself as a strong collective platform for the representation of economic, social, and cultural interests. One voice, shared strength.
The event was held in the context of the World Day for African and Afro-descendant Culture, a day proclaimed by UNESCO in 2019 to honor the richness of African cultures and the global contributions of the African diaspora. The date also refers to the adoption of the Charter for the Cultural Renaissance of Africa in 2006.
During the program, the members of the Development & Research Committee were introduced: Mr. Van Ampt, Mr. Hellings, Ms. Vijzelman, and Mr. Van Bossé. They played an active role in the establishment and substantive development of the federation.
Guest Speakers Dr. Barryl Biekman approached the establishment of the FADN from a Pan-African perspective and offered constructive recommendations to strengthen the connection between the federation and the field. Dr. Miriam Ekiudoko (Hungary) placed the event within the framework of the objectives and principles of the World Day for African and Afro-descendant Culture.
Mr. Leeuwin (Chair) and Ms. Arnoldus (Secretary) provided further clarification on the federation’s mission, vision, and operational approach. More information can be found at www.federatie-adn.org.
Objective The objective of the Federation Afro Diaspora Network is to represent, strengthen, and connect Afro organizations worldwide, with particular attention to the Netherlands, the Caribbean part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Suriname, and other diaspora regions. In addition, the federation promotes equal rights, social justice, cultural recognition, self-determination, and economic development, and acts as a dialogue partner on behalf of its affiliated organizations with national and international stakeholders.
FADN Press Office Amsterdam, 24 January 2026

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) confirms a serious development following information received from one of its international law enforcement partners regarding a male suspect who was allegedly attempting to sell a high-powered rifle on Sint Maarten.
Based on this information, KPSM immediately initiated an investigation. As a result, early Saturday morning, January 31st, 2026, officers conducted an operation at a residence in the South Reward area. During the operation, officers encountered and seized a high-powered rifle along with ammunition.
The suspect, identified by the initials J.R.G.M., was arrested on suspicion of illegal firearm possession and was transported to the police station, where he is currently being held for further investigation. The firearm and ammunition were confiscated as part of the ongoing investigation.
KPSM strongly emphasizes that illegal firearms pose a serious and immediate threat to public safety. The presence of high-powered weapons within the community significantly increases the risk of violent crime and endangers innocent lives and officers' lives. The Police Force remains committed to removing illegal firearms from the streets and will continue to work closely with international and regional partners to prevent such weapons from entering Sint Maarten.
KPSM urges the public to remain vigilant and to report any information related to illegal firearms, suspicious activities, or criminal behavior. Information can be shared anonymously via the Police Tip Line at 9300.