~No more public meetings by Political Parties will be allowed~

PHILIPSBURG: --- Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina announced at the Council of Ministers press briefing on Wednesday that the Council of Ministers held an emergency meeting on Tuesday in which several decisions were taken as the Parliamentary Election nears.
Mercelina said that on August 19th, 2024, when the polls open, supporters or persons supporting political parties will not be allowed near any of the polling stations. He explained that in the past, measures were put in place to keep the party supporters a distance away, but due to the shooting incident that took place last Wednesday night, the decision was taken to remove all gatherings in order to ensure public safety.
Mercelina also said that the COM has decided to remove persons who may want to sway voters as they approach the polling stations. He said it is a snap election, and there is no need for these gatherings.
In preparation for the snap elections called by Mercelina, he said that he had taken extra measures to safeguard the country's people in light of the shooting incident.
Mercelina said St. Maarten will receive 25 extra men in blue that came for the sister island. Curacao contributed 10, Aruba 10, St. Eustatius 3, and Saba 2.
Curacao also dispatched ten men from its Swat Team (A), who are currently on the island, and 25 men from the RST. To ensure that the country is safe for election day, the Prime Minister said he is also in discussion with the marechaussee (KMAR), while the Voluntary Korps will also assist on August 19th. Besides all of the additional security, Mercelina said he also requested military assistance from the Kingdom.
The Prime Minister made clear that as Prime Minister, he will not succumb to threats or violence. He said that he committed to the people of St. Maarten that their Prime Minister will not tolerate violence, especially if the violence threatens the democratic system of the country. “There was one regretful moment, and I intend to show the people that I am standing in for the safety of St. Maarten.

The Prime Minister further announced that as of now there will not be any public meetings allowed, he said the aim is to ensure there is no gathering of people anywhere since the latest shooting.
The sale of alcohol will be prohibited on election day.
No groups or fans of the various political parties will be allowed anywhere close to the polling stations. He said he does not want any citizens to be threatened or intimidated or influence the voters' minds heading to the polling stations.
Mercelina said all of the privileges he removed are people’s rights, but because it’s a snap election. There is tension in the community, he has decided to make some radical decisions to protect the community. Mercelina said that he hoped that with his decisions, the people would see that they had a serious prime minister in office.
The Prime Minister also condemned the shooting that took place in Cupe Coy Wednesday night and said St. Maarten has never experienced such incidents during the election period. He said losing one life is one life too much that has been lost.
Asked by reporters if he has declared a state of emergency based on the level of security measures taken, Mercelina said permits are needed for public meetings, but parties having gatherings at private locations will be tolerated since we are in a democratic society.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Former Member of Parliament Rolando Brison is very pleased to announce that the Social & Health Insurances SZV has indefinitely reversed its decision to exclude certain directors from health insurance coverage. This move comes after weeks of discussions and advocacy by Brison, addressing a potentially significant issue within the healthcare system for company directors in St. Maarten.

Over recent weeks, Brison has engaged with numerous businesspeople who expressed significant concern regarding the proposed policy that would have excluded them from health insurance coverage. "I do not believe it would have been right to exclude hundreds of directors who have been paying into SZV and deserve to be covered, along with their families," Brison stated. "Especially considering the anticipation of new legislation that would ensure inclusive healthcare for everyone in St. Maarten."

The policy, which was slated to take effect on September 1, 2024, would have canceled insurance for director majority shareholders registered as insured employees prior to September 1, 2022. SZV's decision to delay the implementation indefinitely was influenced by a comprehensive analysis of the expected social and financial impacts, particularly during the peak of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.

"For that reason, I took it upon myself to discuss with various stakeholders, both within and outside government circles, to encourage the reversal of this policy. I understood the potential damage it could do, causing hundreds of people to lose critical health insurance coverage," Brison continued.

Brison reminded those involved of his strong advocacy in 2023 for legislation in parliament to raise the insurance caps. This legislation ensured that more managing directors contribute to and receive insurance coverage. Despite the increase in contributions from managing directors and higher-paid employees, the new policy threatened their health insurance coverage, even though payments have been deducted from their salaries since the law passed.

SZV management has reiterated its commitment to a people-centric approach, aligning with the recent policy delay. Over the years, SZV has adopted flexible measures to ensure that the majority of directors and shareholders have access to medical insurance. However, recent legal challenges highlighted the need for compliance with laws governing premium collections for sickness, accident, and severance insurance. Urgent meetings between SZV, the Ministry of Public Health, and other stakeholders are ongoing to address necessary changes to the Sickness and Accident and Cessantia National Ordinances.

Brison concluded, "This postponement is a victory for fairness and common sense. It ensures that those who have dutifully contributed to SZV continue to receive the coverage they deserve. At the same time, we work towards a more inclusive healthcare system for all of St. Maarten."

PHILIPSBURG:---The Korps Politie Sint Maarten (KPSM) has been made aware of a false WhatsApp message currently circulating, claiming that the vehicle involved in the recent tragic shooting, which resulted in the death of a female victim, has been found in the yard of a candidate from a political party. KPSM wishes to categorically state that this information is false and should not be believed or shared.

KPSM has established procedures for issuing official press releases and statements, and this WhatsApp message did not originate from our department. We urge the public to disregard this message and to refrain from spreading unverified information that can cause unnecessary panic and confusion.

The KPSM is fully committed to ensuring the safety and security of all Sint Maarten citizens and visitors. We are actively investigating the recent shooting incident and will provide accurate and timely updates through our official channels.

We appeal to the general public to be vigilant against the spread of false information and to rely only on official KPSM communications. Spreading rumors and false news can hinder the investigative process and undermine public trust.

 We appreciate your cooperation and understanding in this matter. If you have any information related to the recent shooting, be sure to get in touch with the KPSM immediately. Together, we can ensure a safer community for all.

KPSM Press Release.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ombudsman of Sint Maarten, recently published the 2023-year report. In 2023 there were a total of 367 complaints handled, of which 43 resulted in a report by the Ombudsman. Of the 324 general complaints, the majority concerned the following topics: Civil cases (29), SZV (20), followed by KPSM (filing a complaint), and Immigration and Border Patrol (residence permit) with 18 complaints each. General complaints are inquiries from the public for which the Ombudsman is not competent. Nevertheless, the general public is assisted by the Bureau with information on the subject matter or a referral to the relevant institution or a law office for further support. It is for this reason that the Ombudsman continues to advocate for the establishment of a legal desk (juridisch loket/ rechtswinkel). A legal desk is a voluntary organization that provides legal advice to the public free of charge or at a greatly reduced rate. They answer legal questions and also assist with the writing of letters or objections. Legal desks are usually financed by the government.

As mentioned, 43 complaints resulted in further investigation by the Ombudsman. The ministries accounted for 37 investigations, and ZBOs accounted for 6. From the 43 investigations in 2023, 22 were closed by the end of 2023. The Ministries of VROMI and Justice both accounted for 14 investigations each, with the Ministry of Justice accounting for 1 Systemic investigation by the Ombudsman. The Ministry of Finance accounted for 3 investigations, the Ministries of ECYS and TEATT accounted for 2 each, and the Ministries of AZ and VSA, one investigation each.

The Ombudsman continues to seek ways to work with the government to address the concerns and complaints of the public to arrive at a solution, such as quick-win interventions, site visits, interministerial meetings, and mediation. These methods have proven to be successful in several cases. The Ombudsman is pleased to see various ministries agreeing not only with the recommendations issued but also implementing them. In particular, the Ministry of TEATT and Finance (Tax Department). In the absence of an objection procedure/policy establishing how driver’s license examinations are to be reviewed by the examination committee, the Ombudsman recommended that the Ministry of TEATT create a policy to ensure transparency. This policy has now been established. The Ombudsman recommended that the Tax department provide the public with information regarding their procedural options at the back of their assessment. In particular, the deferral request is to halt payments at the receiver's office. The tax department also implemented this.

The annual report highlights the Bureau Ombudsman's activities over the past year and provides a summary of the systemic investigations conducted.

The report has been presented to Parliament and the Council of Ministers and is available to the general public for download via www.ombudsman.sx.

The Ombudsman listens, investigates, and recommends