PHILIPSBURG:--- Get ready for a celebration of stories, creativity, and early learning! The Sint Maarten Library is thrilled to invite parents, caregivers, and the community’s youngest learners to the grand finale of its Read to Me – Book Start Campaign 2025. This exciting family event will take place on Saturday, September 13, 2025, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Government Administrative Building – Soualiga Rooms 1 & 2.

As part of Literacy Month, this year’s campaign, themed “From Peekaboo to Possibilities,” highlights the magical journey of development from infancy through kindergarten. The initiative is dedicated to fostering a lifelong love of reading and equipping families with the tools to support their children’s growth.

Family Literacy Day Highlights Include:

• Miniature Costume Parade: Children will delight in showcasing imaginative, book-inspired costumes crafted from simple, reusable materials—a true celebration of creativity and storytelling.
• Supportive Words from Leadership: Hear from the Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport, Honorable Melissa Gumbs.
• Expert Workshop: Join renowned early literacy expert Patti Illidge Maier for an invaluable session on the importance of reading for children ages 0–4.
• Special Read-Aloud: Enjoy storytelling by esteemed guest reader Maria Buncamper-Molanus.
• Engaging Atmosphere: The entire event will be expertly guided by charismatic Master of Ceremonies, Sherritza Peterson.
• Interactive Fun: Families can also enjoy face painting, a lively puppet show, mindfulness trainings, and more.
• Community Connection: With nine educational booth holders offering interactive activities, creative showcases, and resources, there will be something special for everyone.

“We believe that the journey of a thousand books begins with a single peekaboo,” said Reading Consultant M. Spencer and Librarian Mariland Powell of the Sint Maarten Library. “This campaign is all about showing parents how simple, joyful interactions can build a foundation for lifelong learning. We cannot wait to see the creativity of our little ones in the costume parade and welcome new families into our library community.”

Special Membership Drive

To make joining the library family easier than ever, a Special Registration Drive will be available exclusively at the event:

• Children (ages 0–18): FREE library membership
• Youngest Readers (ages 0–6): FREE age-appropriate gift, book kit, and book bag (while supplies last)
• Parents & Caregivers: Special discounted membership of only XCG 25.00
  Bring a recent passport-sized photo to sign up your child and yourself on the spot.

Mark Your Calendar

• Saturday, September 6, 2025 – Join us for an interactive story time at the Sint Maarten Library, Philipsburg, Adolphus Building, Walter Nisbeth Road #3, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, read by librarian M. Powell. This is a perfect opportunity for families to experience the magic of early reading firsthand.

The campaign, running from today, September 5th to September 13th, also includes a series of special read-aloud sessions at local daycares with esteemed guest readers Melanie Choisy, Dennis van Putten, Marvio Cooks, Andrea Bartlett, Josiah Lamothe, and Ruby Gumbs–Louise.

The Sint Maarten Library invites all families to enjoy a day of fun, learning, and community. Together, we can nurture our next generation of leaders and dreamers—one story at a time.

The Sint Maarten Library is dedicated to fostering literacy, providing access to information, and promoting lifelong learning for all residents of Sint Maarten. It serves as a vital community hub for education, culture, and personal enrichment.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Francisco A. Lacroes officially submitted his request on September 3rd 2025 for a Parliamentary TEATT Committee meeting on transportation, making it clear that he is prepared to confront the challenges facing the sector without hesitation all the allegations.

“The request is already in. It’s time to stop circling the issues and finally face them head-on,” Lacroes stated. “This is about accountability, transparency, and delivering solutions to the people of St. Maarten. They have waited long enough.”

His move follows a bold response from Minister of TEATT, Grisha Heyliger-Marten, stated "There’s a lot to unpack and I’m ready for the discussion. Game on, let’s go.”

Lacroes welcomed the Minister’s readiness but rejected any suggestion that this is about political sparring. “The Minister says ‘Game on.’ But let me be clear, this is not a game. The transportation system impacts thousands of people every day. From permit distribution to the lack of proper regulation, these are issues that affect livelihoods and the daily lives of our citizens. I am prepared, and I expect serious answers and concrete plans.” Lacroes stressed that this step is about action, not theatrics: “This is about putting our people first. The request is filed, the stage is set, and now it’s time to get results.

PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- Two staff members of the Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department in the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (Ministry VSA), Nurse Nirmala Vlaun and Lionel Francisca, recently attended the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) workshop, “Operationalizing an Integrated Vector-Borne Disease Early Warning System,” where they got hands-on training.

Participants came from eight CARPHA member states, bringing together public health experts and national representatives to strengthen the Caribbean’s capacity to predict, detect, and respond to vector-borne disease (VBD) threats.

The primary focus is on strengthening surveillance of VBDs such as dengue, chikungunya, and Zika by improving the completeness, accuracy, and timeliness of national surveillance data. This ensures consistent, timely responses to outbreaks across the Caribbean.  

The objective of the workshop is to strengthen national and regional capacity for operationalizing an integrated Vector-Borne Disease Early Warning System (VBD EWS) by improving data quality and validation process, establishing a foundational Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), and governance frameworks.

The objective is also to apply standardized risk assessment tools to support timely verification and response. This workshop was the first to bridge the gap between health officers/epidemiologists and environmental health officers who share their experiences and challenges.

Attendees worked together and focused on identifying national workflows and high-priority SOP needed by designing a framework using flowchart tools.

Attendees also had the opportunity to access current data tools, which highlighted the need to focus on core concepts, anomaly detection, data cleaning, and imputation.

The consensus is that challenges and gaps were all common throughout the Caribbean islands, which were the lack of capacity, human resources, tools, innovation, and training.

The workshop was hosted by CARPHA under the umbrella of the Pandemic Funds Grant. CARPHA is the Executing Agency for the grant, with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) serving as the Implementing Entity.

The broader CARPHA Pandemic Fund Project supports efforts to reduce the public health impact of pandemics in the Caribbean by strengthening early warning systems, laboratory networks, workforce capacity and regional coordination.

The workshop took place last week in Barbados. A follow-up workshop is planned for November.   

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA) will host a two-day Ageing with Dignity Conference, bringing together national stakeholders, health professionals, social care experts, and older persons to address both the challenges and opportunities of Sint Maarten’s ageing population.

The conference will serve as a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and innovation, as Sint Maarten works to strengthen support systems for its seniors. Through research, expert input, and the development of an Ageing Framework Document, the Ministry of VSA aims to ensure that every senior can age with dignity while laying the foundation for a sustainable future for generations to come.

A central feature of the conference will be the presentation of results from a Baseline Study, conducted with the support of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). The study examines four critical areas related to ageing on Sint Maarten:

1. Social norms toward ageing
2. Community support
3. Health services for older persons
4. Access to long-term social care

Findings from the study will guide discussions and form the basis for an Ageing Framework and Roadmap for Country Sint Maarten.

“A society is often judged by how well it treats its seniors. One of the main priorities of this government, and in particular of the Ministry of VSA under my tenure as Minister, is our elderly. Too often, decision-makers and candidates speak about the challenges faced by seniors without putting forward structural solutions that truly improve their lives.

With the demographics showing a rapid increase in our ageing population, now is the right time for this conference. We owe it to our seniors not just to talk, but to act.”

In addition to the two-day conference, the Ministry of VSA will mark the Day of the Elderly on October 1, 2025, honoring the invaluable contributions of elders in our community. Events will be held throughout the last week of September and the first week of October.

Alongside these activities, the Ministry of VSA continues to implement practical initiatives to support seniors, including:

A pilot program in collaboration with the Freegan Food Foundation to provide groceries at discounted prices for seniors.

And the allocation of designated parking spaces for seniors, persons with disabilities, and expectant mothers at the APS Parking Lot in front of the Government Administration Building.

More information on the conference and related events will be announced in the coming weeks.