PHILIPSBURG:---  Detectives of the Police Force of St. Maarten (KPSM) have launched an investigation into an armed robbery that took place at a supermarket in Dutch Quarter on Wednesday afternoon, July 8, 2026.

According to preliminary information released by KPSM, the robbery occurred at approximately 4:00 p.m. when two-armed men entered the supermarket carrying handguns.

Police said the suspects confronted the cashier and demanded cash. Fearing for their safety, the cashier complied with the demands, after which the suspects fled the establishment with an undisclosed amount of money.

The two suspects escaped on a scooter, traveling in the direction of French Quarter, before police arrived on the scene.

Officers responded immediately after receiving reports of the robbery and secured the area while detectives and forensic personnel began gathering evidence and interviewing potential witnesses. Investigators are working to determine the identities of the suspects and whether surveillance footage from the supermarket or nearby businesses captured the robbery or the suspects' escape.

KPSM has not released descriptions of the suspects at this stage, as the investigation remains in its early phases.

Police are urging members of the public who were in the Dutch Quarter area around 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday and may have witnessed suspicious activity or have information that could assist the investigation to come forward.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Police Force of St. Maarten by calling the police station at +1 (721) 542-2222, the emergency number 911, or the anonymous tip line 9300.

The investigation remains ongoing.

"Judge Draws the Line at Mullet Bay: Beach Belongs to the Public, Government Ordered to Respect Private Property Behind Shoreline."

PHILIPSBURG:--- In one of the most consequential property rulings in recent years, the Court of First Instance has ruled that Mullet Bay Beach is public property, rejecting Sun Resorts Limited's attempt to establish private ownership over the island's renowned beach while simultaneously confirming that the company remains the lawful owner of the land situated behind the beach.
The judgment, handed down on July 7, 2026, under ECLI:NL:OGEAM:2026:84, brings legal clarity to a dispute with implications not only for Mullet Bay but also for the interpretation of beachfront ownership throughout St. Maarten.

At the heart of the case was Sun Resorts' contention that an 1852 notarial deed transferred ownership of the former Mullet Bay plantation, including the beach extending to the sea. The company argued that the historical description of the property, together with subsequent cadastral registrations and decades of ownership, established that the beach itself formed part of its private estate.
The Court, however, rejected that interpretation after conducting an extensive review of historical deeds, colonial legislation, cadastral records, Roman Dutch legal principles, and the Civil Code.

The judge concluded that the wording contained in the nineteenth-century deed did not convey ownership of the sandy beach itself. Instead, the Court found that references to the property's boundary at the sea merely described the plantation's limits and did not transfer ownership of the public shoreline.
The Court further held that, under the legal principles governing St. Maarten since the nineteenth century, the beach forms part of the public domain. Beaches have historically been intended for public use and enjoyment and cannot be presumed to become private property simply because adjacent land is privately owned.

Prescription Claim Also Fails
Sun Resorts alternatively argued that even if the original deed did not transfer ownership of the beach, it had nevertheless acquired ownership through prescription after exercising control over the area for many decades.
The Court dismissed that argument as well.
The judge found that the evidence presented failed to establish the continuous, exclusive, unequivocal and public possession required by law to obtain ownership through prescription. The Court noted that public access to Mullet Bay Beach has existed for generations and that the company failed to demonstrate sufficient acts of ownership to extinguish the beach's public character.

Government also found to have acted unlawfully
While Sun Resorts lost its claim over the beach itself, the company prevailed on another major aspect of the litigation.
The Court ruled that the land located behind the public beach, extending inland from the normal high-water line, remains the private property of Sun Resorts.
According to the judgment, the Government of St. Maarten unlawfully treated portions of that privately owned property as government land by granting rights and allowing third parties to occupy or use the area despite lacking ownership.
The Court ordered the Government to immediately cease presenting itself as the owner of those lands and prohibited it from leasing, licensing or otherwise granting rights over property belonging to Sun Resorts.

To ensure compliance, the Court imposed exceptionally severe penalties.
Should the Government again interfere with Sun Resorts' ownership rights, it faces a US$1 million penalty for each violation.
In addition, the Government has been ordered to notify all affected third parties within 14 days that it is not the owner of the disputed parcels and therefore lacked authority to issue leases, permits or other rights over the property. Failure to comply with that order carries an additional penalty of US$10,000 per day, up to a maximum of US$250,000.

Kalatua Property Addressed
The judgment also examined the area currently occupied by the Kalatua beach establishment.
Sun Resorts argued that the restaurant is not situated on the public beach but on privately owned land behind the shoreline, explaining that vegetation and trees had previously existed there before the site was cleared for development.
The Court observed that the Government did not meaningfully dispute those factual assertions during the proceedings, strengthening Sun Resorts' position regarding ownership of the land behind the beach.

Historical Documents Examined
A significant portion of the judgment is devoted to the Court's examination of historical documents dating back more than 170 years.
The judge analyzed the 1852 conveyance deed, subsequent cadastral maps, historical boundary descriptions, and applicable legislation governing coastal property. The Court concluded that none of those documents demonstrated an intention to privatize the sandy beach itself.
The ruling also distinguishes between ownership of upland property and the beach's public nature. According to the Court, ownership of land bordering the coastline does not automatically include ownership of the beach extending to the sea.

Major Precedent for St. Maarten
Legal observers are expected to view the decision as one of the most important rulings on coastal property rights in St. Maarten in recent years.
The judgment confirms that beaches remain accessible to the public while simultaneously reinforcing constitutional and property-law protections for privately owned land adjoining those beaches.
For residents and visitors alike, the decision means that Mullet Bay Beach remains a public beach. At the same time, the Government cannot treat privately owned land behind the shoreline as public property or grant rights over such land without lawful authority.
The ruling is expected to influence future disputes involving beach access, coastal development, government leases, tourism projects and shoreline management across St. Maarten, providing a clearer legal framework for determining where the public beach ends and private ownership begins.

Click here for the official court verdict.

PHILIPSBURG:--- A shortage of available detention space at the Pointe Blanche House of Detention has once again influenced the handling of a high-profile criminal case, after the Court granted the suspension of the pre-trial detention of Dr. Danny Dennaoui, one of two doctors accused in an alleged deprivation of liberty case involving a domestic worker.

On February 25, 2026, law enforcement officers arrested co-suspects Dr. Danny Dennaoui and Dr. Michael Dennaoui as part of the investigation.  Dr. Michael Dennaoui was later released from pre-trial detention on medical grounds. Following the completion of the investigation, both doctors were formally served with indictments. Prosecutors also confirmed that the original allegations of drug possession and money laundering are no longer part of the prosecution.

Although released from custody, Dr. Danny Dennaoui remains subject to strict conditions imposed by the Court. The suspect must remain available to law enforcement and judicial authorities whenever required and is prohibited from making any contact with the complainant in this case.

According to the Prosecutor's Office, the decision was driven solely by operational realities within the prison system and not by any reassessment of the strength of the criminal case.

Authorities explained that detention capacity is continuously evaluated in accordance with legal requirements. When space becomes limited, prosecutors must make difficult operational decisions to ensure that available cells remain reserved for cases in which continued pre-trial detention is considered most necessary.

The criminal investigation began earlier this year following allegations that a domestic worker had been abused and unlawfully deprived of her liberty.

On February 25, 2026, law enforcement officers arrested co-suspects Dr. Danny Dennaoui and Dr. Michael Dennaoui as part of the investigation. Dr. Michael Dennaoui was later released from pre-trial detention on medical grounds.

The Prosecutor's Office confirmed that its investigation has now been completed and both suspects have been formally served with indictments.

In a significant development, prosecutors also disclosed that the original allegations of drug possession and money laundering are no longer part of the criminal prosecution. The case will now proceed on the remaining charges stemming from the alleged abuse and deprivation of liberty of the domestic worker.

Both defendants are scheduled to appear before the Court of First Instance on September 16, 2026.

The Prosecutor's Office emphasized that the suspension of Dr. Danny Dennaoui 's detention should not be interpreted as an indication that the case has weakened or that the charges have been dismissed. Officials stressed that the criminal proceedings remain fully active and that the Court's decision concerns only the application of pre-trial detention under the current constraints of available prison capacity.

With the matter now before the Court, the Prosecutor's Office said it will refrain from making any further public comment on the substance of the case.

The latest decision once again highlights the ongoing challenges facing Sint Maarten's justice system as chronic overcrowding and limited detention capacity at the Pointe Blanche House of Detention continue to influence prosecutorial decisions regarding suspects awaiting trial. While authorities maintain that public safety remains the priority, the shortage of available prison space has repeatedly required prosecutors to seek alternatives to continued detention, even in serious criminal cases.

PHILIPSBURG:---  Sint Maarten Xtratight Entertainment and the St. Maarten Little League Association are proud to announce a new exclusive partnership that combines community entertainment with youth sports development, creating a long-term collaboration designed to benefit generations of young athletes while transforming the Erwin " Richardson Little League Stadium into a vibrant community destination.
Under the agreement, Xtratight Entertainment becomes the Association's exclusive entertainment partner, bringing professionally produced community events and family-friendly experiences to the stadium while making annual goodwill contributions that
directly support facility improvements and youth baseball initiatives.

For Xtratight Entertainment, the partnership represents more than securing a venue for future events. It reflects the organization's commitment to investing in the community while creating new opportunities for local families to experience the stadium in a different way.
"As an event organizer, we have been looking for the right partner to expand our outdoor event experiences," said Rude Fleming. "The Little League Stadium has a rich history. Years ago it hosted concerts, festivals and community gatherings. We believe it is time to bring
that energy back while creating opportunities that directly benefit youth sports. Baseball played a huge role in my childhood, and this partnership allows us to make sports exciting again while giving back in a meaningful way."
The collaboration is structured around Xtratight Entertainment's Community Goodwill Initiative, in which entertainment serves as a vehicle for community investment. "Our partnership with Xtratight Entertainment represents a strategic investment in the long-term growth of youth baseball in St. Maarten," said Michel Hyman, President of the St. Maarten Little League Association.
The first event under the new partnership is the 2026 Latin American Caribbean Baseball Tournament from July 12 to July 18th.