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.

PHILIPSBURG:--- A series of troubling events and serious allegations have cast a shadow over the Simpson Bay Detention Center, raising significant questions about its management, security protocols, and internal oversight. Reports of staffing irregularities, a security breach, and claims of misconduct have emerged, prompting calls for immediate attention from authorities.

At the heart of the growing concerns are several key issues that paint a picture of a facility in disarray. One of the most striking reports involves staffing decisions, where a cleaner was allegedly assigned to guard duties, supervising immigrants held at the center. This raises fundamental questions about the qualifications, training, and security clearance of personnel entrusted with such critical responsibilities.

The potential consequences of such staffing shortfalls were starkly highlighted by a recent security failure. An individual detained at the facility managed to escape, and alarmingly, their absence reportedly went unnoticed for more than 24 hours. This significant lapse in security not only underscores potential vulnerabilities in the center's protocols but also poses a risk to public safety. A delay of this magnitude in discovering an escape suggests a breakdown in routine checks, inmate counts, and overall situational awareness within the facility.

Further complicating the situation are grave allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment directed at female staff members. Reports claim that inappropriate touching and other forms of harassment have occurred, creating a hostile and unsafe work environment. According to sources, these complaints and concerns were brought to the attention of the Minister of Justice. However, it is alleged that no substantive action has been taken to address the claims, with some suggesting the Minister has turned a blind eye to the escalating problems.

These specific incidents appear to be part of a broader pattern of alleged mismanagement. Critics point to what they describe as incompetence within the leadership of the immigration department, which they claim is causing widespread disruption. Instead of decisive action to correct these issues, there is a perception that excuses are being made, allowing problems to persist and worsen. The lack of a firm response has led to growing frustration and a decline in morale among staff.

The combination of these issues—from questionable staffing and security breaches to serious allegations of workplace misconduct and a perceived lack of ministerial oversight—points to a critical need for a thorough and transparent investigation. The situation at the Simpson Bay Detention Center requires decisive leadership to restore order, ensure the safety of both staff and detainees, and address the serious allegations that threaten its integrity.

A damning parliamentary speech exposes the revolving door of incompetence that has brought Sint Maarten's utility company—and its people—to their knees.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The parliamentary chamber of Sint Maarten became the stage for a brutal truth-telling session that should make every citizen's blood boil. What emerged was a tale of such spectacular governance failure that it reads like a masterclass in how to destroy essential public services through sheer incompetence and political game-playing.

At the center of this disaster sits NV GEBE, the government-owned utility company that has become a monument to everything wrong with how politicians treat the infrastructure that keeps society functioning. But here's the twist that makes this story particularly nauseating: some of the very people now sitting in parliament demanding answers are the same individuals who helped create this mess in the first place.

The Fox Guarding the Henhouse

The most damning revelation? A former Chief Operating Officer of NV GEBE now sits as a member of parliament, presumably with the audacity to question the very company they once helped run into the ground. Even more galling, a former member of the supervisory board of directors, the body responsible for overseeing the company's strategic direction—has also landed a comfortable parliamentary seat.

This isn't just a conflict of interest; it's a brazen example of how the same people who break public institutions then position themselves as the saviors who will fix them. The revolving door between GEBE's leadership and parliament spins so fast it could generate its own electricity—if only the company they destroyed could distribute it reliably.

Four Years Without a Captain

Perhaps the most shocking admission from the parliamentary session was this: NV GEBE operated for four consecutive years without permanent management. Four years. Let that sink in.

As Member of Parliament Ludmilla de Weever put it with brutal clarity: "No company in the world ever creates a vacuum by getting rid of the three managing directors at the same time." Yet that's exactly what happened here, not once but repeatedly, as political actors played "monopoly with their government-owned companies."

The result? A utility company rudderless and adrift while citizens suffered through load shedding, skyrocketing bills, and infrastructure decay. All because certain people "wanted a specific person there to be a manager" and were willing to paralyze an entire company to get their way.

Missing in Action: Five Years of Financial Statements

If the management vacuum wasn't damning enough, consider this bombshell: the last financial statements available to parliament are from 2019. We're now in 2025.

Think about that for a moment. The people's representatives, the very individuals responsible for overseeing this public company—have been flying blind for half a decade. No financial statements. No transparency. No accountability. Just silence while citizens watch their utility bills devour their savings.

How can any rational discussion about rate relief or company restructuring happen when nobody knows the actual financial state of the organization? It's like performing surgery blindfolded while the patient bleeds out.

The Human Cost of Elite Failure

While former GEBE executives enjoy their parliamentary salaries and benefits, real people are paying the price for their failures. The most heartbreaking example shared in parliament: a 73-year-old woman forced to return to work after organizing her entire life around retirement, simply because she can't afford her GEBE bills. MP De Weever disclosed.

This isn't just a number on a spreadsheet. This is a grandmother who should be spending time with her family, instead scrambling for employment because the utility company her tax dollars support has priced her out of basic electricity service.

How many more elderly citizens are making impossible choices between medication and electricity? Between food and keeping the lights on? The human cost of this governance failure is immeasurable, but the perpetrators seem utterly indifferent to the suffering they've caused.

Communication by Newspaper Advertisement

As if the management chaos and missing financial records weren't enough, GEBE's supervisory board has resorted to communicating with shareholders—the people of Sint Maarten—through newspaper advertisements. De Weever said.

This would be laughable if it weren't so insulting. A board that can't be bothered to provide basic financial reporting or call shareholders' meetings suddenly finds the time and budget for full-page newspaper ads. It's the corporate equivalent of passive-aggressive text messaging, and it demonstrates a stunning lack of professionalism and accountability.

The National Security Threat

De Weever nailed it when she described GEBE as a "national security" issue. When citizens can't rely on basic utilities, when businesses can't operate predictably, when retirees are forced back into the workforce, that's not just an inconvenience. That's a fundamental breakdown of the social contract.

Yet the very people now positioning themselves as champions of reform include those who had their hands on the steering wheel while the company careened toward disaster.

Enough Blame to Go Around—But Some Bear More

While it's true that many actors contributed to this crisis, let's be crystal clear about accountability. The former GEBE insiders now sitting in parliament don't get to hide behind collective responsibility. They were there. They had power. They made decisions—or failed to make them.

Their presence in parliament today isn't evidence of their qualifications to fix the problem; it's proof of how broken the system has become when failure is rewarded with higher office.

The Path Forward Demands Real Accountability

The people of Sint Maarten deserve more than finger-pointing and blame-shifting. They deserve:

• Immediate release of all missing financial statements from 2020-2024

• A complete audit of GEBE's operations and finances

• Permanent, qualified management free from political interference

• Regular shareholders' meetings with transparent reporting

• Rate relief that doesn't come at the expense of long-term sustainability

Most importantly, they deserve representatives who weren't complicit in creating the very problems they now claim to want to solve.

The 73-year-old woman forced back to work deserves better than having her former utility company executives lecturing parliament about accountability. She deserves leaders who will prioritize her needs over their political careers.

The revolving door between GEBE and parliament must stop spinning. The people of Sint Maarten can't afford any more "experts" whose expertise consists primarily of spectacular failure followed by political reinvention.

It's time for real accountability, real transparency, and real leadership. The citizens have suffered enough for the incompetence of those who now claim to represent them.