~ Says the Government lied to Parliament and deceived the People. ~

PHILIPSBURG: --- Six Members of Parliament, all sitting on the Opposition benches of Parliament, told media representatives during a press conference on Friday that they are being sidelined, they were lied to during the budget debate, and most of all, the government of St. Maarten has deceived the people of St. Maarten.
The Members of Parliament said they received the national budget late and that just an hour before the budget debate, they were receiving documents and were not given the time by the chair of Parliament to peruse them. Despite all of this, the MPs said they supported the national budget 2025 because the Minister of Finance, Marinka Gumbs, assured them that the adjustments were made. However, they said that they, as Members of Parliament, were misled by the government because they highlighted to the government that many of the contents in the budget were copied and pasted. Member of Parliament Omar Ottley said that numbers reflect 2024, which they brought up during the budget debate. Ottley explained that as a member of parliament, he opted to give the coalition government a chance and allowed them to do what they said they would do for the country. “At this moment, there is an issue with the budget, and members of parliament are not aware of the depth of the issues.”
Ottley complained of the unfair treatment he received from the chair of parliament, while other members of parliament received a different treatment.
Members of Parliament Omar Ottley, Francisco Lacroes, NOW Lyndon Lewis, and National Alliance Egbert Jurendy Doran, Ardwell Irion, and Darryl York each expressed how disappointed they are with the government for not having the 2025 budget ratified and published. The MPs said that they have been showing maturity in parliament by providing solutions and ideas to the government, but the coalition is hell-bent on leaving them out. They said that they each voted in favor of the 2025 budget in January after Minister of Finance Marinka Gumbs assured them that the errors in the budget, including the amendments, would have been rectified.
Member of Parliament Egbert Jurendy Doran read at least three letters he dispatched to the Prime Minister regarding ratifying and publishing the 2025 national budget. In one of the letters they received from the Prime Minister, it was explained that the government has been encountering some issues with at least two of the seven amendments.
Former Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament Ardwell Irion, in his remarks, said the coalition and government lied to parliament, and they even broke the constitution of St. Maarten when it came to handling the national budget.
Ardwell explained that the government does not have a budget to run the country's affairs because they are still using the budget he prepared while being the Minister of Finance.
The former Minister said when he learned of the government's intention to use the "novelle wetgeving." He personally made inquiries on the procedure, and it was then he discovered that that procedure could not even work in St. Maarten because the country does not have a bicameral system.
Ardwell said with the budget approval being one of the most essential responsibilities of any government, the delays could have ripple effects on government agencies, businesses, and social programs that depend on timely budget allocations, leaving the country in a state of financial uncertainty.
MP Lyndon Lewis explained that the country's people are suffering since the government will not be able to pay its workers. Projects that they promised to execute will not be executed.
The former Minister of Justice also explained that four of the six members of parliament speaking out on Friday were Ministers who expressed to the government that they were willing to assist in moving the country forward, but none of the Ministers approached them; instead, they are lying to parliament.
Lewis said that the current Minister of Justice has been in office for the past three months, and to date, the LBs for justice workers are not being handed out. “The Minister is busy revoking the things that I have approved instead of finding ways of bringing money to government coffers. He said the illegal immigrants living on the island and working are busy sending their money to their country because these people are denied legal residency that they are paying for. He lamented the “humanitarian” permits that are not being handled.
Member of Parliament Darryl York said that he asked several blatant questions during the budget debate because he saw the issues that the government is currently facing. For this reason, he believed it was his duty to highlight the problems he encountered.
York explained that despite the errors in the budget, he gave the Minister of Finance the benefit of the doubt.
The Members of Parliament called on the government, especially the Minister of Finance, to admit that errors were made with the 2025 national budget and that she should take the budget back to the parliament of St. Maarten to fix those errors.

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PHILIPSBURG:--- From Monday, February 17, to Thursday, February 20, personnel from the Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM) took part in a four-day training focused on improving crisis management. The training, organized by the College of Police Chiefs and led by specialists Jeroen ROSENDAAL and Michiel BITTER, aimed to strengthen how teams handle large-scale and special operations (SGBO).

The program covered key skills such as recognizing threats, creating action plans, and solving problems during emergencies. Participants learned how to communicate clearly, work better as a team, and use available resources more effectively. Building trust, respecting different opinions, and supporting team members were key themes throughout the training.

Crises managers were trained on how to adapt their leadership styles, make quick decisions under pressure, and give and receive feedback. The training also focused on improving emotional intelligence, helping participants better understand and respond to the feelings of others during high-stress situations.

By the end of the course, KPSM staff gained practical tools to improve teamwork, make faster decisions, and communicate more effectively during emergencies. This training marks an important step toward better coordinated crisis response within the Sint Maarten Police Force.

In addition to business appointments, the week-long event will feature Responsible Tourism Day, Caribbean Travel Forum, and an all-new Direct Booking Summit

MIAMI, Fla. – February 20, 2025 – The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) is pleased to announce that registration is now open for the 43rd annual Caribbean Travel Marketplace (CTM), set to take place in Antigua and Barbuda from May 18-22, 2025. This marks the first time the twin-island nation will host the region’s premier business-to-business tourism event, bringing together global buyers and regional suppliers to forge new business connections and position the Caribbean on the global stage.

"This is an exciting time for us as we prepare to welcome our valued tourism partners from around the world to Antigua and Barbuda,” said Antigua and Barbuda’s Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation, and Investment, The Honourable Charles Fernandez. “We are extremely pleased to be showcasing the beauty and culture of our twin-island paradise, as the host country for the 43rd edition of CHTA's Caribbean Travel Marketplace. This event fosters meaningful partnerships that drive business growth and economic success across the Caribbean, and we certainly look forward to welcoming you to our shores for a truly immersive and productive Caribbean Travel Marketplace 2025!"

“Caribbean Travel Marketplace is more than just a trade event—it’s a catalyst for business growth, collaboration, and innovation in our region’s tourism industry,” said CHTA CEO Vanessa Ledesma. “As we bring Marketplace to Antigua and Barbuda for the very first time, we are excited to create new opportunities for our members, to strengthen global partnerships, and to showcase the diversity of the Caribbean hospitality and tourism product. With many new program elements, CTM 2025 will be a pivotal moment in our industry’s continued evolution.”

This year’s Marketplace will feature an expanded agenda, including new activations and platforms to provide resources and insights that will further strengthen not only CHTA members but also the greater industry at large:

• Responsible Tourism Day on Sunday, May 18 – A dedicated day highlighting sustainable tourism initiatives, community engagement, and best practices for fostering long-term environmental and cultural preservation.

• Caribbean Travel Forum on Monday, May 19 – A high-level gathering of public and private sector leaders focused on tackling the region’s most pressing tourism challenges and opportunities, including innovation, investment, and workforce development. The forum will also honor outstanding achievements in the industry with a series of prestigious awards.

• Direct Booking Summit, Caribbean Edition on Thursday, May 22 – A brand-new addition to the program, this one-day event will explore the latest digital marketing strategies, AI-driven solutions, and technology trends aimed at maximizing direct online bookings and enhancing the region’s digital competitiveness.

In addition to these special events, CTM 2025 will continue to offer its signature one-on-one buyer-seller appointments, providing a powerful platform for participants to establish new partnerships and expand their reach in key global markets.

A World-Class Venue in a Premier Destination
The American University of Antigua (AUA) will serve as the main venue for Marketplace, offering a state-of-the-art conference facility that recently hosted the United Nations’ 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS). With Antigua and Barbuda’s excellent air connectivity and renowned hospitality, attendees can expect an unparalleled experience both in and out of the conference setting.

Buyer and supplier registration is now open at www.chtamarketplace.com. Event partnership opportunities are available; to inquire, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

St Peters:--- Gratitude is always a must to everyone who continues to support SMFC’s Farmers Market at the St Peters Rupert Maynard Community Youth Center .
There are no words that can describe the appreciation we have for those who show support and respect for the mission we fight for towards making food security and its by-products a reality for the country of St Maarten.
SMFC invites the general public to come out this Saturday, Feb 22, 2025, for another blessed day to get their hands on quality produce, products, and some positive community engagement at the Farmers Market.
As we continue to enhance the experience of the marketplace based on feedback from the community, we’re also working on the continuous increase of Produce \ Product production to ensure its continuous sustainability.
Over the past 3 months, in collaboration with our regional farming partners, we produced over 3000kg (6000lbs) of healthy quality food grown directly for community consumer consumption at a reduction of retail cost. These crop ranged in the variety of season peppers, cucumbers, carrots and pumpkin.. Additional crops that are slowly being added to the marketplace based on their increase in production are eggplant, yams, cherry tomatoes (red & yellow), and bell peppers.
With growth, there are also losses. Over the past 3 months, we have also encountered tremendous losses of over 1000+ kg (2000+ lbs) of cucumbers due to the low demand at the first inception of the production.
Our first project of cucumbers was not widely accepted by the larger retail market based on the fact that retailers were discarding the same variety we started to grow because the quality and shelf life was below their consumer standard. The sad part about this is, they would still take it if they have no other choice, which passes on the losses directly to their consumers..
The good part about all this was the direct community consumer accepted the cucumber we selected from the start, and this allowed us to access and research the market to challenge the supply and demand, resulting in the same cucumber variety now being accepted by some retailers based on its quality, consumer acceptance, and sustainability. The challenge we now face is that we have discarded the old variety to introduce the new one to reduce losses, resulting in a slight decrease in the production of cucumbers over the next 2 weeks before capacity improves. With every challenge there is growth, we must embrace the challenges to be able to grow. So, we have now also added back a limited capacity of the first variety to offer both to consumers..
With limited capacity and resources, SMFC will continue to stay steadfast on the mission with determination and willpower to see healthier quality food reach our community members at affordable cost.
This Saturday the Farmers Market will offer once again a wide variety of produce and products from the dedicated community farmers and product developers.
The variety of items available this weekend will be fresh cold press juices, banana bread, baked pumpkin jonny cakes with chickpeas, veggie soup, honey, coconut oil, castor oil, fresh eggs, plants, gardening materials, and locally made natural soaps, skin \ body care products.

Fresh Produce available this week from our local and regional farmers will be season peppers, sweet peppers, cherry tomatoes ( red & yellow), avocado, plantain, carrots, pumpkin, cucumbers, sweet potato, papaya, pineapple lettuce, salad mix, callaloo, tyarblad, basil, mint, lemon grass, big leaf thyme, curry leaves, bay leaf, celery, and parsley.
The Farmers Market begins at 9 am until 2 pm, so we encourage community members to come out as early as 9 am to get their first picks.
SMFC once again would like to thank the general public for supporting the Farmers Market. Your support continues to demonstrate the need for positive community development, engagement, and agricultural \ product sustainability. See you on Saturday, Feb 22, 2025, from 9 am to 2 pm, at the Rupert Maynard Community Center, St Peters.