SXMGOV RADIO 107.9FM CELEBRATES ITS 5TH ANNIVERSARY
The Government of Sint Maarten’s owned and operated station SXMGOV Radio 107.9FM celebrates its 5th anniversary on Sunday, May 22nd, 2022. The station’s 24/7 format offers Government news, information and local music.
SXM GOV Radio 107.9FM was born out of a history of devastating Hurricanes Luis & Marilyn of 1995. Former Lt. Governor Dennis Richardson saw that communication to the public of Sint Maarten was vital to our recovery and eventual return to normalcy. Together, with the then Executive Council and key civil servants, like the Former Fire Chief Winston Solomon, the decision was taken to seek solutions to communicate with the public, thus the idea of an ‘emergency radio station’ owned and operated by the Government was born. Other key players that form the history of 107.9FM are current SZV Director Mr. Glen Carty, who was instrumental in contributing the much needed equipment to get the emergency radio station operational.
The request for a license to operate an emergency radio station took place on February 8th, 2001 by then, former Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards, who was appointed after; Former Lt. Governor Dennis Richardson’s term had ended. The license was official granted on March 27th, 2001, thus the Government Emergency Radio 107.9FM became a reality.
SXMGOV Radio broadcast talents Mr. Cedric Peterson & Ms. Charity Dunker serve as the stations’ operators, programmers, and hosts within the Department of Communication (DCOMM), a multimedia organization within the Ministry of General Affairs.
The station’s listeners are informed through Inside Government, an in-depth interview program highlighting policy, plans, programs, and projects that the Government of Sint Maarten is executing. GOV Insider a news program that highlights what’s happening inside the Government. Prime Minister Talks with Honorable Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs and the premier national broadcast event, the Live Council of Ministers Press Briefing, a weekly One-Hour debrief and Q&A led by the seven Ministers of the Council.
“The past five years have been an amazing social experiment, says Cedric Peterson, Communications Officer at the Department of Communication, “where Sint Maarten can listen to, us…Our Culture, Our Heritage, which is the station’s slogan.” “SXMGOV Radio 107.9FM was built to encourage country development and growth through education, information and local culture that resonates through poetry, story-telling & music”.
“It’s the home where local musicians compete against nothing but themselves. SXMGOV Radio encourages all local musicians to get back to making music not just for the Carnival season but all year round”, says Charity Dunker.
The vision of SXMGOV Radio 107.9FM is “to consistently educate, inform & entertain, our culture our heritage,” says Maurice Lake, Head of the Department of Communication. 107.9FM forms a part of the SXMGOV Multimedia Network that consists of TV, Radio, Print, Web & Social Media. Combined, the people of Sint Maarten can rely on and trust the Government’s information during everyday life and national emergencies.” So we invite the public to continue making SXMGOV Radio 107.9FM their choice for all things Government”, concluded Lake.
The “Inside Government” interview program airs daily at 8AM, 11AM, 4PM, 8PM, and 11PM.
The “GOV Insider” news program airs daily at 12midnight, 3AM, 6AM, 9AM, 12PM, 3PM, 6PM & 9PM.
“Prime Minister Talks” with Honorable Prime Minister, Silveria Jacobs, airs daily at 1PM.
The Weekly “Live Council of Minister’s Press Briefing” airs daily at 2AM, 5AM, 7AM, 10AM, 2PM, 5PM, 7PM & 10PM.
