Bibi Ho of SMN News asks Minister York frantically about GEBE individuals being victimized. Doran Response: Government is also a shareholder, Supervisory board would deal with management to handle the matter. Send a letter to the people in charge. Today Minister York has a meeting at 11 am Today with GEBE in Parliament about Financing Ombudsman clarification. Sense of entitlement from contractors who are complaining. Contractor controversy It’s their right to complain to umbudsman if they feel cheated Each person that took part in bid received letter of clarity as to why they were not awarded contracts.
Video 3 Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion. It is paramount that the government solves the current financial situation with SZV, which has been going on for years and has been neglected for years. Debt rising every year. He brought a solution, will let public know in a few weeks once agreement is signed. Debt rising for years, he hopes
Video 2 Minister of Health Richard Panneflek Richard: Starting this Saturday new Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao islands flight protocol, because of the high Covid rate in the ABC Islands. Also ONLY Essential travel. This behind this upcoming Saturday. If you did a PCR test 72 hours before travel, you must still do an antigen test no later than 24 hours prior to boarding, if you are coming from any A,B,C island. PCR must be done before boarding. The Minister also mentioned that Dutch Sint Maarten is using ONLY the Pfizer Vaccine. Click Back, More Videos Uploading: MORE SXM NEWS: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialStMaartenNews/
Video 1 Todays Dutch Sint Maarten Government Press Briefing Deputy Prime Minister Egberto Doran York Visited SHDF Belvedere yesterday. More fixed roofs and home repair at duplexes, which were the main concerns. The Towers are underconstruction renovated by end of year with funding, of course. More progress. Working with the banks. The Prime Minister had met with Kingdom about Consensus Law, country package etc. Yesterday Silveria Jacob’s informal meeting Knops with Sillie And Rolando friendly Ongoing discussion. Once Doran York is updated will let you know. MORE: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialStMaartenNews/
VIDEO 2 American Tourists Robbed With Machetes In Curacao Info WILLEMSTAD Two American tourists were robbed on the Kaminda Brudernan di Brakepoti in broad daylight on Monday afternoon. That is the road between Caracasbaaiweg and Jan Sofat. Five men driving a Kia Picanto forced the tourists’ car to stop. Three of them got out and threatened the Americans with machetes. Then they took off with their car and their belongings. The Curaçao tourist office has been called in to receive the tourists. https://curacao.nu/twee-amerikaanse-toeristen-met-machetes-beroofd-van-auto/
The Vaccination Management Team (VMT) informs the public that no vaccinations will be administered on Sint Maarten during the public holidays of Friday, April 2nd, and on Monday, April 5th.
A small number of appointments have mistakenly been generated by the system for Friday, April 2nd. These appointments have been rescheduled for either Thursday, April 1st, or Tuesday, April 6th, and the persons involved, have received an email of their new appointment date.
On Tuesday, April 6th the vaccination campaign will resume at the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA) Collective Prevention Service (CPS) in Philipsburg and at the Belair Community Centre.
The VMT encourages everyone who has not yet registered to do so. It is essential to protect as many as possible against the COVID-19 virus, even more so because of the increasing infection rates on the islands of Curacao, Aruba and Bonaire. In only two weeks the number of positive cases on Curacao increased from 70 to 2.548 cases and three deaths as of Monday. The increase is caused by the more contagious UK variant, which has also been found on the Island.
Therefore, members of the community are reminded to register for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Registration can be done via the online registration form which is available in English, Spanish, and Creole, and can be found via this link: https://forms.sintmaartengov.org/form.aspx?v=OGtn05kNmb
Both Cole Bay and Dutch Quarter Community Helpdesks are currently equipped to provide information and can assist with registration on the spot. They are open from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM on Monday to Friday. You must bring a form of identification when you visit the helpdesk.
Lastly, the paper-based “COVID Vaccine Registration Form” can be picked up at several locations, including CPS at the Vineyard Office Park Building, the Division of Labor Affairs at the Simpson Bay Public Service Center in Simpson Bay, doctors’ offices, the Government Administration Building, and select pharmacies.
Organizations who wish to inform their staff about the Covid-19 vaccine and vaccination program via an information session can send an email to bvdmeijden@whiteyellowcross.org
If you have a friend, parent, neighbor, or relative that may need assistance with registration, transportation, or emotional support, please do your part. If you need help with the registration process, your appointment, or wish for more information about the vaccination campaign, you can also call CPS at 914 or email: vaccination@sintmaartengov.org
As of March 30th, there were six (6) persons who tested positive for COVID-19; however three (3) persons have recovered; bringing the total active cases to thirty seven (37). The total number of confirmed cases is now two thousand one hundred forty (2140).
The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) are monitoring thirty six (36) people in home isolation. One (1) patient remains hospitalized at the St. Maarten Medical Center. The total number of deaths due to COVID-19 remains at twenty seven (27).
The number of people recovered since the first case surfaced on St. Maarten has increased to two thousand seventy six (2076). Sixty eight (68) people are in quarantine based on contact tracing investigations carried out by CPS.
The Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (VSA) Airport Health Team in collaboration with Health Care Laboratory Sint Maarten (HCLS) have tested 2614 travelers arriving at the Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA), while CPS tested 23, 608 people throughout the community. As the numbers continue to fluctuate, CPS will continue to actively execute its contact tracing measures.
Minister Panneflek urges everyone to be apart of the solution and register to be vaccinated. To register for the COVID-19 vaccine via the online registration form which is available in English, Spanish, and Creole, and can be found via this link: https://forms.sintmaartengov.org/form.aspx?v=OGtn05kNmb or by paper registration which can be found at Collective Prevention Services (CPS) at the Vineyard Office Park Building, the Division of Labour Affairs at the Simpson Bay Public Service Center in Simpson Bay, doctors’ offices, the Government Administration Building, and select pharmacies.
** Sint Maarten and the Netherlands meet over liquidity support **
On Monday, March 29, 2021, Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs and her support staff were invited to a meeting arranged by the Dutch representative’s office with State Secretary Knops. The meeting was amicable, however, State Secretary Knops still needed more reassurance from the Parliament of Sint Maarten concerning support for the trajectory of the Kingdom Consensus Law COHO and the country package agreements finalized in December 2020.
Prime Minister Jacobs stated, “During the meeting, State Secretary Knops agreed that the Government of Sint Maarten has lived up to the agreements. As such, Sint Maarten is very disappointed that we aren’t able to move forward as per the agreements made based upon the feelings of the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) with support from the Kingdom Council of Ministers (RMR).”
“In government’s opinion, the goal post continues to be moved, as the condition for the fifth tranche of liquidity support was the finalization of the Implementation Plan which is ahead of schedule. In light of this, the signing of the Implementation Plan did not proceed as State Secretary Knops expected even as Sint Maarten remains committed to the process. This is a clear example of how the democratic deficit negatively affects us in the Dutch Caribbean,” Prime Minister Jacobs continued.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Jacobs made it clear to State Secretary Knops that while Sint Maarten has shown understanding for the sentiments of the Netherlands when negative utterances are made against them politically, they seem to not understand that this insistence on things being done their way every time there is a dispute in exchange for needed liquidity support during this time of crisis also adds more fuel to the thoughts and feelings by the Dutch Caribbean islands that we are not treated equitably in the Kingdom. As such, Prime Minister Jacobs encouraged State Secretary Knops to keep that in mind as well as both parties seek to improve relations based on mutual understanding and trust.
In an informal follow-up meeting held today, between State Secretary Knops and the Chair of Parliament Rolando Brison, the Chair of Parliament joined the conversation and was able to convey the intentions of the petition submitted to the United Nations rapporteur. State Secretary Knops is expecting to receive such in writing and once this letter is deemed satisfactory to State Secretary Knops and his colleagues who have been mandated by the RMR to decide such, Sint Maarten may then be allowed to proceed with the trajectory of the COHO Law, the established country package agreements and further liquidity support.
Prime Minister Jacobs stated, “I look forward to hearing the reaction of those mandated to decide on behalf of the RMR, however, I earnestly believe the more the Government of the Netherlands insists on this statement from the Parliament of Sint Maarten, the more they give further indication that the democratic deficit is being used against us as smaller countries within the Kingdom. State Secretary Knops has expressed the need to proceed and continue repairing the relationship between the Netherlands and Sint Maarten. However, we will await the verdict based upon Parliament’s explanation which is outside of their purview as their expressions do not weigh in the trajectory of the COHO Law at this time.”
** Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs travels abroad due to family reasons **
Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs is travelling for unavoidable family related matters today, Tuesday, March 30, 2021. Deputy Prime Minister Egbert Doran will assume responsibility along with the Council of Ministers during her absence. Prime Minister Jacobs stated, “Though I find it difficult to leave at this time, as we are facing some challenges, there will be continuity of government and I trust in the Deputy Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers to be able to handle all necessary ongoing matters.” Prime Minister Jacobs will remain available virtually and she will keep in close contact with the Council of Ministers, the Parliament of St. Maarten as well as other stakeholders in the ongoing discussions for the realization of further liquidity support and the continuation of the negotiations to lead to an improved entity that will monitor the reforms and programs. “I ask the people of St. Maarten to remain positive, steadfast and strong as we stand together for a stronger St. Maarten,” concluded Prime Minister Jacobs.
