Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs said in a press statement that a four-country meeting had been held with the prime ministers of St. Maarten, Curaçao and Aruba and State Secretary of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations BZK Raymond Knops on Thursday, March 18. The Caribbean countries were informed that the advice on the Kingdom Consensus Law from the Council of State had been issued and shared with the BZK Ministry last week.
“As such, it was forwarded to the three Caribbean countries via the cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary today, Friday, March 19, 2021,” Jacobs said in the release.
She said that per law the advice cannot be debated or shared publicly until it is handled in the Kingdom Council of Ministers RMR meeting and sent to the Second Chamber of the Parliament of the Netherlands and the Parliaments of St. Maarten, Curaçao and Aruba.
St. Maarten’s Advisory Council was also requested to render its feedback and once this trajectory has been completed, the Parliament of St. Maarten can then debate the Kingdom Consensus Law.
The way forward was discussed during the meeting and each country agreed to appoint a technical team to assist in addressing the Council of State’s concerns and collaborate on the further report to be submitted to the Kingdom Council of Ministers.
Furthermore, a letter requesting a confirmation of St. Maarten’s commitment was received from Knops on Tuesday, March 16. A response was sent on Wednesday, March 17, “with a clear affirmation,” Jacobs said.
“The letter and response have since been shared with Parliament. The government of St. Maarten is committed to carry out the established agreements on the country package for St. Maarten to receive further liquidity support.
“The Council of Ministers has approved the completed implementation plan on Tuesday, March 16, 2021. This is two weeks in advance of the scheduled April 1 deadline. The implementation plan will be carried out within the next three months and the next implementation plan will be prepared and finalised by July.”
She said the government of St. Maarten had received broad support from 13 of the 14 Members of Parliament present to enter into agreements with the Netherlands to receive the third tranche of liquidity support.
The country package agreements were signed between the government of St. Maarten and Knops on December 22, 2020, and included an agreement to follow the trajectory of the Caribbean Body for Development and Reform COHO as long as it does not infringe on local, kingdom and international laws.
Jacobs said that on Friday, during the continuation of a meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on the country package for St. Maarten, the majority of MPs had affirmed their support to government to continue with the trajectory as agreed in December 2020. The Daily Herald
A lockdown will be in effect on Curaçao from Wednesday. All measures are aimed at keeping people at home as much as possible. The rules apply for at least two weeks. Below an overview:
The curfew will not be adjusted, but a Plachi di Dia will be set. Numbers A, D, F, G, H, K, BF, Z, WA will be played on Monday and Thursday. On Tuesdays and Fridays, only vehicles with B, J, L, N, R, U, MF are allowed on the street. S, T, V, X and Y are next on Wednesday and Saturday. No one is allowed outside on Sundays and there is a ‘car-free Sunday’. Exceptions to the Plachi di Dia can be requested. To do this, go to kalamidat.cw.
There is also an exception for the collection and delivery of your child to school or daycare. This is possible between 4:30 am and 8:00 am and 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm. Tomorrow more information will be given about the continuation of education. For informal care, there is an exception between 04:30 and 08:00 in the morning and 16:30 and 20:00 in the evening.
All gyms must be closed. Sports in a group is no longer allowed. Individual sports are allowed, but you are not allowed to go to a place to exercise by car. Individual sports outside are also allowed between 4:30 am and 8:00 am and 4:30 pm and 8:00 pm.
Visiting the beach is prohibited.
Restaurants and truki pan are only allowed to deliver. This is allowed between 12:00 and 20:00. An exception must be requested on the Plachi di Dia for the vehicles used for delivery.
The airport and border will remain open. All visitors to the island must follow the rules. Lockdown rules also apply to tourists, such as Plachi di Dia and curfew.
In recent weeks, the Dutch Data Protection Authority (AP) has received 75 reports of data leaks at organizations that use Microsoft Exchange Server to receive and send e-mail. The National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) reported that at least 1,200 Dutch servers running Microsoft Exchange have been infected. The AP therefore fears that there are many more problems than just the 75 data breach reports received. The AP urges organizations to check their systems.
Aleid Wolfsen, chairman of the AP: ‘Many organizations worldwide have been affected, including in the Netherlands. We see from the incoming reports that criminals have often been able to view, copy and send all e-mail communications and address lists to an external address for further abuse. ‘
‘Because we have received 75 reports so far, we fear that many other burglaries have not yet been detected. We therefore expect even more data breach reports and a wave of ransomware cases, ‘says Wolfsen.
Ransomware
Attackers could access email accounts, steal data and install their own software through vulnerabilities in Microsoft’s software.
Wolfsen: ‘Once criminals have entered, they often go about their business for a while within the system of such an organization. By installing ransomware software, they keep the organization in their grip, even after the leak has been closed. ‘
‘This allows them, for example, to shut down the server, so that the company can no longer function. To make the loot even bigger, they often try to extort the company with this ransomware software. ‘
Identity fraud
The AP calls on organizations to check their systems for possible attacks. And to always be on the lookout for suspicious movements within their network.
Organizations are legally obliged to close a data breach as soon as possible and to report the leak to the AP within 72 hours. They also usually have to inform the people concerned about the data breach. So that they can also take action themselves to limit the damage. For example by blocking their credit card.
Wolfsen: ‘Data theft has increased by 30% last year. It is very worrying that personal data is increasingly the target of criminals. Because the theft of personal – and often sensitive – information can cause a lot of damage to people. For example, if criminals use the stolen personal data for identity fraud or fraud. ‘
Report data breach in time
Organizations with a data breach must report this to the AP via the data breach reporting desk . The AP has noticed that organizations do not report all data leaks that they should report. This becomes clear, for example, when victims leave a complaint or tip with the AP.
Wolfsen: ‘This is very serious. Because if people do not know that their data may be in the possession of criminals, they cannot take measures. Such as changing their password or blocking their credit card. The damage can then be considerable. ‘
The AP is currently conducting 9 investigations into data leaks that were not reported or were not reported on time. Organizations that do not report a data breach to the AP (in time) are in violation and can be fined.
LONDON A 50-year-old suspect was arrested in London on Friday in the Themis investigation. C. is suspected of having been involved as a murder broker in commissioning multiple violent crimes committed on Sint Maarten. 50-year-old C. is said to be a prominent member of the No Limit Soldiers. The Public Prosecution Service suspects the NLS of a criminal association, responsible for multiple murders and trafficking in narcotics. C. is detained in London and the Public Prosecution has requested the extradition. In addition, a 36-year-old who had traveled to Curaçao from the Dominican Republic was also arrested in the same investigation on Saturday. https://curacao.nu/moordmakelaar-in-zaak-themis-aangehouden/
La Collectivité de Saint-Martin informe le public de la fermeture exceptionnelle des services administratifs, mardi 23 mars 2021. Les services accueilleront à nouveau le public dès mercredi 24 mars 2021 à 8h00.
Exceptional closure of public services, Tuesday March 23, 2021
The Collectivité of Saint-Martin is informing the public of the closure of public services on Tuesday, March 23, 2021. The administration will welcome the public from Wednesday March 24, 2021 at 8:00 a.m.
The Collectivité apologizes for this inconvenience.
** Second batch of the Pfizer vaccine arrived on Friday **
The second batch of the Pfizer vaccine, arrived in the country on Friday, March 19. The Minister of Public Health, Social Development (Ministry VSA) Richard Panneflek, was at the Princess Juliana International Airport on Friday when the shipment came in on a scheduled Royal Dutch Airlines KLM flight.
The second batch consists of 7.020 doses of the Pfizer / BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Together with the first batch, which consisted of 8.190 doses, Sint Maarten has received 15.210 doses.
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. Do not forget to check the opening hours and bring a form of identification. 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.
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
Sint Maarten, protected together.
PHOTO CUTLINE: Minister Richard Panneflek standing next to the second batch of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Coronavirus Support In Danger, Following Grisha’s Bogus Letter To The United Nations..THE HAGUE – If State Secretary Knops does not receive reaffirmation of political support for the national package, the financial corona support for Sint Maarten may be stopped. This is stated today in Knops’ answer to Ronald Raak’s questions about the UN petition and the financial support to Sint Maarten. The State Secretary says that the view that Dutch support is a form of oppression, racism and colonialism is “absolutely impossible” to share. Both Raaks and Knops are concerned that the investments will not go well. “The cooperation process that the Netherlands and Sint Maarten have entered into with each other will only have a chance of success if all parties involved are prepared to give their fullest effort to achieve this,” says Knops. This also puts the national package between them at risk ”, says the State Secretary. He therefore asked Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs for an explanation and a reaffirmation of the support expressed earlier. Both its members of government and the members of parliament must show their support. Otherwise, it is possible to stop the “much needed” financial support. The Netherlands does not have much to say about the debate around independence, Knops believes. “It follows from the nature of the matter that the initiative for this must come from Sint Maarten itself. The choice to leave the Kingdom is the most essential political decision that a Caribbean country or island can make, ”he writes. Under unwritten Kingdom law, the islands do not require the consent of the Netherlands if they choose to become fully independent. https://koninkrijk.nu/2021/03/18/financiele-coronasteun-sint-maarten-mogelijk-in-gevaar-na-petitie/
Anti Dutch, Pro Independence MFK and PNP speed up the formation of a coalition for thorough development Willemstad The winners of the Parliament elections in Curaçao MFK and PNP barely needed a day and a half to obtain a declaration of willingness leading to the formation of a coalition. The short statement states that both parties have “a thorough development”. of the island’s inhabitants, based on transparency, integrity, decency, hope, respect, norms and values, with God’s word in our banner.
The intended coalition, with Gilmar Pisas as prime minister, is very likely to be based on 13 of the 21 seats in Parliament (MFK 9, PNP 4). What both parties have in common but is not stated in the statement is the aversion to the conditions that the Netherlands imposes on the aid to help Curaçao through the corona crisis.
The MFK was founded in 2010 by Gerrit Schotte, the first Prime Minister of Curaçao. He turned his back on politics after serving his sentence for corruption. The PNP has little left of the governing party from the time of former Prime Minister Maria Liberia-Peters.
Led by Ruthmilda Larmonie-Cecilia (ex-Pueblo Soberano), the PNP is experiencing a remarkable comeback. She was discredited by an investigation by the Court of Auditors which showed that in 2014 and 2015, as Minister of Social Development, Labor and Welfare, she had entered into commitments for millions of euros without being authorized to do so. DOSSIER Kingdom Relations
Due to the COVID-19 epidemic Sint Maarten has established a mandatory health authorization application through an Electronic Health Authorization System (EHAS) for every visitor arriving by air including transits, Sint Maarten and Sint Martin residents. Without the health pre-authorization boarding will not be possible. Be advised that processing time can take up to 12 hours. Visitors arriving on a vessel please read the latest requirements here.The requirements vary depending on the country risk status which can be found at the bottom of this page.Children must have the online health form filled out by their parents.The application must be completed in order to be processed. This includes the purchase of the mandatory COVID-19 insurance and a negative COVID-19 test result in case they are required.If you are suffering from flu like symptoms and/or fever travel will be denied by the airline and by the EHAS.As of January 27, 2021, until further notice, a travel ban is in place for persons who have been the 14 days before departing to Sint Maarten in a banned country as mentioned in the “banned countries” table below.Sint Maarten/Sint Martin/Saba/St. Eustatius residents are exempted from the travel ban and should get a rt-PCR test before departure. The EHAS application must be completed.All incoming passengers are subjected to temperature checks and other screening protocols and may be subjected to mandatory testing at their own expense. Failure to comply with the screening at the Health Check Point upon arrival will result in you not being cleared to enter St. Maarten and sent back to your originating country.If re-tested upon arrival you will be required to self-isolate or self-quarantine at your place of lodging/residence until the test results are known.Provide a working email address on which you are reachable.Monitor your health on a daily basis during your stay.Applicants will receive confirmation of their accepted application. Non-completed applications will be automatically deleted within a day after the provided travel date.If health authorization is pre-approved, you will receive a (printable) pre-authorization via e-mail, which must be presented to the health and immigration authorities upon arrival. The original rt-PCR or antigen test result should be presented to the health authorities upon request. Please check your spam/junk mail folder as well in case you haven’t received a response.If health authorization is not pre-approved, you will receive an e-mail informing you that health pre-authorization has been denied.
MANDATORY INSURANCE
The government of Sint Maarten has implemented a mandatory COVID-19 insurance for all travelers with destination Sint Maarten with the exception of Sint Maarten residents, transit passengers (checkbox), flight crews (checkbox), transiting cruise ship crews (checkbox), French nationals residing in France or a French territory, BES-ZVK medical referrals (checkbox) and AUC faculty and students (special procedure).The insurance purchasing process is an integrated step in the EHAS application. Travelers requiring the COVID-19 insurance must complete this process upon application.For more information on and all questions related to the COVID-19 insurance please visit www.sxmprotectionplan.com or contact customer support at info@sxmprotectionplan.com
COVID-19 TEST REQUIREMENTS
As of March 23 2021, a negative rt-PCR test result will be required for travelers originating from Bonaire and Curacao.
A rt-PCR test for the SARS-COV-2 virus obtained from a naso-pharyngeal swab performed in the country of origin and within 72 hours prior to departure to Sint Maarten (last leg in case of connecting flights) is required for all travelers originating from a country that is categorized as high risk. Antibody tests and tests performed outside of the 72 hours period will not be accepted. Results from home covid-19 collection test kits will also not be accepted. Airlines might require you to show a negative lab test result. For travelers from the USA, US territories and Canada the time frame remains 120 hrs. prior to departure. This will remain in effect as long as the national health authorities of the USA and Canada do not require differently for their traveling citizens.Alternatively, travelers originating from the USA and Canada can do an antigen test for the SARS-COV-2 virus obtained from a naso-pharyngeal swab performed within 48 hours prior to departure to Sint Maarten. All FDA approved antigen tests including those with Emergency Use Authorization only (EUA) are accepted. Tests performed outside of the 48 hours period and home tests will not be accepted.Travelers residing in and/or traveling from a low-risk country are exempted from the mandatory rt-PCR or antigen test.Travelers who reside in a low-risk country but have visited a high-risk country in the 14 days prior to departing to Sint Maarten, must also have a rt-PCR or antigen test for the SARS-COV-2 virus performed in the country of origin within 72 respectively 48 hours prior to departure to Sint Maarten (last leg in case of connecting flights). The original test result to be uploaded as part of EHAS application procedure must clearly specify the name of the laboratory or clinic, full name of test subject, type of test administered, name of antigen test, swab date, source of the swab, result date and a negative result. Incomplete results, hand written or e-mail statements from doctors will not be accepted.Children of age 10 and under are exempted from the mandatory rt-PCR or antigen test. As of the day after the 10th birthday, a rt-PCR or antigen test has to be submitted.Airline and private flight crews with stopovers in St. Maarten or St. Martin must demonstrate a valid negative rt-PCR or antigen test upon arrival. Crew members not in possession of a valid negative rt-PCR or antigen test must self-quarantine until their departure flight.
SELF MONITORING
For travelers originating from a high-risk country, 14 consecutive days of self-monitoring of body temperature and possible flu like symptoms is mandatory. The travelers in this category will receive during 14 days an automated daily email alert providing a link for submitting the required information online. If you are remaining for a shorter term on the island, you will have to submit the information for the time you are on the island. Temperature measuring possibilities will also be offered in the lobby in most hotels and other lodging facilities.
OUTBOUND TRAVELERS
For information on testing locations please visit https://stmaartenupdates.com/testing-on-island/ Thank you for choosing St. Maarten as your preferred vacation destination.
Fill in the application
COUNTRY RISK ASSESSMENT
A risk assessment of countries is necessary. This will classify a country in either a low or high-risk category for transmission of COVID-19. This categorization of countries is very dynamic and may change in time. Categorization will be managed by the IHR focal point of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Services and Labor.
Risk classification COVID-19 (January 29 2021)
If a country is not listed in the low risk category, this country is considered a high risk country for the transmission of COVID-19.
Low risk of transmission
Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Australia Barbados Bermuda Bonaire British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands China Curaçao Dominica Grenada Montserrat New Zealand Saba Saint Barthelemy Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint LuciaSaint Vincent and the Grenadines Singapore Sint EustatiusThailand
Banned Countries
Argentina Bolivia Brazil Chile Colombia Ecuador French Guyana Guyana Panama Paraguay Peru South Africa Surinam Uruguay Venezuela
Dutch National, Arrested in Thailand for mega fraud worked in Dutch St Maarten in 2018. It appears from his online accounts, that some of the fraudulant activity was going on here. A Madam Estate address, and still working phone number.
A fundraising campaign has started on GoFundMe for a Dutch person who is in prison in Thailand on suspicion of a mega-fraud. According to the police, Wesley Halbach (37) had 10,000 Thai money invested under false pretenses in a pyramid scheme with which he earned about 2.7 million euros. Wesley’s Finnish wife says her husband has been framed.
Wesley is charged with acts he did not do. He’s the victim of a big set-up, was very naive and trusted the wrong people and now we’re living in a nightmare, ” Sanna Kilpinen begins explaining the fundraiser she launched two days ago. The target amount is 9,000 euros, of which more than 1,100 euros have now been received. According to the Finnish, the money is intended for the bail and attorney’s fees.
The woman says she has known Wesley for over 5 years and calls him ‘one of the nicest people I know’. Her husband is in custody awaiting trial against him. ‘Anyone who has ever been in a Thai prison knows how difficult life can be. There is constant overcrowding, disease, lack of clean food and water, tremendous heat, lack of access to people outside of prison, occasional violence and death, and other challenges. Wesley is a family man and supporting him would mean a lot to his family and friends. We have already used all of our savings to help him fight for his justice. Please help us by donating and give back my dear daughter her father ‘.
Searchmachine optimalisation Halbach was arrested with his wife and daughter at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok in mid-February. According to the police, they were about to fly to the Netherlands on a KLM flight. The arrest of the 37-year-old foreigner stemmed from a court order issued in Phuket for questioning on allegations of fraud. The Dutchman allegedly led an online shopping center scam using the communications app LINE and a series of Internet domains registered in China trading under the name SPM Shopping Mall, news site Thai Examiner reported at the time.
According to the police, it was a classic pyramid scheme in which participants invested up to 200,000 Baht (about 5,453 euros). After paying, they were encouraged to click on a range of internet domains to improve their SEA ranking in the search engines. In exchange, they would receive 65 baht (about 13 euros). The more they invested, the higher they would climb the ladder and even become team coordinators or administrators with even more lucrative returns. The money earned from the fraud was diverted to 44 accounts at four banks in tax havens, the cybercrime team found.
Abroad Halbach writes on his LinkedIn account that he has been in Thailand since August 2018. The thirties started as a senior operations manager at Easy Living Phuket Co Ltd. and has been sales manager at Progressive property Phuket since June 2019. Before settling in Thailand, the Dutchman worked on Sint-Maarten for three months as marketing staff at Topweeks. In 2017 he worked in that position for six months. In between, the salesman, who was following an MBO course at the Da Vinci College in Dordrecht and / or Gorinchem, was sales representative at Brugman Keukens in Zaandam. Before that Halbach worked in Rhodes, Gran Canaria and Bulgaria.
