November 07, 2026
Garbage tender remains under evaluation, Gumbs explains two-parcel change | The Peoples TribuneSXM Talks — Latest News from St. Maarten / St. Martin
Latest News
November 07, 2026
Gumbs: GEBE base rate no longer covers operating costs, Ottley says fuel clause applied to fill the hole | The Peoples Tribune
November 07, 2026
Minister Gumbs: Sun Resorts appeals Mullet Bay Beach ruling that the beach is public | The Peoples Tribune
November 07, 2026
Gumbs confirms Setai permits dating back to 2023 remain unresolved | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Patrice Gumbs has confirmed that permit applications connected to The Setai development, formerly Villa Levant, dating from 2023, 2024 and 2025 remain under evaluation, while acknow...
November 07, 2026
Gumbs: Educational Care Center will provide full-day behavioral support | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs has outlined how the new Educational Care Center (ECC) will operate, explaining that students experiencing serious and persistent behavioral challenges will receive full-day educational and therape...
November 07, 2026
GEBE operating under temporary disconnection policy, permanent rules expected in 2027, PM Mercelina says | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--NV GEBE maintains that it has the legal authority to disconnect electricity customers under Articles 5, 9, 10 and 11 of its existing Terms and Conditions of Connection and Rates, which were ratified during the former Netherlands Antilles period, Prime Minister Dr. L...
November 07, 2026
Gumbs fires back at MP York over criticism of ECYS, defends Govt. projects, school repairs record | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs delivered a forceful rebuttal to Member of Parliament Darryl York during Friday's continuation of the 2027 national budget debate, accusing him of misrepresenting her record, questioning his unders...
November 06, 2026
Heyliger-Marten targets Airbnb, vacation rentals with tax increase up to 12% over three tears | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten has outlined proposed changes to St. Maarten's Accommodation Tax Ordinance that would gradually increase the tax from its current 5% to 12% over three years, streng...
November 06, 2026
Heyliger-Marten announces plans for national vehicle ownership registry | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten has disclosed that government is exploring the establishment of a centralized National Vehicle Titling System that would create a verified database of vehicle owner...
November 06, 2026
Heyliger-Marten: No GEBE fuel clause refunds without verified financial review | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten has cautioned that government cannot responsibly authorize refunds or credits to electricity consumers based solely on the fuel clause surplus identified in the Apr...
Local News
November 06, 2026
GEBE failed to submit revised fuel clause proposal, BTP now preparing new tariff structure | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten has disclosed that GEBE failed to submit a government-requested proposal to correct deficiencies in its electricity fuel clause calculation, prompting the Bureau Te...
Read more : GEBE failed to submit revised fuel clause proposal, BTP now preparing new tariff structure | The Peoples Tribune
November 06, 2026
Heyliger-Marten confirms joint TEATT-Finance Task Force to examine transaction tax | The Peoples Tribune
GREAT BAY--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten has confirmed that a joint technical task force between her ministry and the Ministry of Finance has been established to advance research into a proposed Financial...
November 06, 2026
Project Walk to Give Cruise Passengers New Pedestrian Route into Philipsburg by Mid-December | The Peoples Tribune
GREAT BAY--Port St. Maarten is developing a new pedestrian access route, known as Project Walk, that will connect the cruise port area to Dock Maarten, providing cruise passengers with an additional way to walk directly into Philipsburg and potentially improving the distributi...
November 06, 2026
MP York: Wrong road markings still on Cole Bay hill months after serious accident | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Darryl York has questioned why incorrect road markings on Cole Bay Hill remain uncorrected months after a serious accident reportedly exposed deficiencies that complicated the application of traffic regulations. He also raised concerns about the...
November 06, 2026
Heyliger-Marten: eliminating port's throughput fee would save average household just Cg 6.20 monthly | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten has cautioned that reducing or even eliminating Port St. Maarten's throughput fee on fuel supplied to GEBE would provide only marginal relief to electricity consume...
November 06, 2026
MP Wever proposes freezing GEBE fuel clause at 30 cents | The Daily HeraldPHILIPSBRG--Unified Resilient St Maarten Movement (URSM) Member of Parliament (MP) Christopher Wever has proposed temporarily freezing GEBE's fuel clause at 30 cents until a full investigation into the matter is completed. He said on Wednesday that the measure could hel...
November 06, 2026
PM Mercelina says SER deadlock Depends on Employers and Unions, | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina has told Parliament that government has completed its part of the nomination process for the Social Economic Council (SER), but remains dependent on employers' and employees' organizations to submit their candidates before the adviso...
November 06, 2026
MPs question legality of GEBE disconnections without confirmed policy | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Members of Parliament Sjamira Roseburg and Darryl York have renewed their demands for clarity on GEBE's disconnection policy, questioning why customers, including elderly residents, people with medical needs and families with young children, continue to face el...
November 06, 2026
Minister Gumbs meets with garbage collection bidders | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Patrice Gumbs has met with companies that participated in the government's solid waste collection tender to address concerns about the evaluation process, explain how contracts will...
Headlines
November 05, 2026
False Shooting Alarm Leads Police To Discover Three Children Living in Deplorable Conditions | SoualiganewsdaySINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) is investigating an unusual incident that unfolded on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, involving a false report of a shooting, the discovery of three children in deplorable living conditions, and the subsequent arres...
Read more : False Shooting Alarm Leads Police To Discover Three Children Living in Deplorable Conditions | Soualiganewsday
November 04, 2026
PM Mercelina: New GEBE generators will move St. Maarten from electricity stability to reliability | The Peoples Tribune
GREAT BAY--St. Maarten's long-awaited investment in three new Wärtsilä generators is expected to reach commissioning in 2028, following the signing of agreements on Wednesday, November 4, that will pave the way for an investment exceeding US$70 million in the country's electri...
November 04, 2026
MP Labega takes aim at fellow DP Minister Gumbs over tax reform delays and lack of deliverables | The Peoples Tribune
GREAT BAY--Democratic Party Member of Parliament Dimar Labega delivered harsh criticism of Minister of Finance Marinka Gumbs, a fellow member of the Democratic Party, during Tuesday evening's parliamentary debate on the draft 2027 National Budget, questioning her leadersh...
November 04, 2026
FREEGAN: It is unacceptable for edible food to go to waste while families struggle to eat | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--The FREEGAN Foundation is calling on more supermarkets and wholesalers across St. Maarten to take responsibility for reducing food waste and supporting families in need, questioning how perfectly edible food can be discarded while hundreds of residents struggle...
November 03, 2026
Census shows population growth and ageing trend in St. Maarten | The Daily HeraldPHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten’s population grew by approximately 25 per cent between 2011 and 2022, while the proportion of residents aged 65 and older nearly tripled, according to three reports released by the Department of Statistics (STAT) from the 2022 Population and Housing Ce...
November 03, 2026
Public Service Center Reception Desk Restores Regular Hours, Including Afternoon Service | Government of Sint MaartenThe Ministry of General Affairs announces that the Reception Desk of the Public Service Center (PSC), located at the Government Administration Building on Soualiga Road, has restored its regular operating hours effective Monday, November 2, 2026. The restored schedule includes...
