August 22, 2026
Ministers, MPs pay nothing towards their pensions, Gumbs proposes 8% | The Daily HeraldSXM Talks — Latest News from St. Maarten / St. Martin
Latest News
August 22, 2026
ECONOMY / The street market brings the capital back to life | Faxinfo
August 22, 2026
Government faces 200-staff gap and debt projected at Cg. 1.047 Billion by end of 2026 | The Peoples Tribune
August 22, 2026
ECYS Minister Clarifies Reports on School Gym Closures | Government of Sint MaartenThe Minister of Education, Culture, Youth & Sport, Melissa D. Gumbs, took time to address rumours that several schools were not briefed about the pending closure of their gymnasiums. In a media statement provided on Thursday evening, Gumbs provided back...
August 22, 2026
Mincing no words: Gumbs calls for shared responsibility in education, youth, culture and sports | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY- - Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport Melissa Gumbs used her closing remarks during the 2026 Budget debate to call for greater shared responsibility across St. Maarten, stressing that Government funding alone cannot deliver the outcomes the country...
August 21, 2026
MP Jansen-Webster: Govt. cannot keep calling health funds a risk without introducing GHI solution | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Veronica Jansen-Webster is calling on government to move General Health Insurance forward, warning that St. Maarten cannot continue identifying its healthcare funds as a major financial risk year after year while implementation of the long-...
August 21, 2026
MP Jansen-Webster: Residents are paying taxes to collect garbage off of the street themselves | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY -- Member of Parliament Veronica Jansen-Webster says it is unacceptable that residents who already pay taxes are increasingly taking it upon themselves to remove garbage from roadsides and neighborhoods, as she called on government to take immediate action while...
August 21, 2026
MP Kotai: After years of talk, government must set a clear timeline for tax reform | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Viren Kotai is calling on government to move beyond years of discussion on tax reform and present Parliament and the public with a clear picture of what the new tax system will look like, when the transition will begin and when residents an...
August 21, 2026
FOOTBALL / French Cup: Four teams vying for a ticket to Guadeloupe | FaxinfoLa French Cup resumes its rights in Saint-Martin with four teams involved to try and secure their qualification for the third regional round , which will take place in Guadeloupe on September 13th. Le FC Concordia , the AS Junior Stars , St. Louis Stars and Woolado will meet a...
August 21, 2026
MP Kotai sounds alarm: 662 applications stuck at VROMI, calls for fast-track permit system | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Viren Kotai is calling on the Ministry of VROMI to consider introducing an official, fee-based expedited permit-processing system and, if necessary, outsourcing parts of the review process to qualified external professionals as the Ministry...
Local News
August 21, 2026
MP Irion questions Cg. 39M surplus: “Is it savings or failure to execute?” | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Ardwell Irion has challenged government to explain the reported Cg. 39 million budget surplus, arguing that the figure should not automatically be presented as financial success if it was created in significant part by ministries failing to exec...
Read more : MP Irion questions Cg. 39M surplus: “Is it savings or failure to execute?” | The Peoples Tribune
August 21, 2026
Lacroes to propose 5% cut in travel budget across the board | The Daily Herald
PHILIPSBURG--United People’s party (UP) Member of Parliament (MP) Francisco Lacroes plans to propose a 5% cut in the travel budget across the board in government and Parliament, with the funds redirected to the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport ECYS, specifically...
August 21, 2026
Finance Minister Gumbs calls for formal pension plan for WINAIR employees as airline marks 65 Years | The Peoples Tribune
GREAT BAY--Minister of Finance Marinka Gumbs is calling for WINAIR employees to be provided with a formal and comprehensive pension plan, saying the airline’s financial stability and long-term success should now be matched by greater retirement security for the employees...
August 21, 2026
MP Lacroes proposes 5% travel cut for sports, $100 vehicle disposal fee and stricter scooter controls | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Francisco Lacroes intends to table a budget amendment and two motions aimed at redirecting travel funds to sports, creating a mechanism to help cover the cost of removing abandoned vehicles, and tightening controls on the sale and registration o...
August 21, 2026
Dog attacks, dug-out nests, and selfies: St. Maarten hopes for a more respectful sea turtle nesting season in 2026 | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--Following multiple incidents of serious disturbance to sea turtles in St. Maarten during the 2025 nesting season, the Nature Foundation is asking residents and visitors to approach these locally protected species with greater care and vigilance in the coming se...
August 21, 2026
PUBLIC WEATHER FORECAST FOR ST. MAARTEN | The Daily HeraldDATE ISSUED: Friday, August 21, 2026 @ 12:00 LST (16:00 UTC) VALID UNTIL: Saturday midday (12:00 LST) August 22, 2026 WEATHER: This afternoon through Saturday midday: Hot and humid with variable cloudiness and slight haze. Isolated showers are likely. Forecas...
August 21, 2026
MP Lacroes wants $100 vehicle fee imposed to tow abandoned wrecks | The Daily HeraldPHILIPSBURG--United People’s party (UP) Member of Parliament (MP) Francisco Lacroes wants a US $100 fee to be paid when a vehicle is purchased or transferred, with the money intended to help cover the cost of towing vehicles that are eventually abandoned or left on the island....
August 21, 2026
Lacroes to table motion for stricter scooter sales rules | The Daily HeraldPHILIPSBURG--United People’s party (UP) Member of Parliament (MP) Francisco Lacroes plans to table a motion calling for stricter controls on the sale and release of scooters, as part of two motions he said he will present during the budget debate. Speaking on the second...
August 21, 2026
St. Maarten Library expands community outreach through early literacy and back-to-school activities | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--The St. Maarten Library continued strengthening its connection with children, parents and families during August through a series of community outreach activities focused on early literacy, family engagement and preparations for the new school year. The Library part...
Headlines
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Court of First Instance has rendered its judgment in the criminal cases against M.R. and J.E.B., the remaining defendants in the “Jasmine” investigation. Both defendants were convicted of co-perpetrating fraud and money laundering. M.R. was also...
Read more : Court convicts two defendants in “Jasmine” investigation | Soualiganewsday
August 19, 2026
Approx. $53 million budgeted for new Pointe Blanche Prison | The Daily Herald
Artist’s impression PHILIPSBURG--Construction of the new Pointe Blanche prison began in January 2026 and is expected to be completed by July 2028, according to Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling. The project is being implemented through the United Nations Office for Project...
August 18, 2026
WIB Supports Playground Upgrade at Raoul Illidge Sports Complex | The Peoples Tribune
GREAT BAY--The Windward Islands Bank, WIB, has supported the upgrade of the playground at the Raoul Illidge Sports Complex as part of its continued commitment to corporate social responsibility and investment in children, families and healthy communities across St. Maarten. Th...
August 18, 2026
TEATT shifts more tourism funding to Expedia | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--The Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication, TEATT, is directing more of St. Maarten’s tourism promotion budget toward online travel agency campaigns after previous Expedia marketing generated more than US $38 million in tracked bookin...
August 18, 2026
Unmanned vessel from St. Barths washes up on Saba with dog aboard | BES REPORTERTHE BOTTOM, Saba – An unmanned vessel believed to belong to a resident of St. Barths was found on the rocks along Saba’s coastline on Monday, with a dog (named Archie) still aboard.
August 17, 2026
Justice Minister outlines eight priority changes to modernize traffic laws | The Peoples TribuneGREAT BAY--The Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling has identified eight priority areas for a major modernization of St. Maarten’s Road Traffic Ordinance, including tougher rules on mobile phone use while driving, speed cameras, stronger DUI laws, vehicle impoundment for reck...
