Local News

November 07, 2026

THE HAGUE--The Dutch government has unveiled proposed legislation that would end the longstanding practice of automatically giving children the father's surname when married parents fail to make a different choice. Instead, newborns would receive a combination of both parents'...

November 07, 2026

GREAT BAY--The Government of St. Maarten has significantly expanded its Study Financing Priority List for 2027, introducing new fields in renewable energy, climate resilience, specialized healthcare, digital technology, sports science and skilled trades, while removing several...

November 07, 2026

GREAT 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

GREAT BAY--Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Patrice Gumbs has confirmed that no contracts have yet been awarded under the controversial 2026–2029 garbage collection tender, despite evaluation results identifying the highest-r...

November 07, 2026

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - More than 150 Interactors came together in a powerful celebration of youth leadership, service, and fellowship as the Rotary Club of St. Martin Sunset dedicated its November 2nd, 2026, general meeting to World Interact Week 2026. In a special show of...

November 07, 2026

GREAT BAY--NV GEBE's base electricity rate has not increased since 2011 and is no longer sufficient to cover the utility's operating expenses, Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Patrice Gumbs disclosed during Friday's continuat...

November 07, 2026

GREAT BAY--Sun Resorts Limited N.V. has appealed the July 7, 2026 court ruling that declared Mullet Bay Beach public property and rejected the company's claim of ownership over the popular shoreline, Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure...

November 07, 2026

GREAT BAY--Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA) Claret Connor has assured Parliament that families who qualify for government financial assistance will not lose their benefits because of an approximately Cg 1.8 million difference between projected assi...

November 07, 2026

GREAT BAY--Establishing a permanent school breakfast program for approximately 400 vulnerable children in St. Maarten would require an estimated Cg 576,000 every year, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs told Parliament on Friday, warning that...

November 07, 2026

GREAT 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

GREAT 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

GREAT 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

GREAT 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...