July 01, 2026 No comments
VROMI & KADASTER STRENGTHEN TIES WITH ARUBA ON INFRASTRUCTURE/DATA MANAGEMENT
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure (VROMI) Patrice Gumbs as part of his efforts to modernize the Ministry met with Aruban Minister of Infrastructure and Telecommunication René Herdé. The Minister was joined by VROMI Secretary-General Kenson Plaisimond, Kadaster Sint Maarten Director Benjamin Ortega. In March, Gumbs and Ortega signed a MOU to work to correct the historic gaps between VROMI and the Kadaster to improve data management and streamline public services. Similar to the MOU with VROMI, the Kadaster followed with a MOU with the Government of Aruba through Minister Herdé. As a result of these MOUs, this introductory meeting was held, with a key focus on strengthening cooperation on infrastructure. Gumbs and Herdé shared...
Read more
July 01, 2026 No comments
Five Suspects Arrested Following Early Wednesday Morning Police Operation. One Gun Recovered
SINT MAARTEN (DUTCH QUARTER) - The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) arrested five male suspects during the early hours of Wednesday, July 1, 2026, during a patrol in the Dutch Quarter area. At approximately 3:30 a.m., police officers conducting routine patrols along Brasilia Road observed a black Hyundai i10 carrying five male occupants. Officers became suspicious after noticing that two of the men inside the vehicle were dressed entirely in black and had their faces covered. Given the unusual circumstances, officers decided to stop and inspect the vehicle. Due to the number of occupants and in the interest of officer safety, additional police patrols were requested to assist at the scene. Acting under KPSM's stop-and-search authority, as well as the provisions of...
Read more
June 30, 2026 No comments
Megaleios publishes white paper “How to Fix a Utility Company”
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) — Megaleios Communications + Consultancy has published How to Fix a Utility Company, a governance white paper examining N.V. GEBE as a live case study in utility governance, reliability, public trust, financial transparency, and institutional recovery. When a utility company struggles, the damage is not limited to engines, invoices, or boardrooms. It reaches homes, businesses, schools, hospitals, workers, investors, and the confidence people place in public institutions. The paper brings together reports, headlines, court cases, complaints, policy documents, and public information to provide a wider view of the crisis facing GEBE. Its purpose is not to attack anyone, but to help shift the conversation from blame to repair. “As a researcher, I kept noticing the same patterns across government-owned...
Read more
June 30, 2026 No comments
Customs Sint Maarten intercepts 20 kilos of cocaine, two suspects arrested in the Netherlands
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Customs Sint Maarten intercepted 20 kilograms of cocaine during an inspection of an in-transit container vessel at Port St. Maarten on April 18, 2026. The seizure ultimately led to the arrest of two suspects in the Netherlands on suspicion of involvement in the importation of the narcotics. The cocaine was discovered inside a sports bag concealed in an apparently empty container destined for the Netherlands. Following the discovery, the Prosecutor's Office Sint Maarten authorized the use of special investigative powers and requested Dutch authorities to continue the investigation. The container vessel arrived in the Netherlands on May 5, 2026, where it was inspected by Dutch authorities as part of the ongoing investigation. The investigation was subsequently taken...
Read more
June 30, 2026 No comments
KPSM Condemns Armed Attack on Police Officers Early Tuesday Morning. Shots Fired at Responding Patrol
SINT MAARTEN (COLE BAY) - The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) is investigating a serious incident that occurred during the early morning hours of Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in the Cole Bay area, during which police officers came under gunfire while responding to a report of an attempted theft. Just after 4:00 a.m., a police patrol was dispatched to Union Road in Cole Bay after the Police Central Dispatch received reports that unknown individuals were attempting to steal a scooter/motorcycle. Upon arriving at the scene, officers immediately began investigating the situation. During their investigation, they were confronted by two suspects dressed in dark clothing. As soon as the suspects noticed the officers, a firearm was brandished by the suspects in the...
Read more
