SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) - The Honorable Minister of Justice, Anna E. Richardson, warmly welcomed a distinguished delegation from the Headquarters of the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) to Sint Maarten from May 15 to May 19, 2023, for a highly anticipated Quality Standard Visit. The purpose of the visit was to assess the effectiveness and performance of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Philipsburg, which currently functions as an integral part of the Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM).

The INTERPOL Quality Standard Visit commenced with an official opening meeting led by Minister Richardson. Throughout the week-long program, the delegation engaged in a series of key activities, including a visit to the airport, a meeting with the Honorable Prime Minister, Silveria E. Jacobs, and fruitful discussions with stakeholders within the Justice chain. These discussions covered a broad range of critical topics, such as border protection, fugitives, human trafficking, human smuggling, narcotics, firearms, as well as anti-counterfeit and intellectual property issues. INTERPOL provided invaluable insights into the various tools and databases available to Sint Maarten as a proud member state of INTERPOL. Furthermore, awareness was raised regarding the training and networking opportunities that can benefit the law enforcement officers of Sint Maarten.

The visit culminated in a closing meeting between Minister Richardson, the Chief of Police, and the INTERPOL delegation. During this meeting, the preliminary findings of INTERPOL were shared, and a comprehensive report detailing all the findings will be provided to Minister Richardson in the coming weeks.

The visit of INTERPOL marks a significant milestone in the process of strengthening INTERPOL Sint Maarten and intensifying the working relationship between Sint Maarten and INTERPOL. The initiative was initially set in motion by Minister Richardson in November 2022 when she embarked on a courtesy work visit to the INTERPOL Headquarters in Lyon, France, accompanied by Ms. Geertje van Haperen, Senior Legal Policy Advisor of Judicial Affairs.

INTERPOL plays a pivotal role in offering a wide range of expertise and services to its member countries, including forensics, analysis, and assistance in locating fugitives worldwide. This expertise supports national efforts in combating crimes across three global areas: terrorism, cybercrime, and organized crime. Effective coordination among all stakeholders is crucial in maintaining a robust global security architecture.

Minister Richardson expressed her delight with the visit of INTERPOL and the valuable feedback received during their Quality Standard visit to Sint Maarten. “This visit holds great significance as it marks the first inspection since the establishment of the NCB on the beautiful island several years ago. I am proud as we were able to showcase Sint Maarten's unwavering commitment to upholding the highest standards of law enforcement and international cooperation. The positive feedback received thus far reinforces the dedication of Sint Maarten to ensuring the safety and security of its citizens and visitors.”

The Ministry of Justice remains steadfast in its commitment to enhancing capabilities, fostering stronger partnerships, and embracing the latest advancements in technology and training. By doing so, Sint Maarten aims to elevate the effectiveness of its NCB in addressing global security challenges and making valuable contributions to the broader INTERPOL community.

Moving forward, the Ministry will build upon the recommendations provided by INTERPOL, ensuring that Sint Maarten maintains its reputation as a responsible and proactive partner in the fight against organized crime, terrorism, and emerging threats. The Ministry and INTERPOL share an unwavering resolve to create a safer world, and they eagerly anticipate continued collaboration and knowledge exchange to strengthen collective efforts. Sint Maarten remains steadfast in its commitment to justice, security, international cooperation, and we are honored to have received such positive recognition from INTERPOL.

Thank you once again to the INTERPOL team for their invaluable visit, and to all those who contribute to the safety and well-being of our community. Together, we will continue to strive for excellence in law enforcement and ensure a secure future for Sint Maarten and its residents.” stated Minister Richardson.

SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) - Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Christophe Emmanuel on Sunday called for the removal of all car wrecks from the Fort Willem district and for any new development in the area of the former Great Bay Beach hotel to contribute to the upgrading and further development of the neighborhood. “This is not a dump site, it’s a community of hard working people,” MP Emmanuel said.

The MP said it appears as if the area is the new favorite dumping ground for car wrecks, with some that are actually brought into the neighborhood and left there to rot. Many others have been left in the same spot in the aftermath of hurricane Irma and have now become breeding grounds for illicit behavior in that community. Residents of the area contacted the MP recently and want something done about the situation post haste.

The MP said he is aware of government’s exercise to remove car wrecks but questioned why Fort Willem was not tackled. He also called on the owners of the abandoned cars, if they live in the neighborhood, to have them removed. “But it has been long enough. The people in the Fort Willem community do not deserve to live like this,” MP Emmanuel said.

“The already narrow roads in Fort Willem are less accessible for emergency vehicles because of the car wrecks that take up entire stretches of road. The wrecks are not in people’s yards, they are literally on the road. So if a fire breaks out or someone needs urgent medical assistance, fire trucks and the ambulance have a hard time navigating the district because the roads are impassable,” Emmanuel said.

He added that residents are already struggling to deal with safety and security, they do not need to worry about their children walking past wrecks where people with bad intentions simply hang out and which could develop into a breeding ground for activities that will further harm the community. “Residents cannot even park in front of their own homes and have to park someplace else then walk home,” Emmanuel said, adding that concerned residents fear that the environment is predatory for young women.

The MP said the Fort Willem community has been neglected for too long and when he tried to give the community something as simple as a basketball court, it was blocked by government powers connected to the redevelopment of former Great Bay Beach hotel area.

“Today the area designated for the basketball court is basically a dump, while it could have been a place for the young people in that area to stay constructively active. Developers in this country and their protectors in government preferred to prevent the community from obtaining a positive project, and instead chose to leave the area undeveloped for years,” Emmanuel said.

“I would like to see true investment by any developer and the government into the community of Fort Willem sooner rather than later. Put in some more speed bumps, clear the entire area of car wrecks, improve lighting, beautification, just general improvement. If you are going to come into their district, build a hotel and lord knows what other things on their beach, then instead of trying to block our people from their beach, invest in the community that you are part of and show some real corporate social responsibility. This is not you against them. Do the responsible thing and help the community. But let’s start with getting rid of these car wrecks,” the MP concluded.

SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) - Last Monday May 15 the Diabetes Foundation of Sint Maarten (DFS) started its monthly testing of Seniors at the John Larmony Center, DFS said on Wednesday in a press statement.

The Diabetes Foundation of St. Maarten hereby would like to invite the general public to their next event, this Saturday May 20, 2023, at the help desk at Hope Estate.

The DFS program for the general public entails testing and providing information about Diabetes (glucose), cholesterol, blood pressure and BMI, testing from 10.00 am to 12.00 noon.

We would like to encourage the general public to continue testing on a regular basis, because you might have Diabetes and don’t know, DFS said on Wednesday.

Diabetes and other chronic diseases are at epidemic proportions in the Caribbean and continue to be a threat to the economic development of the region. According to WHO’s (World Health Organization) Global report on Diabetes, the number of people living with diabetes has almost quadrupled since 1980, with most living in developing countries.

Factors driving this dramatic rise include overweight and obesity. The World Health Organization (WHO) highlights the need to step up prevention and treatment of the disease.

If we are to make any headway in halting the rise in diabetes, we need to rethink our daily lives: to eat healthy, be physically active and avoid excessive weight gain.

DFS wants to keep warning the general public to keep monitoring your food intake and try to keep checking yourself.

The Foundation aim is to continue giving the necessary support and care to prevent Diabetes and increasing awareness on its consequences to the general public of St. Maarten.

“We will keep informing the general public when our next testing program will be,” DFS pointed out.

DFS is looking for volunteers to help them with their aim with preventing diabetes, give support and care to persons with Diabetes and to increase more awareness of Diabetes and its consequences on St. Maarten.

You can send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

DFS tests are free of charge for the public.

SINT MAARTEN (ST. JOHN’S ESTATE) - On Saturday, May 20th, 2023, from 4-5:30 PM, the White & Yellow Cross Care Foundation (WYCCF) organizes its ninth Alzheimer’s Support Group meeting at the St. Martin's Home in St. John's.

This meeting is specifically organized to support those who are currently providing care, have provided care, or are going to provide care to someone with Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The WYCCF invites everyone in this situation to come by and share, listen and learn through shared experiences.

This meeting will have a special theme: Selfcare for caregivers, which is why healthcare psychologist and psychotherapist Islaya Streefkerk will attend to answer questions and provide advice. As always, the WYCCF will provide drinks and snacks, and the event is open to everyone.

Alzheimer's disease is a challenging disease to cope with. One can slowly lose certain abilities, which may result in losing the independence one had their whole adult life. This gradually makes one more and more dependent on the care of others, which can be very difficult to accept. In most cases, the family members take on the care.

And what may begin with light help can end up becoming a full-time job. This gradually increasing workload often proves very hard for family members to keep up with. The caregiver might still have a job, and other responsibilities and, on top of that, may not be trained to provide this type and amount of care.

Besides the practical aspects, caring for a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer's can be difficult emotionally. Someone's personality can change; they can become angry or frustrated without apparent reason, or they no longer trust the persons that were always the closest to them.

Sometimes this results in strange or even aggressive behavior, which can be difficult to deal with. To see a loved one slowly but steadily changing like this, seemingly without anything you can do about it, can be a heavy burden to carry. 

This event which started in January 2021 started off with a small group, and quickly grew into a steady 20-25 regular attendees. Not only the size but also the mutual trust and respect continue to increase as many personal stories are shared. Because those are the persons that can genuinely understand what they are going through because they are in the same situation.

Attendees especially appreciated the opportunity to ask their questions to professionals. Some people prefer to just sit and listen, and of course, that’s fine too. The WYCCF welcomes back everyone who was there in previous meetings and hopes that more people for whom this meeting is relevant will come out.

Many persons in this situation greatly benefit from some form of support. This can be asking a question to an expert, learning from others who are going through the same situation, or simply getting some things off your chest. It's important to realize that you are not alone and don't have to go through this alone. For persons who have gone through this experience in the past, it can help to talk about it. On the other hand, it can be of great value for those at the start of this journey to hear what they can expect and how others cope with specific situations.

For this reason, the WYCCF started with the Alzheimer support group meetings, of which the ninth edition will be this weekend from 4 to 5:30 PM in the St. Martin's Home at St. John's Estate Road #6, Cul-de-Sac.

The WYCCF stands for quality care, and this meeting signifies what we mean by that. Quality care is not only looking out for the client’s immediate needs. But we also look at how we can improve the client's environment and the people around them.

Because the care for a person with Alzheimer's or dementia doesn't stop when they leave the WYCCF at the end of the day, it is essential to support the people around them. Taking on this type of care can be a heavy responsibility, and it can become hard to provide care if they're not doing well themselves. Therefore, supporting these persons is an essential part of delivering quality care.