SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Interns Aramik Milton, Sysesha Alicunmes, and Joshua Paul from the Sint Maarten Vocational School, alongside RyAngel Bryson from SVOBE Milton Peters College VSBO PKL/TKL, have successfully completed their school-based assignment internships at the Sint Maarten Library.

Yearly, the Sint Maarten Library provides invaluable practical work experience for students, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge acquired in the classroom and real-world work scenarios.

This experience equips the interns with practical skills essential for success, skills often not exercised in academic settings. Under the guidance of dedicated staff members, the four interns received personalized, in person instruction tailored to their respective positions.

They not only gained critical library-related skills but also learned valuable work ethics such as administration, customer service, and reception. These skills are crucial for their preparation for future workforce opportunities upon completing secondary education.

The hands-on approach to instruction proved fundamental, as certain skills cannot be adequately acquired solely from textbooks through the hands-on approach to instruction.

Throughout their tenure, the interns demonstrated remarkable diligence, dedication, and teamwork. Their commitment to their assigned tasks highlighted exemplary work ethics and a collaborative spirit.

Moreover, they exhibited exceptional adaptability, embodying an attitude of lifelong learning and service. The interns' contributions have made a significant and lasting impact on our library community.

We are confident that they will continue to excel in their future endeavors. The management and staff of the Sint Maarten Library are very proud of the dedication and enthusiasm displayed by our interns throughout their internship.

For more information about the Sint Maarten Library's school based collaborative internship program and future opportunities, please visit www.library.sx

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – Two veterans of World War II lit the national Liberation flame at midnight in Wageningen on Saturday, kicking off a day of celebration nationwide.

Canadese veteran Pierce “George” Brewster, who is 101, and 99-year-old Geoff Roberts from London lit the fire together with Wageningen mayor Floor Vermeulen on the square in front of Hotel de Wereld, where Germany signed the capitulation documents in 1945. 

The flame was then used to light torches which are taken by some 2,500 relay runners to Liberation Day events in more than 100 towns and cities, including the 14 official festivals.

Every year the Netherlands celebrates the end of World War II with parties, festivals and a special ‘freedom soup’.  

This year’s festival ambassadors are Claude, Flemming, Son Mieux, and Wende, who will visit all 14 events by helicopter between them. Festivals are traditionally free but are struggling financially and have appealed for more local authority support to keep them going in future years.

A relatively new addition to the day are the ‘freedom meals’, held at a wide variety of locations nationwide.

The celebrations will end with the traditional May 5 concert on the Amstel river in Amsterdam, which will broadcast live on television and attended by king Willem-Alexander and queen Máxima.

The KNMI weather bureau says it will be a mix of sunshine and cloud, with some showers in the far north. The temperature will range between 14° in the north and 18° in Limburg. 

(DutchNews)

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – The Netherlands fell silent for two minutes at 8 pm on Saturday to remember the Dutch who died during World War II and in conflicts and peace keeping missions since then.

The ceremony began as king Willem-Alexander and queen Maxima laid a wreath at the war memorial on Dam square in the centre of Amsterdam in front of a crowd of several thousand people.

There was heavy security around the Dam because of fears the event may be hijacked by demonstrators given the tensions caused by the Israel Hamas war. All visitors were searched and their number was limited to 10,000, all of whom had to register in advance.

In the event, far fewer people came to the centre of the capital – just 4,000 according to the organisers, who said the predicted bad weather may also have played a part.

The two minutes silence passed off in Amsterdam without incident. According to broadcaster NOS, one man wanted to hold up a banner, but was removed by the police before he could do so.

After the two minutes silence, the children and grandchildren of different groups of victims – from relatives of resistance fighters to the military – laid wreaths at the monument and spoke of their experiences.

Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema then gave a speech, in which she spoke about the way memories of war make “wounds that never heel”.

“Old fears can be sparked by a sudden noise or siren,” she said. “Or if there is aggression and shouting on the street, or images of terrible war violence force their way into our homes and our hearts.”

“Let us stand up against anti-Semitism,” she said. “Let us us always stand up against every form of discrimination, cherish our constitution, our free press and our democracy.”

On Sunday, the Netherlands celebrates Liberation Day, with festivals throughout the country.

(DutchNews)

SINT MAARTEN/THE NETHERLANDS – Press freedom in the Netherlands is among the highest in the world, according to a report by campaign group Reporters without Borders to mark world press freedom day.

The Netherlands, which fell to 28^th place in the ranking in 2021 following the murder of television crime reporter Peter R de Vries, has risen to fourth position, behind Norway, Denmark and Sweden.

The report points out that “Russian media in exile, such as the Moscow Times and TV Dozhd, have found a safe haven in Amsterdam”.

But while press freedom is actively protected by the state and the government, “albeit more efficiently in continental Netherlands than in their overseas territories” the Dutch media are “under attack from populist parties on the far right and far left of the political spectrum,” the report said.

The four parties currently in talks on forming a new government are planning to cut spending on the public broadcasting system, which could lose up to a fifth of its budget.

“The less of the left-wing Liberal NPO noise the better,” said Geert Wilders, leader of the far right PVV. He has also called journalists “scum”.

In particular, the report said, the polarisation of public opinion on issues such as immigration, agriculture and climate change has led to an increase in physical and verbal attacks against journalists, especially against TV crews and photographers.

This, the report said, has led “some journalists to self-censorship and a reluctance to cover certain subjects”.

In addition, abuse and trolling on social networks impact news gathering and dissemination with female reporters and journalists of colour especially vulnerable to such attacks.

Incidents

According to a second monitor, focused on the Dutch media landscape only, journalists made 218 reports of incidents to monitoring body Persveilig last year, most of which involved threats, often verbal or on social media.

Among the incidents that report highlighted was the death threat made against journalist Tim Hofman by an armed man who came to the BNNVARA broadcasting centre and the gang attack on three PowNed journalists who were investigating the secret sunneklaasfeest festivities on Ameland.

(DutchNews)