Phillipsburg, Sint Maarten (DCOMM)- In response to recent developments regarding the structural integrity concerns at New Start for Children Foster Home in Mary’s Fancy, the Minister of Justice, Lyndon C.J. Lewis, in collaboration with the Foundation Judicial Institutes St. Maarten (SJIS), is taking swift action to ensure the safety and well-being of the foster children residing there.

The recent article published in The Daily Herald Newspaper on Monday, May 6, 2024, brought to light the critical situation faced by 19 foster children who may soon need to relocate due to cracks in the building walls and foundation of the foster home. Led by long-time foster parent and home director, Mrs. Veronica “Sally” Benjamin, the Minister of Justice, Lyndon C.J. Lewis, and the Director of the Foundation Judicial Institutes St. Maarten, Mrs. Cynthia Clarke-Filemon, conducted a comprehensive tour of the damaged facility and the neighboring construction on Saturday, May 11, 2024.

During the tour of the foster home, Minister Lewis commended Ms. Benjamin for her dedication and the home’s condition, while emphasizing the importance of prioritizing the safety of the children and staff. Discussions ensued regarding various options for relocating the children, logistical considerations, and necessary resources pending official assessments from both government (VROMI) and private engineers.

“Time is of the essence in this matter,” stated Minister Lewis. “Our priority is to ensure a swift resolution that guarantees the safety and well-being of these children. We are committed to working closely with all stakeholders to expedite the process and minimize disruptions to the children’s lives.”

Mrs. Cynthia Clarke-Filemon, Director of the Foundation Judicial Institutes, will provide a detailed update to the Minister on Monday, May 13, 2024, including a proposed timeline for the relocation of the children if an alternative home is secured. For the proper care of the minors, it has been determined that a 4-bedroom home is needed to ensure their well-being and comfort. This accommodation will provide the necessary space and facilities to support their growth, development, and individual needs in a safe and nurturing environment.

Furthermore, Minister Lewis intends to personally engage with the contractor and engineer responsible for the repairs to gain firsthand insights into the situation and expedite necessary actions.

The Ministry of Justice, St. Maarten assures the public that every effort is being made to address this urgent situation promptly and effectively. Updates will be provided as the situation progresses.

At the end of the discussion, the Minister engaged with the minors and indicated that the welfare of these children is particularly close to his heart, being a father of five and a grandfather of one. He reassured the New Start Foundation and the SJIS of his commitment to ensuring the safety of the minors throughout this challenging time, emphasizing that they are not alone in this process and that their well-being matters deeply.

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – On Friday morning, May 10, 2024, the Council of Ministers (CoM) met with the newly proposed Employee Engagement Council (EEC), composed of 17 members from various departments and executing bodies within government.

This initiative follows an independent employee satisfaction survey and recent exit interviews. The EEC analysed the survey results, which highlighted concerns over primary labor conditions, and has formulated 21 recommendations aimed at four specific target groups: colleagues, middle management, secretary generals, and political leaders, along with six general recommendations.

Key priorities identified include enhancing open communication, implementing the full human resource cycle throughout the government, and increasing transparency through the publication of annual plans and quarterly progress reports, which are supported by monthly updates from middle management. The recommendations also emphasize policy-based budgets and promoting career development opportunities.

The intention is to establish the EEC as a permanent and independent council via a ministerial decree and repeat the employee satisfaction survey in 2026.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Luc Mercelina, affirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring that civil servants are not only held accountable, but also enhancing support for them. He proposed small, tangible improvements, such as a better upkeep of the Government Administration Building’s exterior.

Further, the Prime Minister advocated for the inclusion of public-school representation within the EEC to ensure a comprehensive approach to employee engagement across all sectors.

Another proposal was to extend the mental health support services provided by the Company Counselor in the Department of Personnel & Organization of the Ministry of General Affairs to the police force.

CoM has agreed to meet regularly, once every two months. to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the recommendations. The next meeting is scheduled for July 12, where the focus will be on developing methods to recognize and reward staff contributions and to conduct a baseline measurement (‘nulmeting’) of current government vacancies.

The meeting is an integral part of the R.I.S.E. (Leadership Excellence through Relationship Building, Insight, Skills, and Empowerment) Onboarding Program, aimed at delivering insights in the context of CoM and strengthening relationships both within and beyond government.

PHOTO CAPTION: Several members of CoM and EEC representatives.

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – On Saturday, May 4, 2024, the new members of the Council of Ministers were in attendance to observe National Remembrance Day, (“Dodenherdenking”).

During this National Commemoration Day, all Dutch victims – civilians and soldiers – who have been killed in the Kingdom of the Netherlands or anywhere else in the world in war situations or during peace-keeping operations since the outbreak of the Second World War (WWII) were commemorated.

This year’s theme was Freedom: prelude to 80 years of freedom. ‘The year 2024 and 2025 mark a lustrum of 80 years since the ending of WWII.

The commemoration ceremony took place at Captain Hodge Wharf in Philipsburg at the War Memorial Monument which bears the names of World War II victims primarily from Sint Maarten.

The official wreaths were laid in a ceremony by the Governor, the President of Parliament, and the Prime Minister.

Senior official of various uniformed troops – Police, Marines, Sint Maarten Voluntary Corps (VKS), and the Marechaussee – jointly laid a wreath in honor of the fallen.

Following the wreath laying, the “Last Post” was played, succeeded by two minutes of silence after the tolling of the bells. This segment concluded with the Dutch Anthem and Sint Maarten Song.  

As has become tradition, two distinguished guests, Elsje Bosch and Bernadine van Veen, wife of the late Gerard van Veen, were invited. Both Bosch and Gerard van Veen experienced World War II during their childhoods. The two ladies laid a wreath on behalf of all the children affected by the fight for freedom over the years.

This year well-known poet Lysanne Charles presented a poem that she specifically composed for this occasion. Trumpetist Wilfred Phelipa accompanied the ceremony with musical performances.

Attendees included Members of Parliament, and representatives from the High Councils of State, and advisory bodies.

Photo Caption: Arrival of members of the Council of Ministers

Philipsburg, Friday March 15, 2024 – Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs and her delegation engaged in a series of vital discussions aimed at addressing pressing issues related to women’s rights ensuring gender equality and strengthening partnerships for the betterment of St. Maarten.

Prime Minister Jacobs, along with Head of Community Development, Family and Humanitarian Affairs Mrs. Chantal Groeneveldt-George, under whom Women’s Desk falls, and Tatia Brunings, policy advisor in the Staff Bureau of Ministry VSA met with the Guyana Vulnerable Population Alliance to discuss the critical matter of sex workers’ rights and safety. Recognizing the importance of open dialogue on such sensitive topics, Prime Minister Jacobs  emphasized the need for comprehensive measures encompassing safety, counseling, and broader support systems to address this often-overlooked issue.

Additionally, Prime Minister Jacobs participated in a discussion on equal participation and leadership for a more peaceful world. As a female Prime Minister, she also highlighted her role in Parliament and reiterated her dedication to empowering women and young girls through legislative initiatives and opportunities for advancement. With an increasing number of females holding key positions of leadership in our community both in the public as well as the private sectors , St. Maarten is making strides towards greater gender inclusivity and representation.

Furthermore, Prime Minister Jacobs met with the Chief of UN Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership branch to showcase St. Maarten’s Emergency Operating Center and its role in disaster risk reduction efforts. The UN team commended the existing infrastructure and expressed a desire to strengthen collaboration and support for St. Maarten’s resilience-building initiatives. Prime Minister Jacobs underscored the importance of partnerships in our continued efforts to enhance our disaster preparedness and response capabilities.

Concluding her visit to the 68th CSW session, Prime Minister Jacobs emphasized the need for continued policy development and collaboration with interested entities. She highlighted St. Maarten’s achievements and areas requiring assistance, particularly in the face of challenges such as climate change and environmental degradation. Discussions with regional counterparts focused on the impact of larger nations’ industrial activities on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the challenges they face in accessing international funding for recovery and sustainability efforts.

In summary, Prime Minister Jacobs’ work visit was marked by productive engagements, networking and information gathering for the critical policy areas for the Ministry of VSA for continued progress to address challenges faced by our families, especially women and girls. Moving forward, the government will continue to pursue partnerships, advocate for marginalized communities, especially some of our most vulnerable single female-led homes, and address pressing challenges to ensure a brighter future for all citizens.

Photo Caption: Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs and other respresentatives.

GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (DCOMM) – A delegation of members of the Dutch First Chamber, Committee for Kingdom Relations (KOREL), are currently on a working visit to the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.

The Members of Parliament (MPs) paid a courtesy call to the Council of Ministers on Tuesday morning, February 13, 2024, before holding a separate meeting with the Governor and members of the House of Parliament.

The meeting was attended by the Prime Minister/Minister of General Affairs, Silveria Jacobs, Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion and Minister of Justice Anna Richardson, and was hosted at the Council of Ministers meeting room at the Government Administration Building.

Upon welcoming the visiting delegation and a brief introduction of each member, the Prime Minister spoke about the current situation on Sint Maarten since the passing of hurricane Irma in 2017 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 along with other challenges faced by the country, and the financial support from the Netherlands.

The Minister of Finance highlighted the actions taken by the Sint Maarten Government to distribute the much-needed funds received from the Netherlands throughout the community, including businesses, the self-employed and minimum wage earners.

His advice to the visiting delegation is to trust that those on the ground know what is best for the island and what is needed on the island. This should form the basis in decision making of providing much needed (financial) assistance and the timing of, in this case, the reopening of the borders to jump start the economy during the COVID-19 period.

While the political dynamics of Sint Maarten may not significantly influence the Netherlands, decisions taken by the Dutch Government can profoundly affect Sint Maarten; this highlights that the local context and needs cannot and should not be overlooked.

Upon the query of one of the members of the delegation, the Minister of Justice reflected on her four-years in Government where she started out with a demoralized, understaffed, and overworked Justice Department, and ending her term with having delivered on the new salary scales and function books for the Justice ministry and also completed a new Human Resource (HR) structure for staff. Progress has been made towards the enhancement of the morale of the staff; more projects are in the pipeline for the furtherance thereof across the board.

Minister Richardson recognized the support of the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) toward the rebuilding of the Prison and ends her term on a good note having spoken with the Attorney General on the use of available resources to deal with a rising rate of crime on Sint Maarten. Overall, it can be stated that a lot has been achieved within the Ministry of Justice over the past four years.

In a fruitful and open discussion, views were exchanged about the accomplishments of the various government ministries in the past four years and the relationship with the Netherlands that has been viewed and experienced from a rather “restrictive” to an “improved” one especially during the last two years due to the heightened level of awareness about Sint Maarten at different levels in the Netherlands.

Remaining grateful for the received Dutch liquidity support while recognizing the need for reform, it is the Prime Minister’s hope that discussions will continue in that vein while Sint Maarten continues to recover and build its resilience.  Furthermore, Sint Maarten has been grateful the legislation related to the reform was rejected as it didn’t properly account for the position of the islands of Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten.

The delegation members present were encouraged by the Prime Minister to continue to foster positive dialogue aimed at bringing more awareness to the Netherlands about the realities of the small island developing states which the island nations are.

Dutch delegation committee member H.W. (Rian) Vogels, of the VVD liberal party, concluded the meeting and commended the Prime Minister and by extension the Council of Ministers on helping to build a stronger Sint Maarten during the past four years despite having to face numerous challenges, resulting in a stable governing period with notable benefits. “A stronger Sint Maarten benefits the entire Kingdom,” she stated. These sentiments were shared by the entire delegation.

The 17-strong delegation of the Dutch House of Representatives (including support staff), and led by committee chair, Paul Rosenmoller (GroenLinks–PvdA), consists of different party factions who will be in the Caribbean for a working visit from February 9 to February 20.

Chris Johnson, the representative of the Netherlands in Philipsburg accompanied the delegation.

PHOTO CAPTION: The full delegation with Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs, Minister of Finance Ardwell Irion and the Minister of Justice Anna Richardson.