PHILIPSBURG - Fighting crime effectively requires constant cooperation between law enforcement agencies and permanent sharing of information. Using the newest technology can help in achieving this. Friday August 23 the Minister of Justice, Mr Dennis Richardson MBA, opened the kick-off session for the development and implementation of the new Justice Information System.

Information driven crime fighting and technology driven crime scene investigations are examples of how important technology has become in the fight against crime. The first result of the new Justice Information System, the Child Abuse Reporting System, will be ready for use this October.

Minister Richardson emphasized the importance of the project in his opening speech: “We have come a long way since 10-10-10, but many more things have to be done to move country Sint Maarten forward. This is one of the important steps necessary to make Sint Maarten a better and safer place for its citizens and visitors. With this new system authorities in Sint Maarten will be able to manage the necessary  justice information ourselves in a cost-effective, efficient, transparent and flexible manner. All this can also speed up and improve our international information exchange with for instance France, the United States, Holland and Curacao, which all is very important in combating international crime such as human trafficking, illegal arms trade and the smuggling of drugs on a pro-active and strategic level”.

Participating in the project are: the Sint Maarten Police Force, the Immigration and Border Management Services, the Court of Guardianship, the Prison, Customs, the National Detective Agency, the Financial Investigations Unit, the Parole board and the Ministry of Justice itself. Other national and international partners, both inside and outside the Justice domain, will be involved too: the Public Prosecutor, Interpol, Census, Chamber of Commerce, VROMI and others. Overall project management will be done by Mr Klaas Groen of the Sint Maarten Police Force. Progress will be monitored by a Steering Committee under the direction of the acting SG of the Ministry of Justice, Mr Udo Aron.

The KPMG project team has started preparations already and the project is aimed to be completed by the end of 2015. During these 15 months the applications will be developed and implemented gradually and users will be given training to manage and work with the new information system. (Contributed by the Cabinet of the Minister of Justice)

PHILIPSBURG-WILLEMSTAD - About 700 Scouts of 17 countries, including the United States and Denmark, participated in this Jamboree from July 21^-28 2014. Scouts were involved in different activities tracking their treasures and making long lasting friends.

To make sure that everyone was up to date with what was happening at the jamboree, every day the CaribJam newspaper was shared to one and all.

Sint Maarten participated with 10 persons of which 6 scouts, 1 leader, 2 IST and 1 contingent leader. You were a participant or you were helping in the organization, all of the St. Maarten delegation had a fun, learning experience and an unforgettable time at the Jamboree.

Read more about the experience of the scouts.

Be prepared! Scouts are never taken by surprise; they always know what to do in case of the unexpected. They respect other people and they are always excited to have an adventure, but most importantly they live to have fun. And that was what we did at the Caribbean Jamboree 2014 held in Ronde klip, Curacao on July 21^st – 28^th .The excursions were exciting, the people were super friendly and that was what led to the experience being extremely FANTASTIC!

The Caribbean Jamboree in Curacao was a fun and very interesting experience for each of us. There were many fun and extravagant activities. Every day there was always a new challenge to test our true abilities in conquering the outdoor life.

On our first day, the arrival at the campsite, each sub-camp along with their troops, cleared and prepared the surrounding to pitch the tents and to ensure that the surrounding felt somewhat like home. The following day, all the scouts who were at the Caribbean Jamboree, attended an evening assembly.

This was the official opening. The activities I enjoyed the most were the “night hike”, bike ride, zumba and art and performance. There were also other activities such as kayaking, swimming and even a case where we had to bring forth our culture, which was really nice, because we got to share an important part of our country with others as well as get to know a part of theirs. In my opinion I would describe my experience at the Caribbean Jamboree nothing less than the best experience ever! – Taiece Johnson

 For me, the Caribbean Jamboree 2014 was a fun, exciting, self-searching as well a learning experience, and a bonus because it aided to me becoming a much better scout. Its schedule of activities, for hundreds of scouts, was one of perfection. The first night on the campsite, was one of the best nights, we had our opening ceremony; this was the night I knew that this camp was one which would be filled with all types of fun; I came to this conclusion when I got the feeling when I saw how we all felt comfortable enough to be ourselves around people we hadn’t known at the time.

The best was yet to come, though, because the first night was only the beginning. After our opening night we went up the ladder on the fun scale, conducting lots of activities like; games, snorkeling, beach volleyball, visiting one of their museums, night hikes, aquatic cinema, bike hikes, nature hikes, chances to earn badges, the closing ceremony but my most favorite, getting to know lots of people. The experience was one which words can’t define; our moments were filled with laughter and jolly songs, and pure bliss. Being able to attend this jamboree was one of the best things that happened and it reminded me why I was inspired to be a scout in the first place. This was an experience of a Lifetime! – Nisalyna Bontiff

Scouting Antiano takes this opportunity to invite the youth of Sint Maarten to join our club and the Scout movement. Ms. Merlyn Schaminee-Miguel, District Commissioner and Mohican Group Leader, sends a call out to parents to stimulate their children to join. The group meets every Saturday from 9.00 till 12.00 at their clubhouse in Retreat Estate.

For more information please contact Merlyn Schaminee-Miguel at (+599) 542 4910 / 542 4925, Fax: (+599) 542-4923. (Contributed by Scouting Antiano)

SIMPSON BAY, Airport Road -WINAIR provided support maintenance services to AIR BVI last week when their aircraft developed a maintenance issue.

WINAIR provided hanger space to enable AIR BVI space, facilities and equipment to trouble shoot the problem with their aircraft. WINAIR was also able to accommodate passengers booked on AIR BVI transportation to Dominica and EIS on WINAIR flights. 

Several charters were also booked by AIR BVI for their customers travel. Unfortunately AIR BVI could not rectify this issue and the aircraft was ferried to the USA for further servicing.

By providing these services to third parties WINAIR the National Carrier of St. Maarten demonstrates its abilities to assist colleagues in need, building valuable relationships and gaining revenues by offering these services.

PHILIPSBURG - Leader of the United People’s (UP) Party Theo Heyliger on Tuesday said he was amazed when reading statements such as “asleep at the wheel” and “throwing sand in the people’s eyes” coming from the leader of the Democratic Party Sarah Wescot-Williams.

Heyliger said Wescott-Williams, chief of the “”do-nothing-have-no-clue” DP, should be the last to talk about being asleep at the wheel. He said by Election Day the people of Sint Maarten will definitely know that Wescot-Williams and the DP should be held accountable for many issues over the past four years, in particular since the DP is the only faction who wiggled its way into remaining in office through government changes.

Heyliger said he found it amazing that the person who is directly responsible for the country’s security breach at the VDSM could use terms such as “asleep at the wheel”. It is under her watch, he said, that the country was embarrassed and has yet to be provided clarity as to what happened.

“The honourable PM did not ensure that the oversight committee was in place and apparently only started this process when the media started asking questions and the breach had already occurred. The DP leader danced and danced around the issue of her responsibility to ensure that the proper oversights were in place. In most countries she would have been impeached,” Heyliger said.

Heyliger continued by reminding the general public that it is Wescott-Williams who for the past four years have sat on the new government administration building, always coming up with new excuses for the people. “Four years to complete and move into a building and her hands were forced by the legal system else who knows, nothing would have been done. But we talk about asleep at the wheel?”

The UP leader also stressed that for the past four years, the DP leader and her health Minister has done nothing to improve healthcare for the people of St. Maarten or made any serious moves to finally give the country a medical center it deserves, instead they wanted to close down the only medical center we have, the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC).

“Four years the DP held the Ministry of Health and did nothing. It took the UP a few months to present a plan and a vision for the SMMC and healthcare. What do we get now from the DP? Using the UP as a crutch when it comes to the medical center. Only now the DP wants to make it look like they’ve always had the SMMC as a priority. But ask them how, ask them when, they have no clue how to do it.  The people are ready for a new medical center and they are moving up,” Heyliger said. (Contributed by the UP party)