SIMPSON BAY VILLAGE, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry of VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake is pleased with the discussions that took place Wednesday night between the Simpson Bay Community Council and SXM Airport.

Minister Lake initiated the meeting in order for both parties to have a better understanding of each other.  Yvette Halley represented the Simpson Bay Community Council (SBCC) while Regina Labega, was the head of her delegation.

“In my back to basics approach it is very important that all parties understand each other in order to be able to move forward.  With respect to the plans for our national airport and the interests of the people from the Simpson Bay Village and surrounding environs, some clarity had to be brought on matters of concern to the latter party, and the meeting basically brought a lot of clarity. 

“An agreement has been reached where SXM Airport will meet with the SBCC on a quarterly basis.  I applaud the airport’s management on its transparency and openness and willingness to also help the community as part of its social corporate responsibility,” Minister Hon. Maurice Lake said on Thursday.

The SBCC questioned a number of things such as the amount of filling that would take place in the Simpson Bay Lagoon; congestion within the lagoon; the lagoons beauty and nature; further mega yacht developments in the Lagoon; noise pollution concern and new jet engines that will be more silent, were some of the issues discussed.

During the meeting a number of projects, primarily those that would be implemented in the next three to five years in accordance with SXM’s short term strategic plan were highlighted.

Regina LaBega, Managing Director of SXM Airport, was accompanied by her team and was pleased with the outcome of the meeting. “SXM was able to give clarity on a number of developments pertaining to the most immediate plans of the airport as well as listen to some of the concerns of the Simpson Bay community,” LaBega said.

Key projects discussed included the relocation of the fuel farm, construction of a new FBO facility, construction of a bypass, upgrades to SXM’s Rescue and Fire Fighting facility as well as SXM’s construction of a substation for the government fire department which will serve the Simpson Bay and surrounding areas and will be equipped to also house the country’s ambulance.  

In addition to the ongoing developments at the airport, SXM  also discussed ways that it can be of assistance to the Simpson Bay community in keeping with its corporate social responsibility. Upgrades to the community’s current youth center and lighting for the basketball court were among some of the projects discussed. The main highlight of the meeting was SXM reinforcing its commitment to engaging SBCC by announcing it will begin quarterly meetings with the Simpson Bay Community Council to keep members abreast of the various developments, projects and plans being executed as part of SXM’s Capital Improvement Program.

This announcement was very well received by SBCC and the members look forward to further discussions with SXM. “We value the input of the Simpson Bay Community and remain committed to including them and keeping them abreast of our plans,” LaBega concluded.

PHOTO CUTLINE: SBCC Yvette Halley (5^th from left), Hon. Minister of VROMI Maurice Lake (4^th from left), SXM Airport Managing Director Regina Labega (3^rd from left) along with other members of the SBCC and airport management staff.

GREAT BAY/MARIGOT, St. Martin—Another fun and informative natural hair workshop will take place during the St. Martin Book Fair on June 7, 2014, at 11 AM, at the University of St. Martin, said Rochelle Ward, the workshop organizer. Dr. Veronica Reid, who launched her natural hair and skin products in 2011, and is the author of Chances Are You’re Not Natural, will conduct the hair workshop. The owner of Beautiful Earth Natural Hair Haven in Jamaica is also well known as Ewurama.

“It’s exciting to introduce Dr. Reid to the St. Martin people, especially to our young women aspiring to start their own business, and to be able to say, ‘Here is someone who has turned her passion into a business. See? Now, do’,” said Ward. Dr. Reid obtained her PhD in business and management at the University of Nottingham, England, and had returned to Jamaica with the intention to be a lecturer but decided to start a beauty care business. 

The free book fair workshop is entitled ‘Partners in Crime: Going Natural and Staying Natural’ and promises to surpass last year’s hair workshop, which was a mega hit at the literary festival. “Two hundred (200) plus persons attended the ‘Natural Hair Mixology’ workshop last year and some were turned away,” said Ward, who is a published poet, high school teacher, and blogger. 

“This year I don’t want to turn people away, so I am encouraging future attendees to register online at www.partnersincrime.eventbrite.com. This time you can reserve your seat and your place will be secured,” said Ward. (The theme for the 12^th annual St. Martin Book Fair, June 5 – 7, 2014, is “Crime&Punishment.”) 

The new workshop is organized by Don’t Break the Comb (DBC), the island’s first natural hair group, which was co-founded by Ward and organized last year’s ‘Natural Hair Mixology.’ 

“As you will see, becoming natural is more than just growing out your God-given hair. This new workshop with Ewurama is also for those who are thinking about transitioning, in need of hair care and styling tips or having trouble maintaining their natural hair,” said Ward. 

Dr. Reid has been featured in The Gleaner and has made numerous appearances on television, radio and in the Jamaican press. Conscious Lyrics Foundation and House of Nehesi Publishers are the organizers of the island-wide book festival, in collaboration with St. Maarten Tourist Bureau, University of St. Martin, LCF Foundation, and St. Martin Tourist Office. 

Caption1: Dr. Veronica Reid, also known as Ewurama, author of Chances Are You’re Not Natural and owner of Beautiful Earth Natural Hair Haven in Jamaica.

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Travellers from Sint Maarten heading to the United States of America will be alerted once they arrive at one of 22 airports – Miami International Airport included – a warning sign about Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), a coronavirus.

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause a range of illnesses in humans, from the common cold to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.  Viruses in this family also cause a number of animal diseases.  The strain of MERS was first identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia.  Medical understanding of the virus and the disease it causes is continuing to evolve.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has put 22 airports on alert around the country for the illness.

The United States of America is the first country in the Western Hemisphere to have MERS cases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has now added the United States to a list of 13 affected countries reporting cases of MERS or evidence of infection since December 2013.  The countries are: Egypt, Greece, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Oman, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

The fifth meeting of the Emergency Committee convened under the International Health Regulations (2005) was held via teleconference on 13 May.  The Members of the Committee indicated that the seriousness of the situation had increased in terms of public health impact, but that there is no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission.

As a result, the Committee concluded that the conditions for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern have not yet been met, and added that its concern about the situation had significantly increased.

PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten – Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (Ministry of VROMI) Hon. Maurice Lake visited Nazareth, Dutch Quarter to inspect the current infrastructure improvements that are currently underway in the neighborhood.

“Work has started on the main road which is in agreement with the residents of the area that we discussed in a previous meeting together as a community.

“GEBE has installed the street lights in the different areas of the community, and one resident told me that the area now looks like Las Vegas.  It is very important that we touch the neighborhoods, by improving the quality of life, by providing basic streets lights that would improve safety and security.

“It’s a back to basics approach.  You have to work from the bottom up. I came to the community and I listened to their concerns, ideas and suggestions.  Government has limited financial resources at this time, but with the little funds available, we are still able to do wonders by meeting the basic needs of the community.

“Taking care of the grassroots is what the back to basics approach is all about in every Sint Maarten neighbourhood.  So far this week I have been visiting the different districts and looking at the simple things that could be repaired which makes a big difference,” Minister Hon. Maurice Lake said on Wednesday.

Besides Nazareth road in Dutch Quarter, work has been carried out on Christopher Maccow and Felix Marlin road.

NV GEBE drafted a plan to install approximately 20 to 25 extra street lights in the area which would complete the first phase of the project.