Police drone footage of fire at original landfill dump site
POND ISLAND - Once again, the original dump site at the landfill on Pond Island is on fire. The Fire Department was hard at work on containing the fire at the dump on Pond Island which erupted during the late evening hours of Tuesday, August 7th, ...
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stmaartennews.com
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Dear Reader
The. Dump. Is. On. Fire!
Again!
People, we have problem. A national problem. A problem each and every one of us ought to take ownership of.
Where to start?
Let's start with garbage.
We have a garbage problem.
Ten of thousands of dollars have been spent on research, plans and projects by successive governments, private citizens, businessmen, government leaders, commissioners, ministers and construction companies. All looked into possible solutions for the garbage collection, recycling, disposal and waste management. To no avail.
We never solved our garbage disposal problem except to dump everything - literally everything - together on one big pile of heap in the middle of our pond and turn it into what is today a giant burning mound of garbage, smoldering, smoking and once again, like tonight, blazing afire.
The pond - a natural catchment for water runoff - has been turned from what could have been a national monument of mangroves, a natural source of all kinds of fresh fish and crustaceans such as crabs, lobsters, crayfish and shrimps, into a pool of putrid, polluted, chemically infested toxic environment where only the most hardened creatures and mutated insects can survive.
The only reason the dump has not (yet) exploded into a giant volcanic eruption is because the built-up methane underground manages to bleed off due to improper covering up of the garbage dumped and covered with dirt, sand, gravel and rubble over the years.
There has been many solutions proposed going back as far as the early 1990's. That is now almost 30 years ago. 30 years and not one solution implemented yet. We should be ashamed of ourselves.
It is understood the Island Council back in the day implemented legislation to have garbage fees collected via NV GEBE's electricity and water bills as a part of its concession. That has never been implemented as far as we know. This money could have been used to finance a proper waste management infrastructure on the island, starting from right in the neighborhoods.
Community Councils would have been the perfect place to start in the community process of empowerment to kickstart recycling procedures by implementing garbage separation projects from right in the districts themselves, the source of all garbage creation on our island, starting in our homes itself.
There are now machines that can be placed in neighborhoods that can start the separation and treatment process of all kinds of garbage and waste, from bottles, plastics, cans, to food, vegetables and all kinds of organic wastes, to chemicals, metals, scraps, to even vehicles and tires.
What could not be recycled should have indeed ended up on the dump for a future solution.
Now everything is dumped on the landfill in Philipsburg and serve as a compost for creating methane that fuel the constant fires and blazes on the dump with toxic emissions and air pollutants as byproducts.
So what do we do?
We cannot continue this way. We cannot continue to close our doors and windows. We are all downwind at this stage.
The dump is slowly killing us, killing our people, killing our natural environment, killing our tourism product, killing our island.
What we can do now is call on our (political, business and community) leaders to come together and have a round-table conference and work out a public private partnership that has one goal and one goal only: to solve the dump and garbage issues once and for all.
You cannot solve one without the other. An integral and holistic approach needs to be taken.
Let's be clear.... We cannot solve the dump problem and the garbage issues without the involvement of Government (think VROMI, Finance, Education, etc.), government-owned companies (like GEBE, the Harbour, Airport, etc), the districts (think Cay Bay, Philipsburg, Point Blanche, etc.), semi-public entities (think Community Councils, NGOs, etc.) and the private sector (think the SHTA, Businesses (such as construction companies, garbage collection companies, trucking companies, cleaning companies, etc.), Hotels, you name it.
And last of all, Politicians.
That means you Theo Heyliger, you William Marlin, you Silveria Jacobs, you Sarah Wescot-Williams, you Frans Richardson, you Wycliffe Smith, and all other politicians, parliamentarians and government ministers. All of you need to be involved.
We are calling on all and every one of you to come to the table and discuss solutions, not the problems, but the ways to solve this problem, not who ought to get what, but what the people need to get. This problem is bigger than each of us individually. This problem is not about money. This problem - and the solution it entails - is about our national survival as an island, as a country and as a people.
What are you waiting for?
For another dump fire?
Well, it is burning again.
The. Dump. Is. On. Fire.
Time. For. A. Solution!
Terrance Rey
The Publisher
StMaartenNews.com
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StMaartenNews.com Top Stories
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MP Theo Heyliger appeared before Common Court yesterday
Member of Parliament Theo Heyliger appeared before a panel of judges as the Prosecutor Office seeks permission from the court to investigate and prosecute the MP. The catfish investigation began in August 2017 and it has to do with alleged bribery.
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www.smn-news.com
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The presumption of innocence
By Hilbert Haar ~ The presumption of innocence is a crucial component of our judicial system. You are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If you are not happy with a court ruling you are free to appeal and if you are not satisfied with...
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MP Doran: Government is not the place for "WAR" but "WORK"
MP Egbert Jurendy Doran re-assures the people of Sint Maarten of his commitment to serve. "I have been elected to represent you the people of this country as a member of Parliament and therefore, it is my intention to look out for your best...
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Emergency Income Support Grant Signed
PHILIPSBURG - On Tuesday, August 7th, a second Grant Agreement of the Sint Maarten Recovery and Resilience Trust Fund was signed by Prime Minister Leona Romeo-Marlin and the World Bank in the amount of $22.5 million US dollars. The Trust Fund was ...
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StMaartenNews.com Feature Articles
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Saba to lose airport but will gain 3 ferries + 1 new airline
Saba to temporarily close airport but will gain 3 ferry services, 1 helipad and 1 new extra airline company. How do you like them numbers? Read our special report about the planned Saba airport closure for runway renovations, the new ferry...
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Corporate Governance and The Role of Supervisory Boards
Corporate Governance and the role of the Supervisory Board of Directors is back on the forefront with the issues surrounding the urgent dismissal of the board of the Princess Juliana International Airport Holding (PJIAH) N.V. company by the...
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StMaartenNews.com Local News
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USM welcomes new students during Orientation Day
Philipsburg - On Monday, 6 August 2018, the University of St. Martin (USM) welcomed a group of 14 new students to its academic programmes in the General Liberal Arts, Business, Hospitality and Education Divisions. Orientation Day, as is...
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stmaartennews.com
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Tourism & Business Sector Reminded It Only Takes One
GREAT BAY, (DCOMM) - Office of Disaster Management (ODM) is advising the country's tourism sector and business community, to review hurricane season preparatory plans in preparation for the peak period of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season which...
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Beautification works of Philipsburg to restart on Friday
GREAT BAY, (DCOMM) - Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), announces that the beautification works of Philipsburg that started in July will continue Friday, August 10. On Friday,...
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StMaartenNews.com Sports News
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NEW BOARD MEMBERS OUALICHI SOCCER ASSOCIATION
SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) - The members of the Oualichi Soccer Association have recently elected new members to the board of the Oualichi Soccer Association. The Association will be represented by Ms. Dagmar Daal (President), Ms Ludmila...
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www.soualiganewsday.com
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SXMNBA partakes in The Rock da Rim Survival of the...
SINT MAARTEN/ST. EUSTATIUS - August 3 rd to August 5 th, 2018 -- The St. Maarten National Basketball Association (SXMNBA) went overseas to Sint. Eustatius to take part in The Rock da Rim Survival of the Fittest U21 Basketball Tournament for a...
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www.soualiganewsday.com
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Registration Now Open for EXPO section at #SPORTSMATTER...
SINT MAARTEN (POND ISLAND) - The Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport in collaboration with the National Sports Institute (NSI) is happy to announce to all Sport, Fitness and Healthy Lifestyle Businesses on the island that the...
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www.soualiganewsday.com
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StMaartenNews.com Notices
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ODM: Don't become Complacent. Be Prepared
GREAT BAY, (DCOMM) - Fire Chief and National Disaster Coordinator Clive Richardson, is calling on the community to use the time now to re-check storm preparations and to be prepared for the remaining months of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season....
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www.soualiganewsday.com
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PUBLIC NOTICE from Milton Peters College (MPC)
To all parents/guardians and students of the Milton Peters College: We would like to inform all parents/guardians of the students attending the Milton Peters College as follows: 1. The schedule for picking up the school books for the academic year...
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StMaartenNews.com Announcements
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Traffic interruption on Cay Bay road starting Tuesday, Aug 7
GREAT BAY, (DCOMM) - Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), announces that there will be interruption with the traffic flow on the Cay Bay road on Tuesday, August 07, 2018, until Sunday,...
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www.soualiganewsday.com
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Breastfeeding is the "Foundation of Life"
GREAT BAY, (DCOMM) - The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) an executing department of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, the Department of Labour, would like to inform the Sint Maarten community that World...
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www.soualiganewsday.com
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NAGICO launches the Hurricane Xtra Policy
PHILIPSBURG (Monday, July 23, 2018) - Today, NAGICO Insurances unveiled a new insurance product called the NAGICO Hurricane Xtra Policy. It's designed as a supplemental coverage to insure uncovered expenses that may arise following a hurricane as ...
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stmaartennews.com
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WIB Supports "Back to School Drive"
SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) - The Windward Islands Bank Ltd. (WIB) supports the "3 rd annual Back to School Drive" spearheaded by student Ki-Mani Olivacce, who has called upon the community to donate school supply items for children in need. WIB...
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www.soualiganewsday.com
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Philipsburg Jubilee Library closed for inventory August 13
The Philipsburg Jubilee Library will be closed on Monday 13th, 2018, from 8am to 5pm, to continue salvaging materials before the peak of the hurricane season and the possible departure of our current building as it cannot withstand another hit ...
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www.soualiganewsday.com
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"Rio goes Green" - regular plastic cups banned from parade
PHILIPSBURG - the 7th Annual Lighted Parade - "Destra Edition" which will take place on August 18th, 2018, in Philipsburg, is promised to be the "Greenest" parade ever, as the Management of Rio Productions has decided to completely ban regular...
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stmaartennews.com
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StMaartenNews.com Curacao News
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MFK: Prime Minister must explain what the Arawak Project is
WILLEMSTAD - In a press release the opposition party of Gerrit Schotte, MFK stated that a Prime Minister that hides information about the future of a country is not worthy of leading that nation. The press release continued stating that the...
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curacaochronicle.com
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New financial stop another blow for contractors
WILLEMSTAD - A financial stop that has been in effect since November 2017 within the government is being extended, which means that the government is not committing itself to new projects. No maintenance on schools and roads and no new contract...
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curacaochronicle.com
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Turtle's beach cleaned up
WILLEMSTAD - A truck full of plastic, car tires, rope, fishing nets and countless other types of waste. That was the result of a joint cleanup of the Company in the West 28 of DGLC Royal Air Force and Sea Turtle Conservation Curaçao. The soldiers ...
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curacaochronicle.com
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StMaartenNews.com Culture News
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Esther Narcisco in 'The Rise and Fall of King Solomon' play
SINT MAARTEN (SUCKER GARDEN) - She may appear demure and soft-spoken to those who do not know her, but with one command, "Lights, sound, action!" and Esther Narcisco-Williams will take on the role of one of two harlots.
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www.soualiganewsday.com
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Christian Fellowship Total Restoration Dance Ministry to ...
SINT MAARTEN (SUCKER GARDEN) - Ever since returning to the island with a Master's degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor's degree in Finance, Catherina Carbon of Christian Fellowship Church continues to make waves across the island as...
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StMaartenNews.com Saba News
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SXM Airways Now Able to Execute Saba flights
The Bottom, Saba- SXM Airways, Sint Maarten's youngest airline is now also able to execute flights to Saba. In order to get certified for operating to Saba Juancho Irausquin Airport, the airline had to file a request with both the...
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bes-reporter.com
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StMaartenNews.com Dutch Caribbean News
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WolBES and FinBES Now Available in 'Simple Language'
Recently, Island Governor Edison Rijna of Bonaire received the first copy of the book 'De WolBES and FinBES in simple language from the hands of state secretary Raymond Knops, in the presence of the author Els Boers. The book was...
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bes-reporter.com
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Research into murder and deadly gang violence on the islands
LEIDEN - Why do so many homicides occur on the Caribbean islands? And how can this number be lowered? With the help of a new database, researchers are hoping to find the answers to these questions. It could help the justice, and police...
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caribbeannetwork.ntr.nl
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StMaartenNews.com Billboard Notices
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CPS: Prevent Drowning this School Holiday Season
GREAT BAY - Sint Maarten (DCOMM) - Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department in the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA), is advising parents and guardians to be vigilant when their children are at the...
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stmaartennews.com
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CPS: Stay cool and hydrated during extremely hot weather
GREAT BAY - Sint Maarten (DCOMM) - Heatwaves are among the most dangerous of natural hazards that have a significant impact on society, Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department in the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and...
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stmaartennews.com
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CPS Advises: Ensure your Vaccination Status is Up to Date
GREAT BAY - Sint Maarten (DCOMM) - Considering circulated news about various infectious and vaccine preventable diseases internationally and regionally, citizens are requested to take preventive actions. There have been international reports and...
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stmaartennews.com
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CPS Men's Health 2018: Living a healthier life and more...
GREAT BAY - Sint Maarten (DCOMM) - The lack of physical activity is seen as a health threat. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around the world, not enough people are active; one in four adults and four out of five adolescents are ...
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stmaartennews.com
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Review LuminAID Packlite Max, a Solar Powered Phone Charger
ST. JOHN'S ESTATE - The Wizards, specializing in computer repairs and onsite services, is now the official reseller for an environmentally-friendly product that has a very unusual feature: A solar powered LED lantern that is a phone charger as...
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stmaartennews.com
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CPS calls on communities to clean-up mosquito breeding sites
GREAT BAY, (DCOMM) - The Collective Preventive Services (CPS), a government department under the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, to clean their yards and remove debris in order to prevent mosquito breeding sites.
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www.soualiganewsday.com
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StMaartenNews.com Dutch News
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Delft criminal shot dead outside cafe; he had it coming, ...
A man shot dead near a cafe in the Kalversbos in Delft is a notorious city criminal named Karel Pronk, the Telegraaf and AD said on Tuesday afternoon. The shooting happened outside Het Kalf coffee house shortly before midday. According to...
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www.dutchnews.nl
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The pay gap disappears: female civil servants earn more...
Women who work for Dutch local authorities now earn more than men, on average, Trouw reported on Monday. Male civil servants now earn a gross wage averaging €3,653 a month while women are earning slightly more at €3,679, Trouw said, quoting...
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www.dutchnews.nl
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No - 0%
Yes - 57%
Not sure - 43%
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If a minister is unavailable, the replacement minister must replace him. Agree?
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Depends on the circumstances
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That is the whole point of a replacement minister
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StMaartenNews.com - Regional News
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Jamaica Police Increasing Use of Technology to Arrest...
KINGSTON, Jamaica, Tuesday August 7, 2018- Within the next three years, Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) personnel will be using more technological solutions in their daily operations in a bid to reduce incidents of crime and their likely occurrence.
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www.caribbean360.com
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StMaartenNews.com Advertisement
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StMaartenNews.com Online News Stories
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Six Arrested in Connection with Alleged Assassination...
CARACAS, Venezuela, Tuesday August 7, 2018 - Six people have been arrested in connection with what the Venezuela government said was an assassination attempt on President Nicolas Maduro. "The majority of those responsible have been detained.
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www.caribbean360.com
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Let's Cruise - Eastern, Western, Southern Caribbean...
Lets-Cruise.co is offering cruise vacations on the best and biggest cruise ships in the world with brand name cruises and destinations in the Eastern, Western and Southern Caribbean, Alaska, Europe and the Mediterranean, ...
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www.lets-cruise.co
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Kempinski Hotels advances development plans in Caribbean
By Caribbean News Now contributor GENEVA, Switzerland - In the wake of the opening last year of Cuba's first luxury five-star hotel, Gran Hotel Manzana Kempinski La Habana, Kempinski Hotels continues expanding selectively in the Caribbean with...
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wp.caribbeannewsnow.com
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Trinidad and Tobago Has a New Top Cop and Security Minister
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Tuesday August 7, 2018 - A Cabinet reshuffle by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has given Trinidad and Tobago a new National Security Minister, while it has been confirmed that a former National Security Minister under a...
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www.caribbean360.com
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Regional citizenship consultants surprised and disappointed
By Caribbean News Now contributor LONDON, England - Regional citizenship consultants Henley & Partners has expressed surprise and extreme disappointment at the recently published House of Commons Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee...
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wp.caribbeannewsnow.com
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CDB, UK sign agreement to add £30 million to Caribbean...
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados - The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), have signed an agreement which will add GBP30 million (mn) to the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure...
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wp.caribbeannewsnow.com
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USVI small-manufacturing entrepreneurs to promote products
ST THOMAS, USVI - Representatives from the US Virgin Islands Economic Development Authority (USVIEDA), along with the USVI State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), will sponsor and lead a delegation of 11 US Virgin Islands small-manufacturing...
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wp.caribbeannewsnow.com
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Dangers of 'Red tide' algae bloom off coast of South Florida
By Youri Kemp Caribbean News Now associate editor ~ PINELLAS COUNTY, USA - The Florida Wildlife and Conservation Commission (FWC) released a statement over the weekend warning marine-goers of the dangers of the "red tide" ...
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wp.caribbeannewsnow.com
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Fourth storm of the season Debby forms in Atlantic Ocean
SINT MAARTEN/CARIBBEAN - The fourth named storm of season - Debby - has formed in the far north-central Atlantic and poses no threat to land. Debby has been classified as a Subtropical Storm.
Read more
www.soualiganewsday.com
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Weather Forecast: Wednesday to Friday
DATE ISSUED: Tuesday, August 07, 2018 @ 18:00 LST (22:00 UTC) VALID UNTIL: Wednesday evening (18:00 LST) August 08, 2018 Tonight through Wednesday evening: Mainly fair and hazy. Forecast High: 31°C / 88°F Forecast Low: 27°C / 81 °F Sunset Today:...
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StMaartenNews.com The Dump Dossier
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StMaartenNews.com - The Dump Dossier
If you search the words 'dump', 'landfill', 'fire' or 'garbage' on our website at StMaartenNews.com, you are sure the find a series of articles, news reports, opinion pieces and commentaries on the dump that can now call the 'Dump Dossier'.
Read more
stmaartennews.com
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A brief history of the dump
By Hilbert Haar ~ In June 2008 I wrote an article under the headline "Landfill remains until the end of 2010." It appeared in the now defunct Today newspaper. In the meantime we know better. The landfill is not going anywhere for a very long time...
Read more
stmaartennews.com
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To write or not to write.... about the dump fire again
Last week Saturday, Carnival Fascination cruise ship was informed about the smoke from the dump by the port authorities and advised not to make a call at the port of St. Maarten. Despite this the captain decided, after assessing the situation, to ...
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stmaartennews.com
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SHTA Call to Action Regarding the Dump
PHILIPSBURG - "Dear His Majesty King Willem Alexander, His Excellency the Governor Eugene Holiday, Council of Ministers, Honorable Members of Parliament, State Secretary of Kingdom Affair Raymond Knops, Head of Dutch Recovery Programme Hans...
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stmaartennews.com
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SXM Daily News - 7 Aug 2018
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Book your summer vacation with AirSXM
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Ready to plan your summer vacation trip? Search for flights, hotels, car rentals and vacation packages online on AirStMaarten's booking site.
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