THE HAGUE--The conviction of former member of Parliament of St. Maarten for United St. Maarten Party (USP) Frans Richardson for bribery and abuse of position can be upheld. This is the advice of the Dutch Advocate-General to the Supreme Court (Hoge Raad) as published on Tuesday.

In January 2024, the Joint Court of Justice had increased the prison sentence and election ban of Richardson in the so-called Aquamarine II case. This case pertains to the construction of the Bureau Telecommunication and Post (BTP) building and its maintenance contract.

A graphic outlining the stats that were used to highlight the gains of independent vacation rentals.

PHILIPSBURG--Independent vacation rentals (IVRs) have possibly outpaced hotels as the dominant force in St. Maarten’s lodging sector, generating an estimated US $319 million in annual revenue in 2024. While the fragmented nature of the market makes precise comparisons challenging, the numbers suggest that short-term rentals may now be contributing more to the island’s economy than traditional hotels, timeshares and guest-houses.

Former Library Director Blanca Hodge (right) cuts into a cake in honour of the new library, cheered on by (from left) fellow former Director Glenderlin Davis, Education Minister Melissa Gumbs, NRPB Director Claret Connor and the library’s President of the board Joseanne Peterson.

PHILIPSBURG--The St. Maarten Library celebrated the long-awaited start of a new chapter late Monday afternoon, holding a ceremony recognising the start of the demolition of the old library building, which has been in shambles since it was destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017.

CAY HILL--The Cay Hill Pharmacy (CHP) has recorded a 408% increase in net income in 2024, driven by successful claims recovery and cost-saving measures, while laying the groundwork to restructure its services in 2025.

SABA--A shooting in Saba around 9:00pm Friday has left one man dead. Police arrested two suspects a little more than an hour later.