St. Maarten poet Lysanne “GoddessEye” Charles at Word, a Caribbean Lit Fest in New York. (L. Charles photo)

PHILIPSBURG--Artistes helping each other to perform to new audiences is what St. Maarten poet Lysanne “GoddessEye” Charles credits for her participation in “Word, a Caribbean Lit Fest” in Brooklyn, New York, on June 11.  “I’m very appreciative of St. Maarten poet and visual artist Deborah Drisana Jack for linking me with the event organizers,” said Charles reflecting on her experiences. Charles joined spoken-word artistes and authors from Haiti, Panama, Jamaica, St. Kitts, Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago and from the region’s diaspora in the United States for the 10th edition of the literary festival.

Vinyard building

 PHILIPSBURG-- Breast abnormalities and health screening will continue next week Saturday at the Vineyard Office Park Building in Philipsburg at the Collective Prevention Services (CPS) office from 9:00am to 2:30pm, announced CPS on Thursday. The screening’s target audience is women 18 years and older. CPS is a department in the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour VSA and is one of three stakeholders, along with Positive Foundation and American University of the Caribbean (AUC). The latter is lead research agency. To participate in the free screening activity, make an appointment by calling 545-2298 extension 404-2242 or email [email protected] or [email protected]

The idea of creating Wi-Fi solutions for cruise ship passengers reported on in Wednesday’s paper is in principle a good one. Being digitally connected has become very important also to travellers primarily so they can keep in contact with others back home.

The St. Maarten Tourist Bureau (STB) shared its vision of Huawei Technologies and on-island providers together making this possible among others with representatives of the Bureau Telecommunication and Post (BTP). Similar services are offered by many other destinations as well.

It probably won’t be without limits, because the companies involved would most likely lose clients who no longer need to pay for Internet. That loss of revenue could be compensated, but the question remains by whom.

Mention was therefore made of certain “spots” that will obviously be strategically chosen for free service in the Great Bay area. It is even possible to restrict how Wi-Fi may be used nowadays.

Some quickly reacted that the current product for local customers should improve first. There is something to be said for that, but one does not necessarily have to exclude the other.

The value of facilitating visitors and making it easier for them to share their experiences in terms of “word of mouth” promotion should not be underestimated. If the project is feasible without draining already scarce tourism marketing funds and hurting existing businesses too much, it definitely seems worth looking into.

Justice Minister Rafael Boasman is understandably concerned about the nature of recent crimes on the island. In addition to the assault on an elderly woman and daylight robberies in Philipsburg, today’s report that yet another body was found near Oyster Pond only adds to the worrisome picture.

Boasman intends to approach his colleagues in charge of Education and Labour on organising a forum where this growing problem and a wide range of related issues can be discussed with stakeholders. It’s certainly an admirable initiative but, as usual with such gatherings, much ultimately depends on what is done with the recommendations.

One aspect that could badly use more attention is thankfully being tackled by I-Novus and Safe Haven Foundation (see related story). They are co-hosting an educational seminar about fatherhood.

It’s no secret that far too many men take little interest in their offspring, with all possible consequences. Education of the youth shouldn’t be left only to school and must definitely start at home.

What’s more, teaching children from textbooks is one thing, but they also learn by example and from others around them. The role parents play in the development of their children cannot be overstated.

Plainly put: If you’re man enough to make babies, you ought to be man enough to help care for and guide them until they become adults.

POINTE-À-PITRE, Guadeloupe--Near the end of this year, Air France will add the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe to its destinations.

HAVANA, Cuba--A press release from the Cuban Ministry of Tourism reported that on Tuesday, July 25, Cuba reached the three million tourist mark, 75 days faster than last year.

PARIS/ROME--France will nationalise the STX France shipyard to prevent an Italian firm taking majority control, the economy minister said on Thursday, triggering an angry response from Rome to President Emmanuel Macron's first big industrial policy decision.

CHICAGO--Walmart.com, trailing Amazon.com Inc in the number of goods for sale on its website, is recruiting vendors in China and other countries to boost its online offerings in a pivot away from Wal-Mart's Made-in-America campaign.

LOS ANGELES--Pop singer Katy Perry will host the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA) in August, MTV said on Thursday, and will also perform and compete for some top awards.

LOS ANGELES--Angelina Jolie has put movie-making on hold to become a better mom, take cooking classes and do ordinary tasks like picking up dog poop.
  In an interview with Vanity Fair released on Wednesday, the actress said life after splitting in September from husband Brad Pitt was focused on looking after her health and her children.
  "I actually feel more of a woman because I feel like I'm being smart about my choices, and I'm putting my family first, and I'm in charge of my life and my health. I think that's what makes a woman complete," Jolie said.
  Her latest film as a director, "First They Killed My Father," about the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s, under which more than 1 million people died, had its premiere in Cambodia in February. It is due to be released globally and on Netflix in September.
  Apart from promoting the film, Jolie said she had no interest in working on another movie right now. She has primary custody of her six children with Pitt pending a final settlement of their divorce.
  "I'm just wanting to make the proper breakfast and keep the house," she told Vanity Fair. "That's my passion. At the request of my kids, I'm taking cooking classes. As I go to sleep at night, I think, 'Did I do a great job as a mom or was that an average day?'"
  "I've been trying for nine months to be really good at just being a homemaker and picking up dog poop and cleaning dishes and reading bedtime stories," she said. "And I'm getting better at all three."
  Jolie, 42, a special envoy for the United Nations refugee agency, said the children had been "very brave" since the split from Pitt.
  "They're six very strong-minded, thoughtful, worldly individuals. I'm very proud of them. They've been very brave. They were very brave," she said.
  Jolie revealed that she had developed hypertension, and Bell's Palsy - a weakness in facial muscles that can cause one side of the face to droop slightly - since the separation from Pitt, but had recovered thanks to acupuncture.
  Jolie's interview appears in the September issue of Vanity Fair, out on newsstands on Aug. 8.

NEW YORK--Hillary Clinton's memoir about her failed attempt to win last year's U.S. presidential election will be called "What Happened," a declaration rather than a question, her publisher said in the run-up to its September 12 release.

WASHINGTON--The U.S. Senate voted almost unanimously on Thursday to slap new sanctions on Russia, putting President Donald Trump in a tough position by forcing him to take a hard line on Moscow or veto the legislation and infuriate his own Republican Party.

CARACAS (Reuters) - The U.S. government ordered family members of employees at its embassy in Venezuela to leave on Thursday as a political crisis deepened ahead of a controversial vote critics contend will end democracy in the oil-rich country. Violence continued to rage on the street, with another seven people killed during the latest opposition-led strike against President Nicolas Maduro's planned election for a powerful new Constituent Assembly on Sunday. Adding to Venezuela's growing international isolation, Colombian airline Avianca suddenly stopped operations in the country on Thursday due to "operational and security limitations". Maduro's critics were planning to pile more pressure on the unpopular leftist leader by holding roadblocks across the nation dubbed "The Takeover of Venezuela" on Friday. "We're going to keep fighting, we're not leaving the streets," said opposition lawmaker Jorge Millan.

SAN FRANCISCO--Russian intelligence agents attempted to spy on President Emmanuel Macron's election campaign earlier this year by creating phony Facebook personas, according to a U.S. Congressman and two other people briefed on the effort.

LONDON-- Alastair Cook ensured a quality launch to The Oval's 100th test with an innings of familiar patience and defiance that guided England to 171 for four against South Africa on an absorbing but rain-disrupted opening day of the third test on Thursday.

BUDAPEST- - Chase Kalisz continued America's dominance of the men's 200 metres individual medley as the United States enjoyed a memorable evening at the world championships on Thursday.

Dear Editor,

We do agree with The Daily Herald’s Editorial of Saturday, July 22, 2017. However, as usual, Government’s effort to find a solution to a dangerous situation comes a bit late. As the saying goes “Wise after the horse has bolted”. Isn’t it rather obvious that that section of the road also needs a proper and safe walking path for pedestrians?

Why does it take the death of a visitor before preventive measures are taken? Will this be the case with the hazardous billboard that has been erected at the intersection of Billy Folly Road and Welfare Road?

It has been almost two months since we submitted our Letter of Protest to the Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI. No response has been received. A Petition, signed by the residents of the neighbourhood, expressing their deep concerns with this unsafe billboard, has been submitted as well. We are now heading to the height of the hurricane season, and we reiterate: This billboard poses a hazard!

Will it take a serious accident involving a tourist before proper action is taken by the authorities? Will we again have to wait on Government to be worried after the billboard gives way as a result of continuous wind pressure, and falls on passers-by or private property?

   When will Government decide to put the safety, welfare and public health of their citizens above that of special-interests groups?

Harry and Rita Halley                          

Dear Queenie,

Recently my boyfriend and I broke up after seeing each other for a couple of years. There was no big fight or anything like that, we just kind of drifted apart and stopped seeing each other.

My problem is that there are a lot of things in my apartment that remind me of him – pictures, things of his that he left here and little gifts he gave me, and I don’t know what to do with them.

Queenie, what do you suggest?—Ex-girlfriend

Dear Ex,

The things he gave you are yours to do with as you please – keep them, throw them out or give them to a charitable organisation if they can be of use to someone else.

The things of his that he left behind are another matter. Pack them up or toss them in a box and ask him if he wants them back. If he does, give him a deadline to pick them up. If he has not taken them away by the deadline, feel free to do with them as you have done with his gifts – keep them, throw them out or give them to a charitable organisation if they can be of use to someone else.