News

Since last Tuesday, applications can be made to the RCN-unit of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW) for an emergency regulation in connection with the coronavirus. This is a regulation that helps employers to retain personnel. Employees and self-employed entrepreneurs who no longer have an income can also apply for the …

The number of Intensive Care beds that St. Maarten will be receiving from the Netherlands has increased. The country was originally set to receive six beds along with the necessary support, including ventilators, equipment and personnel. Prime Minister and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Chairperson Silveria Jacobs said on Thursday evening …

The Permanent Committee for Kingdom Relations of the Second Chamber of the Dutch Parliament is seeking clarity from the Dutch government about the Netherlands providing assistance to the Dutch Caribbean during the COVID-19 crisis. The Committee sent a list of no fewer than 82 questions to Minister of Home Affairs …

~18 men, 5 women positive ~ St. Maarten’s coronavirus COVID-19 cases jumped to 23 on Thursday as the country began ramping up testing due to local labs being given the green light to conduct tests with the possibility of having results the same day. The 23 positive cases are 18 …

~ A total shutdown needed in order for St. Maarten to manage this pandemic.~ St. Maarten has recorded its second COVID-19 related death. The first victim died at home while the second died at the St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC). SMN News understands that a COVID-19 patient passed away just after 3 …

Photo The Daily Herald Personal protective equipment (PPE) for emergency and healthcare personnel in St. Eustatius, Saba and St. Maarten arrived at Statia’s F. D. Roosevelt Airport after 4:00pm Wednesday. The materials were offloaded from a chartered EZ Air aircraft by workers wearing gloves. Supplies were expected to be transferred …

Two more persons have tested positive for the coronavirus COVID-19 in Dutch St. Maarten as of April 1, bringing the total tally for the Dutch side to 18. The 18 positive cases include 14 men and 4 women. A total of six persons are currently hospitalized – five of the …

Princess Juliana International Airport operating company PJIAE officials told Members of Parliament (MPs) on Wednesday that the airport is shutting down to drastically slash expenses in response to the coronavirus COVID-19 crisis. However, the officials said the airport has enough funds available to see it through the end of the …

Following the COVID-19 crisis, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Samira Rafaela of Re­new Europe/D66 has taken several actions to protect and defend the interests of the Overseas Countries and Ter­ritories (OCTs), including the Caribbean part of the Dutch Kingdom. In her contact with the Eu­ropean Commission, Rafaela has advocated …

The St. Maarten Medical Center has increased its capacity with the setup of a pavilion at the Raoul Illidge Sports Complex. This pavilion will be used by the hospital as additional space for isolation units of COVID-19 confirmed and suspected patients in need of medium and temporary care. The pavilion …

The Hague considers an extension of the intervention in the St. Eustatius government necessary. A law proposal has been prepared. It aims to prolong the current facilities and to arrange a transition regime with four phases that should – in a couple of years – result in a regular government …

Regional Health Authority ARS reported one new case in St. Martin on Wednesday, but also disclosed three patients have recovered from coronavirus COVID-19. The current figure is seven hospitalized (including the latest case) and seven are isolating at home. Since the pandemic began St. Martin has had 22 cases.  Five …

The COVID-19 virus so far has not been introduced on Saba. As a precautionary measure, an additional 13 persons who are in self-quarantine were tested on Wednesday, April 1, Saba Island Governor Jonathan Johnson stated. Address Island Govenor Jonathan Johnson on April 1, 2020 Please be patient if you have …

Dutch St. Maarten’s confirmed coronavirus COVID-19 cases almost tripled on Tuesday with sixteen confirmed cases and with the first COVID-19 death recorded. Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs said in a briefing late Tuesday evening that the person who died on Tuesday was a suspected case who was under self-isolation at home. …

UPDATE by RCN: Good morning, Could you please delete the following paragraph from the Daily Herald article. This newspaper understood that the temporary subsidy arrangement presents a dilemma for the employers on the islands. Apparently, employers who make use of the subsidy arrangement, whereby 80 per cent of the maximised …

There are two positive cases of the Covid-19 virus on St. Eustatius. This fact was communicated earlier this evening by Government Commissioner Marnix van Rij. Both infected persons had traveled on March 15th from the Netherlands to St. Eustatius and were in quarantine since their arrival on the island. An …

On Tuesday, March 31, three new coronavirus COVID-19 cases were declared in St. Martin by the Préfecture and health authority ARS on Tuesday, bringing total active cases to 16.   The number of hospitalized cases is six and 10 patients (including the three new cases) are confined to their homes. …

GIS Saba      

Special measures to stop the spread of coronavirus in the Netherlands are to be extended until April 28 at least, prime minister Mark Rutte told a press conference on Tuesday. This means cafes, restaurants, museums and schools will remain shut for the next four weeks. The decision has been taken …

The corona virus poses major challenges for citizens and companies. Customs CN also sees that many want to contribute to the fight against the virus. For example, by donating personal protective equipment to healthcare institutions. This is urgently needed, because there is a great shortage of these resources. Customs CN …

The consequences of the measures in connection with the coronavirus are profound for many companies. The RCN unit of Social Affairs and Employment (Sociale Zaken en Werkgelegenheid, SZW) wants to prevent employers from having to fire employees. In order to help employers to keep their personnel,  SZW has implemented an …

Vulnerable children have a particularly hard time during the corona crisis and the measures regarding ‘social distancing’.  There is a risk that they will have to deal with more domestic violence and child abuse. That is why Jeugdzorg en Gezinsvoogdij CN (JGCN) calls on everyone to help keep an eye …

Address Island Governor Jonathan Johnson on Covid-19 situation – March 30, 2020

People of St. Maarten, both at home and abroad, I hereby address you, as Prime Minister and Chair of the EOC (Emergency Operations Center), in an update for today Sunday, March 29, 2020, as part of the process to keep the community of St. Maarten informed about the latest developments …

St. Martin saw a sudden jump in coronavirus COVID-19 cases on Sunday, with two cases hospitalized, one confined to home, and the first recorded death linked to the virus, the Prefecture and regional health authority ARS reported.   Not counting two patients who previously recovered, and the one deceased, total …

In connection with COVID-19, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is extending the flight ban until April 10th, 2020 at 6:00 PM (local time). The ban on air traffic with passengers in the airspace over Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba applies to EU countries, the UK, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, …

St. Martin and St. Barths recorded one additional coronavirus COVID-19 case each on Saturday, March 28, regional health agency ARS confirmed, bringing active cases in St. Martin to 12. The two new respective cases are confined to their homes in St. Martin and St. Barths. Five patients are currently in …

St. Maarten has registered three new coronavirus COVID-19 cases, bringing the total number of official active cases on the Dutch side to 6. One of the cases is not travel related. Prime Minister and Chairperson of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Silveria Jacobs said in a national address on Saturday …

We just got our first test results in and it’s a negative.

Lately, everyone has been quite preoccupied with the threat of infection. The government’s calls to comply with the rules and guidelines in this serious situation and the many emergency regulations made by the government confirm the seriousness of the current situation. Fortunately, most people comply to the rules. Unfortunately, not …

Another new coronavirus COVID-19 case in St. Martin has been hospitalized bringing total cases to date up to 11, the Préfecture and health agency ARS reported on Friday. Of the seven hospitalized cases mentioned in the ARS bulletin, five are in the Louis-Constant Fleming Hospital, and two were transferred to …

Address of Island Govenor Jonathan Johnson – update Friday, March 27, 2020 Note: if you have a slow internet connection, it may take some time before the address is down loaded.   On Wednesday, March 25th, a sample was taken from a person in quarantine who has been experiencing mild …

Based on current information from RIVM, the Ministries of Infrastructure and Health have decided to extend the applicable restrictions on air traffic with passengers until 10 April 2020 at 6 p.m. (local time). According to the RIVM, widespread transmission still applies in all countries for which a flight ban has …

There are currently 67 persons in self-quarantine on St. Eustatius. The Public Entity St. Eusta­tius will know if any of these persons are positive or nega­tive for the coronavirus CO­VID-19 on Sunday, April 5, Government Commissioner Marnix van Rij said. Inspec­tor Chief of Basic Police Care in St. Eustatius, Robel­to …

On Thursday, 26 March 2020, at 9:35 AM, the Saba Conservation Foundation received a distress call from “Zarozinia”, a small American sailing vessel, drifting about 13.5 nautical miles south-southwest of Fort Bay Harbor on the Saba Bank. Apparently, an older American couple was unable to free the ship from a …

A new coronavirus COVID-19 case on Thursday confirmed by regional health authority ARS has brought the number of active cases in St. Martin to date up to 10. The new case is one of six hospitalized. Three are in the Louis-Constant Fleming Hospital and three in the University Hospital of …

The Dutch government on Wednesday released more details about the emergency package for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba so people can keep their jobs as much as possible and to limit the consequences for the islands’ economies. The Hague is taking “sizable” measures for the coming weeks and months, including …

Belastingdients/CN is aware of the enormous consequences of the coronavirus and therefore takes measures to mitigate the consequences of the coronavirus for entrepreneurs and private individuals by applying special deferral of payment. Who is eligible for this? All entrepreneurs and private individuals who, as a result of the measures taken …

At this moment, COVID-19 tests are still processed through the Institute Pasteur in Guadeloupe and then checked by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment RIVM in the Netherlands. Cargo flights via FedEx, continue to prevent disruption of that service. A private laboratory in St. Maarten is currently …