GREAT BAY--Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina had himself quite a time at the Nagico Senior Calypso Eliminations on Saturday Night, often standing and cheering for the singers on a night filled with social commentary from some of St. Maarten's best Calypsonians.

MADAME ESTATE--One calypsonian said he had nothing to lose, so he came with “stupidness” and sang for the Boo’s, or was it the Booze? Another warned people to mind ya business. Another said the country is lost in terrible sauce.

GREAT BAY--Two recent calls from Members of Parliament have put tariffs back in focus in St. Maarten. MP Francisco Lacroes has questioned the way turnover tax is reflected in fuel prices, while MP Darryl York has urged government to update taxi fares in light of the sharp increase in fuel costs. Although both issues deal with prices paid by the public, they are not governed by the same legal process.

GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Darryl T. J. York is urging the Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication (TEATT) to take immediate action to adjust taxi tariffs following the sharp increase in fuel prices now impacting drivers across St. Maarten.

CURAÇAO--Director of the Bureau Telecommunications and Post St. Maarten (BTP), Judianne Hoeve, took part in the Caribbean Data Center Conference in Curaçao, where she addressed the importance of data sovereignty and regional cooperation in the Caribbean’s evolving digital landscape.

GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Francisco Lacroes is calling on the Government of St. Maarten to immediately remove what he describes as an unfair tax burden in the fuel pricing structure, where fuel is taxed at the wholesale stage and again at the retail level before reaching consumers.