Informer ; Information bulletin of the Island Government of St. Eustatius

00002-2010 ( .pdf )

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THE INFORMER


INFORMATION BULLETIN OF THE ISLAND GOVERNMENT OF ST. EUSTATIUS


FEBRUARY ISSUE, 2010


COMMUNICATION, THE THEME AT THE GOLDEN ROCK SCHOOL
Field trip to the Government information Service




I' I / i'r r
1-'
., . .. ..


The Golden Rock School held the
theme communication for one
month. During this period the chil-
dren went on a number of fieldtrips
to the local telephone company,
the post office and the office and
studio of the Government Informa-
tion Service. In an interview with
the principal of the Golden Rock
school, Mrs. Deborah Clarke Brown
we learned that it is customary at
the Golden Rock School to have a
monthly theme. She explained to


the GIS the activities undertaken
by the youngsters at school.
They talked elaborately about
communication, what it means,
how important it is and the dif-
ferent form of medium used to
communicate. This discussion
has taken place in all the class
rooms. The children wrote letters
to each other and visited the
post office to experience the
process of mailing a letter. The
teachers of Cycle one sent letters


to their pupils so that they
would get a clear understand-
ing of sending and receiving
correspondence through the
post office. The children were
welcomed by the staff of the
post office and received de-
tailed information how the
process works. (photos of the
various sights are available
on page 8). The children of
Cycle 1 group 1 and 2 visited
the Government Information
Service. They got first hand
experience on the Shedding
Light Radio programme at the
Statia Radio Station. The
chief of the G.I.S.




Fieldtrip by Golden Rock School 1,8, 12


Health Care issues 2+14

Dualism 4-7

Winair 5

Dutch Inspectorate on Fact I I
Finding Mission in Statia

Dutch Government donates 9+13
school Books to Primary schools

Fotos of events 8,10,
12


Volume I, Issue 6







VOLUME I, ISSUE 6


THE INFORMER


POSTMENOPAUSAL BLEEDING


Monthly Health updates with
Dr. Sharda Baboe-Kalpoe.


In our regular interview for
this newsletter, Dr. Sharda
Baboe-Kalpoe acknowledged
the importance of educating
the community on medical
issues that are affecting this
community. She choose fe-
male health because it is an
important health care issue.
The topic for this month is Post-
menopausal Bleeding. The first
question that comes to mind is

What is Post Menopausal Bleed-
ing? Definition

Postmenopausal bleeding is bleed-
ing from the reproductive system
that occurs six months or more after
menstrual periods have stopped due
to menopause.

Description
Menopause, the end of ovulation
and menstrual periods, naturally
occurs for most women at age 45-55
years. The process of ending ovula-
tion and menstruation
(perimenopause) is gradual, span-
ning one to two years or more, due
to shifts in hormone levels.

Postmenopausal bleeding is
bleeding that occurs after meno-
pause has been established for at
least six months. It is different from
infrequent, irregular periods
(oligomenorrhea) that occur around
the time of menopause.

Many women experience some post-
menopausal bleeding. However,
postmenopausal bleeding is not
normal. Because it can be a symp-
tom of a serious medical condition,
any episode of postmenopausal
bleeding should be brought to the
attention of a (woman's) doctor.


During perimenopause, changes in
menstrual bleeding are common.

During a normal menstrual cycle,
the levels of the hormones estrogen
and progesterone increase and
decrease in a regular pattern Ovu-
lation occurs in the middle of the
cycle, and menstruation occurs
about 2 weeks later. During peri-
menopause, hormone levels may not
follow this regular pattern. As a
result, you may have irregular
bleeding or spotting. Some months,
your period may be longer and
heavier. Other months, it may be
shorter and lighter. The number of
days between periods may increase
or decrease. You may begin to skip
periods.

Although these changes are normal
in perimenopause, abnormal bleed-
ing sometimes can signal a problem
not related to perimenopause. A
good rule to follow is to tell your
doctor if you notice any of the fol-
lowing changes in your monthly
cycle:

* Very heavy bleeding

* Bleeding that lasts longer than
normal

* Bleeding that occurs more often
than every 3 weeks

* Bleeding that occurs after sex
or between periods

Women taking estrogen (called hor-
mone replacement therapy or
HRT) are more likely to experience
postmenopausal bleeding. So are
obese women, because fat cells
transform male hormones
androgenss) secreted by the adrenal
gland into estrogen.

Causes and symptoms

Postmenopausal bleeding can origi-
nate in different parts of the repro-


ductive system. Bleeding from the va-
gina may occur because when estrogen
secretion stops, the vagina dries out
and can diminish (atrophy). This is the
most common cause of bleeding from
the lower reproductive tract.

Lesions and cracks on the vulva may
also bleed. Sometimes bleeding occurs
after intercourse. Bleeding can occur
with or without an associated infection.

Bleeding from the upper reproductive
system can be caused by:

* hormone replacements

* endometrial cancer

* endometrial polyps

* cervical cancer

* cervical lesions

* uterine tumors

* ovarian cancer

* estrogen-secreting tumors in other
parts of the body

The most common cause of postmeno-
pausal bleeding is HRT. The estrogen
in the replacement therapy eases the
symptoms of menopause (like hot
flashes), and decreases the risk of os-
teoporosis. (continue on page 14)


PAGE 2







VOLUME I, ISSUE 6


Peter van Dongen bids farewell


Mr. Peter van Dongen came to St.
Eustatius in September 2009 to as-
sist Mr. Willem Sanderse for a half
year in several areas in the transi-
tion of Statia for 10/10/10. This sup-
port is in the best interest of the
Executive Council, the Island Secre-
tary and the Civil Servants. Al-
though this was his first trip to
Statia, he is familiar with Curacao
and Bonaire since he resided in
Aruba in the past.

He worked with pleasure with the
civil servants and accomplished set
goals with the necessary humor. He


focused specifically on the job ranking
process. This process is ongoing for 12
years, but on November 30th 2009 the
Executive Council of St. Eustatius
made a decision on this process. Mr.
Van Dongen was the Chair of the Ob-
jection Committee. In this period De-
partment Heads created a department
plan. A training programme for 2010
has been approved of which the initial
training are presently conducted. In
cooperation with the Personnel and
Organization Mr. van Dongen assisted
with the establishment of a Quick Scan
for departments like Public Health and
physical Planning and Development.
He supported the management team
with important topics. Presently a pro-
ject is underway to get a person to full
the position of Head of Economic Af-
fairs. He was able to give the assign-
ment to the committee for garbage
process to create a tangible plan. He is
happy to have been able to contribute
towards all these plans that will benefit
the Government of St. Eustatius. Special
thanks for everyone's cooperation. The


VNG delegation with a few Depart-
ment Heads

VNG administration paid a visit to
St. Eustatius and met with a num-
ber of civil servants. They ex-
plained about the opportunities for
civil servants to do training in the
Netherlands and for Dutch experts
to come to the islands. This pro-
gramme if fully financed by the
VNG.


(Continued from page I)
Field trip to the Government Information Service


(Government Information Ser-
vice), Head Mrs. Malvern
Dijkshoorn-Lopes was happy to
introduce the future leaders to
the community through the ra-
dio programme. The children
talked on the radio about the
theme communication. Most of
them were familiar with the dif-
ferent methods used like chat-
ting on the computer, talking
by phone, using the newspaper,
radio, television, sign language,
one on one talks while playing,
and they went on to explain
why it's important to be able to
have clear communication.
They expressed the importance
of the receiver understanding
the message sent by the
sender. Although the young-


sters brought it simple in their
own words it was crystal clear
that they had worked at school on
this theme because they were
knowledge able of the subject.
After the radio interview they vis-
ited the office and studio of GIS
where they gathered additional
information on the subject. The
camera men, Mr. Michael Spanner
and Dwight Barran translated
their work on the level of the
youngsters so that they under-
stand what their job entailed. Mrs.
Mercedes Lopes-Spanner shared
with the children the importance
of having good manners and be-
ing ambassadors for their island.
She explained her field of work
and was assisted by Ms. Nadjeska
Jack who took photos of all the


children while they visited the
different offices within the De-
partment of GIS.
IV : UE11


THE INFORMER


PAGE 3









THE DUTCH ASSOCIATION FOR MUNICIPALITIES (VNG) GIVES WORKSHOP ON DUALISM


The Island Council which is the high-
est legislative body on St. Eustatius is
made up of five members. These mem-
bers are: Mr. Reginald Zaandam; Mr.
Roy Hooker, Mr. ('I;..I. van Putten;
Ms. Adelca Spanner and Mr. Julian
Woodely. They were in attendance
along with the Act. Lt. Governor Mr.
Gerald Berkel and a few Department
Heads to the workshop on Dualism
held at the conference room at the
Department of Education. The repre-
sentatives of VNG focused a part of
the content of their presentation par-
tially on three components: 1) to ar-


range work placement for a training
period; 2) send out experts to support
departments in areas where they may
not have sufficient human resources
and knowledge in a particular field;3)
to arrange study visits. The Dutch
delegation comprised of: Ms. Famke
Kweekel; Mr. Nico Schoop; Ms.
Marieke Verhoeven; and Mr. Gilbert
Isabella. Mr. Nico Schoop was respon-
sible for the presentation regarding
Dualism. The participants got the
opportunity to introduce themselves
after which each person had to indi-
cate what they wanted to know about
dualism. The questions that came to


the floor were: What does dualism mean
for civil servants, or what effect will it
have for civil servants? What does one
wish to accomplish with the implementa-
tion of dualism? Will the island govern-
ment be able to make adjustments in
areas where dualism does not benefit the
island when looking at the scale and
population? How was the implementation
of Dualism experienced in small munici-
palities in the Netherlands? Mr Schoop
explained that Dualism should
strengthen the position of the island
council and the council should operate
more as a Representative of the people.
When dualism is implemented we will
have three official functions: Griffier;
Ombudsman and a Government audit
office. To clearly understand the Dualism
concept, we first need to know the cause
for its introduction.

Why was Dualism introduced?

* It was introduced for the simple rea-
son of trying to get politicians and
citizens closer together.

* To make the local administration
more transparent.

When the Island Council and Executive
Council is separated as a result of dual-
ism, it will lead to the following division
of responsibilities.

THE ISLAND COUNCIL

* Representative of the people

* Determine the framework for policies

* Control: supervise the execution of
his decisions.

(continue on page 7 )


SOCIAL COMPULSORY EDUCATION PROGRAMME HOSTING TRAINING


Recently the Seep (Social compul-
sory Education Programme) held a
training for teachers and students
separately. The overall goal of the
training was to equip teachers for
competency-based teaching and
guidance of the youngsters partici-
pating in the mandatory social edu-
cation programme. The teachers
were given the opportunity to prac-


tice competency-based teaching and
learning in cooperation with their
colleagues. They will experience
firsthand that the training is built
around individual teacher's learning
needs. Through the assignment they
will discover that learners can learn
constructively if you give them ade-
quate opportunities combined
(Continue op page 5)


Photo by Ms. Nadjeska Jack


VOLUME I, ISSUE 6


THE INFORMER


PAGE 4







VOLUME I, ISSUE 6 THE INFORMER PAGE

Continued from page 4

SOCIAL COMPULSORY PROGRAMME


With a learning to learn approach. In
the training they demonstrated how
to do that and teach them the neces-
sary skills. And last but not least the
teachers learned goals are hinged in
real life problems are much more
likely to motivate students than tra-
ditional goals from the textbook
(photos of the workshop can be
seen on page 10). There were a
number of teachers like Mr. Derrick
Simmons; Mrs. Joyce Weijshacker;
Ms. Minerva Pantophlet, Mr. & Mrs.
Van Engel; Ms. Versely Courtar; Ms.
Raquel Carty; Mr. Brian Carty; Mrs.
Ruth Pandt; Ms. Shaminda Gibbs;
Ms. Holleband and Mrs. Samuel who
participated in the workshop. Al-
though we were not able to interview


all the teachers to get a picture of
what their expectation was prior to
the session. However, we draw the
conclusion that the workshop was
well received and the teachers
seemed satisfied during the work-
shop which was filmed. Not only
teachers were trained, but the stu-
dents at the second chance education
were given the opportunity to partici-
pate one day in training which was
prepared to meet their needs. A num-
ber of topics were selected which the
students can relate to, such as dress
code when going to a job interview;
sexual education; gender issues with
regards to battered and abused
women; individuals who were drug
addicts and with rehabilitation are


presently contributing in a large and
positive way in our community. The
significance of being in shape as a
people was highlighted to emphasize
the benefits of having a good health.
All these sections were discussed
with the young people by persons like
Mrs. Christina Timber-Glover; Mr.
Granville Hassell; Mr. Luke Blair;
Mr. Rob de Waal


WINAIR NEW POLICIES AND THE EFFECTS ON


THE COMMUNITY OF STATIA


St. Eustatius- Winair is the air
transportation between the Dutch
islands in the Eastern Caribbean
Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten.
They also fly to other destinations in
the direct surroundings. Winair was
initially established by a private
entity before the Central Govern-
ment purchased all the shares. It is
the main mean of transportation
between the SSS islands (Saba, St.
Eustatius and St. Maarten). There
has been a number of new policies
set by this airline, like the baggage
policy which stated one check inn-
piece of luggage should not weigh
more than 23 kg.; previously passen-
gers could travel with more than one
piece of luggage as long as it all to-
taled 20 kg; the airfare increase a
2nd and third time, but Winair does
not consider it as an increase on
there side because the Princess
Juliana International Airport charge
the airline a number of fees, like for
example transfer fee (all airlines
making use of the PJIA


(Princess Juliana International Air-
port need to pay this fee); screening
fee; and the introduction of a service
fee which was added on top of the
ticket. Many of these fees which are
included into the ticket in return
have to be repaid back to the airport.
Today, passengers are confronted
with the weighing of hand luggage,
which should weigh no more than 3
kg. In the past passengers were not
hassled with hand luggage policy.
Presently Winair introduced a new
policy which according to them is
from the FAA (Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration) which according to Wi-
nair confirmed that a flight may not
carry more that 16 Persons. In the
past Winair use to carry 20 passen-
gers, it dropped to 19 passengers and
now down to 16 passengers. Many
people are angry, irritated, and upset
that Government is not giving an
explanation with regard to all these
changes. Many persons in the com-
munity are questioning: What Wi-
nair policies are based on.


Other individuals with whom the
GIS have talked shared the views
that they believe that Winair have
bend the rules (of International Civil
Aviation which is the European sys-
tem to the American FAA system)
over the years to meet the needs of
the people of these islands.

Many interviewers shared different
views. An individual informed GIS
that every company should have a
year plan (and Winair is no excep-
tion) what the cost will be per year.
What ever Winair is selling suppose
to cover the cost of their operations.
All the extra fees should be included
upfront in the Year Plan. It shouldn't
be changed every time they see fit,
this means that management doesn't
have any vision what is happening in
their organization. The example was
shared of a couple of years ago when
the market price for oil increased
t r e m e n do u s 1 y,
(continue on page 15)







VOLUME I, ISSUE 6 THE INFORMER PAGE 6


TAX INFORMATION

Information Center of Taxes Sint Eustatius.

Assistance in payment of your We can help you if you contact
tax arrears us.

Over the last period of months The Island Government of St.
many citizens of Statia have re- Eustatius, through the Planning
ceived assessments regarding to INSPECTORATE OF TAXES WIND-
back/ outstanding taxes. (Income WARD ISLANDS Bureau is inviting the entire com-
back/ outstanding taxes. (Income
munity to a Town Hall Meeting
tax, Turnover tax, Wage tax and INFORMATION CENTER
Profit tax.) ST.EUSTATIUS about the Development Plan for
St. Eustatius.
In cases where it is not possible for Date: March 15th 2010
you to pay the taxes within the H.M.Queen Beatrixstreet (former Time: at 7.30 pm
stipulated period of time, we urge GEBE office)
you to get in contact with us at the Oranjestad
information center. St.Eustatius The consultant bureau RBOI will
Tel:3183325/26 present the Draft Strategic Devel-
We will then make an appointment Fax:3183327 opment Plan. The group hopes to
where we will consider, along with
come to a conclusion of the options
you, what is the best way to pay the email-address:
outstanding taxes. informationcenter@taxes-windward.com presented on December 1'09 when
they presented the preliminary
findings.






Thursday March 4th from
15.00-20.00 will be the
grand opening of the cam-
paign NOTIiE NAUi CE
"STATIA in SHAPE"
On behalf of the Sport De- The Island Government Depart- The community of St. Eustatius is
apartment we invite you to ment of Personnel and Organiza- encouraged to come out every
this great festival at the tion acknowledges that an error Tuesdays, Thursdays and Satur-
Community Center & has been made when identifying a day nights in the support of the
Sportcomplex. member of staff in the New Years different male and female volley-
Healthy food / drinks (special message as Lena Peter which ball teams. The location is at Lord
reduced prices) as well as should have been Lena Courtar. Gene Sport Complex. The match
entertainment (Kids Play- starts at 7.30 PM
ground Demonstrations We apologize for this error.
Music) and information will be Lets be supportive and involved in
served in a nice ambiance. Mrs. Florence Marlin the local sport events.
ENTRANCE FREE! Head Personnel & Organization
Kerkweg St. Eustatius Government Information Service
Further information and pro- Tel.nr.: 599 318 2931 Mrs. Malvern Dijkshoorn-Lopes
gram will be available end of Fax 318 3391
this week!

Best regards, Rob de Waal
(Head of Sport Department)







VOLUME I, ISSUE 6 THE INFORMER PAGE 7


Continuaton from page 4
Dualism workshop by Dutch Association of Municipality

F_ '"11110


THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL:

* Governs and Manages

* Gives accountability regarding
the execution of his policies

Below in the table is a clear view of
what the new function of the Island
Council should be. This is where
they need to work to.

WHAT ARE THE NEW FUNCTIONS
IN THE DUALISM?


There are three new functions:

* Griffier: something like a secre-
tary: This person is on a certain
level and will be fully responsible
for setting the agenda for the
Island Council and preparing
everything with regard for the
Island Council.

* Ombudsman: A person who is
there to manage conflict situa-
tions of individuals with govern-


ment.

Audit Office (Rekenkamer) is a
strengthening control factor of
the Island Council.

An important topic was the discus-
sion of the WOLBES which offers
the opportunity in a specific article
to make exceptions for civil servants
to become Island Council Members.
Statia is a supporter of this excep-
tion based on the scale and the limi-
tations of attracting Island Council
Members. In our present structure
civil servants who are island council
members acquire the status of am-
bulatory.

Other questions of concern were
whether persons employed in the
private sector, if these persons can
also become commissioners. Com-
parisons were made of the council
allowance of for example Schier-
monikoog and Ameland (islands that
are a part of Holland) which is 200
euos. These islands do not have the
services of an airport, harbor or hos-
pital while these services are avail-
able on Statia. As a result of these
factors the government is of the opin-
ion that the present allowance should
remain as is. The workshop was
overall positive and informative for
the Island Council Members and
those that were given the opportu-
nity to participate.


* The local politics must become more transparent


* There needs to be more political discussion in the Is-
land Council



The Island Council needs to function more like a
representative of the people


* The administrative function will be separated from
the control function so that it becomes clear who is
doing what


* The council sets the outline: the execution of policy is
the responsibility of the Executive Council



* The island Council needs to research what concerns
are of the local community and put it on the council
agenda.




VOLUME I, ISSUE 6


F
I


T
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I
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THE INFORMER


PAGE


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III~ZII~







VOLUME I, ISSUE 6 THE INFORMER PAGE 9


DUTCH GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TO IMPROVING EDUCATION ON STATIA


results which initiated this assis-
tance from the Dutch Government.
i l'_" 1 11- I' | ...11 i i| I ll ,li I I\ ll- .. n *\\

I im il<..


The Quarter Maker of Education
Culture and Science, Ms. Fleur Lag-
cher visited two elementary schools,
to present them with books to im-
prove the education at the respec-
tive schools. She was welcomed at
Golden Rock and Governor de
Graaff school by the principals,
Mrs. Debbie Clarke-Brown and Mr.
Floyd Woodley. The commissioner
of education, Mr. Roy Hooker was
present at both schools and thanked
Ms. Lagcher on behalf of the Island
Government, School Board and the
children of Statia. The idea is to
improve the educational system on
the island by presenting the new
school books and material which
form part of the School Improve-
ment Plan financed by the Dutch.
In an interview with the GI.S. the
Quarter Maker of education, Ms.
Lagcher referred back to the Dutch
Inspection which evaluated the edu-
cation on Bonaire Saba and Statia.
We are all aware of the negative


:2>.>~wiliri//~~





VOLUME I, ISSUE 6 THE INFORMER PAGE 10

TEACHERS ACQUIRING ADDITIONAL SKILLS IN WORKSHOP BY SCEP


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VOLUME I, ISSUE 6


CONSENSUS REACHED ON AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT


The Government Information Ser-
vice learned in an interview with
the Planning Bureau that Mr. Ton
Franssen from the Netherlands vis-
ited the island again on January
28th 2010 to follow up on issues
with regard to airport development.
The Planning Bureau prepared a
memo for the development of the
airport which was discussed with
the airport manager, Mr. Ellis
Schmidt; Mr. Ton Franssen, The
Planning Bureau and the Executive
Council. All parties agreed with the
content of the memo. The discus-
sions were about the I.C.A.O (In-
ternational Civil Aviation Organi-
zation). The I.C.A.O. promotes un-
derstanding and security coopera-
tive aviation regulation. This or-
ganization I.C.A.O is a part of the
United Nations. It's an organization

DUTCH INSPECTORATE VISIT
FINDING MISSION

The Inspector General of the Dutch
VROM Ministry, also chairman of
the umbrella organization of In-
spectors General of the various
ministries, Mr. Harry Paul ,visited
St. Eustatius on February 10th
2010 accompanied by colleague Mr.
Stef Strik and Mr. Manfred Beck-
man. They participated in a work-
shop concerning Inspectorates in
the broadest sense of the word. The
purpose of the workshop was to
look and see how many Inspector-
ates are needed on St. Eustatius
and how they can be combined. The
Netherlands has many Inspector-
ates for almost every field or area,
they have approximately 40 In-
spectorates. Looking at the scale of
the island and population the In-
spector talked with the local group
about finding workable solutions
for Inspectors on Statia. The island
Government was represented


where International agree-
ments are made with regard to
air traffic. One hundred and
forty six (146) countries are
represented in the I.C.A.O .

A very important point in the
memo was the relocation of the
terminal building, further from
the landing strip for safety
regulation. Because a lot of
cost is involved a time frame
could not be given. With the
new development in the Neth-
erlands surrounding the fall of
the Dutch government may
have serious implications for
this project. Many question
whether these projects will go
on the backburner even after a
new Government is formed in
the Netherlands.


STATIA ON FACT


1-


From left to right; Mr. Ellis Schmidt, Mr. Mald-
wyn Timber and Mr. Ton Franssen


EUTEL EVOLVING


through various departments like :
Mr. Esmond Hook of Drob, Mrs.
Carol Jack-Roosberg of Public
Health; Mr. Cedric Lijfrock of Do-
main, Mrs. Nicole Esteban of
Stenapa, Ms. Brenda van Putten of
the Department of Education and
Siem Dijkshoorn of the Planning
Bureau. The civil servants got the
opportunity to indicate two areas of
priorities on Statia so that the In-
spectors can investigate how these
inspectorate can be implemented
efficiently and effectively. The pri-
orities noted in range of importance
from top to bottom were: 1)
Education, 2) Environment, 3) Social
Issues such as teenage pregnancy
and school drop outs, 4) Spatial De-
velopment. Besides the discussions
of the priority areas they also
talked about the gradual introduc-
tion of Inspectors to the island.


The local telephone company Eutel is
presently under going some positive
changes. The company hired IMC to
do research and marketing communi-
cation project for the company. The
company responsible for marketing,
held it's first session with the press
on January 29th 2010 at the library.
The company is presently in the proc-
ess of distributing a questionnaire so
that members of the community can
complete this form as honest as possi-
ble, in this way the IMC can get a
clear picture of what you want to see
change and or improve at Eutel. In
the process this company IMC will
enter your living rooms in different
forms, like by t.v.' telephone, flyers or
through a representative to get an
idea how you think the new emblem
of the company should look. The idea
is to create a new image for the com-
pany by the people of Statia. We en-
courage you to participate in the process


THE INFORMER


PAGE II






VOLUME I, ISSUE 6


THE INFORMER


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39 a






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PAGE 12





VOLUME I, ISSUE 6


I


THE INFORMER


PAGE 13







VOLUME I, ISSUE 6


Continued from page 2
Postmenopausal Bleeding

Sometimes this supplemental es-
trogen stimulates the uterine lining
(endometrium) to grow. When the
lining is shed, postmenopausal
bleeding occurs. Most women on
HRT usually take the hormone pro-
gesterone with the estrogen, and
may have monthly withdrawal
bleeding. This is a normal side ef-
fect.

About 5-10% of postmenopausal
bleeding is due to endometrial can-
cer or its precursors. Uterine hvper-
plasia, the abnormal growth of uter-
ine cells, can be a precursor to can-
cer.

Endometrial Hyperplasia

In this condition, the lining of the
uterus thickens. Endometrial hy-
perplasia can cause irregular or
heavy bleeding. In some cases of
endometrial hyperplasia, the cells of
the lining become abnormal. This
condition, called atypical hyperpla-
sia, can lead to cancer of the uterus.

Endometrial hyperplasia most often
is caused by excess estrogen with-
out enough progesterone. Diagnosis
and treatment of endometrial hy-
perplasia allows for prevention of
the most common form of endo-
metrial cancer.

Polyps

Polyps usually are noncancerous
growths that develop from tissue
similar to the endometrium, the
tissue that lines the inside of the
uterus. They either attach to the
uterine wall or develop on the endo-
metrial surface. They may cause
irregular or heavy bleeding.

Polyps also can grow on the cervix
or inside the cervical canal. These
polyps may cause bleeding after sex.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of postmenopausal bleed-
ing begins with the patient. The
doctor will ask for a detailed history
of how long postmenopausal bleed-


ing has occurred. A woman can assist
the doctor by keeping a record of the
time, frequency, length, and quantity
of bleeding. She should also tell the
doctor about any medications she is
taking, especially any estrogens or
steroids.

After taking the woman's history, the
doctor does a pelvic examination and
PAP test. The doctor will examine the
vulva and vagina for any signs of atro-
phy, and will feel for any sign of uter-
ine polyps. Depending on the results of
this examination, the doctor may want
to do more extensive testing.

Invasive diagnostic procedures

Endometrial biopsy allows the doctor
to sample small areas of the uterine
lining, while cervical biopsy allows
the cervix to be sampled. Tissues are
then examined for any abnormalities.

Dilatation and curettage (D & C) is
often necessary for definitive diagnosis.
This is done under either general or
local anesthesia. After examining the
tissues collected by an endometrial bi-
opsy or D & C, the doctor may order
additional tests to determine if an es-
trogensecreting tumor is present on the
ovaries or in another part of the body.

Non-invasive diagnostic proce-
dures

Vaginal ultrasound measures the
thickness of the endometrium. When
the endometrial stripe is less than 0.2
in (5 mm) thick, the chance of cancer is
less than 1%. The disadvantage of vagi-
nal ultrasound is that it often does not
show polyps and fibroids in the uterus.
A refinement of vaginal probe ultra-
sound is saline infusion sonography
(SIS). A salt water (saline) solution is
injected into the uterus with a small
tube (catheter) before the vaginal probe
is inserted. The presence of liquid in
the uterus helps make any structural
abnormalities more distinct. These two
non-invasive procedures cause less dis-
comfort than endometrial biopsies and
D & Cs, but D & C still remains the


definitive test for diagnosing uter-
ine cancer.



Treatment
It is common for women just begin-
ning HRT to experience some
bleeding. Most women who are on
HRT also take progesterone with
the estrogen and may have monthly
withdrawal bleeding. Again, this is
a normal side effect that usually
does not require treatment.

Postmenopausal bleeding due to
bleeding of the vagina or vulva can
be treated with local application of
estrogen or HRT.

When diagnosis indicates cancer,
some form of surgery is required.
The uterus, cervix, ovaries, and
fallopian tubes may all be removed
depending on the type and location
of the cancer. If the problem is es-
trogen- or androgen-producing tu-
mors elsewhere in the body, these
must also be surgically removed.
Postmenopausal bleeding that is
not due to cancer and cannot be
controlled by any other treatment
usually requires a hysterectomy.

Prognosis

Response to treatment for post-
menopausal bleeding is highly indi-
vidual and is not easy to predict.
The out-come depends largely on
the reason for the bleeding. Many
women are successfully treated
with hormones. As a last resort,
hysterectomy removes the source of
the problem by removing the
uterus. The prognosis for women
who have various kinds of repro-
ductive cancer varies with the type
of cancer and the stage at which
the cancer is diagnosed.

The G.I.S. is encouraging the
community to participate in
the shedding light radio pro-
gramme on March 3rd 2010. The
discussion is about Winair policies
and the effects it has on Statia!


THE INFORMER


PAGE 14







VOLUME I, ISSUE 6


St. Eustatius- The Director of Tour-
ism Ms Alida Francis has taken a
one year leave of Absence to take on
the new challenge at the Regional
Service Center as Communication
Advisor. We congratulate her on
this new opportunity that she
has undertaken. The key persons
(Department heads) in Government
who worked near Lady Francis
knows that she has a dynamic per-
sonality. Her over all contribution to
general discussions at meetings or
workshop will surely be missed.
She is a no nonsense person who at
all times try to give an objective
view of what ever she undertakes.
She never allows friendship with
anyone influence her decisions or
opinion and or advise on a particu-
lar matter. Although she issued a
press release informing the public of
her departure and noted a number
of accomplishments in the commu-
nity, we noticed that she was mod-


est identifying all the areas where
she contributed her effort and time
towards the betterment of young peo-
ple growing up in Statia. She taught
children on the secondary level how
to speak in public, how to dress when
going on the job training and much
more. She has focused many years on
preparing young Statians to Repre-
sent Statia in the Miss Teenage,
Miss Toursim Nectar, the local Car-
nival Queen show and the list goes
on. Lady Alida Francis is truly a
skillful person. She grabs each oppor-
tunity to upgrade in areas where she
see possibilities of improving a par-
ticular standard on the island. For
example event management. We all
recall the annual G.E.BE new years
party, especially the last one which
was according to the feedback of the
community one of her best work. Al-
though she enjoy doing all these dif-
ferent activities, she assured the
community of Statia that her com-


Lady Alida Francis


mitment continues to the youth of
Statia and she will remain involved
in education.


Continued from page 5
WINAIR POLICIES AND IT'S EFFECT ON THE COMMUNITY OF STATIA


Winair rightfully introduced a fuel
charge on top of their price. The fuel
price should be seen as an exception
simply because this was unforeseen
circumstances. In the mean time the
oil market has stabilize, yet the fuel
charges remain. The interviewer
was of the opinion that government
should not be in the airline business
because you get a lot of these unfair
charges that are blatantly passed on
to the consumer. The second part is
that the airlines are protected from
competition. The consumer has no
where to turn because there is no
alternative in the form of a second
airline. He went on to highlight an
example of another government
owned company. G.E.B.E has a fuel
charge in their billing system that
when the price of fuel fluctuate it is
automatically passed on to the con-
sumer. Many see this as an unfair
charge to the customer because
when the oil prices are high, GEBE
tends to make a tremendous profit.
An objective Statian indicated that
the rules that apply at Winair to
check inn at least one hour prior to


departure time, is simply to give the
dispatcher time to formulate the
weight and balance of the cargo for
the pilot. Often times persons may
come to the check inn late and get
upset when a reaction is given from
Winair personnel the "the flight is
close" although the aircraft may
not yet arrived. Many people are
slowly understanding that time is
significant. However, Winair has a
time problem. Let us take St.
Maarten as the island of departure.,
where passengers are advised to
check in 1-2 hours before depar-
ture time and are advised to be at
the gate 30 minutes before time of
departure. Then you reach to the
hall to realize that the aircraft al-
ready departed. Conclusion Winair
leaves earlier than the schedule
time. Although many may agree
that the last months Winair has
been very much on time but the ex-
perience that Statians and other
Caribbean passengers have to en-
dure when the flight is called, pas-
sengers have to stand or sit on a
step for sometimes up to 10-15


minutes before they are really escorted
to the aircraft. This is not experience
as customer friendly, people complain
but no change is seen in attitude of
this airline.

What is really effecting the community
of Statia as a result of the high cost
involved for tickets. The island will
become more isolated, while we are
promoting this island as a tourism
destination. People travel from the
Netherlands on KLM with many bags
and are confronted with the high cost
at the counter of Winair. Families
would not be able to travel with their
entire family for a long weekend to St.
Maarten as a result of the high cost;
People may end up seeking an alterna-
tive like boat transportation which is
less expensive but a longer travel. Peo-
ple in Holland have an options to
travel by bus, train, plain car to go to
another destination. It is relatively
cheaper to travel to the Netherlands,
than in the Caribbean. Some people
talk about a strike on Winair while
others were not willing to organize a
boat charter to St. Maarten.


THE INFORMER


PAGE 15






PAGE 16


VOLUME I, ISSUE 6 i nc rINr-.x

JOB OPPORTUNITIES



TOURISM
DEVELOPMENT
FOUNDATION
Netherlands Antilles




STDF seeking a Public Relations Officer (PRO):
In order to strengthen the promotion and communication brand "The St Eustatius
Tourism Development Foundation is currently looking for a Public Relations Officer
(PRO)

Job Description.
The PRO will be responsible for the public relations sector. The responsibility for this
function will include:
Development of core messages based on the present conditions and priorities.
Elaboration of the communication strategy and the ways to effectively achieve
the set up goals.
Cooperate in the establishment of a network locally, regionally and
internationally.
Present activities and practical examples of this function are:
Managing of the foundation's website
Coordinating the issue of a quarterly newsletter (electronic format)
Organization and coordination of events
Maintaining and developing contacts with specialized press

+

Profile:
The successful candidate is required to be:
Open-minded, with strong interpersonal and communication skills (written and
verbal)
Ability to work with professionals in an international and multicultural environment
Flexibility, ability to work autonomously on own initiative, and to cope with stress
and deadlines
Excellent organizational and multi-tasking skills
Excellent written and verbal communication skills- fluent spoken and written
English is essential. Knowledge of the Dutch is an advantage.
Communications, Public Relations, Marketing or a similar background and two
years experience in the related area.





Fort Oranje, Oranjcstad. St. Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles. The Caribbean
Tel 599-318-2433 / 318-2107 Fax: 599-3182433
E-mail: euxtour@goldmrocok.net Website: www.statiatourism.com

Job opportunity continue on page 17


ORMER






VOLUME I, ISSUE 6


Job opportunity continue from page 16


TOURISM
DEVELOPMENT
FOUNDATION
Netherlands Antilles




Core tasks

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the St Eustatius Tourism Development
Foundation will work in-house. The role is very varied. Core tasks involve:

planning, developing and implementing PR strategies;
liaising with colleagues, stakeholders and key spokespeople;
liaising with and answering enquiries from local, regional and international media,
individuals and other organizations, often via telephone and email;
researching, writing and distributing press releases to targeted media;
collating and analyzing media coverage;
writing and editing in-house newsletter, case studies, speeches, articles and
annual reports;
preparing and supervising the production of publicity brochures, handouts, direct
mall leaflets, promotional videos, photographs, films and multimedia programmes;
devising and coordinating photo opportunities;
organizing events including press conferences, exhibitions, open days, press tours
and special events;
maintaining and updating information on www.statiatourism.com and the Statia
tourism BlogSpot
sourcing and managing speaking and sponsorship opportunities;
commissioning market research;
-. fostering community relations through events such as open days and through
involvement in community initiatives;
Managing the PR aspect of a potential crisis situation.

Offer
Challenging position and flexibility

Conditions of employment
Full-time position, starting Tuesday, May 1*, 2010

Application
Please apply by e-mail with Curriculum Vitae and motivation letter to
President of the Board, Mr. Julian Woodley infoastatiatourism.com
Deadline for.application is Friday, February 26th, 2010


Fort Oranjc, Oranjcstad, SL Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles, Th Caribbean
Tel: 599-318-2433 1318-2107 Fax: 599-3182433
E-,mai: euxtour@goldenrock.net Website: www.staliatourism.com


THE INFORMER


PAGE 17




































SHEDDING LIGHT


Join us weekly on Wednes-
day morning, at 9 Am sharp,
on the Government radio
programme Shedding
Light, for a day of self dis-
covery, sharing information,
reviewing developments in
our community, questioning
our elected officials about
important issues. If you
have ideas, suggestions con-
tact the host, Malvern on
318 2745 or email
malvern. gis@statiagovernment .com

Please put your suggestions
or opinions in the GIS idea
box at our office at Princess.


Honour where
Honour is due

We encourage Statians and
residents alike to submit
names of persons in the com-
munity that do exceptional or
outstanding services in the
community. If you want to
nominate someone for a Royal
Decoration it is advisable to
contact the Decoration Com-
mittee for relevant island terri-
tory or the cabinet of the Lieu-
tenant Governor. They will in-
form you whether the services
rendered by the nominee are
exceptional or outstanding
enough to warrant a Royal
Decoration. They will explain
you exactly what you need to
do, once you have collected the
necessary information.
Tel.nr.: 318-2552Fax.318 2324


Weekly Press Conferences


The Government informa-
tion Service is hosting
weekly press conferences at
the V.A. Lopes legislative
Hall. These sessions will be
held every Tuesday from
9.30- 10.00 am .We encour-
age all the media to partici-
pate in these session.

GOODNESS IS THE ONLY
INVESTMENT THAT NEVER
FAILS!!!

We apologize that we were
not able to host our weekly
press conferences for the
last few weeks due to the
absence of our local repre-
sentatives. Thanks for pa-
tience.


The Informer, is the St. Eustatius Gov-
ernment Information Bulletin
It is a monthly publication of the Island
Territory of St. Eustatius. The objective
is to inform residents of St. Eustatius
about the developments that are taking
place within Government and social
matters on the island.

Published by M.A. Lopes Chief Public
Relations for the Island Territory of St.
Eustatius Kennep Rd. z/n, Princes Gar-
den, St. Eustatius, Neth. Ant.
Telephone:599-318-2745
Fax: 599-318-2084
Email: gis@statiagovernment.com
Malvern.gis@statiagovernment.com
Layout by D. Simmons
Queries should be directed to the Office
of the Lt. Governor, Mr. Gerald Berkel,
under which he has the responsibility
of Bureau Kabinet, St. Eustatius.
Tel: 318 -2552 Fax: 318-2324


THE GREATEST GIFT WE CAN GIVE TO OTHERS
IS A GOOD EXAMPLE!

PAGE 1

Volume 1, Issue 6 THE INFORMER The Golden Rock School held the theme communication for one month. During this period the children went on a number of fieldtrips to the local telephone company, the post office an d the office and studio of the Government Information Service. In an interview with the principal of the Golden Rock school, Mrs. Deborah Clarke Brown we learned that it is customary at the Golden Rock School to have a monthly theme. She explained to the GIS the activi ties undertaken by the youngsters at school. They talked elaborately about communication, what it means, how important it is and the different form of medium used to communicate. This discussion has taken place in all the class rooms. The children wrote letters to each other and visited the post office to experience the process of mailing a letter. The teachers of Cycle one sent letters COMMUNICATION, THE THEME AT THE GOLDEN ROCK SCHOOL Field trip to the Government information Service FEBRUARY ISSUE , 2010 Fieldtrip by Golden Rock School 1,8,12 Health Care issues 2+14 Dualism 4-7 Winair 5 Dutch Inspectorate on Fact Finding Mission in Statia 11 Dutch Government donates school Books to Primary schools 9 +13 Fotos of events 8,10, 12 Inside this issue: INFORMATION BULLETIN OF THE ISLAND GOVERNMENT OF ST. EUSTATIUS to their pupils so that they would get a clear understanding of sending and receiving correspondence through the post office. The children were welcomed by the staff of the post office and received detailed information how the process works. (photos of the various sights are available on page 8). The children of Cycle 1 group 1 and 2 visited the Government Information Service. They got first hand experience on the Shedding Light Radio programme at the Statia Radio Station. The chief of the G.I.S.

PAGE 2

THE INFORMER In our regular interview for this newsletter, Dr. Sharda Baboe-Kalpoe acknowledged the importance of educating the community on medical issues that are affecting this community. She choose female health because it is an important health care issue. The topic for this month is Postmenopausal Bleeding. The first question that comes to mind is What is Post Menopausal Bleeding? Definition Postmenopausal bleeding is bleeding from the reproductive system that occurs six months or more after menstrual periods have stopped due to menopause . Description Menopause, the end of ovulation and menstrual periods, naturally occurs for most women at age 45–55 years. The process of ending ovulation and menstruation (perimenopause) is gradual, spanning one to two years or more, due to shifts in hormone levels. Postmenopausal bleeding is bleeding that occurs after menopause has been established for at least six months. It is different from infrequent, irregular periods (oligomenorrhea) that occur around the time of menopause. Many women experience some postmenopausal bleeding. However, postmenopausal bleeding is not normal . Because it can be a symptom of a serious medical condition, any episode of postmenopausal bleeding should be brought to the attention of a (woman's) doctor. ductive system. Bleeding from the vagina may occur because when estrogen secretion stops, the vagina dries out and can diminish (atrophy). This is the most common cause of bleeding from the lower reproductive tract. Lesions and cracks on the vulva may also bleed. Sometimes bleeding occurs after intercourse. Bleeding can occur with or without an associated infection. Bleeding from the upper reproductive system can be caused by: hormone replacements endometrial cancer endometrial polyps cervical cancer cervical lesions uterine tumors ovarian cancer estrogen-secreting tumors in other parts of the body The most common cause of postmenopausal bleeding is HRT. The estrogen in the replacement therapy eases the symptoms of menopause (like hot flashes), and decreases the risk of osteoporosis . (continue on page 14) POSTMENOPAUSAL BLEEDING PAGE 2 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 During perimenopause, changes in menstrual bleeding are common. During a normal menstrual cycle, the levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone increase and decrease in a regular pattern . Ovulation occurs in the middle of the cycle, and menstruation occurs about 2 weeks later. During perimenopause, hormone levels may not follow this regular pattern. As a result, you may have irregular bleeding or spotting. Some months, your period may be longer and heavier. Other months, it may be shorter and lighter. The number of days between periods may increase or decrease. You may begin to skip periods. Although these changes are normal in perimenopause, abnormal bleeding sometimes can signal a problem not related to perimenopause. A good rule to follow is to tell your doctor if you notice any of the following changes in your monthly cycle: Very heavy bleeding Bleeding that lasts longer than normal Bleeding that occurs more often than every 3 weeks Bleeding that occurs after sex or between periods Women taking estrogen (called hormone replacement therapy or HRT ) are more likely to experience postmenopausal bleeding. So are obese women, because fat cells transform male hormones (androgens) secreted by the adrenal gland into estrogen. Causes and symptoms Postmenopausal bleeding can originate in different parts of the repro-Monthly Health updates with Dr. Sharda Baboe-Kalpoe.

PAGE 3

THE INFORMER PAGE 3 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 Peter van Dongen bids farewell sters brought it simple in their own words it was crystal clear that they had worked at school on this theme because they were knowledge able of the subject. After the radio interview they visited the office and studio of GIS where they gathered additional information on th e subject. The camera men, Mr. Michael Spanner and Dwight Barran translated their work on the level of the youngsters so that they understand what their job entailed. Mrs. Mercedes Lopes-Spanner shared with the children the importance of having good manners and being ambassadors for their island. She explained her field of work and was assisted by Ms. Nadjeska Jack who took ph otos of all the (Government Information Service), Head Mrs. Malvern Dijkshoorn-Lopes was happy to introduce the future leaders to the community through the radio programme. The children talked on the radio about the theme communication. Most of them were familiar with the different methods used like chatting on the computer, talking by phone, using the newspaper, radio, television, sign language, one on one talks while playing, and they went on to explain why itÂ’s important to be able to have clear communication. They expressed the importance of the receiver understanding the message sent by the sender. Although the youngchildren while they visited the different offices within the Department of GIS. Mr. Peter van Dongen came to St. Eustatius in September 2009 to assist Mr. Willem Sanderse for a half year in several areas in the transition of Statia for 10/10/10. This support is in the best interest of the Executive Council, the Island Secretary and the Civil Servants. Although this was his first trip to Statia, he is familiar with Curacao and Bonaire since he resided in Aruba in the past. He worked with pleasure with the civil servants and accomplished set goals with the necessary humor. He focused specifically on the job ranking process. This process is ongoing for 12 years, but on November 30th 2009 the Executive Council of St. Eustatius made a decision on this process. Mr. Van Dongen was the Chair of the Objection Committee. In this period Department Heads created a department plan. A trainings programme for 2010 has been approved of which the initial trainings are presently conducted. In cooperation with the Personnel and Organization Mr. van Dongen assisted with the establishment of a Quick Scan for departments like Public Health and physical Planning and Development. He supported the management team with important topics. Presently a project is underway to get a person to full the position of Head of Economic Affairs. He was able to give the assignment to the committee for garbage process to create a tangible plan. He is happy to have been able to contribute towards all these plans that will benefit the Government of St. Eustatius. Special thanks for everyone's cooperation. The VNG administration paid a visit to St. Eustatius and met with a number of civil servants. They explained about the opportunities for civil servants to do training in the Netherlands and for Dutch experts to come to the islands. This programme if fully financed by the VNG. VNG delegation with a few Department Heads (Continued from page 1) Field trip to the Government Information Service

PAGE 4

the floor were: What does dualism mean for civil servants, or what effect will it have for civil servants? What does one wish to accomplish with the implementation of dualism? Will the island government be able to make adjustments in areas where dualism does not benefit the island when looking at the scale and population? How was the implementation of Dualism experienced in small municipalities in the Netherla nds? Mr Schoop explained that Dualism should strengthen the position of the island council and the council should operate more as a Representative of the people. When dualism is implemented we will have three official functions: Griffier; Ombudsman and a Government audit office. To clearly understand the Dualism concept, we first need to know the cause for its introduction. Why was Dualism introduced? It was introduced for the simple reason of trying to get politicians and citizens closer together. To make the local administration more transparent. When the Island Council and Executive Council is separated as a result of dualism, it will lead to the following division of responsibilities. THE ISLAND COUNCIL Representative of the people Determine the framework for policies Control: supervise the execution of his decisions. ( continue on page 7 ) THE INFORMER The Island Council which is the highest legislative body on St. Eustatius is made up of five members. These members are: Mr. Reginald Zaandam; Mr. Roy Hooker, Mr. Clyde van Putten; Ms. Adelca Spanner and Mr. Julian Woodely. They were in attendance along with the Act. Lt. Governor Mr. Gerald Berkel and a few Department Heads to the workshop on Dualism held at the conference room at the Department of Education. The representatives of VNG focused a part of the content of their presentation partially on three components: 1) to arrange work placement for a training period; 2) send out experts to support departments in areas where they may not have sufficient human resources and knowledge in a particular field;3) to arrange study visits. The Dutch delegation comprised of: Ms. Famke Kweekel; Mr. Nico Schoop; Ms. Marieke Verhoeven; and Mr. Gilbert Isabella. Mr. Nico Schoop was responsible for the presentation regarding Dualism. The participants got the opportunity to introduce themselves after which each person had to indicate what they wanted to know about dualism. The questi ons that came to tice competency-based teaching and learning in cooperation with their colleagues. They will experience firsthand that the training is built around individual teacherÂ’s learning needs. Through the assignment they will discover that learners can learn constructively if you give them adequate opportunities combined ( Continue op page 5) PAGE 4 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 THE DUTCH ASSOCIATION FOR MUNICIPALITIES (VNG) GIVES WORKSHOP ON DUALISM Recently the Scep (Social compulsory Education Programme) held a training for teachers and students separately. The overall goal of the training was to equip teachers for competency-based teaching and guidance of the youngsters participating in the mandatory social education programme. The teachers were given the opportunity to pracSOCIAL COMPULSORY EDUCATION PROGRAMME HOSTING TRAININGS Photo by Ms. Nadjeska Jack

PAGE 5

THE INFORMER PAGE 5 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 Continued from page 4 SOCIAL COMPULSORY PROGRAMME presently contributing in a large and positive way in our community. The significance of being in shape as a people was highlighted to emphasize the benefits of having a good health. All these sections were discussed with the young people by persons like Mrs. Christina Timber-Glover; Mr. Granville Hassell; Mr. Luke Blair; Mr. Rob de Waal With a learning to learn approach. In the training they demonstrated how to do that and teach them the necessary skills. And last but not least the teachers learned goals are hinged in real life problems are much more likely to motivate students than traditional goals from the textbook ( photos of the workshop can be seen on page 10). There were a number of teachers like Mr. Derrick Simmons; Mrs. Joyce Weijshacker; Ms. Minerva Pantophlet, Mr. & Mrs. Van Engel; Ms. Versely Courtar; Ms. Raquel Carty; Mr. Brian Carty; Mrs. Ruth Pandt; Ms. Shaminda Gibbs; Ms. Holleband and Mrs. Samuel who participated in the workshop. Although we were not able to interview all the teachers to get a picture of what their expectation was prior to the session. However, we draw the conclusion that the workshop was well received and the teachers seemed satisfied during the workshop which was filmed. Not only teachers were trained, but the students at the second chance education were given the opportunity to participate one day in training which was prepared to meet their needs. A number of topics were selected which the students can relate to, such as dress code when going to a job interview; sexual education; gender issues with regards to battered and abused women; individuals who were drug addicts and with rehabilitation are WINAIR NEW POLICIES AND THE EFFECTS ON THE COMMUNITY OF STATIA Other individuals with whom the GIS have talked shared the views that they believe that Winair have bend the rules (of International Civil Aviation which is the European system to the American FAA system) over the years to meet the needs of the people of these islands. Many interviewers shared different views. An individual informed GIS that every company should have a year plan (and Winair is no exception) what the cost will be per year. What ever Winair is selling suppose to cover the cost of their operations. All the extra fees should be included upfront in the Year Plan. It shouldn’t be changed every time they see fit, this means that management doesn’t have any vision what is happening in their organization. The example was shared of a couple of years ago when the market price for oil increased tremendously, (continue on page 15) St. Eustatius— Winair is the air transportation between the Dutch islands in the Eastern Caribbean Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten. They also fly to other destinations in the direct surroundings. Winair was initially established by a private entity before the Central Government purchased all the shares. It is the main mean of transportation between the SSS islands (Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten). There has been a number of new policies set by this airline, like the baggage policy which stated one check inn– piece of luggage should not weigh more than 23 kg.; previously passengers could travel with more than one piece of luggage as long as it all totaled 20 kg; the airfare increase a 2nd and third time, but Winair does not consider it as an increase on there side because the Princess Juliana International Airport charge the airline a number of fees, like for example transfer fee (all airlines making use of the PJIA (Princess Juliana International Airport need to pay this fee); screening fee; and the introduction of a service fee which was added on top of the ticket. Many of these fees which are included into the ticket in return have to be repaid back to the airport. Today, passengers are confronted with the weighing of hand luggage, which should weigh no more than 3 kg. In the past passengers were not hassled with hand luggage policy. Presently Winair introduced a new policy which according to them is from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) which according to Winair confirmed that a flight may not carry more that 16 Persons. In the past Winair use to carry 20 passengers, it dropped to 19 passengers and now down to 16 passengers. Many people are angry, irritated, and upset that Government is not giving an explanation with regard to all these changes. Many persons in the community are questioning: What Winair policies are based on.

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TAX INFORMATION Information Center of Taxes Sint Eustatius . PAGE 6 THE INFORMER VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 Assistance in payment of your tax arrears Over the last period of months many citizens of Statia have received assessments regarding to back/ outstanding taxes. (Income tax, Turnover tax, Wage tax and Profit tax.) In cases where it is not possible for you to pay the taxes within the stipulated period of time, we urge you to get in contact with us at the information center. We will then make an appointment where we will consider, along with you, what is the best way to pay the outstanding taxes. The Island Government of St. Eustatius, through the Planning Bureau is inviting the entire community to a Town Hall Meeting about the Development Plan for St. Eustatius. Date: March 15th 2010 Time: at 7.30 pm Location: Lions Den The consultant bureau RBOI will present the Draft Strategic Development Plan. The group hopes to come to a conclusion of the options presented on December 1’09 when they presented the preliminary findings. We can help you if you contact us. INSPECTORATE OF TAXES WINDWARD ISLANDS INFORMATION CENTER ST.EUSTATIUS H.M.Queen Beatrixstreet ( former GEBE office ) Oranjestad St.Eustatius Tel:3183325/26 Fax:3183327 email-address: informationcenter@taxes-windward.com Thursday March 4th from 15.00-20.00 will be the grand opening of the campaign “STATIA in SHAPE” On behalf of the Sport Department we invite you to this great festival at the Community Center & Sportcomplex . Healthy food / drinks (special reduced prices) as well as entertainment (Kids Playground – Demonstrations – Music) and inform ation will be served in a nice ambiance. ENTRANCE FREE! Further information and program will be available end of this week! Best regards, Rob de Waal (Head of Sport Department) NOTICE The Island Government Department of Personnel and Organization acknowledges that an error has been made when identifying a member of staff in the New Years message as Lena Peter which should have been Lena Courtar. We apologize for this error. Mrs. Florence Marlin Head Personnel & Organization Kerkweg St. Eustatius Tel.nr.: 599 318 2931 Fax 318 –3391 NOTICE The community of St. Eustatius is encouraged to come out every Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday nights in the support of the different male and female volleyball teams. The location is at Lord Gene Sport Complex . The match starts at 7.30 PM Lets be supportive and involved in the local sport events. Government Information Service Mrs. Malvern Dijkshoorn-Lopes

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THE INFORMER The administrative function will be separated from the control function so that it becomes clear who is doing what PAGE 7 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 GOAL/OBJECTIVE METHOD Continuation from page 4 Dualism workshop by Dutch Association of Municipality ment. Audit Office (Rekenkamer) is a strengthening control factor of the Island Council. An important topic was the discussion of the WOLBES which offers the opportunity in a specific article to make exceptions for civil servants to become Island Council Members. Statia is a supporter of this exception based on the scale and the limitations of attracting Island Council Members. In our present structure civil servants who are island council members acquire the status of ambulatory . Other questions of concern were whether persons employed in the private sector, if these persons can also become commissioners. Comparisons were made of the council allowance of for example Schiermonikoog and Ameland (islands that are a part of Holland) which is 200 euos. These islands do not have the services of an airport, harbor or hospital while these services are available on Statia. As a result of these factors the government is of the opinion that the present allowance should remain as is. The workshop was overall positive and informative for the Island Council Members and those that were given the opportunity to participate. THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL: Governs and Manages Gives accountability regarding the execution of his policies Below in the table is a clear view of what the new function of the Island Council should be. This is where they need to work to. WHAT ARE THE NEW FUCTIONS IN THE DUALISM? There are three new functions: Griffier: something like a secretary: This person is on a certain level and will be fully responsible for setting the agenda for the Island Council and preparing everything with regard for the Island Council. Ombudsman: A person who is there to manage conflict situations of individuals with governThe local politics must become more transparent The council sets the outline: the execution of policy is the responsibility of the Executive Council There needs to be more political discussion in the Island Council The island Council needs to research what concerns are of the local community and put it on the council agenda. The Island Council needs to function more like a representative of the people

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THE INFORMER PAGE 8 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6

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DUTCH GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TO IMPROVING EDUCATION ON STAT IA PAGE 9 THE INFORMER VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 The Quarter Maker of Education Culture and Science, Ms. Fleur Lagcher visited two elementary schools, to present them with books to improve the education at the respective schools. She was welcomed at Golden Rock and Governor de Graaff school by the principals, Mrs. Debbie Clarke-Brown and Mr. Floyd Woodley. The commissioner of education, Mr. Roy Hooker was present at both schools and thanked Ms. Lagcher on behalf of the Island Government, School Board and the children of Statia. The idea is to improve the educational system on the island by presenting the new school books and material which form part of the School Improvement Plan financed by the Dutch. In an interview with the GI.S. the Quarter Maker of education, Ms. Lagcher referred back to the Dutch Inspection which evaluated the education on Bonaire Saba and Statia. We are all aware of the negative results which initiated this assistance from the Dutch Government. The children were very exited during the presentation of these new books.

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TEACHERS ACQUIRING ADDITIONAL SKILLS IN WORKSHOP BY SCEP PAGE 10 THE INFORMER VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6

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PAGE 11 THE INFORMER VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 where International agreements are made with regard to air traffic. One hundred and forty six (146) countries are represented in the I.C.A.O . A very important point in the memo was the relocation of the terminal building, further from the landing strip for safety regulation. Because a lot of cost is involved a time frame could not be given. With the new development in the Netherlands surrounding the fall of the Dutch government may have serious implications for this project. Many question whether these projects will go on the backburner even after a new Government is formed in the Netherlands. The Government Information Service learned in an interview with the Planning Bureau that Mr. Ton Franssen from the Netherlands visited the island again on January 28th 2010 to follow up on issues with regard to airport development. The Planning Bureau prepared a memo for the development of the airport which was discussed with the airport manager, Mr. Ellis Schmidt; Mr. Ton Franssen, The Planning Bureau and the Executive Council. All parties agreed with the content of the memo. The discussions were about the I.C.A.O ( International Civil Aviation Organization ). The I.C.A.O. promotes understanding and security cooperative aviation regulation. This organization I.C.A.O is a part of the United Nations. ItÂ’s an organization CONSENSUS REACHED ON AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT DUTCH INSPECTORATE VISIT STATIA ON FACT FINDING MISSION EUTEL EVOLVING through various departments like : Mr. Esmond Hook of Drob, Mrs. Carol Jack-Roosberg of Public Health; Mr. Cedric Lijfrock of Domain, Mrs. Nicole Esteban of Stenapa, Ms. Brenda van Putten of the Department of Education and Siem Dijkshoorn of the Planning Bureau. The civil servants got the opportunity to indicate two areas of priorities on Statia so that the Inspectors can investigate how these inspectorate can be implemented efficiently and effectively. The priorities noted in range of importance from top to bottom were: 1) Education, 2) Environment,3) Social Issues such as teenage pregnancy and school drop outs, 4) Spatial Development. Besides the discussions of the priority areas they also talked about the gradual introduction of Inspectors to the island. The local telephone company Eutel is presently under going some positive changes. The company hired IMC to do research and marketing communication project for the company. The company responsible for marketing, held itÂ’s first session with the press on January 29th 2010 at the library. The company is presently in the process of distributing a questionnaire so that members of the community can complete this form as honest as possible, in this way the IMC can get a clear picture of what you want to see change and or improve at Eutel. In the process this company IMC will enter your living rooms in different forms, like by t.v.Â’ telephone, flyers or through a representative to get an idea how you think the new emblem of the company should look. The idea is to create a new image for the com-pany by the people of Statia. We encourage you to participate in the proces The Inspector General of the Dutch VROM Ministry, also chairman of the umbrella organization of Inspectors General of the various ministries, Mr. Harry Paul ,visited St. Eustatius on February 10th 2010 accompanied by colleague Mr. Stef Strik and Mr. Manfred Beckman. They participated in a workshop concerning Inspectorates in the broadest sense of the word. The purpose of the workshop was to look and see how many Inspectorates are needed on St. Eustatius and how they can be combined. The Netherlands has many Inspectorates for almost every field or area, they have approximately 40 Inspectorates. Looking at the scale of the island and population the Inspector talked with the local group about finding workable solutions for Inspectors on Statia. The island Government was represented From left to right; Mr. Ellis Schmidt, Mr. Maldwyn Timber and Mr. Ton Franssen

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Sometimes this supplemental estrogen stimulates the uterine lining (endometrium) to grow. When the lining is shed, postmenopausal bleeding occurs. Most women on HRT usually take the hormone progesterone with the estrogen, and may have monthly withdrawal bleeding. This is a normal side effect. About 5–10% of postmenopausal bleeding is due to endometrial cancer or its precursors. Uterine hyperplasia , the abnormal growth of uterine cells, can be a precursor to cancer. Endometrial Hyperplasia In this condition, the lining of the uterus thickens. Endometrial hyperplasia can cause irregular or heavy bleeding. In some cases of endometrial hyperplasia, the cells of the lining become abnormal. This condition, called atypical hyperplasia, can lead to cancer of the uterus. Endometrial hyperplasia most often is caused by excess estrogen without enough progesterone. Diagnosis and treatment of endometrial hyperplasia allows for prevention of the most common form of endometrial cancer. Polyps Polyps usually are noncancerous growths that develop from tissue similar to the endometrium , the tissue that lines the inside of the uterus . They either attach to the uterine wall or develop on the endometrial surface. They may cause irregular or heavy bleeding. Polyps also can grow on the cervix or inside the cervical canal. These polyps may cause bleeding after sex. Diagnosis Diagnosis of postmenopausal bleeding begins with the patient. The doctor will ask for a detailed history of how long postmenopausal bleeddefinitive test for diagnosing uterine cancer . Treatment It is common for women just beginning HRT to experience some bleeding. Most women who are on HRT also take progesterone with the estrogen and may have monthly withdrawal bleeding. Again, this is a normal side effect that usually does not require treatment. Postmenopausal bleeding due to bleeding of the vagina or vulva can be treated with local application of estrogen or HRT. When diagnosis indicates cancer, some form of surgery is required. The uterus, cervix, ovaries, and fallopian tubes may all be removed depending on the type and location of the cancer. If the problem is estrogenor androgen-producing tumors elsewhere in the body, these must also be surgically removed. Postmenopausal bleeding that is not due to cancer and cannot be controlled by any other treatment usually requires a hysterectomy . Prognosis Response to treatment for postmenopausal bleeding is highly individual and is not easy to predict. The out-come depends largely on the reason for the bleeding. Many women are successfully treated with hormones. As a last resort, hysterectomy removes the source of the problem by removing the uterus. The prognosis for women who have various kinds of reproductive cancer varies with the type of cancer and the stage at which the cancer is diagnosed. Continued from page 2 Postmenopausal Bleeding ing has occurred. A woman can assist the doctor by keeping a record of the time, frequency, length, and quantity of bleeding. She should also tell the doctor about any medications she is taking, especially any estrogens or steroids. After taking the woman's history, the doctor does a pelvic examination and PAP test . The doctor will examine the vulva and vagina for any signs of atrophy, and will feel for any sign of uterine polyps. Depending on the results of this examination, the doctor may want to do more extensive testing. Invasive diagnostic procedures Endometrial biopsy allows the doctor to sample small areas of the uterine lining, while cervical biopsy allows the cervix to be sampled. Tissues are then examined for any abnormalities. Dilatation and curettage (D & C) is often necessary for definitive diagnosis. This is done under either general or local anesthesia. After examining the tissues collected by an endometrial biopsy or D & C, the doctor may order additional tests to determine if an estrogensecreting tumor is present on the ovaries or in another part of the body. Non-invasive diagnostic procedures Vaginal ultrasound measures the thickness of the endometrium. When the endometrial stripe is less than 0.2 in (5 mm) thick, the chance of cancer is less than 1%. The disadvantage of vaginal ultrasound is that it often does not show polyps and fibroids in the uterus. A refinement of vaginal probe ultrasound is saline infusion sonography (SIS). A salt water (saline) solution is injected into the uterus with a small tube (catheter) before the vaginal probe is inserted. The presence of liquid in the uterus helps make any structural abnormalities more distinct. These two non-invasive procedures cause less discomfort than endometrial biopsies and D & Cs, but D & C still remains the PAGE 14 THE INFORMER VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 The G.I.S. is encouraging the community to participate in the shedding light radio programme on March 3rd 2010. The discussion is about Winair policies and the effects it has on Statia!

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minutes before they are really escorted to the aircraft. This is not experience as customer friendly, people complain but no change is seen in attitude of this airline. What is really effecting the community of Statia as a result of the high cost involved for tickets. The island will become more isolated, while we are promoting this island as a tourism destination. People travel from the Netherlands on KLM with many bags and are confronted with the high cost at the counter of Winair. Families would not be able to travel with their entire family for a long weekend to St. Maarten as a result of the high cost; People may end up seeking an alternative like boat transportation which is less expensive but a longer travel. People in Holland have an options to travel by bus, train, plain car to go to another destination. It is relatively cheaper to travel to the Netherlands, than in the Caribbean. Some people talk about a strike on Winair while others were not willing to organize a boat charter to St. Maarten. PAGE 15 THE INFORMER VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 departure time, is simply to give the dispatcher time to formulate the weight and balance of the cargo for the pilot. Often times persons may come to the check inn late and get upset when a reaction is given from Winair personnel the “the flight is close” although the aircraft may not yet arrived. Many people are slowly understanding that time is significant. However, Winair has a time problem. Let us take St. Maarten as the island of departure., where passengers are advised to check in 1—2 hours before departure time and are advised to be at the gate 30 minutes before time of departure. Then you reach to the hall to realize that the aircraft already departed. Conclusion Winair leaves earlier than the schedule time. Although many may agree that the last months Winair has been very much on time but the experience that Statians and other Caribbean passengers have to endure when the flight is called, passengers have to stand or sit on a step for sometimes up to 10—15 Winair rightfully introduced a fuel charge on top of their price. The fuel price should be seen as an exception simply because this was unforeseen circumstances. In the mean time the oil market has stabilize, yet the fuel charges remain. The interviewer was of the opinion that government should not be in the airline business because you get a lot of these unfair charges that are blatantly passed on to the consumer. The second part is that the airlines are protected from competition. The consumer has no where to turn because there is no alternative in the form of a second airline. He went on to highlight an example of another government owned company. G.E.B.E has a fuel charge in their billing system that when the price of fuel fluctuate it is automatically passed on to the consumer. Many see this as an unfair charge to the customer because when the oil prices are high, GEBE tends to make a tremendous profit. An objective Statian indicated that the rules that apply at Winair to check inn at least one hour prior to Continued from page 5 WINAIR POLICIES AND IT’S EFFECT ON THE COMMUNITY OF STATIA St. Eustatius– The Director of Tourism Ms Alida Francis has taken a one year leave of Absence to take on the new challenge at the Regional Service Center as Communication Advisor. We congratulate her on this new opportunity that she has undertaken . The key persons ( Department heads ) in Government who worked near Lady Francis knows that she has a dynamic personality. Her over all contribution to general discussions at meetings or workshop will surely be missed. She is a no nonsense person who at all times try to give an objective view of what ever she undertakes. She never allows friendship with anyone influence her decisions or opinion and or advise on a particular matter. Althou gh she issued a press release informing the public of her departure and noted a number of accomplishments in the community, we noticed that she was modest identifying all the areas where she contributed her effort and time towards the betterment of young people growing up in Statia. She taught children on the secondary level how to speak in public, how to dress when going on the job training and much more. She has focused many years on preparing young Statians to Represent Statia in the Miss Teenage, Miss Toursim Nectar, the local Carnival Queen show and the list goes on. Lady Alida Francis is truly a skillful person. She grabs each opportunity to upgrade in areas where she see possibilities of improving a particular standard on the island. For example event management. We all recall the annual G.E.BE new years party, especially the last one which was according to the feedback of the community one of her best work. Although she enjoy doing all these different activities, she assured the community of Statia that her commitment continues to the youth of Statia and she will remain involved in education. Lady Alida Francis

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PAGE 16 THE INFORMER VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 Job opportunity continue on page 17 JOB OPPORTUNITIES

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PAGE 17 THE INFORMER VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 Job opportunity continue from page 16

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Join us weekly on Wednesday morning, at 9 Am sharp, on the Government radio programme Shedding Light , for a day of self discovery, sharing information, reviewing developments in our community, questioning our elected officials about important issues. If you have ideas, suggestions contact the host, Malvern on 318 2745 or email malvern.gis@statiagovernment.com Please put your suggestions or opinions in the GIS idea box at our office at Princess. The Government information Service is hosting weekly press conferences at the V.A. Lopes legislative Hall. These sessions will be held every Tuesday from 9.30– 10.00 am .We encourage all the media to participate in these session. We apologize that we were not able to host our weekly press conferences for the last few weeks due to the absence of our local representatives. Thanks for patience. The Informer, is the St. Eustatius Government Information Bulletin It is a monthly publication of the Island Territory of St. Eustatius. The objective is to inform residents of St. Eustatius about the developments that are taking place within Government and social matters on the island. Published by M.A. Lopes Chief Public Relations for the Island Territory of St. Eustatius Kennep Rd. z/n, Princes Garden, St. Eustatius, Neth. Ant. Telephone:599-318-2745 Fax: 599-318-2084 Email: gis@statiagovernment.com Malvern.gis@statiagovernment.com Layout by D. Simmons Queries should be dire cted to the Office of the Lt. Governor, Mr. Gerald Berkel, under which he has the responsibility of Bureau Kabinet, St. Eustatius. Tel: 318 –2552 Fax: 318-2324 THE GREATEST GIFT WE CAN GIVE TO OTHERS IS A GOOD EXAMPLE! We encourage Statians and residents alike to submit names of persons in the community that do exceptional or outstanding services in the community. If you want to nominate someone for a Royal Decoration it is advisable to contact the Decoration Committee for relevant island territory or the cabinet of the Lieutenant Governor. They will inform you whether the services rendered by the nominee are exceptional or outstanding enough to warrant a Royal Decoration. They will explain you exactly what you need to do, once you have collected the necessary information. Tel.nr.: 318-2552Fax.318 2324 SHEDDING LIGHT Honour wh ere Weekly Press Conferences Honour is due GOODNESS IS THE ONLY INVESTMENT THAT NEVER FAILS!!!