September 27, 2026 No comments
Suspect Arrested Following Friday Armed Robbery Attempt. Second Suspect Flees
SINT MAARTEN (CUPECOY) - The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) arrested a suspect on Friday, September 25, 2026, in connection with an attempted armed robbery in the Rhine Road area. Police received a report that two persons were approached while walking by two-armed men. The suspects allegedly searched the victims for money. After the victims raised the alarm and began making noise, the suspects fled the area in a vehicle. Police patrols responding to the report observed a vehicle shortly afterward that matched the description provided. The vehicle was followed, and with assistance from other police units, an attempt was made to stop it. The occupants eventually abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot in the Simpson Bay area, in the direction...
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September 25, 2026 No comments
Jetten highlights climate impacts on Caribbean Kingdom at UN
SINT MAARTEN/NEW YORK — Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten told the United Nations General Assembly that Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten have been experiencing the effects of climate change for longer than Western Europe. “Nowhere on earth is the planet warming faster than in Western Europe,” Jetten said in his address to the 81st UN General Assembly on September 24. “But in the Caribbean part of our Kingdom – including the countries of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten – the effects of climate change have already been felt for much longer.” Jetten called for stronger global action on both climate mitigation and adaptation, arguing that countries must accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels while preparing for climate shocks that can no...
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September 25, 2026 No comments
Resilience cannot be taken for granted. Broader foundations required for inclusive growth
SINT MAARTEN/CURACAO - Both Curaçao and Sint Maarten continue to demonstrate resilience, supported primarily by tourism activity and ongoing private investment. The main challenge facing the monetary union is no longer recovery but sustaining growth and strengthening resilience in an increasingly uncertain external environment. The planned phased withdrawal of funds held by the Dutch State at the Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS) will reduce gross official reserves, while import coverage is projected to remain above the three-month benchmark. These are among the key findings of the CBCS Economic Bulletin of September 2026. Safeguarding external stability through sound policies A key priority remains safeguarding external stability. In small and highly open economies, confidence in the peg depends on adequate foreign exchange reserves,...
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September 25, 2026 No comments
Tourism-led growth and fiscal stability underpin the outlook Economic growth remains resilient amid global uncertainty
SINT MAARTEN/CURACAO - In its September 2026 Economic Bulletin, the Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS) expects growth to continue across the monetary union in 2026 and 2027, albeit at a more moderate pace than in recent years. Real GDP in Curaçao is projected to grow by 2.8%, while Sint Maarten’s economy is expected to expand by 3.1% in 2026. While fiscal positions are expected to remain stable, inflation is projected to rise moderately in Curaçao and Sint Maarten, reflecting ongoing external pressures. The outlook remains subject to considerable external uncertainty, including geopolitical tensions, trade fragmentation, and the potential pass-through of higher commodity prices and transportation costs to domestic inflation. A strong start amid shifting external conditions According to the CBCS’s...
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September 25, 2026 No comments
SEDC Launches “AI for Small Business” Program to Strengthen MSME Competitiveness
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The St. Maarten Entrepreneurship Development Center (SEDC) will launch AI for Small Business, a four-week training program designed to help local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) build practical artificial intelligence skills, running October 19 to November 16, 2026, with sessions Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 7:00 - 9:00 PM. SEDC implements the program through the Ministry of TEATT, funded by TWO under the E6 Country Package managed by RVO. SEDC has contracted the services of Ife Badejo to design and deliver AI for Small Business Program. Ife Badejo is one of Sint Maarten’s AI Ambassadors and Founder and CEO of Islandpreneur International. Badejo has trained more than 400 professionals in AI across the Caribbean over...
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