SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) – Lemonade B.V., a new Caribbean startup based in St. Maarten with a mission to unlock the full potential of the cultural and creative industries as a driver for sustainable development has begun work on a groundbreaking cultural practice research project—titled ‘Where Culture Lives.’ The research, to be conducted and completed over the next 10 months, will document and analyze cultural and heritage practices across Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Statia and St. Maarten.

The initiative has been commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW). Lemonade has presented comprehensive project proposals during the bidding process and will collaborate closely with OCW and selected Caribbean partners & advisory platforms as the chosen entity for this research endeavor.

The interdisciplinary team of Caribbean experts who bring together years of cultural knowledge, policy and academic research experience, is led by former Minister, Member of the Dutch Second Chamber and founder of Lemonade, drs. Jorien Wuite and includes Project coordinator drs. Elton Villareal, a consultant with Trininc from Curaçao, Lead researcher Dr. Gregory Richardson, a cultural anthropologist and researcher from Aruba and Lead researcher Ludmila Duncan, MSc., former Member of Parliament in St. Maarten and consultant with Scriptis based in the Netherlands.

The research team will be working closely with key partners and knowledge institutes including the University of St. Martin, Stichting NAAM in Curaçao, and the Boekmanstichting in Amsterdam. Supported by an advisory platform, the team ensures the study is well-informed, culturally grounded, and based on solid research practices.

“We are excited to be able to conduct this important research across the six islands. It’s about creating a map of how our Caribbean people practice culture, how our communities engage with music, dance, art, practice heritage, how cultural education is organized and what the creative realities of our islands look like. It’s not just data gathering for the sake of it—it’s storytelling, and we hope that at the end of this project, everyone in the cultural, heritage, creative and government sectors will be able to have deeper and meaningful insights of what’s happening and what’s needed to make changes in the interest of cultural engagement and further development of our cultural sectors,” said Jorien Wuite, director and shareholder of recently established Lemonade BV.

Where Culture Lives explores how people across the islands engage with cultural education, amateur arts, and heritage—both formally and informally. The project team is excited to have teamed up with each other for this project and opportunity and hopes that the findings will help shape future cultural policy and lay the groundwork for long-term monitoring and support of the sector. “We’ve never had a baseline like this before. It’s important to have solid, locally informed data to support the cultural policies on our islands,” said Gregory Richardson. By centering local voices and working in collaboration with island stakeholders, the research team aims to foster a shared understanding of how culture lives, breathes, and evolves in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.

“We’re doing this out of love for our islands—for the visual artists, the dancers, the teachers, and students who want to be seen, heard, and understood,” said Ludmila Duncan. “This research gives us a clear picture of how the cultural sector functions and shows where support is most needed.”

The findings aim to inform cultural policy across the six islands and in the Netherlands and spark broader conversations in the region about identity, community, and creative growth.

“With this kind of information, we can explore new ways to collaborate across the arts, culture, and heritage sectors,” added Elton Villarreal. “We’ll be able to see how the islands can support one another—and that’s powerful in today’s world.”

The research team is currently making the first preparations and are excited with progress made as they are looking forward to collaborating with local organizations and governments across the islands to collect data. Local ownership and community participation is essential, and the team will organize media activities and reach out actively so key participants will actively share their experiences and perspectives on cultural and heritage practices.

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Sint Maarten Library was thrilled to receive a generous wave of book donations this June as part of the 2025 Annual St. Maarten Book Fair. This beloved literary celebration once again highlighted the richness of our island’s cultural and literary life, bringing together both emerging and established voices from across the region.

Among the highlights were acclaimed contributors from Les Fruits de Mer, who donated captivating titles from their celebrated series — Soualikulture, Soualiga, and 123 St. Martin! These vibrant books beautifully display the unique heritage, natural beauty, and cultural identity of St. Martin/Sint Maarten through vivid storytelling and stunning visuals.

The library also warmly welcomed contributions from up-and-coming authors from our neighboring island, Anguilla. Among them was cultural advocate Derek “Auto Doc” Gumbs, who presented his powerful and thought-provoking book “The March to Freedom: The Plight of the Black Man”. He intends his work to spark meaningful conversations around social justice, history, and empowerment among young adults and the mature adult community.

Author Cassilda Thomas Brookes also delighted readers with her engaging title “Anansi and the Hurricane: A Caribbean Tale” — a fresh, modern take on the beloved folklore character, infused with a Caribbean twist. Her story captured the imaginations of younger readers of all ages.

Adding further excitement was Serena Connor, who introduced one of her recently published books, “Fran the Firefly Has Lost Her Light” — an enchanting tale of self-discovery, courage, and friendship.

“The Book Fair is always a time of celebration for our island’s literary and cultural life, and this year’s events truly brought that spirit to life, with authors being encouraged to place their works at the Sint Maarten Library,” said Merlyn Joseph, Vice President of Conscious Lyrics, speaking on behalf of the Book Fair Committee.

The Sint Maarten Library remains committed to promoting literacy, preserving cultural heritage, and fostering a lifelong love of reading across generations. “We are proud to provide a platform where both well-known and rising authors can connect with the community,” said librarian M. Powell, who officially accepted the donated works into the library growing collection.

The Sint Maarten Library celebrates the success of initiatives such as the Book Fair, which underscore the island’s vibrant literary community and highlight the importance of storytelling in shaping and preserving our shared identity.

SINT MAARTEN (SIMPSON BAY) - The annual Lagoonies Regatta took place on Saturday, June 14, bringing together sailors for a day of exciting competition and camaraderie on Simpson Bay Lagoon. The event kicked off with registration and a skippers’ briefing on Friday, June 13, at 5 pm at Lagoonies Bistro and Bar. 

The event was organized in coordination between the Sint Maarten Yacht Club (SMYC) and Lagoonies. In this unique regatta format, teams sail in Sun Fast 20s and rotate among the boats throughout the competition.

This year, six Sun Fast 20s were sailed by twelve teams in the event, which consisted of twelve races: six in the morning and six in the afternoon. Each team had the opportunity to sail each boat once, ensuring a fair and exciting competition. Also participating were three teams in RS Quests, who completed all twelve races.

On Saturday morning, competitors gathered at Lagoonies for coffee and sandwiches before heading out to the water. The races began just after 9 am, with six teams sailing the first race while the others watched the action from the rotation boat.

The morning weather was great for sailing with slightly overcast skies, splashes of sunshine, and an easterly breeze that shifted in velocity and direction. After each race, teams rotated using a water taxi or by swapping at the rotation boat.

A delicious lunch was served at Lagoonies between 12 and 1 pm, allowing competitors to recharge before the afternoon races. After lunch, the skies cleared and the breeze stayed up, allowing the remaining six races to be successfully completed before 4 pm.

The day concluded with all teams gathering at Lagoonies for music by the Ti Bitin Brass Band and a DJ set by Moodshine & Will D’Mar, drinks and the prize giving. The final results were as follows:

1. Team Jolyon
2. Team Antoine
3. Team Sam
4. Team Frits
5. Team Maritime School
6. Team Brad
7. Team Robbie
8. Team Pieter
9. Team Carly
10. Team Family Nel/Cross
11. Team Patrick 
12.  Team Lagoonies

Final results for the the RS Quests were:

1. Team Massimo and Melina
2. Team Kai and Dax Henriquez
3. Team Nathan, Oskar and Adilyn

Thank you to all the teams for making this day so enjoyable. A special shout-out goes to Olivia from Lagoonies for her exceptional organization and hospitality. Also, thanks to the volunteers and the entire Lagoonies team for their hard work.

“Thank you to all sailors, volunteers and the Sint Maarten Yacht Club for making this event a great success” Olivia says “Also, thank you to Budget Marine and Mount Gay Rum for the prize giving support.”

We look forward to celebrating the 11th edition of the Lagoonies Regatta next year!

SINT MAARTEN/NICE, France - Tadzio Bervoets, Technical Officer at the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF), was among the featured speakers at the joint side event Scaling Blue Carbon Investments: Enabling Financing for Seagrass and Coastal Ecosystems, held on June 12 during the Third United Nations (UN) Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, France.

The event brought together high-level representatives, scientists, and financial experts to discuss how blue carbon investments can serve as critical tools for climate action, biodiversity conservation, and coastal resilience.

Hosted by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), Notre Grande Bleu (NGB), and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with the support of partners including the United Nations Office for Sustainable Development (UNOSD), the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund, the Mediterranean Posidonia Network, and the Agence Française de Développement (AfD), the event spotlighted emerging mechanisms and frameworks that bridge science, policy, and finance.

Government representatives from Kenya, Indonesia, and France joined a broad coalition of regional and international stakeholders, with welcome remarks delivered by ministers from France and Kenya.

Other panelists included Mr. Park Chun Kyoo, Head of UNOSD; Ms. Florence Merle, Deputy Director for European and International Relations at the French Biodiversity Agency (OFB); and Ahmed Ghedira, President of SEE.

Mr. Bervoets contributed to the finance-focused panel moderated by GGGI, presenting the work of the CBF in establishing a regional financial infrastructure that enables long-term investment in blue carbon ecosystems—such as mangroves and seagrasses—through its Conservation Finance Program.

He highlighted the Caribbean Sustainable Finance Architecture, which includes an Endowment Fund valued at over US$85 million, a network of National Conservation Trust Funds (NCTFs), and sinking funds that are collectively designed to provide sustainable financing for biodiversity and climate adaptation initiatives across more than a dozen Caribbean countries and territories.

In his remarks, Bervoets emphasized the urgent need to move beyond project-based funding cycles toward system-based financial solutions that empower governments and local actors to implement integrated climate and biodiversity strategies.

He presented the BluEFin project—funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and executed by the CBF—as a key institutional initiative focused on scaling sustainable blue economy finance across the region.

“Blue carbon ecosystems are among the most effective natural solutions for climate mitigation and adaptation, yet they remain severely underfunded and underrepresented in global climate finance mechanisms,” said Bervoets.

“Through BluEFin and other institutional initiatives, the CBF is working to shift this imbalance by strengthening enabling environments, supporting national policy integration, and catalyzing public and private capital to invest in long-term coastal resilience.”

The side event showcased global best practices, including seagrass policy-finance roadmaps, Article 6-aligned carbon markets, and blended finance instruments that can accelerate investment in nature-positive solutions.

Discussions underscored that policy coherence, scientific data, and financial innovation must go hand in hand to unlock the full potential of blue carbon ecosystems.

The Caribbean Biodiversity Fund’s participation affirmed the region’s leadership in creating viable, replicable models for financing nature-based solutions, offering lessons not only for island states but for coastal nations globally navigating the intersection of climate, biodiversity, and development priorities.