SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Member of Parliament (MP) Egbert J. Doran is raising concerns over what he describes as a lack of communication from Minister of ECYS, Melissa Gumbs, regarding the future of the Sister Marie Laurence School.

While acknowledging that the demolition of the former school building was a necessary and long-awaited step, MP Doran says the process appears to have stalled at precisely the moment when clarity is most needed. Since the demolition several months ago, he notes, there has been no public update from the Minister on when reconstruction will begin or how the project is expected to move forward.

“The demolition marked progress,” Doran stated. “But progress without follow-through is not enough. Once that phase was completed, the logical next question is when construction starts, and on that, the Minister has been silent.”

Doran pointed out that the building permit for the school was signed in 2023, during his tenure as Minister, specifically to avoid administrative bottlenecks and allow the project to advance smoothly. Against that backdrop, he is now seeking answers on what preparatory work has been carried out since demolition and what is causing the apparent delay in moving to the construction phase.

The MP is also pressing for clarity on the financial side of the project, particularly concerning the widely discussed 10 percent down payment made to a foreign contractor for the construction of schools. Although the Minister has indicated that that contractor is no longer involved, Doran says this does not automatically close the matter.

“We understand that the contractor is no longer part of the discussion,” he said. “But a significant amount of funds was already paid. It is only reasonable to ask how that situation affects Sister Marie Laurence School and what it means for planning and timelines going forward.”

In that context, Doran also expressed the hope that local contractors were given a fair and genuine opportunity to bid for the reconstruction of the school, emphasizing that local participation and capacity-building should be an integral part of major construction projects on Sint Maarten.

MP Doran has since written formally to the Minister of ECYS outlining these concerns and is now awaiting a formal response.

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Last week Thursday, D’s Beach Bar formed the backdrop for the launch of the 2026 St. Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA) Annual Events Calendar. The “Cultural Icon,” National Institute of the Arts (NIA), was officially presented with the calendar by Zoila Sanchez Contreras of main sponsor Amstel Bright, distributed by Divico Distributors, marking the start of the 2026 calendar’s circulation.

Sanchez Contreras shared the calendar with Shannell Bucknor, Mila Grandtner, Nyah Kalmera, and Shiloh Bedminister of NIA. A joint photo of these artists at the historic Fort Amsterdam, taken last year, was selected as the featured image for the 2026 calendar. As Cultural Icon, NIA now follows in the footsteps of past honorees such as Clara Reyes, Isidore “Mighty Dow” York, “King BeauBeau” Brooks, Roland Richardson, Ruby Bute, and Zillah Duzon-Hazel.

In her remarks before handing over the calendar to the four artists, Sanchez said, “Amstel Bright is proud to sponsor the SHTA 2026 calendar. This partnership is a natural fit for our local Caribbean beer, which celebrates the rich multicultural spirit of the island of St. Maarten. We are grateful for the opportunity to be part of the island’s premier events calendar and to support the vibrant community that makes our island so special.”

The launch event was a first of its kind and was designed to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the well-known events poster that showcases activities from hundreds of island organizations. Distribution began in December to ensure calendars reached audiences in time for the New Year. As of this week, calendars are also being sent abroad to international fans. The NIA calendar marks the 10th edition of this widely used poster, summarizing major annual events and holidays for both local use and as a destination “business card” for visitors. The calendar is also used by foreign tourism trade partners to highlight the diversity of the destination.

In addition to requesting a free copy via +1 (721) 542-0108, calendars are available at the cashiers at Divico Distributors. Alongside Amstel Bright, SHTA thanks Telem, Grant Thornton, AMA Jewelers, St. Rose Beach Bar, TriSport, Oyster Bay Beach Resort, St. Maarten Tourism Bureau, Office du Tourisme and the many organizations that submitted events, demonstrating that St. Maarten / St. Martin remains a lively destination.

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Island Gems Charity Foundation has donated essential kitchen equipment and serving items to support the upcoming Breakfast Programme at the National Institute for Professional Advancement (NIPA), helping ensure that students begin their school day nourished and ready to learn.

Island Gems Charity Foundation, the island’s oldest all-women charity organization, made the donation following a request from NIPA, which is preparing to launch the programme in February.

NIPA is Sint Maarten’s tertiary vocational education institution, serving both full-time students and working adults through programs in healthcare, hospitality, business, ICT, and technical trades.

Many of its students come from households facing financial or social challenges. As a result, the institute plays not only an educational role, but also a supportive one, creating conditions that allow students to succeed academically and professionally.

Through the Breakfast Programme, NIPA aims to address a recurring concern: students arriving at school without having eaten a proper meal. Lack of nutrition can negatively affect concentration, energy levels, and academic performance.

The programme is expected to serve approximately 70 students each school day, Monday through Friday, throughout the academic year, depending on demand.

Island Gems responded by donating key appliances, storage, and service items needed to prepare and serve daily breakfasts. The contribution includes a refrigerator, microwave, electric kettle, blender, coffee urn, storage units, drinkware, serving baskets, utensils, and related kitchen and display equipment, providing NIPA with the practical tools required to launch and sustain the programme.

A presentation marking the initiative was attended by Alita Singh (Island Gems President), members Vera Cupen, Jody Rosen, and Ludmilla de Weever. Representing NIPA were Adjunct Director Damali Bryson, Student Care Coordinator Audrey Wilson, and Social Worker Marva Simmons.

In addition, Mr. Paul Peterson (Hospitality Instructor) and Ms. Renate de Weever (Cook Instructor) guided students in preparing and serving snacks and drinks during the presentation, showcasing the capabilities of NIPA’s culinary section and highlighting the hands-on learning opportunities within the programme.

“Access to education is about more than classrooms and textbooks,” said Singh of Island Gems. “When students are hungry, learning becomes harder. By supporting this Breakfast Programme, we are helping to remove a basic barrier so students can focus, participate, and thrive.”

The Foundation commends NIPA for its commitment to student well-being and is proud to partner in an initiative that invests directly in the health, dignity, and future success of the island’s students.

Island Gems Charity Foundation has a long history of supporting education, youth development, and social welfare initiatives across Sint Maarten, working across communities and borders to respond to real needs with practical solutions.

Island Gems funds its work primarily through one signature annual fundraising event, a costume gala, with all proceeds reinvested directly into local causes. Rather than distributing cash donations, the Foundation focuses on purchasing specific items or services on behalf of beneficiary organizations.

Island Gems has already set the date for its annual costume gala, which will take place on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Emilio’s Restaurant. Tickets are now on sale and available for any Island Gems member. 

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) — The Where Culture Lives project has successfully completed its survey phase across Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Maarten.

The project team extends sincere appreciation to the public who participated and in particular to the island coordinators and surveyors whose dedication ensured strong community engagement across all six islands.

Titled “Your Voice, Where Culture Lives,” the survey explored how arts, culture and heritage shape everyday life on the ABCSSS islands. It invited the public to share insights on how they engage with culture in their communities; where culture takes place, what supports it and what barriers still exist.

The survey phase was conducted within a focused timeframe, from the end of November 2025 through early January 2026, following the focus groups held in August and September last year.

Despite the busy end-of-year period, all islands completed their data collection on time. Participation ranged between 40 and 150 respondents per island, reflecting both island size, representation and the effectiveness of local outreach.

Overall, participants responded positively and shared clear priorities. Many pointed to the need for more funding and training opportunities for creative entrepreneurs, alongside more accessible spaces to practice, develop and showcase art and heritage.

Others highlighted the importance of improving cultural education in schools. With the survey phase now complete, the project team have begun interpreting and analysing the results.

They will come together at the end of January, and this collaborative interpretation phase aims to move beyond numbers alone, giving meaning to the findings within their cultural, social and island-specific contexts.

The outcomes will feed directly into island-based validation sessions scheduled for early April, where draft findings will be discussed with artists, cultural and heritage organisations, government representatives, knowledge partners and other key stakeholders.

Participants will then offer feedback which will help to strengthen community ownership of the results and also support the development of recommendations for future cultural policy and investments across all islands.

“As a lead team and as researchers, we are committed to ensuring that the findings form a shared foundation,” says Jorien Wuite, project lead.

“This exploration gives us some great insights on cultural mapping across the Dutch Caribbean and we want the results to meaningfully support future action as well as island-specific policy priorities for government officials and other stakeholders. That is why we are happy and proud to have received support for this additional phase with validation sessions, more co-creative discussions and broad representation.”

“The insights gathered through this research will help us understand what makes each island’s culture and heritage distinct, while also allowing for careful comparisons that honour differences and illuminate shared patterns,” said Ludmila Duncan, one of the lead researchers.

“That balance is essential if cultural research is to be both reliable and impactful.” The Where Culture Lives team is also proud to announce the development of the Where Culture Lives Prize; a supportive competition on each island that will invite artists and cultural practitioners to submit work celebrating cultural life and creatively expressing ‘where culture lives’.

This competition is set to be like no other; grounded in communities, inspired by everyday life, and centred on what culture looks and feels like across the islands.

Further details about this prize will be shared by the end of January 2026. The Where Culture Lives project was commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science (OCW) in The Hague and on Bonaire (OCW and OCW-CG) and is managed by St. Maarten-based consultancy Lemonade B.V.