It’s Competent Leadership, Accountability and Political Courage Much has been said since Hurricane Irma about the lack of capacity within Sint Maarten’s government apparatus. It has become a familiar explanation for why critical reforms, infrastructure projects, and institutional improvements continue to move at a frustratingly slow pace and government fails to deliver the results our people deserve. The problem is that “lack of capacity” is only part of the story. Yes, there have been clear examples of insufficient capacity within government. But when limited capacity is combined with weak political leadership, poor prioritization, a lack of ownership by ministers, inefficient…
Author: The Publisher
For many families in St. Maarten, energy costs are not a side issue. They shape how much money is left for groceries, transport, rent, school needs, and emergencies. That pressure is rooted in a long-standing structural problem: the island has long depended on imported fossil fuels, and both the government’s National Energy Policy and the World Bank continue to warn that this leaves the country exposed to volatile global prices, inflation, and sudden external shocks. Understanding Rising Energy Costs in St. Maarten St. Maarten’s energy vulnerability is not new. The government’s approved National Energy Policy, published in 2014, said the…
ST. MARTIN — As part of the 2026 St. Martin Book Fair, residents from across the island gathered at the University of St. Martin on June 6 for a community session entitled “Soualigans, We Need You,” where they worked collectively to develop an Environmental Justice Statement for St. Martin. Rather than attending a traditional presentation, participants were invited to contribute directly to the development of the statement. Through a facilitated process, residents responded to three questions: What do we love? What are we losing? What do we want? Every response was recorded, discussed, and prioritized ensuring that each participant had…
UNIVERSITY OF ST. MARTIN, St. Martin (June 9, 2026)—Antonio Carmona Báez and Tadzio Bervoets received the Presidents Award at the 23rd edition of the St. Martin Book Fair on June 6, 2026. The presentation of the Presidents Award was the final highlight of the two-day literary festival, according to Book Fair Committee member Cindy Peters. Antonio Carmona Báez, president of the University of St. Martin (USM), was present to accept his award at the USM campus, where the fair’s annual Main Book Launch and Closing Ceremony was held. Tadzio Bervoets, who earlier conducted the environmental workshop, “Protecting and Preserving St. Martin’s…
Philipsburg, Sint Maarten – Member of Parliament Francisco Lacroes is calling on Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina, in his role as Acting Minister of VSA, to clearly explain what protections are being put in place for civil servants and other individuals within the Ministry who raised concerns about actions linked to the Prime Minister. According to MP Lacroes, this issue is not about politics or personalities, but about protecting the integrity of Government and ensuring that public servants can do their jobs without fear. “People working within Government should never have to choose between doing the right thing and protecting…
GREAT BAY/MARIGOT, St. Martin (June 4, 2026)—Eight writers with books published by House of Nehesi Publishers (HNP) will participate in the 2026 St. Martin Book Fair, with Fabian Adekunle Badejo leading the group as keynote speaker at the Opening Ceremony on June 5 at 7:30 pm at Heritage Village in Spring Garden, Colombier. The eight writers are among about 20 authors, artists, storytellers, and presenters featured at the 23rd edition of the festival, which has grown into one of the Caribbean’s dynamic international literary events. Faizah Tabasamu will conduct her always popular workshop on hair, while Tadzio Bervoets, whose debut…
The influence of colonial structures on environmental governance in the Caribbean was the focus of a presentation by Sint Maarten environmentalist Tadzio Bervoets at the recent Caribbean Studies Association Conference. Presenting on “Conservation Colonialism and the Persistence of Fortress Management in the Dutch and French Caribbean,” Bervoets argued that many conservation systems operating in the Dutch and French Caribbean remain shaped by governance models that concentrate authority outside the region. According to the presentation, these arrangements often limit local decision-making, restrict community participation, and reduce opportunities for Caribbean leadership within environmental institutions. The presentation examined how environmental policies, technical expertise,…
In the run-up to the upcoming hurricane season, the Marine detachment from Sint Maarten participated in Caraïbes ‘26 last week. This is a large-scale, biennial exercise in the Caribbean. The exercise, organized by France, focuses on humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations. During the second phase of Caraïbes, the Marines from Sint Maarten actively participated. The training was based on a realistic scenario: a devastating hurricane had struck the French side of Sint Maarten. In cooperation with French and Colombian troops, the Marines from Sint Maarten located the (simulated) residents and evacuated them to a safe area; both the fast…
GREAT BAY/MARIGOT, St. Martin (June 3, 2026)—St. Martin Unity Flag – Activity Guide (K to Grade 2) and St. Martin Unity Flag – Activity Guide (Grades 3–6), edited by Aishira Cicilia and Shanice Theodule, will be launched at St. Martin Book Fair on Saturday, June 6, at 8 pm during the Main Book Launch & Closing Ceremony at the University of St. Martin (USM). The new publications provide age-appropriate, reader-friendly information about the island’s Unity Flag, along with coloring activities, word and counting games, and opportunities to identify some of St. Martin’s “national” and nature symbols from across both sides of…
HNLMS Groningen has taken over the role of station ship in the Caribbean from HNLMS Friesland. The patrol ship docked in St. Anna Bay in Willemstad this morning. Over the coming months, the ship will be deployed for various safety tasks at sea, such as surveillance, enforcement, and combating illegal activities like drug smuggling. Additionally, it stands ready to provide support during emergency situations, for example during the hurricane season that began this month. The Royal Netherlands Navy has four Holland-class patrol ships. These OPVs (Ocean-Going Patrol Vessels) are flexibly deployable vessels for the surveillance of coastal waters. The station…
