~ The Joy of Yayoi brings together more than 70 photographs documenting the Japanese artist’s extraordinary years in the Netherlands ~ WILLEMSTAD/AMSTERDAM — More than half a century after Curaçao-born photographer Harrie Verstappen pointed his camera at a then still relatively unknown Japanese artist named Yayoi Kusama, those photographs have been brought together in a remarkable new book. The Joy of Yayoi, by Harrie Verstappen and Jan de Bruin, was published in the Netherlands in August 2026 by art and photography publisher Lecturis. The hardcover book contains more than 70 photographs made by Verstappen during Kusama’s years in the Netherlands,…
Author: The Publisher
by The Wayfinder A bigger number is not always an improvement. Ask anyone who has stepped on a bathroom scale. It tells one how much one weighs but gaining weight doesn’t automatically mean becoming healthier For years, Sint Maarten has celebrated growth by counting visitor arrivals. Before another record is jubilated, one should ask whether records are broken, or whether something else is broken. One should not confuse volume with wisdom. It is easy to count. Becoming better requires thinking. Sint Maarten may be measuring tourism arrivals more accurately than it measures whether its own people can afford to live…
Dear Editor, Sint Maarten has a serious garbage problem. Litter along our roads, illegal dumping, overflowing bins and waste accumulating in our ghauts and coastal areas affect public health, damage the environment and undermine the tourism product on which we so dearly depend. It also affects how we feel about our country and whether basic public services are working. It was right that garbage received attention during the recent parliamentary budget debate. The motions addressing enforcement, reporting, fines, repeat offenders and community involvement are useful. People who deliberately litter or dump waste should face consequences, and residents and businesses must…
by The Wayfinder Sint Maarten has a problem that nobody likes to talk about. It is a country. But by almost every practical measure, it is the size and scale of a small city. That is not an insult. It is arithmetic. And arithmetic has an irritating habit: it does not care about feelings. Sint Maarten has many of the responsibilities of a country. The challenge is not to deny either one. The challenge is to organize accordingly. Pretending the challenge does not exist will not make the bill disappear. That bill for all this machinery must be paid by…
by The Wayfinder There is a peculiar situation in St. Maarten. There are people looking for work, and there is work looking for people. At first glance, this seems like good news. They should be getting along beautifully. But, apparently, they haven’t met yet. Now, such is annoying for the people without jobs and for the jobs without people. But especially for the people who have to figure out what to do about it. It may be because of a system that lacks the ability to connect the two or a missing person who knows how to connect them. The…
Business owners, investors, entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs are being encouraged to complete an anonymous survey that will help determine how the proposed agency should operate and whom it should serve. PHILIPSBURG — If you own a business, have invested in Sint Maarten, are trying to grow an enterprise or are considering starting a business on the island, the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication wants to hear from you. TEATT is exploring the possible establishment of a Sint Maarten Investment Promotion Agency, commonly referred to as an IPA. As part of that process, an anonymous Business and Investor Survey…
An open letter to the Minister of VROMI Dear Minister of VROMI, When last have you had a good goat stew? I am not asking because I want to invite you to lunch. I am asking because there is presently a goat working on Front Street, and judging from the photograph circulating on Facebook, it may be one of the most productive members of the Government’s street-cleaning programme. The animal was photographed with its head down, diligently removing weeds from the curb. No reflective vest. No Government vehicle. No supervisor leaning on a shovel. No consultant preparing an assessment. No…
CAY HILL, St. Maarten — St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) recently provided a tour of the St. Maarten General Hospital (SMGH) construction site to Members of Parliament (MPs) and other Parliament staff. The visit was part of SMMC’s ongoing efforts to engage directly with stakeholders and the community, providing vital information and updates on healthcare developments and the new hospital project. The visit began with a presentation on SMMC, its medical developments and SMGH, followed by a question-and-answer opportunity. The MPs and their delegation were then given construction personal protective equipment (PPE) and led onto the active construction site. They…
by The Wayfinder Increased government travel spending deserves scrutiny—not necessarily because travel is wrong, but because every trip should have a demonstrable purpose and return. When a community has financial constraints, what should it spend its scarce money on—and who really needs to travel on behalf of that community? Cg. 1 million is roughly what a 30% restructuring could save. A 25–40% reduction in cost without eliminating necessary travel is conceivable if the system is redesigned around purpose, delegation size, procurement and accountability. The objective should not be to cut travel by 40%. It should be to eliminate 40% of…
by The Wayfinder Which political statement or decision would survive if every politician had to publish the evidence behind it? A community can become tired of politicians trying to appear larger than life, with grand promises, grand projects, grand announcements, grand ceremonies. A project is not successful because it was launched; it is only successful when it produces measurable benefits. Do not confuse announcements with results. That is exactly how things often get out of perspective in communication with bluff, fluff and stuff. It may eventually become self-deception. A government can create: committees, authorities, consultants, strategies, reports, conferences, slogans, glossy…
