PHILIPSBURG:---  The Government of Sint Maarten and the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) will host a Public Consultation on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at the Belair Community Center, to discuss the future of waste management on Sint Maarten. During this session, the Government of Sint Maarten will share the priorities, policy direction & strategic vision for waste management. The NRPB, which is carrying out the Emergency Debris Management Project (EDMP), will then give an overview of the project and upcoming landfill activities. Finally, Witteveen + Bos, in collaboration with TAUW, the consultant currently carrying out the Feasibility Study and preparing the draft designs for the landfill activities, will explain the technical details. They will also discuss the Environmental & Social Impact Assessment and the Environmental & Social Management Plan.

EDMP includes the recontouring and partially closing both the main landfill and the Irma landfill. The public consultation session aims to inform the public of the various actions surrounding the future of waste management on Sint Maarten and to share how these activities connect to the country’s Waste Vision 2050. This long-term vision aims to establish an Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) system that makes landfill operations safer, improves efficiency, and reduces landfill waste by increasing reduction, reuse, and recycling.

Waste management is one of the island’s biggest environmental challenges, and the intervention at the landfill is an important step toward addressing it. To ensure that all specific local factors are included in the development of these activities, a feasibility study was commissioned to examine the current condition of both landfills and determine the best approach for reshaping, upgrading, rehabilitating, and partially closing them in a way that meets environmental standards and provides sustainable solutions for the future.

Parallel to the conclusion of the study and finalization of the designs, several improvements under EDMP are already in motion. These initiatives include installing a weighbridge to collect accurate waste data for better planning, introducing tipping fees, and purchasing a concrete crusher and a greenery shredder. These measures are part of the preparation for larger interventions and the long-term shift toward greater waste diversion.

The session will explain how public feedback will be reflected in the final study report and provide an overview of the projected timeline for next steps.

Following the consultation, a summary of the discussion, the study’s findings, and the next steps will be shared with the public to ensure transparency as Sint Maarten moves toward a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable waste management system.

Date:  WEDNESDAY, September 3, 2025
Time & Location: 6.00 pm Belair Community Centre

Residents are invited to attend in person or via live stream to share their views and concerns. The local community is being invited to share their valuable input at this stage, as Sint Maarten works towards a brighter future.

“It will take all of us!”

EDMP is an $85 million project, supported by the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) and implemented by NRPB on behalf of the Government of Sint Maarten. It is funded through the Sint Maarten Trust Fund, which the Government of the Netherlands finances, managed by the World Bank, and implemented by NRPB on behalf of the Government of Sint Maarten.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Foresee Foundation is proud to announce the continuation of its NPOwer Academy Capacity Building Workshop Series, resuming this August with an inspiring lineup of training sessions designed to strengthen and support St. Maarten’s non-profit sector.

The second half of the 2025 program will open on Wednesday, August 20, with an information session on the Legacy to Future Fund. This new funding program, which allocates nearly USD 4.9 million specifically for St. Maarten, is part of a broader Kingdom-wide initiative funded by the Dutch government. Its aim is to raise awareness and deepen understanding of the impact of slavery in the past through meaningful local projects. The NPOwer team believes it is essential that every non-profit on the island has the opportunity to learn more about this historic funding opportunity. The session will be presented in collaboration with the Department of Culture.

On Tuesday, September 2, the second workshop in the series, led by creative education professional Loes Nauta, will focus on the role of icebreakers and energizers as powerful tools for engaging groups in meetings, trainings, conferences, and other educational settings.

To ensure that the non-profit community stays informed and connected, NPOwer has launched a WhatsApp group dedicated to sharing real-time updates about workshops, funding opportunities, and sector news. Anyone connected to a non-profit, whether through their work or as a volunteer, is welcome to join by searching bit.ly/NPOwer-Whatsapp online or by messaging Foresee Foundation at +1 (721) 550 7427.      

Workshop invitations for the coming months have been shared since last week, and spaces are limited, so organizations are encouraged to register early to secure their place. For more information about upcoming workshops and events, follow NPOwer on Facebook at @npowersxm, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or look out for regular updates delivered directly to your inbox.

This could also just be 'led by Loes Nauta' or 'led by drama teacher, Loes Nauta'

I'm wondering if this should go after the first paragraph to talk more generally about the workshops, and then to go more specifically into upcoming workshops and how people can find them (like the one tomorrow and Sep 2). However, if we are using this press release to get people specifically interested in the first two workshops, then this part can remain in the second half like it is now.

bit.ly/NPOwer-Whatsapp

~To support economic analysis~

Willemstad/Philipsburg:---  The Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS) in collaboration with the Curaçao Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KvK) and the St. Maarten Chamber of Commerce and Industry (COCI) is launching a new survey to gather insights on the construction sector. Insights into developments in the construction sector are essential for assessing economic activity as well as measuring investment trends and business sentiment. This survey follows last year’s edition covering the manufacturing sector, for which a follow-up survey will be conducted in Curaçao to compare the results with those gathered last year. The construction sector survey will collect information on business performance, the broader economic environment, and expected developments. The results will be published in the fourth quarter of this year. On August 19, 2025, a link to an online survey, available in Papiamentu, Dutch, and English, will be sent by email to businesses in the construction sector of both countries. The estimated time to complete the survey is 10 minutes. Responses will remain anonymous, and all data will be treated with strict confidentiality. The CBCS publishes an Economic Bulletin every quarter, analyzing the economies of Curaçao and Sint Maarten. The analyses help guide monetary, fiscal, and economic policies and assess their effectiveness. They also serve as a source for businesses in financial planning and investment decision-making. The CBCS regularly updates its economic outlook by assessing both domestic and international developments. In this regard, the perspectives of businesses on their current performance, the general economic situation, and their expectations for the near future offer valuable insights for economic analysis and forecasting. The survey will also take a retrospective approach, asking respondents about their past performance to establish a benchmark for future comparison. The CBCS kindly requests the cooperation of companies in the construction sector in Curaçao and Sint Maarten in completing the survey before September 1, 2025. Businesses operating in the construction sector that have not received the survey but would like to participate, may request the link to the online survey via This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. insights and experiences will contribute toa better understanding of the development and performance of the economies of Curaçao and Sint Maarten.

Willemstad, August 19, 2025 CENTRALE BANK VAN CURACAO EN SINT MAARTEN

PHILIPSBURG:--- NOW Member of Parliament (MP) Lyndon Lewis has issued a strong call to all school boards, specifically Catholic school boards, to respect the pending legislation prohibiting discrimination against students based on hairstyles, respectively, long hair, as announced by Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Melissa Gumbs, during recent Parliamentary meetings.

MP Lewis stated that while the legislation will formally take effect later in the school year, schools are already expected to align with the principle that no child should be denied access to education because of their hairstyle.

“It is unacceptable that in 2025, we still face situations where parents are being told their children cannot register for school due to the way their hair is styled. Education is a right, not a privilege subject to arbitrary and outdated rules,” MP Lewis emphasized.

MP Lewis would like to address all school boards, especially Catholic school boards, in Sint Maarten, whom he has been receiving numerous complaints about regarding the pending legislation. “I’m urging them to lead by example and adhere to both the letter and the spirit of the pending legislation”.

“I remind the Catholic school boards that even within their statutes and symbols of faith, they revere depictions of Jesus Christ with long hair. If the Son of God himself is shown with flowing hair, it is contradictory and discriminatory to deny children access to learning based on long hair,” MP Lewis said.

He further noted that Catholic schools, as institutions entrusted with shaping the minds and values of the nation’s children, have a moral duty to demonstrate inclusivity and compassion.

“I call on Catholic schools to open their doors fully, without prejudice, to all parents and students, regardless of hairstyle. Long hair does not determine one’s education or character. Let us not perpetuate practices that hurt children and families. Instead, let us embrace a more modern and humane approach to education in Sint Maarten,” Lewis concluded.

MP Lewis added that he will continue to support a more modern-day society and the legislation against hair discrimination and expects all schools (public and private) to respect and implement this progressive policy without delay.