PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) continues to invest in the training and professional development of its personnel as part of its ongoing commitment to quality policing and community engagement.
Over the past weeks, several KPSM officers successfully completed specialized training and educational upgrading at Miami-Dade College in Florida. A first group of five (5) officers participated in a Train-the-Trainer course in EHBO (First Aid), strengthening the organization’s internal capacity to provide lifesaving instruction and emergency response training.
Additionally, a second group of four (4) officers attended the Miami-Dade School of Justice, where they completed training as School Resource Officers for Sint Maarten. This marks the second group of School Resource Officers trained for the island, further reinforcing KPSM’s commitment to youth engagement, school safety, and crime prevention.
These trainings were conducted in collaboration with all Dutch Caribbean islands and coordinated through the Association of Chiefs of Police of the Dutch Caribbean (CvK). The Chief of Police of Sint Maarten, Mr. C. John, currently serves as Chairman of the CvK.
KPSM emphasizes that the School Resource Officer program plays a vital role in strengthening relationships between law enforcement and young people, while fostering safe and supportive learning environments across Sint Maarten.
The Police Force of Sint Maarten congratulates all officers who successfully completed these training's and commends them for their dedication, professionalism, and commitment to continuous improvement.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunication (TEATT) officially commenced the Strategic Economic Stakeholders Consultation, taking place February 2–6, 2026, bringing together a compact but high-impact group of regional experts, local leaders, and policymakers to initiate Sint Maarten’s next phase of economic planning.
This week’s consultation is supported by a diverse group of speakers and contributors with hands-on experience in economic transformation, tourism development, climate resilience, innovation, and governance, including:
Jim Hepple – Known for his advisory work supporting Aruba’s tourism development and strategic positioning, with a strong focus on sustainable destination management.
Vincent Wallace – A seasoned tourism professional who has contributed significantly to The Bahamas’ tourism sector through senior leadership and policy-driven roles.
Tadzio Bervoets – Widely recognized for his work in climate action, environmental protection, and sustainable development within small-island contexts.
Emily Lee – Former Minister of VSA, hotelier, and entrepreneur, bringing practical insight across public policy, private enterprise, and hospitality operations.
Gregory Richardson – Known for his work in artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and innovation ecosystems, with relevance for modern public and private sector reform.
Together with the on-island expert team, these contributors are supporting a focused, working-session approach designed to move quickly from dialogue to direction.
As Minister of TEATT, Grisha S. Heyliger-Marten, emphasized:
“This week is intentionally compact and focused. It is not the final word—it is the beginning. The purpose is to set direction, identify priorities, and establish a strong foundation for the Strategic Economic Development Plan that will follow. Stakeholder engagement does not end here; it expands from here.”
The Ministry stresses that stakeholders who are unable to participate throughout the week will not be left out of the process. As the Strategic Economic Development Plan is drafted with the support of the expert team, additional outreach and targeted engagement will take place to ensure broad input, validation, and alignment.
This consultation represents the starting point of a longer, structured process—one that prioritizes realism, coordination, and implementation as Sint Maarten charts its economic future.

THE NETHERLANDS — February 2, 2026 — The Small Island Unity (SIU) Foundation is proud to officially announce the winners of the 2026 SIU Awards. Following a high-engagement public nomination and voting period, ten icons from the Saba, St. Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (SSS) diaspora have been recognized for their outstanding contributions to culture, community, and entrepreneurship within the Netherlands.
The SIU Awards were established to shine a spotlight on the "Small in Name, LARGE IN CULTURE" spirit that defines the SSS islands. This year’s winners represent a diverse cross-section of talent—from heritage keepers preserving centuries-old traditions to modern entrepreneurs redefining the Dutch hospitality and media landscapes.
“We are incredibly proud of this year’s recipients,” said K Brown, Director of the Small Island Unity Foundation. “Living in the diaspora comes with unique challenges, but our community continues to prove that our culture is not just surviving in the Netherlands—it is thriving. These winners are the heartbeat of our unity, and their success is a win for all three of our islands.”
The 2026 SIU Award Winners & Categories:
• Rising Star: Caeden Cj Hughes
o Celebrating an emerging talent who exhibits exceptional potential and dedication to their craft at a young age.
• Performer/Entertainer of the Year: Dj Chrisania
o Recognizing the artist who brings the most energy, authentic island sound, and professional excellence to stages across the Netherlands.
• Community Impact: Charvella Wilson
o Honoring an individual who has dedicated their energy to advocacy, support systems, and unifying the diaspora community.
• Cultural Supporter of the Year: Astra Brown
o Awarded to a key advocate who consistently promotes SSS arts, artists, and cultural events, ensuring our traditions remain visible.
• Unsung Hero: John Sandiford
o Celebrating the quiet leader who works tirelessly behind the scenes to bridge gaps and support others without seeking the spotlight.
• Cultural Heritage Keeper: Edwina Hodge
o Recognizing a guardian of history who works to preserve the customs, stories, and traditions of the islands for future generations.
• Culinary & Hospitality Excellence: Soul Sistahzz
o Honoring the team that provides the most authentic taste of home, combining high-quality service with true island hospitality.
• Media Voice of the Year: Jojo (Bite The Bullet)
o Awarded to the most influential voice keeping the community informed, connected, and entertained through digital media.
• Small Business of the Year: Cocktail Chanty
o Recognizing a small business that has demonstrated resilience, quality, and strong community engagement.
• Entrepreneur of the Year: Cocktail Chanty
o The top honor for business leadership, innovation, and professional success within the diaspora.
The 2026 awards saw unprecedented participation from the community, underscoring the deep desire for the SSS diaspora to be seen and celebrated for its unique identity. As the foundation looks toward the future, these awards serve as a vital pillar in bridging the gap between the Caribbean roots and the European reality of our people.
For more information about the winners or the Small Island Unity Foundation, please visit www.Smallislandunity.com or follow us on social media @smallislandunity.
About Small Island Unity (SIU): Small Island Unity is a foundation dedicated to the empowerment and connection of the Saba, St. Eustatius, and Sint Maarten diaspora. By fostering cultural pride and professional excellence, SIU aims to ensure that the SSS community remains a vibrant and unified force in the Netherlands and beyond.

Royal couple and Oranje Fonds celebrate 25th anniversary of connected society
On January 30th 2027, the Royal Couple will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Oranje Fonds at the GelreDome in Arnhem. The event will be broadcast in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. With this anniversary celebration, the Oranje Fonds wishes to thank all initiators, volunteers and stakeholders who have been working wholeheartedly for 25 years to create a connected society in the Kingdom. The Royal Couple made this announcement on Monday during the 250th Oranje Fonds activity at the Wijkpaleis in Rotterdam, a meeting place for the neighbourhood.

The power of connection
On 1 February 2002, the Netherlands and the Netherlands Antilles presented the Oranje Fonds to the then Prince and Princess as a wedding gift. From day one, the fund's ambition has been to be of real significance to the entire Kingdom. The most important lesson of the past 25 years is that connection makes a difference.

‘Throughout our Kingdom, there are places where people meet, support each other and take action together to tackle problems and strengthen their neighbourhoods and communities. Seeing all these examples of people selflessly helping others gives us enormous hope and energy. As long as we continue to seek each other out, hold each other close and support each other, we will be resilient in a turbulent world. The Oranje Fonds helps with this,' said the King and Queen. With the celebration at GelreDome, the Oranje Fonds wants to put the spotlight on and thank the initiators, volunteers, donors and partners throughout the Kingdom.

The anniversary will be a festive event filled with music and stories. Stories from initiators whose ideas grew into something meaningful. The energy and warmth they bring to society must be visible and tangible both in the stadium and at home. It will be a celebration to inspire and show what happens when people are there for each other and look out for each other. The NOS will broadcast the event live so that people at home can watch and share in the excitement. The celebration will be shown on the Caribbean islands, accompanied by festive moments on all the islands. More information about this will follow later.

Investment in meeting places
The anniversary is more than just a celebration, because we witness that meeting each other is becoming less and less common. More and more people feel alone. That is why we are launching the “Celebrate Connection – Anniversary Fund for Meeting Places” in our anniversary year. With this fund, we are giving a boost to meeting places where people really connect, where a cup of coffee gives way to a conversation. Where people feel like they belong again. In 2027 and 2028, we want to strengthen 1,000 existing meeting places throughout the Kingdom. This will enable these places to bring people together now and in the future. We are doing this with the indispensable start-up funding from the Postcode Lottery, Rabobank and VSBfonds. We invite everyone to contribute to this Anniversary Fund.

The Oranje Fonds has appointed a Recommendation Committee that will contribute its knowledge and expertise to the organisation of the anniversary celebrations. This Committee consists of Kim Putters (chair of the Social and Economic Council), Etienne Ys (former prime minister of the former Netherlands Antilles) and Carola Schouten (mayor of Rotterdam).

Twenty-five years of the Oranje Fonds in figures:
• Oranje Fonds spent more than €600 million on connecting society;
• It facilitated more than 100,000 Neighbours' Day activities;
• And supported more than 125,000 NLdoet activities and 7,000 Cariben Doet activities;
• Over 29.500 projects within the Kingdom received regular support;
• 72 organizations received an Appeltje van Oranje award from the King or Queen, ten of which from the Caribben.