Curaçao:--- Het Cultuurfonds Caribisch Gebied (CCG) successfully launched its 2025 initiatives with a dynamic kick-off year plan meeting held in Curaçao. The meeting brought the board members from across the six islands of the Dutch Kingdom. This annual event serves as a cornerstone in fostering collaboration, addressing shared challenges and reinforcing the organization’s commitment to promoting and preserving the cultural heritage of the Dutch Caribbean region.
The 2025 meeting focused on outlining the unique needs of each island, ensuring that the specific cultural and historical priorities of Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius, and Saba are represented. Participants engaged in productive discussions that highlighted the importance of preserving key pillars such as culture, history, monuments, and cultural identity. These discussions also addressed the ongoing challenges and bottlenecks faced by stakeholders, particularly in the areas of grant applications, cultural promotion, and organizational capacity-building.
Lionel Janga and Raffy Kock, President and Vice President of Het Cultuurfonds Caribisch Gebied, emphasized the importance of these collaborative meetings in their opening remarks. “These gatherings allow us to ensure that the diverse voices of our islands are heard and that our collective goals are met. It is vital that we remain steadfast in our mission to preserve and promote the richness of our cultural identity, and we will continue to encourage these exchanges within the six islands of the Dutch Kingdom,” said both Lionel & Raffy.
A key component of the meeting was a series of brainstorming sessions aimed at developing practical strategies to address identified challenges. Participants shared insights and solutions, focusing on simplifying the grant application process, enhancing outreach efforts, and creating new avenues for cultural preservation and storytelling. These conversations paved the way for actionable steps that CCG will implement in the coming year to support cultural stakeholders more effectively.
As Het Cultuurfonds Caribisch Gebied continues to champion the preservation and promotion of the region’s unique heritage, the outcomes of this meeting serve as a powerful reminder of the importance of collaboration and innovation in cultural development. The organization remains committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen the region’s identity while fostering growth and sustainability for future generations.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Inspectorate of Economic and Transport Affairs (IETA) instructs all holders of a passenger transport permit to register their operation with the Transport Control Unit no later than Tuesday, February 25, 2025, to receive a confirmation letter. The confirmation letter validates that the operation’s documentation and vehicle meet the applicable regulations for carrying out service. In prior years, the annual confirmation letter process was solely conducted to pay the annual road tax payments. However, due to an alarming rise in fraudulent activities and concerning preliminary findings from ongoing investigations, the process is adopting a stricter and more secure approach for 2025. Failure to comply with this process may result in severe penalties, including potential suspension or revocation of a holder’s permit. The Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication, Grisha Heyliger-Marten, reiterates that this directive is non-negotiable and applies to all individuals and businesses in the industry without exception. This measure is a critical step to uphold integrity, efficiency, transparency, accountability, and, most importantly, fairness.
PHILIPSBURG:--- On Monday, January 20, 2025, at approximately 4:45 PM, the Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM) received several reports of a traffic accident on A. Th. Illidge Road near Mount William Hill. The collision involved a motorcycle and an SUV.
