St. Martin News Network - St. Maarten

Inactive civil servants risk dismissal, Court signals in landmark Aruba ruling.

arubacourt29032026 PHILIPSBURG:--- A recent court ruling in Aruba is sending a clear signal to civil servants across Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Maarten: prolonged inactivity and refusal to accept suitable work can ultimately lead to dismissal from government service.

The judgment, issued on March 9, 2026, and published on March 26, underscores that reintegration obligations are not optional and that authorities are entitled to terminate employment when officials fail to cooperate. The case is widely seen as a benchmark for how governments in the Dutch Caribbean may address long-standing issues involving inactive personnel.

Aruba civil servant

The Court of First Instance in Aruba has upheld the dismissal of a civil servant who had remained largely inactive for years and repeatedly declined suitable job offers, ruling that the government was justified in granting him honorable discharge on grounds of unsuitability.

The court declared the objection against the dismissal unfounded, confirming that the Governor of Aruba acted within the law in terminating the official’s employment effective April 1, 2025.

Long history of reassignment

The case concerns a government employee whose career dates back to his time at the telecommunications company SETAR prior to its privatization in 2003. At that time, he chose not to remain with the company and was subsequently reassigned within the public sector.

Over the years, the civil servant held various temporary positions, including at the court registry, but also spent extended periods on non-active status. His most recent assignment, at the Cabinet of the Minister of Education, ended in September 2021, after which he again remained inactive.

Reintegration efforts

In 2023, authorities launched a formal reintegration process to return non-active civil servants to the workforce. As part of this process, the employee was offered multiple positions at salary scales ranging from 9 to 11.

However, he consistently refused these offers, maintaining that he was entitled to a position at scale 12 under earlier agreements related to the SETAR privatization. The court noted that this claim had already been rejected in previous rulings, including a decision by the Court of Appeal in Civil Servant Matters in December 2025.

The court found that the employee’s refusal to accept suitable positions effectively made his reintegration impossible.

Dismissal deemed justified

The government ultimately decided to dismiss the civil servant on the grounds of unsuitability, citing his lack of cooperation during the reintegration process. According to the court, this decision was supported by sufficient evidence.

“The persistent refusal to accept appropriate employment and adherence to a claim without legal basis demonstrates a lack of the attitude and disposition required of a civil servant,” the court stated.

Judges emphasized that dismissal is considered a measure of last resort, but concluded that no lesser measure would have been effective in this case. The employee had been given ample opportunity, guidance, and warning about the consequences of his actions.

No violation of due process

The claimant argued that the dismissal violated his fundamental rights and that he had not been properly heard. The court rejected these arguments, finding that he had been adequately informed and given multiple opportunities to present his views throughout the reintegration process.

It also ruled that the government had fulfilled its duty of care and had made sufficient efforts to find him suitable employment.

Based on these findings, the court concluded that the dismissal met all legal requirements under the applicable civil service law. The objection was therefore declared unfounded.

The ruling leaves open the possibility of appeal to the Civil Service Appeals Tribunal within 30 days.

CREDITS StMaartenNews.com with permission.

Fire department issues fire warning amid dry weather conditions.

PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- The Fire Department is urging residents to exercise extreme caution due to current dry weather conditions that increase the risk of bush fires across the country.

Members of the public are strongly advised not to discard lighted cigarettes, matches, or any burning materials, particularly in areas prone to fires.

The Fire Department is also advising individuals to refrain from burning bush or garbage, or engaging in open burning, in built-up areas or on hillsides for agricultural purposes during this period.

Persons seeking to conduct any form of controlled burning are encouraged to first contact the Fire Department for guidance and safety recommendations.

Authorities warn that the improper use of fire under these dry conditions can quickly lead to dangerous situations, placing lives, property, and the natural environment at serious risk.

Fires can spread rapidly, especially in high winds, making them difficult to control once ignited.

Residents are reminded that preventing bushfires is a shared responsibility. By following safety advice and acting responsibly, the community can significantly reduce the risk of fire-related incidents during this dry period.

For additional information or guidance, the public may contact the Fire Department at 542-1215, 542-1217, or 542-6001. In the event of an emergency, residents should call 919 immediately.

The Fire Department, which falls under the Ministry of General Affairs, thanks the community for its cooperation in maintaining public safety.

Despite continued growth prospects Heightened geopolitical tensions call for enhanced policy vigilance.

WILLEMSTAD/PHILIPSBURG:--- Following robust growth in 2025, economic activity is expected to continue expanding in 2026. However, the recent escalation in geopolitical tensions, particularly the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and its potential spillovers to commodity and financial markets, pose increasing risks to the outlook. “While the monetary union has demonstrated resilience, the external environment has become more turbulent. This calls for continued vigilance and clear policy priorities,” said Richard Doornbosch, President of the Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS), in the March 2026 Economic Bulletin.
Sustained growth with an improved external position
The economies of the monetary union continued to perform strongly in 2025, with real GDP growth reaching 3.9% in Curaçao and 3.4% in Sint Maarten. Growth was driven mainly by strong tourism activity and its spillovers to sectors such as transport, trade, and construction. “The 2025 growth estimates for both countries reflect developments observed during the first three quarters of the year, driven by strong performances in tourism and construction, along with investment in tourism-related, real estate, and government infrastructure projects,” noted Doornbosch.
Looking ahead, growth is expected to remain positive but moderate in 2026, reaching 2.6% in Curaçao and 2.4% in Sint Maarten. In both countries, growth will continue to be supported primarily by tourism and related activities, while domestic demand is expected to remain positive, albeit at a more moderate pace. Inflation is projected to rise slightly in both countries, reflecting higher international oil and transportation costs. “Remarkable is the strengthening of the current account of the balance of payments with the deficit as percentage of GDP narrowing strongly to single digits for the first time since the inception of the monetary union in 2010, from 16.4% in 2024 to 9.2% in 2025, and to 7.2% of GDP in 2026,” he added.
Heightened geopolitical tensions pose risks to the outlook for the monetary union
However, the current outlook assumes that the conflict in the Middle East does not intensify further into a prolonged disruption. Such a disruption would place additional upward pressure on oil prices, insurance, and freight costs, while dampening domestic demand and tourism activity. “Scenario analyses in the Economic Bulletin indicate that an oil price shock could have substantial

and persistent medium-term effects, leading to lower growth, higher inflation and a decline in gross official reserves,” warned Doornbosch.
Spillovers from other geopolitical developments, including the war in Ukraine and tensions involving the U.S. and Venezuela, continue to pose risks to the outlook. Trade policy uncertainty and the possibility of new tariff measures may weigh on global trade and investment, while slower-than-expected easing by the U.S. Federal Reserve (Fed) could keep global financing conditions tight and dampen capital inflows.
Policy priorities in the face of a turbulent external environment
In response to rising external risks, Doornbosch emphasizes the need for a focused and forward-looking policy agenda to strengthen resilience and support sustainable growth. Especially considering that as small, open, and highly import-dependent economies, both countries are vulnerable to disruptions in global trade, commodity prices, and external financing conditions.
According to Doornbosch, a key priority is to reduce the monetary union’s structural dependence on imported energy and external transport costs. Over the medium term, continued investment in renewable energy and critical logistics infrastructure, including storage and port capacity, would strengthen the monetary union’s resilience to external commodity and transport shocks. “At the same time, given that a renewed rise in inflation would affect vulnerable households most severely, governments should consider well-targeted temporary support measures for those relying solely on social benefits to cushion the impact on the cost of living, such as the food program introduced in Curaçao during the COVID-19 pandemic, while safeguarding fiscal discipline to preserve macroeconomic stability,” he explained. In this context, maintaining sound fiscal policies becomes increasingly important to ensure that these structural and social objectives remain sustainable over time.
Additionally, a public debt sustainability analysis for Curaçao and Sint Maarten included in the March Economic Bulletin highlights that, while debt remains manageable, current trajectories are vulnerable to external shocks. The analysis reinforces the need to maintain fiscal buffers through sustained current budget surpluses, where feasible, and to advance reforms in health care and social insurance systems to contain longer-term fiscal pressures. “Maintaining the credibility of the exchange rate peg to the U.S. dollar remains a key anchor for stability, requiring our continued monitoring of exchange-rate-related effects on inflation, competitiveness, capital flows, and financial vulnerabilities, while preserving sufficient official reserves. Sustained implementation of these policy measures will be essential to safeguard stability and support durable, sustainable growth in the monetary union,” concluded Doornbosch.
The complete text of the March 2026 Economic Bulletin is available on the CBCS website at
https://www.centralbank.cw/publications/economic-bulletins/2026

Willemstad March 27, 2026
CENTRALE BANK VAN CURACAO EN SINT MAARTEN

MP Lyndon Lewis Addresses Future of NOW Party Following Leader's Conviction.

lyndonlewis27032026 PHILIPSBURG:--- Nation, Opportunity, Wealth (NOW), faction leader, Member of Parliament (MP), Lyndon Lewis, has taken note of the recent verdict in the so-called Jasmine criminal case, which the main suspect in the case is the former Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure (VROMI) and NOW party leader, Christophe Emmanuel, who was found guilty on multiple counts and sentenced to 29 months of imprisonment.
In light of the recent court verdict, MP Lewis has reached out to his party leader, board and fellow candidates to discuss the future direction of the political party. “While I wish the NOW party leader much strength during his legal battle, my focus, as faction leader in parliament under the NOW umbrella, is to safeguard the best interests of the people of country Sint Maarten,” MP stated.

Police Conduct Control Operations; Multiple Arrests Made.

kpsm27032026 PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) conducted targeted control operations on Thursday, March 26, 2026, as part of ongoing efforts to enhance public safety and maintain order in the community.

During these operations, a total of seven (7) vehicles were stopped and controlled, while approximately forty (40) individuals were subjected to stop-and-search procedures. As a result of these actions, one individual was arrested after it was discovered that he was wanted in connection with a case involving threats made against another person with a firearm.

Later in the evening, police attempted to stop two male suspects riding a scooter. During the attempted stop, the riders collided with another vehicle and fled the scene. After a brief search, both suspects and the scooter were located. The two individuals were arrested and transported to the police station, where they remain in custody for questioning.

During the arrest operation in the Dutch Quarter Middle Region, a third male attempted to interfere with police duties. Despite being instructed multiple times to leave the area, the individual refused to comply. He was subsequently arrested for hindering police operations and resisting arrest.

KPSM emphasizes that these types of control operations will continue, particularly during the Carnival season, to ensure the safety and security of all residents and visitors. The public is urged to cooperate with law enforcement officers at all times and to respect ongoing police activities.