The Hague, NETHERLANDS:--- Historic victory: Dutch court declares climate policy inadequate in Bonaire climate case
The Hague, 28 January 2026
The District Court of The Hague ruled today that the Dutch State’s current climate policy infringes upon the human rights of the residents of the Dutch Caribbean island of Bonaire and results in unfair treatment compared to citizens in the European part of the Netherlands. With the current climate targets and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the State is not complying with international agreements. In doing so, the State is acting unlawfully towards the residents of Bonaire. Furthermore, the State has not taken sufficient measures to protect the inhabitants of Bonaire in the climate crisis. The court orders the State to draw up an adaptation plan and implement it by 2030 at the latest. The State must also set new binding targets for the entire Dutch economy within 18 months to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and make a fair contribution to the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees.
Marieke Vellekoop, director of Greenpeace Netherlands:
‘This is truly a historic victory. People on Bonaire are finally getting recognition that the government is discriminating against them and must protect them from extreme heat and rising sea levels. The State must also contribute its fair share to staying below 1.5 degrees of warming by implementing new climate targets. This means that the reduction of Dutch greenhouse gas emissions must be accelerated significantly. This is a huge breakthrough. The current climate policy is insufficient, and the cabinet can no longer get away with failing climate policy. With this ruling in hand, communities have a powerful new asset to hold governments to account.’
Onnie Emerenciana, plaintiff in the Bonaire Climate Case:
‘I am very happy. Today we are making history. Finally, The Hague can no longer ignore us. Today, the court is drawing a line in the sand. Our lives, our culture and our country are being taken seriously. The State can no longer look away. The next step now is to make funds and expertise available for concrete action plans to protect our island. We really have to do this together; Bonaire cannot solve this on its own.’
A detailed press release with further explanation of the ruling will follow later.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The streets of Sint Maarten are on the brink of a filthy disaster, and for once, you can’t blame the men and women picking up the trash.

A furious coalition of local waste haulers—All Waste In Place, Garden Boyz, and WILCO N.V.—has finally drawn a line in the sand. In a blistering formal grievance sent to the Minister of VROMI Patrice Gumbs Jr, these companies have exposed the rot at the core of the government's new Terms of Reference (TOR) for 2026-2029. The document isn't just a contract; it’s a suicide pact for local businesses and a health hazard for the public.

The government is playing a dangerous game with public health, demanding champagne service on a tap-water budget while tightening the noose around the necks of the very people keeping our island clean.

The Budget Myth

Let’s look at the numbers, because the government clearly hasn't. The proposed budget of XCG 6.8 million is an insult to basic economics. We are living in a world of skyrocketing fuel prices, expensive parts, and rising insurance premiums. Yet, the Ministry expects haulers to do more with less.

They want 24-hour on-call service. They want night coverage. They want emergency response teams ready to jump at a moment's notice. But they refuse to pay for the standby wages and overtime required to make that happen. They are asking haulers to operate at a loss, effectively demanding that private companies subsidize a public service out of their own pockets. As the haulers rightly pointed out: "Garbage collection is not just a contract. This is public health. This is food on tables."

When the budget doesn't cover the work, the shortfall comes out of the families behind these companies. It is a direct attack on local livelihoods.

Unfair Burdens and shifting Blame

The hypocrisy in the new TOR is staggering. The government is requiring haulers to pay for repairs to government-owned bins—assets the contractors don't own and won't retain. They want contractors to install expensive GPS tracking on trucks but refuse to foot the bill for the installation or monthly fees.

Even worse is the "Split Parcel" clause. The government has reserved the right to slice up a winning bid and hand pieces of it to a third party, someone who may not have even qualified or bid fairly. This makes a mockery of the tender process. It opens the door to nepotism, incompetence, and sabotage. If this third party fails to collect the trash, guess who gets the blame? The original hauler.

The Tipping Fee Trap

Perhaps the most delusional proposal is the introduction of tipping fees without a plan to control illegal dumping. The government wants to charge for dumping, which anyone with common sense knows will lead to the public dumping their trash at collection points instead of the dump.

The haulers will then be fined for not keeping those collection points clean, while the government sits back and collects fees. It is a rigged system designed to punish the hauler for the public's bad behavior and the government's lack of enforcement.

A Recipe for Disaster

The haulers have issued a 24-hour deadline for a response, and they are right to do so. This situation has gone too far. We are looking at a system that forces local operators to invest in new equipment they can't afford, denies them reasonable contract extensions to recuperate costs, and treats them like the enemy rather than essential partners in public health.

If the streets of Sint Maarten pile up with garbage in the coming weeks, do not look at the trucks. Look at the Ministry that tried to starve them out. The haulers have carried this country on their backs long enough. It is time the government stopped treating them like trash.

~Minister Gumbs seeks a resolution or clarity on the way forward~

PHILIPSBURG:---  Minister Patrice Gumbs of the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) has issued a statement addressing significant delays in the permit approval process resulting from ongoing go-slow action by the Fire Department. The situation has created a bottleneck affecting critical infrastructure projects nationwide.

The Fire Department's go-slow has led to the suspension of fire safety inspections and approvals, which are mandatory components of the building permit process. This has brought about challenges in the permitting processing, compounding VROMI's already lengthy wait times and affecting projects of national importance.

"As a civil servant, I understand and acknowledge the frustrations of our Fire Department personnel," said Minister Gumbs. "However, I want to encourage a swift resolution to ongoing discussions, as we urgently need clarity on the way forward regarding permit approvals. The current situation is affecting not just routine construction projects, but critical infrastructure that serves our entire community."

Among the major projects currently held up due to the permit delays are:

• School construction and renovation projects
• The military base
• Hospital infrastructure improvements
• Prison facility developments
• Other essential public infrastructure projects

"VROMI already faces challenges with processing times, and while we work to address this on our end, the delays caused by the go-slow are out of our control.” Minister Gumbs explained. Gumbs thanked the Fire Department for the consideration thus far and reiterated his desire for a fair resolution.

PHILIPSBURG: --- In significant development today, the Council of Ministers (CoM) has rejected the Prime Minister's request to suspend Suenah Laville-Martis, Chief of Staff for the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development, and Labor (VSA). The imposed measure has been lifted, granting Laville-Martis access to all digital platforms and government buildings, except the Government Administration Building and events attended by the Prime Minister. This decision will remain in effect until the ongoing criminal investigation is concluded. A formal letter from the Prime Minister to Laville-Martis is still pending, SMN News has been reliably informed.

Background and Escalation

The controversy began when Laville-Martis was denied access to government facilities and platforms, a move she publicly condemned as unjust. She maintained her innocence and demanded a public retraction from the Prime Minister, even threatening legal action if necessary. The situation sparked widespread debate about transparency and due process within the government.

Operational Impact on the Ministry

The absence of Laville-Martis had disrupted the Ministry’s operations, as Minister Richinel Brug highlighted. He described her role as pivotal, likening her to the "backbone" of the Ministry’s strategic and operational framework. While Laville-Martis continued to work remotely, the lack of physical access created logistical challenges, slowing decision-making and affecting the Ministry’s efficiency.

Ministry’s Resilience Amidst Challenges

Despite these disruptions, the Ministry has pressed forward with its initiatives, including expanding community services through VSA help desks. Minister Brug defended the timing of these efforts, emphasizing the Ministry’s commitment to serving the public, even under challenging circumstances.

Moving Forward

Today’s decision by the CoM marks a turning point in this ongoing saga. While Laville-Martis regains partial access, the investigation continues, leaving some questions unanswered. The public and stakeholders now await further developments, including formal communication from the Prime Minister.

This resolution underscores the importance of accountability and effective governance, as the Ministry strives to restore normalcy and focus on its mission to serve the people of Sint Maarten.