PHILIPSBURG:--  Laughter quickly filled the room when Senior Carnival Contestant #3 Breyenne Brown challenged participants to manage a “monthly salary” during her lively “Budget 101” workshop held on March 14 at Republic Bank St. Maarten. As expenses such as GEBE, groceries, rent, mortgages, internet, and other household bills were added to the list, many were surprised to see just how quickly their paycheck disappeared.

The interactive workshop, organized in collaboration with Republic Bank St. Maarten and financial educator Mrs. Shanica Ravenburg-Carty of the BudgetBae, brought together Brown’s fellow Teen contestants and invited guests for an afternoon of learning, discussion, and shared experiences.

Brown, who also serves as a Personal Loan Officer at Republic Bank St. Maarten, introduced the initiative as part of her pageant platform. As the first contestant to bring financial literacy forward as a pageantry platform, she wanted to create a space where conversations about money could feel engaging, relatable, and even fun.

“Financial Literacy doesn’t have to be complicated’, Mrs. Ravenburg-Carty shared. “ I fully recommend to parents to always have fun and engaging conversations with their children on how money works early”. They will gain the confidence to make smarter decisions for their future.

Ms. Judith Bain, Business Support Manager representing Republic Bank St. Maarten, commended the initiative and the positive environment created during the workshop.

“Financial literacy is an important life skill, and it is encouraging to see young people learning about money in such an engaging and relatable way,” Ms. Bain shared.

Breyenne Brown expressed heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to making the workshop a success.

“I’m truly grateful to everyone who came out to support this initiative,” Brown shared. “Seeing my fellow Teen contestants and invited guests participate, laugh, and learn together made this sisterhood experience incredibly special. I would also like to thank Mrs. Ravenburg-Carty of the BudgetBae, Ms. Judith Bain, my Republic Bank family, sponsors, Amisha Lake, Vanesia James, Alexander Marlin, SCDF Pageant Committee, as well as the parents and chaperones for their continued support.”

With her community initiatives now complete, Brown now prepares for the highly anticipated Senior Carnival Queen Pageant on April 20th at the Jocelyn Arindell Festival Village and warmly invites the public to come out and enjoy a vibrant evening celebrating the beauty, talent, and spirit of Carnival.

ORANJESTAD, Aruba:--- Kadaster St. Maarten and DLV/Kadaster Aruba have taken a significant step forward in regional collaboration by signing a Letter of Intent (LOI) to strengthen cooperation in cadastral management and geospatial development across the Caribbean.

The agreement, signed during an official visit by Managing Director of Kadaster St. Maarten Benjamin Ortega, and hosted by Aruba's Minister of Housing, Infrastructure, Internal Service, and Telecommunications Gervais René "Baba" Herdé, establishes a framework for sustained institutional collaboration. It reflects a shared recognition that modern land administration and spatial data systems are central to national development, infrastructure planning, and environmental stewardship.

The LOI positions both institutions to work more closely across several key areas: the exchange of technical expertise and best practices in land registration and geospatial information management; joint training and professional development initiatives; dialogue on governance structures and legal frameworks; and the exploration of advanced technologies such as GIS systems and drone-based mapping.

"This agreement reflects a strategic shift toward regional cooperation as a necessity, not an option," Ortega stated. "Our islands face similar development pressures. By aligning our knowledge, tools, and capacity, we strengthen not only our individual institutions but the resilience and sustainability of the Caribbean as a whole."

Central to the discussions was the proposed Caribbean Cadastre Association (CCA), an emerging regional platform aimed at uniting cadastral institutions across the Caribbean to foster structured collaboration, technical exchange, and professional development, positioning the region as a more integrated and capable geospatial network.

Minister Herdé welcomed the initiative, underscoring Aruba's commitment to partnerships that enhance institutional capacity and support innovation in land and infrastructure management.

The agreement, while non-binding, provides a practical and flexible foundation for collaboration, allowing both parties to pursue joint initiatives, pilot projects, and knowledge-sharing opportunities that can be scaled regionally. The visit also facilitated discussions on future cooperation in infrastructure data management, improved cadastral services, and cross-island technical exchanges.

The signing marks a decisive step toward a more coordinated Caribbean approach to geospatial development, where collaboration, innovation, and capacity-building serve as the foundation for sustainable growth and informed governance.

PHILIPSBURG: --- Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs, Dr. Luc Mercelina, addressed several issues at the Council of Ministers press briefing. They are as follows:

The Central Bank and Monetary Options

The Prime Minister began by emphasizing a fundamental principle regarding the Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten.

"The Central Bank is not merely an institution serving two autonomous countries. It is a mechanism grounded in shared economic interest, financial stability and regional cooperation," he stated. He noted that the tension field in which the Central Bank functions is not something of today but has been present since the transition to country status.

While Sint Maarten remains committed to the partnership, he stressed that "governance of the Central Bank must always reflect equity between both countries, not dominance by one." An 80-20 dynamic shareholdership must never determine governance outcomes, as the integrity of the institution depends on shared decision-making and transparency.

Addressing the recent transition to the Caribbean Guilder, which was decided before he took office, the Prime Minister clarified that he is carefully examining all future options, including dollarization.

"The Prime Minister did not say that he is going to dollarize the country. No, the Prime Minister is saying that he is looking into options for the best interests of its people," he explained. If dollarization were ever pursued, he noted that the government must ensure a direct and fair conversion to protect purchasing power and prevent artificial price increases.

National Advisory Committee for Geopolitical Developments

In response to global conflicts and their potential local impacts, the Council of Ministers has decided to initiate a national advisory committee for geopolitical developments.

Key areas of focus for this committee include:

• Continuity of food security

• Guaranteeing continuity of fuel availability

• Access to medicine and healthcare continuity

• Security and public safety preparedness

• Connectivity and accessibility, including maritime routes and airlift capacity

"The objective, of course, is to ensure that Sint Maarten is better prepared, better coordinated and more resilient in the face of both regional and global disruptions," he stated.

Addressing Traffic Congestion

The Prime Minister provided a stark reality check regarding the island's severe traffic congestion. He pointed out that Sint Maarten is the 11th most densely populated area in the world yet relies on only seven main roads.

With approximately 30,160 registered cars for an estimated population of 60,000, there is "one car for each two people in this country." This is compounded by an average of 4,657 cruise tourists and 6,500 stayovers and transfer tourists added to the island daily.

"We want the hotels. We want condos. We want the Airbnbs... but we do not want the traffic that comes with it," he observed.

To combat this, the government is exploring several solutions:

• "Looping the traffic" to change two-direction roads into one-way flows

• Reorganization of public transportation and improving bus stops

• Opening new access routes, such as the road from Weymouth Hill to Dutch Quarter, and from St. Peter over Marigot Hill to the French side

• Improving connectivity between Cay Hill and Cole Bay

• Placing police officers at crucial bottleneck points to help the flow

Internal Administrative Matter

Before concluding, the Prime Minister briefly addressed an internal administrative matter involving a national decree.

"Consistent with my approach in previous matters, I will not divulge the identity of the individual... because I really believe in the integrity of the investigation that has to take place," he stated. He emphasized that the matter remains under review and the appropriate processes will be allowed to take their course to protect the parties involved.

PHILIPSBURG:---  The Government of Sint Maarten and the World Bank have approved the Sustaining Program Effectiveness and Advancing Resilience (SPEAR) project to strengthen public sector systems, deepen institutional capacity, and safeguard jobs and the long-term sustainability of Trust Fund investments that have supported the country’s recovery and resilience since Hurricane Irma.

Stressing the importance of sustainability, the  Marinka J. Gumbs, Minister of Finance, Government of Sint Maarten, said, “The SPEAR Project represents a major step forward in how Sint Maarten builds and sustains resilience. By strengthening our governance systems and operational capacity, we are making sustainability a core part of our recovery. SPEAR provides essential fiduciary support for ongoing projects and drives better services across government—particularly through improved budgeting and modernized procurement.”

SPEAR will strengthen decision-making, resource flows, and accountability enforcement in Sint Maarten.  As part of its portfolio, the project will support the establishment of a Disaster Reserve Fund (DRF) to manage risks and, once sufficiently financed, ensure that, when the next shock occurs, a resilient Sint Maarten can finance the initial response from its own resources.

In addition, it will modernize budget preparation systems and embed monitoring and evaluation tools across government operations. This will help to ensure that gains from Trust Fund projects are institutionalized and strengthened over time, supporting sustained results throughout the Trust Fund’s extended implementation period and beyond.

“The SPEAR Project shifts Sint Maarten’s recovery from project delivery to institutional strengthening,” said Lilia Burunciuc, World Bank Director for the Caribbean. “Sint Maarten will be better equipped to manage risks, allocate resources efficiently, and sustain the impacts of transformational investments financed under the Trust Fund.”

By strengthening government systems, SPEAR helps create and sustain long-term jobs by supporting local firms, building skills, and enabling smoother project delivery in Sint Maarten.