PHILIPSBURG:--- The Department of Youth, under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth & Sport, is actively advancing its 2026 strategic activities to support youth development, children’s rights awareness, and positive parenting across Sint Maarten.
As part of its ongoing work, the Department is implementing a series of community events designed to raise awareness of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and to actively engage families as part of a wider, integrated campaign strategy. These activities aim to increase public knowledge, encourage meaningful dialogue, and strengthen community involvement around children’s rights and responsibilities.
A central component of the Department’s awareness campaign is the weekly children’s rights radio quiz series, offering participants the opportunity to win prizes through an interactive, educational format. These quizzes are designed to reach listeners of all ages and to bring children’s rights education directly into homes, while encouraging national participation and increasing understanding of relevant government policies and programs.
These efforts will be further supported through radio interviews and strategic partnerships with schools, churches, and the private sector.
Recognizing families as the backbone of a strong and resilient community, the Department of Youth encourages private sector organizations to promote family-friendly work environments, contributing to healthier households and safer communities.
In parallel with its awareness initiatives, the Department of Youth is progressing several priority areas for 2026, including:

• the development of an Early Childhood Curriculum Guide;
• the further advancement of the National Child Safeguarding Policy through the development of practical implementation guidelines;
• the continuation of the Positive Parenting Support Program through partnerships with churches, district community centers, and the private sector;
• youth participation workshops designed to facilitate youth-led research
• the execution of the 28th annual Business Outreach and Placement Program (BOPP), among other initiatives.
All activities are aligned with the Integrated Youth Policy and reflect the Department’s continued commitment to strengthening families and empowering youth.
By expanding innovative awareness strategies and strengthening community partnerships, the Department of Youth remains dedicated to investing in the future of Sint Maarten’s youth by Educating, Inspiring, and Empowering.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Finance, Hon. Marinka J. Gumbs, attended the 10-year anniversary celebration of Audit Team Sint Maarten (ATS), marking a significant milestone for the foundation in its contribution to Sint Maarten’s tax and audit landscape.
Founded ten years ago, Audit Team Sint Maarten is a specialized foundation dedicated to conducting tax-related audits and supporting the strengthening of financial oversight and compliance on the island. Over the past decade, ATS has played an important role in enhancing the quality and professionalism of compliance and audit functions in Sint Maarten.
Notably, ATS employs several Sint Maarten-born professionals who were recruited directly from the Netherlands and are currently completing their qualification as Registered Accountants. This investment in local talent reflects ATS’s commitment to capacity building and sustainable professional development within Sint Maarten.
During the event, Minister Gumbs congratulated ATS on its decade of service and commended the organization for its dedication, expertise, and contribution to public financial accountability. She expressed optimism that ATS will continue to support Sint Maarten in strengthening its tax administration and audit practices in the years ahead.
She concluded by wishing ATS continued success as it enters its next decade of service to Sint Maarten.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Since his first week in office in December 2024, Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, Hon. Richinel S.J. Brug, has been actively engaging with the National Recovery and Planning Bureau (NRPB) and the World Bank to ensure that reconstruction and development projects on Sint Maarten meaningfully benefit local companies and workers. His early and consistent advocacy underscores a commitment to both project efficiency and the protection of Sint Maarten’s labor force.
In response to a formal request from the World Bank seeking clarity on how “local labor” should be defined, Minister Brug issued a policy response on January 26, 2026. The request arose in the context of ongoing reconstruction projects, where concerns had been raised about the availability of sufficient local contracting staff. The World Bank also asked whether certain labor-related fees could be waived or whether the definition of local labor could be broadened to include workers from other Caribbean nations or parts of Latin America when specific skills are not available locally.
Minister Brug acknowledged the importance of keeping projects moving efficiently, while emphasizing that Sint Maarten’s labor laws exist to protect local workers and businesses, and must be upheld. He made clear that local workers must always be given the first opportunity, and that foreign labor should only be considered once it is evident that the required skills are unavailable within the local labor market.
On February 3, 2026, the World Bank responded in writing, confirming its understanding of the Government of Sint Maarten’s position. The Bank agreed that contractors must first exhaust the local labor market and comply with Sint Maarten’s labor (and immigration) rules before seeking workers from abroad. The Bank also recognized the Rapid Permit Policy as a practical tool to address urgent labor needs when local expertise is unavailable, helping to prevent delays in project execution.
Importantly, the World Bank further committed to supporting local businesses by ensuring that, where possible within procurement rules, up to 30 percent of project work is subcontracted to local contractors, if no local contractor wins the initial bid. This approach enables meaningful local participation and ensures that specialized skills can still be accessed responsibly when required.
“Development should benefit our people first, while also allowing projects to move forward responsibly,” said Minister Brug. “This balanced approach protects local jobs, strengthens local businesses, and ensures that these projects deliver lasting value for Sint Maarten.”
Minister Brug emphasized that local participation is not about exclusion, but about fairness and opportunity. By working constructively with international partners such as the World Bank, the Government continues to ensure that economic development proceeds efficiently, lawfully, and in a way that puts Sint Maarteners at the center.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a Central Committee meeting on February 9, 2026.

The Central Committee meeting, which was adjourned on January 16, 2026, will be reconvened on Monday at 14.00 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure will be in attendance.

The Minister will be returning to Parliament to answer questions posed by the Members of Parliament.

The agenda point is:
Nature Policy Plan Sint Maarten 2025-2029 (IS/365/2025-2026 dated November 18, 2025)

Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations.

All persons visiting the House of Parliament must adhere to the House rules.

The House of Parliament is located across from the courthouse in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx ,and www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament