PHILIPSBURG:--- Top 1 Toys, locally owned and operated, provider of children’s toys, (board) games and educational materials for all age groups, in collaboration with Premier Supplies, a provider of variety of paints for different industries, electrical, plumbing and tools, also established on Sint Maarten, collaborated to bring tokens of Christmas gifts to the students of Sister Magda Primary School.
Ms. Nina Williams, owner of Top 1 Toys: “Top 1 Toys has always remained in support of initiatives that support the well-being of our community, and in particular, our students. We have been operating since 2015, started under “Intertoys” and then transitioned to “Top 1 Toys”. We support education and the institutions that form part of educating our students. Through their parents, students have formed an integral part as contributors to the continued success of our business throughout the past 10 years of our existence. We were approached to be a contributing partner in Sister Magda School’s desire to present a Christmas gift token to their students. And there, the planning began to select items from our store. We are pleased to have collaborated with Premier Supplies, which co-sponsored this initiative.

The Managing Director of Premier Supplies, Mr. Dawkins, said, “While Premier Supplies is not a provider of children’s toys and related educational materials, we understand the dynamics of community togetherness and bringing Christmas cheer to students. When approached by Mr. Challenger to be part of this project, we accepted from the onset. We, too, are pleased to work with the Top 1 Toys Management Team in support of Sister Magda Primary School, and bring smiles of joy to the students. Many of our clients are parents, and coming together for our children is the way to go, and what better time to do this than during the Christmas season?
On the 5th of December, Santa paid a visit to the school, providing Top 1 Toys - gift tokens and good cheer to the children in the person of Mr. Jimmy Challenger. The School Manager, Ms. Kavita Ganput, stated: “We remain very appreciative of the contributions made by both businesses, Top 1 Toys and Premier Supplies, to make this initiative possible on such short notice. Without the business community on the side of Education, many projects and general educational activities would not be possible. It takes a community to build the positive development of each and every child. We also thank Mr. Jimmy Challenger, who has been a part of our school’s Parent Reading Program, for his assistance in introducing our school’s initiative to the two businesses and simply being in support of the process to achieve our school’s goal to bringing cheer to our students.”

WILLEMSTAD/PHILIPSBURG:--- On Thursday, December 18, 2025, the Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS) will issue a new bond loan on behalf of the country of Curaçao. The bond, which has a maturity of 30 years, is valued at XCG 115,700,000. The interest rate is based on the Dutch yield curve as per December 11, 2025. On November 24, the indicative interest rate for loans with a 30-year maturity was 3.479%. The bond will be repaid annually, beginning on December 18, 2026.
The subscription period for the Dutch State Treasury Agency (DSTA) opens on Thursday, December 11, 2025. Then, until Monday, December 15, 2025, at 12:00 p.m., the public may subscribe to this bond issue through the commercial banks in Curaçao and Sint Maarten. Subscriptions will take place according to the tender system in which parties indicate the amount and the price at which they wish to participate in the loan, thereby specifying their desired yield.
After the subscription period closes, the CBCS will announce the issue price. Those who subscribed at a price higher than the issue price will receive full allocation. Those who subscribed at an equal price will receive the remaining amount of the issue.
Subscription forms can be downloaded from our website at:
https://www.centralbank.cw/functions/market-operations-payments/capital-markets/government-loans-curacao
Willemstad, December 10, 2025
CENTRALE BANK VAN CURAÇAO EN SINT MAARTEN

The Hague, Netherlands:--- A reflective and forward-looking address on Sint Maarten’s constitutional journey was delivered at InterExpo 2025 in The Hague by President of Parliament, Hon. Sarah A. Wescot-Williams. The presentation was well received, contributing substantively to discussions on Kingdom relations, governance, and sustainable development.
Fifteen years after Sint Maarten became a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, MP Wescot-Williams invited renewed reflection on whether existing constitutional arrangements are genuinely suited to the realities of a Small Island Developing State (SIDS). She emphasized that the challenge facing Sint Maarten is not constitutional form alone, but constitutional fitness, particularly when applied uniformly to vastly different political, economic, and geographic contexts.
At the center of her address was the concept of constitutional suitability, questioning whether current governance structures adequately reflect the scale limitations, vulnerabilities, and high operating costs inherent to small island states. She underscored that SIDS require proportional treatment within larger political frameworks, rather than one-size-fits-all models.
Key issues highlighted in the address included:
• SIDS Realities: Limited scale, constrained administrative capacity, high costs, and susceptibility to external shocks demand governance models tailored to small island contexts.
• Asymmetric Relationships: Persistent hierarchical power dynamics within the Kingdom hinder genuine partnership and contribute to democratic deficits.
• Financial Oversight: Existing financial supervision frameworks were critiqued for prioritizing control over development. A SIDS-appropriate approach, she noted, must allow for counter-cyclical investment, resilience planning, and access to development financing.
• Kingdom Affairs: Caribbean countries continue to have limited influence over critical matters such as foreign affairs and defense, despite their status as autonomous countries within the Kingdom.
• Shared Kingdom Budget: The absence of a joint Kingdom budget for shared responsibilities was identified as a structural deficit that weakens equal partnership.
• Scale Limitations in Public Services: Small scale presents ongoing challenges for healthcare, education, justice, and regulatory systems, requiring realistic and collaborative Kingdom solutions.
• Right to Development: MP Wescot-Williams called for a shift in focus from constitutional debates centered on decolonization toward development, emphasizing capacity building, resilience, and institutional strengthening.
• Partnership and Reciprocity: A modern Kingdom relationship demands both continued governance reform at the country level and impartial, inclusive engagement by Kingdom institutions.
• Equity over Equality: Equal treatment does not necessarily result in fairness; equitable outcomes require proportional measures that recognize difference.
• Role of Women: She highlighted the pivotal role of women in governance and development across the Kingdom and their capacity to inspire future generations of leadership.
Concluding her address, the MP outlined a vision grounded in justice, partnership, the right to development, and Caribbean-centered governance, calling for a Kingdom relationship that recognizes the unique realities of its Caribbean countries and responds with fairness, responsibility, and mutual respect.
Her participation at InterExpo 2025 reaffirmed Sint Maarten’s commitment to constructive dialogue, constitutional realism, and collaborative solutions to build resilient institutions and a more balanced Kingdom partnership.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Preventive measures to address firearm violence are currently in place across Sint Maarten and will continue into the foreseeable future.
Under the order issued by the Prosecutor’s Office Sint Maarten OM SXM, police officers may open bags and packages, search vehicles, and request cooperation from individuals for clothing searches in publicly accessible areas. These measures are designed to detect illegal firearms, disrupt criminal activity such as armed robberies, and strengthen public safety across all communities.
Investigations indicate that illegal firearms are being brought onto the island through various channels, contributing to increased violence and public safety risks. As part of the response, the Prosecutor’s Office has ordered the continuation of preventive searches through Monday, December 15, 2025, with further extensions expected.
Police have seized over 70 illegal firearms since early 2024, underscoring both the scale of the challenge and the active work of the Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM). Targeted controls and earlier preventive search operations have proven effective in removing weapons from circulation.
Gun violence remains a serious concern, with multiple injuries and fatalities recorded since 2024 and several cases showing links to criminal groups operating across the Dutch–French border and the wider region. Firearms are also being used within drug-related networks, driven by shifting trafficking routes through the Caribbean.
The Prosecutor’s Office, together with KPSM, reaffirms its commitment to combating gun violence and protecting residents and visitors.