HARBOUR VIEW, PHILIPSBURG:--- With just over a month to go before the 2025 Governor’s Symposium, the Organizing Committee has launched two exciting initiatives designed to broaden public engagement and amplify young voices in the lead-up to this historic event.
This year’s Symposium, themed “15 Years of Constitutional Autonomy: Achievements, Lessons, and Prospects,” will take place on Friday, October 10, 2025, at the American University of the Caribbean (AUC) in Cupecoy. The event marks a significant milestone in Sint Maarten’s modern constitutional history and is set to feature a powerful mix of voices—ranging from constitutional experts to youth contributors.
In a bid to include the broader public in the reflection process, the Organizing Committee has launched a podcast series titled “Autonomous Conversations.” Each episode (3 to 7 minutes) is designed to take listeners on a journey through Sint Maarten’s constitutional development, present-day realities, and future aspirations.
The podcast schedule is as follows:
- Episode 1 (Sept 19): From Island Territory to Country.
- Episode 2 (Sept 26): A Country Within a Kingdom.
- Episode 3 (Oct 3): Voices from the Nation (featuring community reflections and youth perspectives).
- Episode 4 (Oct 24): Post-Symposium Reflections.
The public is invited to contribute to this discussion by submitting either a short voice note (under 30 seconds) or a brief written reflection responding to the following prompt:
“How has Sint Maarten being a country within the Kingdom for 15 years affected your daily life? What do you hope for Country Sint Maarten?”. Interested parties may send their voice notes using the Whatsapp platform via +1 (721 587-0047 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for their written reflections. Selected submissions may be featured in Episode 3 of the podcast, highlighting personal perspectives and collective hopes.
As part of the Committee’s youth engagement efforts, the Youth Creative Vision Contest was initiated and invites students in the pre-exam and exam years of secondary school to share their vision for Sint Maarten’s future. Students may submit poems, short essays (max 500 words), videos, or songs—either individually or in groups. The goal is to encourage civic awareness, critical thinking, and national pride.
Each school should collect all entries from their eligible students and submit it to the Cabinet of the Governor by September 26, 2025. A judging panel—comprising Organizing Committee members and representatives from Teen Times, the contest’s youth media partner, will select the winning entry based on creativity, originality, relevance to the theme, and overall quality.
All entries will be displayed at the Symposium, and the winning student(s) will be:
- Officially recognized during the event;
- Invited to an informal meeting with the Governor;
- Featured in Teen Times, the local newspaper, and across social media platforms;
- Considered for public display in Parliament and the Government Administration Building.
The 2025 Governor’s Symposium will take place on October 10, 2025 at AUC. For those unable to attend in person, the event will be livestreamed via the Governor’s official Facebook page and website from 8:30 AM.
Stay tuned for further updates, podcast teasers, and highlights from the youth contest in the coming weeks.
POINTE BLANCHE:--- Star of the Seas, Royal Caribbean’s newest and the world’s largest cruise, the Icon Class super-sequel, will call at Port St. Maarten on Thursday, September 11, 2025.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Ministry of VROMI (Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment & Infrastructure) informs the public that the current partial road closures on Cannegieter Street, from the intersection of Percy Labega Street to Manzanilla Steeg, will be extended to full nightly closures.
Simpson Bay:--- With the successful reopening of the runway at Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIA), we are pleased to announce that airport operations have officially resumed.
PHILIPSBURG:--- On September 6, the Sint Maarten Library buzzed with laughter, wonder, and excitement as Literacy Month kicked off with a special story time session. The celebrations will continue with Family Literacy Day on Saturday, September 13, 2025, at the Government Administrative Building – Soualiga Rooms 1 & 2, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
