Sandy Ground, Saint-Martin:---  A wave of unrest swept through the Sandy Ground neighborhood on Sunday night, following the arrest of a young man suspected of involvement in a series of armed robberies in the Sandy Ground and Baie Nettle areas.
The arrest, which took place shortly after 8 PM, sparked outrage among residents and youth, who claimed the suspect was subjected to police violence during the operation. The gendarmerie, however, has firmly denied these allegations.
The situation quickly escalated as anger and frustration boiled over. Throughout the night and into the early hours of Monday morning, garbage bins and cars were set ablaze, creating scenes of chaos and disruption. Roads were blocked with debris, paralyzing traffic and leaving the community in turmoil.
In response to the unrest, Prefect Cyrille Le Vély and President of the Collectivity Louis Mussington visited Sandy Ground on Monday to address residents' concerns and restore calm.
Accompanied by the Colonel of the Gendarmerie, the Prosecutor, and representatives of the Territorial Police, the officials held a series of meetings with local leaders, including members of the district council, to discuss the situation.
During these discussions, Prefect Le Vély emphasized the importance of distinguishing between individual actions and those of the broader community. "It is not enough for something to happen in Sandy Ground for the responsibility to be automatically attributed to Sandy Ground," he stated, urging against the stigmatization of the neighborhood.

The meetings also addressed the recent spike in criminal activity, including gunfights and armed robberies, which had prompted the gendarmerie to implement heightened security measures in the area. These measures included increased patrols and checkpoints to prevent further incidents.
However, tensions reached a breaking point on Sunday night, following the arrest of the young man. While some residents alleged that the suspect was mistreated by the gendarmes, Prefect Le Vély assured the community that a thorough investigation would be conducted to determine the facts. "The prosecutor understood the need to conduct an investigation very quickly," he said, adding that the investigation would include a review of footage from the body cameras worn by the gendarmes during the operation.
Despite local officials' efforts to engage with the community and provide assurances, their visit did little to quell the unrest. Residents remained skeptical, demanding accountability and transparency in the investigation.
The debris and roadblocks set up during the night continued to disrupt daily life, preventing residents from returning to their routines.
Prefect Le Vély and President Mussington expressed their hope that the investigation and ongoing dialogue would help to rebuild trust and restore order in Sandy Ground. "We came to announce that there would be an investigation, and this investigation, of course, will take a little time," Prefect Le Vély stated. He also called for patience and cooperation from the community, emphasizing the need to allow the investigation to proceed without interference.
As the situation unfolds, the focus remains on restoring calm and ensuring that the voices of Sandy Ground residents are heard. Local leaders and law enforcement officials face the challenge of addressing the underlying issues that have fueled tensions in the neighborhood, while working to prevent further violence and disruption. For now, the community waits for answers and a path forward.

PHILIPSBURG:---  Bureau Telecommunications and Post Sint Maarten (BTP) is proud to announce its support of the St. Maarten team participating in the OECSRA Super Regional Robotics Challenge, scheduled to take place from March 16–20, 2026, in St. Kitts. As part of this commitment, BTP is funding participation costs, ensuring that local students can take part in this regional STEAM learning experience.

This initiative fully aligns with BTP’s mission to promote technology and innovation while encouraging students to pursue careers in science and technology. By supporting robotics and innovation programs, BTP continues to invest in developing future-ready skills among St. Maarten’s youth.

“This sponsorship reflects our strong belief in empowering young minds through technology and innovation,” said Ms. Judianne Hoeve, Director of BTP. “Both the St. Maarten Science Fair Foundation and the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, who has endorsed this program, have our full support. We are truly looking forward to this collaboration as we create opportunities for students to explore robotics, engineering, and emerging technologies. It is essential that we intentionally develop a strong pool of technology-focused students from which our local technology sector can later draw talent.”

The St. Maarten Science Fair Foundation supports the continued growth of STEAM education on St. Maarten—an integrated learning approach that combines Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics to foster critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

Dr. Rolinda Carter, President of the St. Maarten Science Fair Foundation and OECSRA representative for St. Maarten, welcomed the partnership with BTP, stating: “We are grateful to BTP for its support of St. Maarten’s participation in the inaugural OECSRA Super Regional Robotics Challenge. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to creating meaningful learning opportunities that prepare our students for a rapidly advancing digital world. As this first regional challenge emphasizes skill development, collaboration, and friendly competition, BTP’s support ensures our students gain valuable hands-on experience in robotics, innovation, and problem-solving. We look forward to continuing this collaboration as we expand access to STEAM initiatives for St. Maarten’s youth.

A kickoff meeting was recently held between BTP and the St. Maarten Science Fair Foundation to coordinate logistics for the upcoming competition and explore opportunities for future collaboration. Discussions also included emerging areas of mutual interest, such as cybersecurity, particularly as artificial intelligence and modern technologies become increasingly prominent in education and industry.

BTP applauds the St. Maarten Science Fair Foundation and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport for their continued efforts to actively promote technology, robotics, and innovation, and for its dedication to engaging and inspiring students across the island.

CBCS launches interactive dashboards to enhance accessibility to statistics
Willemstad/Philipsburg:--- The Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS) is pleased to announce the launch of two new interactive statistical dashboards: the Monetary & Financial Statistics Dashboard and the External Sector Statistics Dashboard.1 These tools form an important part of the CBCS’s broader strategy to strengthen data visualization and improve the accessibility, transparency, and clarity of official statistics for a wide range of users.
The Monetary & Financial Statistics Dashboard provides a visual overview of credit developments, monetary data, financial system trends, and other key indicators within the monetary union. This dynamic tool enables users to better interpret monetary and financial developments through intuitive, easy‑to‑navigate visual formats.
Meanwhile, the External Sector Statistics Dashboard provides insights into balance of payments developments, trade flows of goods and services, investment patterns, and other external sector indicators, helping users better understand the monetary union’s external vulnerabilities and economic linkages with global markets.
These dashboards are central to the CBCS’s ongoing efforts to modernize the dissemination of statistical information. By transitioning from static publications to dynamic, interactive tools, the CBCS aims to:

• Improve access to complex economic data
• Enhance transparency and public understanding
• Support evidence-based decision making
• Encourage wider use of official statistics in research, planning, and policy discussions.
Both dashboards allow users to analyze trends interactively, export data, and incorporate insights into their own analyses and decision-making processes. Most data are available at the monetary union level as well as separately for Curaçao and Sint Maarten.
As a result, policymakers, researchers, financial institutions, journalists, students and the general public now have access to user friendly visualizations of key macroeconomic indicators.
Looking ahead, the CBCS plans to further expand its dashboard with real sector and public sector statistics dashboards. These additions will create a more complete suite of interactive tools, enabling users to explore economic developments across all major sectors through a unified platform. The CBCS also plans to introduce medium-term forecasts of key economic indicators, further strengthening the dashboards’ value for forward-looking analysis and policy assessment.
With these initiatives, the CBCS reaffirms its commitment to delivering timely, reliable, and high‑quality economic data in a format that is easy to explore, visualize, and interpret.

Willemstad, January 19, 2026
CENTRALE BANK VAN CURACAO EN SINT MAARTEN

PHILIPSBURG:---  The Sint Maarten Police Force (KPSM) successfully executed a series of targeted enforcement operations across the island from Monday, January 12, through Sunday, January 18, 2026. The KPSM Team, working alongside the Uniformed Patrol Division (BPZ), deployed strategic controls at identified high-risk locations to combat criminal activity and restore order to our communities.

During these operations, officers took four individuals into custody for various criminal offenses:

• Stolen Vehicle Recovery (Arlet Peterson Road): A suspect was apprehended during a traffic stop while operating a stolen white Kia Picanto. Additionally, several scooters were impounded for traffic violations, including a lack of proper documentation (license, insurance, registration, road tax) and failure to wear helmets.
• Shooting Investigation (Armed Suspect Arrested): A suspect linked to a shooting incident was arrested. A subsequent search of the individual's residence yielded two air rifles, one paintball gun, and a shotgun cartridge.
• Illegal Weapon Possession (Carolita Road): During a routine traffic control, officers arrested a male suspect for carrying a concealed alarm pistol in a waist bag.
• Drug Possession and Assault on Officers (Kimsha Strip): A suspect was arrested for possession of narcotics, verbal assault on officers, refusal to obey lawful orders, and violent resistance. The arrest occurred in a challenging environment where the suspect became combative in the presence of a hostile crowd.

KPSM officers also executed high-visibility operations at known hotspots, including the Petro Plus Gas Station. The location was secured, and all persons on-site were subject to preventive searches. Officers addressed dangerous and unlawful behaviors, including smoking near fuel pumps, public disturbances, and excessive noise violations.

Weekly Enforcement Summary

• 160 vehicles stopped
• 45 vehicles searched
• 180 individuals frisked
• 4 arrests made
• 4 scooters impounded
• Multiple targeted controls executed at crime hotspots

KPSM remains steadfast in its commitment to enforcement operations across all districts of Sint Maarten. These actions are vital for public safety and will continue until order is fully restored and criminal behavior is eliminated.

KPSM reminds the public that any disruption of public order, threats against officers, or violence toward law enforcement will be met with immediate and decisive action. Disrespect and non-compliance will not be tolerated.

The Sint Maarten Police Force calls on every resident to help make the island safer. We urge you to report suspicious activity, comply with lawful orders, and support your police force.