by Cdr. Bud Slabbaert

They leave the Caribbean for a reason. Not because of a lack of love for home, but to pursue growth. They want to learn more, see more, become more. They earn degrees, skills, networks, and experience that the world respects. They prove themselves in foreign systems that don’t realize their real worth. Because ultimately there is one place where everything they’ve learned matters more than anywhere else, back home.

Here, their talent can be amplified and thrive, sparking change and introducing new ideas. The Caribbean needs them to return now, so they can build what isn’t possible elsewhere, apply their experience, and create opportunities for themselves, their families, and their island. They can be the person they left to become. They can develop the things they once wished existed. The world prepared them; the Caribbean awaits their impact not someday, but today.

The Caribbean produces world-class talent, but exports it for free. The region is not short of talent. It is short of the systems that let talent shine. The problem is not the students. It may be the curriculum. It could not just change their life. It can change the future of the Caribbean. The region is at a moment where a new kind of higher‑learning institution could become a magnet for local talent, diaspora returnees, and international students who want something they can’t get anywhere else.

The region needs systems that match its children's brilliance and potential. The Caribbean doesn’t lack genius talent. It lacks the environment to unleash and foster it. The region needs something categorically different, that fills the gaps that other institutions don’t touch. With rapid global change, stronger, more innovative institutions are essential—perhaps a Pan‑Caribbean Applied Sciences & Innovation Institute to fill these critical spaces.

Nations that invest in research grow three times faster than those that do not. The Caribbean should create Research and Development (R&D) institutes and laboratories. The Caribbean, is strategically important but is the most under-researched and under-innovated region. It should establish R&D institutes to drive transformation and prosperity. It is not a luxury; it’s a regional survival strategy and of global relevance. It is not just about science; it is the armament that changes the region’s destiny.

Brain drain is a major issue for the region, causing a loss of talent and leadership. Instead of sending its brightest minds abroad, the region should focus on building research industries. The next billion-dollar Caribbean Industry Isn’t tourism. It’s research. With proper labs, the local talent of the region could make a global impact.

R&D institutes help local industries innovate, shifting regions from importing solutions to creating their own. Establishing these centers encourages diaspora engagement and reduces reliance on tourism by diversifying the economy. It may be the single most transformative step to be taken.

Research and Development serves as a profit center, driving Caribbean technology development, attracting international partners, and creating skilled jobs. It can reduce vulnerability; each hurricane season costs billions, but research could cut losses by half. Relying on imports often delays local innovation and fails to address unique island needs.

Many students who go abroad do not return, not just for better jobs or higher pay, but because their home region often lacks industries, job openings, or research environments in their fields. They stay where their qualifications are valued, with stronger industries, more funding, advanced technology, and supportive networks. Foreign universities offer better technology, networks, and research culture. This region lacks the labs or R&D centers found overseas.

Also, mind the social integration abroad. During several years of study, they build friendships and form relationships. Returning may become emotionally and socially difficult.

Students who pursue degrees abroad are encouraged to return home not solely out of obligation, but to assume leadership roles. Their decision to come back should be driven by readiness and ambition. By ensuring that returning is appealing, and by providing graduates with meaningful and irresistible opportunities that motivate them to contribute upon their return.

The message to them is: “You leave the Caribbean to study; you don’t leave because you stopped loving home. You leave because you want to grow. Your island needs what the world teaches you and prepares you for. It needs you to return because you can build what only you can build and it may be something here that you could never build anywhere else. When you have grown. You’ve earned skills, networks, and experience that most people only dream of, there is one place where those skills matter more than anywhere else on Earth. Home.”

PHILIPSBURG:---  The House of Parliament will sit in an urgent Public meeting on January 12, 2026.

The Public meeting was adjourned on January 9, 2026, and will be reconvened on Monday at 14.00 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of Finance will be in attendance.

The agenda point is:
Deliberations on the issues surrounding the Central Bank of Curacao and Sint Maarten
a. The recent nomination of the Chairman of the CBCS by the Council of Ministers
b. An update on the ENNIA situation
c. Developments concerning Mullet Bay (IS/092/2025-2026 dated September 22, 2025)

This meeting was requested by MP E.J. Doran, MP A.M.R. Irion, MP D.T.J. York, MP O.E.C. Ottley and MP F.A. Lacroes.

The Minister will be returning to answer questions posed in the second round.

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 Court House in Philipsburg.

The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on TV 15, Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament and www.pearlfmradio.sx

SANDY GROUND:---  A routine patrol by local gendarmerie forces led to a significant arrest earlier this week, resulting in a three-year prison sentence for a known repeat offender.
On Wednesday, January 7, gendarmes conducted an operation at a known drug-dealing location in the Sandy Ground district. Upon spotting the approaching patrol, a suspect immediately attempted to flee. Officers pursued the individual on foot, quickly overtook him, and apprehended him.
Following the arrest, a search of the individual revealed he was in possession of narcotics and a sum of cash, confirming suspicions of active drug trafficking.
Authorities identified the man as a "multi-recidivist" from the sector, indicating a history of similar offenses. Due to his prior record and the nature of the crime, the justice system moved swiftly. He was presented before the court and sentenced to three years in prison, with an immediate committal order (mandat de dépôt) requiring his direct transfer to a correctional facility.
This operation underscores the gendarmerie's ongoing commitment to dismantling drug trafficking networks and preserving public tranquility in the region. Law enforcement officials have stated they will continue their relentless efforts against the narcotics trade and related disturbances in local communities.

SAINT-MARTIN:---  In a significant operational update released this week, the Gendarmerie nationale has announced a major milestone in its enhanced initiative to apprehend fugitives across the territories of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin. Since launching a reinforced strategy on July 1, 2024, law enforcement officers have successfully arrested 100 individuals sought by the justice system.
This targeted operation reflects a determined effort by security forces to execute judicial decisions and combat delinquency effectively in the region. The Gendarmerie emphasized that these actions underscore their constant commitment to public safety under the direction of judicial authorities.
Of the 100 fugitives apprehended during this period, the outcomes have been swift. Authorities report that 30 individuals were immediately placed in detention following their arrest. The remaining 70 individuals have been brought before the courts to answer for their alleged offenses, marking a significant step forward in enforcing outstanding legal judgments.
The success of this ongoing operation relies on a multi-faceted approach. According to the communiqué, the results are driven by targeted intelligence gathering, close coordination with judicial authorities, and the daily commitment of gendarmes working on the ground.
The Gendarmerie nationale has stated it will continue these efforts relentlessly to ensure the security of the population and uphold the rule of law across both Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin.