PHILIPSBURG:--- During yesterday’s meeting of the Parliamentary Committee for Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment, and Infrastructure (VROMI), chaired by MP Darryl York, the Nature Foundation presented a dire report on the environmental challenges facing St. Maarten. Leslie Hickerson, a representative from the Foundation, outlined the severe threats to the island’s marine and terrestrial ecosystems, stressing the urgency for action to mitigate further damage.
The report highlighted critical issues, including declining coral reefs, rising sea levels, and destroying mangrove forests. Hickerson emphasized that the island’s coral reefs—essential for biodiversity and tourism—are seriously declining due to coral bleaching, pollution, and disease. Without intervention, the tourism sector, heavily reliant on marine attractions, could face significant economic losses.
Additionally, rising sea levels and the loss of mangrove forests threaten the island’s infrastructure, while the ongoing destruction of wildlife habitats and overfishing are damaging local fisheries. These environmental issues put the economy and biodiversity at risk, prompting an urgent call for protective measures.
In response to the information provided, Committee members proposed various solutions to address the pressing challenges. MP Lacroes suggested that the Nature Foundation could become more self-sustainable by introducing environmental enforcement officers with the authority to issue fines for violations, with a portion of the collected funds supporting the Foundation’s operations.
MP Ardwell Irion urged the Nature Foundation to stand firm against the activist backlash, particularly regarding the wild Veret monkeys. He stressed that their efforts to manage the monkey problem are crucial for St. Maarten's future, emphasizing that protecting local livelihoods should outweigh external pressures. Irion also suggested a temporary solution for better control over plant and animal imports, recommending that the government charge a fee for advice from the Foundation. This would generate funding for the Foundation, help regulate imports, and ensure invasive species are kept out, protecting the island’s ecosystem.
MP Roseburg proposed alternative financial strategies, including crowdfunding and access to European grants, such as the Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund and the GEF Small Grants Program. She also recommended seeking technical assistance from European organizations to help navigate the complex grant application process.
MP York expressed concern about the insufficient support for the Nature Foundation, calling its treatment “nothing short of abuse.” He pointed out the Foundation’s critical role across several government ministries yet noted that it receives inadequate financial backing. He expressed that he finds the concept of a nature fee, similar to Bonaire and other islands, to be a good idea for generating sustainable funding. However, it stressed that simply copying these models won’t guarantee success in St. Maarten and that such ideas must be carefully tailored to work for the island. The importance of protecting the island’s coral reefs for the tourism industry was emphasized, with a recommendation to place Little Key on the national monument list for temporary protection. Additionally, misconceptions about the mangroves in the Great Salt Pond were addressed, underscoring their vital role in flood prevention, carbon absorption, and providing habitats for wildlife.
During the meeting, Hickerson also provided an update on the turtle population on the island. She shared that hundreds of turtles are currently residing in various ponds across St. Maarten. While this growing turtle population is a positive sign of marine life restoration, it presents challenges in terms of their health and habitat needs. The Foundation is actively addressing these challenges as part of its broader conservation efforts.
The meeting concluded with a clear path forward for the Committee. The next steps will involve a closed-door VROMI Committee meeting, where members will review the information presented during yesterday’s session. This meeting will focus on brainstorming key questions and solutions to propose to the Minister. These proposals will be submitted in writing ahead of the Minister’s appearance in Parliament, ensuring that queries on behalf of the Nature Foundation won’t fall on deaf ears but will be actively worked on.

Kralendijk:--- During its deliberations with Bonaire’s Executive Council and Island Council, the Board of Financial Supervision of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba (Cft) drew attention to the problems that are frequently and repeatedly part of the Cft’s findings. Relapse of financial management, budgetary policy, and the functioning of the government entities is imminent due to a lack of executive capacity. Bonaire is simply not in control.

 Executive capacity

In all areas, the Cft observes a lack of executive capacity, varying from a lack of decision-making on the part of the island administration to the implementation thereof. This is reflected in a relapse of financial management, deficient implementation of policy, and insufficient functioning of government entities.

Financial management

Over the past years, Bonaire has taken important steps to improve its financial management. Regarding 2023, for the second time in a row, Bonaire received a fully unqualified audit opinion regarding its annual accounts. There is, however, a relapse. In the past year, the CFT has expressed criticism of its advice, and it felt the necessity to refrain from issuing an evaluation of the fourth implementation report for 2024 due to the inadequacy of the information provision. This leads to the Island Council being limited in its supervisory function. In light of these findings, the Executive Council invited the Cft to issue more detailed recommendations on the short term, regarding the structuring of financial management.

Implementation of budget 2024 and consequences for 2025

The Cft reiterated its concerns regarding the feasibility of Bonaire’s budgetary ambitions, and it observes a worrisome development of unspent resources. In 5 years time, Bonaire’s budget has doubled, as have its reserves. The island has difficulty spending resources and places a large amount of resources in special-purpose reserves, postponing policy ambitions for 2024 to later years.

Government entities

The Cft also drew attention to corporate governance and the management of government entities. Selibon's functioning is an indicator of the urgency to address these issues as soon as possible.

Collection of local taxes

Lastly, the Cft reiterated its objections to Bonaire’s intention to take over collection of local taxes from Belastingdienst Caribisch Nederland. This leads to considerable risks to Bonaire's budget. The administrative organization is already under pressure due to the challenges in the areas of the implementation of policy, financial management and government entities. In response, the Executive Council stated that it will leave in any case the counter tasks of the tax authorities with the Belastingdienst Caribisch Nederland. Furthermore, Bonaire will prioritize restoring order in the basic tax administration.

~ Register via volunteer.sx ~

PHILIPSBURG:---  Giving back to the community and environment is a year-round commitment, and SXM DOET, in collaboration with Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC), is inviting volunteers to take action. Nonprofit organizations, community groups, and individuals are encouraged to participate in the Fort Amsterdam Cleanup & Learn Event on Sunday, February 23, 2025, from 8:30 AM to 10:30 AM at Fort Amsterdam, Divi Resort. Advanced registration is required via volunteer.sx.
This event will focus on removing trash and invasive plant species while providing hands-on training for those interested in organizing their own cleanups. EPIC's newly launched reforestation initiative aims to support Sint Maarten's brown pelican and least tern by restoring and protecting their habitat. Additionally, education is a key component of the project, with free environmental presentations available for schools, businesses, and the general public. By equipping volunteers with the tools and knowledge to lead their own efforts, this initiative aligns with SXM DOET’s broader mission of fostering long-term volunteerism and community engagement while supporting projects that promote environmental sustainability.
At SXM DOET and EPIC’s last collaborative event, the SXM DOET Youth Volunteer Internship Vacancy was launched, creating new opportunities for young people to engage in volunteerism and environmental conservation. Now, at this event, the three newly selected youth interns will be present, gaining firsthand experience in community action and environmental sustainability.
All necessary equipment will be provided, along with snacks and refreshments. Participants are encouraged to bring a refillable water bottle, sun protection, active clothing, and closed-toe shoes. Youth under 13 must be supervised by an adult.
By joining this event, volunteers will not only help protect one of Sint Maarten’s most ecologically and historically significant sites but also gain valuable skills in conservation and community action. To participate, sign up now at volunteer.sx. For more information, visit www.sxmdoet.com or www.epicislands.org, follow SXM DOET and EPIC on Facebook and on Instagram, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Chargé d’Affaires Ramón “Chico” Negrón

WILLEMSTAD:--- The United States Consulate General in Curacao is pleased to announce the arrival of Mr. Ramón “Chico” Negrón as the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Consulate General in Curacao and Mission to Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten.
Mr. Negrón is a Senior Foreign Service Officer of the U.S. Department of State. He assumed his position as Chargé d’Affaires upon his arrival to Curacao on February 18, 2025. Mr. Negrón will fulfill the duties of the Consul General and Chief of Mission while Consul General John McNamara is on temporary duty assignment to lead the U.S. Embassy in Bogota.
Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Mr. Negrón has been a diplomat for 26 years, recently serving as Director for Western Hemisphere Strategy at the National Security Council. His previous assignments include Guadalajara, Mexico; Bern, Switzerland; White House Situation Room, Washington, D.C.; Havana, Cuba; Director of the U.S. Regional Embassy Office in Basrah, Iraq; Deputy Economic Counselor in Canberra, Australia; Director of the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Sections in Panama and Pakistan; Deputy Economic Counselor in Beijing, China; and Economic Counselor at U.S. Embassy Bogota, Colombia.
Mr. Negron also served in the U.S. Army for over 22 years, on active duty and as a reservist, retiring with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He received a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a Masters in International Economic Policy from Columbia University. His languages include Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, and Chinese. His wife Debra is also a Foreign Service Officer and they have two daughters.
We wish Chargé d’Affaires Negrón a warm welcome.