PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- Sunday, May 17 marked World Hypertension Day (WHD) under the theme, “Controlling Hypertension Together: check your blood pressure regularly, defeat the silent killer.”

This year’s theme highlights a simple truth: knowing your blood pressure numbers and taking early action saves lives.

Hypertension is a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, and kidney disease, yet it can be detected easily and controlled through healthy living and appropriate medical care.

The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, is joining the global community to raise awareness and encourage action against high blood pressure (hypertension)—often called “the silent killer” because it may have no symptoms while quietly damaging the heart, brain, kidneys, and blood vessels.

Many people only discover they have high blood pressure after a serious complication such as a stroke or heart event. CPS urges everyone to make blood pressure checks a routine part of life—just like checking weight or temperature.

CPS encourages adults to: Check blood pressure regularly, even if you feel well. Record your readings (date/time and results) and share them with a health professional. Seek care early if readings are repeatedly elevated.

Blood pressure targets can vary depending on age and medical history. A health professional can advise what is best for you.

Eat for a healthier blood pressure; reduce salt (sodium): limit salty snacks, instant noodles, processed meats, canned foods, and salty seasonings.

Choose more fresh foods: fruits, vegetables, beans, peas, lentils, and whole grains. Pick healthier fats: nuts, seeds, fish, and plant oils; limit deep-fried and highly processed foods.

Watch sugary drinks and excess sweets which can contribute to weight gain and metabolic risk. Be active most days of the week
Regular physical activity strengthens the heart and improves circulation.

Aim for consistent movement: brisk walking, dancing, cycling, swimming, yard work—whatever is safe and sustainable. Start small if needed (even 10–15 minutes at a time) and build up gradually.
Maintain a healthy weight (or work toward it). Even modest weight loss can reduce blood pressure for people who are overweight. Focus on realistic steps—portion control, fewer sugary drinks, and more daily activity.

Avoid tobacco and limit alcohol. Stop smoking and avoid secondhand smoke—tobacco damages blood vessels and increases cardiovascular risk. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation (or avoid it), as excess intake can raise blood pressure.

Manage stress and prioritize sleep. Chronic stress and poor sleep can contribute to elevated blood pressure.

On this World Hypertension Day, CPS calls on communities, employers, schools, faith-based groups, and families to work together to: Promote routine blood pressure checks; Support healthy food choices and physical activity; and encourage people diagnosed with hypertension to stay in care and follow treatment.

Hypertension can be prevented, detected, treated, and controlled. The first step is simple: check your blood pressure regularly by contacting your doctor.

PHILIPSBURG:--- For many business owners in the Dutch Caribbean, losing a final tax case can feel like reaching a financial breaking point. Once objections, appeals, and court procedures are exhausted, the Tax Office may proceed with enforcement measures such as bank liens, account freezes, asset seizures, and public auctions. Within a short period, a functioning business can face operational paralysis.
At this critical stage, many traditional advisors step away. Accountants often focus primarily on compliance and reporting, while litigation attorneys may conclude their involvement once court proceedings have ended. Business owners are frequently left facing severe financial pressure with few structured recovery options available.
According to Terence Jandroep, however, the end of litigation does not necessarily have to mean the end of the business operation. As a Certified Risk Auditor (CRA) with decades of experience in tax and audit matters across the Dutch Caribbean, Jandroep is pioneering a specialized post-assessment mediation methodology known as “Compliance by Acceptance” a forensic tax recovery approach focused on preserving viable businesses while creating structured pathways toward repayment.
From Enforcement to Structured Recovery
Traditional tax enforcement methods are designed to secure immediate collection through legal execution measures. In practice, however, aggressive enforcement can sometimes produce unintended consequences:
• operational shutdown,
• employee displacement,
• destruction of future tax revenue,
• and limited recovery through liquidation sales.
Public auctions frequently generate only a fraction of the outstanding liability, while permanently removing a functioning taxpayer from the economy. Jandroep’s “Compliance by Acceptance” methodology approaches the situation differently.
“The liability may already be determined,” Jandroep explains, “but the method of recovery can still be structured in a way that protects both the Treasury and the continuity of the business.”
Rather than treating the company solely as an asset for liquidation, the process focuses on forensic financial reconstruction, compliance diagnostics, and evidence-based mediation designed to demonstrate that a viable operating business can generate stronger long-term recovery than forced closure.
The Financial Locksmith Approach
Jandroep describes his new role as that of a “Financial Locksmith.”
“When enforcement freezes a business,” he says, “the objective is not to reopen legal disputes. The objective is to create a technically credible recovery framework that allows the business to continue operating while meeting its obligations.”
Using forensic financial analysis and risk auditing methodologies, Jandroep develops a structured “Forensic Recovery Blueprint” that may support negotiated Stay of Execution arrangements and realistic repayment structures.
The focus is on:
• restoring controlled cash flow,
• preserving employment,
• stabilizing operations,
• and improving sustainable government recovery.
Why the Model Benefits Tax Authorities
One of the central principles behind “Compliance by Acceptance” is that governments generally benefit more from sustainable repayment than from business destruction.
Instead of relying on one-time liquidation proceeds, structured mediation may provide:
• reliable monthly repayment streams,
• continuation of payroll and turnover taxes,
• preservation of economic activity,
• and reduced enforcement costs.
A functioning company can continue contributing to the economy and the Treasury. A liquidated company cannot.
An Evidence-Based over Trust based Process
This methodology is not based on emotional appeals or informal negotiations.
As a Certified Risk Auditor, Terence Jandroep relies on:
• forensic accounting analysis,
• risk auditing standards,
• compliance reconstruction,
• financial diagnostics,
• technical evidence reporting,
• and structured mediation protocols.
The result is a professional evidence framework designed to provide tax authorities with technically supportable grounds to evaluate recovery-based solutions.
Specialized Support During High-Risk Enforcement
Businesses facing severe tax enforcement often experience:
• frozen corporate bank accounts,
• immediate cash flow instability,
• incoming auction procedures,
• operational disruption,
• and exhaustion of traditional legal remedies.
These are precisely the high-pressure situations in which risk auditors specialize.
Jandroep is among the first professionals in the Dutch Caribbean to focus specifically on post-litigation forensic tax mediation and compliance recovery restructuring.
His philosophy is direct:
“The assessment determines the liability, but forensic mediation determines the recovery. The goal is not to avoid responsibility, the goal is to create a sustainable path toward compliance while protecting economic continuity.”

CHTA and Amadeus unveil the 2026 Caribbean Travel Trends Report at Caribbean Travel Forum in Antigua, charting a region focused on smarter targeting, higher-value travelers, and year-round demand

ANTIGUA (May 13, 2026) – The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) and Amadeus, a global leader in travel technology, yesterday unveiled the 2026 Caribbean Travel Trends Report at the Caribbean Travel Forum 2026 in Antigua. The report finds that Caribbean tourism is entering a new strategic phase, one defined less by rapid post-pandemic recovery and more by the need to diversify demand, capture higher-value travelers, and unlock growth beyond traditional peak periods.

Drawing on Amadeus Travel Intelligence data covering air travel, hospitality, and traveler behavior from April 2025 through March 2026, the report shows that overseas demand to the Caribbean grew just 1 percent year over year, a clear moderation from the 21 percent and 8 percent gains recorded in the two prior years. With post-recovery momentum stabilizing, the region’s next chapter will be shaped by data-driven targeting, market diversification, and the ability to convert traveler intent into bookings at the moments that matter most.

What the Data Shows: A Region Recalibrating for Higher-Value Growth

Latin America emerges as a strategic growth engine. Demand from Latin American source markets grew 24 percent year over year, with premium travel from South America surging 117 percent. Peru posted a 192 percent increase in premium travel and Argentina followed at 164 percent, reinforcing the Caribbean’s appeal among the region’s most affluent travelers and opening a powerful new diversification channel beyond traditional North American and European markets.

Smaller destinations are driving the region’s momentum. While top-tier destinations held flat year over year, second-tier destinations grew 2 percent, signaling that recent growth is increasingly being driven by smaller markets expanding from a lower base. Dominica led the region with 22 percent year-over-year growth, supported by improved air connectivity and rising demand for nature- and adventure-focused travel. Sint Maarten followed at 18 percent, reflecting its dual appeal as a destination in its own right and a vital gateway to Saint Martin, Anguilla, and St. Barthélemy.

The Caribbean leads on accessibility and value. The average economy fare from the U.S. to the Caribbean was $385, making the region 32 percent more affordable than South America at $569 and broadly comparable with Central America at $387. Miami offers the lowest average fare at $315, well below New York at $349 and San Francisco at $545, supporting sustained demand from the region’s most important long-haul source markets.

Hotel revenue strengthens at peak, with clear room to grow off-peak. Caribbean hotels delivered RevPAR of $183 per night during the high season, a 5.2 percent year-over-year increase, while end-of-year holiday RevPAR climbed to $283. Low-season RevPAR held at $125, well below peak levels and pointing to clear headroom for destinations that successfully engage shoulder- and off-season travelers.

South American travelers are unlocking year-round demand. Brazil delivered 60 percent growth in low-season arrivals, the fastest among South American source markets, while Colombia, the region’s largest South American source market by share, posted 26 percent low-season growth. Together, these markets are helping Caribbean destinations broaden their seasonal calendars and capture incremental revenue beyond traditional peak windows.

Caribbean culture is driving longer, more meaningful visits. Analysis of CARIFESTA XV 2025 in Barbados shows arrivals climbed 23 percent during the festival period compared with the previous year, with intra-Caribbean travel accounting for 23.3 percent of arrivals, up 3.3 percentage points year over year. Travelers booked more than three months ahead and extended their stays, demonstrating how the region’s cultural calendar has become a powerful engine for tourism growth, longer lengths of stay, and deeper economic impact across the region.

A Shared Commitment to Caribbean Growth

CHTA President Sanovnik Destang said the findings reinforce both the opportunity and the discipline required to compete in today’s global tourism landscape: “The Caribbean is entering a more strategic chapter, one where data, diversification, and destination positioning will determine who captures the next wave of growth. Latin American demand is rising fast, premium travelers are choosing the Caribbean in record numbers, and our cultural calendar is proving it can extend stays and drive economic impact across borders. The insights we unveiled with Amadeus at Caribbean Travel Forum give our members the intelligence to compete confidently, capture year-round demand, and translate the Caribbean’s unmatched appeal into lasting prosperity for our communities.”

Sol Freixa, Vice President, Commercial, Destinations at Amadeus, added: “In a more competitive and choice-rich travel environment, understanding demand is only the first step. The real opportunity for Caribbean destinations lies in using these insights to actively shape traveler perception and capture demand at the moments that matter most. By aligning insight-led targeting with clear destination positioning, destinations can position themselves more clearly, reach the travelers earlier in their planning journey, and convert intent into meaningful growth.”

Methodology

Data included in the 2026 Caribbean Travel Trends Report was extracted from Amadeus Data Connect, Amadeus Destination Gateway, and other Amadeus Travel Intelligence solutions. Amadeus Destination Gateway delivers comprehensive historical and forward-looking air travel data through an intuitive dashboard, empowering destinations to monitor performance by origin market, season, and route. Amadeus Data Connect answers key business questions for destinations with curated datasets and no-code access to an extensive library of prebuilt Data Smarts.

Download the 2026 Caribbean Travel Trends Report

The full 2026 Caribbean Travel Trends Report is available at https://www.amadeus-hospitality.com/resources/caribbean-travel-trends-2026/.

PHILIPSBURG:---  The House of Parliament will sit in a Central Committee meeting on May 13, 2026.
The Central Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 11.45 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The agenda point is:
Approval of composition delegation and provisions for Members of Parliament to participate in a Caribbean Al Workshop, in the Valley, Anguilla, from June 21-24, 2026 (IS/1016/2025-2026 dated April 28, 2026). 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 courthouse in Philipsburg. 
The parliamentary sessions will be carried live on Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet www.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx, and www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament