PHILIPSBURG:--- Success studying in the Netherlands starts with proper preparation. Consequently, the Student Support Services Division (SSSD) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth, and Sports Affairs is again hosting the exciting workshop titled “Mindfulness: Success in Studying in The Netherlands (Part I)” on March 26, 2026, at the University of St. Martin from 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.

This workshop, the first of a two-part series, is specifically geared at students planning to continue their studies in the Netherlands, and it is free of charge.

“Whether you're about to graduate, preparing for exams, or a recent graduate and are planning to study in the Netherlands, this workshop is for you,” say SSSD officials.

The psycho-social aspects of studying abroad will be the focus of these workshops. Aspects such as managing the personal, emotional, and social challenges that often come with the move will be dealt with.

What to expect in Part I:

• What life is really like in the Netherlands—from everyday routines to cultural differences.
• How to deal with homesickness and feelings of being overwhelmed.
• Tips for making group interactions easier and more meaningful.

• Dealing with emotional distress and depression.
• Building protective shields.
• The importance of learning Dutch and how it can boost your experience.

Participants are encouraged to attend both workshops to get the full experience. The workshops are interactive, offering participants tips and a chance to ask burning questions.

“Many students leave the island feeling unprepared to face the challenges in the Netherlands, and the goal of these workshops is to make sure they are ready to succeed. All students, whether they are going to the Netherlands as free-movers or with government financing, are invited to this workshop,” SSSD officials note.

Students are encouraged to contact SSSD at 543-1235 or email  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register for the workshop on March 26, 2026 or to obtain more information. Interested persons can also visit the SSSD office in the Gatspy Building, across from the Police Station and next to WIB. 

The Student Support Services Division (SSSD) provides services to students referred by schools, including psychological, counseling, social work, educational diagnostic, and speech-language pathology services. SSSD also provides general services such as career services, parent sessions, and school crisis response.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Sint Maarten hosted the fifth edition of a regional forensic mental health seminar on March 9 and 10, 2026, marking the first time the event was held on the island. Organized through a collaboration between the Universities of Curaçao, Aruba and Utrecht, and Judicial & Institutional Services (J&IS) St. Maarten, the two-day seminar convened at the Simpson Bay Resort under the title "Psychiatric and Psychological Assessments and Reports as Entrance for Forensic Mental Health Care in the Caribbean Area." The event brought together prosecutors, judges, attorneys, psychiatrists, psychologists, academics, and justice and mental health professionals from across the region.

The central argument running through the seminar was unambiguous: without proper psychiatric and psychological assessment, the justice system responds to behavior without understanding its causes. That gap drives reoffending, limits effective intervention, and places sustained pressure on victims, professionals, and institutions alike. Across the Caribbean, mental health issues are too often identified late, forensic assessment capacity remains constrained, and access to specialized care is still developing. The result is that individuals cycle through the justice system without addressing the conditions underlying their behavior.

The seminar was formally opened by Cynthia Clarke-Filemon, Director of J&IS St. Maarten, Professor Frans Koenraadt of the Universities of Utrecht, Curaçao, and Aruba, and Minister of Justice Nathalie Tackling, each underscoring the urgency of strengthening the interface between the justice system and mental health care.

The program addressed the issue from legal, clinical, cultural, and practical perspectives. Manon Ridderbeks, Chief Public Prosecutor of Sint Maarten, outlined the prosecutorial role in initiating forensic mental health assessments within criminal proceedings. Attorney Sjamira Roseburg addressed how defense counsel can frame expert questions to produce meaningful, actionable outcomes. Judge Jos van Mulbregt examined how courts weigh mental health findings in determining criminal responsibility and sentencing.

Cultural and linguistic dimensions received significant attention. Dr. Eric Mijts demonstrated how language barriers, a persistent reality across the multilingual Caribbean, can directly undermine both the quality of assessments and defendants' access to justice. Dr. Margo Groenewoud examined the place of religion and spirituality in the functioning of Caribbean citizens, situating behavior within its broader social context. Professor Janine Janssen, criminologist and cultural anthropologist, presented on violence in dependent relationships and the recognition of early warning signals, arguing for data-driven and culturally informed approaches to detection. Professor Frans Koenraadt addressed the patterns and dynamics specific to domestic homicide, one of the most complex areas in regional forensic practice.

Psychiatrist Dr. Carl Blijd focused on the roots, triggers, and management of aggression, linking mental health directly to risk assessment. Dr. Gregory Richardson explored the role of identity, music, and cultural expression in shaping behavior. Forensic psychologist Johnny Boekhoudt and psychiatrist Nathalie Kingsale led an interactive case session in which participants applied assessment frameworks to real scenarios, a deliberate effort to move discussion from principle to practice. Aarti Baran delivered a hands-on session on self-defense and de-escalation, emphasizing proportional and controlled response in high-risk professional situations.

A panel discussion featuring Dr. Blijd, Director Clarke-Filemon, and Boekhoudt brought key themes together in direct exchange. Participants acknowledged the shared structural challenges: limited forensic capacity, delays between arrest and assessment, and insufficient integration between the justice and care systems. The seminar closed with two case presentations by J&IS probation officers Shelley Gordon and Ivan Plantein, who drew on active caseload experience to illustrate how policy, assessment, and intervention intersect in practice, grounding the academic discussion in operational reality.

Sint Maarten's hosting of this edition reflects the island's increasing engagement with justice reform at a regional level. Ongoing training, cross-jurisdictional collaboration, and growing institutional awareness are laying a foundation for more structured forensic capacity across the Kingdom. The work, however, remains incomplete.

The seminar's closing message was precise: a justice system that prioritizes assessment does not merely react to crime,  it is positioned to prevent it. Building that capacity across the Caribbean is not a long-term aspiration. It is a present and pressing obligation.

PHILIPSBURG:--- On Saturday, March 14, 2026, host families along with the Internationalization Team of the  Milton Peters College, the Education Director and the Head of the Havo/VWO department bid safe travels to their German partners, who were returning back home, and two teachers of the  Milton Peters College, who will be visiting (job shadowing) the Githo Nijlen (technical) School in  Belgium for a week.

The airport departure hall was filled with smiling faces as the group of ten students and three teachers from the Anne-Frank-Realschule in Ahaus, Germany, departed from Princess Juliana International Airport after spending a week on our beautiful island. The group arrived on Sunday, March 8, 2026, to reconnect with their student and teacher partners, who are part of the Erasmus+ student exchange program at Milton Peters College. Their visit marks the completion of the 2025-2026 school year exchange between Germany and St. Maarten, which started in 2022-2023 and has become an annual project for the school, thanks to local funding  (Trepar Management NV, Steflogix, Tri Sport, Pharmacy Outlets Orange Grove, Caribbean  Concrete, Sol Antilles, Sunline Technical maintenance, Bureau Telecom & Post, SXM Lions  Club, Notary Boekhoudt, Pineapple Pete, Soggy Dollar, PJAE Airport) and the Erasmus+ funding. 

The students enjoyed a week with their host families. A program was put in place by the Milton Peters Internationalization Team that included classroom visits by the German teachers (job shadowing), while students followed their hosts' classes. Both groups also embarked on a 

tour around the island; they visited four of our 37 beaches, and they participated in various excursions, such as a scavenger hunt in Philipsburg, a visit to Parotteville, the Amsterdam and St. Louis Forts, and Perpetual Plastics. This allowed them to explore the island's history and the current state of recycling. These activities aligned with those that the group of St. Maarten students and teachers participated in during their visit to Ahaus in December 2025, when they also stayed with host families, learned about the city’s history, and visited their waste management center.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to the host families and the sponsors on the island, who helped in making this trip a reality. The driving force behind the internationalization ambitions of MPC and Sundial School is the Erasmus+ Accreditation. Both schools can look forward to many other exchange activities in 2026, such as online correspondence and teaching, as well as mobility on the student and teacher levels. Meaningful trips to high schools abroad and innovative teacher trainings are part of the broader internationalization planning.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Francisco A. Lacroes has raised concerns about the effectiveness of current road safety enforcement measures in Sint Maarten, noting that the present approach is not sufficiently addressing the root of the problem.
“If someone can replace a confiscated motorcycle almost immediately, then the system is not solving the problem,” Lacroes stated. No helmet, no road tax, no insurance required, no driver's license, and no age check!
He pointed to the ongoing practice of confiscating motorcycles during police controls, while individuals can easily purchase replacement bikes without sufficient checks on licensing, insurance, or compliance. This, he argued, creates a cycle that undermines enforcement and allows unsafe practices to continue.
MP Lacroes had already taken a step in that direction by presenting a motion that was adopted on June 23, 2025, by this parliament, which called for stronger enforcement, public awareness, and coordinated policy measures.
However, enforcement alone cannot deliver the intended results if gaps remain in how vehicles are imported, sold, and brought onto the road. Without proper regulation at the front end, enforcement at the back end will continue to fall short.
Lacroes also noted concern that, despite the clear directives contained in the motion, a comprehensive update on its execution has not yet been provided to Parliament. In this context, formal letters have been addressed to both the Minister of Justice and the Minister of TEATT, requesting clarification on enforcement measures and the regulatory framework governing the sale and use of motorcycles.
“The people of Sint Maarten deserve a system that works from start to finish,” he said. “We cannot continue to operate in a way where measures are taken, but the underlying issues remain untouched”.
He called for better coordination among ministries so that enforcement, regulation, and public awareness are aligned and implemented effectively.
According to Lacroes, real progress in road safety will only be achieved when policies are not only announced, but properly executed and enforced across the full system.
He concluded that addressing road safety requires serious commitment, clear accountability, and a willingness to move beyond temporary fixes toward lasting solutions.