SIMPSON BAY:---  Princess Juliana International Airport (PJIAE) successfully hosted the second edition of its Shopping Experience on Friday evening, bringing together residents, travelers, families, and airport partners for an evening of shopping, entertainment, and community connection.

For one special evening, the airport opened its doors to both travelers and the wider community, offering visitors a unique opportunity to experience the terminal beyond travel while supporting the airport's concessionaires and local partners.

Throughout the evening, guests enjoyed exclusive promotions and discounts from concessionaires, food and beverage offerings, raffles, live entertainment hosted by Gee Money, and a variety of family-friendly activities. Visitors explored the airport museum, shopped for souvenirs, electronics, and accessories, and customized their own "Love SXM" shirts on-site.
The event also featured a dedicated Kids Corner in the check-in hall, providing entertainment and activities for younger guests throughout the evening.

In addition, PJIAE welcomed foster children to enjoy the event and hosted a special Sip & Paint experience for senior citizens, creating memorable moments for some of the airport's valued community groups. Animal lovers were also delighted by a visit from SXM Paws, who brought along two adorable puppies that quickly became crowd favorites during the event.
"We came for the ambiance, but of course we ended up shopping as well," said one visitor with a smile. "It was great to see the airport transformed into a place where the entire community could come together, relax, and enjoy themselves."

PJIAE would like to extend its sincere appreciation to its concessionaires, whose exclusive promotions and special offers helped make the evening a success. Their continued partnership and commitment to enhancing the passenger and visitor experience remain invaluable.
The airport also extends its gratitude to host Gee Money for keeping the energy high throughout the evening, the dedicated volunteers who ensured the event ran smoothly, the Security Department and Airport Firefighters who helped maintain a safe environment for all attendees, and the Operations team for expertly guiding both passengers and visitors throughout the terminal.

A special thank you is also extended to the event sponsors whose generous contributions helped make the Shopping Experience possible:
• Baratié
• Chesterfield's
• Mooi Flower Shop
• Domino's Pizza
• International Liquors & Tobacco
• Divi Little Bay Beach Resort
• Winair
• Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa
• Oyster Bay Beach Resort
• La Patrona Mexican Restaurant
• Juliette's Bistro
• Boolchand's
• Simpson Bay Resort
• Ballerina Jewelers
• Windward Roads & Central Mix Concrete
• Carrefour Market
• Klass Electronics
• Trakx Design

PJIAE remains committed to creating engaging experiences that connect the airport with the community while showcasing the wide range of services, retailers, and amenities available within the terminal. Following the success of this year's event, the airport looks forward to welcoming visitors back for future editions of the Shopping Experience.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) is currently investigating a serious ill-treatment incident that occurred during the early morning hours of Saturday, May 30, 2026, in the Simpson Bay area.

At approximately 4:00 a.m., the Police Central Dispatch received several reports regarding a male lying motionless on the ground near a guest house located on the Simpson Bay Strip. In response, EMS personnel and police patrol officers were immediately dispatched to the location.

Upon arrival, officers encountered the male victim lying on the ground in an unresponsive state.

Emergency medical assistance was administered at the scene, after which the victim was transported to the Sint Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) in very serious condition.

Following an investigation conducted by detectives of the KPSM Detective Department, it was established that the victim had been subjected to a serious act of ill-treatment by an individual known to police.

Later that same morning, police officers arrested a suspect identified by the initials F.F.J.C. (27) in connection with this incident. The suspect remains in police custody pending further investigation.

KPSM is aware of a video currently circulating on social media showing the victim lying on the ground in Simpson Bay. The public is reminded to exercise caution and respect for the victim and his family by refraining from sharing or reposting graphic or sensitive content related to this incident.

The investigation remains ongoing. Additional information will be released as it becomes available, and when doing so, will not compromise the investigation.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Claudine Williams-Wescot, author and concept artist, announces the release of Butterfly Souls: An Inspirational Journal & Coloring Book for Women, a deeply personal debut that weaves original artwork, women's wisdom, and space for reflection into one meaningful volume.

Butterfly Souls is both a creative sanctuary and a call to self-remembrance. Designed for women navigating the full weight of modern life, the book offers original illustrated pages to color alongside reflective prompts and words of wisdom gathered from the women who have shaped Claudine's life, including mothers, sisters, friends, and mentors.

"Life asks much of us as women," writes Claudine in the book's introduction. "We give from a place of love, until there's little time left to be. This book is an invitation to pause."

The result is an intimate experience that blends art, journaling, and mindfulness. Readers are invited to move through the book in whatever way feels right, opening to any page that calls to them or following it as a personal journey from beginning to end. Each illustration becomes a canvas for mood, intention, and creative expression.

At its heart, Butterfly Souls carries a quiet but fierce message: that a woman's intuition and authenticity are not accidental, and in a world that works to erode both, they are worth protecting.

Butterfly Souls is now available on Amazon ( https://a.co/d/009TSt1S ), at Flow Wellness Boutique, FitFoods, and Van Dorp Spaces, with additional local locations coming soon

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Board of Financial Supervision (Cft) observes substantial risks to Sint Maarten's public finance at several state-owned enterprises. Furthermore, the executive organization for social security funds, SZV, is going through difficult times. If no measures are taken, the reserves will be depleted, with major consequences for public finances. In addition to the delayed 2026 budget, Sint Maarten is currently working on a timely 2027 budget. It is important that this budget adequately addresses the country's risks.

Sint Maarten does not yet have an active participation policy in place, which has caused issues within government entities. Telecom company TELEM, energy and water supplier GEBE, and postal services PSS, among others, face limited financial possibilities and are under great pressure. It is important that solutions are put in place and that governance issues are addressed. A complete and adequately functioning Supervisory Board and Management Board are prerequisites for effectively implementing change.

Simultaneously, the government of Sint Maarten must address the acute risks to public finances at the entities through a clear strategy, which entails entering into agreements with the distressed entities on financial sustainability or market solutions. Looking ahead, the Cft recommends implementing an effective participation policy as soon as possible and executing it with the required capacity and expertise to ensure these issues do not arise again.

Focus on a timely budget
Aside from the aforementioned issue, Sint Maarten has been facing considerable delays in the budgetary process for years. This year, the budget was adopted far too late. At the earliest, the 2026 budget will be adopted halfway through the year, which limits the ability to make policy and address risks. In practice, plans and investments are postponed time and again.

The Kingdom Council of Ministers has requested Sint Maarten to draw up an improvement plan for the budgetary process. The government actively reacted to this request. Sint Maarten began preparing the 2027 budget on time and shared an extensive plan with the Cft. Also, early on in the process, the government came to an agreement regarding the expenditure framework. At the same time, the CFT now observes hitches in the process because not all ministries submit information on time. The CFT urges the Council of Ministers as a whole to take its responsibility. Only with a proper contribution from all involved, the 2027 budget can be adopted before the start of the new budgetary year, in accordance with the objective set.

Affordability of healthcare and pensions is at stake
An acute risk for the coming years that must be addressed in the 2027 budget is the deficits in the healthcare funds. Annually, the healthcare funds, managed by the Executive Organization Social and Health Insurances (SZV), incur losses of approximately XCG 35 million. Until now, these deficits – which now amount to approximately XCG 500 million – have been absorbed through reserves of other funds, mainly the pension fund AOV. Within a few years, these reserves will be depleted, which puts the affordability of healthcare and pensions for the citizens of Sint Maarten under great pressure.

The CFT has repeatedly pointed out the severity of the situation. There is no more time to lose. The measures that Sint Maarten has identified must be implemented. According to Sint Maarten, the implementation of a general health insurance (GHI) will lead to a reduction of the annual deficits. It is essential that the corresponding legislation is implemented as of the most recent target date of January 1, 2027.

Aside from the GHI, other measures must be implemented to achieve income and/or cost reductions. Sint Maarten is aiming at the introduction of a tourist tax as of January 1, 2027, and work is in progress to reform the tax system and the tax authorities, which should lead to improved tax collection and compliance. This provides the country with the means to cover social security deficits and fund other priority expenses. In its current state, the country's liquidity is too limited, and the risks are too high, given the geopolitical situation. Now is the time to act.