PHILIPSBURG:--- The House of Parliament will sit in a Central Committee meeting on May 25, 2026.

The Central Committee meeting, which started and was adjourned on January 16, 2026, with a continuation and adjournment on February 9, 2026, will be reconvened on Monday at 14.00 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg.

The Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure will be returning to Parliament to provide the answers to questions posed by the Members of Parliament.

The agenda point is:

Nature policy Plan Sint Maarten 2025-2029 (IS/365/2025-2026 dated November 18, 2025)

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 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

PHILIPSBURG:--- Tensions escalated at the Pointe Blanche Prison today after prisoners reportedly reacted angrily when no food was available in the prison kitchen following the suspension of a scheduled “food day” as punishment for last week’s inmate strike.
The strike was reportedly organized by inmates protesting what they described as inhumane and deplorable living conditions inside the prison.
According to information reaching SMN News, at least three inmates suffering from mental health issues were allegedly being housed inside a classroom that lacked basic sanitary facilities, including a bathroom and other hygienic accommodations. Sources claim the room housing the prisoners was not properly cleaned, forcing the inmates to remain in unsanitary conditions.
The alleged conditions reportedly sparked outrage among prisoners and led to last week’s protest action inside the facility.
In response to the strike, prison management allegedly revoked a scheduled “food day” — a day when inmates normally receive special meals or additional food items from relatives. However, the situation reportedly deteriorated further today when the prison kitchen allegedly had no food available to feed prisoners at all.
The development reportedly caused frustration and unrest among inmates, with some reacting negatively after learning that meals were unavailable.
Family members of prisoners and concerned citizens continue to question the deteriorating conditions at Pointe Blanche Prison, which has repeatedly come under criticism over overcrowding, infrastructure problems, and the treatment of mentally ill detainees.
Human rights advocates have long argued that the prison lacks adequate resources and facilities to properly care for inmates suffering from psychiatric conditions, warning that continued neglect could lead to serious consequences if immediate action is not taken.
Up to press time, prison management and the Ministry of Justice had not publicly commented on the latest allegations.

~Air arrivals jump 23% while cruise sector surges 18% in the strongest start to the year since pandemic recovery~

PHILIPSBURG:---  St. Maarten’s tourism industry delivered an exceptional performance in the first quarter of 2026, with dramatic increases in both air passenger arrivals and cruise tourism signaling continued economic momentum for the destination. Newly released figures from the Department of Statistics (STAT) reveal that the island welcomed more than 1 million visitors during the first three months of the year alone.

According to STAT, total air passenger arrivals reached 314,765 in Q1 2026, an increase of 57,842 passengers, or 23%, compared to the same period in 2025.

The statistics agency explained that all visitors entering through Princess Juliana International Airport — including post-immigration transfer passengers — are now categorized as “Air Passenger Arrivals,” reflecting the island’s role as a regional aviation hub. STAT also noted that the newly implemented digital immigration system has significantly improved data accuracy, although some limitations remain in distinguishing transfer passengers, residents, and European Union travelers.

North America Dominates Arrivals

North America remained St. Maarten’s dominant tourism market during the quarter, accounting for 213,595 arrivals, or 67.9% of all air passenger traffic.

The United States continued to lead as the island’s single largest market, contributing 171,340 arrivals — representing 54.4% of all passengers and approximately 80% of the North American market. On average, the island received more than 57,000 American passengers per month during the quarter.

Canada also remained a significant contributor to overall North American growth.

Europe Shows Strong Performance

The European Union ranked as St. Maarten’s second-largest source market, generating 76,790 arrivals, equivalent to 24.4% of total air arrivals.

Within the European market, France led all EU countries with 31,091 arrivals, accounting for 40.5% of EU arrivals and 9.9% of total arrivals overall. The Netherlands followed with 18,502 arrivals, representing 24.1% of EU traffic and 5.9% of overall passenger arrivals.

Regional And International Markets Continue To Expand

The Caribbean region recorded 9,946 arrivals, accounting for 3.2% of total arrivals, while averaging more than 3,300 passengers monthly.

Meanwhile, Central and South America contributed 8,588 arrivals, or 2.7% of total arrivals, averaging over 2,800 passengers per month. The region also posted an increase of approximately 1,700 passengers compared to Q1 2025.

Travelers categorized under the “Rest of the World” market totaled 5,846 arrivals, representing 1.9% of overall passenger traffic and averaging more than 1,900 monthly arrivals.

Cruise Tourism Posts Massive Gains

The island’s cruise tourism sector also delivered an outstanding quarter.

STAT reported that St. Maarten welcomed 748,603 cruise passengers during Q1 2026, representing an 18% increase compared to the 635,968 cruise visitors recorded in Q1 2025.

January 2026 recorded a 19% increase in cruise passenger arrivals over January 2025. February followed with a 16% increase, while also registering approximately 30% more cruise ship calls than the same month last year.

March maintained the strong upward trend, posting an 18% increase in cruise passenger arrivals despite the approach of the Caribbean’s traditional tourism off-season.

In total, the island recorded 316 cruise ship calls during Q1 2026, representing an increase of 40 additional calls compared to Q1 2025.

Economic Impact Expected Across the Island

Tourism experts say the impressive figures are expected to translate into significant economic benefits for hotels, restaurants, tour operators, taxi services, retailers, and small businesses across St. Maarten.

The sustained growth in both stay-over and cruise tourism further strengthens confidence in the island’s tourism recovery and long-term outlook.

With robust demand from North America and Europe, increased cruise scheduling, and improved airport operations, St. Maarten appears poised for continued tourism expansion throughout the remainder of 2026.

PHILIPSBURG — Consumer prices in Sint Maarten remained largely stable during the first quarter of 2026, despite increases in fuel prices and transportation costs, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released by the Department of Statistics (STAT). 
The CPI rose modestly by 0.43 percent between the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026, moving from 115.28 to 115.78. Compared to the same period last year, inflation increased by just 0.66 percent, signaling what officials described as “balanced pressures across essentials.”

The report comes at a time when residents have voiced growing concerns about the cost of living, particularly fuel prices, which climbed sharply during the quarter. Gasoline prices rose 6.8 percent compared to the previous quarter, while diesel prices jumped 9.8 percent. Year-over-year increases were also significant, with gasoline up 5 percent and diesel up 10.8 percent. 
STAT noted, however, that the full impact of global fuel volatility was not yet reflected in the first-quarter data. Price collection for the CPI occurs during the first two weeks of each month, before the escalation of fuel costs tied to the conflict involving Iran later in March. 

Housing costs helped soften inflationary pressure. The heavily weighted Housing, Water, and Energy category — which accounts for 36.1 percent of the CPI basket — declined 1.57 percent year-over-year, largely due to lower electricity costs and more affordable apartments on the market. Electricity prices alone fell by nearly 10 percent compared to the same quarter last year. 
Transportation costs, meanwhile, increased by 2.45 percent annually, driven in part by a surge in airfare. Transport by air rose 13.88 percent year-over-year, according to the report.
Food prices also continued to edge upward, with Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages rising 1.29 percent compared to Q1 2025. STAT attributed the increase mainly to higher prices for general food products, coffee, tea, and cocoa. Some relief was seen in dairy products; however, prices of milk, cheese, and eggs declined during the quarter. 
Despite concerns over inflation, STAT emphasized that overall consumer prices remain relatively stable.
“The offset movements in other sub-categories contributed to keeping overall CPI growth modest at only 0.66 percent in Q1 2026,” the report stated. 
The Fuel Clause — another closely watched indicator tied to electricity costs — rose just 0.53 percent quarter-over-quarter and was down 16 percent compared to the same period last year, further easing pressure on household expenses.
STAT said the full report and supporting tables will be available on its website and encouraged residents with questions to contact the department directly.