Kralendijk, Bonaire:---  The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) is thrilled to announce the results of the 2025 Big Live Nature Quiz – Kids Edition! This edition has reached an all-time high number of registrations. Schools from all over the Dutch Caribbean signed up for the region’s biggest educational ocean literacy event!
The quiz theme changes every year, focusing on different key conservation topics across the six Dutch Caribbean islands. This year’s theme, “Marine Habitats,” covered all the different marine habitats found on our islands and their important ecosystem services. From our shorelines to the deep ocean, primary students once again showcased their knowledge and passion for nature.
2025 Big Live Nature Quiz
Over 850 students from across the six Dutch Caribbean islands participated in this 5th edition of the Big Live Nature Quiz. This outreach event can be considered a growing success, bringing together more primary schools and young nature enthusiasts each year from Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Maarten to test their knowledge, learn, and have fun along the way!
The Champions
The winning team of this year’s quiz is “Eco Detectives Curacao” from Curaçao American Preparatory School! With impressive knowledge of coral reefs, seagrass meadows, lagoons, bays, and their important role as nursery areas, they outshone their competitors to claim first place in the 2025 Big Live Nature Quiz. As a well-deserved reward for their outstanding performance, the team will enjoy an exciting sailing and snorkeling trip with their teacher, giving them the chance to explore the marine life around their island and deepen their practical knowledge about marine habitats. Time to get hands-on, orshould we say,or goggles on!
Fun local prizes also await the local winner of each island, recognizing their passion, knowledge, and commitment to marine habitats. The local winners are:

● Aruba: Tortuga (St. Annaschool)
● Bonaire: Sea Lions (IKC Kristu Bon Wardador)
● Curaçao: Eco Detectives Curacao (Curacao American Preparatory School)
● Saba: Intelligent girls (Sacred Heart School)
● St. Eustatius: Blue Beads (Governor de Graaff School)
● St. Maarten: The Science Children St. Maarten (Asha Stevens Hillside Christian School)
These teams, who showcased outstanding knowledge and teamwork, will each be awarded Big Live Nature Quiz rashguards to further inspire their love for the ocean and its ecosystems.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina reaffirmed his government’s commitment to environmental reform and fair labor practices during the Council of Ministers press briefing. The Prime Minister discussed the plastic ban legislation, immigration management, and protection of migrant workers, emphasizing the need for both sustainability and social fairness.

Plastic Ban Legislation Moving Forward
Responding to a media question, Prime Minister Mercelina confirmed that legislation banning single-use plastic bags and other plastic materials is advancing through the government’s legislative process.
“The document is still at the Department of Legal Affairs (AZ), and we are now trying to accelerate the process to make sure that we get it executed,” Mercelina said.
“I think it’s high time for us to have a Plastic-Free St. Martin.”
The proposed legislation—drafted initially with input from Plastic Free SXM and submitted in December 2024—seeks to align St. Martin with global environmental standards by curbing plastic pollution across businesses and households.

PHILIPSBURG:---  Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina opened Wednesday’s Council of Ministers press briefing by extending warm congratulations to the people of Sint Maarten on the successful celebration of St. Maarten Day, held on November 11, 2025.
“Once more, I would like to congratulate the people of Sint Maarten on this very important national day,” the Prime Minister said. “Yesterday demonstrated our unity as a country. We need that unity to confront the future and its challenges.”
Dr. Mercelina praised the spirit of collaboration and mutual respect displayed during the festivities, noting that St. Maarten Day continues to symbolize solidarity between the southern Dutch side and northern French side of the island.
“The people of Sint Maarten showed once more that they are a people of unity, and especially unity with our northern neighbours on the French side,” he said. “We look forward to continuing to live in a peaceful country in unity.”

Unity as the Foundation for National Progress
The Prime Minister underscored that national unity remains central to his government’s vision for progress and resilience. He reminded citizens that the challenges ahead — from economic recovery to social development — require continued cooperation across communities and political lines.
“A day like yesterday once more demonstrates our unity. And we need our unity to confront the future with its challenges,” he said.
Dr. Mercelina ended his remarks by expressing pride in the people of Sint Maarten for their commitment to harmony and progress, adding that unity remains the strongest foundation for the country’s continued growth.

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, through the Unleashing the Blue Economy of the Caribbean (UBEC) Project, continues to build the capacity of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in fisheries, marine tourism, and waste management through a series of practical, skills-based training workshops.

These workshops, held under the UBEC Regional MSME Matching Grants Programme, are designed to strengthen MSME operations and help entrepreneurs prepare successful grant applications.

The first two sessions, namely the Grant Proposal Writing and Effective Record-Keeping for MSMEs have already been completed, equipping participants with valuable tools to manage and grow their businesses. The series continues throughout November and December with additional in-person and hybrid sessions focused on financial management, continuity planning, marketing, and more.

Training Schedule & Registration – Grenada MSME Workshops

3) Business Contingency & Continuity Planning – Hybrid
Dates/Time: Nov 17–20, 2025

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Nov 17–18, Online)
1:30 PM – 4:30 PM (Nov 19, In Person)
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (Nov 20, Online)
​Venue: Grenada Investment Development Corporation (GIDC), Frequente, St. George’s
​Register by: Nov 14, 2025
​Registration: https://bit.ly/4qXmnHa
You will learn to:

Prepare for disruptions with an effective continuity plan
Identify business risks and critical operations
Develop recovery strategies and assign roles
Strengthen resilience to maintain service delivery
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4) Banking & Insurance Information Session – In Person
Date/Time: Nov 21, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
​Venue: Grenada Investment Development Corporation (GIDC), Frequente, St. George’s
​Register by: Nov 18, 2025
​Registration: https://bit.ly/3WOIzFE

You will learn to:

Explore available banking and insurance facilities
Understand financial tools and services for MSMEs
Strengthen business stability and risk management
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5) Business Plan Development – Hybrid
Dates/Time: Dec 1–5, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
​Format: Dec 1–2 (Online); Dec 3–5 (In Person)
​Venue: Grenada Investment Development Corporation (GIDC), Frequente, St. George’s
​Register by: Nov 28, 2025
​Registration: TBA

You will learn to:

Develop a professional business plan
Articulate your vision, goals, and market strategy
Prepare realistic financial projections
Strengthen your grant proposal application
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6) Food Safety Compliance for Food Processors – In Person
Dates/Time: Dec 8–10, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
​Venue: Grenada Investment Development Corporation (GIDC), Frequente, St. George’s
​Register by: Dec 5, 2025
​Registration: TBA

You will learn to:

Understand food safety principles and best practices
Identify critical control points in processing
Maintain hygiene and quality standards for compliance
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7) Introduction to Sales & Marketing – Online
Dates/Time: Dec 15–16, 2025 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
​Register by: Dec 12, 2025
​Registration: TBA

You will learn to:

Understand the basics of sales and marketing
Identify your target customers and reach them effectively
Apply low-cost strategies to boost visibility and sales
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🌊 Empowering Grenada’s Blue Economy

These interactive sessions are helping MSMEs to enhance business planning, proposal writing, financial literacy, and operational management, making them more resilient and competitive within the Blue Economy.

By participating in these workshops, MSMEs gain the knowledge and confidence to apply for funding under the UBEC Regional MSME Matching Grants Programme, which provides between USD $5,000 and $25,000 to support business expansion, equipment upgrades, innovation, and sustainability efforts.

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📅Application Deadline for Grant Funding
Friday, November 21, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.

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📧Contact & Registration Information
🌐Learn more about the Window 1 Call for Proposals:https://bit.ly/3WfsZm1
💻Visit UBEC Online: https://oecs.int/en/unleashing-the-blue-economy
📩For more information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
📧Send applications to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
👩🏽‍💼UBEC Business Development Services Consultant (Grenada):This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The OECS Commission and the UBEC Project urge all MSMEs in Grenada’s Blue Economy to take advantage of these remaining training opportunities. Strengthening business skills and understanding the grant process are essential steps toward securing funding and driving innovation, sustainability, and growth across the sector.