PHILIPSBURG:--- In the wake of the devastating impacts of hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, Sint Maarten has embarked on a crucial journey toward building a more secure and sustainable future. As Prime Minister, I recognize that one of the key components of our National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) is the transformation of our government's capacity to deliver efficient and effective digital services to our citizens and businesses. This transformation is not merely a technological upgrade; it is a fundamental shift in how we serve the public. We can all recall how social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic forced the Public Service Centers to limit their working hours, which significantly disrupted service delivery. Compounding the problem, many civil servants struggled to work remotely, as they primarily depended on personal devices for connectivity. This lack of infrastructure meant that public service delivery came to a near standstill, with only a limited capacity to process services online. Yet, amidst these challenges, Sint Maarten stood out as the first country in the Caribbean to pass a law in Parliament virtually, demonstrating resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity. Although life has returned to normal, the lessons of the past few years continue to resonate, highlighting the urgent need to advance digital transformation in Sint Maarten. How Are We Doing Now? Despite the progress made towards establishing a one-stop shop model for public service delivery, Sint Maarten still faces significant hurdles in its journey toward digitalization. The Public Service Center Department was created in 2010, with the aim of streamlining government services; however, a decade later, many necessary reforms remain incomplete, preventing the full potential of these centers from being realized. Several key challenges hinder this progress. First, there is a lack of comprehensive laws, regulations, and policies to facilitate the transition to digital services, particularly regarding critical aspects like digital identity, payments, data privacy, and security. Second, Sint Maarten's reliance on outdated, siloed government applications and systems poses significant challenges to the effective delivery of public services. These legacy systems, which were developed independently for specific departments, create barriers to efficient communication and data sharing among various government agencies. If a citizen needs to apply for a permit or a license, they will have to navigate through various systems, each requiring separate submissions of the same information. This not only extends the time it takes to receive services but also increases the likelihood of errors and omissions and creates duplicates of the same data, further complicating the process. Finally, many citizens and businesses struggle with the constantly changing technology behind digital services, limiting their ability to take advantage of digital services. The Benefits of Digital Transformation. Digital transformation holds tremendous potential for Sint Maarten. A more advanced digital infrastructure and a digitalized public service, where government services are accessible online, streamlined, and responsive to citizens' needs, enable faster and more efficient processing of essential services like business permits, passports, and driver’s licenses. By eliminating long queues and delays, citizens can conveniently access these services online, significantly reducing the time spent interacting with government offices. This digital transformation also facilitates quicker responses to public inquiries, enhancing engagement with government and fostering greater trust and transparency within the community. Sint Maarten’s digital transformation also emphasizes resilience, specifically resilience of systems and communication networks. In a region prone to extreme weather events, networks and systems must function before, during and after disasters. Digital systems must track real-time weather data, population resources and emergency response. Post disaster, this ensures that aid is distributed more effectively, and public safety measures are enacted swiftly, helping communities recover faster after natural disasters. Such advancements make governance more transparent, efficient, and responsive, ultimately improving the quality of life for all citizens. I also view digital transformation serving as a catalyst for growth and innovation for business in Sint Maarten. By streamlining processes and enhancing access to digital services, businesses can operate more efficiently, reducing costs and enabling them to innovate faster. Improved digital infrastructure attracts investment, as companies seek out locations that support modern technological capabilities. This digital shift can stimulate new business models, create job opportunities, and ultimately contribute to a more resilient and diversified economy that is better equipped to navigate future challenges. How Sint Maarten is Embracing Digital Transformation? In 2022, our country set out its first Digital Strategy and launched the Digital Government Transformation Project. The project works to enhance digital governance in Sint Maarten and improve the accessibility and efficiency of selected public services for citizens and businesses. The initiative encompasses three key components. First, it focuses on strengthening policies for digital governance, ensuring that initiatives align with legal and ethical standards while safeguarding citizens' rights and privacy. This includes bolstering government cybersecurity to protect against threats and training users to identify risks. Second, the project aims to build digital platforms for improved service delivery, introducing digital identity solutions for single sign on interaction with the government, secure online transactions and upgrading hardware and software to enhance the government's wide area network, ensuring critical services remain connected during emergencies. Finally, the initiative seeks to transform Public Service Centers in Philipsburg and Simpson Bay by upgrading their infrastructure and implementing digital literacy training. We envision over 40,000 people and 17,000 registered businesses to benefit from the project – and gain access to more efficient public services. Recent achievements of the project include the installation of two Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS), completing a comprehensive coverage network across the Dutch side of the island. These stations deliver precise location data, empowering Kadastre to produce high-quality maps essential for informed city planning, infrastructure development, and effective land management. This enhanced mapping capability supports sustainable growth and improved public services. Work on digitizing government records is well underway, setting the foundation for a more efficient and accessible public service. More than 150 civil servants—representing 15% of the public service workforce—have successfully completed comprehensive cybersecurity training. This equips them to safeguard sensitive information and maintain robust data security standards across public services. Additionally, next year digital literacy programs will be launched for both civil servants and citizens, ensuring everyone can navigate and benefit from digital tools confidently. Digital transformation is not merely a response to crises; it is essential for the long-term growth and resilience of Sint Maarten. By embracing digital technologies, the island can improve efficiency, drive economic growth, and enhance citizen engagement. The Digital Transformation Project represents a significant step forward in this journey, setting the foundation for a brighter future for all of us who call this island home. Warm regards, Dr. Luc F. E. Mercelina Hon. Prime Minister of Sint Maarte
Serious Traffic Accident on Causeway Bridge.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) is currently investigating a serious traffic accident that occurred around 5:00 PM on the Causeway Bridge.
Preliminary reports indicate that the rider of a motorcycle lost control of the vehicle, struck the center concrete divider, and was subsequently thrown into the oncoming lane of traffic from the airport direction, colliding with an oncoming vehicle.
Emergency personnel, including paramedics and police officers, are presently on the scene. The motorcycle rider is in critical condition and has been transported for urgent medical treatment.
The Traffic Department is currently investigating this incident.
The Police Force urges all motorists to avoid the area as the investigation continues. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
KPSM NEWS BULLETIN.
The Kingdom Chair on Democratic Representation.
PHILIPSBURG:--- The Kingdom Chair on Democratic Representation, in collaboration with the University of St. Martin (USM), will host a seminar titled “Democracy in Focus: 15 Years of Autonomy in St. Maarten” on Friday, September 19, 2025, at the University’s Lecture Hall. This will be the first event held in Sint Maarten under the auspices of the Kingdom Chair, which is led by Professor Wouter Veenendaal and housed at Leiden University. The Kingdom Chair was established in 2024 to strengthen academic research and education on Kingdom Relations, with a particular focus on the quality of democratic representation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The research project asks how citizens of the Dutch Caribbean are represented by their local leaders and within the broader Kingdom, and how democratic citizenship in the Kingdom might be promoted and improved. Its work is organized along four lines of inquiry: the character of politics and democracy on the Caribbean islands; the representation of these islands in Kingdom institutions; the perception of Kingdom relations in the European Netherlands; and comparative research with other non-sovereign territories worldwide. In addition to research, the Chair actively builds cooperation with universities and scholars across the six Caribbean islands in the Kingdom, and has appointed local research assistants to bridge academic study and community realities. The September 19 seminar will bring together leading voices to reflect on Sint Maarten’s democratic journey since gaining country status in 2010. The seminar is moderated by Leandra Leslie, research assistant for the Kingdom Chair on St. Maarten. The president of USM, Dr. Antonio Carmona Baez, will give the opening speech. Subsequently, Dr. Julio R. Romney will give the first presentation on “15 Years of Autonomy and Democracy in Review.” Former Ombudsman of Sint Maarten Dr. Nilda Arduin will speak on “What is Autonomy? How it Looks in Practice and How We Have Dealt with It.” Professor Wouter Veenendaal will conclude with a lecture on “The Position of Sint Maarten within the Kingdom.” The event is open to students, academics, policymakers, journalists, NGO representatives and the wider public. Interested persons can register via the link k “Registration Event Democracy in Focus.”
Kadaster and VROMI move toward first-ever strategic commitment.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Kadaster St. Maarten, Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) and Ministry of Finance are preparing to formalize their cooperation through a strategic commitment that is the first of its kind in the country. The agreement, whether finalized as a Memorandum of Understanding, national decree, or working arrangement, will establish a clear framework for how Government and Kadaster collaborate on land and spatial management.
At its core, the commitment is designed to bring greater efficiency, clarity, and continuity to processes that affect nearly every sector of national life. Without such a framework, projects vital to St. Maarten’s digital transformation and emergency readiness risk unnecessary delays, and data exchanges remain sensitive.
The partnership is expected to have an immediate impact on several initiatives already underway. Among them is the Address Management Solution Project, which involves VROMI, ICT, GIS4C, and Kadaster. Parcel and registry data maintained by Kadaster are central to this project, but in the absence of a formal agreement, integration has been challenging.
The framework will also improve the handling of land-related matters within Domain Affairs, ensuring that financial responsibilities are clearly addressed and that requests for services, from land assignment to the issuance of a measurement certificate and deed, are managed transparently and efficiently.
In the area of Infrastructure and New Works, closer cooperation will allow for more reliable data exchange, particularly through the Cables and Lines Information Center (CLIC). This system reduces the risk of damage during excavation projects, provides real-time information to construction and utility companies, and introduces cloud-based solutions that streamline permits and strengthen accountability in planning.
Another major priority is the establishment of a national Base Map of St. Maarten, replacing the multiple, unverified versions now in circulation. A single authoritative map will serve as a “Single Source of Truth” to guide hillside development, land use decisions, meetbriefs, and infrastructure integration. It will also support the roll-out of a National Addressing System, bringing uniformity to addresses across the country, enhancing navigation, improving public service delivery, and ensuring faster emergency response.
Both institutions will invest in capacity building, from joint training and internships to staff exchanges that deepen institutional knowledge. Building on Kadaster’s recent achievement of becoming officially GIS Ready with the deployment of its in-house Geographic Information System, the agreement will ensure that this platform is integrated across Government. By providing a secure environment to access, share, and protect spatial data, it will strengthen accuracy, accountability, and innovation in the way St. Maarten manages land and infrastructure.
To move the agreement toward finalisation, Minister of VROMI Patrice Gumbs, Minister of Finance Marinka Gumbs, and their respective teams recently met with Kadaster Managing Director Benjamin Ortega to square the framework and next steps. The meeting highlights a shared commitment to ensuring that the agreement delivers practical benefits for governance, service delivery, and long-term national development.
Ortega underscored the importance of the move, “Kadaster has invested in training, digitisation, and GIS-readiness to better serve Government, the public, and private stakeholders. These efforts, however, will only reach their full potential through a strategic partnership with VROMI. This agreement is not just administrative; it is a foundation for the future of St. Maarten’s land and infrastructure management.”
Minister of VROMI said, “The integration of our different systems represents not only a move towards quality, singular source of information, but an enhancement of public service. The move to integrated digital systems will improve both our permitting processing, project management, and domain land management capacities, as well as allow for rapid government response to critical infrastructure and enforcement. This is a step towards proper spatial planning and underscores our commitment to sustainable national development, through strategic long-term partnerships.”
And the Minister of Finance said, “This partnership represents a forward-looking investment in how St. Maarten manages its land, data, and infrastructure. By aligning Government and Kadaster under one clear framework, we create stronger financial oversight, greater transparency, and a foundation that supports innovation, resilience, and long-term prosperity for our country.”
Once signed, the agreement will signal a significant development in St. Maarten’s governance. For the first time, Government and Kadaster will set out a formal strategic understanding to ensure efficiency, transparency, and continuity in the stewardship of the country’s most vital assets: its land, infrastructure, and spatial data.
DCMH Presents First Joint Regional Mental Healthcare Report for the Caribbean Part of the Kingdom.
Willemstad:--- For the first time, a joint overview of mental healthcare on the Caribbean islands within the Kingdom of the Netherlands is available. With this Regional Mental Healthcare Report for the Caribbean, the Dutch Caribbean Mental Health Federation (DCMH) presents a first: a clear and comparable picture of the nature and extent of mental health problems in the region.
Milestone in Collaboration
The Regional Mental Healthcare Report for the Caribbean is an important step for DCMH and contributes to better coordination and increased knowledge sharing. DCMH consists of the organizations FSMA Respaldo (Aruba), GGZ Curaçao, Addiction Clinic Brasami (Curaçao), PSI Skuchami (Curaçao), Mental Health Foundation (Sint Maarten), and Mental Health Caribbean (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba). In total, data were collected from nearly 8,400 clients across five islands. Most clients receive care on their own island, while a smaller portion receive treatment on another island within the Kingdom.
Most Common Conditions
The regional overview shows, among other things, which mental health conditions are most common. Psychotic disorders are at the top. These are conditions in which people have difficulty distinguishing reality from thoughts. They may, for example, experience delusions or hallucinations. Depressive mood disorders follow. Neurodevelopmental disorders are in third place. These are disorders such as ADHD or autism, which often become apparent at a young age and are related to the way the brain develops. Trauma- and stress-related disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are in fourth place. These disorders develop after traumatic or shocking events and can lead to anxiety, tension, and sleep problems. The fact that these four groups are the most common provides important information about the focus of care on the islands.
Basis for Policy and Research
According to DCMH, the regional overview not only offers a unique perspective on mental healthcare in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom, but also forms an important basis for future policy, improved care, and further research. The federation has therefore decided to continue the monitoring.