PHILIPSBURG:--- Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA), Richinel Brug, delivered a detailed presentation to Parliament outlining the longstanding issues affecting the Ambulance Department and the steps the Ministry has taken since assuming office in late 2024.

During the presentation, Minister Brug emphasized that the challenges facing the Ambulance Division were inherited, but have been actively addressed through assessments, consultations, and structured dialogue with staff and their union, WICSU-PSU.

Inherited Issues and Staff Concerns

According to the Minister’s briefing, key issues brought forward by the Ambulance Department include:

• Outdated Rechtspositie (legal status)
• Disparities in remuneration
• Vacation day accumulation challenges
• Need for updated and formalized job descriptions
• Alignment with standards used in Aruba and Curaçao

Brug explained that upon taking office, these longstanding concerns required a thorough review to ensure compliance with legal frameworks and fairness across government personnel systems.

Chronology of Government Actions

The Minister provided a timeline showing consistent engagement with the Ambulance Division throughout 2025. Among the significant milestones:

• August 27, 2025 – A draft covenant was introduced, providing a structured path toward formal negotiations.
• Ongoing communication and consultations were held to review staff concerns in detail.
• Despite a continued go-slow action — taken in solidarity with the Fire Department — Brug noted that the Ministry respected the staff’s position while keeping dialogue open.
• October 6, 2025 – The Ambulance Department expressed appreciation for the Ministry’s efforts and indicated readiness to begin formal negotiations.

A key pending component remains the appointment of a representative from the Department of Personnel & Organization (PNO), which is needed to legally and administratively advance the negotiation process.

Initiatives Already Implemented

Minister Brug outlined several internal initiatives already completed to prepare for formal restructuring. While the presentation did not detail each initiative slide-by-slide, it noted that assessments and internal reviews have positioned the Ministry to move efficiently once PNO participates.

The “content of the covenant, legal framework, and required administrative adjustments are already outlined,” the Minister said, adding that the Ministry is prepared to finalize matters collaboratively once all parties are represented.

Current Status and Next Steps

Brug told Parliament that the Ministry has made “significant progress” in addressing the Ambulance Division’s specific concerns. The final administrative step before negotiations can begin is the formal involvement of PNO.

Once that representative is assigned, the Ministry expects formal negotiation meetings with WICSU-PSU to proceed quickly.

Minister Reaffirms Commitment

In his concluding remarks, Brug reiterated his commitment to a structured, collaborative approach that resolves issues in a legally sound manner. He also acknowledged that the ongoing go-slow action is influenced by broader concerns linked to the Fire Department but emphasized that this has not slowed work on Ambulance Division matters.

“The Ministry has advanced substantially in addressing the Ambulance Division’s concerns,” Brug told Parliament. With the negotiation framework already prepared, he said the Ministry is “positioned to establish a formal covenant and move quickly and productively forward.”

“Resilience through Transformation”

WILLEMSTAD/PHILIPSBURG:---  From 12 to 14 November 2025, the Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS) hosted the 56th Annual Monetary Studies Conference (AMSC), the Caribbean’s longest-standing forum for economic research, under the theme “Resilience through Transformation”. Organized in partnership with the Caribbean Economic Research Team (CERT), the three-day, in-person conference brought together central bankers, academics, and economic experts from across the region to exchange evidence, insights, and policy ideas. The conference highlighted the vital role of central bank research in shaping effective, evidence-based policy.

Each year, economic researchers, particularly from the region’s central banks, gather at the AMSC to present and discuss work on Caribbean economies. CERT, a research institute established by the central banks of the CARICOM countries, coordinates the event. This year, the CBCS had the honor of hosting the 56th edition, which welcomed 75 economists from across the region.
The conference theme, “Resilience through transformation,” emphasized that, in an era of rising uncertainty and global turbulence, economic transformation is essential to strengthening Caribbean economies' resilience. Setting the tone at the opening ceremony on November 12, CBCS President Richard Doornbosch welcomed participants to Willemstad and underscored that “resilience in the Caribbean must be built by design, through steady gains in productivity and inclusion, credible policy frameworks, and institutions that can adapt to accelerating change”. He added, “Climate risks are now systemic, geopolitical and trade tensions are intensifying, and digital technologies are reshaping finance and the real economy, making rigorous research and regional cooperation more important than ever”.
The AMSC program featured peer-reviewed research sessions consisting of 19 working papers organized around the region’s priorities, including growth and productivity, trade and tourism, climate and environmental sustainability, foreign direct investment, the future of money and payments, and public finances and fiscal sustainability.

The conference also included the Adlith Brown Memorial Lecture, delivered by Mrs. Jeanette Semeleer, President of the Centrale Bank van Aruba and a respected voice in the Caribbean community, who will conclude her tenure as Central Bank President later this month.
On the final day of the conference, a Governors’ Panel of four CARICOM central bank presidents examined “The Changing Role of the U.S. Dollar Amid Rising Stablecoins: Implications for Caribbean Resilience,” exploring what global monetary shifts mean for exchange-rate regimes, reserve management, payment systems, capital flows, and financial stability in Caribbean economies.

The CBCS sincerely thanks CERT for putting together an insightful and comprehensive agenda, the authors, chairpersons and discussants for their months of dedicated research and preparation, and the Caribbean central banks and universities for sustaining this community for more than 50 years. The Annual Monetary Studies Conference continues to inspire collaboration, bringing together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships, and deepen understanding of the region’s economy.

Willemstad, 17 November 2025
CENTRALE BANK VAN CURAÇAO EN SINT MAARTEN

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Permanent Committee of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (CVROMI) of Parliament will meet on November 18, 2025.

The Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 10.00 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. Representatives of Green Dream Project Foundation will be in attendance.

The agenda point is:
Presentation of the goals and ongoing project ideas of the Green Dream Projects Foundation (IS/1289/2024-2025 dated August 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 TV 15, Soualiga Headlines, via SXM GOV radio FM 107.9, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the internet, www.pearlfmradio.sx and www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament

PHILIPSBURG:--- Motorworld officially introduced Chery, its newest automotive brand, with a lively, culture-driven launch event that drew an impressive crowd of over 1,000 guests. The celebration marked the debut of Chery’s full Tiggo SUV lineup: the Tiggo 2, Tiggo 4, Tiggo 7, Tiggo 8, and Tiggo 9, along with the first reveal of the Tiggo 4 Hybrid, the first of many electrified models set to follow.
The event placed St. Martin’s vibrant culture front and center. Guests arrived at the sound of live steel pan music, creating an authentic Caribbean atmosphere that carried throughout the evening. A colorful parade of dancers in traditional and carnival-inspired costumes brought even more excitement, turning the launch into both a community celebration and a significant automotive milestone.

A lively food court showcased local vendors offering creative dishes, while inside, visitors browsed an impressive display of artwork and locally made products, including paintings, photography, jewelry, beauty items, candles, and crafts, highlighting the island’s talented entrepreneurs and creators.
In addition to the cultural showcase, attendees explored the Chery brand story, viewed vehicle demonstrations, and test drove the Tiggo SUVs.

This launch also marks a significant regional achievement: “Motorworld has been appointed Chery’s regional distributor for 25 Caribbean territories, with St. Maarten serving as the first stop in a series of upcoming launches across the region.”
Motorworld Group Chairman Tariq Amjad expressed his excitement as the brand’s debut came to life. “The turnout, energy, and support from the community were incredible. After years of hard work to bring Chery to the island and the wider Caribbean, seeing this launch come together was truly rewarding,” said Amjad.
Chery enters the Caribbean backed by global recognition and exceptional value. As China’s top automotive exporter for 22 consecutive years, Chery has earned a strong international reputation for quality, safety, and cutting-edge engineering. It has also been China’s highest-rated domestic brand for quality by J.D. Power for the past three years: 2023, 2024, and 2025. The brand arrives with the Caribbean’s best warranty, offering 7 years/200,000 km bumper-to-bumper coverage and an outstanding 10-year/1 million kilometer engine warranty.

Motorworld invites the community to visit the showroom to explore the entire Chery lineup, take a close look at the Tiggo SUVs, and experience why Chery is one of the world’s fastest-growing automotive brands.