PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department within the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA), joins the global community as part of its annual calendar of health observances in observing World Autism Awareness Day on April 2, a day dedicated to increasing understanding, promoting inclusion, and supporting individuals living with autism and their families.

CPS encourages the Sint Maarten community to take time to learn more about autism and to foster a more inclusive and supportive environment for all.

Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a developmental condition that affects how a person communicates, interacts socially, and experiences the world around them.

It is called a “spectrum” because it presents differently in each individual. Some persons with autism may have strong verbal and cognitive skills, while others may experience challenges with communication, behavior, and daily activities.

Common characteristics can include difficulties with social interaction, repetitive behaviors, sensitivity to sensory input, and differences in learning styles.

Early identification and intervention are key to supporting individuals with autism. While there is no single known cause or cure, early support services such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and specialized educational programs can greatly improve development and quality of life.

CPS encourages parents and caregivers to seek professional guidance if they notice developmental delays or behavioral differences in their children.

Families play a vital role in supporting individuals with autism. Creating a structured, supportive, and understanding environment can help children and adults with autism thrive.

Establishing routines, using clear and consistent communication, and celebrating small achievements are important strategies that can make a meaningful difference.

It is also essential for families to access available resources, support groups, and professional services that can provide guidance and emotional support.

CPS also emphasizes the importance of community awareness and acceptance.

Individuals with autism have unique strengths, talents, and perspectives that enrich society. By promoting inclusion in schools, workplaces, and public spaces, the community can help ensure that persons with autism are given equal opportunities to participate and succeed.

On World Autism Awareness Day, CPS calls on residents of Sint Maarten to show compassion, understanding, and support for individuals with autism and their families.

Building an inclusive society begins with awareness and respect, and together, the community can create a more supportive environment where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

By Lilia Burunciuc, World Bank Division Director for the Caribbean

During one of my visits to Sint Maarten, I spoke with a woman who works as a taxi driver. She had once held a job at a highly seasonal hotel, leaving her with little or no income during the off-season and few opportunities to increase her earnings. Determined to change her situation, she moved into the transport sector, starting out as a taxi driver. She worked long hours during the high season, saved money, and later rented an additional vehicle and hired another driver. Today, she operates two vehicles in addition to her own, with plans to expand. She is dreaming of a house and sending her kids to college.

Over the years, during my visits to Sint Maarten, I have met women like her repeatedly; women who create opportunities for themselves. They are willing to learn new things, take risks, and continue, even when things are hard.

This determination is visible not only in households and small businesses, but also in public life. Today, women hold nearly half of the seats in Sint Maarten’s Parliament - around 46.7 percent - reflecting how widely women are stepping into leadership roles across the island.

The leadership women bring across the island is among Sint Maarten's greatest strengths and a clear economic advantage. Evidence consistently shows that companies with gender-diverse leadership are more likely to outperform others, and closing gender gaps in employment could raise global GDP by more than 20 percent.

Political representation, however, does not automatically translate into broad-based economic opportunity. Many women continue to face constraints that limit their ability to expand businesses, increase incomes, or access capital. Barriers to finance, professional networks, and supportive services still shape how fully their economic potential can be realized.

For a small island economy like Sint Maarten, the implications are particularly significant. With a small population, few sources of economic activity, and exposure to natural shocks, growth depends on making full use of existing talent. When more women are able to earn higher incomes, invest, and grow their businesses, productivity rises, and households become more resilient in times of uncertainty.

This is why women’s economic participation is embedded in the World Bank’s work in Sint Maarten. Through the Sint Maarten Trust Fund, financed by the Government of the Netherlands and managed by the World Bank in partnership with the Government of Sint Maarten, our support in the years following Hurricane Irma went beyond rebuilding homes and critical infrastructure. It also focused on restoring livelihoods, helping small businesses reopen and grow, and giving people the practical skills needed to turn ideas into income. Women were given particular attention in this work. 

And the results show how strongly women responded when opportunities were made available.

Through the Emergency Income Support and Training Project, people received temporary income support and practical training to help them find work and resume earning. More than 1,900 people participated in the program, and over 70 percent were women, highlighting both the extent to which the crisis affected women’s employment and their readiness to re-enter the labor market.

The Trust Fund has also provided more than US$19.3 million to over 300 small businesses on the island, and 124 of those were led by women. With this financing, women have opened bakeries, catering services, neighborhood shops, and businesses as diverse as mushroom production. These enterprises are now employing others and keeping economic activity rooted locally. They have also received tailored training and coaching in financial literacy and core business skills, from planning and marketing to tax compliance, giving them the tools to grow sustainably.

This progress matters. It means more women can move beyond subsistence and begin planning for growth, just like the taxi driver I spoke with.

Building on this progress, the priority in Sint Maarten is to expand what works: increasing access to finance, strengthening the link between skills and jobs, and creating support systems that enable people to balance care responsibilities with paid work.

These are the investments that will allow more women, and the island as a whole, to keep moving forward.

Willemstad/Philipsburg:---  On March 31, 2026, the Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS) decided to maintain its monetary policy stance unchanged. This decision reflects a cautious approach in response to heightened uncertainty surrounding the potential spillover effects of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East on commodity and financial markets, and the resulting impact on the monetary union. This stance is also consistent with the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision (Fed) in March to keep the target range for the federal funds rate unchanged. In the current environment of heightened uncertainty, the CBCS will continue to monitor domestic and international economic developments closely and stands ready to adjust its monetary policy as needed.
Despite heightened uncertainties and volatility in the global environment, gross official reserves have continued to increase in 2026, after rising substantially by Cg 402.2 million in 2025. Up to March 13, 2026, gross official reserves have increased by Cg. 102.2 million, bringing the import coverage to a comfortable 5.3 months. The external position is expected to remain solid by year-end, with reserves projected to increase by Cg 161.8 million and the average import coverage reaching 5.2 months, well above the norm of 3 months. Nevertheless, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East poses a potential risk to the outlook.
In particular, a prolonged effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, will affect global energy supply and trade flows, leading to higher oil prices and increased freight, insurance, and transportation costs. For the monetary union, such developments could translate into higher inflation and lower purchasing power, increased travel costs, and a deterioration in tourism demand. At the same time, heightened uncertainty may weigh on investor sentiment, leading to more cautious investment behavior and slower economic growth.
In a scenario where the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed for three months, annual average oil prices could rise to USD 100 in 2026, before easing to USD 85 in 2027. In this case, the external position of the monetary union would weaken, with the current account deficit of the balance of payments widening to 12.9% of GDP, compared to 7.2% under normal conditions. Gross official reserves would decline by Cg 74.7 million, instead of increasing by Cg 161.8 million, while the import coverage would fall to 4.4 months, compared to 5.2 months under normal conditions.
In a more severe scenario involving a six-month disruption, oil prices could average around USD 150 in 2026 and ease to USD 135 in 2027. In this case, the impact on the external position of the monetary union would be more pronounced, with the current account deficit reaching 17.1% of GDP, gross official reserves declining by Cg 246.8 million, and the import coverage falling to 3.8 months.
While the monetary union maintains a solid foreign-exchange position, risks are tilted toward the downside. In addition to developments in the Middle East, other geopolitical tensions, including the war in Ukraine and developments involving Venezuela and the United States, continue to contribute to global uncertainty. Furthermore, uncertainty surrounding global trade policies, particularly U.S. tariff measures, may affect trade relations, increase policy unpredictability, and weigh on investment and economic activity.
Taking these developments into consideration, the CBCS has maintained its monetary policy stance in line with the Fed. On March 18, 2025, the Fed maintained its target range for the federal funds rate unchanged at 3.50-3.75%, reflecting still-elevated inflation and increased uncertainty surrounding the economic outlook. Against this backdrop, the CBCS decided to keep its pledging rate unchanged at 4.25%, maintaining a 50 basis point spread above the federal funds rate.
At the same time, the CBCS has kept the reserve requirement percentage unchanged at 18.50%. It will also continue to offer attractive rates on its weekly auctions of certificates of deposit (CDs), with the aim of holding more bank liquidity domestically, and thereby safeguarding the monetary union’s foreign exchange position. These policy decisions are supported by the monetary union’s solid foreign-exchange position and a prudent, forward-looking approach amid an uncertain global environment.
Willemstad, April 1, 2026
CENTRALE BANK VAN CURACAO EN SINT MAARTEN

PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):---  The Collective Prevention Service (CPS) is encouraging everyone to participate in its “The Lifestyle Shift Campaign,” which will take place on Tuesday, April 7, World Health Day (WHD).

It will be a healthy and engaging afternoon of group fitness activities starting at 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm at the Vineyard Office Building, W.G. Buncamper Rd. #33 parking lot at the head of town. A number of vendors will also be on-site with wellness information/lifestyle tips, products, services, healthy snacks and hydration.

Participants can get additional information by emailing: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call +1 721 542-1570.

Participants will also have the opportunity to partake in a free health screening session that covers glucose, blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure.

Be there to experience the shift you've always wanted. Gain firsthand exercise tips and health information that you can apply to your daily routine.

World Health Day 2025 will be observed on Tuesday, April 7th under the theme “Together for health. Stand with science.”

#KnowYourNumbers #yourhealthmatters #YourHealthIsOurPriority #WHD2026