PHILIPSBURG:---  The Committee of General Affairs of Parliament is scheduled to meet on November 7, 2025.

The Committee meeting is scheduled for Friday at 10.00 hrs. in the Legislative Hall at Wilhelminastraat #1 in Philipsburg. The Minister of General Affairs will be in attendance.

The agenda point is:
Status update on the respective themes of the Country Package (IS/916/2024-2025 dated April 22, 2025)
This meeting was requested by MP S.A. Wescot-Williams.

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.sxmparliament.org, www.pearlfmradio.sx and www.youtube.com/c/SintMaartenParliament

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) extends warm congratulations to Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim of Guyana on his election as Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) for the period 2026–2030.

The OECS Commission joins the Governments and peoples of the Caribbean Community in celebrating this significant achievement, which represents both a proud moment for Guyana and a recognition of the Caribbean’s longstanding contribution to agricultural innovation and sustainable development across the Americas.

Hon. John Osborne, Minister of Agriculture of Montserrat and Chairman of the OECS Council of Ministers of Agriculture, lauded his election:

“Dr. Ibrahim’s election affirms the strength of Caribbean leadership in shaping the future of agriculture across the Americas. His career has been devoted to linking science, innovation, and sustainability with the real lives of farmers. The OECS Council of Ministers of Agriculture looks forward to working closely with him to advance resilient food systems and ensure that our small states continue to feed themselves and the world.”
Director General of the OECS, Dr. Didacus Jules, hailed Dr. Ibrahim’s election as “a moment of renewed confidence in the Caribbean’s capacity for global agricultural leadership.” He noted that:

“Dr. Ibrahim brings to IICA a deep understanding of the nexus between agricultural transformation, environmental sustainability, and the livelihoods of small farmers - areas of critical importance to the small island developing states of the Eastern Caribbean.”
Dr. Jules reaffirmed the full cooperation and partnership of the OECS Commission with IICA under Dr. Ibrahim’s leadership, emphasizing the Organisation’s commitment to deepening collaboration in:

• advancing climate-resilient and technology-driven agriculture,

• promoting food and nutrition security as a regional public good, and

• strengthening institutional capacity and youth engagement in agri-innovation.

He added that the OECS looks forward “with great expectation to Dr. Ibrahim’s tenure at a time when the agricultural sector of our Hemisphere faces unprecedented challenges - from climate instability and food price volatility to the need for bold transformation in production systems and trade.”
The OECS Commission expressed confidence that under Dr. Ibrahim’s stewardship, IICA will continue to be a beacon of technical excellence and hemispheric solidarity, fostering a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural future for all member states.

What an unforgettable two days! From Coils to Crowns marked its powerful debut as a heartfelt celebration of culture, confidence, and community, inspiring youth to embrace their heritage and wear their crowns with pride.
Hosted across Charlotte Brookson Academy, Sundial School, and Sr. Borgia Elementary School, the event brought together over 120 students in a dynamic program exploring hair heritage, self-expression, and identity. Through storytelling, performance, and creative engagement, students reflected on the beauty of natural hair, its history, and its link to our African ancestry and the deeper meaning of self-acceptance.
Organizer Soidi Sorhaindo-Illis expressed immense gratitude for the overwhelming response:
“My heart is full as I reflect on what we’ve created together. Seeing our students connect with their roots and celebrate their identity reminded us all that our culture is powerful and alive.”
The success of this initiative was made possible by various sponsors in our community and their generous support, including Prime Distributors, Nestlé, and Carl & Sons, whose contributions helped turn a vision into a vibrant experience.
A heartfelt thank-you also goes to the dedicated team who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, “the true crown behind the crown,” ensuring every detail reflected purpose, passion, and pride.
Special acknowledgment is extended to Cultuurfonds Caribisch Gebied (CCG) for believing in this vision and supporting the program’s development from concept to reality.
To every student who participated, performed, and shared their voice, thank you for reminding us why this work matters. You are the future, and your crowns shine bright.
From Coils to Crowns is only the beginning. Together, we will continue to celebrate our roots, rhythm, and resilience as we reclaim our identity one crown at a time. As From Coils to Crowns continues to grow, we encourage our wider community of schools, parents, cultural leaders, and businesses to join in creating initiatives that educate, empower, and uplift the next generation. Together, we can do more. Do not be afraid to start, to collaborate, and to build spaces that celebrate our heritage and identity while building stronger communities.

The importance of Bridging the Climate Finance Gap

November 4 2025: As the world gathers for COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the Green Overseas (GO) Programme, funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France, will bring a clear message: Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) are not just vulnerable to climate change, they are key actors in global climate solutions - and urgently need access to climate finance to strengthen adaptation and mitigation efforts. The GO Programme is working to bridge this finance gap, supporting OCTs in building resilience, accessing international funds, and calling for their voices to be heard in global climate negotiations.

This year’s COP, described by Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as the “COP of Truth”, calls for real-world progress and solutions that move beyond commitments to measurable change. For the OCTs, this moment is both urgent and defining. Facing rising seas, coastal erosion, and intensifying storms, these territories stand at the frontline of climate disruption, while holding vast marine areas that are essential to global ecological balance.

Mike Eman, Prime Minister of the Government of Aruba commented: "As I reflect, as Prime Minister of Aruba, on the issues to be addressed at COP30, I cannot do so apart from what is happening with our island friends in Jamaica, where Hurricane Melissa has left deep devastation. It is a sobering reminder of how closely our destinies are intertwined as islands in one shared sea. The crises of our century - inequality, ecological collapse, and distrust - all spring from fragmentation. We have forgotten that humanity and nature form one living system - man and his biosphere. The principle of the Common Good offers a path back: it calls us to align policy with the long arc of the common good and resilience, not short-term gain. Guided by this vision, Aruba is reshaping its institutions around a model of broad prosperity. Our decision to definitively dismantle the oil refinery and repurpose its vast site for a sustainable and inclusive new economy marks a clear turning point - from an industrial past toward a regenerative future.”
The Climate Paradox
Despite their unique vulnerabilities, OCTs face difficulties in accessing international climate finance mechanisms. Their political status, autonomous but not sovereign, places them outside frameworks designed for developing nations, leaving many without the resources necessary to build adequate climate resilience or implement effective adaptation and mitigation measures. Access to targeted climate finance is therefore critical to ensure OCTs can protect communities, ecosystems, and economies from the escalating climate impacts they are facing as island communities.

Ahab Downer, Director of the Green Overseas Programme said: “The OCTs of the EU and UK are undeniably on the frontlines of global climate change impacts. Though their administrations and peoples exhibit great and admirable resilience and adaptability in the face of climate-related adversity, substantial financial and technical support is imperative to help them meet the mounting challenges they face. The EU-funded Green Overseas "GO" Programme is proud to be proactive in helping to strengthen technical adaptation and mitigation capacities within and across these partner countries and territories and to facilitate their access to climate finance. The GO Programme is thus present at COP30 to participate in reminding decision makers across the globe that it is high time that they align to allocate requisite and necessary climate change support to these extraordinary and remarkable Overseas Countries and Territories.”
From Vulnerability to Leadership
Funded under the 11th European Development Fund, Green Overseas advocates for access to finance, strengthening local institutions, and showcasing how OCTs can lead the transition toward clean energy, biodiversity protection, and climate resilience. Green Overseas connects 25 EU and UK OCTs across the Caribbean, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, and Southern Oceans, as well as the Arctic. Its work focuses on four strategic areas:
● Energy Transition – supporting renewable energy adoption and sustainable grid innovations.
● Climate Resilience – investing in coastal protection, ecosystem restoration, and disaster risk reduction.
● Access to Finance – opening pathways to international climate funds and preparing high-quality project proposals.
● Capacity Building – equipping local governments and institutions with the tools to plan and implement long-term strategies.
Through these efforts, Green Overseas acts as both a bridge and a voice, linking island territories with international institutions, climate financiers, and global decision-makers.
Solutions from the Islands
Across the globe, OCTs are developing innovative, scalable solutions that transform challenges into opportunities. Examples include:
● Saint Helena is reforming its energy regulatory framework to achieve 80% renewable electricity by 2028, proving that small islands can lead on clean energy transitions.
● Turks & Caicos is assessing the feasibility of floating offshore wind farms, unlocking the potential of ocean-based renewable energy for island grids.
● French Polynesia’s Tuamotu Atolls are creating 30-year shoreline projections to guide long-term coastal adaptation on some of the world’s most vulnerable islands.
● The Cayman Islands are taking a data-driven approach to resilience through the launch of the National Resilience Scorecard Project, a first-of-its-kind tool that will guide public and private investment decisions based on their contribution to national climate resilience.

Ms Lina Tode, GO Programme Caribbean Regional Coordinator, Expertise France commented: “The Green Overseas (GO) Programme aims at strengthening the climate resilience of Overseas Countries and Territories. In this framework, the Cayman Islands Resilience Scorecard project will be a strategic tool for evidence-based planning and to provide guidance for public and private investments towards alignment with national climate resilience objectives. Mainstreaming resilience into decision making is at the heart of the GO Programme, and the Cayman Islands Resilience Scorecard project will showcase a comprehensive tool to facilitate the achievement of this objective.”
The Green Overseas team will be present throughout COP30 in Belém, facilitating dialogue, organising and participating in side events, and connecting with global partners to ensure OCT perspectives are represented in international climate negotiations.
Press Contact:
For more information or to schedule interviews, please contact: Sarah Forster, Head of Event Programming This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The GO Programme is funded by the European Union under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF). The GO Programme sets out to provide training and knowledge-sharing sessions between island stakeholders from each OCT to foster knowledge-consolidation and capacity building, leveraging each other’s best practices. GO also provides a pathway for each OCT to submit two funding proposals for energy transition projects and climate resilience.
Implemented by Expertise France since 2020, the GO Programme aims to accelerate the energy transition and enhance the resilience of the following 25 European and British Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) to climate change:

Pacific Ocean
French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Pitcairn, Wallis and Futuna Islands.

Caribbean
Anguilla, Aruba, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Montserrat, Saba, Saint Barthelemy,Saint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Turks and Caicos Islands.

Arctic, Atlantic, Southern & Indian Oceans
Bermuda, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, Falkland Islands, French
Southern and Antarctic Lands, Greenland, Saint Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da
Cunha, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

More information about the Go Programme is available here: https://www.green-overseas.org
LinkedIn
X