June 28, 2026 No comments
St. Maarten AI Leader Ife Badejo Selected by U.S. Mission for AI for Good Global Summit
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) — Ife Badejo, Founder and CEO of Islandpreneur International and government-appointed AI Ambassador of Sint Maarten, has been selected by the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva to participate in the AI for Good Global Summit, taking place July 7–10, 2026. She is one of only three International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumni worldwide selected for this distinction and the only participant from the Caribbean contributing to programming at the U.S. Pavilion during the summit. The invitation recognizes Badejo's leadership in advancing artificial intelligence education, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation across the Caribbean. In its official invitation, the U.S. Mission noted that her 'expertise and perspective represent the very best of what U.S. technology, innovation, and leadership...
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June 28, 2026 No comments
Launch and Giveaway of Cultural Coloring Book SoualiColor on Sunday, July 5th
SINT MARTIN (FRENCH QUARTER) - The public is invited to celebrate the launch of SoualiColor, a color and write book about St. Martin culture! The free, festive launch event will be held at Amuseum Naturalis at The Old House in French Quarter from 9am to noon. SoualiColor was created by the Soualiwomen Kultural Association (SKA) and the Les Fruits de Mer association. Guests attending the launch will receive a free copy of the book. The event will also feature a cultural scavenger hunt, a coloring station, and refreshments for all to enjoy. “SKA was formed to celebrate Carnival in another way, more creative and cultural. Then we opened up more to promote and share our culture and traditions,” explained Erica and Laticha Stephen, President...
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June 28, 2026 No comments
Why Prepaid Electricity makes sense
SINT MAARTEN (COMMENTARY - By Brian Meade) - Prepaid electricity is available on several Caribbean islands, mostly through smart meters that allow customers to track and top-up their usage. Prominent islands offering this service include Curaçao, Aruba, Bonaire, Jamaica, and Dominica. The specific systems vary slightly by location: Curaçao: Known locally as Pagatinu, this system allows residents to purchase power credit in advance to easily manage their daily budgets. Aruba & Bonaire: Aruba utilizes a prepaid meter system, while Bonaire's service is called Pagabon. Jamaica: The Jamaica Public Service (JPS) operates an extensive prepaid electricity program for its consumers, allowing them to manage their usage directly. Dominica: DOMLEC offers a Pay-As-U-Go (PAUG) service, which allows users to instantly add funds using online portals or local...
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June 27, 2026 No comments
Prepaid Electricity the time for action is NOW
SINT MAARTEN (COMMENTARY – By Julian H. Rollocks jr) - As a candidate during the January 2024 parliamentary elections, one of the issues I campaigned on was the introduction of prepaid electricity. I firmly believed then, and I continue to believe today, that prepaid electricity would greatly benefit the people of Sint Maarten. I was pleased to read the recent article in which Mr. Drijvers confirmed that GEBE is working towards implementing a prepaid electricity system. I commend him for being transparent with the public. However, one important question remains: if we are still not ready today, when will we be? Since 2023, I have consistently championed for prepaid electricity because of the significant advantages it offers to consumers, businesses, landlords, and...
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June 27, 2026 No comments
BUDGET 2026 SUBMITTED TO PARLIAMENT. GOVT COMMITS TO HIGHER STANDARDS, GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY, AND TIMELY DELIVERY
SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The Ministry of Finance announces that the Draft Budget 2026 has officially been submitted to Parliament for consideration, marking an important milestone in Government's ongoing efforts to strengthen fiscal discipline, improve public financial management, and advance a more policy-driven approach to national development. The 2026 Budget projects total revenues of Cg. 647.1 million and total operating expenditures of Cg. 635.9 million. It further provides for Cg. 164.6 million in capital investments aimed at strengthening infrastructure, improving public services, and advancing national development priorities. Government also projects Cg. 5.28 million in loans to third parties and authorizes the Minister of Finance to enter into loan agreements for capital investments of up to Cg. 42.11 million. On the revenue...
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