CURACAO (WILLEMSTAD) - The Social and Economic Council (SER) of Curaçao delivered a detailed advisory today to the Minister of Economic Development, Drs. Roderick Middelhof, on proposed national regulations that would impose an import ban on designated fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs. The council adopted its advisory on December 12, 2025, following deliberations during a plenary session.

The draft measures before the council are framed as an effort to implement Article 4 of the National Ordinance on Import and Export, a provision at the center of current policy discussions about food security, price stability and the resilience of Curaçao’s agricultural sector. At issue are draft rules that would prohibit the import of specific fresh produce, subject to a system of permits and exemptions. Under the drafts, the executive branch would determine and periodically update the list of covered products by ministerial regulation.

Beyond the prohibition itself, the draft regulations envision a broader framework of information-collection and producer registration. Officials would establish a registry of local growers — known locally as “kunukero’s” — to enable more data-informed reviews of permit applications and to improve transparency across the supply chain.

In preparing its advisory, the SER applied a rigorous and multidisciplinary analytical framework. Legal experts within the council evaluated the draft legal text against Curaçao’s domestic legal framework, including the National Ordinance on Import and Export, and assessed its consistency with higher legal norms — among them international trade principles and foundational rule-of-law standards.

Concurrently, the council examined the socioeconomic context underpinning the proposed measures. That analysis drew on available empirical data and academic studies on Curaçao’s food systems, with particular attention to the island’s dependence on imported produce, recent trends in consumer prices, and the structural dynamics of its local agriculture.

Assessment did not end with legal and economic theory. Attention also turned to questions about how the policy would work in practice, probing how a system of permits and exemptions would be administered on the ground, what kinds of oversight would be needed to ensure compliance, and how the necessary information systems would have to be set up to make the whole framework function effectively.

To broaden the perspective, the SER brought international experience into its review. Comparative insights from literature and regulatory practice in other island economies provided additional texture, while selected consultations with local stakeholders added real-world context and nuance to the council’s understanding.

Taken together, these strands produced a comprehensive advisory that lays out the analytical frameworks, data evaluations and practical considerations that informed the council’s review. The document is designed to support the broader legislative process with a foundation of evidence and legal rigor, offering clarity on how the draft measures intersect with both statutory norms and socioeconomic realities.

SINT EUSTATIUS (ORANJESTAD) - The Government of Statia on Friday, 12 December signed a cooperation agreement with Omgevingsdienst NL (ODNL) to provide Statia with structured support to improve the execution of permitting, supervision and enforcement (Vergunningen, Toezicht en Handhaving – VTH) and related policy for environment, construction and nature.

The agreement gives effect to the recommendation in the Inspection of Environment and Transport (ILT) report dated 1 June 2023, which calls for a durable partnership with an environmental service in European Netherlands to strengthen VTH execution in Caribbean Netherlands.

The stated objective is to bring VTH execution into, and keep it in, alignment with the legal requirements set by applicable laws and other regulations. A similar cooperation agreement was signed with the Public Entities Bonaire and Saba.

The agreement was signed in The Hague by Alida Francis, Island Governor of Sint Eustatius, on behalf of the Island, and by Ruben Vlaander, Chair of Omgevingsdienst NL, on behalf of ODNL.

The cooperation runs from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2027 and will be implemented through an annual Work Plan, starting with the attached Work Plan 2026. The Government of Statia retains the directing role, while ODNL provides advisory and specialist support on request, including support to strengthen execution quality and address complex dossiers.

Operational coordination will include weekly consultations. ODNL will designate a project lead as the central point of contact for Statia; this is currently Roel van de Loo. ODNL will report quarterly on progress and expenditure, and both parties will jointly prepare an annual report for the Island Secretary and the Executive Council.

ODNL experts will act as independent specialists, and their advice will be issued with the ODNL logo; Statia may deviate from that advice with reasons, which will be explicitly recorded in the final advice to the mandate holder.

The agreement is entered into on the condition that the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) makes available the financial resources required for the activities in the Work Plan. Following signature, it enters into force once those resources have been made available to ODNL.

SINT EUSTATIUS (ORANJESTAD) - Representatives from the BES islands and VNG International met to exchange views on ongoing cooperation within the Caribbean Exchange Network.

The meeting focused on collaboration at the local level, with participants sharing experiences related to current initiatives, including crisis management and waste processing.

Participants also underscored the importance of continued knowledge sharing and professional exchange within the programme framework.

During the meeting, a co-financing agreement between the Statia Government and VNG International B.V. was formally presented for the implementation of the Caribbean Exchange Network 2.0. The programme is supported by the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands.

The agreement sets out the framework for cooperation, financing, and implementation of the programme as it applies to Statia. Caribbean Exchange Network 2.0 supports institutional development by strengthening professional capacity and facilitating structured professional exchange.

A press moment followed the presentation of the agreement, during which the Statia Government was represented by Island Commissioner Rechelline Leerdam.

Implementation of the programme will take place through expert assignments, learning trajectories, and thematic exchange activities within the agreed framework.

The agreement applies for the full duration of the programme, which is scheduled to run from October 2025 through December 2028, and provides a clear basis for cooperation within the Caribbean Exchange Network.

BONAIRE (KRALENDIJK) - Trainees at the Caribbean Netherlands Fire Department started the ‘Manschap A’ training course on 1 September 2025. After a period of intensive training, they successfully completed the first module which covered Technical Assistance and Hazardous Substances Incident Response on 20 November 2025.

The commanders are proud of their achievements. Under the guidance of local teachers and instructors, the trainees are clearly making progress and developing into firefighters we will be able to count on in the future.

They are currently working in the on-call team in order to gain additional practical experience and be even better prepared for deployment in the event of incidents. This marks an important step towards them becoming fully qualified firefighters with the Caribbean Netherlands Fire Department.

In February 2026, the trainees are going to start the second part of the training programme which will focus on firefighting itself. After that, they will continue with the Aircraft Incident Response module, given that the Fire Department is responsible for both the towns and the airports.

According to the schedule, they will be taking this module in June and July 2026. Once they have completed these modules, the trainees will be fully qualified in accordance with the requirements of the Caribbean Netherlands Fire Department.

Reaching this milestone brings the new cohort of trainees one step closer to fulfilling their future role of ensuring the safety of our islands and their inhabitants.