Minister Plenipotentiary Drs. Gracita R. Arrindell recently welcomed the Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), Patrice T. Gumbs at the Cabinet, during his working visit to the Netherlands. The meeting focused on strengthening cooperation between the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary and the Ministry of VROMI. Key topics included opportunities for collaboration in the areas of biodiversity, waste management, and the ongoing challenges related to sargassum (seaweed), all of which are critical to the sustainable development of Sint Maarten. The discussion also explored how the Cabinet can help connect the Ministry with relevant partners and [...]

Minister Plenipotentiary Drs. Gracita R. Arrindell participated on Wednesday March 11 in a Ministerial Round Table on “Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all older women” during the seventieth session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) at UN Headquarters in New York. The discussion formed part of the Commission’s priority theme for 2026: “Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including by promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices, and addressing structural barriers.” Speaking as part of the delegation of the Kingdom of the [...]

Minister Plenipotentiary Arrindell attended the opening of the seventieth session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) at United Nations Headquarters in New York on Monday. The two-week session, which runs through 19 March, brings together government representatives, international organizations and civil society to discuss progress and challenges in advancing gender equality worldwide. This year’s session focuses on the priority theme “Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls,” with discussions addressing the promotion of inclusive and equitable legal systems, the elimination of discriminatory laws, and the removal of structural barriers that [...]

An introductory meeting earlier this year between Minister Plenipotentiary Arrindell and H.E. Dren Doli, Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, has resulted in a positive cultural and educational opportunity for a student from Sint Maarten. As a direct outcome of the diplomatic engagement earlier in the year, the Sint Maarten Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (MECYS) will coordinate along with the cabinet Minister Plenipotentiary to facilitate the participation of a student in the University of Prishtina program, “Learn Together. Experience Prishtina. Build Connections.” Prishtina International Summer University 2026 The University of [...]

On Friday March 6, Minister Plenipotentiary Arrindell represented Sint Maarten during the first meeting of the Kingdom Council of Ministers (Rijksministerraad) under the newly sworn-in Dutch Cabinet. The meeting also marked several firsts within the Kingdom. Errold Bishop participated for the first time as Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary of Curaçao, while Mildred Schwengle attended her first meeting as the newly appointed Minister Plenipotentiary of Aruba in the Netherlands. The Kingdom Council of Ministers brings together the Dutch Cabinet and the Ministers Plenipotentiary of Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten to discuss matters affecting the Kingdom as a whole, including international relations, [...]