CBCS says Sint Maarten growth needs stronger resilience and broader investment

Soualiga Newsday reported that the Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS), in its September 2026 Economic Bulletin, said Curaçao and Sint Maarten have continued to show resilience through tourism activity and private investment. The CBCS said the challenge is to sustain growth and build resilience amid external uncertainty.

The central bank said a planned phased repatriation of Dutch State funds held at the CBCS will reduce the monetary union’s gross official reserves. The funds include principal and interest payments made by the governments of Curaçao and Sint Maarten that accumulated in CBCS accounts, according to the bulletin. CBCS said import coverage is still projected to remain above the three-month benchmark.

For Sint Maarten, CBCS President Ference Lamp said priorities include disaster-risk financing, climate resilience and infrastructure and public services that keep pace with tourism growth. The bulletin also said stronger domestic revenue collection could help build fiscal buffers, while measures are needed to improve payroll reporting and address undeclared employment.

The CBCS said both countries should reduce administrative burdens, improve access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises, and better match education and training with labour-market needs. The full bulletin is available on the CBCS website.