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Saba/St. Eustatius/Bonaire.
The population exceeds 33,000
According to figures recently published by Statistics Netherlands (CBS), the population of the Netherlands Antilles increased by more than 1,200 people in 2025. As of January 1, 2026, the combined population of Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba stood at over 33,000. This represents an increase of 1,249 people, or 4%, compared to the previous year. This growth is primarily due to migration, as the number of people moving to these islands exceeded the number leaving them. Bonaire recorded the largest increase. Its population reached 27,611 as of January 1, 2026, an increase of 1,059 people, or 4%, compared to the previous year. The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) reported that this increase was primarily due to migration: 2,116 people moved to Bonaire, while 945 left, resulting in a net migration gain of 1,171 people. Saba gained 112 residents, bringing its total population to 2,270. As for Saint Eustatius, the island has 3,348 residents and recorded an increase of… 78 residents.
Guadeloupe.
The Highest Operating Expenses Among the DROMs
According to the latest report from the French Development Agency (AFD), municipalities in Guadeloupe hold the record for operating expenses among the DROMs (Overseas Departments and Regions). RCI reports that personnel costs are said to have reached 1,136 euros per inhabitant, which would constitute a record for the overseas territories. The report mentions “significant budgetary rigidity.” According to RCI, the AFD specifies that financial flexibility and adjustments now depend exclusively on retirements and a structural reorganization of services.
Saint Martin.
Four anti-Sargassum barriers under consideration
Efforts to combat the sargassum invasion are also underway in Saint Martin. The Territorial Collectivity has announced plans to invest in the installation of four offshore barriers. Two sites have been selected: the bays of Cul-de-Sac and Embouchure. According to the Soualiga Post, two barriers will be installed at each site. “Over a total length of 700 meters at Cul-de-Sac and 227 meters at the mouth of the Etang aux Poissons,” writes the Saint-Martin-based website. “The installation work (anchoring and laying the nets) is estimated to take between four and six weeks at Cul-de-Sac and between two and three weeks at the Etang aux Poissons. The start date for the project has not yet been announced.” The cost of installing the system and inspecting it for one year is estimated at 896,550 euros.
Sint Maarten.
Simpson Bay protest against the felling of an old raisin tree
Two intersections blocked, traffic at a standstill, and angry residents. Earlier this week in Simpson Bay, the operator of an excavator working for a construction company cut down an old sea grape tree, reports The People’s Tribune. The incident immediately sparked strong reactions among some residents of the neighborhood, who believe the tree is an integral part of the natural and cultural heritage of the Simpson Bay community. “Residents have warned the government that they will not stand idly by in the face of the damage caused by contractors to the beach and the surrounding natural environment,” the article states. For its part, the company reportedly indicated that the tree will be replanted.
Saint Lucia.
A public debate on reinstating the death penalty
It all began with the discovery last week of the body of a 24-year-old mother riddled with bullets in the driver’s seat of her car. Since then, public pressure has been mounting on the government to reinstate the death penalty by hanging. The Caribbean National Weekly reports that Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre stated that his government will have to consider “very, very carefully” any decision to reinstate capital punishment in Saint Lucia. The last execution in Saint Lucia took place on October 17, 1995, when Joseph Solomon, who had been sentenced to death, was hanged. Since then, the country has observed a de facto moratorium on capital punishment, although three people remain on death row.
