Cole Bay, St. Maarten – More than 90 participants from across the Dutch Caribbean and the wider region gathered last Thursday at Sonesta Maho Beach Resort for a regional pension seminar hosted by the Caribbean Pension Funds Association (CaPAs) under the theme “Pensions as Foundation of Sustainable Prosperity”, which was held for the first time on St. Maarten.
The event highlighted the vital role of pension systems in supporting long-term economic resilience and prosperity. Attendees included representatives from pension funds, governments, financial institutions, and other key stakeholders from across the former Netherlands Antilles, as well as participants from the broader region.
Acting Minister of Finance Nathalie Tackling delivered the opening address on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, emphasizing the importance of sustainable pension systems and strong regional collaboration.
APS Managing Director and CaPAs Board Chair Oscar Williams extended a warm welcome to all participants. He further elaborated on the content of the seminar and encouraged everyone to actively participate during the seminar.
His Excellency Governor Ajamu Baly was not only present during the opening ceremony but remained throughout the entire seminar and actively participated in the breakout sessions, an involvement widely appreciated by participants.
The program featured keynote presentations by Daniel van Vuuren, Onno Steenbeek, and Parveen Boertje, who addressed topics including demographic change, pension governance, financial literacy, and social resilience.
Participants later joined interactive breakout sessions, facilitated by Emilio Kalmera, Johan Oldenboom and Shekinah Dare. The sessions, which focused on financial resilience, generational solidarity, and pension system sustainability, were widely appreciated for their interactive nature and challenging participants to examine pension-related challenges from different perspectives. The seminar concluded with a Q&A panel discussion, providing participants with the opportunity to engage directly with experts and further explore key issues raised throughout the day.
APS Managing Director and CaPAs Board Chair Oscar Williams said he was very pleased with the success of the event.
“We have received a great deal of positive feedback from participants. The seminar was not only about pensions in a technical or financial sense, but about how strong and resilient pension systems contribute to overall prosperity, social stability and a dignified old age for people throughout the Dutch Caribbean. The discussions were meaningful, participation was high and people clearly appreciated the opportunity to exchange ideas on issues that are important for the future of our region,” Williams said. “I would like to sincerely thank all participants for their valuable contributions and extend special appreciation to our sponsors for their support in making this event possible.”
Following the formal closing session, participants continued networking during an informal gathering where the attendees from different islands continued discussions and exchanged ideas well into the evening.
