Explainer: Is the Economy Actually Worse Under Trump Than Before?

Royal Caribbean Group has agreed to acquire a 50 percent stake in Sandals and Beaches Resorts in a deal valued at approximately $3 billion, according to Dutch-language outlet Nu.cw citing the Extra. The agreement was announced on Wednesday, marking a major strategic move by one of the world's largest cruise companies into the all-inclusive land-based resort sector. Sandals and Beaches are iconic Caribbean resort brands with properties across Jamaica, Barbados, Antigua, the Bahamas, and other islands. The deal signals Royal Caribbean's intent to capture more of the total Caribbean vacation spend, bridging cruise and land-based tourism under a broader portfolio. For the Caribbean tourism industry, the partnership could reshape how visitors plan and book combined cruise-and-resort packages. The transaction is expected to create significant cross-promotional opportunities between Royal Caribbean's cruise guests and the Sandals and Beaches resort network. Financial and regulatory details of the deal's closure timeline have not yet been disclosed.

The Agri Business Academy is launching a new training program in Curaçao aimed at stimulating entrepreneurship within the local agricultural sector. The initiative was reported by morning newspaper Antilliaans Dagblad and represents a focused investment in developing the island's farming industry. The program is designed to support and guide individuals looking to build or grow businesses in agriculture on the island. Curaçao has historically relied heavily on imports for food, making local agricultural development a matter of both economic and food security importance. By fostering entrepreneurial skills alongside farming knowledge, the academy aims to create more sustainable and commercially viable agricultural operations. The move signals a broader push by stakeholders on the island to diversify the local economy and reduce dependence on imported food products.

The Central Bank of Curaçao and Sint Maarten (CBCS) has released a report forecasting continued economic growth for both islands while simultaneously warning of significant international risks. The bank emphasizes that sustaining this growth will require resilience from both economies as global uncertainties persist. The CBCS monitors monetary and financial stability for the two-island currency union and its warnings carry weight for policymakers and businesses alike. International risk factors — which may include global inflation pressures, trade disruptions, and geopolitical instability — could dampen the projected growth if left unaddressed. The report signals that while the economic outlook is cautiously optimistic, the path forward is not without challenges that will demand proactive fiscal and monetary planning from both governments.