Willemstad/Philipsburg – The Centrale Bank of Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS) has rolled out
the educational project “Money Week” to primary schools in Curaçao and Sint Maarten this
week. With this initiative, the CBCS aims to make children aware of the value of money, saving,
and making financial choices at a young age.
During this week, all primary schools will receive a number of cash boxes containing play money
banknotes and coins of the Caribbean guilder. Teachers can use these cash boxes during math
lessons to cover money and financial topics in a playful and practical way.
The opening of Money Week took place in Sint Maarten at the Oranje Primary School. There, CBCS
Sint Maarten interim director Dwayne President and Minister of Education Melissa Gumbs jointly
delivered a guest lecture to the children of group 5 at the school. Minister of Finance Marinka
Gumbs and CBCS employee Ghyslaine Rollocks-Petrona also contributed to the kick-off with a
guest lecture at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Primary School. During these guest lectures, students
learn more about the new Caribbean guilder, and responsible money management is discussed in
an interactive way.
In Curaçao, the Money Week was also festively opened with a guest lecture by CBCS President
Richard Doornbosch together with Prime Minister Gilmar Pisas and CBCS employee Shekinah Dare
at Kolegio San Hosé in Barber. The closing of the Money Week takes place on Friday, March 27, at
the Johan van Walbeeckschool, where Minister of Education Sithree van Heydoorn, together with
CBCS Executive Director Leila Matroos-Lasten, will deliver the final guest lecture.
In addition to the opening and closing lectures, guest lectures will be given to group 5 students by
CBCS staff at various schools in Sint Maarten and Curaçao later this week. The primary schools,
that had previously been informed about the project, responded particularly enthusiastically to the
initiative. The CBCS received a large number of requests for guest lectures in a short period of
time and is very pleased with this positive response from the schools.
With the launch of this project, the CBCS underscores its commitment to promoting financial self-
reliance within the communities of Curaçao and Sint Maarten. Based on this social responsibility,
the Money Week – inspired by the Dutch version of the Money Week – has been included in the
CBCS’s strategic planning for 2026–2028. The Money Week takes place annually in the month of
March; the first edition runs this year from March 23rd up to and including March 27th.