Cornerstone Economics

26/02/2026

New on our blog: "Dutch Caribbean food security: the full picture we keep missing."

Rendell de Kort co-authored World Bank food security assessments for both Aruba and Curaçao. Both reports recommended comprehensive strategies going well beyond access to finance. This piece is about what was recommended, and why the full picture still matters.
Read the full piece here:

Author: Rendell de Kort, Economist Category: Agriculture | Food Security | Dutch CaribbeanIn 2018, I wrote on this blog that Aruba's agricultural sector was "ripe for the picking." The obstacles that had traditionally held the sector back were falling away. Entrepreneurs like 297 Farm, Happyponics a...

04/02/2026

Article in World Economic Forum: "What small islands reveal about a blind spot in resilience thinking", referring to one of our own Rendell de Kort's work: The Conch Paradox.

Much larger nations can learn from small islands in the Caribbean, where tourism-dependent economies collapsed almost overnight when COVID-19 hit.

22/01/2026

𝗨𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗽𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮!

Bo opinion ta conta – contribui na mehora cuido na Aruba! IVA ta den e proceso pa traha riba su plan strategico pa e siguiente 5 aña. Si bo tin 18+ y / of bo ta cuida un persona, bo por yena e encuesta pa conta bo experiencia.
Yena e encuesta aki: https://sprw.io/stt-mipbs

E encuesta ta den 4 idioma, Papiamento, Hulandes, Ingles y Spaño E encuesta aki ta wordo haci pa Cornerstone Economics bou di encargo di IVA como parti di e desaroyo di nos plan strategico pa 2026 - 2030

Ultimo fecha pa participa 30 januari, 2026.
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Your opinion matters for healthcare in Aruba! The Inspectie Volksgezondheid Aruba (IVA) is creating its new strategic plan for the next 5 years and wants to hear from patients and caregivers (18+). Share your experience and help improve the quality of care. Fill in the survey here https://sprw.io/stt-mipbs

The survey is available in Papiamento, Dutch, English and Spanish. This survey is done by Cornerstone Economics as consultants for the development of IVA's strategic plan 2026 - 2030.

Last day to participate January 30, 2026.

13/01/2026

🎙️ Behind the scenes at The Common Good Podcast

We’re proud to share that our Managing Partner at Cornerstone Economics recently participated in the latest edition of The Common Good podcast- a meaningful conversation centered on the topic:
“Capitalism Reconnected.”

This episode brought together diverse perspectives on economics, policy, and sustainability, featuring an inspiring group of guests:

🔹 Rendell de Kort
Economist | Managing Partner Cornerstone Economics

🔹 Francielle Laclé
Policy Advisor, Ministry of Environment & Nature | Environmental Economist

🔹 Robert Candelaria
Secretary-General, Ministry of General Affairs

🔹 Aad-Jan de Gruijl
Policy Advisor to the Prime Minister of Aruba

At Cornerstone Economics, we value thoughtful dialogue that reconnects economic systems with long-term societal impact. We’re honored to contribute to conversations that shape a more sustainable and inclusive future.

Picture courtesy: The Common Good Podcast.

08/01/2026

Trots te delen: Cornerstone Economics werd genoemd in het NRC.

Dank aan de redactie voor de vermelding — we blijven werken aan scherpe analyses en praktische oplossingen.

🔗 Lees meer: https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2026/01/06/geopolitieke-storm-toont-de-kwetsbaarheid-van-de-caribische-eilanden-als-het-erop-aankomt-hebben-ze-nederland-hard-nodig-a4916957

04/01/2026

Referenced by the BES reporter.

WILLEMSTAD – The closure of airspace over Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire is resulting in a daily loss of approximately 18 million US dollars in tourism revenue. This emerges from an analysis by Cornerstone Economics, which mapped the economic consequences of the US attacks on Venezuela and the subse...

04/01/2026

Update: Airspace is officially open again. First planes are moving. Airlines are deciding individually when to resume. By tonight we'll have a clearer picture. For now, fingers crossed this stays a short disruption. The infographic below shows what was at stake while it lasted — and what's always at stake when geography puts us this close to instability.

Do you know how much the ABC islands are losing per day?

USD 18 million.

Every single day the airspace stays closed. And we're right in the middle of peak high season.

This morning, the situation in Venezuela shut down every air route to Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire — KLM, American, all of them. 1,200 passengers stranded immediately.

Small islands can't relocate. But we can understand how this shock travels through our economy.

We mapped out the transmission — from flight cancellations to pressure on foreign exchange reserves. Not to tell governments what to do (they're already working on it), but so we all understand what's at stake.

Swipe to see it. ⬇️

19/11/2025

Remember when every neighborhood had kids playing outside? When schools were expanding, not consolidating? When "elderly care" wasn't prominent in policy discussions?

Aruba's population has transformed dramatically—and our new article shows exactly how it happened, year by year.

🔄 The Great Inversion isn't just about aging—it's about:

Why healthcare systems are under pressure
What's happening to pension sustainability
How the workforce is changing
What this means for economic growth

We've created an animated visualization that shows 25 years of change in motion. Watching the pyramid slowly invert is both fascinating and sobering.
The implications touch everything: from how many schools we need to how we think about retirement, from labor policy to economic development strategy.

This is the demographic reality shaping Aruba's future. Understanding it is the first step to adapting successfully.

👉 See the full story and watch the transformation unfold: https://www.c-economics.com/post/the-great-inversion-aruba-s-demographic-transformation

Author: Rendell de KortHow Aruba's population is quietly transforming—and why it matters for your futureSomething fundamental is shifting beneath the surface of Aruba's economy. For years, economists and policymakers have been sounding warnings. The IMF flagged pension sustainability concerns as f...

11/11/2025

It is with great pleasure that we can support as consultant the Inspectorate of Health Aruba, Inspectie Volksgezondheid Aruba in developing their Strategic Plan 2026–2030. A well-designed strategic plan provides a clear direction, aligns priorities, and ensures that decisions are driven by evidence and stakeholder needs.

We are currently in phases 1 and 2 of the project; the data collection phase — which is a crucial foundation for understanding the perspectives, challenges, and aspirations of key stakeholders.

23/10/2025

At Cornerstone Economics, financial education is one key part of the tools we offer to help your employees make smarter decisions. It’s a solid foundation for building good saving habits and planning ahead. We’re proud to bring financial education sessions right to your workplace, now also in Curaçao—because saving today means more choices tomorrow.

23/10/2025

Bo opinion ta conta – Join un grupo di contacto (focus group)!

IVA ta busca persona (18+) pa participa den un grupo di contacto pa dialoga y guia e prioridadnan strategico di IVA pa e siguiente 5 aña.

E firma Cornerstone Economics lo guia e session, bo opinion lo keda confidencial. Interesa pa forma parti? Por fabor yena e siguiente formulario: https://sprw.io/stt-mC9y8

Cornerstone Economics lo hasi e seleccion pa garantisa un grupo balansa y representativo, considerando cu tin solamente 12–15 lugar disponibel.
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Your opinion matters – Join a focus group!

IVA is inviting patients and caregivers (18+) to join small focus groups and share their experiences to help shape its strategic priorities for the next five years.

Consultancy firm Cornerstone Economics will be guiding the session, your opinion will remain confidential. Interested in joining? Please complete the following form: https://sprw.io/stt-mC9y8

Cornerstone Economics will make a selection to ensure a balanced and representative group, as spaces are limited to 12–15 participants.