SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The board of the Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM) expresses profound disappointment with the handling of the credentials of incoming Members of Parliament (MP) in recent parliament proceedings. While recognizing the inherent nature of opposition politics, the URSM underscores that the conduct of political affairs must not compromise the efficient execution of the people's business.

Under Article 45 of the Constitution, Parliament is comprised of 15 members, a legal framework that mandates the filling of vacant seats within the body.

As the law states, when a parliamentarian assumes a ministerial role, their seat is filled by another member from the same political party. This practice is essential for the continuity of our parliamentary system and has been observed in the past, with an expectation for its continuation in the future.

It is imperative to note that failure to fill vacant seats results in non-compliance with Article 45 of the Constitution, rendering Parliament unable to function. Until the credentials of the two members are approved by Parliament and they are sworn in by the Governor, parliamentary proceedings remain stalled. Regrettably, some members outside the coalition are disregarding their oath of office, hindering the functioning of Parliament.

Throughout recent events, including budget meetings and the processing of credentials for incoming MPs, a bipartisan approach has historically fostered effective governance. The URSM emphasizes the importance of upholding such standards to ensure the smooth functioning of democratic processes and the fulfillment of the electorate's mandate.

The board of the URSM is deeply troubled by what appears to be a lack of political maturity among several opposition MPs. It is evident that some individuals are prioritizing the retention of power over honoring the expressed will of the people of St. Maarten as, it pertains to the vetting of the credentials of the 15 members of Parliament. This process is and should remain a nonpolitical issue as evidenced in the outcomes of the last parliamentary election. A good example is the unanimous appointment of the Chair of Parliament.

As advocates for resilient governance and the protection of democratic principles, the URSM calls upon all political actors to prioritize the collective interests of the populace above partisan agendas. Only through constructive collaboration and a commitment to democratic norms can St. Maarten continue its path towards progress and prosperity.

The URSM remains steadfast in its dedication to promoting transparency, accountability, and effective governance for the betterment of St. Maarten and its citizens.

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY, (DCOMM) – The application process for the annual Hurricane Passes for the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season started mid-April and the deadline to submit all documentation is May 31. This communication serves as a reminder to those who are planning to apply for a pass.

There are two types of passes, the Disaster Pass and the Hurricane Pass. No passes will be issued to business owners, only with some exemption categories as noted below.

The pass allows the bearer to access the public road to visit the place of business to assess possible damage to the property. No company passes will be accepted during curfew hours. This can only take place during certain hours that will be stipulated and announced by the Prime Minister in a curfew situation.

Potential applicants have until May 31 to present all relevant information related to the process of requesting a pass.

Disaster Passes are issued to the following crucial disaster relief organizations and are valid for three years. The disaster relief organization consists of the following: Emergency Operations Center staff, Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) staff, Crucial governmental organizations, and entities involved in disaster management such as medical institutions, general practitioners and pharmacies, Red Cross, WIEMS, White & Yellow Cross Foundation, National Security Service VDSM, Sea Rescue, Shelter Management, Ministers, and their drivers.

The following categories qualify for a Hurricane Pass which is valid for two-years: Essential Government personnel without a disaster pass; Essential personnel of crucial companies or organizations: NV GEBE, Seven Seas Water, Telecom and Internet providers, Princess Juliana International Airport, Port St. Maarten, Hotels and Guesthouses, Marinas, Fuel distributors and gas stations, Commercial banks, Hardware stores, Security companies (supervisors only), Medium and large sized supermarkets, Restaurants (those providing food services to emergency services), Importers and Wholesale Companies for perishable goods (Only requests can be submitted for refrigeration and or generator technicians).

The crucial organizations as listed above (disaster & hurricane passes) can request personal passes for their key personnel.

The Office of Disaster Management that falls under the Ministry of General Affairs is handling the application process for the passes on behalf of the Prime Minister.

The Hurricane Pass is valid for the 2024 and 2025 hurricane seasons and will remain the property of the Government of Sint Maarten.

Please note that company passes will be accepted during curfew hours from the following institutions: Sint Maarten Medical Center, and White & Yellow Cross Foundation.

The pass system is a mechanism to maintain public order during emergency situations. The Prime Minister assesses the damage in conjunction with Emergency Disaster Management entities of the Government after a disaster has occurred and can impose a curfew if the extent of the damage poses a threat to the safety and security of the community.

An application form can be requested by sending an email to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Emails should include the following: Name of business or organization; A short description of activities of the business or the organization; Request for either disaster or hurricane pass.

When submitting the application, the following documents need to be attached:

-      copy business license fee paid (or receipt) for 2024 for businesses.

-      proof of 2024 registration at the Chamber of Commerce, for organizations.

-      copy valid Sint Maarten ID-card of applicant.

-      Nafl. 50,- in leges stamps per application (to be obtained at the Receiver’s Office or the Simpson Bay Public Service Center), this is a non-refundable handling fee; a copy of a digital payment transfer is accepted as well.

-      One (1) passport picture for new applicants, to be sent in JPEG-format to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the name of the person clearly indicated.

The application form has to be completed and submitted to the offices of the Fire Department & Disaster Management – in print form, to the attention of the secretary located at Jackal Road 5 (Office hours Monday-Friday 9.00AM to 4.00PM), Cay Hill, by May 31, 2024, with all necessary documents attached.

Applicants will be informed by email or telephone when to pick up the pass at the aforementioned address.

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The following speech was delivered by Prime Minister/Minister of General Affairs Hon.Dr. Luc Mercelina on Friday, May 3^rd, 2024, during the onboarding process at the Government Administration Building.

His Excellency Governor Mr. Baly, President of Parliament of Sint Maarten, Mrs. Wescot Williams, Mr. Mussington, Members of the High Councils of State, Members of the Independent Advisory Organizations, Members of Parliament, the newly sworn in ministers of this Government, the immediate past Ministers of the former Government, the civil servants, distinguished guests, and the people of Sint Maarten; Good afternoon and welcome to this special day.                                                

Ladies and gentlemen, citizens of St. Maarten, 

Today, I stand before you with a heart filled with gratitude and humility. I am deeply Honored and privileged to have been entrusted with the responsibility of leading this nation as your next Prime Minister. I want to extend my sincerest thanks to you, the people of St. Maarten for your confidence in our coalition government and for placing your trust in me. It is a profound privilege to serve you, to work for you, and to strive for the betterment of our Sint Maarten.

Together, we form a collective force for positive change, and I am committed to working collaboratively with everyone of you to address the challenges we face and to seize those  opportunities that lie ahead of us in the best interest of our people. 

As we embark on this journey together, let me assure you that this government will represent all citizens of St. Maarten, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation.  

In our diversity lies our strength, and it is by embracing our differences and uniting as one people we will achieve greatness. 

Cohesion, inclusiveness, and unification are concepts for us to promote and guardian. 

My fellow St. Maarteners, I understand the hopes and aspirations that rest upon our shoulders. I recognize the challenges that lie before us, not easy, but I also see the immense potentials and opportunities that resides within our nation. 

Together, we have the power to shape our destiny, to build a future that is prosperous, just, and inclusive for all. 

Our focus should be and must be on the following: 

First of all: 

We will have to work on the development of a sustainable Health Care Financial system for Sint Maarten. We are overconsuming over our allowed budget, approximately between 30-35 million to cover healthcare costs for our people. If we continue with this trend, our social insurance bank will collapse in 5-7 years from now.  

Secondly: 

We will have to enhance regional cooperation in the area of economic development, education, healthcare, and climate change. 

Thirdly:   

We will have to prioritize the further development of social housing and affordable housing for our people. As we know there is an inacceptable waiting list for housing for the less fortunate groups in our society. In this particular moment, we have 4000 families on a waiting list for housing.  

Fourthly:  

Combating of Poverty in a multidimensional approach must be the order of the day. Let us focus on this by accentuating betterment in Education, Border Control, improvement of social welfare conditions, and establishing minimum living standards. 

 AND…

 We must start working on a comprehensive mental healthcare system. I am very worried with the growing amount of dropouts in our society that I every day see on the streets of Sint Maarten

Dear people,  

The only way to move forward a country like Sint Maarten, is to work diligently on the concept of NATION BUILDING. 

But let us start making this NATION BUILDING CONCEPT tangible for our people; 

Think on for example the idea of having: 

A own National Police Academy for Sint Maarten. 

A recognized and accredited National University acknowledged in a National Ordinance on Higher education and scientific research: A National well-equipped library; A National Development Bank.

Let us further define an education model for Sint Maarten that will Cather to the necessities of the labor market. 

Ironing out the path to ease the progress of the ongoing General hospital project.

The question is if the current framework which is being used for the advancement of nation building, as for example the four country consultations on level of justice, education, labor and social affairs, and maritime and aviation topics, The DCHA (The Dutch Caribbean Hospital Association), the development of a USM (University of Sint Maarten) by using the academic framework of Curacao and Aruba for its development, will ultimately have a positive impact on the formation of Country identity and of course the bigger picture of Nation Building.

What also needs to happen on a short term is: A general clean up of the island; Beautification of the Island with landscaping; Prevention of placement of Containers all over the place. 

And Removal of car wrecks all over the island. 

Ladies and gentlemen; we have a few huge challenges ahead of us waiting for the new government to deal with.  

First of all: The huge poverty that is overtaking this country.  

Actually, in a dimension that is challenging our values and norms. 

Secondly: We have to assist in preserving and strengthen our Utility Company GEBE. 

Thirdly: we have to go an extra mile to Preserve and Protect our Telecommunication Company (Telem).  

The emphasis on the last 2 mentioned should be:  

Sustainability, Modernization, Capacity Expansion, and Adjustment to infrastructural growth and demand. 

I would also like to make use of this opportunity to draw your attention to the following:  

In the past 14 years, we have always had challenges with the formation process of the new governments because of the fact that the entire screenings process for candidate ministers was and is not transparent and evident.   

The unwritten constitutional norm has been too loosely used in the past for 14 years.  

There are a lot of discussions about the legal basis used for certain elements of the screening.  

Do not forget, that at the end of day it is Sint Maarten’s autonomous right to form its own national government expressed via the democratic will of its people.  

It is time for a national ordinance for the screening of candidate ministers and I commit with my government to present this draft law. By the way, we have to impression that it took forever this time to form this government. I can assure you that in total the formation of this government took exactly 17 days more than the formation of the former government in 2020 after deducting the 17 days that was used by informateurs to present their report.  

On another note:  

On kingdom level there is also some work to do:  

We have to improve the working relationship between the Netherlands and SXM.

We have to work on our democratic deficit in the kingdom, that stands in the way for a healthy autonomous evolution. 

We must discuss the handicapping national debt position of Sint Maarten within the kingdom.  

We will have to work on a sustainable development for SXM.

Ladies and gentlemen,  

Let us recapture the spirit of optimism and determination that has always defined the people of St. Maarten. Let us draw strength from our resilience and our ability to overcome adversity.  

Let us work tirelessly to create a society where every individual has the opportunity to thrive, where every voice is heard, and where every dream is within reach. 

In the days, weeks, months, and years ahead, I ask for your support, your patience, and your unwavering commitment to our shared vision for a brighter tomorrow. Together, we will write the next chapter in the storied history of St. Maarten, a chapter filled with hope, progress, prosperity, and unity for all.

I want to make use of this opportunity to thank my political party board, my party members, my advisors, and all those that have supported us in this process. I would also like to thank my coalition party members.

Thank you, St. Maarten, for entrusting this government and myself, as your Prime Minister, with this profound honor.  

Members of this council of ministers, I am looking forward to a great working relationship with all of you.  

May we journey forward together, hand in hand, towards a future filled with hope, opportunities, trust, and peace.  

Last but not least, I would like to give an enormous thank you to my Parents that are unfortunately not with us anymore. I would like to thank my sister for her unconditional loyalty, and of course my wife and children for their love and support.  

God bless St. Maarten, and God bless us all.

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY, (DCOMM) – On Saturday, May 4, 2024, the new members of the Council of Ministers were in attendance to observe National Remembrance Day, (“Dodenherdenking”).

During this National Commemoration Day, all Dutch victims – civilians and soldiers – who have been killed in the Kingdom of the Netherlands or anywhere else in the world in war situations or during peace-keeping operations since the outbreak of the Second World War (WWII) were commemorated.

This year’s theme was Freedom: prelude to 80 years of freedom. ‘The year 2024 and 2025 mark a lustrum of 80 years since the ending of WWII.

The commemoration ceremony took place at Captain Hodge Wharf in Philipsburg at the War Memorial Monument which bears the names of World War II victims primarily from Sint Maarten.

The official wreaths were laid in a ceremony by the Governor, the President of Parliament, and the Prime Minister.

Senior official of various uniformed troops – Police, Marines, Sint Maarten Voluntary Corps (VKS), and the Marechaussee – jointly laid a wreath in honor of the fallen.

Following the wreath laying, the “Last Post” was played, succeeded by two minutes of silence after the tolling of the bells. This segment concluded with the Dutch Anthem and Sint Maarten Song.

As has become tradition, two distinguished guests, Elsje Bosch and Bernadine van Veen, wife of the late Gerard van Veen, were invited. Both Bosch and Gerard van Veen experienced World War II during their childhoods. The two ladies laid a wreath on behalf of all the children affected by the fight for freedom over the years.

This year well-known poet Lysanne Charles presented a poem that she specifically composed for this occasion. Trumpetist Wilfred Phelipa accompanied the ceremony with musical performances.

Attendees included Members of Parliament, and representatives from the High Councils of State, and advisory bodies.

POEM – By Poet Lysanne Charles:

Men do not truly die .... until their stories are left neglected ....    are not dead... unless they are forgotten ...

unmourned

undercelebrated rendering them disappeared

Heroes not remembered become ghosts ... unhumaned...hosts to untold acts of bravery and fears disregarded ..... 

Tales of countless courage and perhaps some all too human desperate cowardice covered up by thoughtlessness, thanklessness and time forsaken by our minds                     They are ...  gone....gone, gone, gone... just gone 

But what... if we hang on ...

to them... they live

So let us give their memories a moment amongst us

imagine then

imagine them

these island boys turned men

With surnames that sound like ours

and features which reach across old photographs that look like ours

And who are therefore ours... still

who answered the call to defend freedom ...freedom ... free/dem

Some of them the first or second generation of freed men

Still willing to fight with all their might

For freedom... freedom... freedom... freedom

Because they understood its worth

Sons of Caribbean dust and dirt and all the complicated layered details

Who in their service surrendered to the clutches of death

Who gave their last breaths as sacrifice for the lifebreaths of others

Through them... let us delve into... the not so distant past and re/discover ... that...

Freedom is not free

Requires sacrifice

A willingness to pay the price

With life... sometimes

As they did

They who should not be forgotten

They who fought for something

Fought fraught with something

Some longing for belonging or.... freedom

That...

Freedom is not freedom when we continue to other each other

That freedom is not freedom when we forget our humanity

That freedom is not freedom when we see that another war looms on the horizon

And we set our sights towards might and not right

That freedom is not freedom when children are dying

And poets are bombed

And mother earth is depleted

While unchecked progress continues cheating people of the very gift they died trying to safeguard

Freedom....

And we are not free

if we ....

are fighting ....still frightened .... still

of difference

Let us honor their perishings by remembering that equal must always

all ways

mean equal

Not only when convenient or needed

So equal must also honor those islanders who heeded the call and fought for a kingdom grappling also with freedom

We cannot alter the past...

though history ... at last ... with each new discovery is righted

And on these new foundations we can change the course of our future

We can imagine better ways of being... free... much as they did

And so answer that call

to be brave enough to be amongst the fallen defenders of something...

Called freedom .... evolved and evolving still 

For freedom, In memoriam and give thanks

President of Parliament Sarah Wescot Williams laying her wreath at the war memorial.

Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina laying a wreath at the war memorial.

His Excellency Governor Ajamu Baly laying his wreath at the war memorial.

Several Members of Parliament.