~Cites decades of alleged License Misuse.~

PHILIPSBURG:---  During a recent parliamentary session,  Member of Parliament Darryl York delivered a compelling address to the Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT), Grisha Heyliger-Marten, raising significant concerns about the long-standing issue of "minister's discretion" and its role in alleged license infractions spanning over two decades.

The MP began by acknowledging the ongoing discussion of current licensing issues but quickly broadened the scope, arguing that the problem is systemic, larger than any single minister or administration. The core of the MP's argument centered on the concept of ministerial discretion, a recurring theme in government that allows ministers to make decisions not strictly defined by law.

"Two words come to mind: minister's discretion," the MP stated, recounting previous debates on the topic. While acknowledging that not every government action can be legislated in black and white, the MP argued that an over-reliance on this discretion has led to questionable outcomes in various sectors, including taxi and bus transportation, condo development, lotteries, and casinos.

To support this claim, the MP revealed that they had reviewed a printout of issued licenses dating back to 2000. This review uncovered several startling examples of alleged favoritism and abuse of power. The MP detailed specific instances, which included:

• A former minister allegedly issued a dozen licenses to a close family member during a moratorium.
• A member of the past Council of Ministers is procuring a license for their 12-year-old child.
• A politician's company (BV or NV) holds eight licenses.
• Another politician possesses over 20 licenses.

The MP contrasted these examples of enrichment by the powerful with the current debate, which focuses on licenses granted to individuals who may not have previously had economic opportunities. "We are here discussing... those who didn't have and now have the means to make a dollar," the MP noted, "but we are glossing over the facts of those who already had and used their influence or power to enrich themselves or close family members further."

The address served as a powerful call for accountability, urging fellow politicians to look inward and address past transgressions instead of focusing with "tunnel vision" on present-day issues involving ordinary citizens. The MP emphasized that an infraction is an infraction, regardless of who commits it, and questioned why politicians are often excluded from the same level of scrutiny.

In closing, the MP thanked Minister Heyliger-Marten for her presentation, calling it an "eye-opener." The member expressed a desire for concrete action to close loopholes that could lead to the misuse of ministerial discretion. The goal, the MP asserted, is to prevent future administrations from facing the same cycle of debate over alleged misuse of power, ensuring a fairer and more transparent system for all.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Building local expertise is central to Kadaster St. Maarten’s vision for the future. This vision took another leap forward as three of its team members completed the Level 3 Diploma in Engineering Surveying from The Survey School in the United Kingdom —an internationally accredited program that combines advanced classroom instruction with fieldwork in modern surveying practices.

The two-year diploma program, recognised by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and The Survey Association (TSA), combines classroom instruction with extensive fieldwork in control surveys, topographic work, setting out, and data management.

This international achievement underscores Kadaster’s ongoing investment in staff professional development and its commitment to strengthening local expertise in land surveying and management.

“Although the previous director started this trajectory, we are all proud of the three members with their achievements,” said Benjamin Ortega, Managing Director of Kadaster St. Maarten. “As Kadaster advances to new and innovative technologies, it remains important that the foundation of every development be rooted in education. No progress without education, that was one of the powerful statements made during the graduation ceremony, and it remains the fundamental principle of innovation and progress.”

Ortega further emphasised Kadaster’s focus on fostering collaboration and opportunity for young people in St Maarten: “As part of our strategic plan, Kadaster aims to expand collaboration with partners locally and abroad. We hope to create more opportunities for young men and women to explore careers in land management, including surveying, GIS development, and drone technologies. Investing in our students and future professionals is an obligation toward the future of Sint Maarten.”

For the three graduates, the experience was both challenging and transformative.

Alexander Carty described the journey as “an adventure that started two years ago when our director and team saw our potential and believed in our growth.”
He added, “The learning curve was steep, but the experience taught us to think differently and solve problems creatively, lessons we now bring home to improve surveying across the Caribbean.”

Alexander Marlin reflected on the difficulty and reward of completing the program:
“Coming from Sint Maarten, where we don’t have local training in surveying, finishing this course was a big deal. It taught me discipline, responsibility, and the value of precision. And yes, the cold UK fieldwork was a shock for us Caribbean boys — but we showed we could do it!”

Jonathan Charles, who serves as Operations Manager, noted the broader perspective gained through the training:

“This program deepened my understanding of the importance of human skill in an increasingly technological field. It reminded me that behind every advanced instrument, the knowledge and judgment of the surveyor make all the difference.”

Kadaster extends its congratulations to the three newly certified surveyors and looks forward to integrating their knowledge and experience into the organization’s ongoing modernization efforts.

PHILIPSBURG: --- St. Maarten’s long-festering corruption crisis erupted publicly again today. Member of Parliament Lyndon Lewis delivered a blistering intervention during a TEATT Committee meeting, accusing his colleagues of hypocrisy, political shielding, and selective outrage. At the same time, the country confronts yet another scandal rooted in decades of political self-enrichment.

The meeting—already tense following Minister of TEATT Grisha Heyliger-Marten’s explosive presentation on widespread mismanagement in the transport licensing sector—took a sharper turn when MP Lewis addressed the room with an unfiltered warning: “We all know where this thing was going.”

Lewis: “We are very, very hypocritical here today.”

During his remarks, MP Lewis referenced his background as a federal detective, stressing that investigations are normally handled discreetly—not projected on a parliamentary screen while political tensions flare.

He criticized Parliament for allowing a presentation containing sensitive materials, saying:

“From the time that presentation came with those types of pictures up there, we should have stopped it. This meeting could have been a closed-door meeting.”

Lewis suggested that the optics of the meeting were politically charged from the moment MP Lacroes confronted the minister, and since the minister “put out her stuff to the public.”

Tensions Rise Over Reference to Heyliger-Marten’s Husband

In the sharpest moment of his intervention, MP Lewis referred bluntly to the controversy surrounding the minister’s family, saying:

“The Harbour is part of the Ministry of TEATT as well. Who is she apologizing to? Is she apologizing to the alleged 92-something million that her husband is also alleged to have?”

This statement—directly quoting his words—dropped a political bomb in the chamber, highlighting the deep fractures and personal tensions underlying the ongoing TEATT investigations.

40 YEARS OF A BROKEN SYSTEM

Lewis’s outrage did not occur in a vacuum. St. Maarten is now confronting the legacy of four decades of political manipulation, where:

• Licenses were traded for votes

Taxi plates, bus permits, and economic licenses became political currency—dispensed during election cycles or exchanged for loyalty.

• Politicians amassed fleets of taxis, buses, and T-plates

While regular citizens were denied, sidelined, or forced into the black market.

• Lease land was distributed to friends, family, and vote banks

Hundreds of plots were gifted during election seasons, only for many recipients to sell the economic rights instantly, sometimes within a single day.

Meanwhile, ordinary islanders have waited 20, 30, or even 40 years for a piece of government land they were promised.

PHILIPSBURG:--- For over 40 years, St. Maarten has grappled with a pattern of corruption, greed, and self-enrichment that has left ordinary citizens struggling while politicians and insiders have amassed wealth and power from government resources. The latest revelations in the public transport sector highlight only a fraction of a systemic issue deeply rooted in the island’s governance.

Public Transport: A System Rigged for the Powerful

Data from the Ministry of TEATT reveals a sector riddled with irregularities: hundreds of bus and taxi licenses issued without oversight, duplicate permits, and vehicles operating illegally.

• Of 300 bus licenses recorded, only 29 are actively registered, leaving over 100 buses potentially illegal
• 600 registered taxis, but only 454 verified as compliant
• Multiple cases of license duplication, expired permits, and plate holders using vehicles not registered to them

These figures reveal a sector where ordinary operators are often blocked from accessing licenses, while politicians and their allies hold multiple permits, T licenses, and fleet rights. For decades, this same system has been used as a tool for vote-buying, political favoritism, and personal enrichment.

Economic Licenses: Tools for Political Exploitation

St. Maarten’s economic licenses and permits, whether for taxis, buses, or commercial ventures, have long been treated as political currency. Politicians routinely leveraged these licenses to secure political support, leaving ordinary citizens with no opportunity to participate in their own economy.

• Many sitting members of parliament today hold numerous taxis, buses, and T licenses, while common citizens remain unable to acquire even a single permit.
• Licenses were routinely sold, rented, or transferred for profit, while the general public waited years for approval.

The transport licensing scandal is just the tip of the iceberg. The practice of using economic rights for personal gain has permeated all areas of governance.

Lease Land: A Legacy of Inequity

The abuse of government-leased land mirrors the corruption seen in the transport sector. Former politicians distributed hundreds of plots of leased land to friends, family, and political supporters, often timed to coincide with elections.

• Many of these plots were sold immediately, often the same day they were granted, generating quick profit for the politically connected.
• Ordinary citizens have been forced to wait decades for access to leased land, despite the government's promise.s
• Political elites used land rights to reward loyalty, entrenching inequity and consolidating power.

This trend has contributed to a cycle in which the wealthiest and most politically connected continue to benefit, while ordinary residents are systematically excluded from opportunities to build businesses, own land, or operate in regulated sectors such as transport.

A Pattern of Greed and Accountability

Over the decades, St. Maarten has seen politicians jailed, prosecuted, and investigated for misappropriation of government funds and resources. Yet, despite high-profile cases, the underlying culture of greed has persisted, with insiders continuing to exploit economic licenses, land rights, and public resources.

• Public transport licenses and leased land have been traded for votes, political favor, or personal enrichment.
• The common man is left waiting while political elites expand their holdings and influence.
• Corruption has become systemic, embedding inequity into governance structures.

The Human Cost

For decades, ordinary St. Maarteners have watched wealth and opportunity flow to politicians and insiders while their own aspirations were blocked:

• Citizens unable to get taxi or bus licenses are forced to pay exorbitant fees or bribes to intermediaries
• Families wait decades forthe  government to lease land, while politicians profit from immediate resale
• The economy is distorted, opportunity is concentrated in the hands of the few, and public trust is eroded

A Call for Reform

The recent transport licensing scandal exposes a microcosm of a much larger problem: entrenched corruption, political favoritism, and exploitation of public resources. St. Maarten now faces a choice:

• Continue the decades-long pattern of enriching the few at the expense of the many
• Or implement real reforms that ensure licenses, land, and economic opportunities are fairly allocated, transparent, and free from political manipulation

The island’s history shows that greed can put politicians behind bars, but without structural reform, it will continue to harm the common man. St. Maarten deserves a system where opportunity is earned, not bought, and where public resources serve the people—not the politicians.