PHILIPSBURG:--- In an exciting development for the future of sports in Sint (St.) Maarten's fourteen sports federations have united to advocate for fresh leadership at the helm of the National Federation, the St. Maarten Sports & Olympic Federation (SMSOF) / St. Maarten Sports Federation (SMSF).
The quest began on September 8th, 2023, when representatives from eight sports federations gathered for a presentation on the current state of sports on the island. During the meeting, Ms. Naomi Korstanje, the newly elected president, presented her research findings on sports development, which included the challenges, and outlined a visionary strategy for advancing sports in Sint Maarten.
Thereupon, it was acknowledged that the National Federation encountered various operational, administrative, functional, and support challenges. These issues, viewed not as obstacles but as opportunities for growth and improvement, reaffirm the need for a leadership evolution that better meets the aspirations of our athletes and sports community.
Following these revelations, the federations held a subsequent meeting on September 28th, 2023. The federations agreed to support the re-establishment of the National Federation, which was marked by good governance and transparency. As a result, they collectively submitted a formal letter of concern to the SMSOF/SMSF Board of Directors on October 28th, outlining key areas of concern and urging an urgent extraordinary meeting within 14 days for resolution.
On November 15th, member federations were invited to an extraordinary meeting held on November 28th at the St. Peter Community Center. Present at the meeting were the former president, Mr. Aartwicht Bell of SMSOF/SMSF, and former SMSOF committee members whom the president appointed. However, despite the federation's initial letter of concern highlighting the challenges above—the issues the federations aimed to address in this discussion—the agenda presented by SMSOF/SMSF failed to address these concerns adequately. Consequently, the federations internally felt a lack of proper representation and support in propelling their initiatives forward.
The affiliated sports federations have formed a temporary Sports Development Working Committee in response to these developments. The work group was later endorsed by the former president of SMSOF/SMSF, and after that unanimously resolved to collaborate and initiated an electoral process to re-establish and realign SMSOF/SMSF with the needed governance standards.
On the 25th of March, 2024, elections were held to appoint the new board, with eighteen of the twenty-five federation members casting their votes. The newly elected board comprises of:
President - Naomi Korstanje
Secretary - Maria Collazos-Cotton
Treasurer - Saskia Jones
General Board Members:
Ryanne Bowers
Kimberly Reyes-Puello
Les Brown
Alain Richardson
This board is driven by the objective of enhancing the governance structure of the federation during its term. They are enthusiastic about initiating a strategic restructuring of the federation to ensure good governance and sustainability in the years ahead.
Lastly, the board extends a heartfelt thank you to the former president and the preceding board members for their dedication and contributions to the development of sports on the island. Gratitude is also expressed to the Election Committee for overseeing a secure and transparent election process, to all sports federations for their unwavering commitment and support of sports on the island, and to everyone who played a role in organizing and facilitating the election.
“As we embark on this new journey, we extend congratulations to our country. We envision a future where we further strengthen the recognition and impact of sports development for the coming generations in Sint Maarten. This marks a significant milestone in our collective pursuit of excellence in sports governance. We look forward to collaboration and harnessing our local talent while building toward a National Sports Vision: that one day, St. Maarten can cultivate athletes who stand on the biggest sports stages.
We are One Team, One Vision, One Island”. - President of Sint Maarten Sports Federation.
