PHILIPSBURG:--- Newly appointed Member of the Integrity Chamber, Dr. J.E. (Johan) Datema, was sworn in by His Excellency, Governor Ajamu Baly, on Monday, December 8, 2025, to serve a three-year term. Dr. Datema’s appointment by the Government of Sint Maarten marks the addition of a highly experienced professional whose extensive background in medicine and public service will support the Chamber’s continued work in promoting integrity in Sint Maarten. He joins the Chamber as the successor to Mr. Rafael Boasman, who completed two full terms totaling six years of dedicated service to the Chamber.
Dr. Datema holds a master’s degree in medicine from Erasmus University in Rotterdam and brings over four decades of medical and public service experience to the Integrity Chamber. He has been in private practice on Sint Maarten for 38 years and has served as Treasurer of the Windward Islands Medical Association (WIMA) for 33 years. His longstanding commitment to the medical community also includes service on multiple advisory committees, including the APS Advisory Committee and the Medical Disciplinary Board. He previously served on the Advisory Council for Public Health, Social Development, and Labor (VSA).
Dr. Datema will combine his duties as a Member of the Integrity Chamber with several management positions in the private sector. With his extensive experience in leadership, public service, and community engagement, he is expected to bring valuable perspectives to the Chamber’s ongoing efforts to promote transparency, accountability, and integrity across Sint Maarten.
For more information about the Integrity Chamber, visit www.integritychamber.sx.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) is pleased to announce the completion of Sint Maarten's comprehensive Housing Policy 2025-2035. This milestone represents a significant step forward in addressing the country's housing challenges and ensuring adequate housing for all Sint Maarteners. The announcement comes on the heels of the Government’s purchase of the totality of Belvedere Remainder, comprising 288,402 square meters.
The Housing Policy, developed over the course of 2024-2025 with support from the National Recovery Program Bureau, establishes a clear vision: "Adequate housing for all Sint Maarteners in all stages of their lives." The final draft was delivered to the Ministry on Friday, December 5th, 2025.
The policy addresses critical housing market challenges, including:
• Growing demand driven by population growth and short-term rental investments
• High housing costs relative to average incomes
• Limited available land for development
• The need for social and affordable housing options
"This Housing Policy represents a realistic and feasible roadmap for transforming our housing market," stated the Minister of VROMI. "It acknowledges both our challenges and opportunities and provides concrete actions to ensure every Sint Maartener has access to adequate, safe, and affordable housing."
The policy sets a target of building at least 1,200 new dwellings over the next 10 years, structured as follows:
• 400 social housing units (minimum 40 annually), with at least 50% designated for elderly or vulnerable populations
• 500 affordable housing units (minimum 50 annually), accessible to those earning the median income
• 300 free market units (maximum 30 annually)
At least 70% of new construction will focus on densification through property division, multi-floor buildings, the transformation of existing structures, and the better use of the current housing stock.
Reactivating the Mortgage Guarantee Fund
In parallel with the Housing Policy, the Minister announces the reactivation of Sint Maarten's Mortgage Guarantee Fund, originally established in 2000. This fund will provide crucial support to first-time homebuyers who face market barriers to homeownership. During its brief original operation, the fund successfully issued guarantees to first-time buyers, with zero defaults recorded.
A committee has been appointed to reactivate the Fund, comprising:
• Mr. Ronald Halman – Member of the original fund and experienced mortgage financier
• Mr. Christian Grannum – Financial and Operational Expert
• Ms. Raitza Naraine – Head of VROMI Policy Department and Project Focal Point
The committee was convened in January 2025 and submitted a workplan in August to the Minister of VROMI, identifying key interventions for the reactivation of the fund.
The Minister will formally submit the Housing Policy to Parliament, requesting a meeting for Q1 2026 to present a comprehensive implementation agenda.
"A healthy housing market cannot be achieved by the government alone," emphasized the VROMI Minister, Patrice Gumbs. "Success requires collaboration among all stakeholders – residents, developers, financial institutions, other ministries, and our community partners. VROMI will serve as the linking pin, bringing parties together to achieve our shared goals."
The policy calls for establishing an inter-ministerial working group including representatives from VSA (Public Health, Social Development, and Labor), TEATT (Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport, and Telecommunication), and Finance, among others.
The Housing Policy represents more than a document – it is a commitment to every Sint Maartener's right to adequate housing. By combining realistic targets, innovative financing mechanisms like the Mortgage Guarantee Fund, clear regulatory frameworks, and genuine stakeholder collaboration, Sint Maarten is positioned to transform its housing market over the next decade.
"Every additional adequate home brings us closer to our goal," concluded the Minister. "With this policy and the reactivation of the Mortgage Guarantee Fund, we're not just planning – we're building Sint Maarten's future."

PHILIPSBURG:--- Top 1 Toys, locally owned and operated, provider of children’s toys, (board) games and educational materials for all age groups, in collaboration with Premier Supplies, a provider of variety of paints for different industries, electrical, plumbing and tools, also established on Sint Maarten, collaborated to bring tokens of Christmas gifts to the students of Sister Magda Primary School.
Ms. Nina Williams, owner of Top 1 Toys: “Top 1 Toys has always remained in support of initiatives that support the well-being of our community, and in particular, our students. We have been operating since 2015, started under “Intertoys” and then transitioned to “Top 1 Toys”. We support education and the institutions that form part of educating our students. Through their parents, students have formed an integral part as contributors to the continued success of our business throughout the past 10 years of our existence. We were approached to be a contributing partner in Sister Magda School’s desire to present a Christmas gift token to their students. And there, the planning began to select items from our store. We are pleased to have collaborated with Premier Supplies, which co-sponsored this initiative.

The Managing Director of Premier Supplies, Mr. Dawkins, said, “While Premier Supplies is not a provider of children’s toys and related educational materials, we understand the dynamics of community togetherness and bringing Christmas cheer to students. When approached by Mr. Challenger to be part of this project, we accepted from the onset. We, too, are pleased to work with the Top 1 Toys Management Team in support of Sister Magda Primary School, and bring smiles of joy to the students. Many of our clients are parents, and coming together for our children is the way to go, and what better time to do this than during the Christmas season?
On the 5th of December, Santa paid a visit to the school, providing Top 1 Toys - gift tokens and good cheer to the children in the person of Mr. Jimmy Challenger. The School Manager, Ms. Kavita Ganput, stated: “We remain very appreciative of the contributions made by both businesses, Top 1 Toys and Premier Supplies, to make this initiative possible on such short notice. Without the business community on the side of Education, many projects and general educational activities would not be possible. It takes a community to build the positive development of each and every child. We also thank Mr. Jimmy Challenger, who has been a part of our school’s Parent Reading Program, for his assistance in introducing our school’s initiative to the two businesses and simply being in support of the process to achieve our school’s goal to bringing cheer to our students.”

PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Sarah A. Wescot-Williams has submitted new correspondence to the government regarding the legal basis and current method of tariff setting for utility provider NV GEBE. Her latest questions were directed to either the Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport & Telecommunication (TEATT) or the Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment & Infrastructure (VROMI), given the overlapping references in legislation concerning price-setting authority and the Electricity Ordinance.

MP Wescot-Williams explained that her inquiries focus on identifying which minister is legally responsible for establishing electricity tariffs under the law, and whether the required national decree (LBHAM) governing those tariffs exists. She emphasized that the concession law for GEBE explicitly refers to tariffs, and does not exclude the fuel clause, meaning that the fuel clause charged to consumers may also need to be set by government decree.

“I want to ensure that I get a solid grasp of this matter in terms of the existence of the decree establishing all tariffs for GEBE, including the fuel clause. If no such decree exists, then I want to know how these tariffs are currently charged,” she stated.

The MP has requested that her questions be answered in a public Question Hour of Parliament, underscoring the importance of transparency in utility pricing.

In earlier correspondence, MP Wescot-Williams sought clarification from the Prime Minister on the concept of a social tariff for GEBE customers. She referenced the concession law, which allows the government to deviate from established tariffs on social grounds, as established by law.

However, she noted that if the government sets tariffs below GEBE’s production costs, the law requires the government to compensate the company for the difference.

In connection with this, she reiterated a previous suggestion that such compensation could be funded through the concession fee paid by GEBE, which is itself part of the company’s operational expenses.

Once the government provides full clarity on:
• the most recent decrees establishing tariffs,
• the legal basis for the fuel clause, and
• the position on social tariffs,
MP Wescot-Williams intends to table a draft amendment to the Electricity Concession Law.
This amendment would establish a structural, legal basis for social tariffs, including:
• lower tariffs for vulnerable households,
• special categories for social institutions such as schools, and
• guidelines for how government compensation to GEBE should be structured.

She reiterated the urgency of addressing the matter:

“I hope that the Question Hour can be scheduled before year’s end so we can move toward a structural basis for government-set tariff categories, including social institutions and residents who are most in need.”
MP Wescot-Williams awaits:
• the Prime Minister’s response regarding social tariffs, and
•
The responsible minister’s explanation of the legal establishment of current tariffs, including the fuel clause.

Following these responses, she is prepared to proceed with the draft amendment. “Concluding her statement, the MP reaffirmed that lasting, structural amendments to existing laws can only be achieved through close cooperation with the government—hence her ongoing engagement with the responsible ministries.”