PHILIPSBURG:--- In response to recent comments made by Member of Parliament Ardwell Irion regarding the government’s hurricane preparedness efforts, the Honorable Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina issued a strong and clarifying statement reaffirming his administration’s full commitment to public safety, transparency, and responsible governance.
MP Irion accused the government of hypocrisy, alleging that while the Prime Minister has called on the public to prepare for the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season, the government itself has failed to insure its own buildings. This, the Prime Minister categorically states, is not only misleading—it is false.
“In December 2024, the Council of Ministers approved comprehensive insurance coverage for government buildings, schools, and essential facilities for the full year of 2025,” Prime Minister Mercelina emphasized. “To suggest otherwise is to undermine the hard work of public servants and the multi-layered disaster preparedness measures already in place.”
In addition to the approved insurance coverage, the Government of Sint Maarten has increased its policy with the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF), ensuring even greater protection of public assets in the event of a disaster.
Prime Minister Mercelina outlined the many proactive steps his administration has taken to ensure readiness ahead of the 2025 hurricane season:
- A pre-Emergency Operations Center (EOC) meeting was held on May 20, followed by a full EOC coordination meeting with all Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) on May 21, and a Ministry of General Affairs prep session on May 12.
- Distinctly different from past years, the Prime Minister instructed that all inherited issues be addressed, ensuring that gaps from previous administrations would no longer jeopardize disaster readiness.
- On May 7, 2025, Sint Maarten launched a historic milestone with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for the island’s first Cell Broadcast Emergency Alert System, which will deliver real-time, location-based alerts to all mobile phones—without the need for internet or sign-ups.
“Preparedness is not a photo opportunity—it’s detailed and deliberate,” the Prime Minister asserted. “When I speak to the people of this country about readiness, I do so not with empty words, but with the backing of tangible and implemented actions.”
Further demonstrating this approach, the Government has requested all government-owned companies to provide updates on their respective insurance preparedness as of May 23, 2025, ensuring a complete inventory. Additionally, a district-wide hurricane cleanup schedule has been launched under the Ministry of VROMI, running from July to August 2025.
“I welcome scrutiny—but it must be fact-based,” said Prime Minister Mercelina. “Accountability goes both ways. We have insured our buildings, engaged all disaster response agencies and prioritized transparency at every step. The people deserve nothing less.”
“While others talk, we are preparing. And we will continue to do so—quietly, consistently, and completely—because real leadership is measured by action, not accusations,” concluded the Prime Minister.