PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina says Sint Maarten must make “strong decisions” to achieve true socioeconomic progress, acknowledging that the island’s current government system is “too heavy for our population size.”
“We have built a system that looks impressive on paper,” he said, quoting from his recent speech at the Governor’s Symposium, “but financially and functionally it is too heavy for our population.”
The Prime Minister admitted that Sint Maarten has never produced a balanced budget in its 15 years of autonomy.
“I am the eighth or ninth Prime Minister to face the same reality,” he said. “We were not able to balance our budget or have sufficient capital expenditure for nation-building.”
Fiscal Reform and Revenue Growth
To bridge the gap, Mercelina said the government must raise revenues and control expenditures.
“We have to continue working on revenues for government,” he said. “That means tax reform and new revenue streams such as a tourist levy, while also being very sharp on our expenses.”
However, he emphasized that fiscal discipline alone is not enough.
“We need a third alternative,” Mercelina explained. “Otherwise, we will always keep fixing the same two things—revenue and expenses—that have never given the results we hoped for.”
That “third alternative,” he said, is a strategic vision for economic partnerships—regionally and within the Kingdom—to lift Sint Maarten’s socioeconomic status.
Regional Cooperation
The Prime Minister also highlighted closer cooperation with the French side of the island. He said quarterly meetings with French Préfet Cyrille Le Vély have been established to strengthen coordination on emergency management, public safety, and disaster preparedness.
“We are one island and one people,” he said. “This uniform approach will ensure both sides of the island respond in harmony during severe weather events.”
Mercelina also confirmed plans to attend Suriname’s 50th Independence Anniversary in November, representing Sint Maarten within the Kingdom delegation, and to explore agriculture and trade cooperation with the Surinamese government.
“Suriname is more advanced in agriculture,” he said. “We want to explore how we can develop direct cooperation for importing agricultural products to Sint Maarten.”
The Prime Minister described his leadership approach as both realistic and forward-looking.
“Until now, with the conditions and situation that we’re in, I do not see that independence can provide the care our people need,” he said. “So we must find another way to elevate our country.”
Mercelina said his government’s focus is to stabilize finances, modernize governance, and improve living standards—while nurturing a broader vision of Sint Maarten as a confident, collaborative partner within the Caribbean and the Kingdom.
“We must be honest with our people,” he concluded. “We have challenges, but we also have opportunities—and it is our duty to make the right choices now to build a stronger Sint Maarten.”
