~Lawmakers remember beloved community members as colleagues urge nations to cherish loved ones~
PHILIPSBURG: Monday's Central Committee meeting opened with heartfelt tributes to the late Joyce Wathey, whose passing has deeply affected Members of Parliament and the wider St. Maarten community.
Several MPs paused their parliamentary business to extend condolences to her husband, Emil, their children, relatives, and friends, remembering Wathey as a compassionate woman whose concern for others never wavered, even as she faced her own health challenges.
MP Ardwell Irion was among the first to acknowledge her passing, extending sincere condolences to the Wathey family.
Reflecting on life's unpredictability, Irion said that while people live each day making plans for the future, no one knows when their final day will come.
He urged the community to become more intentional about relationships and family life.
"Especially in the age of artificial intelligence, we need to be even more human with each other," Irion said as he expressed sympathy to the grieving family.
MP Francisco Lacroes then delivered an emotional tribute, recalling how he and Joyce Wathey had recently been in Colombia together during medical treatment.
He described developing a close friendship with her over the past month and said he was deeply moved by her selflessness.
According to Lacroes, despite undergoing medical procedures herself, Wathey remained more concerned about the wellbeing of those around her than about her own condition.
"Not every day, every other day, I would receive a message from her asking how my son was doing," Lacroes recalled.
He recounted sending her a message on Friday morning without receiving a response before later learning from her son that she had suffered a medical emergency. By Saturday morning, he received the devastating news of her passing.
Addressing the family directly, Lacroes said he could only imagine the pain her husband, Emil, and their children and loved ones were experiencing.
"It's a rough situation. You don't know what day your day is," he said.
Using the moment as a reminder to the nation, Lacroes encouraged residents to live with kindness and compassion.
"My word out to everyone is just love, be kind and make sure that the last thought anyone has of you is a pleasant one because you don't know when it could be your day."
The tributes momentarily set aside politics inside Parliament as Members reflected on the fragility of life and celebrated the memory of a woman remembered not only for her strength, but for the care and encouragement she consistently showed to others, even during her own personal battles.
Also sending condolences to the Wathey family was the chair of parliament, Sarah Wescot-Williams, who said she too was shocked to receive the news on Saturday morning and urged everyone to be mindful of how they live.
