Préfet Cyrille Le Vély (left), President Louis Mussington (centre) and Dr. Pierre Sainte-Luce (right) take part in the ribbon cutting. (Robert Luckock photo).
MARIGOT--Dignitaries from Saint Martin, Sint Maarten, Saint Barthélemey, Anguilla and Guadeloupe attended the inauguration of the brand new medical and rehabilitation clinic, Wataki, on Thursday, January 29, together with many persons involved in private or public medical care.
Brought to fruition by the Manioukani Group from Guadeloupe, the facility was founded with a clear ambition to strengthen local healthcare services in the Northern Islands and the nearby region by combining medical expertise, quality patient care and appropriate technologies.
Dutch side Secretary General of the Ministry of General Affairs, Hensley Plantin, giving his address on behalf of Dr. Luc Mercelina. (Robert Luckock photo)
An overview of the gathering. (Robert Luckock photo)
Elected officials and visitors were given tours of the facility. (Robert Luckock photo)
It is structured around several areas of expertise: specialist consultations, day hospital care and in-patient hospitalisation for treatments requiring close medical monitoring. Areas of care include functional rehabilitation, post operative rehabilitation, post traumatic rehabilitation, and musculoskeletal disorders.
Speakers included Dr. Pierre Sainte-Luce, founder and president of the Manioukani Group, Regional Health Agency Territorial Director Paul Guibert, Dutch side Secretary General of the General Affairs Ministry, Hensley Plantin representing Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina, Collectivité President Louis Mussington, and Préfet Cyrille Le Vély.
Also attending were Senior Ministerial Adviser of Health in Anguilla, Evans Rogers, Anguilla’s CEO representative Malcolm Webster, Député (MP) for Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemey Frantz Gumbs, and Vice Recteur of National Education Harry Christophe.
In his remarks, Hensley Plantin passed on congratulations and support for the initiative from Dr. Luc Mercelina and congratulated the Manoukani team for “their vision, dedication, and perseverance in bringing this remarkable healthcare facility to life”.
“Your commitment to improving access to quality care and medical services for the people of Saint Martin and our neighbouring islands is deeply appreciated,” he said. “This is more than just an opening of a building, it represents progress, partnership and promise; a promise of better health care, strong regional cooperation, and improved quality of life for our communities.
“Saint Martin and Sint Maarten share families, culture challenges, and responsibilities. Illness does not stop at borders and nor does cash. The opening of the Wataki Clinic strengthens our collective ability to serve residents from both sides of the island as well as the region. The clinic stands as a powerful example of cross border collaboration to deliver real and lasting benefits for our people.
He continued: “Small island territories face limited access to specialised services, high cost of treatment, and the need for overseas medical referrals. Wataki Clinic is helping to reduce these
pressures by expanding local capacity, improving access to care and strengthening our ability to diagnose illness closer to home. Healthcare is not a privilege, it’s a fundamental right. Wataki Clinic represents what can be achieved when vision is matched with action.”
Mussington placed his emphasis on meaningful cooperation as fundamental to the country moving forward. He reiterated the case of a patient in Anguilla being shipped off to Trinidad for treatment when he could have been treated in Louis Constant Fleming Hospital.
“That tells you that it is urgent we put in place a cooperation treaty between our health care institutions in Sint Maarten, Saint Martin and Anguilla,” he stressed.
Following the speeches, a ribbon cutting took place and a plaque was unveiled. Tours of the facility were offered to attendees.
Construction of Wataki Clinic was completed in 2025. Day hospital care was opened in late October 2025 for 25 to 30 patients per day and in-patient hospitalisation opened on December 10, 2025. The current staff is around 20 employees comprising a coordinating physician, nursing staff, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and administrative staff. The short term goal is to recruit 60 persons and the long term goal is to offer up to 100 jobs.
The work of several artists were on display for the inauguration: Thiery Alet (Guadeloupe) Francis Eck (Saint Martin), Samuel Gélas (Guadeloupe), Mounia (Martinique), Ras Mosera (Sint Maarten), Florence Poirier-Nkpa (Saint Martin) and Sheena Rose (Barbados). The art pieces will be on display for a month before a decision is made as to whether to have rotating art displays or a permanent exhibition space in the facility.
