An arial view of Mullet Bay.
PHILIPSBURG--The government is not pursuing a co-development arrangement or private financing partnership for Mullet Bay, but is instead focused on establishing when the property will return to the market so that St. Maarten can exercise its secured matching right Finance Minister Marinka Gumbs told Parliament.
Gumbs made the statement while answering questions from National Alliance (NA) Member of Parliament (MP) Egbert Doran during the debate on the draft 2027 budget.
Doran asked whether Sun Resorts was refusing to speak with the Government after the minister indicated that she would not participate in an invitation to discuss the Mullet Bay development.
Gumbs clarified that she had received no indication that Sun Resorts was refusing to engage with her at the governmental level. She said Doran was most likely referring to an invitation for a presentation on the Mullet Bay Master Plan.
The minister explained that she had concerns about the government engaging with the current owners on developing the property through a Master Plan approach. She also said she had asked who would pay for the Master Plan and was still awaiting a response.
Gumbs said the government must be careful not to create legal or commercial ambiguity around the rights it had negotiated. Participating in a Master Plan could potentially influence the property's development potential and value, and questions could arise about whether such participation would affect or prejudice the government's position under the matching right.
She said the sequence of steps was important. The government must first establish the boundaries and clearly distinguish the public beach from the Sun Resorts property. The sale process should then proceed accordingly, with development through a Master Plan not getting ahead of that process.
Gumbs said the Ministry was exploring the development of financial mechanisms that could make it possible to acquire the property should it return to the market.
She said the objective was to protect Sint Maarten's legal and financial interests while safeguarding the national interest. She also welcomed Parliament's input as the Government continues to explore realistic options to exercise its matching right.
