~ Eyes ‘gold standard’ for region ~
CUPECOY--Former Governor Eugene Holiday has called on the custodians of St. Maarten’s future to unite behind a shared national vision to transform the country into “the Gold Standard for progress, governance and innovation in the region.”
Delivering the keynote address at the 2025 Governor’s Symposium at American University of the Caribbean (AUC) School of Medicine on Wednesday, Holiday said the nation must move beyond political divisions and short-term thinking to build a stronger, more self-reliant future.
“Let us move forward united in a shared vision, mission, and strategy, fulfilling the promise of Country Status,” Holiday said, “and in doing so: transform St. Maarten into the Gold Standard for Progress, Governance and Innovation in the region.”
Laying out what he called his recommended roadmap for Vision 2035, Holiday presented a seven-point strategic agenda designed to guide St. Maarten’s development over the next decade. He said the vision aims to transform the country into a knowledge-driven, digital society that is economically self-reliant, climate-resilient and powered by sustainable energy.
The first point, he said, is to invest in education, training and health. Holiday said, “Our people are our greatest resource,” and that empowering citizens through quality education and access to health care is key to long-term growth.
Second, he called for an acceleration of the island’s digital transformation to improve public services, increase efficiency, and expand economic opportunities.
Third, he stressed the importance of transitioning to solar energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels to build climate resilience and energy security.
Fourth, Holiday urged economic diversification beyond tourism, pointing to the need for innovation, entrepreneurship, and new industries that can withstand external shocks.
Fifth, he called for deeper regional cooperation, noting that partnerships with neighbouring islands can strengthen economic ties and collective resilience.
Sixth, he said St. Maarten must achieve fiscal sustainability by strengthening financial management, improving tax compliance, and reforming public finances. “Financial independence,” he said, “is the foundation for policy independence and thus for self-governance.”
Finally, he underscored the need to strengthen good governance and accountability across all sectors, describing it as the cornerstone of national stability and development. “To fulfil the promise of Country Status driven by Vision 2035 it is essential to move beyond discussions of capacity-building and nation-building, and take decisive action,” he said.
Earlier in his speech, Holiday reflected on St. Maarten’s constitutional journey since achieving Country Status on October 10, 2010, calling it both a moment of triumph and a continuing challenge. He described the 2000 referendum, when nearly 70% of voters opted for self-government, as “the culmination of more than 136 years of calls for greater self-governance.”
“I described the referendum outcome and celebratory atmosphere in its immediate aftermath as the ‘Great Bay Dance’… the celebration of the historic victory, of the break from the Netherlands Antilles, and of the spirit of triumph, unity and hope,” he recalled.
Holiday said the road to autonomy was long and complex. “St. Maarten and Curaçao pushed back, saying that while cooperation within the Kingdom is essential, it must not come at the expense of the right of self-determination, of self-governance, of the principle of equity and of the preservation of our unique identities,” he said. “True growth of the countries can only come from their self-correcting capacity or own internal checks and balances, as opposed to from imposed external supervision.”
He paid tribute to “Team Sint Maarten”, the small group that represented the island during the constitutional negotiations, saying, “Throughout those 10 years St. Maarten was represented by a small group of persons referred to as Team Sint Maarten, a team which I am honoured to have served on; a Team Sint Maarten, united by a shared vision: securing Country Status.”
Reflecting on the years since, Holiday said that much progress has been made in building institutions and public administration, although not all of it is visible. “Critical institutions and processes have been built from the ground up. Much of this meaningful progress is often invisible and hard to measure. But it is evident in the services provided by dedicated professionals which we rely on every day,” he said.
At the same time, he warned that the country continues to face serious challenges. “This is not to say that the system is perfect. It is a reminder to appreciate the progress we have achieved thus far and to engage thoughtfully in improving on it,” he said.
Holiday noted that according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates, St. Maarten’s gross domestic product (GDP) per capita rose from US $26,386 in 2011 to about US $38,154 in 2024, placing the island among high-income countries. But he cautioned that the benefits have not been evenly shared.
“The increase in per capita income was accompanied by uneven social and environmental developments,” he said, citing unemployment among youth, rising crime, unsafe road activity, education gaps, brain drain, poverty among the elderly, and a healthcare funding deficit.
He also pointed to widening income inequality, saying that “60% of workers earn less than XCG 3,376 (US $1,875) net per month, while 10% earn more than XCG 6,501 (US $3,612) net.”
Political instability, he said, has further hindered national progress. “From 2010 to 2024 there were 11 governments with an average term of 15.8 months,” he said, adding that frequent government changes and limited capacity “affected enforcement of rules and regulations, obstructed effective policymaking and execution, hampered financial management and created an uncertain investment climate.”
Holiday said external shocks, including Hurricanes Irma and Maria, the COVID-19 pandemic, and global inflation, have further tested the island’s resilience. “Debates over the conditions tied to the Trust Fund grants, COVID loans, COHO, and Country Packages were reminiscent of the constitutional reform disputes regarding Country versus Kingdom authority,” he said. “They highlight the urgent need for a dispute regulation mandated under the Kingdom Charter.”
Despite these setbacks, Holiday expressed optimism for the nation’s future. “Our experiences underscore our vulnerabilities, our weaknesses and the challenges we face, but also the resilience and potential of our people and island,” he said.
Looking toward the country’s silver anniversary of autonomy in 2035, Holiday said the next decade must be one of decisive action.
“Today’s reflection should never be about looking back, rather it has to be about looking forward,” he said. “The choices we make in the next decade will shape the next half-century. So, let us invest in our future and believe in the foundation we have laid. Let us move forward united in a shared vision, mission, and strategy, fulfilling the promise of Country Status. And in doing so, transform St. Maarten into the Gold Standard for progress, governance and innovation in the region.”
