My Fellow Sint Maarteners,

  Marie-Louise and I extend warm Christmas greetings to you. May you experience the joy of the enduring hope and renewing spirit of the birth of Christ.  

  As we gather with family and friends to celebrate Christmas and close the year, let us pause and reflect on the wellbeing of our country. Let us, as guardians of our nation, individually take time out to reflect on the thoughts and actions which will lift us up as a Sint Maarten people. During this special time of the year, we are reminded that the people of Sint Maarten, from generation to generation, have tapped into and progressed on the Christmas gift of hope and renewal. As we celebrate this Christmas let us be reminded that:

  Christmas is God’s gift for every circumstance

  A promise for a kinder and brighter world

  May we be blessed this Christmas with the gift of Hope

  And with grace exchange our gift one to the other

  May we be blessed this Christmas with the gift of Renewal

  And with kindness share our gift to strengthen others

  For Christmas is as much about receiving gifts

  As it is about giving of ourselves for the greater good

  We must therefore be mindful of and helpful towards the less fortunate among us; towards those of us without a job, towards those whose homes are still not repaired following Hurricane Irma or towards those of us in need. And as we do so it is important to recognize that as a nation we continue to be tested; tested socially, environmentally, financially, economically and politically. We must acknowledge that these are our collective challenges and that we can only overcome them together.

  As guardians of our nation, we – you and I – must as a result recommit ourselves to use our Christmas gifts of hope and renewal for the improvement of Sint Maarten. For, in receiving the wonderful gift of Christmas, we have been entrusted with the responsibility to continue to improve and shape a sustainable Sint Maarten society.

  As we pursue the fulfillment of our obligation let us be grateful for the progress with which we have been blessed thus far. Let us be inspired to increase our focus on our common interests. Let us, as caring guardians of our nation, embrace the giving of ourselves to advance the wellbeing of our society. Thus, as we celebrate the birth of Christ and come to the close 2018, let us share our gifts, within our families, among our friends, with our neighbors, and for our country.

  It is in that spirit of giving that Marie-Louise and I wish you and your family a most blessed, safe, hope-filled and renewing Christmas!

  Thank you,

  God bless you,

  And May God bless Sint Maarten and protect its coast.

The Governor of Sint Maarten

Eugene B. Holiday 

As 2018 comes to a close and we are looking forward to the joy and merriment of the Christmas Season – many of us are reflecting on the good fortune that has attended us. To date we have been spared the ravages of Mother Nature over this year’s hurricane season. We had slated this year to be a recovery year – but we were in a state of stifled anxiety, fearing that our efforts would be in vain if struck by another even less severe weather event.

We have been blessed! And for many persons these mercies are indeed a wonderful gift for the upcoming Christmas Season. Around this time last year, there was a lot to be thankful for, but the question lingered on many hearts and minds: “What will things be like in 2018?”

So, here we are and even the most pessimistic among us must admit that our island has recovered exceptionally well. It has been based on the efforts of Anguillans living at home and abroad; friends of Anguilla; regional and international agencies and governments; our administering power – the United Kingdom; and all investors (local and expatriate) in our economy. All of the above played an important part. As a consequence, we are the talk of the town regarding the manner in which we have conducted ourselves.

But even as we were rebuilding, sadly there were some very notable fallen patriots who passed on, including our island’s second and longest-serving Chief Minister, Sir Emile R. Gumbs, as well as the longest-serving Speaker of the House of Assembly, the Hon. Leroy C. Rogers who both finally succumbed to a protracted period of illness. May their souls rest in eternal peace!

Let me also take this opportunity to remember many others among us who have lost loved ones, old and young, to natural causes; violent causes; and accidents during this past year. Their families, relatives, friends and indeed the entire community will certainly miss them in several ways during this season of fellowship – and will ponder in sadness on those memories that only Christmas can evoke.

May we all find comfort in the knowledge that this is all a part of God’s divine plan! And accordingly, let us celebrate their lives and the time He gave them on this earth – even in these heartrending moments.

It is just over 400 days after those vicious storms, Irma and Maria, and we all continue to be singularly focused on the task of recovery and rebuilding stronger and better. But it is always necessary to remind ourselves of how far we have come, bearing in mind what still remains to be done.

Here is a snapshot of what has been accomplished both in the public and private sector:

* Airport services are close to 100% restored and indeed in some areas exceeded; perimeter fencing is in place, night landing capabilities installed; new fire tenders are on the way; and, the new fire hall and control tower almost completed;

* Princess Alexandria Hospital has been refurbished to modern standards, including upgraded electricity; upgraded operating facilities; new diagnostic equipment; new wards; and there is much more work in the pipeline;

* The plans and the financing for the repair and rebuilding of schools are now in place; some contracts have been awarded; and, work continues on some sites;

* Sea Port Services are being maintained at functional levels; the financing and plans for the new Ferry Terminal Building in Blowing are just about ready for implementation; as well as preparatory work for a brand-new jetty at Road Bay;

* Telecommunication Services are now up to pre-Irma levels and plans continue for more robust improvements;

* Fuel Delivery Services are being built back stronger and a new service station in Island Harbour has just been opened;

* Banking Services have been restored and even though the international commercial banks are undergoing some transformation and disruptions, our indigenous bank is experiencing a welcomed period of growth;

* Water Distribution Services have been steadily improving past pre-Irma levels and a new and progressive contractor is now in place;

* Island-wide Electricity is fully restored, and government is actively pursuing a strategy to put in place a more commercially-responsive ownership structure that will be committed to more sustainable, resilient, and efficient delivery of electricity services;

* Food security has been maintained and supermarkets are now returning to more stable arrangements;

* The employment sector, particularly in construction has realized a boom and now the accommodation sector is experiencing similar growth with the reopening of major hotel and restaurant businesses. In fact, there are now more hotel rooms available for business than prior to Irma; and,

* Our churches are being rebuilt – and continue to find ways and places to worship and give God thanks.

And this list is not exhaustive!

You will also recall the challenge to agree our recurrent budget for 2018. That Budget was therefore not approved until April this year. At that time, we were approved/allowed to incur a deficit of almost 25 million EC dollars. A little under eight months later, I am pleased to report that we are recording a surplus of 2.5 million EC dollars on that recurrent budget. This put us in an excellent position to respond to some of our arrears, including training; health; and deferred salaries to civil servants through a supplementary budget just passed in the House a few days ago.

But please be aware that while this is a brilliant position to be in – we still have a long way to go as we continue to struggle to meet our debt obligations and reduce our arrears. The good news is that we have not defaulted on our debt repayments and have been recently given a BBB+ rating by the regional debt-rating agency Cari-CRISS.

This puts us in an attractive place for future investment both in the public and private sector. And it means that despite all the challenges we have endured as a government and a people, we are on a sound trajectory for growth and development.

With regard to the historic and unprecedented grant of some EC $220 million from the UK government for capital projects, we continue to be grateful and have been meeting the conditions for its disbursement. The Anguilla government has developed an excellent working relationship with our administering power, which though not without some challenges, is built on mutual respect and understanding.

It would therefore be remiss of me were I not to make special mention of the support we have received from Governor Foy and his team and in the great rapport that we have established with the UK Minister Lord Ahmad. Both these goodly gentlemen, Tim and Tariq, have been central to our success over the past fifteen months.

And of exceptional mention is the head of our EU/UK Office, Mrs. Blondell Cluff CBE and her team for service beyond the call of duty in keeping our issues, at times ad nauseam, at the top of the FCO agenda. She has been a true patriot.

There is also another important grouping that we must not as a people take for granted in this period of gratitude and reflection, namely, our visitors and investors. Despite the ravages of the most violent storms of record in our history – they have not walked away. They have remained loyal; returned; and continue to support the recovery process with tangible resources.

But we must we not be selfish to reflect only on the circumstances that impact our families and persons associated with Anguilla. Many of our neighbours in the region were similarly impacted and, in some cases, they may have suffered many times more than we have, especially in terms of loss of life and property.

We pray at this time God’s Grace has also attended them in their efforts to rebuild and that they are experiencing some of the successes with which we have been blessed.

As a Government we have continued to remain focused on what we deem to be the greater good. There were times when we were frustrated but we have never given up hope. Indeed, our most effective weapon in this struggle remains HOPE. Our valleys of frustration have come not because we believe that we have all the answers – but rather because those who criticize relentlessly seldom offer solutions. In fact, it often appears that their actual criticism is the goal/objective itself.

Undoubtedly, next year will also come with its own set of challenges – but like the past year there will be times for celebration as well. We refuse to be a part of the conversation that spells doom and gloom for Anguilla. Such talk is for persons who seem to find some perverted pleasure in our island’s demise – simply to advance their selfish agenda.

Such conduct is not consistent with the message of peace that was a key component of the early vision of those patriots who struggled before our time – neither is it obedient to the cause or the promise of peace and salvation of which this Christmas Season reminds us.

I commend all those persons and businesses that are making an effort once again to cheer up our villages and communities with the glorious lights of Christmas. I especially commend the Lions Community Group that continues to spare neither expense nor effort to decorate and illuminate the trees and walks of Coronation Avenue in the Valley. They are indeed lifting many spirits as well as creating an atmosphere of joy; hope; and promise for Anguillan residents and visitors alike.

This message of Hope is appropriate to the many persons in our community who are feeling the impact of setbacks – even despair of various kinds in their lives at this time. Let us in the spirit of this season reach out to all of them in our prayers. But also let us not neglect the opportunity for giving and sharing in whatever way we can. Indeed, it is what Christmas is all about!

I want to especially thank the members of the Anguilla Public Service; The Governor and his team of officers; for their support and team spirit as they worked together, brilliantly, with my colleagues and I, in this enterprise to restore our island to beyond its former glory. We sincerely wish you and your families all the best for this blessed season.

To all Anguillans and to all residents; visitors and friends of Anguilla – let me take this opportunity on behalf of all my colleagues in government as well as my own family to wish you all a very blessed and joyous Christmas and continued good health; happiness and success for the New Year and many more years ahead.

May God bless you all and May God bless Anguilla!

Chief Minister Victor Banks

Writing about the two Russian nuclear-capable bombers that landed two weeks ago in Venezuela, I cautioned that we should expect more such moves as Russia and China seek to enhance their presence in the Caribbean Basin. We didn’t have to wait long. Russia just announced that Venezuela will allow Moscow to establish a military base on the island of La Orchila, just 311 km east of Curaçao.

Dear Editor,

The Cooperative Platform has taken note of the letter in which the State Secretary acknowledges violation of law with regard to the awarding of government contracts on St. Eustatius. This admission which was deemed an oversight by the State Secretary on the part of Commissioner Steeger, undermines the integrity of the process of the intervention. The Cooperative Platform recognizes this issue as a direct consequence of the suspension of law regulating checks and balances.

During the last summer visit of the delegation of the Second Chamber, the platform presented the Chamber with a document where it pointed out the danger and potential pitfalls of the current structure which excludes the check and balances commonly found in a democratic setting designed to safeguard its integrity. The absence of an entity with a supervisory view (Island Council, College for Financial Supervision CFT, Kingdom Representative, etc.) created a situation where potential conflicts of interest, as a minimum, and violations of law in the worst-case scenario can take place. The State Secretary stated that as a result of these violations which were discovered there would be a review of policy with regards to civil servants with secondary activities.

The platform would like to advise the state secretary to consider a solution to reinstate and strengthen the institutions of checks and balances to ensure that the issues recently coming to light are not repeated. Enforcing check and balances together with the improvement of transparency will restore the integrity of the current process and ensure the public that the representatives in charge of government affairs are acting in accordance with prevailing laws and the integrity expected in line with the principles of good governance.

The platform hopes that the Second Chamber takes the current revelation seriously and in recognition of the point addressed by the platform regarding the void in check and balances would take the steps needed in order to provide more transparency with regard to action already taken, such as a demand for publication of decision list of the executive council as the platform has requested from the beginning.

Cooperative Platform St. Eustatius