“Heyliger Marten: New FBO Facility is “Not a Placeholder, It Is a Statement”

AIRPORT--At the opening of the new temporary Fixed Base Operator (FBO) facility at Princess Juliana International Airport on Friday evening, Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Grisha Heyliger Marten told the audience they were not just cutting a ribbon on another building. In her view, the moment marked a strategic milestone in St. Maarten’s aviation journey and in how the country positions its economy.

“Tonight is not just the opening of a temporary FBO facility,” she began. “Tonight marks a strategic milestone in St. Maarten’s aviation journey and in our economic positioning as a country.”

Heyliger Marten reminded guests that before taking office as Minister, she spent four years in Parliament asking hard questions about this very project. She said she had questioned why a modern FBO was not prioritized sooner for a destination as globally connected as St. Maarten.

Those years of questions, she explained, came from a simple view of what private aviation means for the island. “Private aviation is not a luxury. It is a strategic pillar tied to business mobility, fuel revenue, tourism diversification, and high end economic activity,” she said. Now, speaking as Minister instead of Member of Parliament, she described the opening of the facility as tangible progress. “Today, standing here as Minister, I am proud to witness tangible progress,” she said.

The Minister shared a personal note about a recent private tour of the new facility given by Mr. Cleaver. She said that throughout the tour she heard pride in his voice and even joked that at one point she was not sure if he was showing her around or trying to sell her the FBO. For her, that level of pride is what progress sounds like and it reminded her why the project matters.

She then turned back to the building around them. “This temporary facility is not a placeholder, it is a statement,” she said. In her description the FBO is modern, functional, well executed and, as she put it, “quite frankly, beautiful.” For Heyliger Marten, it proves what is possible when vision is matched with execution.

Throughout the speech she stressed that the FBO is about more than planes and passengers. She framed it as a signal of where St. Maarten wants to go, especially in the segment of premium travelers and business aviation. “If we are positioning ourselves as a gateway for premium travelers, business aviation, and high value investors, then our infrastructure, service standards, hotel product, and transportation experience must all rise to that standard,” she said.

She warned against having a gap between the facility and the wider visitor experience. “We cannot welcome luxury clientele at a world class portal, then offer an island experience that falls short beyond these doors,” she told the audience. To close that gap she pointed to several areas that need attention, calling for elevating boutique accommodation, strengthening service excellence, and modernizing transport and tourism infrastructure across the board.

Heyliger Marten made clear that the shift she is calling for cannot sit with one ministry alone. She said government has to be intentional about focusing part of its effort on a premium market, not to replace mass tourism, but to complement it. “To get there, government must be intentional in shifting part of our focus toward a premium market, not to replace mass tourism, but to complement it,” she said. “And this effort must be inter ministerial.” She linked that effort to coordinated policy and collaboration between tourism, infrastructure, justice, finance, labor, education, and private sector partners. “That is how we compete globally. That is how we lead,” she said.

The Minister also used the moment to acknowledge those directly involved in bringing the facility to life. She congratulated the management and staff of Princess Juliana International Airport’s operating company. “What we are celebrating here is a product of discipline, resilience, and professional dedication. You took a challenge and turned it into opportunity,” she said.

She then addressed Signature and ExecuJet, the FBO operators present at the event. She framed their presence as more than a business decision. “Your presence here is not simply commercial, it is symbolic of confidence in St. Maarten, confidence in our aviation market, and confidence in where we are going,” she told them. She added that the quality of their operations will be a direct reflection of the elevated standard the country intends to uphold as a destination.

Looking ahead, Heyliger Marten linked the temporary FBO to the ongoing redevelopment of the wider airport. She said the facility should serve as a bridge to a permanent, world class structure that matches St. Maarten’s ambitions. As the airport continues its broader redevelopment, she said, this FBO should help lead the way toward a facility that captures a larger share of the private aviation market, anchors high value tourism, and strengthens the island’s status as a regional hub.

She closed by reminding everyone that the work is not complete. “This is not the finish line, it is the starting point,” she said, ending with a call to keep moving forward: “Thank you, and let us continue elevating St. Maarten together.”

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