Minister Brug distances himself from the PJIA letter, says he is disappointed in colleague Ministers and MPs

GREAT BAY--Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (VSA), Richinel Brug, expressed disappointment on Wednesday that some of his colleague Ministers and supporting Members of Parliament did not give him the opportunity to react before rushing to make public statements about the airport controversy.

It is very unfortunate that certain colleagues did not even allow me 12 hours to respond before going to the media. Out of respect, I should have been given the chance to clarify the situation first.”

Brug added that he did not receive so much as a courtesy call from PJIAE’s CEO before the controversial September 1 letter was circulated, indicating that it was unilaterally issued by PJIAE.

According to the Minister, PJIAE itself initiated a meeting with the Ministry of VSA to discuss the legal status of French St. Martin–born nationals applying to work at the airport. CEO Michael Cleaver was not present. Instead, representatives from PJIAE’s Quality Assurance and other departments attended and later relayed the discussion.

The meeting reportedly centered on the legal status of 15 to 20 new employment applicants. The Ministry of VSA advised PJIAE not to proceed with those hires until certain legal issues were clarified.

Brug said his focus has always been to ensure workers are properly registered to avoid problems with pensions, social security, and insurance at retirement. “We have people who have worked 20 to 30 years, but if they are not formally registered, they risk losing their benefits later in life. My intention has never been to punish or exclude, but to protect workers from long-term harm,” he said.

Following the backlash, PJIAE retracted its September 1 letter and confirmed that operations will continue as usual until a solution is found. Brug noted that he welcomed this step, since it gives time to properly analyze the situation, gather accurate information, and bring all relevant ministers into the discussion.

“This is not a decision that one Minister can make alone,” Brug emphasized. “It involves labor, justice, TEATT, general affairs, and of course the Prime Minister. I have already scheduled an inter-ministerial meeting for September 17 about labor to establish a collective approach moving forward."

The Minister was candid in his frustration at being sidelined in the immediate aftermath of the controversy. “I was attending a mental health session when this matter broke, and by the time I looked at my phone after the event, there were already statements in the media. That is disappointing. Certain colleagues acted prematurely, and once something is put out there publicly, you can’t take it back. The energy I then had to spend defending myself and my Ministry could have been spent addressing vulnerable groups and urgent matters in this country.”

He added, “When people go after the Ministry, they are also going after civil servants who are working tirelessly to find structural solutions, not only for the airport but for other companies as well. It can be demotivating, but my team is strong and committed, and we will not be distracted from our work.”

Minister Brug reiterated his openness to dialogue with PJIAE and other stakeholders. “I remain committed to the original path we started, finding a way to regularize employees at the airport without them bearing unnecessary consequences. The Ministry is ready to continue working toward that solution. There are no bad intentions here. Our laws and regulations exist for a purpose."