Minister Melissa Gumbs: “Our flag tells the story of who we were, who we are, and who we aspire to be”

COLE BAY--Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Melissa Gumbs on the commemoration of St. Maarten Flag Day 2025 on Friday, called on students and citizens alike to recognize the deeper meaning behind the national flag and the enduring spirit it represents.

“Today we celebrate our official adoption of the St. Maarten flag,” Minister Gumbs stated. “And with it, we recognize the invaluable contribution of Ms. Roselle 'Rosie' Richardson, whose design has become the symbol that gives us recognition on both regional and international stages.”

Gumbs emphasized that the flag is more than cloth or color, it is a living emblem of identity, resilience, and unity. Recalling a powerful memory in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in 2017, she shared:

“As I stepped outside to begin cleaning through the wreckage of my grandfather’s yard, the first thing I found was a St. Maarten flag. It had been left outside, and yet it was perfectly intact. I hung it up as we began cleaning, and there it has stayed since. That flag was hope.”

She urged the nation to view the flag not only as a symbol of pride during festivals, sports events, and international forums, but as a representation of who St. Maarteners are and the future they are working to shape. “From artists and athletes to our students, each of you continues to carry the flag and, with it, the name of our nation into the world. You are weaving our flag into the global fabric of representation,” Gumbs said.

With an eye toward the future, the Minister also announced her intention to increase the visibility of the national flag in public spaces across the island. “It was my hope to have our flag proudly waving as you come around the bend on Cole Bay Hill this year, but timing was not on my side. So next year, it is my goal to have our standard flying proudly on every piece of land I can take from VROMI. Feel free to hold me to that,” she said to cheers.

“Let today remind us that every step toward progress, every expression of who we are as a people, strengthens the meaning behind this flag. Let us honor it not only with words, but with action.”

Quoting the national motto “Semper Pro Grediens”, Always Progressing, she called on all to “walk with prayer, speak with purpose, act with kindness, and live with the dignity that our flag represents and deserves.”

"Happy Flag Day, St. Maarten. May our banner always fly high and strong."

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