MP Meyers: St. Maarten must prepare for the inevitable independence vote

GREAT BAY--Leader of the Soualiga Action Movement (SAM), MP Franklin Meyers, on Thursday restated a position he has carried for years; St. Maarten should prepare itself for an eventual and inevitable vote on independence. He framed the point in simple terms of preparation. "It's better to tell your mother, listen, I want to leave the house and I'm going to find my own place. Rather than for her to tell you to get out." Or, put differently, it is wiser to get ready on your own terms than to be told when to move.

Meyers tied this to a wider Kingdom context. In his view, all islands should ready themselves for the moment when the question will be put. He pointed to recent signals from The Hague and cited the most recent IPKO as an example. When the delegations believed there was a baseline framework for dispute regulation, the Dutch government indicated a preference for older structures the islands had long rejected. For Meyers, that felt like square one again. It reinforced his call to focus on what St. Maarten can control. He believes that independence is not an act of defiance, it is a right that must be approached with planning, public consent, and respect.

Over the past year, Meyers has set out his reasoning in Parliament, on the international stage, and in the media. He has described self-determination as a fundamental right, and he has said repeatedly that the people must decide. He supported a motion to bring the independence question to the public, and he was the only MP in the governing coalition to vote in favor. He has also argued that the language of a “democratic deficit” does not fit independent countries, the correct frame is whether a people can and should determine their own course.

In December, speaking at a conference hosted by the Baku Initiative Group, he called independence “the most exclusive right of our people,” and tied it to the need to remove colonial control. The thrust then is the same thrust now, make the case, inform the public, and do the work so that a choice, whenever it comes, is made from a place of readiness.

His economic points have remained steady as well. He has said the CFT’s guardrails can feel like a squeeze rather than a pathway to growth. He accepts the Netherlands’ concern for financial management, but he wants space to develop. He speaks of responsible steps, ducks in a row, and the central role of voter consent.  

MP Meyers said that he accepts that independence is a path, not a switch. He has said the public should be briefed on pros and cons. He has argued for systems that give citizens confidence that the country can manage its own affairs, from revenue to regulation to service delivery.

SAM’s message has not changed. Independence has always been part of the party’s foundation. Meyers said this is not a threat to anyone, but a reminder to the people of St. Maarten. His focus is clear: prepare, inform, and choose. He is not asking for a date or deadline for independence. He is asking for work to begin now, research, discussions, and improvements that will help the country make an informed choice when the time comes. Meyers wants Parliament to take the lead and include everyone in the process.

His message is simple: get ready before someone else decides for you. For him, this is about self-respect, good and the people’s right to choose their own future. He is not looking for conflict. He is calling for calm, preparation, and honesty as the island plans its next steps.

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