MP Veronica Jansen-Webster: URSM record is clear in defense of the people

GREAT BAY--At the closing of the 2024–2025 Parliamentary year on Monday, September 8, Member of Parliament Veronica Jansen-Webster, leader of the United Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM) faction, delivered a wide-ranging address reflecting on the faction’s work over the past year and outlining its priorities for the future.

Speaking “as a daughter of this soil, entrusted with the hopes, struggles and resilience of our people,” MP Jansen-Webster said the past year had tested Sint Maarten with financial, energy, justice, and social challenges, while also offering opportunities for bold leadership.

She commended her colleagues in the URSM faction for their contributions:

MP Shamira Roseburg has been “a strong voice for justice, equality and the working people of Sint Maarten,” raising critical questions on law enforcement, prison reform, and workers’ rights. She co-sponsored a motion against hair discrimination in schools, promoted literacy, proposed amendments to the Admission and Expulsion Ordinance (LTU) for equality of children born to foreign parents, and introduced judicial reform to align St. Maarten with Dutch standards. Roseburg has also filed motions to recruit more legislative lawyers, expand legal access for health patients, launch a national breakfast program, and address prison overcrowding.

MP Christopher Wever has prioritized food security and regional trade, introducing a motion for stronger Caribbean cooperation on sustainable agriculture. He has also been a leading voice on education and inclusion, co-sponsoring the hair discrimination motion, pressing for teacher development and special needs support, and questioning school funding. His advocacy extends to housing, finance, and culture, where he has pushed for fairer bank fees, homeownership support for families, and the creation of a National Performing Arts Center.

As faction leader, Jansen-Webster noted her own work addressing prisoner rehabilitation, island cleanliness, stronger customs controls, workplace harassment, youth mental health, fuel cost adjustments, and social issues faced by mothers and parents. As Chair of the Health Committee, she guided discussions on vaping and raised questions about the community’s readiness for the legalization of marijuana.

Looking forward, MP Jansen-Webster said she will push landmark legislation to protect the most vulnerable.

• An amendment to the Foster Care Law, reflecting her 11 years of involvement in foster care.

• A Women’s Rights Law to safeguard women in the workplace, strengthen protections against discrimination and violence, and advance gender equality.

• Amendments to the Dog Law on responsible pet ownership, designed to protect schoolchildren, workers, walkers, and farmers affected by roaming dogs.

“These are not just policies, they are commitments to the dignity of our people,” she said. “I will continue to fight for legislation that uplifts our families, protects women and children, and secures justice for all.”

Jansen-Webster stressed that URSM’s record is clear: it has defended the people’s interests, held government accountable, and put forward solutions rooted in fairness and progress. She warned that good governance must not be reduced to a slogan:

“This Parliament must demand accountability from every institution, ensure that development projects are executed transparently, and guarantee that every guilder spent serves the people, not private interests.”

The URSM faction, she said, will continue to advocate for justice reform, social protections in healthcare and mental health, support for elderly and youth, and oversight of utilities and tariffs to protect households.

“Looking ahead, the URSM faction will place the people’s needs at the center of every debate, every motion, and every vote. We will challenge, we will propose, we will collaborate, and where necessary, we will oppose – always in the best interest of St. Maarten.”

In closing, MP Jansen-Webster pledged on behalf of the URSM faction — herself, MP Roseburg, and MP Wever — that they “will not waiver, will not be silent, and will not rest until the people of Sint Maarten can look to this House with pride and trust.”

The new Parliamentary year will officially open on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.

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