UN highlights prison project, health, and disaster resilience as key results in SXM

GREAT BAY--The United Nations is celebrating tangible milestones in its cooperation with St. Maarten, highlighting progress in justice reform, public health, and disaster preparedness, even as the island faces ongoing economic and environmental vulnerabilities.

The remarks came from Mrs. Joanna Kazana, UN Resident Coordinator for Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Maarten, during an official visit to the island from January 13–16. RC Kazana met with local officials, including the Prime Minister, the Governor, and the Council of Ministers, and will attend the groundbreaking ceremony for St. Maarten’s new prison at Point Blanche on Thursday.

Speaking to the tribune on Wednesday, RC Kazana outlined concrete outcomes from 2024 that residents are likely to notice. The most visible milestone is the start of construction on the island’s new prison. While the building itself has yet to be completed, the design, financial planning, and institutional coordination completed over the past several years represent a major achievement.

“The preparatory work is very important,” RC Kazana said. “All of the design aspects, financial planning, and institutional collaboration are now in place. The groundbreaking marks a reason to celebrate this milestone of cooperation.”

The UN’s engagement extends beyond construction. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is supporting prison authorities in developing standard operating procedures and rehabilitation programs. Initiatives will include education, vocational training, and skills development to better prepare inmates for reintegration into society.

“These are long-term reforms,” RC Kazana said. “The construction of the prison is not the end of cooperation.”

In public health, the UN is collaborating with PAHO/WHO to strengthen prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and cardiovascular illness, while promoting healthy eating habits from early childhood. Disaster risk reduction also remains a priority, with UN-supported programs aimed at improving infrastructure resilience in anticipation of hurricanes and other natural hazards.

Despite these achievements, RC Kazana acknowledged that St. Maarten remains economically exposed, due in part to its reliance on tourism. Comparing the economy to “an airplane flying on one engine,” she emphasized the need for economic diversification to reduce vulnerability.

RC Kazana’s visit also addressed longer-term priorities, including digital resilience, ethical governance in emerging technologies, and protection against misinformation, as well as strengthening health services, migration-related services, and human rights protections.

The UN’s 2024 annual report, released recently, documents for the first time the work of nearly a dozen UN agencies in Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Maarten, highlighting both ongoing programs and initiatives planned for the coming years.

The United Nations released its 2024 Annual Results Report for the Dutch Caribbean in July 2025, outlining progress and ongoing gaps in Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Maarten across health, education, infrastructure, justice reform, and climate resilience. The report said all three islands advanced work toward the Sustainable Development Goals through the UN Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, focused on economic resilience, social inclusion, climate adaptation, and rule of law, while St. Maarten was highlighted for strong partnerships, infrastructure steps, and active advocacy on small island priorities.

For St. Maarten, the report noted that the UN Resident Coordinator visited for the first time in 2024, prompting renewed engagement on climate adaptation, citizen security, and youth development. The Ministry of VSA worked with PAHO/WHO on health system strengthening, including completion of a national Type 2 diabetes protocol aligned with the HEARTS-D framework, and it moved forward work on the National Mental Health Plan, with an updated strategy expected by the end of 2025. Social protection efforts were boosted through the $5 million Child Resilience and Protection Project with UNICEF the Netherlands and the World Bank, which rolled out school and community interventions such as psychosocial support, parenting workshops, educator training, and development of a national child protection platform.

On infrastructure and justice, the report said a UNOPS-led sanitation and water management project in Dutch Quarter, funded by the European Commission, progressed in 2024 and included upgrades such as street lighting and sidewalks. It also pointed to plans for a new correctional facility backed by a $52 million investment, aimed at rehabilitation, education, and reintegration. Regionally, St. Maarten was described as active in small island advocacy, including participation at SIDS4 in Antigua and Barbuda and involvement in discussions on regenerative tourism, digital infrastructure, and climate finance. The report also highlighted St. Maarten’s chairmanship of the Caribbean Safe Schools Initiative and related work with UNDRR to strengthen school safety policies addressing risks such as extreme heat.

Economically, the report said St. Maarten’s GDP growth eased to 3.1% in 2024 due to ongoing energy infrastructure constraints, while new agreements with the Netherlands and the World Bank were pursued to improve water access and public utilities. It noted continued concerns around crime, electricity disruptions, and youth unemployment, and said the UN urged continued investment in youth engagement, digital resilience, climate financing, and stronger institutions, with partnerships across government, international actors, and civil society supporting targeted solutions.

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Photo inset caption: Joanna Kazana, UN Resident Coordinator for Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Maarten meeting with Minister of Justice for St. Maarten Nathalie Tackling (second from right).