Wescot-Williams to government: claim the right to development, engage The Hague, Brussels

GREAT BAY--President of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams is urging the Government of St. Maarten to engage counterparts in The Hague and Brussels now that the Netherlands has rejected the European Commission’s proposed EU budget for 2028 to 2034 as too expansive and dead on arrival.

As reported by The Peoples' Tribune on Friday, the proposal includes a significant increase for the Overseas Countries and Territories, with approximately €999 million for OCTs overall and about €425 million earmarked for the Dutch and French Caribbean, including St. Maarten. The Dutch government has asked for clarity on loan conditions, allocation criteria, and governance arrangements; Wescot-Williams is calling for proactive diplomacy to secure fair access to these resources and timely implementation once approved. (see related story here: https://www.thepeoplestribunesxm.com/articles/425-million-for-dutch-french-caribbean-islands-but-the-hague-seeks-clarity)

Her appeal builds on remarks delivered on October 13 at the Jocelyn Arndell Festival Village, distinct from her Constitution Day address in Parliament, where she renewed a call for a reset of St. Maarten’s development path and linked it to the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 41/128 on the right to development.

“Fifteen years on, the promise that autonomy would bring about a new era of progress and empowerment remains incomplete,” she said. “True development means ensuring that every resident has the opportunity to live with dignity, participate meaningfully in the decisions that affect their lives, and benefit equitably from the resources of this country.”

She stressed that Article 43 of the Charter of the Kingdom must be seen as a responsibility clause. “The Kingdom cannot speak of partnership while withholding the means of development,” she said. “Development is not charity, it is a right. And that right extends to every part of the Kingdom.” She added: “Article 43 should not be feared as a whip, but embraced as a tool to demand the right to development for the people of St. Martin, at our pace and on our terms.”

She reminded that Article 43 of the Charter of the Kingdom of the Netherlands must be understood not merely as a supervisory clause but as a responsibility clause, obligating the Kingdom to promote and safeguard conditions for equitable development.

Wescot-Williams urged government to engage The Hague and Brussels to ensure St. Maarten can fully access EU development resources, and to refocus national planning so that development is treated as a right, not a privilege. She concluded: “As we mark this 10/10/10 anniversary, let us move from commemoration to commitment to claim, as a matter of right, the development of St. Maarten not merely to survive, but to thrive."

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