Wescot-Williams urges govt. to monitor Dutch motion to ease student debt

GREAT BAY--During her debriefing on the recent IPKO sessions in the Netherlands, MP Sarah Wescot-Williams urged the CKAIR Committee to formally inform the Minister of ECYS on a Dutch motion that explores partial cancellation of student debt for Caribbean students. The motion covers St. Maarten, Aruba, and Curaçao, as well as Saba, Statia, and Bonaire. She asked that once government is apprised, St. Maarten move proactively. Wescot-Williams delivered her remarks at Wednesday’s meeting of the Committee for Kingdom Affairs and Interparliamentary Relations (CKAIR)

Wescot-Williams reported that Dutch Second Chamber member Raoul White of GroenLinks PvdA introduced a motion to study partial cancellation of student debt for Caribbean students. She said the motion received support and instructs the Government of the Netherlands to report on feasibility by March 2026.

She linked the motion to Sint Maarten’s long standing policy that allows up to 50 percent study debt forgiveness for returnees who work for government. She urged that this practice be used as an example to support the Dutch discussion, noting its role in a brain gain strategy.

She asked the Government of Sint Maarten, in particular the Minister of Education, to monitor the motion closely, to signal support where useful, and to prepare data now. She recommended compiling current figures on Sint Maarten students, return rates, public sector placement, and outcomes from the existing 50 percent forgiveness policy. She said this will position Sint Maarten to respond quickly when asked for input.

Wescot-Williams said the country should not wait for the Dutch response. She called for early coordination across ministries and stakeholders to define how partial debt cancellation could work for Sint Maarten students and how it could strengthen recruitment, retention, and public service capacity.

She concluded that timely data and clear policy positions will help ensure Sint Maarten’s interests are reflected when the Netherlands reports on the motion in 2026.

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