Wescot-Williams want English as the language of preference in St. Maarten’s Constitution

GREAT BAY--At the closing of the 2024–2025 Parliamentary year on Monday, September 8, Chairlady of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams called on Parliament to take decisive steps to enshrine English as the language of preference in Sint Maarten’s Constitution.

The Chairlady noted that while motions have long supported the recognition of English, the matter has remained unresolved. She urged her colleagues to shift the debate into concrete action:

“The issue of English as the language of preference has been long advocated, supported by past motions, yet it remains unfulfilled. Let us, as Parliament, take this up again, not as an abstract debate, but as a structured project with a plan and a timeline. By the end of this new Parliamentary year at the latest, let us present a concrete proposal to enshrine this principle in our Constitution.”

Wescot-Williams further noted that such a constitutional move could spark broader reform in the country’s education system:

“If Parliament makes this move, this would lead the way for serious discussion about the language of instruction in schools as well, with a growing number of the population calling for the language of instruction in all schools to be English, not Dutch, as this is seen as hampering students whose mother tongue is English.”

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐲𝐬

Currently, the Constitution of Sint Maarten (2010) recognizes both Dutch and English as official languages.

Article 1(2) states: “The official languages are Dutch and English.”

This grants them equal legal status on paper, but does not establish a language of preference.

In practice, Dutch is still the primary language used in courts, legislation, and many government documents, while English dominates daily communication, media, and cultural life.

Statistics highlight the imbalance:

• Around 67.5% of Sint Maarten’s population speaks English as their main language.

• Only 4.2% speaks Dutch as their primary language.

This discrepancy has fueled longstanding debates about whether Dutch’s dominance in official matters, including education, creates unnecessary barriers for citizens, especially for children whose mother tongue is English.

𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬

Chairlady Wescot-Williams’ proposal would not strip Dutch of its official recognition but would formally establish English as the priority language for governance, law, and education.

Advocates argue that such a move would:

• Reflect social reality, as English is the most widely spoken language on the island.

• Improve accessibility of government services and legal processes for ordinary citizens.

• Strengthen education outcomes, by aligning the language of instruction with students’ mother tongue.

• Affirm cultural identity, positioning Sint Maarten within the broader Caribbean English-speaking community while still honoring its Dutch constitutional ties.

By placing this issue back on the parliamentary agenda, Wescot-Williams emphasized her vision of a proactive Parliament that leads transformation: “In doing so, we will show that Parliament can indeed lead.”

The new Parliamentary year will officially open on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, with the Governor’s annual address.