Might as well Replace ‘Great bay’ with ‘Willemstad’

On 10-10-10, St. Maarten broke away to stand on its own feet. But fifteen years later, it feels like we’re still carrying Curaçao on our back. Look around:

• Ennia? Curaçao.
• WIB? Curaçao.
• OrcoBank? Curaçao.
• VidaNova Bank/Pension? Curaçao.
• PSB, now APC? Curaçao.
• Kooyman? Curaçao.
• UTS/FLOW? Curaçao.
• CBCS? Curaçao.
• Z-Air? Curaçao.
• HBN Law & Tax? Curaçao.
• BDO Dutch Caribbean? Curaçao.
• VanEps? Curaçao.
• Mullet Bay? Curaçao.
• OBNA bank? Curaçao.
• ACU? Curaçao.

And it doesn’t stop there. Even C-level positions in our own government-owned companies GEBE, TelEm, are given to executives from Curaçao. Then those same executives 9 times out of 10 hire consultants, also from Curaçao. So why did we fight for 10-10-10? What does autonomy mean if we keep outsourcing our leadership and management? Are we truly incapable, or just unwilling, to trust our own people?

Because here’s the proof we can do it: look at the Harbor. Local leadership is steering it forward. Look at Minister Grisha Heyliger-Marten, who understands the value of empowering our own. Look at the rebuilding at PJIAE finally showing our own are capable. Kadaster has homegrown leadership. The Tax Office is homegrown.

The Democratic Party is finally local. The question is: will their coalition partners follow suit, or will they keep looking abroad for answers? But here’s the uncomfortable truth: as long as we keep doing this, Curaçao will thrive off our backs while we keep struggling with identity, pride, and economic independence.

St. Maarten has the talent. St. Maarten has the brains. What’s missing is the political will to say enough is enough. Curaçao doesn’t need us to keep them alive. We need to breathe life into our own future.  10-10-10 was supposed to mean independence of thought and action not dependency dressed up as progress. If we don’t believe in ourselves, who will?

And let’s talk banking. Seeing 80% of the banks are owned by Curacao. We need to recede from the Central Bank of Curaçao and follow the example of Aruba. No more reinventing the wheel. Aruba already has modern, functional systems like PayPal and Revolut. Simple, global banking technology that’s up-to-date with 2025. Meanwhile, here in St. Maarten, CBCS still makes us pay with arms, legs, hearts, and kidneys just to get a basic bank account. Why accept being stuck in the past when better models are right next door?  

Could we plant our flag in their economy the way theirs is embedded in ours? Somehow, it feels unlikely. But for those in the back that are blind, which high position (CEO/CFO/COO/CTO) in Curacao is held by a St. Maartener? Which Minister from Curacao is a St. Maartener? Which Member of Parliament is a St. Maartener? Curacao is for Curacao but St. Maarten is for...everybody?

St. Maarten doesn’t need to be anyone’s cash cow anymore. The question is when will we finally decide to stop being milked?

Let this sink in: The report on GEBE tariffs is from RAC (The Regulatory Authority of Curaçao) requested by our Prime Minister, who is from.....

By Sint Esquire

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