SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - The National Alliance (NA) Board takes note of the recent public statements made by the URSM regarding the ongoing grievances of our Fire and Ambulance personnel, the NA Board said on Monday in a press statement. “While we understand the government’s desire to reassure the public, we urge the URSM to keep its eyes on the road ahead and take them off the rear view mirror. Every government inherits challenges, and this administration is no exception.

“It is important to remember that now Prime Minister Luc Mercelina, when he was a Member of Parliament, brought a motion of no confidence against then Minister of VSA Emil Lee, sending him home just seven months after a natural disaster. Yet today, without having faced any disaster himself, Prime Minister Mercelina and his URSM Board claim that almost two years in office is too short to deliver results. That contradiction speaks volumes. You cannot justify sending one minister home in seven months, then ask for sympathy after two years. That is the hypocrisy the public should see for what it is.

“So, at the end of the day, if everyone keeps pointing fingers, it takes away from productivity, from solutions, and from real progress for the people. It is time to focus on fixing the issues at hand instead of finding new ways to shift blame. The constant political deflection may serve short term optics, but it does nothing to restore trust or show respect to those who serve this country faithfully.

“If reflection on the past is to be made, let it be with the purpose of learning from it. The National Alliance understands that real growth comes from acknowledging what could have been done better and doing it differently now. The party refuses to be caught up in the political back and forth with the Prime Minister and his board, especially on such a sensitive matter.

“What is truly reckless is not the call for respect from the Fire and Ambulance workers, but the way this government continues to mishandle legitimate union concerns. When a union describes meetings as one way briefings instead of genuine discussions, that is not progress, that is frustration. When civil servants who risk their lives every day feel disrespected, the issue is not political, it is human.

“Standing with the people does not mean standing against government. It means holding government accountable to its promises. Real leadership is not about hiding behind press releases and photo opportunities, but about showing up, listening, and putting commitments in writing.

“What our Fire and Ambulance workers are asking for is not unreasonable. They are asking for respect, dialogue, and fairness. These are not abstract concepts; they are the foundation of good governance. Leadership means creating an environment where people feel heard, valued, and respected.

“The National Alliance stands with all public servants who continue to serve this country with professionalism and patience. The Fire and Ambulance personnel have waited long enough. Sint Maarten deserves leadership that listens, not lectures. The time for excuses and political spin has passed. It is time for this administration to speak less and deliver more. The people are waiting,” the National Alliance Board concludes.

SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) - Fellow St. Martiners,Residents of our beloved island, Brothers and SistersHappy St. Martin Day! 

ThisSt. Martin Day 2026, we celebrate more than a borderless territory; we celebrate a unique, resilient spirit that transcends administrative divisions. This day is a testament to the wisdom of our ancestors who forged a peaceful, shared existence. Yet, we must ask ourselves some tough questions and tell ourselves some home truths.

Is our unity merely a symbol, or is it an activeengine for progressandfiscal responsibility? Do we really live the unity our ancestors demonstrated in their daily lives or is it something we only proclaim ritually one day out of the 365 days in the year?

For too long, the idea of unity has been treated primarily as a cultural or historical legacy. In 2026, facing global economic pressures and the ever-present threat of climate instability, I am of the opinion that we must elevate this unity into a binding, operational principle for how we govern our island, how we spend our meager finances, and how we invest our very limited resources. Our destiny is indeed one - that is undeniable, but unfortunately, our financial strategies on both halves of the island do not reflect that reality.

In practically everything we do the first place we look for solutions is outside the island. We seldom look at each other at all for possible joint responses, strategies, or ventures. Cooperation between us is far from what it should be even as neighbors not to mention as family.

The Cost of Duplication

I am sure every citizen, whether paying taxes in Great Bay or Marigot, shares the same expectations for efficient governance and high-quality public services. However, the reality is that maintaining two entirely separate administrations on an island this size is fundamentally inefficient. We are constantly paying what I would like to call a"duplication tax"— spending resources to acquire, maintain, and staff two separate systems when one coordinated system would suffice.

Those who partitioned the island did it for their own interests, leaving us to pay lip service to the idea of unity and cooperation especially on this special day. Well, this year, we should proclaim that the time for symbolic cooperation is over. We must now embed the principle ofmutual consultationandclose collaborationinto our daily operations. Our unity must be the basis for achieving tangibleeconomies of scalethat reduce the burden on our taxpayers and free up critical budget space for future investments.

Priority Areas for Fiscal Cooperation
The greatest opportunities for maximizingsavings and cost-effectivenesslie in harmonizing core public services and infrastructure that serve every resident, regardless of which side they live on. I would like to propose three immediate areas where joint effort could yield substantial, verifiable fiscal benefits for both our administrations:

1. Joint Procurement and Supply Chain Management
One of the quickest paths to savings is through our purchasing power. When buying essential items—from computers for our schools to high-cost pharmaceuticals and specialized medical equipment for our hospitals—we currently operate as two small and distinct entities. This results in us paying higher prices than necessary.

 By establishing aJoint Procurement Body, both administrations could pool their annual needs and enter the market as a single, larger purchaser. This would secure significantvolume discounts, reduce the complexity of our supply chains, and lower the overall cost of critical public services like healthcare and education.

The savings here can be immediate and measurable, offering instant relief to both our national budgets. After all, if businesses in the private sector can do it, I would like to think that our governments should be able to do it also.

2. Waste Management and Environmental Infrastructure
The challenge of waste and the related financial and environmental risks are perhaps the most visible examples of fragmented planning. Maintaining two distinct solid waste management infrastructures, often leading to unsustainable practices, is an extraordinary, long-term financial liability for both sides.

A joint approach—such as the creation of aUnified Waste-to-Energy or Advanced Recycling Facility, governed by a mutually established authority—would allow us to share the massive capital expenditure and the ongoing operational costs.

This single, optimized investment would replace two expensive, duplicated systems, saving both governments millions in maintenance, landfill remediation, and environmental compliance costs over the next decade.

3. Disaster Resilience and Public Safety Assets
When a hurricane or a major crisis hits, the entire island suffers. Indeed, as Felix Choisy of immortal memory famously said, the gale does not stop at the frontier. Disaster preparedness should, therefore, be an inherently island-wide concern. Currently, both sides invest heavily in large, costly emergency assets: specialized communication networks, disaster supplies and the like.

 By sharing the acquisition and maintenance of high-cost, low-frequency-use assets—such as large generators, or high-capacity pumps—we could reduce the capital expenditure burden on both treasuries.

Furthermore, aUnified Crisis Management Protocolguarantees faster, more efficient deployment of personnel and equipment across the island, which directly reduces the economic cost of downtime and accelerates overall recovery, providing an invaluable fiscal benefit to both governments.

Our Shared Future

This St. Martin Day, let us commit to making the unity we celebrate actually work in our best interest. Our cooperation should not be seen as a political negotiation; it is, in my humble view, afinancial imperativethat must be rooted in sound economic planning and good stewardship of the public purse.

By consulting closely, sharing assets strategically, and investing jointly, we would reinforce our resilience and ensure that every euro and every guilder spent works harder and better for all the people of St. Martin.

May this St. Martin Day mark the beginning of our most cost-effective and prosperous chapter yet.

Happy St. Martin Day to one and all.

Ms. Marinka Gumbs,

Minister of Finance, Sint Maarten