Dear Editor,

Over the past decade, the Caribbean has been increasingly affected by the recurring influx of sargassum along our shores. Sint Maarten is no exception. Already, satellite imagery and forecasting models are predicting that 2025 will be among the worst years on record, with massive blooms of sargassum drifting westward from the Atlantic. The time to act is now—before the health, environmental, and economic consequences once again overwhelm us.

Large quantities of sargassum washing ashore bring with them a host of cascading challenges. Decomposing sargassum emits hydrogen sulfide, which causes respiratory distress and poses serious health risks to vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly. For our tourism-dependent economy, the presence of rotting sargassum on popular beaches is not only unsightly but deters visitors, affects local businesses, and adds significant costs for cleanup. The marine ecosystem is not spared either—sargassum smothers seagrass beds, coral reefs, and nearshore habitats that are critical for fisheries and coastal resilience.

What is urgently needed is a coordinated, proactive response that goes beyond short-term cleanup and reactive measures. Managing the sargassum issue effectively requires integrated planning, sustainable financing, and regional cooperation. On Sint Maarten, this means formalizing collaboration between the Dutch and French sides of the island, aligning monitoring systems, sharing response strategies, and jointly engaging with regional institutions and technical experts.

At the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF), we have been actively supporting the development of coordinated regional responses to the sargassum influx, particularly through our work with the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). With funding mechanisms and partnerships in place, CBF has helped facilitate workshops, technical exchanges, and support for early warning systems and sargassum management plans. These efforts are geared toward building the long-term capacity of governments and civil society to prepare for and mitigate the impacts of future sargassum events.

Sint Maarten has a valuable opportunity to link into these regional efforts and learn from what has already been piloted and tested across the OECS. This includes not only monitoring and forecasting but also developing effective removal and disposal protocols, investing in research to understand sargassum’s origin and movement, and supporting innovative uses of collected biomass.

The reality is that this issue is not going away. Climate change, changing ocean currents, and nutrient runoff from major river systems in South America are contributing to the expansion of the Atlantic sargassum belt. Our island—like so many others in the Caribbean—must treat sargassum as a long-term challenge that demands serious cross-border coordination and dedicated planning.

It is my hope that our leaders on both sides of the island, together with regional and international partners, can come together to formulate a joint sargassum response plan for Sint Maarten. Waiting until the next wave hits our coastlines is not an option. The health of our people, the sustainability of our tourism product, and the resilience of our marine ecosystems depend on the actions we take today.

Sincerely,
Tadzio Bervoets

Belair, Sint Maarten 

Have you ever walked into a house with pets and noticed a particular odor? If you’re not used to that environment it remains unpleasant. Oftentimes pet owners don’t recognize it and walk around their home like it's normal. This experience is known as olfactory adaptation. It’s when our brain becomes less receptive to repeated odor exposure. The olfactory receptors stop sending strong signals to your brain and the recognition of the odor diminishes. On St. Martin, there’s a pervading stench we must not become immune to and it is called abuse. The murder of Claire Pryce should be a strong signal to our brain that we need to cleanse our community.

It is not fair to our women in particular that we live unaware of the horrors of abuse. If we know abuse is repulsive, evil and shameful, then there must be a condemnation to uproot it from within our culture. It thrives off our fear which leads to this mass silence. Generations continue passing down heirlooms of muzzles to keep from “bringing shame to the family” or “telling people your business”. This shields abusers from accountability and withholds justice from victims. Being our brother’s or sister’s keeper is a value that cannot fade. It’s easy to say “that’s not my problem” until it knocks on your door or someone you know. The discomfort talking about abuse places a mask over the masses. It's time we acknowledge it and remove the ghastly nature of this stench. 

From personal experience I understand why we often choose to remain silent. Calling out abuse and wrongdoing isn’t glamorous, it's scary. Especially when it can cost you your livelihood or opportunities. However we must ask ourselves if our silence is worth the destruction of another person’s life. This is where we challenge ourselves to form values that shape how we respond in crisis or moral dilemmas. At the root of abuse is the power imbalance which paralyzes victims and makes them feel helpless. The condemnation has to begin with those in positions of power or influence. 

Reports published globally consistently show that men overwhelmingly are perpetrators of abuse in domestic or intimate partner cases. As a man, I’m pleading with fellow men for us to champion rooting out this pariah. Why men? Because we’ve been the dominant hand that molded our culture and exacted control over other humans. Abuse against women, children and other men is unacceptable. We have to establish that principle. 

It begins with calling it out in our proximity by establishing that no friendship, opportunity or compensation is worth your silence. Also note that asking someone who’s been/being abused what they did to deserve it is ridiculous. It is never the fault of the victim as there is no excuse for abuse. We must collectively agree that self control and respect ought to be a trait of manhood we uphold. Our voice and disapproval creates a safe space for victims to speak up or receive support as needed. Words are powerful, and how we speak creates the framework for our behavior.

Advocacy must extend to petitioning our governing system to create policies alongside experts and organizations which are in the field working to resolve the impact of abuse on parties involved; including them into all sectors on the island. This entails strengthening our legal system which abusers seem to skirt. What we perceive as weak penalties often mean abusers receive a few years imprisonment after committing their heinous acts. A sex offender registry and other legal measures that work best for our community ought to be explored. Most importantly, deep rehabilitation is necessary. 100% reformation isn’t guaranteed, but for those who return into society, sincere efforts to educate and transform their minds and behaviors must be deployed. 

The reality we face is that for those abusers who’ve faced the law, our social environment doesn’t have enough guardrails to condemn it. There is a high possibility of repeat offenders. Too many abusers walk unashamed and unafraid while a slew of victims stumble over their traumas. This is where our collective agreement comes in to forge a safe and hospitable nation. Respect and value for the lives of women, girls and boys must be deeply rooted and protected. How can we be comfortable seeing the (gruesome) end of a woman’s life; the very one that brings new life into the world? It begins by seeing women and girls as human beings. Simple right? It is their right to exist without the constant fear of being abused. Equally value them as we do ourselves; no matter who they are or what they do.

Men, we have to step up. We need to teach our children, especially our boys, to love, nurture and protect. Without it, children grow up broken, prideful, hardened, angry, and destructive which continues the cycle of abuse. We need a culture of love. That is how we retain our identity as the Friendly Island. That is how we get rid of the stench. Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, nor act disgracefully. Love is not boastful, it doesn’t seek its own way, it does not provoke, nor is it evil. Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness but in truth. Love bears, believes, hopes and endures. Love never fails. God is love. All those traits of love can be found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

My condolences to the friends and family of Claire.

 Ralph Cantave 

Dear Editor

St. Maarten, it is time for the politicians and government to stop playing politics with the people and let the truth be told. I am a correctional officer at the Pointe Blanche Prison, and even though I was not present on the day of the fire, my colleagues relayed the message to me, which does not match what the minister has stated.

My colleagues explained that around 3:30 PM, there were three minor fires that they controlled and extinguished with a fire extinguisher. Everything was under control until they received direct orders from D. Leonard, the Head of Detention, to immediately leave their posts and go to the front. Due to this decision, the inmates were left unattended, and the minor fires, which could have been managed if the guards had remained at their posts, escalated. Only one guard took the keys and went to the location of the fire.

I am not here to discuss who saved whom or who did what, I am here to address the injustices that my colleagues and I feel affect not only the inmates but also us as correctional officers. The Honorable Minister stated that 51 inmates had to be relocated to a safe location. However, what do we consider "safe"? Twelve inmates were transferred to Simpson Bay Prison without any communication to their families about their relocation and safety. The remaining 39 inmates are crammed into the same uninhabitable building, having been moved there just hours after the fire was extinguished. The areas where the inmates are located lack restroom facilities, forcing my colleagues and me to constantly escort them back and forth to the two porta-potties. This situation poses significant risks, especially when we have to transfer inmates to the porta-potty at 2 AM.

It is ironic that all these new measures, including lights and cameras being installed at the prison, are being implemented now, yet my colleagues and I have spoken about the dangerous situations we endure every day for years. It should not have taken such a severe incident for these issues to be addressed seriously.

While we appreciate the Honorable Minister bringing in five correctional officers from Aruba, we must ask who is covering the expenses. Who is feeding, housing, and providing rentals for these correctional officers? Though we welcome the assistance, what about our compensation that is due to us? We heard the Honorable Minister state in Parliament that multiple other departments will have their LBS signed, but for prison guards, the number was zero. We risk our lives every day, working with minimal supplies and manpower, all for a meager salary of 1,000 to 2,000 Guilders.

Even though I don’t agree with how the inmates went about their strike, I must acknowledge that they have shed light on the difficult situations we endure daily as Saint Maarten correctional officers. I hope we, too, can receive the compensation and have our LBS signed, just like everyone else.

Sincerely Lily of the Valley

To: Honorable State Secretary Z. Szabo

Minister of Digitalisation and Kingdom Relations

The Hague, Netherlands

Re: The Right of Self Determination, Your Excellency:

The Apex Court has ruled: Het folterverbod heeft een absoluut karakter: geen enkele uitzonderlijke omstandigheid, ongeacht of het gaat om een oorlogstoestand, een oorlogsdreiging, binnenlandse politieke onrust of welke andere openbare noodsituatie ook, kan worden aangevoerd als rechtvaardiging voor foltering (art. 2 lid 2 Verdrag tegen foltering). (ECLI:NL:PHR:2014:369, r.o. 2.2 ) Omdat het folterverbod volkenrechtelijk tot het ius cogens wordt gerekend, moet een verplichting van Nederland op grond van het uitleveringsverdrag met de V.S. wijken voor een verplichting van Nederland op grond van het folterverbod. (ECLI:NL:PHR:2014:369, r.o. 3.16) The Dutch Advisory Commission on Public International Law (CAVV) has declared that “Peremptory norms of international law protect the fundamental values of the international community. They are hierarchically superior to other rules of international law and are universally applicable. Examples of rules generally recognised as peremptory norms of international law are the prohibition of aggression, the prohibition of genocide and the right to self-determination.” Article 53 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties provides that: For the purposes of the present Convention, a peremptory norm of general international law is a norm accepted and recognized by the international community of States as a whole as a norm from which no derogation is permitted. While in the Written Statement of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the International Court of Justice on February 27, 2018, the Kingdom posited: Those peremptory norms that are clearly accepted and recognized include the prohibitions of aggression, genocide, slavery, racial discrimination, crimes against humanity and torture, and the right to self-determination” (par. 3.9) The Kingdom clearly recognizes the right to self-determination and torture both as “peremptory” or “jus cogens” norms. Question: 1. Can the State Secretary confirm that the Netherlands has declared that the right to self-determination is a permanent, continuing, universal, and inalienable right with a peremptory character from which there is no deviation under international law and this applies to Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Maarten? 2. Can the State Secretary confirm that the Netherlands has declared that the right of self-determination of the people of a colonial territory prevails over any claim by an Administering State and this applies to Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Eustatius, and St. Maarten? 3. Can the State Secretary confirm that the Netherlands has declared that the decisions on the political status and the economic, social, and cultural development are made by the people itself, or its legitimate representatives and not by others? 4. Can the State Secretary confirm that the Netherlands has declared that the decisions on the political status and the economic, social, and cultural development shall be made in full freedom without any outside pressure or interference and this applies to Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius, and St. Maarten? 5. Can the State Secretary confirm that because the right to self-determination is a peremptory norm that it prevails over Articles 2, 44, 50, and 51 of the Kingdom Charter or Het Statuut? We would appreciate an answer within three weeks of the date of this letter. Sincerely, Mr. Renate L. Brison Secretary Pro Soualiga Foundation