~Links Kingdom Responsibility and UN Right to Development Amid EU Budget Concerns.~
PHILIPSBURG:--- President of Parliament, Sarah Wescot-Williams, has renewed her call for a “reset” of St. Maarten’s development path, emphasizing the island’s right to development as recognized by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 41/128.
Her remarks follow the address she delivered on October 13th in the J. Arndell Festival Village, marking the 15th anniversary of 10/10/10. In that speech -distinct from her earlier Constitution Day address in Parliament- Wescot-Williams urged that St. Maarten critically assess its progress since the constitutional change and refocus on development as a right, not a privilege.
“Fifteen years on, the promise that autonomy would bring about a new era of progress and empowerment remains incomplete,” Wescot-Williams said. “True development means ensuring that every resident has the opportunity to live with dignity, participate meaningfully in the decisions that affect their lives, and benefit equitably from the resources of this country.”
Her call has gained renewed urgency following reports that the Netherlands has rejected the European Commission’s proposed EU budget for 2028–2034, calling the €2 trillion plan “too expansive” and “dead on arrival.” The proposal includes a significant increase in funding for the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs), raising their collective allocation to approximately €999 million, with about €425 million earmarked for the Dutch and French Caribbean OCTs, including St. Maarten.
According to regional reports, the Dutch government has expressed reservations about the OCT funding, seeking further clarity on loan conditions, allocation criteria, and governance arrangements before endorsing the package. Wescot-Williams warned that such hesitation could delay or dilute vital resources intended to strengthen small island economies’ resilience and equity.
“The Kingdom cannot speak of partnership while withholding the means of development,” she asserted. “Development is not charity; it is a right. And that right extends to every part of the Kingdom.”
She reminded that Article 43 of the Charter of the Kingdom of the Netherlands must be understood not merely as a supervisory clause but as a responsibility clause, obligating the Kingdom to promote and safeguard conditions for equitable development.
“Article 43 should not be feared as a whip,” she said, “but embraced as a tool to demand the right to development for the people of St. Martin, at our pace and on our terms.”
Wescot-Williams called on the government to engage both The Hague and Brussels to ensure that St. Maarten can fully access EU development resources. She concluded:
“As we mark this 10/10/10 anniversary, let us move from commemoration to commitment to claim, as a matter of right, the development of St. Maarten not merely to survive, but to thrive.”
