PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina used Wednesday’s Council of Ministers press briefing to commend the country’s firefighters and police force, announce expanded Civil Registry services, and provide details regarding the upcoming visit of Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.
Opening the briefing, Mercelina congratulated the firefighters of St. Maarten on International Firefighters Day, observed on May 4.
“I want to make use of this opportunity to still congratulate the firefighters and acknowledge once more their commitment and their services that they are guaranteeing 24 hours a day to the community of St. Maarten,” the Prime Minister said.

Mercelina also praised the St. Maarten Police Force (KPSM) for its handling of the recent Carnival season, commending officers for maintaining public order throughout the festivities.
“We have to admit that the police force of St. Maarten did a wonderful job actually guiding the whole period of our national Carnival festivities,” he stated.
The Prime Minister also recognized police officers for their response to the recent armed robbery on Front Street, specifically highlighting the professionalism displayed during the operation.
“Their efforts, particularly in the apprehension of those involved, demonstrate commitment to maintaining public safety and upholding the rule of law,” Mercelina said.
He also offered special praise to the officer directly involved in the incident.

“An extra thank you for this heroic moment that took place with this police officer for what he actually did to protect our community,” he added.
The Prime Minister further announced that the Civil Registry Department will introduce additional Saturday opening hours throughout May to help residents renew important documents.
The expanded service will focus on identification cards, driver’s licenses, and passports.
Mercelina revealed that the first passport walk-in service is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, and will specifically accommodate passports that expired or will expire between January 2026 and October 2026.
According to government estimates, approximately 1,500 passports are due for expiration.
“It is a gigantic amount of passports,” Mercelina noted while explaining the need for the additional service days.

Residents will be able to access the walk-in passport service between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., provided they arrive with all required documents.
The government is also encouraging the public to monitor official social media platforms for additional updates regarding future service dates and available services.
The Prime Minister additionally confirmed that Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten is scheduled to arrive in St. Maarten on Friday night for a brief official working visit.
According to Mercelina, Jetten’s visit will include meetings with the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers, Members of Parliament, and representatives of the justice chain.
The Dutch Prime Minister is also expected to tour several Trust Fund projects during his stay before departing the island on Sunday morning.

PHILIPSBURG:--- The Police Force of Sint Maarten (KPSM) is currently investigating a burglary that occurred in the early morning hours of Wednesday, May 6th, 2026, on the Calabash Road located in the Cole Bay area.

At approximately 2.30 AM, unknown suspect(s) unlawfully entered a residence in the Cole Bay neighborhood. During the incident, a substantial sum of money was stolen from the home.

Detectives are actively investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident. At this time, no arrests have been made. KPSM urges anyone who may have seen or heard anything suspicious around the time of the incident to come forward. Any information, no matter how minor it may seem, could assist in the ongoing investigation. Members of the public with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Police Force of Sint Maarten via 5422222 or the anonymous tip line 9300.

KPSM reminds residents to remain vigilant and to ensure that their homes and valuables are properly secured.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina says the government is pushing ahead with efforts to modernize the country’s budgeting process while simultaneously dealing with delays surrounding the 2026 national budget.
Speaking during Wednesday’s Council of Ministers press briefing, Mercelina acknowledged that the 2026 budget remains behind schedule and is currently under review by the Council of Advice.
“We are already behind in our time planning for the budget of 2026,” Mercelina stated. “The 2026 national budget is still pending at this particular moment. It’s by the Council of Advice.”
The Prime Minister explained that government submitted the 2026 budget late and is now awaiting feedback from the advisory body before moving forward with the next phase of the process.
“We are waiting on their feedback. And after that, we will have to make another report, as we say. And then it will be submitted to Parliament,” he said.
Despite the delay, Mercelina emphasized that government has already begun preparing the 2027 budget using what he described as “a totally different approach” aimed at improving financial planning and ensuring future budgets are approved by Parliament before September.
Under the leadership of the Ministry of Finance and with support from the Temporary Work Organization (TWO), the government has already established financial ceilings for each ministry and identified three policy priorities per ministry as part of a policy-based budgeting model.
“All ministries will be required to submit their draft budgets and explanatory notes,” Mercelina explained, adding that the Ministry of General Affairs has already completed its submission for the 2027 process.
The Prime Minister outlined several major priorities that will shape government spending in both 2026 and 2027, including strengthening public administration, improving shared government services such as Personnel and Organization (P&O), legal affairs, and facility management.
Mercelina also highlighted the importance of regional cooperation and stronger cross-border collaboration with French Saint-Martin and the Kingdom.
Another key area of investment involves disaster preparedness and emergency response capabilities.
“Advancing long overdue investments in disaster management and crisis response, including essential equipment for the Fire Department and strengthening of the Office for Disaster Management,” remains one of government’s priorities, Mercelina said.
The Prime Minister additionally addressed ongoing staffing shortages within government, describing the recruitment of qualified professionals as one of St. Maarten’s largest institutional challenges.
“One of the biggest challenges we still have is the equipment of our government with enough professionals,” he stated.
Government, he said, is working closely with TWO to recruit professionals to strengthen public services across the country.
During the question-and-answer segment, Mercelina also addressed the country’s broader financial challenges, noting that St. Maarten continues to face structural limitations due to its small population and economic realities.
“There is no financial formula that 15,000 people can pay for 60,000,” the Prime Minister said while discussing healthcare financing and public service demands.
Mercelina stressed that solving the country’s long-term financial issues will require broader contributions from the population as the government attempts to balance national priorities with limited resources.

~Gumbs Defends Government Position as Derek Fleming Fires Back Over Delayed Payments and Missing Contract~

PHILIPSBURG: --- The worsening garbage crisis on St. Maarten escalated Wednesday into a public war of words between Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) Patrice Gumbs Jr. and Fleming Waste Solutions owner Derek Fleming, after government openly addressed long-standing payment and contractual disputes involving waste collection services.

During the Council of Ministers press briefing, Gumbs acknowledged that Fleming Waste Solutions has been performing certain services for the government without a formal contract since 2021, a situation he said now complicates the payment process.

“Fleming Waste Solutions does not have a contract with the government for the services that are unpaid,” Gumbs stated. “Fleming has been carrying out these services without a contract since 2021.”

The minister explained that under government financial procedures, payments cannot legally be processed without proper documentation and approvals.

“Government is not allowed to pay without advice or a contract,” Gumbs said, adding that the full implementation of the AIMS financial system now requires all payments to follow strict digital procedures.

According to the minister, contracted services performed by Fleming continue to be paid, while delays affect only non-contracted work.

“This paints a very clear, objective picture that delayed payments have nothing to do with the unwillingness to pay, but the manner in which Mr. Fleming’s services were entered into in the first place in 2021,” Gumbs stated.

Derek Fleming Pushes Back

Shortly after the briefing, Derek Fleming publicly challenged the minister’s explanation, arguing that the government has had years to regularize the arrangement and accusing officials of failing to process the required paperwork.

“How long have you been servicing the dump without a contract?” SMN News asked. “More than five years Fleming responded.”

Fleming said previous administrations managed the situation through formal government advice procedures that allowed payments to continue despite the absence of a finalized contract.

“If you don’t have a contract, it is used as something called advice,” Fleming explained. “You get it signed up and all of this so payment could be done.”

The waste contractor argued that the government cannot continue requesting essential services while blaming payment delays solely on contractual issues.

“If you know in fact that you’re utilizing a service, shouldn’t you then do the paperwork to continue the service?” Fleming questioned. “Don’t hide behind the fact of not having a contract. Say the truth — you’re not doing the paperwork for the company to be paid on time.”

Fleming also criticized the pace of negotiations, noting that discussions about formalizing a contract have allegedly been ongoing since last year after the landfill closure.

“From since last year when Mr. Fleming closed the landfill, why is it taking so long for you to just make one simple contract?” he asked.

While acknowledging that contract discussions have taken place, Fleming insisted that conversations alone are meaningless without action.

“Discussing something doesn’t mean you’re working on it,” he said. “Bringing it to fruition — is it done?”

Illegal Dumping Worsening Crisis

The exchange comes as the government faces mounting public frustration over garbage accumulation across the island.

Gumbs described widespread illegal dumping practices that he says are overwhelming residential waste systems and driving up collection costs.

“I have seen carnival costumes thrown in boxes on the ring road. I have seen businesses wheel old fridges and dump them into metal bins. Most alarmingly, I have seen brand new dump sites appear on the roadside,” the minister said during Wednesday’s briefing.

The VROMI minister announced that commercial entities will soon be required to submit formal waste disposal plans and potentially secure contracts with recognized private haulers.

“Commercial waste continues to be illegally dumped in residential bins and disposal sites, rapidly filling bins, making neighborhoods dirty, and disproportionately raising collection costs,” Gumbs warned.

The government is expected to roll out stricter enforcement measures in the coming weeks under Article 21 of the Waste Ordinance.

Waste Sector “Needs 35 million Guilders.”

Gumbs also revealed the scale of the country’s financial challenge, stating that St. Maarten requires at least 35 million guilders annually to properly manage the waste sector, while the government currently spends only 12 million guilders.

“A well-functioning, clean, and healthy society costs money,” he stated.

The minister linked future reforms to the Trust Fund’s Emergency Debris Management Project (EDMP), which aims to close the landfill and transition the country toward a more sustainable waste management system.

Prime Minister Calls for “Mindset Change”

Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina also weighed in on the garbage crisis during the same briefing, arguing that the island’s financial realities make it impossible for the government alone to solve national problems without greater public contribution and responsibility.

“We see the challenges that we have with garbage collection now,” Mercelina said. “What is this community paying for garbage collection?”

The Prime Minister criticized the culture of indiscriminate dumping while residents simultaneously complained about conditions.

“Everybody is throwing everything on the streets and roads of St. Maarten,” he stated. “And the only thing we do is complain about our garbage.”

Mercelina warned that significant financial contributions from the public may eventually become unavoidable if the country hopes to maintain a functional waste collection system.

“I can assure you the day that this government comes with a proposal for significant financial contribution for garbage collection in this country, you’re going to see a different other attitude and stance towards this problem,” the Prime Minister said.

He concluded by calling for what he described as a national “mindset change” to address the country’s structural challenges.

“I think we will have to do a mindset change if we want to solve the problems and the budget challenges of this country,” Mercelina declared.

The escalating public disagreement between government and one of the island’s primary waste contractors now places even greater attention on how St. Martin plans to stabilize its struggling garbage collection system in the months ahead.