The Hague, Netherlands:--- Member of Parliament Omar E.C. Ottley delivered a compelling and passionate address at the Inter-Expo Congress in the Netherlands, highlighting the urgent need for equitable treatment and cooperation between the Netherlands and the Dutch Caribbean territories, particularly St. Maarten. While the representatives from The Netherlands echoed the sentiment that “St. Maarten’s problems are man-made, so man can solve them,” he reminded them many of St. Maarten’s challenges are natural disasters combined with the recent Global Pandemic that crippled the world’s economy. MP Ottley called for actionable change to address the systemic challenges that hinder the progress and Prosperity of his people.
Acknowledging that St. Maarten is no stranger to adversity, MP Ottley reminded attendees that the island is often beset by natural disasters, the most devastating being Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. These events derailed St. Maarten’s progress towards financial stability, including achieving three consecutive balanced budgets—a requirement to free the island from the Committee for Financial Supervision (CFT) oversight. While the island successfully balanced its budget twice in the past, the aftermath of the hurricanes shattered its financial plans, underscoring the pressing need for greater support and understanding from the Kingdom.
“We need to see an equal partnership,” MP Ottley asserted. He criticized the imbalance in the Kingdom’s approach to aiding, noting the disparity in treatment between St. Maarten and other non-Kingdom nations. Referencing the report of some US$700 million given to Dominica in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017 as a grant, MP Ottley questioned why St. Maarten—an integral part of the Kingdom—is consistently subjected to stringent conditions for assistance.
According to MP Ottley, evidence of this inequity was most recently highlighted in the 2024 Budget Amendment, where St. Maarten was compelled to contribute some Naf—70 million to the bailout of ENNIA Insurance. Failure to comply would have increased interest rates on COVID-19 loans, resulting in millions more in debt to The Netherlands as repayment for the loans taken for the island to survive during the Global Pandemic. This increased interest rate would have further burdened the island’s recovery efforts. MP Ottley characterized these conditions as unjust and counterproductive to fostering true partnership and growth within the Kingdom. Reaffirming a unanimous decision passed in the Parliament of St. Maarten, MP Ottley called for debt cancellation to help the island rebuild and thrive. “If you want to see us move forward, give us the same gratitude that you give to people, not within the Kingdom,” he stated. He urged the Netherlands to recognize the aspirations of St. Maarten’s current generation of leaders, who are committed to moving beyond the perceived corruption of the past and towards a brighter, more transparent future. A significant portion of MP Ottley’s address also focused on the alarming statistic that nearly 22% of St. Maarten’s residents cannot obtain a bank account. He called for increased involvement from the Central Bank of Curaçao and St. Maarten to address what he described as abuse by commercial banks. “Access to a bank account is not a privilege; it is a fundamental right,” MP Ottley emphasized. He appealed for reforms to ensure all citizens can access basic banking services, a critical step toward financial inclusion and empowerment. MP Ottley concluded his address with a plea for improved cooperation between the Netherlands and its Caribbean territories. “If we are to achieve true prosperity, the Kingdom must move beyond rhetoric and embrace equal partnership,” he said. He stressed that the people of St. Maarten deserve respect, understanding, and the tools to rebuild and flourish.
Through his impassioned speech, MP Ottley underscored the resilience of St. Maarten and its people while clarifying that the road to recovery and success must be paved with fairness, equity, and collaboration.
