PHILIPSBURG:--- When the backbone of a nation's infrastructure falls silent, people notice. NV GEBE, Sint Maarten's lifeline for electricity and water, has been unusually quiet under its new leadership, and that silence is growing louder than any press release ever could.
The new temporary/transition manager, Thomas Roggendorf, issued a carefully worded press release last week that promised transparency and stability, yet raised more questions than answers. It is now seventy (70) working days into his tenure, which is ample time to establish a vision. While local media still receive polite yet firm rejections, the exclusive and costly interview with USA Today remains unpublished and inaccessible to the Sint Maarten public.
This selective silence speaks volumes. Why prioritize foreign press over local media? What transformations are being planned? Most critically, what does this lack of transparency mean for NV GEBE's dedicated workforce—the same employees who kept services running through cyberattacks, generator failures, and constant leadership changes?
My approach has always been straightforward; I seek to uphold the principle of good governance, which includes transparency and accountability. That same principle guides my examination of NV GEBE’s current trajectory. I ask the tough questions, push for accountability, and focus on practical solutions that prioritize the people’s well-being.
Roggendorf’s stated priorities to upgrade aging infrastructure and transition to renewable energy are necessary, but such transitions often come with unspoken consequences. Corporate language like "modernization" and "operational efficiency," when left unexplained, historically precedes difficult decisions that impact employees. Without clear communication, workers are left to wonder: Will their years of dedication be honored, or will they become collateral damage in the name of progress?
NV GEBE’s workforce has endured multiple management changes, prolonged outages, and cyberattacks—yet they persevered. Now, amid vague corporate terminology and a lack of local engagement, they face uncertainty. While no layoffs have been announced, the absence of clear assurances is troubling. When leadership prioritizes overseas media over local media outlets and responds to workforce concerns with jargon rather than clarity, it erodes trust rather than building it.
Here’s what I know from my short time in Parliament: Sint Maarten thrives on transparency and withers under secrecy. NV GEBE is not a private corporation; it is a public utility funded by and accountable to the people it serves. Avoiding local scrutiny while courting international attention doesn’t signal confidence; it fuels skepticism.
Some will ask, "But what about when your party governed?" My answer is simple: leadership is about solving problems to stay on course to meet our goals, not re-litigating the past. Every administration inherits both progress and challenges. I’m here now not to fight old battles but to learn from them and push for solutions based on facts. You can’t steer a country forward while only focusing on the rearview mirror.
This isn't about resisting progress - it's about shaping it responsibly. The transition to renewable energy and infrastructure upgrades must happen, but how we get there matters just as much as the destination. True progress protects both the public's interest and the workers who make service possible.
Here's how concerns can be turned into concrete action:
- Foster Accountability - NV GEBE's leadership is replacing vague promises with measurable transparency goals, starting with monthly public reports on infrastructure projects and workforce planning.
- Local First Communication - Major announcements should debut through local media channels, with international outreach following, not preceding, community disclosure.
- Workforce Partnership - Modernization plans should be developed in consultation with employees and unions, with retraining programs established before any role transitions begin.
- Sunlight as Policy - Implement regular public forums where leadership answers direct questions from both consumers and employees about NV GEBE's direction.
The path forward becomes clear when we recognize that transparency and progress aren't competing priorities; they're mutually reinforcing. Accountability measures don't slow modernization; they ensure it happens right the first time. Workforce protections don't hinder efficiency; they preserve the institutional knowledge that makes efficiency possible.
This is my commitment, NV GEBE's developments will have my unwavering and full attention. Every major decision made, every delayed disclosure, and every consequence on workers and consumers will be closely monitored. Because when livelihoods hang in the balance, "trust the process" simply isn’t good enough; we need to see the process, clearly and transparently.
To NV GEBE's workforce: your resilience has not gone unnoticed.
To the public: Your right to transparency will not go unenforced.
And to the new leadership: sunlight is not just coming, it is already breaking through.
Darryl York
Member of Parliament
