PHILIPSBURG--- Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina has taken a critical step to promote transparency and accountability in the regulation of essential services by releasing a non-confidential version of the “Evaluation of Electricity and Potable Water Tariffs Sint Maarten” report to Parliament.
The move directly responds to the recent request from President of Parliament Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah A. Wescot-Williams, who called for a redacted version of the confidential April 30, 2025, report to be made available for parliamentary review.
The report, prepared by the Bureau Telecommunication and Post Sint Maarten (BTP) with Regulatory Authority of Curacao (RAC) stakeholder input, examines the structure, regulation, and pricing of electricity and water. These issues touch every household and business in the country.
MP Wescot-Williams had argued that keeping the full report under wraps limited Parliament’s ability to debate critical policy issues and excluded the public from understanding decisions that affect the cost of living.
In response, Prime Minister Dr. Mercelina, via a written request on August 6, 2025, instructed BTP to prepare a redacted version that:
- Removes proprietary financial data, personal information, and commercially sensitive details from companies such as GEBE and SOL;
- Preserves all policy-relevant analyses, findings, and recommendations essential for parliamentary debate;
- Ensures the document can be publicly disclosed while maintaining necessary business confidentiality.
The non-confidential version was completed on August 7, 2025, and received by e-mail correspondence on August 12, 2025. It has now been immediately sent to Parliament.
Prime Minister Mercelina emphasized that this step reinforces the Government’s commitment to democratic oversight:
“When it comes to matters that directly impact every household and business in our country, Parliament and the people have a right to be informed. By releasing the key findings of this report, we enable meaningful debate and informed decision-making. This must be done while safeguarding the legitimate confidentiality of sensitive business data.”
Speaking to the broader policy goals, the Prime Minister Dr. Mercelina added, “Electricity and water are not luxuries. They are essential services which every citizen and visitor has the right to.”
Prime Minister minced no words in stating, “This Government remains committed towards ensuring that they remain affordable, reliable, and transparent in how they are priced and regulated with the support of all relevant stakeholders.”
