PHILIPSBURG:--- For over 40 years, St. Maarten has grappled with a pattern of corruption, greed, and self-enrichment that has left ordinary citizens struggling while politicians and insiders have amassed wealth and power from government resources. The latest revelations in the public transport sector highlight only a fraction of a systemic issue deeply rooted in the island’s governance.
Public Transport: A System Rigged for the Powerful
Data from the Ministry of TEATT reveals a sector riddled with irregularities: hundreds of bus and taxi licenses issued without oversight, duplicate permits, and vehicles operating illegally.
- Of 300 bus licenses recorded, only 29 are actively registered, leaving over 100 buses potentially illegal
- 600 registered taxis, but only 454 verified as compliant
- Multiple cases of license duplication, expired permits, and plate holders using vehicles not registered to them
These figures reveal a sector where ordinary operators are often blocked from accessing licenses, while politicians and their allies hold multiple permits, T licenses, and fleet rights. For decades, this same system has been used as a tool for vote-buying, political favoritism, and personal enrichment.
Economic Licenses: Tools for Political Exploitation
St. Maarten’s economic licenses and permits, whether for taxis, buses, or commercial ventures, have long been treated as political currency. Politicians routinely leveraged these licenses to secure political support, leaving ordinary citizens with no opportunity to participate in their own economy.
- Many sitting members of parliament today hold numerous taxis, buses, and T licenses, while common citizens remain unable to acquire even a single permit.
- Licenses were routinely sold, rented, or transferred for profit, while the general public waited years for approval.
The transport licensing scandal is just the tip of the iceberg. The practice of using economic rights for personal gain has permeated all areas of governance.
Lease Land: A Legacy of Inequity
The abuse of government-leased land mirrors the corruption seen in the transport sector. Former politicians distributed hundreds of plots of leased land to friends, family, and political supporters, often timed to coincide with elections.
- Many of these plots were sold immediately, often the same day they were granted, generating quick profit for the politically connected.
- Ordinary citizens have been forced to wait decades for access to leased land, despite the government's promise.s
- Political elites used land rights to reward loyalty, entrenching inequity and consolidating power.
This trend has contributed to a cycle in which the wealthiest and most politically connected continue to benefit, while ordinary residents are systematically excluded from opportunities to build businesses, own land, or operate in regulated sectors such as transport.
A Pattern of Greed and Accountability
Over the decades, St. Maarten has seen politicians jailed, prosecuted, and investigated for misappropriation of government funds and resources. Yet, despite high-profile cases, the underlying culture of greed has persisted, with insiders continuing to exploit economic licenses, land rights, and public resources.
- Public transport licenses and leased land have been traded for votes, political favor, or personal enrichment.
- The common man is left waiting while political elites expand their holdings and influence.
- Corruption has become systemic, embedding inequity into governance structures.
The Human Cost
For decades, ordinary St. Maarteners have watched wealth and opportunity flow to politicians and insiders while their own aspirations were blocked:
- Citizens unable to get taxi or bus licenses are forced to pay exorbitant fees or bribes to intermediaries
- Families wait decades forthe government to lease land, while politicians profit from immediate resale
- The economy is distorted, opportunity is concentrated in the hands of the few, and public trust is eroded
A Call for Reform
The recent transport licensing scandal exposes a microcosm of a much larger problem: entrenched corruption, political favoritism, and exploitation of public resources. St. Maarten now faces a choice:
- Continue the decades-long pattern of enriching the few at the expense of the many
- Or implement real reforms that ensure licenses, land, and economic opportunities are fairly allocated, transparent, and free from political manipulation
The island’s history shows that greed can put politicians behind bars, but without structural reform, it will continue to harm the common man. St. Maarten deserves a system where opportunity is earned, not bought, and where public resources serve the people—not the politicians.
