PHILIPSBURG:--- During Tuesday’s meeting of the Committee of Kingdom Affairs and Inter-Parliamentary Relations (CKAIR), MP Egbert J. Doran raised a central question facing Sint Maarten today: can the country realistically speak about autonomy while remaining structurally dependent on external support?
According to MP Doran, discussions about Kingdom relations have repeated themselves for years, often focusing on autonomy, inclusion, and a stronger voice within the Kingdom. Yet, he noted, those discussions lose meaning when actions taken at the executive level do not reflect the same objectives.
“We talk about having more control over our future,” Doran said, “but when decisions consistently move us toward deeper dependence, we are not moving forward. We are standing still, or worse.”
A key part of Doran’s intervention focused on the country’s continued reliance on the Netherlands for assistance across multiple sectors. While he acknowledged that cooperation is necessary, especially in areas such as justice and governance, he stressed that long-term autonomy is impossible without a strong local revenue base.
“If Sint Maarten does not actively build its own revenue streams,” Doran cautioned, “then no amount of political language about autonomy will change our reality.”
This position, he emphasized, is not new. Last year, Doran formally requested a Finance Committee meeting focused specifically on revenue generation. That meeting has yet to be convened. More recently, together with his faction, he requested an urgent joint meeting with the Ministers of Finance and TEATT to discuss concrete revenue opportunities for Sint Maarten.
That meeting was scheduled, but ultimately canceled at the last minute.
For Doran, these delays highlight a deeper issue. While there is no shortage of talk about reform, there has been limited follow-through on discussions that directly address the country’s financial independence.
“Autonomy cannot exist without revenue,” he stated. “If we are serious about reducing dependence, then revenue generation cannot remain a postponed conversation.”
In addition to revenue generation, Doran raised concerns about transparency in Kingdom-level agreements. He questioned the number of mutual agreements signed in recent months within the Ministries of Justice, Finance, General Affairs and the Netherlands.
According to Doran, Parliament often learns of these commitments only after they are already in effect.
“Parliament must know what is being agreed to on behalf of the country,” he said. “What obligations are being taken on, and what is Sint Maarten committing to in return? That information should not come after the fact.”
He reiterated that cooperation is not the issue. The concern is whether Sint Maarten is engaging as an informed partner or simply reacting to circumstances without a clear long-term strategy.
While speaking from the opposition, Doran’s tone remained focused on national interest rather than political confrontation. He called for honest dialogue between Parliament and government, clearer alignment between public debate and executive action, and renewed urgency around building local economic strength.
“This is not about rejecting cooperation,” Doran concluded. “It’s about making sure Sint Maarten stands on its own feet while cooperating, not leaning indefinitely.”
MP Doran’s message remains clear: real autonomy begins at home. Without deliberate action on revenue generation, transparency, and follow-through, discussions about independence risk remaining just that, discussions.
