PHILIPSBURG:--- The political theater in St. Maarten reached a new low today, and the audience—the hardworking frontline workers of this country—is tired of the show. Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina took to the podium during today’s press briefing, Feb 4th, 2026, offering a masterclass in deflection and bureaucratic word salad while the very people who keep this island safe continue to suffer.
Dr. Mercelina admitted openly that it has been "years of struggle" for these workers. He acknowledged the ongoing disputes with the union and the fire department. Yet, when pressed for solutions, we got nothing but political maneuvering. He talks of "covenants," "placement processes," and "commitment letters that could be transferred into agreement letters." This is not leadership; it is stalling.
The Prime Minister claims he is "careful" because he cannot "a priori agree" with items without a legal basis. But to the firefighter waiting for retroactive payment, or the frontline worker desperate for a finalized function book, these are just excuses. While Mercelina plays politics with words, the real-world effects hit home for families trying to put food on the table. He offers committees and mediators when what is needed is action and a signature.
But the failure doesn't stop at the Prime Minister’s office. It rots right through the heart of Parliament.
We must ask: How does a coalition boasting 9 seats fail to secure a quorum for urgent national business? It is an embarrassment of governance. The Prime Minister points fingers at the opposition for not showing up, but the responsibility to govern lies with the majority. If you have the mandate, show up to work.
We are hearing reports that MP Viren Kotai is attending a religious function overseas. Is this function more critical than the governance of the country? Is it more important than the health of MP Doran? The priorities of this coalition are skewed beyond recognition. When personal engagements trump parliamentary duty, the entire system is broken.
And then there is MP Ludmilla de Weever. Her political stance is as stable as a leaf in the wind. One minute she is staging walkouts with opposition members, disrupting the flow of governance. Then next, she cannot hold the government accountable by voting on the motion. Which is it? She professes undying support for the frontline workers, yet her actions in Parliament do nothing to advance their cause. You cannot claim to support the workers while actively participating in the chaos that delays their relief.
Chair of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams and her colleagues are gambling with the livelihoods of our first responders. They are treating the serious business of governance like a game of musical chairs, where the only losers are the people of St. Maarten.
The frontline workers don't need more "commitment letters" or "mediators." They don't need MPs who walk out one day and shrug their shoulders the next. They need a government that shows up, sits down, and gets the job done. Anything less is a betrayal of the public trust.
