Pond Island:--- Telem has taken note of recent articles published by SMN News on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 and again on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, in which public statements related to our organization were issued by the SMCU union. While the company respects the right of individuals and representative bodies to express their views, management firmly rebuts the interpretation of recent developments as presented in both instances.
Telem is at a critical stage of a carefully structured transformation aimed at restoring financial stability, modernizing operations, and securing its long-term future in an increasingly competitive telecommunications market. Public commentary that mischaracterizes this process creates unnecessary uncertainty amongst employees, customers, and the wider community.
It is important to recall that several years ago, SMCU publicly called for a forensic audit of the company. In response to those concerns, an independent operational audit was conducted by SOAB at the order of the sitting government. That review found no justification for a full forensic investigation. The findings were clear and independent. Despite this, the union's current narrative appears to revisit insinuations that have already been objectively addressed, adding new “rumours”.
Telem challenges SMCU to present concrete, substantiated facts to support its claims rather than rely on vague allegations or rumours. Serious accusations require serious evidence. Management remains fully confident in the governance framework under which the company operates and in the Supervisory Board's oversight.
Two major restructurings undertaken in recent years were fully compliant with the law and executed in agreement with SMCU. The great majority of employees who left the company did so voluntarily and accepted a voluntary leave package that continues to include medical insurance coverage. These were difficult but necessary measures in response to global shifts in the telecommunications industry and intense local competition on both the Dutch and
Frenchsides of the island. These are hardly the actions of a caring and responsible management team.
The challenges of the past three years have required discipline, decisive leadership, and cooperation at every level of the organization. During this process, the Telem team has also invested significant effort in expanding the broadband footprint across the island and implementing several network upgrades that have improved reliability for all our customers.
Those efforts are now beginning to yield results, highlighted by our 2025 Ookla Speed test Award for the fastest internet on the island. Early internal reviews indicate the strongest and most encouraging signs of financial improvement Telem has seen in many years. Halting or de-stabilizing this positive trajectory, especially with a disruptive forensic audit at such a pivotal moment, would itself be irresponsible.
Telem remains open to constructive dialogue. Management invites representatives of the SMCU to meet, review the facts, and engage in a transparent discussion of the company’s progress and future direction.
The company’s focus remains clear: protect jobs where possible, strengthen operations, serve customers reliably, and ensure Telem’s long-term sustainability for St. Maarten.
Editor’s Note:
An operational audit and a forensic audit serve distinct purposes in organizational evaluation and accountability. While an operational audit assesses the efficiency, effectiveness, and economy of business processes to drive performance improvements, a forensic audit is investigative, aimed at uncovering financial irregularities, fraud, or legal violations. The former is preventive and improvement-oriented, is often conducted periodically, and yields recommendations to improve performance.
In contrast, the latter is reactive, triggered by suspicions or allegations, and involves the collection of detailed evidence for potential legal proceedings. Both audits play critical roles in ensuring organizational integrity, with operational audits enhancing internal processes and forensic audits safeguarding against misconduct.
In hindsight, the SMUC made several allegations based on information received from its members. It would be in everyone’s best interest to conduct the forensic audit and to set the records straight. After all, it is the people's patrimony.
