PHILIPSBURG:--- Member of Parliament Ardwell Irion delivered a pointed critique in Parliament regarding what he described as inadequate government support for local athletes representing St. Maarten internationally.
Irion congratulated local athletes, including gold medalist Mr. Nahjah Wyatt and swimmer Isaiah Douzan, for their recent achievements.
Irion highlighted the strong sense of national pride that spread across the island as residents followed and celebrated the athletes’ performances, noting that such unity has been rare in recent times.
However, he expressed disappointment that the government did not provide support in advance of the competitions. Instead, he pointed out that funding was largely secured through the efforts of the community and private sector.
“I’m proud of the people of St. Maarten and the business community for coming together,” Irion stated, emphasizing that without their contributions, the athletes would not have reached the podium.
The MP also referenced a previous situation in which the Prime Minister issued endorsement letters to support Christmas lighting initiatives. He argued that a similar approach could have been taken to assist student-athletes in obtaining funding more efficiently and with stronger backing.
Irion further questioned government priorities, stating that while funds have been found for other events, greater effort should be made to support students and athletes who represent the country abroad.
