GREAT BAY--The Wathey family will host the A.C. Wathey Centennial Tribute Ceremony on Friday, July 24, 2026, commemorating the 100th birthday of the late Dr. Albert Claudius Wathey and honoring the life and legacy of a leader widely regarded as the Father of Modern St. Maarten.
The tribute ceremony will be held from 5:30pm to 8:30pm at the Dr. A.C. Wathey Cruise & Cargo Facilities in Philipsburg. The evening will be one of tribute, reflection and celebration, recognizing Wathey's vision and the lasting role he played in shaping the development of St. Maarten.
The tribute ceremony carries the theme, "A Century of Vision. A Legacy That Lives On," and will commemorate the historic milestone under the Latin phrase closely associated with Wathey, "Fiat Justitia Ruat Caelum" - "Let justice be done though the heavens fall."
This year marks a century since the birth of Wathey, who was born on July 24, 1926, in St. Maarten. Known to many across both sides of the island simply as the "Ole Man," Wathey is remembered as a political and national figure whose vision helped move St. Maarten away from isolation and limited economic opportunity toward growth and improved living standards.
At a time when many residents left the island in search of employment and opportunity elsewhere, Wathey envisioned a different future. He believed St. Maarten could become a place of investment, possibility and return, with its people able to build lives and opportunities at home.
His leadership and approach to development helped lay the groundwork for the island's growing economy and international position. While many aspects of St. Maarten's transformation may now be taken for granted, Wathey's vision was pioneering for its time and helped set a path that others in the region would later seek to follow.
The centennial tribute ceremony will focus on the legacy of a man whose contribution remains a defining part of St. Maarten's modern history and whose influence continues to be felt across generations.
The event forms part of a series of curated memorial activities being organized to commemorate Wathey's centennial and celebrate his enduring legacy. The activities are intended not only to honor his life and achievements, but also to introduce his story to new generations of St. Maarteners and encourage the continuation of his spirit of civic duty.
The Wathey family has emphasized that his legacy, as an authentic icon of St. Maarten, should not be confined to political lines. His life's work forms part of the wider national heritage and collective history of the island.
