SINT MAARTEN (GREAT BAY) – “From Thursday to Saturday I was in Curaçao, where I had been invited to attend the Caribbean United in Excellence Summit on Friday, October 9,” Member of Parliament (MP) Sjamira Roseburg said in a press statement on Monday, October 12, 2026.
“The summit, held as part of Curaçao's Autonomy Day celebrations, brought together heads of government, members of parliament, representatives, experts and young people from across the region, all centred on one idea: closer Caribbean cooperation. Among those present were the Prime Minister of Aruba, Mike Eman; the Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Honourable Dr. Andrew Holness; the Vice President of Suriname, Gregory Rusland; and the Cayman Islands Minister for Social Development and Innovation, the Honourable Isaac D. Rankine.
“This was not an official work trip, but I went there to represent St. Maarten. When the invitation came, I accepted and chose to attend at my own expense, because I believed it was important to make sure St. Maarten was in the room. The idea behind the summit is that our islands, despite our different identities, share many of the same challenges and ambitions, and that we are stronger when we pool our knowledge, experience and talent. As a Member of Parliament, I wanted to be there to listen, to learn and to bring back what can be applied at home.
“St. Maarten has a real role to play in this region, and we cannot afford to stand on the sidelines of these conversations. Whether it is economic resilience, climate and disaster preparedness, or creating real opportunities for our young people, these are challenges no island can solve alone.
“Although St. Maarten is not yet a member of CARICOM, what happens in the region reaches us all the same. The decisions and discussions taking place across the Caribbean affect our economy, our security and our people. I care deeply about St. Maarten having a voice in that conversation, and that is exactly why I chose to go. For me, this summit was the perfect opportunity to join the discussion, to listen, to build relationships and to make sure St. Maarten was heard.
“The keynote address by Prof. Dr. Rose Mary Allen, the first female professor at the University of Curaçao, was especially powerful and set the tone for the day. The summit's central question stayed with me: what if the Caribbean finally chose the Caribbean?
“Millions of visitors find our region every year, yet we do not always find each other. As one of the messages on stage put it: if choosing each other works, why don't we do it more? Part of the answer lies in how the world sees us, and how we have learned to see ourselves. My key takeaway is that we must change that mindset and look to one another first, for trade, for knowledge, for solutions and for partnerships. We must keep finding each other. I look forward to further collaboration and to building stronger relationships that bring our Caribbean nations closer together.
“One of the highlights for me was my conversation with Dr. Holness. Jamaica has made real progress in reducing crime: in 2025 the country recorded its lowest number of murders in more than three decades, a drop of around 40 percent in a single year. That result came from investing in the police, intelligence-led policing, close coordination between the police, the military and other agencies, and prevention programmes aimed at at-risk communities and violence in schools.
“Public safety is a concern for the people of St. Maarten as well, and there is much we can learn from our Caribbean neighbours. We have agreed to follow up after the summit, and I will be requesting more detail on the strategies behind Jamaica's results so that we can study what may work for St. Maarten.
“The trip was also a chance to reconnect with fellow parliamentarians and leaders from the region whom I already know, and to strengthen those existing relationships. For me personally, it brought a full-circle moment. Before I began my political career, I sat down with Mike Eman of Aruba.
“Now, as he prepares to step down as Prime Minister at the end of this year, I had the opportunity to meet him again and to thank him personally for his wise words and advice. One piece of advice has stayed with me throughout: stay true to who you are. I also thanked him for his many years of service to Aruba and to our Kingdom.
“It was equally special to reconnect with Mrs. Maria Liberia-Peters, the first woman to serve as Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles, and someone I genuinely look up to. She is a true fighter, a strong woman who opened doors for so many of us who came after her, and I have the deepest respect for her. Her example continues to inspire me in my own work.
“The timing was fitting. October 10 marks the day in 2010 when both Curaçao and St. Maarten became autonomous countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In St. Maarten, we celebrate this day as Constitution Day, the day our own Constitution entered into force. As Chair of Parliament's Committee for Constitutional Affairs and Decolonization, I found it especially meaningful to mark this day alongside our Caribbean neighbours. We share that history and that journey, and it reminds us that our futures are connected.
“On Saturday, October 10, I attended the Guinness World Records Recognition Ceremony at Plasa Brion in Otrobanda, Willemstad, hosted by CINEX (Curaçao Investment & Export Promotion Agency) in partnership with The Blue Wave, the Federashon Futbòl Kòrsou and Curaçao Little League. There, Curaçao received official recognition for three Guinness World Records, and I had the honour of meeting the athletes being celebrated.
“The records are: smallest nation by population to win the Little League World Series, an achievement Curaçao has accomplished twice; the fastest pitch in Little League World Series history, by Giendry Ryan; and the most saves in a single FIFA World Cup match, with 15 saves in regulation time, by goalkeeper Eloy Room. I also had a moment to connect with him personally, and we spoke about how important it is to keep on dreaming. That is a message I want every young person in St. Maarten to hear: keep dreaming, and keep working toward those dreams.
“There is a clear lesson in this for St. Maarten. These records did not happen by chance. They are the result of youth leagues, federations, coaches, families and government working together over many years, and of a country that celebrates its athletes and uses their success to put its name on the world map. St. Maarten has the same talent among its young people.
“What we need is the same commitment: structured youth programmes, proper facilities, support for our sports federations, and partnerships between government and the private sector. Sport is also prevention. It gives our young people discipline, purpose and role models, which ties directly to the public safety lessons we can learn from Jamaica. If Curaçao can make history, so can St. Maarten.
“I return home with fresh ideas, renewed energy and stronger ties across the region. I intend to follow up on the conversations I had and to keep strengthening our cooperation within the Kingdom and the Caribbean, so that this experience translates into something meaningful for the people of St. Maarten. I am grateful for the opportunity and proud to have represented St. Maarten. It was time well spent,” MP Sjamira Roseburg concluded.
L to R: Aruba Prime Minister Hon. Mike Eman, Curacao's Prime Minister Hon. Gilmar Pisas and Jamaica's Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Andrew Holness as well as other dignitaries.
