SINT MAARTEN/THE HAGUE - During the 36th InterExpo Kingdom Relations Congress, held under the theme “Fifteen Years After 10/10/10,” the Honorable Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, Dr. Luc F.E. Mercelina, delivered a landmark presentation titled “15 years of Constitutional Autonomy.”
Speaking before Kingdom officials, scholars, and regional leaders, the Prime Minister urged participants to look beyond the last fifteen years and instead examine 170 years of constitutional interventions, restructuring, and negotiation that shaped the Kingdom of the Netherlands and, critically, shaped Sint Maarten’s present-day reality.
“The real question we must ask ourselves is not what the past fifteen years have done to Sint Maarten and our Kingdom partners, but rather: how has our long and complex history shaped these past fifteen years of autonomy within the Kingdom? Prime Minister Mercelina asked in the opening of his address.
He connected this history to personal lineage, stating, “For me, this timeline speaks of the story of my great-grandfather, my grandfather, my father, and myself each living through a different stage of our island’s constitutional journey.”
He walked the audience through the major constitutional developments beginning in 1828, including the administrative merger with Suriname, the abolition of slavery in 1863, the creation of the Netherlands Antilles in 1951, the establishment of the Kingdom Charter in 1954, Suriname’s independence in 1975, Aruba’s status aparte in 1986, and the referenda of 1994 and 2000 that culminated in Sint Maarten’s attainment of country status in 2010.
The Prime Minister emphasized the reality that followed the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, explaining, “Sint Maarten was and remains a constituent state instead of a full autonomous country. Let me repeat — Sint Maarten is not a full autonomous country, and that is the constitutional reality we live in today.”
He noted that only five generations of Sint Maarteners have lived through these seismic shifts in governance arrangements. Turning to the period after 10-10-10, the Prime Minister spoke candidly about the political mindset that emerged.
“We became hypnotized by the idea of independence. From the moment we achieved country status, we were carried away on an emotional journey, constantly trying to prove to our Mother Land that we could stand on our own.”
He added that this fixation came at a significant cost, “We were so focused on proving ourselves that we forgot something essential — to build constructive and sustainable alliances with other Caribbean countries within and outside the Kingdom.”
He emphasized that realities such as the COVID-19 pandemic and global economic disruptions revealed how vulnerable small island states are when isolated. These experiences led to several key lessons.
The Prime Minister stressed that independence pursued in isolation is neither viable nor responsible. The major pillars of any society, such as health care and education, must be strengthened to support a viable path for St. Maarten to pursue full autonomy and ultimately independence.
“Sint Maarten must literally look across our own border and at our own horizon. We must embrace our closest neighbors — French Saint Martin, Anguilla, Saba, Statia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Barths, Montserrat — who face the same challenges we do.”
He further stated that nation-building requires adequate financing: “We must be honest: nation-building is expensive.”
The Prime Minister emphasized the inherent costliness of the constitutional structure inherited after 10-10-10, noting that small countries carry disproportionately heavy administrative and institutional burdens.
He then turned toward the future of Kingdom cooperation, calling for a model that reflects contemporary realities. He emphasized the need for direct relationships between countries, a Kingdom structure grounded in respect for differences rather than forced similarities, and a shift toward treating each country as a co-owner of the Kingdom rather than a stakeholder. He also called for closer collaboration and shared responsibilities in areas such as defense, healthcare, and education, and proposed the establishment of a Kingdom Political Dialogue Platform.
In his words, “If the Kingdom is to remain relevant for the next generation, it must become more flexible, more equitable, and more aligned with the realities of Caribbean societies.”
Later in the afternoon, Prime Minister Mercelina participated in the high-level panel moderated by Prof. Dr. Ernst Hirsch Ballin, alongside former Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende and Deputy Prime Minister of Curacao Charles Cooper During the discussion, he reiterated that constitutional evolution is a living process. “The constitutional structure we inherited is not sacred; it is adjustable.”
“A modern Kingdom must be based on equality, trust and mutual respect, and the recognition that each country brings strengths shaped by its own history.”
Closing his remarks, Prime Minister Mercelina reaffirmed his commitment to the people of Sint Maarten, stating, “Our autonomy means nothing unless it improves the lives of our people.
Responsible autonomy — supported by strong institutions, regional partnerships, and a modernized Kingdom framework — is the only path forward. I think that this will require high-level discussions with the incoming Government of the Netherlands on a new positive agenda for the Kingdom. Moreover, I will seek the support of the Council of Ministers and Parliament of Sint Maarten to formally invite the Netherlands, Aruba and Curacao for a Kingdom summit to walk the talk”.
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