SINT MAARTEN (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 currently at a critical stage of a carefully structured transformation process aimed at restoring financial stability, modernizing operations, and securing the company’s 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 by order of the sitting government. That review found no justification for a full forensic investigation. The findings were clear and independent. Despite this, the current narrative being advanced by the union appears to revisit insinuations that have already been objectively addressed, with new “rumours” thrown in.
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 oversight, exercised by the Supervisory Board.
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
French sides of the island. These are hardly actions of an uncaring and irresponsible 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 into expanding the broadband footprint across the island and making several network upgrades that 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 are showing the strongest and most encouraging signs of financial improvement that 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 extends an invitation to representatives of the SMCU to meet, review the facts, and engage in a transparent discussion about 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.
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