GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament and Democratic Party leader Sarah Wescot-Williams has formally requested an update from Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs Dr. Luc Mercelina on St. Maarten's progress under the Country Package reform program, the Government's response to an independent evaluation of the reform cooperation, and its position on extending the arrangement with the Netherlands beyond April 2027.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Wescot-Williams called for clarity on the status of reforms, the challenges affecting their implementation and the Government's intentions as the current cooperation framework approaches its expiration.
Her questions follow the publication of the independent evaluation report,Contouren van vooruitgang: De werking van samenwerken(Contours of Progress: How Cooperation Works), which examines the reform cooperation between the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten.
The report concludes that although important reforms have been initiated, many have yet to progress fully from planning and preparation to implementation and permanent integration within government institutions.
The Evaluation Committee recommends extending the cooperation beyond April 2027, recognizing that structural reforms require more time to produce lasting results.
For St. Maarten, the committee emphasizes the need to strengthen institutional capacity, establish clearer priorities, phase reforms more effectively and improve coordination between reform initiatives and ongoing recovery and reconstruction efforts.
"These findings go to the heart of our governance, our public finances, our economic development and our future relations within the Kingdom," Wescot-Williams said. "Parliament needs to know where the Government stands on this report, what has actually been achieved, and what it intends to do before the current arrangement ends."
In her correspondence, Wescot-Williams is requesting the Government's overall assessment of the evaluation report, particularly its findings and recommendations concerning St. Maarten.
She also wants a comprehensive accounting of the Country Package reforms, identifying which measures have been completed, which remain underway, which have experienced delays and which have not yet been implemented.
The MP is seeking specific information on the Government's approach to strengthening financial management, digitalization, organizational development and public-sector capacity.
These areas are particularly important given the Evaluation Committee's concerns about persistent institutional and staffing limitations that continue to affect the Government's ability to implement reforms effectively.
Wescot-Williams also wants to know what measures are being taken to address these constraints and ensure that reforms become permanent improvements within government rather than temporary initiatives dependent on external support.
Another important aspect of the MP's inquiry concerns coordination between the Country Package reforms and St. Maarten's ongoing recovery and reconstruction initiatives.
Wescot-Williams has asked the Government to explain how the reform agenda is being aligned with projects and programs being implemented through the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB).
The evaluation identifies the importance of better coordination between recovery and reform efforts, particularly in a small administration where multiple initiatives may compete for limited financial, technical and human resources.
The MP is seeking assurances that these efforts are being coordinated to strengthen government institutions and maximize their long-term benefits.
A central question in Wescot-Williams' letter concerns the future of the Mutual Arrangement for Cooperation on Reforms, which provides the formal basis for collaboration between the Netherlands and the three Caribbean countries.
The arrangement, established in April 2023, has an initial four-year duration and provides for possible extensions.
With its expiration approaching in April 2027, Wescot-Williams wants to know whether the Government supports extending the agreement and whether formal discussions with the Netherlands have commenced.
She is also requesting an explanation of the Government's priorities for the remaining period, including which reforms it considers essential to complete before the current arrangement ends.
Additionally, the MP has asked what lessons the Government has learned from the cooperation so far and how those lessons will influence future arrangements within the Kingdom.
The Evaluation Committee specifically recommended that clarity on the future of the cooperation framework be provided during 2026, allowing sufficient time for the countries involved to determine the next steps.
Wescot-Williams emphasized that Parliament and the public must be informed before decisions about the country's reform cooperation are finalized.
"We are now in the final months of 2026," she said.
She stressed that the people of St. Maarten and Parliament should not learn about the future of the arrangement only after decisions have already been made.
"I look forward to the Government's response at the earliest opportunity," Wescot-Williams concluded.
What Are the Country Packages?
The Country Packages, known in Dutch asLandspakketten, are reform agreements established in late 2020 between the Netherlands and the Caribbean countries of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten. They originated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Netherlands made emergency financial assistance available to the countries on the condition that they undertake structural reforms to strengthen their economies, public finances and government institutions. Each country has its own Country Package, covering eight principal areas: financial management, public-sector efficiency, taxation, the financial sector, economic development, healthcare, education and strengthening the rule of law.
The reforms are intended to improve government services, economic resilience and the long-term functioning of public institutions. The Caribbean countries remain responsible for implementing their respective reforms, with technical and financial assistance provided by the Netherlands through the Temporary Work Organization (TWO). The cooperation was formalized in April 2023 through the Mutual Arrangement for Cooperation on Reforms, which is scheduled to expire in April 2027 unless extended.
