PHILIPSBURG--It was a landmark year for several reasons, but none more so than the dismantling of the Netherlands Antilles and new constitutional relations within the Dutch Kingdom taking effect on 10-10-10, with country status for St. Maarten.
The latter was possible to a large extent through the efforts of two political leaders and a handful of advisors and officials. This group of people referred to as "Team St. Maarten" is The Daily Herald's undisputed "Person of the Year" 2010.
There were other candidates, such as the St. Maarten Tourist Office for keeping the all-important number of stay-over visitors up despite the after-effects of the global financial-economic crisis on especially international travel, while the Harbour Group of Companies even managed to secure continued growth of the local cruise industry in this difficult business climate.
The political landscape also changed dramatically in the past year, as already-independent Island Councilman Theo Heyliger definitely broke with the internally troubled Democratic Party (DP) his grandfather Claude Wathey had co-founded to form the new United People's (UP) party, which after only a few months of existence in the election of September 17 managed to earn six of the 15 seats in the first Parliament of Country St. Maarten and formed a government with DP (two seats) to send Heyliger's former coalition partner National Alliance (NA). the biggest party with seven seats, to the opposition benches.
The Brooks Tower Accord (BTA) process to legalise thousands of foreigners duly employed, but residing on the island without proper documentation for years certainly made an impact, as it regulated a de facto, already-existing situation and thus enabled more effective control in the near future as well.
The work of the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) led by Eileen Healy also deserves a mention, because very little ? actually close to nothing ? had been available on the island for people with mental issues until recently, and an ongoing effort is now at least being made to fill that void.
Historic
But, all in all, 2010 was first and foremost the year St. Maarten became an autonomous country within the Dutch Kingdom based on the majority choice in the referendum of 2000, a full decade ago. It took that long and the process was often frustrating, but particularly DP leader Sarah Wescot-Williams and NA leader William Marlin showed an unwavering determination to get the job done, with the indispensable backing of trusted advisors Eugene Holiday and Richard Gibson, Sr., as well as key officials Dennis Richardson and Joane Dovale-Meit.
While there were many others who made a contribution, it was primarily this "Team
St. Maarten" that conducted the negotiations at political as well as technical levels to achieve the result celebrated on 10-10-10. That the public learned later that a tax increase would be necessary to balance the 2011 budget, because country status had turned out to be more costly than foreseen, among other reasons, was somewhat of a rude awakening for many, but does not detract from the merit of the historic constitutional achievement.
Perhaps the best part of St. Maarten's constitutional campaign was its non-partisan nature. While in Cura�ao, for example, there was sharp division within the political establishment on the proposed changes, here the issue was elevated above party politics despite several elections, and the Island Council as a whole continued to support "Team St. Maarten," regardless of who was in government during the past 10 years.
Of course, there were ups and downs when it came to involving the opposition and differences of opinion on details, but in the end local leaders kept on backing the team and thus ensured that the goal was ultimately realised on 10-10-10. That then-commissioner Marlin and opposition leader Wescot-Williams sat side-by-side to sign the final agreement in the Netherlands and presented it jointly on their return to the island was an important and crystal-clear message both to the Kingdom partners and to the rest of the world that country St. Maarten enjoyed broad support.
For their efforts, sticking together and overcoming all obstacles to give the people of St. Maarten what they asked for, "Team St. Maarten" is The Daily Herald's Person of the Year.
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