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St. Maarten remains the most vulnerable of the three Caribbean countries participating in the Kingdom’s reform programme, largely due to limited administrative capacity, according to an independent evaluation released this week.
The report, “Contouren van vooruitgang: De werking van samenwerken” (Contours of Progress: The Functioning of Cooperation), concludes that while cooperation with the Netherlands has helped initiate long-overdue reforms, progress in St. Maarten continues to depend heavily on staffing, continuity in key positions, and political prioritization.
The evaluation assesses the effectiveness of the Mutual Regulation for Cooperation on Reforms, which formalized agreements between St. Maarten, Aruba, Curaçao, and the Netherlands following financial support provided during the COVID-19 crisis.
Capacity constraints
Among the three countries, St. Maarten is identified as having the weakest starting position, particularly in terms of implementation capacity. The report notes that limited personnel, combined with the need to manage day-to-day government operations, has placed significant strain on the country’s ability to execute reforms.
At the same time, the reform programme itself is described as “exceptionally broad and ambitious,” covering areas such as public finances, taxation, education, healthcare, and economic development. Dozens of reforms and hundreds of projects have had to be prepared and implemented simultaneously. This has created ongoing tension between the scope of the agenda and the country’s capacity to deliver.
Despite these constraints, the evaluation finds that St. Maarten has made tangible progress, particularly in advancing reform processes that had previously stalled.
Support from the Temporary Work Organization (TWO), established by the Netherlands, has played a key role by providing technical expertise, coordination, and continuity. In periods of local capacity shortages or administrative changes, the TWO has acted as a stabilizing factor in maintaining progress. The report also highlights that where strong coordination and leadership were present within government, reform efforts advanced more consistently.
Importance of leadership continuity
A key finding is that progress in St. Maarten is closely tied to political commitment and stability within the public administration. Frequent changes in leadership and reliance on individual project managers have, at times, slowed implementation. The evaluation stresses that effective coordination structures and sustained prioritization at the highest levels of government are essential to maintaining momentum.
Interim review
The report acknowledges that cooperation within the Kingdom initially developed under strained conditions, as financial assistance from the Netherlands was tied to reform requirements during the pandemic. Over time, a more structured working relationship has emerged, with regular coordination between local ministries, implementation bodies, and the TWO.
At the same time, some tensions persist, including differing interpretations of “ownership” and “equality” within the partnership, as well as the dual role of the TWO as both a support and monitoring body. The evaluation notes that the effectiveness of the cooperation often depends on mutual trust and working relationships between officials.
Importantly, the committee emphasizes that many reforms in St. Maarten remain in the transition phase from planning to actual implementation. As a result, their long-term impact cannot yet be fully assessed.
The evaluation, which covers the period from 2020 to the present, is considered an interim review, focusing on how the cooperation has functioned so far rather than the final outcomes of the reforms.
Call to continue cooperation
Given the findings, the committee recommends continuing the cooperation framework to allow reforms in St. Maarten to be fully implemented and embedded. While reaffirming that St. Maarten remains responsible for its own development, the report highlights the added value of Kingdom cooperation in strengthening institutional capacity, sharing expertise, and supporting long-term resilience.
“Autonomy should not be used as a reason to refrain from cooperation,” the committee concludes.
The evaluation was conducted by an independent committee with representatives from all four countries within the Kingdom: Angel Bermudez (Aruba), Francis de Lanoy (Curaçao), Cees Slager (Netherlands), and Franklyn Richards (St. Maarten). Maria van der Sluijs-Plantz of St. Maarten served as Chairwoman of the Committee, and Steven Boekhoudt served as secretary.
The findings have been submitted to the governments and parliaments, including that of St. Maarten. The Dutch Cabinet is expected to issue a formal response after the summer, which could shape the next phase of reforms and cooperation within the Kingdom.
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