The Cabinet of the Governor of Sint Maarten

New Year's Address

Making the New Year Better
by
drs. Eugene B. Holiday
Governor of Sint Maarten

My Fellow Sint Maarteners,

Wherever you are, Marie-Louise and I bring you warm greetings on this New Year’s Day.

As we begin 2022, let us thank God for bringing us this far. Let us thank him for watching over our country and ask him for his continued blessings and guidance going forward.
New Year’s Day is a day of reflection, of renewal, of optimism, and of resolution. It is a day when the bond of the family brings us together in unity.

At the stroke of midnight, each of us in our own way, closed off 2021 and welcomed 2022. Today most of us are, to the extent possible, in keeping with tradition celebrating the day with our family. As you do so I trust that you have taken the necessary precautions in view of the ongoing surge in COVID-19 infections. To those among us who have lost loved ones I wish you strength and I hope that you will find solace in the spirit of renewal and optimism of the New Year. 

Reflecting on the old year we must decide what we can and will do better this year. The past year was another tough year as the coronavirus continued to dominate our daily lives and the affairs of our country. COVID-19 has come at very, very high costs.

• In 2021 we lost more lives because of COVID than the year before.
• Our medical professionals continued to work under strenuous conditions and medical costs increased further.
• While there were signs of improvement in the economy, businesses continued to struggle.
• Many persons are as a result earning less, while the cost-of-living has risen because of supply chain bottlenecks and higher fuel prices.
• Government continued to depend on loans from the Netherlands to help meet its financial obligations.
• And we closed the year with a second major surge to record numbers of active COVID-19 infections.

The threat and impact of COVID on our personal health, on our lives, on our livelihood and on our nation’s health, is cause for pause. Cause for us to ask ourselves what we can do individually and collectively to make the new year better.

My fellow Sint Maarteners,

Gathered with close family each of us must make it our personal responsibility to make this year better. Let us start by reminding ourselves that we can reduce the threat of COVID-19 to our lives and livelihoods. When compared to other countries we should count ourselves fortunate with the availability and the opportunity of the vaccines. Let each of us therefore use this opportunity to do our part to protect ourselves, each other, and the future of our country. This must be our personal resolution for 2022.

While each of us have a personal responsibility to do our part, I hereby remind you that we also have a shared responsibility. That is to make this, and subsequent years better based on a shared vision and strategy to regain lost ground and build new more sustainable opportunities for all Sint Maarteners. Realizing our shared vision and strategy requires the input and contributions of all. It is a process that requires continued real dialogue. In fulfilling our shared responsibility there will be differences in views and approaches between and within businesses, labour unions, and government. It is a process in which differences in views, may never be a reason not to speak or work with one another. Whatever your view, allow me to reiterate that we are in this together. Together with a shared responsibility and a common purpose: the progress of Sint Maarten.
For the past half century Sint Maarten has served as a beacon of opportunity for us and many others. And it is my strong belief that Sint Maarten can continue to do so. That is because we have built our country on our Creed “Always progressing”. That is based on the belief that if we work together as individuals, businesses, labour unions and government we can make each year better for our people and country. On this New Year’s Day let us therefore renew our collective commitment to our Sint Maarten Creed of progress to regain lost ground and build new opportunities. Working together must be our collective resolution for 2022.

My fellow Sint Maarteners,

As we look back on a tough year let as look forward with optimism to the new year and beyond. Let us do so thankful that we have been blessed to see the sun set on the year past and the sun rise in 2022. At the same time let us as individuals, businesses, labour unions and government take up our responsibility to make this and subsequent years better for ourselves and future generations. This based on our conviction in our St Maarten Creed to always progress.

As Governor I shall base on my conviction in our Sint Maarten Creed of progress continue to work with government and other stakeholders to secure a quality future for the people of St. Maarten.
It is in that firm conviction, that I hereby on behalf of Marie-Louise and myself, wish you and your family a year of health, happiness, and growth.

Thank you, God bless you, and May God bless Sint Maarten and protect its coast.

The Governor of Sint Maarten
drs. Eugene B. Holiday