GEBE recruitment process reopened for CEO, CFO and COO positions

GREAT BAY--Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina has announced that the Supervisory Board of NV GEBE has decided to reopen the recruitment process for the company’s three C-suite level positions: Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operations Officer.

The Prime Minister said the renewed recruitment process is intended to ensure maximum transparency, objectivity, fairness and credibility as the country’s utility company continues through an important management transition.

According to Dr. Mercelina, the recruitment exercise will be handled professionally, with the goal of identifying the most qualified candidates for the CEO, CFO and COO positions. He said the approach reflects government’s commitment to strengthening governance at NV GEBE and ensuring that the selection process inspires confidence among employees, stakeholders and the public.

“Questions have been raised regarding the recruitment process for the C-suite level of this company,” the Prime Minister said. He explained that the decision to reopen the process follows recent developments within NV GEBE’s management structure, including the resignation of the temporary manager and the discontinuation of a financial consultancy arrangement with the now former CFO.

Dr. Mercelina said no service level agreement could be reached with a potential candidate for the COO position because government could not deviate from the applicable top-income standard, commonly referred to as the LNT norm. The LNT, or Landsverordening Normering Topinkomens, is St. Maarten’s top-income law that limits compensation for senior officials in government, government-owned companies and certain publicly funded entities. In the case of NV GEBE, the Prime Minister indicated that government could not deviate from the LNT norm, meaning that compensation discussions for executive-level candidates had to remain within the legal ceiling.

He stressed that government’s focus remains on continuity, stability, sound governance and ensuring that the people of St. Maarten continue to receive reliable electricity and water services. Government, he said, will continue to maintain constructive engagement with the Supervisory Board of NV GEBE while respecting the distinction between shareholder oversight and operational management.

The Prime Minister also reaffirmed government’s confidence in Iris Arrindell, who has been appointed as temporary manager of NV GEBE during the transition.

“I wish to reaffirm government’s full commitment and confidence in Mrs. Arrindell, who has been appointed temporary manager of NV GEBE,” Dr. Mercelina said. He described her as professional, knowledgeable and experienced, adding that she has demonstrated a clear focus on maintaining operational continuity and organizational stability.

The Prime Minister said Arrindell continues to receive the cooperation and support of management and staff as the company awaits the outcome of the new recruitment process. “In the meantime, we have a good, reliable, knowledgeable and experienced captain in the form of a temporary manager,” he said.

Dr. Mercelina also addressed public comments suggesting that foreign interests were being allowed to take over NV GEBE. He clarified that the previous recruitment process, which led to the selection of the recently resigned temporary manager, was initiated under the former government through an external recruitment process. When his administration took office in 2024 and soon after faced a national energy crisis, government opted to continue the existing process rather than restart it from the beginning.

The Prime Minister said the country must now move forward. The new recruitment process, he said, will be placed in the hands of professionals with experience in executive recruitment. Once the selection process is completed, the Supervisory Board will present the recommended candidates to the shareholder, the Government of St. Maarten.

Dr. Mercelina emphasized that the priority remains the stabilization of NV GEBE, the strengthening of its leadership structure and the continued delivery of essential services to the people of St. Maarten.

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