GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Sjamira Roseburg is calling for the modernization of St. Maarten’s parental leave framework, arguing that the country’s current seven days of paid paternity leave is no longer sufficient to meet the needs of modern families.
In a statement issued on April 16, 2026, while attending the “Better Practices in Legislation, Policy, and Financing Subsidized Care Systems” workshop for Caribbean Parliamentarians in Grenada, MP Roseburg said the discussions at the workshop reinforced the importance of treating care not as a women’s issue, but as a family, societal, and policy issue.
“When a child enters the world, the foundation of their life is built by two parents,” Roseburg stated. “Yet, our current legislation does not fully reflect this shared reality. While mothers are granted sixteen weeks of paid leave to recover and bond, fathers, the child’s other parent, currently receive seven days of leave.”
Roseburg noted that the existing seven-day paternity leave provision was itself an important step forward for St. Maarten. She credited former MP Tamara Leonard for championing the change, which was implemented by the former administration. Before that effort, fathers in St. Maarten had no statutory paternity leave at all.
She further explained that Leonard had originally advocated for a more ambitious proposal of fourteen days of paid paternity leave. However, that proposal did not receive the necessary support from SZV and other stakeholders at the time. In order to avoid further delay and still secure progress, the compromise of seven days of paid leave was adopted as a starting point.
Roseburg emphasized that while the introduction of paternity leave marked progress, it should not be seen as the final destination.
“But a step forward is not the finish line,” she said. “Seven days nowadays is simply not enough, and it is time we build on that foundation to create a system that truly supports the modern family.”
According to Roseburg, the International Labour Organization, ILO, has long promoted the principle of shared parental responsibility. She said that when a baby is born, both parents need time to bond, establish routines, and participate in the physical and emotional recovery that follows birth.
“Fathers are not helpers. They are parents,” Roseburg said. “When we limit them to one week, we send a message that their presence at home is secondary.”
She warned that this imbalance has long-term consequences, placing an unequal burden on mothers and potentially affecting their career progression, while also limiting fathers’ early involvement in the child’s life.
Pointing to examples across the Caribbean and the Kingdom, Roseburg said successful models already exist that place family wellbeing at the center of policy. On the French side of St. Martin, fathers have been entitled to twenty-eight days of paid leave since 2021. Barbados, in 2025, became the first CARICOM country to introduce three weeks of statutory paid paternity leave. In the Netherlands, fathers receive one week of full pay followed by five weeks at seventy percent salary, creating a system that makes it financially possible for fathers to actually take the time off.
“These examples show that meaningful, paid leave is not only possible, but practical,” Roseburg said, adding that these regional perspectives are useful in assessing what is both achievable and appropriate for St. Maarten.
She stressed that her approach is not aimed at pursuing a radical leap, but rather a sensible evolution that brings St. Maarten more in line with international standards. She added that any legislative effort would take a holistic approach and gather input from all relevant parties.
Roseburg also addressed the concerns that changes to leave entitlements may raise within the business community, particularly among small businesses.
“I understand that changes to leave entitlements raise practical questions, especially for small businesses,” she said. “Your concerns are valid and must be part of the solution. Good legislation should not be imposed, but rather designed.”
As part of that approach, Roseburg said her move toward legislative action will be rooted in evidence-based policy. This will include a structured survey to gather data from both employers and employees. She said the process must also examine flexible financing and support structures so that the cost of care does not fall solely on employers if longer paid leave is introduced.
At the same time, she made clear that any reform effort should be inclusive and bridge the gap between maternity leave, paternity leave, and broader parental leave, including adoption leave.
Roseburg said the reality of family life in St. Maarten has changed significantly over the last two decades, and that legislation must keep pace with those social changes.
“Families in Sint Maarten today look different than they did twenty years ago,” she said. “The old idea that one parent works while the other stays home is no longer the reality for most. Our laws must reflect the world we actually live in.”
She concluded by underscoring that reforming parental leave laws would have broad benefits beyond fathers alone.
“By updating our parental leave laws, we are not just helping fathers. We are strengthening mothers, supporting adoption parents, improving employee retention for businesses, and ensuring our children grow up with both parents present from day one,” Roseburg said. “The foundation has been laid, and it is now time to build on it.”
Join Our Community Today
Subscribe to our mailing list to be the first to receive
breaking news, updates, and more.
