Heyliger-Marten: Event funding strategy must be based on growth, not blanket cuts

GREAT BAY--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication Grisha Heyliger-Marten has made clear that Government’s approach to festival and event funding is not to reduce support across the board, but to invest strategically based on economic return, sustainability, and national value.

The Minister made the point while responding in Parliament to remarks and a question raised by Member of Parliament Francisco Lacroes regarding the role of Government in supporting major events and festivals, including whether long-standing events should gradually begin carrying more of their own financial weight over time.

Addressing the issue directly, Heyliger-Marten said the policy approach must remain balanced and deliberate. “The approach is not to reduce across the board. It is to invest strategically: increase support where returns are growing, adjust where events become self-sustaining, and create space for new events to emerge,” the Minister stated.

MP Lacroes had described the decision to bring Soul Beach to St. Maarten as a brilliant idea, but argued that it was poorly executed. He also reaffirmed that the role of the Minister of TEATT is to drive economic activity and said he supports the introduction of festivals aimed at boosting tourism and business during off-peak periods. In addition, he raised the broader policy question of whether Government should periodically reassess long-term support for established events, with the aim of gradually redirecting funds to newer initiatives.

In response, Minister Heyliger-Marten addressed both the question of execution and the broader issue of subsidy policy.

On the claim that Soul Beach was poorly executed, the Minister pointed to measurable performance in the hospitality sector during the Memorial Day weekend period. She encouraged a review of the figures from major hotels including Sonesta Maho, Simpson Bay Resort, Divi Little Bay, Oyster Bay, and Holland House for 2023, 2024, and 2025. According to the Minister, data, including figures reviewed by the Social Economic Council, showed clear increases in hotel occupancy and economic activity during the Soul Beach period.

She added that a comparison with forward bookings for Memorial Day 2026, without Soul Beach, further underscores the event’s value. According to the Minister, those forward bookings are not at the same level as they were in 2025. “So, if the question is whether the event delivered results, the answer, based on actual performance in the sector, is yes,” she stated.

Turning to the broader issue of long-term support for festivals, the Minister said she interpreted the remarks as likely referring to events such as Carnival. On that point, she stressed that Carnival cannot be treated as just another event on the calendar.

Heyliger-Marten described Carnival as a national cultural product built by and for the people of St. Maarten, and said withdrawing support simply because of its longevity would not be strategic. Rather, she said, such a move would amount to a disservice to the people and to one of the country’s most important cultural and economic drivers.

At the same time, the Minister agreed with the principle that Government funding must be allocated strategically and reviewed continuously. She said the Ministry of TEATT evaluates the economic impact of events on an ongoing basis and adjusts support where necessary, reducing contributions where events become self-sustaining and increasing funding where greater investment can unlock stronger returns.

She pointed to Carnival as a clear example of where increased support has been justified. For years, Government’s support for Carnival marketing stood at approximately Cg. 300,000. Last year, that amount was increased to Cg. 600,000, allowing for what the Minister described as a stronger and more competitive product, with the positive results already becoming evident.

The Minister said this is the framework that will continue guiding the Government’s approach to event support in St. Maarten, with the aim of building a balanced, sustainable, and competitive events portfolio that strengthens the economy, supports cultural identity, and creates room for new opportunities to develop.

‍