Heyliger-Marten outlines six building blocks for St. Maarten's economic future in 2027 budget

GREAT BAY--Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Traffic and Telecommunication (TEATT) Grisha Heyliger-Marten has outlined six strategic priorities intended to guide St. Maarten's economic development in 2027, placing emphasis on diversification, cost-of-living relief, consumer protection, reliable economic data, tourism development and stronger government institutions.

Presenting the Ministry's draft 2027 budget in Parliament on Tuesday, Heyliger-Marten said the country's economic strategy must extend beyond increasing tourism arrivals and generating economic growth. She emphasized the importance of ensuring that economic development creates opportunities for residents, supports local businesses and improves living conditions.

The Ministry's proposed budget stands at approximately Cg 43.8 million, compared to Cg 41.1 million in 2026, representing an increase of approximately six percent. However, the Minister explained that approximately Cg 14.8 million is connected to externally financed projects under the Country Package, compared to approximately Cg 13 million in 2026.

This means the increase in the Ministry's overall budget does not translate into an equivalent increase in unrestricted government spending. Much of the external financing is designated for specific reforms, projects and implementation activities.

Heyliger-Marten organized the Ministry's 2027 policy agenda around six building blocks that she described as interconnected components of a broader economic strategy.

Economic Growth and Diversification

The first priority focuses on reducing St. Maarten's dependence on tourism by developing additional economic opportunities in agriculture, livestock, fisheries, entrepreneurship, small and medium-sized enterprises, digital services and the creative economy.

The Ministry intends to support agricultural research, strengthen links between local producers and tourism businesses, explore microfinancing opportunities and advance the development of an agricultural agency.

Medical tourism is another potential growth area. The Minister indicated that proposed legislation concerning the admission of qualified foreign medical professionals could support the development of specialized healthcare services in St. Maarten, particularly alongside the expansion of the hospital.

The potential development of a regulated medical cannabis sector is also being explored, although the necessary legislative and regulatory frameworks remain subject to further review.

The Ministry is additionally pursuing the establishment of an investment promotion agency and improved digital business processes to facilitate investment and support local entrepreneurs.

Economic Relief and Cost of Living

The second building block addresses the cost of living, particularly the rising expenses associated with groceries, electricity, fuel and transportation.

Approximately Cg 722,000 in policy activities is directed toward economic relief initiatives in 2027.

A major component involves modernizing the maximum price monitoring system for essential goods and improving the government's ability to understand and respond to price movements.

The Ministry is preparing a public tender for an independent study examining the cost structure and supply chain of approximately 40 commonly purchased essential supermarket products.

The research will consider international purchase prices, shipping and logistics, local operating expenses, wholesale and retail margins, and comparisons with selected regional markets.

Heyliger-Marten also announced plans to explore partnerships with supermarkets, wholesalers and retailers to make a broader selection of everyday products available at clearly advertised affordable prices.

The objective is to provide consumers with more information and purchasing options while maintaining reliable product availability and fair competition.

Consumer Protection and Regulatory Enforcement

The third priority centers on strengthening enforcement and regulatory oversight across several sectors of the economy.

The Ministry intends to improve economic inspections, passenger transportation oversight, civil aviation regulation and maritime enforcement.

Planned initiatives include a digital enforcement platform, digital monitoring systems for taxis and buses, continued civil aviation compliance work, modernization of transportation legislation, and additional training and equipment for inspectors.

The Minister emphasized that effective regulation requires adequate personnel, modern systems and the ability to enforce existing laws consistently.

Data-Driven Governance and Statistics

The fourth building block recognizes the importance of reliable statistics in developing economic and social policies.

Approximately Cg 1.9 million in policy activities will support statistical research, modernization and capacity development in 2027.

Planned activities include a Household Budget Survey, Labour Force Survey, tourism expenditure and visitor satisfaction surveys, and national accounts research.

The Household Budget Survey is intended to provide updated information about how residents spend their income, while the Labour Force Survey will help government better understand employment, unemployment and labour market conditions.

Tourism research will focus on visitor expenditure, satisfaction and economic contributions.

The Minister stressed that reliable data is necessary to determine whether government policies are producing measurable improvements and to identify areas requiring intervention.

Tourism Development and Diversification

The fifth priority focuses on strengthening St. Maarten's tourism product while encouraging visitors to spend more throughout the local economy.

The Ministry's tourism development agenda includes culinary tourism, wellness and medical tourism, sports tourism, cultural and heritage tourism, nature tourism, destination events, weddings and film production.

Rather than concentrating exclusively on visitor numbers, Heyliger-Marten emphasized increasing the economic value generated by tourism, encouraging longer stays and improving activity during the traditionally slower tourism periods.

The 2027 tourism policy program includes approximately Cg 5.1 million for destination management, strategic marketing, planning and product development.

Among the proposed allocations are Cg 750,000 for the development and operation of the St. Maarten Tourism Authority, Cg 300,000 for updating the Tourism Master Plan and approximately Cg 3.4 million for strategic tourism marketing.

Other priorities include stronger digital marketing partnerships, expansion into selected new tourism markets, improvement of cultural and heritage attractions and development of a national hospitality and cultural ambassadorship training program.

The Ministry also intends to revisit the feasibility of United States preclearance at Princess Juliana International Airport and encourage the development of modern general aviation facilities to maintain St. Maarten's regional aviation competitiveness.

Organizational Strengthening and Institutional Development

The sixth building block focuses on ensuring that government departments have the personnel, technology and expertise required to implement the Ministry's plans.

Heyliger-Marten acknowledged that staffing shortages, outdated systems and limited technical capacity continue to affect service delivery and policy execution.

The Ministry intends to strengthen recruitment, training, regulatory knowledge and internal expertise while continuing efforts to digitize business licensing, inspection procedures and administrative services.

A fully operational digital business licensing system, supported by shorter processing times, remains a stated objective.

The Minister also outlined a potential TEATT-related capital investment program of approximately Cg 22.5 million for 2027, covering government facilities, tourism development, digital systems, agricultural infrastructure and other investments.

She clarified that the Cg 15 million previously budgeted for the Claude Wathey Square project in 2026 is not repeated in the 2027 capital table but remains part of the investment program carried forward from the previous year.

Economic Development Must Benefit Residents

Throughout the presentation, Heyliger-Marten emphasized that the Ministry's policy direction is intended to connect economic growth with improvements in household purchasing power, opportunities for entrepreneurs and more effective government services.

The six building blocks build on the Ministry's earlier institutional reform agenda, described as the R4 Effect, and its subsequent approach of moving St. Maarten forward through deliberate planning and implementation.

While recognizing that economic diversification and institutional reforms will require several years, the Minister indicated that 2027 should place greater emphasis on implementation and measurable results.

The broader objective, according to her presentation, is an economy that is less dependent on a single industry, better equipped to manage external economic shocks and more capable of distributing the benefits of economic activity among St. Maarten's residents and businesses.

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