Mercelina laments middle class is disappearing while many residents still do not feel economic growth

GREAT BAY--Prime Minister Dr. Luc Mercelina says one of his growing concerns is that St. Maarten’s economy appears active and busy on the surface, but many residents, particularly lower-income families and what remains of the middle class, are still not feeling the benefits of that growth.

PM Mercelina candidly acknowledged that this is one of the issues he continues to wrestle with as Prime Minister. He said he sees economic growth taking place, but he has not yet found a clear enough path to connect the lower-income segment of the community to that growth in a meaningful way.

PM Mercelina pointed to strong activity in the tourism sector, including high passenger movement through the airport, strong cruise arrivals, hotel occupancy and visible activity in nightlife and business areas. However, he said those indicators do not answer the deeper question of whether ordinary people are actually benefiting from the economic movement taking place around them.

The Prime Minister said St. Maarten can look prosperous from the outside, with tourists arriving, cars on the road, people filling gas stations and entertainment areas appearing busy. But behind that image, he said, many residents are still under pressure and struggling to improve their quality of life.

“What I cannot get a good clearance on is how I can link the lower-income segment of the community for them to enjoy the economic shift in St. Maarten,” Mercelina said in substance.

He said that concern is real for him because the country cannot measure its progress only by arrivals, hotel activity or business movement. The larger challenge, he said, is ensuring that residents who are struggling at the bottom of the economy can also feel improvement in their lives.

Mercelina linked the issue directly to the loss of St. Maarten’s middle class. He said the country no longer has the kind of middle class it once had, using the example of a police officer married to a teacher who may still struggle to qualify for a mortgage or purchase a home.

He said that example shows how serious the situation has become. In a healthy society, he suggested, a police officer and a teacher should be part of the stable middle class. But in St. Maarten today, even two working professionals may not have enough combined income to access home ownership.

The Prime Minister said this points to a larger social and economic imbalance. He described a society where the upper class remains at the top, the lower-income group continues to struggle, and the middle class has been weakened to the point where many working families cannot get ahead.

Mercelina said education must become central again to rebuilding social mobility in St. Maarten. He said education has been neglected for too long and must once again be viewed as the main route through which people improve their lives, gain skills and contribute meaningfully to the country.

He said St. Maarten cannot build a stronger future without investing in its human resources. According to the Prime Minister, the country needs educated, trained and skilled people if it is to advance beyond simply depending on money moving through the tourism economy.

Mercelina said that for too long, St. Maarten’s economy was treated as a money-making machine, while the importance of education and professional development was pushed aside. He said the country must return to the understanding that education is one of the most important tools for lifting people out of poverty and strengthening the community.

He also pointed to the influence of social media and quick-money culture, saying they can create the impression that success comes easily. But he said the reality is different, and that people still need education, discipline, responsibility and preparation to build a better future.

The Prime Minister said this is part of the broader challenge of governing a small country with limited resources and high public expectations. He said the government does not have unlimited money to satisfy every need in healthcare, education, justice and social development, even while the demand for those services continues to grow.

Mercelina said St. Maarten must therefore be honest about the size of its economy, the limits of its tax base and the pressure placed on government services. He said the country has to find ways to make economic growth more inclusive, while also dealing with structural challenges that have been neglected for years.

He stressed that the effort continues. While he admitted that he is still searching for the clearest and most effective way to make the link between economic growth and the lives of struggling residents, he said the issue remains one of his priorities.

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