15 Years of Autonomy: The illusion of nationhood

Today, St. Maarten marks 15 years since acquiring autonomy, a milestone that should feel like the heartbeat of a nation, yet somehow still sounds like an echo. On October 10, 2010, we stepped into what was meant to be self-governance, the day the island stood up and said, “We are our own.” Yet, we don’t even celebrate it on that sacred date, we shift it to a Monday, simply to create a long weekend. That quiet choice says something: convenience over conviction.

For all our progress, St. Maarten has yet to lay down the pillars that make a country truly sovereign in spirit. We have not codified our symbols — our anthem, our flag, our very identity.

Our national anthem remains unanchored in law. Our flag shares its stage with an unofficial version, both fluttering side by side like twin identities unsure which one the wind prefers.

Even our name, St. Maarten, Sint Maarten, St. Martin, Soualiga, drifts between tongues, undefined and unclaimed. And then there’s the brown pelican, our national bird, majestic, resilient, and distinctly ours. But is it even protected? How do we honor it beyond a mention in textbooks or speeches?

If the symbols of our land are not cherished, then what exactly are we building autonomy upon? Fifteen years later, we speak of independence, but do we own it? True sovereignty begins not with constitutional documents, but with cultural conviction, knowing who we are, what we stand for, and what we will protect.

Until we enshrine these foundations, in law, in action, and in pride, our autonomy risks remaining just that: a beautiful idea on borrowed time.

Mark Mantle

Party member - Nation, Opportunity, Wealth (NOW)

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