More Than a Builder of Today—A Builder of Tomorrow

This Friday, St. Maarten commemorates the birth of Dr. Claude Wathey. Much will be said about the economy he helped build, the tourism industry he helped shape, the institutions he strengthened, and the opportunities he created. Those achievements deserve to be remembered.

But perhaps his greatest gift to St. Maarten was not what he built, it was that he could already see what did not yet exist.

Long before St. Maarten became one of the Caribbean's premier tourism destinations, Claude Wathey envisioned an island that could compete with the best. He understood that prosperity does not happen by accident. It is created by leaders who look beyond today's problems and dare to imagine tomorrow's possibilities. That is why his legacy remains relevant today.

Those who worked with him and those who lived through that era often recall two defining qualities: decisiveness and vision. Government was expected to solve problems, but it was also expected to create opportunities. Public service was not merely about managing the present; it was about building the future.

That future was shaped by bold thinking. The airport had to expand. The harbor had to grow. Tourism had to become the engine of the economy. Investment had to be attracted. Jobs had to be created. These were not simply projects. They were part of a long-term vision for what St. Maarten could become.

Perhaps that is the question we should ask ourselves today. Do we still spend enough time imagining the St. Maarten we want twenty years from now?

Modern government operates in a very different environment. Transparency, accountability, public consultation, and legal oversight are essential pillars of good governance. They protect the public interest and strengthen our democracy.

Yet there is a difference between good governance and government that becomes consumed by process. Reports have their place, committees have their place, consultants have their place, regulations have their place, but none of them are substitutes for leadership.

Leadership is measured by results. It is measured by the courage to make decisions, the willingness to take responsibility, and the ability to inspire confidence in a shared future.

Somewhere along the way, there is a risk that governments begin managing systems instead of shaping societies. We become so occupied with today's agendas, today's reports, and today's procedures that we neglect tomorrow's opportunities.

That raise an important question: Where is today's national vision?

Followed by: Where is the conversation about what St. Maarten should look like in 2040? How will we reduce the cost of electricity while becoming more energy independent? How will we strengthen our resilience against hurricanes and climate change? How will artificial intelligence transform education, tourism, healthcare, and public administration? What new industries will complement tourism and create meaningful careers for our young people? And the most important one: How will we ensure that the next generation inherits a stronger, more resilient, and more prosperous country than the one we inherited?

These are the questions that visionary leaders ask.

Claude Wathey understood that governments are remembered less for the reports they produced than for the future they helped create.

This is not an invitation to romanticize the past. Every generation faces its own challenges, and today's leaders govern in a world that is more complex, more interconnected, and more regulated than ever before.

But every generation can also learn from the strengths of those who came before.

Imagine a government that combines today's standards of accountability with the boldness to think beyond the next budget, the next crisis, or even the next election.

Imagine a government that is just as committed to building the St. Maarten of 2040 as it is to managing the St. Maarten of today.

That would be a fitting tribute to Dr. Claude Wathey.

The greatest monuments to leaders are not the statues erected in their honor, but the generations inspired by their example.

If Claude Wathey's centennial reminds us to think bigger, act bolder, and build further ahead than the next election cycle, then his vision will continue to shape St. Maarten for the next hundred years.

Eustaquio Richardson

‍