We have planned enough, let’s get to work - part1

Former Lt. Governor Franklyn Richards has been writing on the theme “𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘝𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘞𝘦𝘭𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘵. 𝘔𝘢𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘯”, using the series to encourage renewed focus on turning years of plans, studies, reforms and national priorities into measurable results for the country. His central argument is that St. Maarten already has much of the groundwork it needs, and the challenge now is to connect that work, assign responsibility, provide the necessary resources and move decisively toward implementation.

In Parts 1 and 2 of the column, Richards focuses on moving from planning to action, while also making sure the public can clearly see what has been completed, what remains unfinished, who is responsible and whether the work being done is actually improving people's lives. The series is intended to help trigger greater movement toward implementation, accountability and lasting national progress.

At the opening of Parliamentary Year 2026/2027 on September 8, Governor Ajamu Baly, speaking on behalf of Government, outlined the policies and priorities for Sint Maarten in the year ahead Many of the challenges are familiar: housing, healthcare, education, employment, roads and drainage, sewage and waste, public safety, government services, financial management, economic development, social protection, the environment and stronger public institutions.

Sint Maarten has been working on many of these issues for years. The question, therefore, is not simply what Government intends to do next. It is also: What have we already planned, what have we achieved, what remains unfinished, and how do we turn all of that work into measurable results?

Sint Maarten does not have to start from zero. We have the groundwork of the National Development Plan (NDP), the National Development Vision 2020–2030 and Beyond (NDV), successive Governing Programs, the Country Package reforms, ministerial plans, national budgets, recovery programs, Plans of Approach, projects, studies and recommendations from oversight and advisory institutions. The practical task now is to connect them.

Sint Maarten’s National Development Plan process dates back to 2012 and involved Government, the private sector, civil society and citizens. In 2022, the National Development Vision 2020–2030 and Beyond was publicly launched under the theme “Growing Stronger Together.”

It identified three broad aspirations:

• a compassionate and united society;
• a strong and resilient economy; and
• a safe, secure, decisive and independent nation.

The NDV provides strategic direction. It is not, by itself, a detailed implementation plan.

That is an important distinction.

A national vision tells us where we want to go. Implementation requires us to determine what must be done, who must do it, what resources are required, when it should be completed and how success will be measured.

That is the bridge Sint Maarten now needs to strengthen.

Bring the Existing Work Together

The Country Package reforms supported by the Tijdelijke Werkorganisatie (TWO) should be part of this exercise.

That work covers public finances, Government operations, taxation, economic development, healthcare, education and the rule of law. It has generated implementation agendas, projects, technical assistance, studies and progress reports.

There has been progress, and that progress should be recognized. The important questions now are practical:

What has been completed?

What is underway?

What has produced measurable improvements?

What remains unfinished or delayed?

Which reforms should become part of the normal operations of Government?

What will it cost to sustain successful reforms after temporary external support ends?

The same approach should apply to ministerial plans, recovery programs, Plans of Approach, major projects and important recommendations from institutions such as the Council of Law Enforcement and the Progress Committee. This does not mean placing every Government document into one enormous plan. It means establishing one clear picture of the country’s major priorities, commitments, actions and results.

Plans Need People, Money and Follow-Through

Experience within the Justice Sector provides a useful lesson. Years of inspections, recommendations and monitoring have shown that having a plan is not enough. A ministry or agency may be given responsibility for something, but responsibility alone does not create the ability to deliver. The responsible organization also needs people, skills, authority, systems, cooperation and adequate resources. This applies across Government.

A recommendation is not a result.

A plan is not implementation.

Money budgeted is not the same as something delivered.

The important question is what happens afterwards.

That requires clear responsibility and consistent follow-through.

Five Practical Steps

1. Take Stock

Government should establish one national inventory of major plans, reforms, projects, commitments and important recommendations.

Each should have a simple status:

Completed. Ongoing. Not started. Delayed. No longer relevant. Needs financing. Needs legislation. Needs a Government decision.

Where something is delayed, explain why.

This exercise should recognize what previous and present governments have already accomplished rather than assuming everything must begin again.

A central Government entity should coordinate and maintain the national inventory, while individual ministries and agencies remain responsible for the work assigned to them.

2. Create a 2027–2030 Implementation and Acceleration Framework

The inventory should become the basis for a practical implementation framework covering the remaining years to 2030. This should not be another lengthy national planning exercise.

For each major priority, answer seven basic questions:

What are we trying to achieve?

Where are we now?

What needs to be done?

Who is responsible?

What will it cost and how will it be financed?

When should it be completed?

How will we measure the result?

That is information the Council of Ministers can use to manage, Parliament can use for oversight, Government officials can use to implement, and the public can use to understand what is happening.

3. Connect Priorities to the National Budget

The national budget should help turn policy into results. For every major program or investment, it should be possible to trace a simple line, from:

National Priority → Responsible Organization → Budget → Action → Result.

When Parliament considers a major allocation, members should be able to determine what Government intends to achieve, how much it will cost, who is responsible and whether the responsible organization has the capacity to deliver. A budget tells us what Government is authorized to spend. Performance reporting should tell us what that spending achieved.

4. Report on Progress

Government should produce an annual State of National Development Report. It does not need to be hundreds of pages. It should clearly show what was completed, what remains on schedule, what is delayed, what was spent, what results were achieved and where corrective action is required.

Important recommendations from oversight, inspection and advisory institutions should also be tracked. Government does not have to accept every recommendation. But for significant recommendations, it should state whether they are accepted, partially accepted or not accepted and explain why.

For those accepted, responsibility and expected completion should be clear.

5. Build Government’s Capacity to Deliver

This may ultimately determine whether the entire exercise succeeds. Government cannot implement ambitious policies without institutions capable of delivering them. External experts, consultants, TWO and development partners can provide valuable assistance. But outside assistance should strengthen local institutions, not become a permanent substitute for them.

Skills and knowledge should be transferred. Effective systems should remain in place. Civil servants should be equipped to operate them. That is how reforms survive when projects end, consultants leave and governments change.

Start From Where We Are

Sint Maarten has already invested considerable public money, expertise and time in determining where the country should go. The sensible approach is not to discard that work or endlessly add new layers to it.

Start from where we are.

Recognize what has been achieved.

Identify what remains unfinished.

Decide what still matters.

Assign responsibility.

Provide the necessary capacity and resources.

Connect priorities to the budget.

Set measurable targets and realistic timelines.

Then implement.

The next challenge is equally important:

How will Parliament and the people know whether it is actually working?

Part II will follow tomorrow.

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