in this Section
The Governors Symposium
The annual Governors symposium is a platform created by Governor drs. Eugene B. Holiday, for stakeholders from a cross-section of Sint Maarten’s community to highlight, discuss and address important societal developments and policies issue.
Objective
The objective of the Governor’s Symposia is to promote good governance as a pillar for national development. It is designed to foster discussion as a result of presentations delivered by national, regional and international professional that sensitize leaders of our society to take initiatives directed at the further development and strengthening of national programs and policies.
Topics
2012 – National Heritage: Historical, Cultural and Economic importance.
2013 – Sustainable Development – Challenges for St. Maarten as a small Island Caribbean Nation.
2014 – Education for Democracy.
2015 – Governance: the value of Checks and Balances.
2016 – Securing National Development.
2017 – ICT Governance – Shaping our Future.
2018 – Climate Change and Small Island States: A Call for Strategic Action.
2019 – Shaping Economic Recovery in the Caribbean – Challenges and Opportunities
Speakers, Moderators and Masters of Ceremony
2012
Ms. Alissandra Cummins, the Director of the Barbados Museum & Historical Society and chairperson of the Executive Board of UNESCO – Key Note Speaker.
Ms. Sylveria Jacobs, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports Sint Maarten.
Mr. Louis Brown, Acting Secretary General of the Ministry of Housing, Spatial Development, Infrastructure & Environment Sint Maarten.
Dr. Jay Haviser Specialist for Monuments & Archaeology at the Ministry of VROMI Sint Maarten.
Mr. Neville York Head of the Culture Department Sint Maarten.
Mrs. Clara Reyes, performing artist & choreographer.
Ms. Alicia Barnes, USVI Department of Planning & Natural Resource Commissioner.
Mr. Michael Newton, Coordinator on Curaçao of the UNESCO Caribbean Heritage Course.
Mr. Arthur Murphy, Director of Heritage Resources for the National Parks Antigua.
Mrs. Maria van der Sluijs-Plantz, Vice Chairman of Strategic Development at TMF Group Holding B.V.
Mr. Jay Haviser – Moderator
Mr. Cedric Peterson – Moderator and Master of Ceremony
Mr. Neville York MA, – Moderator
2013
Ms. Elizabeth Thompson, former a UN Assistant Secretary General with responsibility as one of two Executive Coordinators of the UN’s Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development – Key Note Speaker.
Mrs. Sarah Wescot-Williams, Prime Minister of Sint Maarten and Minister of General Affairs.
Mr. Martin Atherton, Dominican Agronomist and Agricultural Economist.
Mr. J. Beaujon, former Managing Director of Windward Island Bank and Chairman of the Board of Nature Foundation.
Mr. R. Maduro, President of the Managing Board of GEBE.
Ms. Joy Arnell, Head of the Department of Social Development for the ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor Sint Maarten.
Mr. Rueben Thompson – Moderator
Mr. Claret Connor – Moderator
Drs. Jorien Wuite – Moderator
Ms. Astrid Plantz – Master of Ceremony
2014
Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General Organization Eastern Caribbean States – Key Note Speaker.
Mrs. Patricia Lourens-Philips, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Sint Maarten.
Drs. Linda A. Richardson, Former Minister of Education and Culture of the Netherlands Antilles, member of the Electoral Council Sint Maarten.
Drs. Jorien Wuite, Secretary General Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs Sint Maarten.
Drs. Lucita Moeniralam, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Trinidad and Tobago.
mr. Gaston Bell, Attorney, Member of the Council of Advice of Sint Maarten, Former Deputy Minister Plenipotentiary Netherlands Antilles.
Mrs. Naomi Christian-Richardson – Moderator
Ms. Anenda Zaandam – Master of Ceremony
2015
Dr. Trevor Munroe, Executive Director National Integrity Action in Jamaica – Key Note Speaker.
Mr. Marcel Gumbs, Prime Minister of Sint Maarten and Minister of General Affairs.
Mr. Jan Beaujon, former Managing Director of Windward Island Bank and Chairman of the Board of Nature Foundation.
Mr. Miguel L. Alexander, Former Civil Law Notary, Extra-Ordinary member Council of Advice Sint Maarten.
Mr. Jason J. Rogers LLM, Attorney at Hoeve & Rogers – Moderator
Mr. Ajamu Baly LLM, – Master of Ceremony
2016
Dr. Arnold McIntyre, Coordinator, International Monetary Fund, Washington DC – Key Note Speaker.
Ms. Fenna Arnell, Manager Department of Public Health, Ministry of Public Health, Social development and Labour Sint Maarten.
Mr. Tadzio Bervoets, Manager Nature Foundation Sint Maarten.
Ms. Candia Joseph RO IMIA, Country Manager Government Accountants Bureau Sint Maarten.
Dr. Ryan Peterson, General Manager Economic Policy at the Central Bank of Aruba.
Ms. Marciëlla Illidge CPA, Partner of BDO Dutch Caribbean – Moderator.
Ms. Nancy Guishard-Joubert LLM – Master of Ceremony
2017
Ms. Bernadette Lewis, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) – Key Note speaker.
Mr. Jean T. Arnell, Managing Partner of Computech.
Mr. Bevil Wooding, internet strategist and the Caribbean Outreach Manager for Packet Clearing House.
The students from the Sint Maarten Academy CAPE program (ICT Department) emphasized the aspect of ICT in Education.
Mr. Kendal Dupersoy, CEO TELEM Group of Companies.
Mr. Roy Richardson, co-Founder and CEO/CTO of Aurora InfoTech – Moderator.
Mr. Cedric Peterson, Department of Communication – Master of Ceremony.
2018
Dr. Kenrick Leslie, Executive Director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre – Key Note speaker.
Mr. Joseph Isaac, Head of the Meteorological Office-Government of Sint Maarten.
Dr. Cedric van Meerbeeck of Climatologist, Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology, Barbados.
Mr. Derick Downes, Managing Director of the Windward Islands Bank, Sint Maarten.
Dr. Michael A. Taylor, Professor & Deputy Dean Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of the West Indies.
Mr. Tadzio Bervoets, Director at Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance – Moderator.
Mr. Cedric Peterson, Department of Communication – Master of Ceremony.
2019
Ms. Marla Dukharan, M.Phil., M.Sc, Economist and Leading Advisor on the Caribbean – Key Note speaker.
Dr. Justin Ram, Director of Economics Caribbean Development Bank
Mr. Claret Connor, M.Sc, Director at St Maarten Chamber of Commerce
Ms. Tahseen Sayed, MALD, World Bank Country Director for Caribbean countries
Dr. Antonio Carmona Baez, President at the University of St Maarten – Moderator.
Ms. Kendra Arnell – Master of Ceremony.
Organizing Committee Members
2012
Mr. Paul Middelberg - Chairperson; Ms. Elsje Bosch; Mr. Jay Haviser; Ms. Marcellia Henry; Mr. Rueben Thompson; Ms. Clara Reyes; Mr. Cedric Peterson; Mr. Neville York; and Ms. Astrid Plantz.
2013
Ms. drs. Jorien Wuite -Chairperson; Mr. Bastiaan Bolt – Secretary; Mr. Claret Connor; Mr. Derek Downes; Ms. Makini Hickinson; Mr. Cedric Peterson; Ms. Astrid Plantz; and Mr. Rueben Thompson.
2014
Ms. drs. Wuite, Jorien - Chairperson; Mr. Bastiaan Bolt – Secretary; Mr. Ajamu Baly;
Ms. Astrid Plantz; Mrs. Naomi Christian-Richardson; and Ms. Anenda Zaandam.
2015
Ms. Cassandra Janssen - Chairperson; Mr. Bastiaan Bolt – Secretary; Mr. Ajamu Baly;
Ms. Joane Dovale-Meit; Ms. Nancy Joubert; Ms. Patricia Philips; and Ms. Astrid Plantz.
2016
Ms. Cassandra Janssen - Chairperson; Mr. Patrick Trijsburg – Secretary; Mr. Ajamu Baly; Mrs. Nancy Guishard-Joubert; Ms. Patricia Philips; Mrs. Astrid Gartner-Plantz and Ms. Dahjanarah Philips.
2017
Mr. Ajamu Baly – Chairperson; Mr. Patrick Trijsburg – Secretary; Mrs. Emilia Connor-Thomas - Mrs. Kathy Snijders - Ms. Dahjanarah Philips; Mr. Dimitri Connor; Mr. Gerard Richardson.
2018
Mr. Emilia Connor-Thomas – Chairperson; Mr. Patrick Trijsburg – Secretary; Ms. Desiree Connor; Ms. Rayan Rammo; Ms. Dahjanarah Philips; Mr. Silvànico Pauletta.
2022
Ms. Makhicia Brooks – Chairperson; Mr. Dennis van Kinderen; Ms. Rolinda Carter; Ms. Shurna Archangel; Ms. Dahjanarah Philips; Mr. Dwayne President.
Governor’s Symposium 2018 Report of Recommendations
Governor’s Symposium 2017 Report of Recommendations
Governor’s Symposium 2016 Report of Recommendations
Governor’s Symposium 2015 Report of Recommendations
Governor’s Symposium 2014 Report of Recommendations
Governor's Symposium 2013 Report of Recommendations