Cabinet Minister Plenipotentiary Featured in Diplomat Magazine “A Bridge between the Kingdom and the Caribbean”
The Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary Sint Maarten was featured in the latest edition represented by Minister Plenipotentiary, Drs. Gracita R. Arrindell. Minister Arrindell was featured in the ‘Diplomat VIP’ section of the publication. The feature entitled, ‘Sint Maarten: A Bridge between the Kingdom and the Caribbean,’ described how Sint Maarten embodies a unique bridge between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the wider Caribbean and Latin American region. As the world faces complex challenges, Sint Maarten firmly believes that true progress must be rooted in three key pillars: education, culture, and sustainability, the guiding principles of the island’s [...]
Minister Plenipotentiary Arrindell bids farewell to Hamilton “Hammy” L. Richardson Dutch Baseball Iconic Figure
Minister Plenipotentiary Drs. Gracita R. Arrindell represented the people and the Government of Sint Maarten at the homecoming service of Sint Maarten-born Hamilton “Hammy” Leopold Richardson on Friday, January 16, 2026. Richardson was an iconic figure in Dutch baseball history. He arrived in the Netherlands in the early 1960s and quickly became a transformative figure for Sparta Rotterdam and the sport of baseball across the country. Known for his exceptional speed and defensive prowess in the outfield, Richardson played for Sparta from 1963 to 1974, a period during which he helped define the club's "golden era." “There are always [...]
Minister Plenipotentiary Arrindell Discusses Role of Sint Maarten Seafarers in Kingdom Merchant Navy during the Second World War
Just before the start of the Christmas holiday season, Hubert Nijgh, Chairman of the Stichting Koopvaardijpersoneel 1940–1945, paid a courtesy visit to Her Excellency Drs. Gracita Arrindell, Minister Plenipotentiary of Sint Maarten in The Hague. Before the outbreak of World War II, the Netherlands had one of the largest and most modern merchant fleets in the world with over 1100 hundred seagoing vessels. Many of those ships and their crews were deployed for Allied war purposes during the war. The discussion focused on the significant contribution of the merchant navy during the Second World War. Merchant vessels played a [...]
Kingdom Day 2025 – From Past to Connection
On Monday, 15 December, the Minister Plenipotentiary of Sint Maarten attended the celebration of Kingdom Day 2025 at The Hague University of Applied Sciences. Also present were the Minister Plenipotentiary of Curaçao, Mr. Manuel Carlson, and Ms. Shandra John representing the Aruba House. Kingdom Day commemorates the signing of the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands on 15 December 1954 and marks the foundation of the Kingdom as it exists today, based on equality, cooperation, and shared responsibility between its countries. This year’s theme, “From Past to Connection: Building the Future Together,” framed an inspiring programme that brought [...]
Prime Minister Mercelina Reflects on Constitutional Autonomy of Sint Maarten and Calls for Kingdom Summit
During the 36th InterExpo Kingdom Relations Congress, held under the theme “Fifteen Years After 10/10/10,” the Honorable Prime Minister of Sint Maarten, Dr. Luc F.E. Mercelina, delivered a landmark presentation titled “15 years of Constitutional Autonomy.” Speaking before Kingdom officials, scholars, and regional leaders, the Prime Minister urged participants to look beyond the last fifteen years and instead examine 170 years of constitutional interventions, restructuring, and negotiation that shaped the Kingdom of the Netherlands and, critically, shaped Sint Maarten’s present-day reality. Prime Minister Mercelina was accompanied at the congress by the Minister Plenipotentiary of Sint Maarten, Drs. Gracita R. [...]