PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — In light of the recent reaction by Kingdom Minister of Foreign Affairs Berendsen in defense of the Kingdom’s abstention during the UN vote on a resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade the gravest crime against humanity, Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams says the explanation offered thus far falls short of what is required.
MP Wescot-Williams confirmed that she also has formally requested clarity from the Prime Minister of Sint Maarten through parliamentary questions, seeking answers on the Kingdom’s position, the role and involvement of the countries within the Kingdom, and the implications of the abstention for ongoing conversations about reparations, acknowledgment, and reconciliation.
According to Wescot-Williams, “A simple promise to do better in the future is not sufficient. This vote by the Kingdom will live on and will inevitably make future attempts at reparations and reconciliation appear disingenuous.”
She emphasized that statements of regret, apologies, and commitments to confront the legacy of slavery lose credibility when they are contradicted by actions on the international stage.
“The abstention sends the wrong signal, particularly to Caribbean people whose ancestors endured centuries of exploitation and whose societies continue to experience the structural consequences of that history,” the MP stated.
Wescot-Williams further argued that the Kingdom now has an obligation to repair the political and moral damage caused by the abstention and to demonstrate, through clear and principled action, that its commitment to reparatory justice is sincere.
“This abstention by the Kingdom needs to be repaired,” she concluded.
The MP noted that the responses from the Sint Maarten Prime Minister will help clarify whether Sint Maarten was consulted or informed beforehand and whether the interests and sensitivities of the Caribbean countries within the Kingdom were adequately represented in the Kingdom’s final position.
