Dear Editor,
The yachting industry of St. Maarten has bounced back faster post-hurricane than most economic activities and once again made a huge contribution to the economy at a time when it was much needed. It is an industry with a potential that provides many of the ideal features of any industry that a small Caribbean island might consider attracting to its shores.
Competition in this industry is increasing as many Caribbean islands try to attract an industry that provides high-paying jobs, spinoffs at the high end and a long-term future.
But like every growing industry, the countries that win this “new business” will be those that make their offering the most attractive with competitive prices and best service.
St. Maarten can be one of the big winners in the Caribbean in this market. There are some matters that need to be dealt with for St. Maarten to come out the winner.
The country and the government must fully see the value and benefit of the industry. In order for this to happen it would require that the government, parliament and the people can track the revenues coming out of the industry directly as well as indirectly. No government is going to invest in an industry unless they see its potential and to do that they need dependable data and information. To date this is not available.
Then there are some other small matters that would quickly lead us to the dynamic industry that the country would appreciate and benefit from. Like every new industry it would need some enabling and facilitation. So, somewhere in government there needs to be a policy advisor who really understands the issue and can give good advice to policy-makers. This policy-maker would understand the complexity of the industry and realize it cannot be marketed by the same people who handle stayover tourism or cruise tourism.
The policy-maker would be able to advise on which parts of yachting would create the greatest employment for the country. The policy-maker would be able to advise how best to tax the industry to ensure competitiveness and still provide a return. This policy-maker would identify how to ensure that a well-trained work force at both high- and low-skilled levels makes use of the opportunities. The policy-maker would see the value of a passionate marine/yachting community who would develop skills that would pass on from generation to generation.
Country Sint Maarten has the outstanding opportunity to enjoy the benefits of hosting this lucrative industry, but in order to do that, a well-thought-out enabling and facilitation plan based on the real circumstances of the industry must be developed and executed by knowledgeable parties.
Robbie Ferron
