President and Member of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams is seeking answers from Prime Minister Luc Mercelina after the Kingdom of the Netherlands abstained on a major United Nations resolution declaring the transatlantic trafficking of enslaved Africans and racialized chattel enslavement the gravest crime against humanity. The resolution was adopted on March 25 by a vote of 123 in favor, 3 against, and 52 abstentions.
In her letter, Wescot-Williams is asking whether Sint Maarten was consulted before the vote, whether the country expressed a position, and whether any local representative formed part of the Kingdom delegation during the UN deliberations. She also wants a full account of government actions tied to the Kingdom’s slavery past, including any position on reparations.
Wescot-Williams says the issue goes beyond diplomacy and cuts directly into history, identity, and the dignity of the people of Sint Maarten. She is also calling for clearer representation of Sint Maarten’s interests in future Kingdom-level international