The Ministry of TEATT says the Department of Economic Licenses has reduced its backlog by more than 85 percent, as part of a wider push to modernize business licensing in St. Maarten.
According to the Ministry, DEL went from more than 400 pending applications and matters in 2025 to approximately 60 today.
Economic Affairs Minister Grisha Heyliger-Marten says business owners should be focused on running their businesses, not waiting months for approvals. She says Government is working toward a licensing system that is faster, more transparent, and more responsive to the business community.
The Ministry says the department previously faced long-standing operational challenges, outdated manual systems, paper-based procedures, and extended delays for applicants.
As part of the restructuring, DEL reorganized internal workflows, processed long-outstanding applications, and completed the pilot phase of its online business license submission portal.
To prepare for the next phase, DEL will temporarily limit walk-in services through May 22nd. Processed licenses can be collected daily between 1 and 2 PM.
The department is expected to fully reopen on May 25th with updated procedures.