Mem­bers of Parliament (MPs) from St. Maarten will join members of the Island Councils of Saba and St. Eustatius this week for the first official SSS Coopera­tive Consultation, sched­uled to take place on Saba April 15-17.

The meeting marks a his­toric milestone in efforts to strengthen regional ties between the three islands. It follows a 2022 decision by the Parliament of St. Maarten to rekindle the SSS Cooperative and cre­ate a platform for more structured collaboration, regardless of each island’s current constitutional sta­tus. The goal is to address common challenges, ex­plore joint solutions, and build lasting cooperation among the Windward Is­lands.

“This initiative approved by Parliament aims to bring together the three Carib­bean islands with shared challenges and interests to work more closely on solu­tions that matter to their people,” the Parliament of St. Maarten said in a press release.

Over the course of the two-day consultation, leg­islators from the three is­lands will hold discussions on pressing regional top­ics, including inter-island air travel, double taxation and Customs coordination, food security, and climate change. The agenda also features early discussions on the creation of a Wind­ward Islands Economic Union.

Participants will also attend a presentation on the history of Windward Is­lands cooperation. In addi­tion, they will tour several local projects on Saba, in­cluding a hydroponics gar­den, the Saba Sea Research Lab, and the Saba Electric Company.

An expected outcome of the consultation is expected to be the signing of a mem­orandum of understanding (MoU) that will formally establish the SSS Coopera­tive Consultation as an on­going platform and ensure that the three legislative bodies continue to collabo­rate on issues of mutual in­terest.

The St. Maarten delega­tion includes MP Sarah A. Wescot-Williams, President of Parliament and delega­tion leader; MP Veronica Jansen-Webster; MP Eg­bert Doran; MP Lyndon Lewis; MP Francisco La­croes; MP Viren Kotai; MP Raeyhon Peterson; and Secretary General of Parliament Garrick Rich­ardson.

The Daily Herald.